Neutrophil elastase (NE) is known to be one of the most potent proteases capable of deforming and detaching human bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) and inducing IL-8 gene expression. However, mechanisms of NE-induced IL-8 gene expression are unclear, especially with respect to how they relate to cellular detachment. To elucidate these mechanisms, effects of cell detachment and deformation following mechanical injury or pharmacologic stimuli on IL-8 gene expression were examined by Northern analyses. When BET-1A cells from a human bronchial epithelial cell line were incubated with NE (100 nM), trypsin (0.5 mg/ml), EGTA (7 mM), or EDTA (0.7 mM) to induce deformation and detachment, IL-8 mRNA transcript levels were up-regulated, as demonstrated in a case of mechanical detachment from the culture plate using a cell scraper. This IL-8 gene expression was inhibited by pretreatment with 5 microM taxol, a microtubule-stabilizing agent. Colchicine or vinblastine, microtubule-disrupting agents, induced IL-8 gene expression, which was also inhibited by taxol treatment. These data suggest that structural changes, including deformation of the cytoskeleton, especially microtubules, may contribute to IL-8 gene expression in human BECs. Since detachment and cellular deformation of BECs caused by proteases have been observed frequently in a variety of inflammatory airway diseases, our findings provide evidence that detached or deformed BECs potentially enhance production of inflammatory mediators in the pathogenesis of airway inflammation.


Progressive myoclonus epilepsy of the Unverricht-Lundborg type (EPM1) is a recessively inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding cystatin B, a cysteine protease inhibitor. Mice with disruptions in this gene display myoclonic seizures, progressive ataxia, and cerebellar pathology closely paralleling EPM1 in humans. To provide further insight into our understanding of EPM1, we report pathological findings in brains from cystatin B-deficient mice. In addition to confirming the loss of cerebellar granular cell neurons by apoptosis, we identified additional neuronal apoptosis in young mutant mice (3–4 months old) within the hippocampal formation and entorhinal cortex. In older mutant mice (16–18 months old), there was also gliosis most marked in the presubiculum and parasubiculum of the hippocampal formation, as well as the entorhinal cortex, neocortex, and striatum. Furthermore, widespread white matter gliosis was also noted, which may be a secondary phenomenon. Within the cerebral cortex, cellular atrophy was a prominent finding in the superficial neurons of the prosubiculum. Finally, we show that mutant mice in either a "seizure-prone" or "seizure-resistant" genetic background display similar neuropathological changes. These findings indicate that neuronal atrophy is an important consequence of cystatin-B deficiency independent of seizure events, suggesting a physiological role for this protein in the maintenance of normal neuronal structure.


The ability to direct visual attention is a fundamental skill for seeing robots. Attention comes in two flavours: the gaze direction (overt attention) and attention to a specific part of the current field of view (covert attention), of which the latter is the focus of the present study. Specifically, we study the effects of attentional masking within pre-trained deep neural networks for the purpose of handling ambiguous scenes containing multiple objects. We investigate several variants of attentional masking on partially pre-trained deep neural networks and evaluate the effects on classification performance and sensitivity to attention mask errors in multi-object scenes. We find that a combined scheme consisting of multi-level masking and blending provides the best trade-off between classification accuracy and insensitivity to masking errors. This proposed approach is denoted multilayer continuous-valued convolutional feature masking (MC-CFM). For reasonably accurate masks it can suppress the influence of distracting objects and reach comparable classification performance to unmasked recognition in cases without distractors.


The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) is a ton-scale double beta decay experiment based on TeO2 cryogenic bolometers and is currently in the last construction stage at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS). Its primary goal is to observe neutrino-less double beta decay of 130Te, however thanks to the ultra-low background and large projected exposure it could also be suitable for other rare event searches, as the detection of solar axions, neutrinos from type II supernovae or direct detection of dark matter. The sensitivity for these searches will depend on the performance achieved at the low energy threshold. For this reason a trigger algorithm based on continuous data filtering has been developed which will allow lowering the threshold down to the few keV region. The new trigger has been tested in CUORE-0, a single-tower CUORE prototype consisting of 52 TeO2 bolometers and recently concluded, and here we present the results in terms of trigger efficiency, data selection and low-energy calibration.


A purported downside of social category diversity is decreased relationship focus i.e., one's focus on establishing a positive social bond with a coworker. However, we argue that this lack of relationship focus serves as a central mechanism that improves information processing even prior to interaction and, ultimately, decision-making performance in diverse settings. We introduce the construct of premeeting elaboration i.e., the extent to which individuals consider their own and others' perspectives in the anticipation of an interaction and explore its link with social category diversity and relationship focus. Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrate that when disagreement occurs, social category diversity increases premeeting elaboration, with relationship focus as a central causal mechanism. Experiment 3 shows that premeeting elaboration has important implications for performance: disagreeing dyads with social category diversity elaborate more prior to meeting and, as a result, perform better on a decision-making task than those with social category homogeneity. We discuss the value of studying early-stage interaction and propose a reconsideration of the "downside" of social category diversity.


Conformational energy calculations indicate that the peptide backbones of the low-energy conformations of the cyclized dipeptide derivatives cyclo (L-alanyl-L-alanyl-epsilon-aminocaproyl) and cyclo (L-alanyl-D-alanyl-epsilon-aminocaproyl) are constrained to form beta-bends of types I + III and II, respectively. Thus, the two compounds can serve as models for the spectroscopic properties of beta-bends of these types. The coupling constants obtained from 1H n.m.r. spectra in DMSO-d6 are consistent with the dihedral angeles of the computed lowest-energy conformations. Differences in 13C chemical shifts between the two compounds can be correlated with differences in shielding by C=O groups in bends of various types. 1H and 13C chemical shifts suggest association of cyclo (L-Ala-L-Ala-Aca) but not of cyclo (L-Ala-D-Ala-Aca) in dimethylsulfoxide. The different tendencies to associate can be explained in terms of the difference in conformation. The circular dichroism spectra of the two compounds are quite different. In methanol, trifluoroethanol and water, the L-Ala-L-Ala derivative has a positive extremum near 190 nm and two negative extrema near 206 and 220 nm, whereas the L-Ala-D-Ala derivative has a positive extremum at about 203 nm and negative extrema at about 187 and 229 nm. The spectra can be used to estimate the contribution of various bend types in a related series of compounds. A normal mode analysis of the vibrations of the computed low-energy conformations was compared with solid state infrared and Raman spectra, in order to determine the predominant conformations. The bend types determined by this comparison fully agree with the predictions of the theoretical computations for both derivatives.


Along with increased complexity of the models used for scientific activities and engineering
come diverse and greater uncertainties. Today, effectively quantifying the uncertainties contained
in a model appears to be more important than ever. Scientific fellows know how serious it is to
calibrate their model in a robust way, and decision-makers describe how critical it is to keep the best
effort to reduce the uncertainties about the model. Effectively accessing the uncertainties about the
model requires mastering all the tasks involved in the numerical experiments, from optimizing the
experimental design to managing the very time consuming aspect of model simulation and choosing
the adequate indicators and analysis methods.
In this paper, we present an open framework for organizing the complexity associated with
numerical model simulation and analyses. Named mtk (Mexico Toolkit), the developed system aims
at providing practitioners from different disciplines with a systematic and easy way to compare and
to find the best method to effectively uncover and quantify the uncertainties contained in the model
and further to evaluate their impact on the performance of the model. Such requirements imply that
the system must be generic, universal, homogeneous, and extensible. This paper discusses such an
implementation using the R scientific computing platform and demonstrates its functionalities with
examples from agricultural modeling.
The package mtk is of general purpose and easy to extend. Numerous methods are already
available in the actual release version, including Fast, Sobol, Morris, Basic Monte-Carlo, Regression,
LHS (Latin Hypercube Sampling), PLMM (Polynomial Linear metamodel). Most of them are compiled
from available R packages with extension tools delivered by package mtk.


The link between the stress sensitivity of shaley sandstones and their porosity and clay content is investigated. This is achieved by firstly fitting a compliance‐based stress‐sensitivity law to laboratory measurements of ultrasonic velocity taken from four sets of reservoir sandstones, extracted from a variety of depositional settings. Correlations are then sought between the independent parameters of this law and the porosity or clay fraction of the rocks, which are then subsequently interpreted in terms of framework or pore‐space‐related microstructural clay models. The general conclusion drawn from the results is that both of the parameters defining the stress‐sensitivity law (the asymptotic modulus and the stress‐dependent excess compliance) clearly vary with porosity. However, only the asymptotic modulus shows a convincing trend with clay and there is little observed variation of the stress‐dependent compliance with clay. There is therefore a resultant variation of stress sensitivity with clay, but it is controlled only by the asymptotic modulus. The analysis also concludes that all four data sets fall into a framework‐related category of clay model.


Gandhiji emphasized that women should be self dependent in social and economic fields. Women constitute nearly 50 percentage of Indian population. They are predominantly employed in agricultural sector. But their participation in the industrial sector was almost negligible when compared to men. The role of women in the entrepreneurship was also scarce. Real economic growth is possible only by the involvement of women in industrial and entrepreneurship development. Having realized the importance and role to be played by women in the national development, the seventh five-year plan declared are New Industrial Policy, which highlighted the need for the conduct of special entrepreneurship programme for women with the objective of small industries started by the women.


The Kolosh Formation is belongs to Paleocene –Early Eocene cycle, this cycle is characterize by a complete development in the basin of deposition in all parts of Iraq.
This study assessed to find the age of Kolosh Formation, dinoflagellate cysts as a main tool were used for this purpose through analyzing twelve (12) samples taken from Dokan area Sulaimani Governorate, the samples were treated by normal palynological analyses used in the world, the results showed presence of 15 genera and 19 species of dinoflagellate cysts in the formation, the determined plynomorphes were used to draw a rang chart, which used to subdivide the section to many biozones, named shortly as (P.Z1, P.Z2, and P.Z3), and to show the distribution of palynomorohes, in addition to the age of the formation.
The assigned biozones were correlated with other studies done before for the same age in Iraq at Shaqlawa area, and outside of Iraq with those of Germav Formation located in SE Anatolia, Turkey.


BackgroundX-linked cardiomyopathy (XLCM) is a rapidly progressive primary myocardial disorder presenting in teenage males as congestive heart failure. Manifesting female carriers have later onset (fifth decade) and slower progression. The purpose of this study was to localize the XLCM gene locus in two families using molecular genetic techniques Methods and ResultsLinkage analysis using 60 X-chromosome-specific DNA markers was performed in a previously reported large XLCM pedigree and a smaller new pedigree. Two-point and multipoint linkage was calculated using the LINKAGE computer program package. Deletion analysis included multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Dystrophin protein was evaluated by Western blotting with N-terminal and C-terminal dystrophin antibody. Linkage of XLCM to the centromeric portion of the dystrophin or Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) locus at Xp21 was demonstrated with combined maximum logarithm of the scores of +4.33, 0=0 with probe XJ1.1 (DXS206) using two-point linkage and +4.81 at XJ1.1 with multipoint linkage analysis. LOD scores calculated using other proximal DMD genomic and cDNA probes and polymerase chain reaction polymorphisms supported linkage. No deletions were observed. Abnormalities of cardiac dystrophin were shown by Western blotting with N-terminal dystrophin antibody, whereas skeletal muscle dystrophin was normal, suggesting primary involvement of the DMD gene with preferential involvement of cardiac muscle. ConclusionXLCM is due to an abnormality within the centromeric half of the dystrophin genomic region in heart. This abnormality could be due to 1) a point mutation in the 5' region of the DMD coding sequence preferentially affecting cardiac function, 2) a cardiac-specific promoter mutation that alters expression in this tissue, 3) splicing abnormalities, resulting in an abnormal cardiac protein, or 4) deletion mutations undetectable by Southern and multiplex polymerase chain reaction analysis.


ABSTRACT What is the relationship between Frege's puzzle and the puzzle of the de se? An increasingly influential view claims that the de se puzzle is merely an instance of Frege's puzzle and that the idea that de se attitudes pose a distinctive theoretical challenge rests on a myth. Here we argue that this view is misguided. There are important differences between the two puzzles. First, unlike Frege puzzle cases, de se puzzle cases involve unshareable Fregean senses. Second, unlike Frege puzzle cases, de se puzzle cases cannot be resolved by objective information alone. Further, there seem to be pure cases of each puzzle: instances of the de se puzzle which do not have a Fregean structure, and instances of Frege's puzzle, which do not involve de se attitudes. We conclude that the two puzzles are fundamentally different and that the traditional theory of attitudes needs to be amended.


In this paper, the authors suggest the merger of the Massively Open Online Course MOOC format and mobile learning mLearning based on mutual affordances of both contemporary learning/teaching formats to investigate learner interactions and dialogues in an open online course. The paper presents a case study of how MobiMOOC, a course created using the MOOC format, demonstrates the synergistic characteristics between the MOOC format and mLearning, making a combination of both fields ideal for contemporary, digital, collaborative learning, and knowledge construction based on learner interactions and dialogue. MobiMOOC was a six-week online course focusing on mLearning that ran in April and May 2011. An end-of-course survey provides insight that supports the synergies between MOOCs and mLearning: collaboration, informal and lifelong learning, and dialogue.


Background: Limited information is available concerning the prevalence and risk factors of xerosis in the elderly. Objective: To establish the prevalence of xerosis and associated factors in elderly patients. Methods: A national, multicenter, observational, cross-sectional study in patients aged 65 or older was performed. The data collected by general practitioners were demographics and medical history, including history of atopic disease. Xerosis was evaluated using the Overall Dry Skin score. Results: 756 patients were included. The prevalence of xerosis was 55.6%. Xerosis was significantly associated with older age (OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.16–1.89), female sex (OR: 1.80, 95 CI%: 1.29–2.53), treatments that can potentially cause xerosis (OR: 2.21, 95 CI%: 1.54–3.17), itching during sweating (OR: 7.11, 95% CI: 3.90–12.95), a history of dry skin (OR: 2.89, 95% CI: 1.65–5.08) and a history of atopic dermatitis (OR: 3.60, 95% CI: 1.99–6.52). Conclusion: Xerosis is highly prevalent in the elderly. A history of atopy, especially atopic dermatitis, is associated with an increased risk of xerosis in the elderly.


The COVID-19 pandemic forced governments across the world to impose lockdowns to prevent virus transmissions. This resulted in the shutdown of all economic activity and accordingly the production at manufacturing plants across most sectors was halted. While there is an urgency to resume production, there is an even greater need to ensure the safety of the workforce at the plant site. Reports indicate that maintaining social distancing and wearing face masks while at work clearly reduces the risk of transmission. We decided to use computer vision on CCTV feeds to monitor worker activity and detect violations which trigger real time voice alerts on the shop floor. This paper describes an efficient and economic approach of using AI to create a safe environment in a manufacturing setup. We demonstrate our approach to build a robust social distancing measurement algorithm using a mix of modern-day deep learning and classic projective geometry techniques. We have deployed our solution at manufacturing plants across the Aditya Birla Group (ABG). We have also described our face mask detection approach which provides a high accuracy across a range of customized masks.


The EU H2020 MaRINET2 project has a goal to improve the quality, robustness and accuracy of physical modelling and associated testing practices for the offshore renewable energy sector. To support this aim, a round robin scale physical modelling test programme was conducted to deploy a common wave energy converter at four wave basins operated by MaRINET2 partners. Test campaigns were conducted at each facility to a common specification and test matrix, providing the unique opportunity for intercomparison between facilities and working practices. A nonproprietary hinged raft, with a nominal scale of 1:25, was tested under a set of 12 irregular sea states. This allowed for an assessment of power output, hinge angles, mooring loads, and six-degree-of-freedom motions. The key outcome to be concluded from the results is that the facilities performed consistently, with the majority of variation linked to differences in sea state calibration. A variation of 5–10% in mean power was typical and was consistent with the variability observed in the measured significant wave heights. The tank depth (which varied from 2–5 m) showed remarkably little influence on the results, although it is noted that these tests used an aerial mooring system with the geometry unaffected by the tank depth. Similar good agreement was seen in the heave, surge, pitch and hinge angle responses. In order to maintain and improve the consistency across laboratories, we make recommendations on characterising and calibrating the tank environment and stress the importance of the device–facility physical interface (the aerial mooring in this case).


Perturbation to the cerebellum can lead to motor dysfunction, cognitive deficits, and behavioral inflexibility. Here we report that a cerebellum-specific transgenic mouse model with disrupted Purkinje cell function shows unexpectedly accelerated learning on a sensory evidence-accumulation task, as well as enhanced sensory reactivity to touch and auditory cues. Computational latent-state analysis of behavior revealed that accelerated learning was associated with enhanced focus on current over past trials. Learning was also accelerated by providing cue-locked optogenetic stimulation of Purkinje cells, but unaffected by continuous optogenetic interference with Purkinje cell activity. Both transgenic and optogenetically-boosted mice showed prolonged electrophysiological activity in Purkinje-cell complex spikes and anterior cingulate cortex. We suggest that cerebellar activity may shape evidence-accumulation learning by enhancing task focus and neocortical processing of current experience.


"Portraits of Linguists" is a standard biographical work in the history and theory of linguistics and a resource for all scholars of 18th, 19th and early 20th-century Western linguistics. Edited by Thomas A. Sebeok, this text contains articles by eminent scholars in English, French and German. Ninety-one biographies are featured, including Wilhelm von Humboldt, Jacob Grimm, Franz Bopp, Sir William Jones and Max Muller. They constitute a mass of information on the leading figures in linguistics, and include bibliographical information in addition to revealing the authors' thoughts on the various schools of linguistics. Arranged chronologically by subjects' year of birth, this two-volume work is also indexed at the end of volume 2 and is a valuable storehouse of information on the seminal figures in the mainstream of Western linguistics.


This study highlighted the role of knowledge about frozen foods and focused on what traits will change consumers' intentions toward frozen food purchases. Further, it analysed how consumer attitudes toward frozen food acted as a mediator and family structure acted as a moderator in the relationships between knowledge of frozen food products, change seeking traits, and frozen food purchase intentions. Data was collected through a questionnaire based on adopted scales, and the sample consisted of 279 frozen food customers of branded and non-branded stores in Multan District, Pakistan. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and multi-group moderation were conducted to provide statistical evidence for hypotheses. Knowledge about frozen foods and change seeking traits were found significant in predicting frozen food purchase intentions directly and through mediation. Additionally, family structure was found to be a significant moderator of the hypothesized path between attitude towards frozen food and frozen food purchase intentions. This study is the only one of its kind and helps to demystify frozen food purchase behaviour of consumers in a developing country like Pakistan, especially, in light of a changing social phenomenon, that is, shifting of joint family systems to nuclear family structures.


The purpose of this study is to assess the learning effect of a multilingual web-based argumentative writing instruction model called the Ensayo Científico Multilingüe (ECM, Multilingual Scientific Essay) adapting the didactic model called Genre-based Writing Instruction (GBWI) in an experiment conducted over three months. For this purpose, a quasi-experimental research model was applied to 150 students in the experimental group and 150 in the control group, with two measurements, pre and post-test, for three dependent variables: (a) writing metacognition and its dimensions; (b) written argumentative self-efficacy; and (c) rhetorical moves and steps of an argumentative essay. The latter variable was measured by the content analysis method. Variables (a) and (b) were both measured with instruments validated in a population of 518 university students using structural equations. The findings demonstrate the positive effect of the ECM, which combines WBWI and GBWI in argumentative written learning in the students' mother tongue in all variables measured, applying statistics such as the Shapiro–Wilk statistic, parametric contrast, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. In relation to the findings, with respect to the evaluated variables, it was discovered, specifically, that the rhetorical steps in which the students showed a significant improvement were innovations, quotes/research, definitions of concepts, refutations, definitive reasons, and bibliographical references. Likewise, the rhetorical steps that did not present significant differences following the application of the ECM were discovered, and they were: reason summary, formulation of premise, and reasons for. Furthermore, it can be stated that for the ECM there was an increase, above all, in awareness of the following metacognitive dimensions: (a) writing self-regulation; (b) writing planning; and (c) writing revision, as well as argumentative self-efficacy. The novelties of this research with respect to the precedents reside in that it offers valid and concrete results on the effect of a multilingual web design integrated into a well-defined didactic model of argumentative writing on writing metacognition and its dimensions, argumentative structuring and its rhetorical steps, and argumentative self-efficacy. The related studies consider only some of these variables, but not all of them together or their complexity. These results have allowed us to establish specific didactic–technological proposals for improving the ECM that are transferable to didactic designs to guide written argumentation at higher academic levels using multilingual web technologies and integrating the metacognitive, behavioral, and motivational dimensions of writing.


The aim of this short article is to build a model in order to take into account capital scrapping (or bankruptcies) in an income distribution and growth model. The reason to introduce capital scrapping results from the intuition of some inconsistencies between theoretical predictions and empirical facts: the rate of capacity utilisation data often exhibit a greater stability than it is expected after reading theoretical models. We think that capital scrapping might contribute to stabilise the utilisation rate. The idea is as follows: an increase of the profit share implies a decrease of the rate of capacity utilisation which then involves a rise in capital scrapping (or in the rate of bankruptcies).


Background : Tissue preservation can be performed through embalming, by providing the chemical embalming fluid to the human remains. Formalin's preservative formula is the foundation for modern methods of embalming. Unfortunately, this preservative formula has several disadvantages. While Ethanol's preservative formula is a considerable agent to replace formalin's preservative formula. The aim of this study was to compare the tissue preservation using formalin and ethanol as preservative formula. Methods : This study was carried out from September–October 2014 in the Laboratory of the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran. The study used the laboratory experimental method with consecutive sampling of 16 Wistar Rats. Thirty two soleus muscles and thirty two colons were collected and divided into two groups. Each group consisted of 16 soleus muscles and 16 colons. Group 1 was preserved with formalin's preservative formula and Group 2 was preserved with ethanol's preservative formula. The two groups were preserved for six weeks. The tissue's color, consistency, odor and the growth of bacteria were determined before and after treatment. Results : Tissues preserved with ethanol's preservative formula had better tissue preservation in the aspect of color and odor, compared with formalin's preservative formula. Both preservative formulas showed no growth of bacteria in tissues but failed to retain the consistency. All the data were analyzed with Chi-square test. Conclusions : Ethanol's preservative formula preserves better quality of tissue compared to formalin's preservative formula. [AMJ.2016;3(3):359–63] DOI: 10.15850/amj.v3n3.880


With the advent of penny option pricing over the full range of exchange listed derivative products, many estimate the bandwidth requirements will jump from the current load of about 440k messages per second to over 900k. That's almost full GIG speed. As a result, the hardware in many large companies hardware will be stressed to the max. The result could be disastrous, but there is a solution. It works in real time with 0 latency built into compression and decompression. It utilizes the fastest data network available (BT Radianz Ultra Dark Fiber network). Compression algorithms can compress 1 gig of data down to 50-75 MBs. That means failed infrastructure worries will be a thing of the past.


We develop an empirical model to test the relation between compliance with Basel I capital requirements and the probability of bank failure during 'normal' economic conditions and times of financial crises. We also seek to determine whether increased capital requirements would further reduce the rate of bank failure. Specific bank data, as well as some macro-economic data, for the periods 1996-2007 and 2000-2007 are analyzed and multi-period logistic models are fitted to this data. Robust standard errors are used to ameliorate the issue of dependent observations. The results from the 1996-2007 sample should be taken with caution, given that the number of events for that period is relatively low.Banks that complied with the tier 1 and total capital requirements of the Basel I agreement saw their probability of failure drop significantly. The results also suggested that the Basel I capital requirements did not manifest procyclicality; to the contrary, they reduced failure rates even further in financial crises. In addition, the regression models indicate that increasing the tier 1 capital requirements would likely not be beneficial, although banks whose tier 1 capital ratio declined rapidly from one quarter to the next experienced increased risks of failure. A potential limitation of the models is that they utilize only data from US banks; whether the findings apply also to other developed nations is a question that requires further analysis.We conclude that the Basel I capital adequacy requirements achieve the objective of increasing banks' financial stability and reducing bank failure rates. Importantly, the Basel I capital ratios appear to protect banks particularly well against insolvency in times of financial crises. Thus, our results do not support the argument that Basel's requirements are procyclical. We find also that a rapid decrease in Basel capital ratios is a good indicator of a bank's impending failure. Banking supervisors should therefore pay extra attention to these banks.


Empirical evidence linking racial/ethnic differences in glycosylated hemoglobin levels (HbA1c) to cognitive function in midlife and early old age is limited. We use biomarker data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, 2006–2014), on adults 50–64 years at baseline (57–73 years by 2014), and fit multinomial logistic regression models to assess the association between baseline HbA1c, cognitive function (using Langa–Weir classifications) and mortality across 8 years. Additionally, we test for modification effects by race/ethnicity. In age- and sex-adjusted models high HbA1c level was associated with lower baseline cognition and higher relative risk ratios (RRR; vs. normal cognition) for cognitive impairment no dementia (CIND; RRR = 2.3; 95%CI = [1.38;3.84]; p < .01), and dementia (RRR = 4.00; 95%CI = [1.76;9.10]; p < .01). Adjusting for sociodemographic, behavioral risk factors, and other health conditions explained the higher RRR for CIND and attenuated the RRR for dementia by approximately 30%. HbA1c levels were not linked to the slope of cognitive decline, and we found no evidence of modification effects for HbA1c by race/ethnicity. Targeting interventions for glycemic control in the critical midlife period can protect baseline cognition and buffer against downstream development of cognitive impairment. This can yield important public health benefits and reductions in burdens associated with cognitive impairment, particularly among race/ethnic minorities who are at higher risk for metabolic diseases.


Functional limitation and physical disability are among the common geriatric conditions that can result in poor health, dependency and institutionalisation. Age-related disability and restriction in the elderly function has become one of the priorities in public health. However, the data on incidence and risk factors associated with functional limitation and physical disability in Malaysia and other developing regions are sparse. Most studies utilized a cross-sectional design which restricts the causal interpretation and inhibits a clear understanding of the relationship between risk factors and occurrence of both conditions. The objectives of this study were; 1) to determine the pattern; in terms of prevalence, incidence and incidence of recovery of functional limitation and physical disability, 2) to identify its associated risk factors, 3) to describe the subtypes of physical disability among community dwelling elderly in Kuala Pilah, Malaysia. This was an observational population-based cohort study with a twelve months follow-up. The study was conducted in Kuala Pilah district, Negeri Sembilan and elderly aged 60 years and above were selected and invited to participate in this study. The data on participants' risk factors and physical function status were collected during comprehensive, home-based assessments, which were completed at baseline and twelve months of follow-up. Disability was assessed during three monthly telephone interviews. Beside their socio-demographic characteristics, other risk factors assessed included depressive symptomology, cognitive impairment, social support level, self-reported visual impairment, history of fall and anthropometry measures. Outcome measures were assessed at twelfth months using validated tools for physical disability (Katz Activity of Daily Living and Instrumental Activity of Daily Living) and functional limitation (4-metre walking speed test). The overall prevalence of functional limitation was 62.8%, Instrumental Activity of Daily Living disability was 32.7% and Activity of Daily Living disability was 7.1%. The incidence of functional limitation at
iv
twelve months of follow-up was 38.4%, IADL disability was 24.8% and ADL disability was 4.8%. The common risk factors for incidence of functional limitation and physical disability were elderly women, advancing age and low educational level. The incidence of recovery from functional limitation at twelve months of follow-up was 31.5%, IADL disability was 34.2% and ADL disability was 43.9%. The most common disability subtype was short term disability, followed by transient disability, long-term disability and recurrent disability. The prevalence and incidence of functional limitation and IADL disability were common among elderly in Kuala Pilah, Malaysia. The prevalence and incidence of ADL disability were lower compared to elderly populations in developed countries. The findings from this study had provided clearer understanding on the relationship between specific impairments and risk factors to the development of functional limitation and physical disability. Specific prevention and early therapeutic interventions can now be outlined in order to optimise function and reduce the disability among elderly.


BACKGROUND
The level of language development reached in pre-school age is considered the most reliable predictor of reading acquisition. In normally developing children, learning to read is strongly related to early language skills, and in particular to phonological processing abilities. In dyslexic children, reading abilities seem to show a correlation with phonological awareness.

METHODS
A group of 65 children (aged 5-6 years) were recruited and submitted to an in-depth neuropsychological assessment [i.e. metaphonological skills, intelligence, verbal short-term memory (VSTM) and other aspects of receptive and expressive language]. We were able to identify 14 children with significant metaphonological difficulties (MD): 11 children with exclusively MD, and the other three children with specific language impairment. This study compares the neuropsychological profile obtained from children with MD with that of a peer group without any language impairment (N).

RESULTS
The performances of the MD were within the normal ability range in almost all the administered tests but significantly lower compared with those of their peers without language impairment (N) in some items of the intelligence scale (Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence) and in the tests of VSTM and of receptive/expressive language. Nevertheless, there were not statistically significant differences between MD and N in output phonology.

CONCLUSIONS
In pre-school age, in a group of non-clinical children, with a range of abilities, those with MD appear to be at the lower end of the normal range in many other verbal skills. These children could be considered at-risk for possible subsequent difficulties learning to read and thus need to be identified and to warrant prompt treatment.


A balancing problem for transfer lines with workstations in series and simultaneously activated spindle heads is considered. The problem is to choose a block of operations for each spindle head from a given set of the blocks and to assign them to workstations while minimizing the line cost and satisfying technological constraints (precedence relation, inclusion constraints related to operations and exclusion constraints with regard to blocks). Exact and heuristic algorithms are developed. Exact algorithms are based on graph and MIP approaches. Three heuristic algorithms are proposed. One of them assigns randomly step by step blocks to a current workstation. The second algorithm uses depth-first search technique. The third algorithm is based on a decomposition of the initial problem into several sub-problems and solving them by an exact algorithm. Experimental results are presented.


BACKGROUND
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection disproportionally affects frail, elderly patients and those with multiple chronic comorbidities. Whether patients on RRT have an additional risk because of their specific exposure and complex immune dysregulation is controversial.

METHODS
To describe the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection, we conducted a prospective, multicenter, region-wide registry study in adult patients on RRT versus the general population from March 2 to May 25, 2020. This study comprised all patients undergoing RRT in the Flanders region of Belgium, a country that has been severely affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

RESULTS
At the end of the epidemic wave, crude and age-standardized cumulative incidence rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection were 5.3% versus 2.5%, respectively, among 4297 patients on hemodialysis, and 1.4% versus 1.6%, respectively, among 3293 patients with kidney transplants (compared with 0.6% in the general population). Crude and age-standardized cumulative mortality rates were 29.6% versus 19.9%, respectively, among patients on hemodialysis, and 14.0% versus 23.0%, respectively, among patients with transplants (compared with 15.3% in the general population). We found no excess mortality in the hemodialysis population when compared with mean mortality rates during the same 12-week period in 2015-2019 because COVID-19 mortality was balanced by lower than expected mortality among uninfected patients. Only 0.18% of the kidney transplant population died of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

CONCLUSIONS
Mortality associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection is high in patients on RRT. Nevertheless, the epidemic's overall effect on the RRT population remained remarkably limited in Flanders. Calculation of excess mortality and age standardization provide a more reliable picture of the mortality burden of COVID-19 among patients on RRT.


In this study, we present a collection of local models, termed geographically weighted (GW) models, which can be found within the GWmodel R package. A GW model suits situations when spatial data are poorly described by the global form, and for some regions the localized fit provides a better description. The approach uses a moving window weighting technique, where a collection of local models are estimated at target locations. Commonly, model parameters or outputs are mapped so that the nature of spatial heterogeneity can be explored and assessed. In particular, we present case studies using: (i) GW summary statistics and a GW principal components analysis; (ii) advanced GW regression fits and diagnostics; (iii) associated Monte Carlo significance tests for non-stationarity; (iv) a GW discriminant analysis; and (v) enhanced kernel bandwidth selection procedures. General Election data-sets from the Republic of Ireland and US are used for demonstration. This study is designed to complement a companion GWmodel study, which focuses on basic and robust GW models.


Much of the high-quality information available on the web and on various intranets is stored in databases. Yet most people who need access to this information do not know how to query databases using SQL. Querying by filling out forms (of the sort found on many web pages) severely restricts the set of questions a person can ask. Thus, there is great value in Question-Answering Interfaces to Databases (QADBs), which allow people to pose natural language questions. Yet QADBs are only usable if they map natural language questions to SQL queries correctly. In this paper, we introduce a theoretical framework for reliable QADBs, which is the foundation for the fully implemented PRECISE QADB. We report on experiments testing PRECISE on several hundred questions drawn from user studies over three benchmark databases and show that it compares favorably with other QADBs.


The adjustable continence therapy (ACT ® ) device has been developed for the treatment of intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD) using a standardised surgical technique to optimise continence efficacy. This study examined the extent of structural disruptions caused by its insertion and the possible impact of this device on female sexual anatomy. Bilateral balloon placement was performed in a female cadaver and dissection was used to determine the effect on sexual structures. The pelves were dissected layer-by-layer to examine the structures transversed by the ACT ® system, particularly the clitoral tissue, adjacent neurovascular bundles, and its position in relation of the urethra, bladder neck, urogenital diaphragm and endopelvic fascia. The trocar track was observed to have coursed through a relatively "safe" zone between the bulb of the clitoris medially, the crus and clitoral neurovascular bundle anterolaterally and the perineal branches of the pudendal neurovascular bundle posteriorly. The trocar pierced the urogenital diaphragm reaching the desired position between the pelvic diaphragm and the endopelvic fascia, posterolateral to the vesicourethral junction. This method of trocar introduction caused no significant disruption of the clitoris or its neurovascular bundles in the specimens studied. Periurethral implantation of balloon devices may be safely achieved. Insertion of the ACT ® trocar device in the location, direction and depth described here did not damage the clitoris or its neurovascular supply. These observations may also be of relevance to other anti-incontinence surgeries that involve instrumentation and insertion of materials beneath or by the side of the urethra.


During filling process of vacuum counter-pressure casting, the pressurizing velocity is one of the most important parameters, and it affects whole filling process of molten metal and the quality of castings, the pressurizing velocity must be reasonably controlled and chosen. Through analyzing the pressurizing velocity of vacuum counter-pressure casting filling process, the results show that pressurizing velocity is related with absolute temperature of down kettle gas, radius of rising tube, initial volume of down kettle, height from original position of molten metal to top of rising tube and gas flux. When other conditions are same during filling process of vacuum counter-pressure casting, pressurizing velocity is proportional to gas flux, and it is linear. Meanwhile, through experimental verification for relationship of pressurizing velocity with gas flux, their actual relationships and mathematical models are obtained, and correction coefficient is determined at the range from 0.95 to 0.98.


When first seen, the overtranquilized patient may already be in withdrawal, may have other medical problems or may be seeking psychiatric help. The patient may, however, be primarily interested in obtaining more medication. Abuse and withdrawal of sedatives, tranquilizers, narcotics or alcohol, or a combination of these, present diagnostic pitfalls. Toxicologic studies are helpful in identifying the abused drug. The pentobarbital tolerance test is valuable in determining the daily dosage, stabilization and tapering. Follow-up is essential to patient care.


The spectral transformation Lanczos method and the shift-invert Arnoldi method are probably the most popular methods for the solution of linear generalized eigenvalue problems originating from engineering applications, including structural and acoustic analyses and fluid dynamics. The orthogonalization of the Krylov vectors requires inner products. Often, one employs the standard inner product, but in many engineering applications one uses the inner product using the mass matrix. In this paper, we make a theoretical comparison between these inner products in the framework of the shift-invert Arnoldi method. The conclusion is that when the square-root of the condition number of the mass matrix is small, the convergence behavior does not strongly depend on the choice of inner product. The theory is illustrated by numerical examples arising from structural and acoustic analyses. The theory is extended to the discretized Navier-Stokes equations.


The Foreign Commerce Clause has been lost, subsumed by its interstate cousin, and overshadowed in foreign relations by the treaty power. Consistent with its original purpose and the implied, but unrefined view asserted by the judiciary, this Article articulates a broader and deeper Foreign Commerce power than is popularly understood. It reframes doctrinal considerations for a reinvigorated Foreign Commerce Clause— both as an independent power and in alliance with other coordinate foreign affairs powers—and demonstrates that increasing global complexity and interdependence makes broad and deep federal authority under this power crucial to effective and efficient action in matters of national concern.


Recent studies of small work groups emphasize comprehensive models of team effectiveness. A survey-based operationalization of one such model, Hackman `s Model of Group Effectiveness (Hackman, 1987, 1990), is applied to 15 interdisciplinary treatment teams working in three public psychiatric hospitals. Mental health professionals answered a self-administered questionnaire I developed (N = 98, response rate = 91%). Analysis was conducted at three levels: (a) by all respondents; (b) by team; and (c) by organizational characteristics and professional discipline, and their interaction. Through use of a structural equation model, particular initial and enabling conditions successfully predict teams' meeting standards of the required task teams' cohesion, and members' personal well-being; standards met and cohesion of team also predict overall team effectiveness. These findings emphasize the importance of measuring the various types of organizational and group factors contributing to team effectiveness, as well as the specific aspects of team effectiveness. Implications for team training are discussed.


This paper describes a benchmark for nonlinear system identification. A Wiener-Hammerstein system is selected as test object. In such a structure there is no direct access to the static nonlinearity starting from the measured input/output, because it is sandwiched between two unknown dynamic systems. The signal-to-noise ratio of the measurements is quite high, which puts the focus of the benchmark on the ability to identify the nonlinear behaviour, and not so much on the noise rejection properties. The benchmark is not intended as a competition, but as a tool to compare the possibilities of different methods to deal with this specific nonlinear structure.


Much has been written recently of high-profile financiers and lowly con men taking advantage of lay investors. Part of the reason these scandals go undetected for so long is the lack of transparency inherent in some of the investment vehicles and the lack of curiosity or sophistication of the investors. Trusts generally are thought to be immune from such scandal because of the fiduciary duty required of a trustee. A fiduciary duty, after all, is the highest level of care that can be imposed on a caretaker of assets. But what is to stop a trustee from looting a trust or abusing its powers? The primary roadblock is the trustee's duty to inform. A beneficiary can monitor a trustee's actions - including investments, disbursements, and expenses - because the trustee must make its actions transparent to the beneficiary. If a trustee's actions are suspect, in theory a beneficiary can catch the trustee's indiscretion before much damage is done to the trust's assets. But to which beneficiaries does the trustee truly owe this duty? Is this a duty the trustee must perform affirmatively, or can the trustee rely on beneficiaries to request this information on their own? This Article first explores the history of a trustee's duty to inform and describes the types of beneficiaries found in common law, the Uniform Trust Code (UTC), and the Restatement (Third) of Trusts (Restatement). The Article defines the trustee's duty to inform as described in the UTC and the Restatement, and analyzes the policy reasons behind it, as well as the pitfalls associated with neglecting this duty. The Article explores the balancing act that a trustee must perform, weighing both practicality and fiduciary duty concerns, and concludes that a trustee owes to vested beneficiaries (current and remaindermen) an affirmative duty to provide information regarding the day-to-day administration of the trust. The trustee owes a non-affirmative duty to contingent beneficiaries and must provide information upon request.


Lurasidone is a novel azapirone derivative, and atypical antipsychotic agent with a high binding affinity for dopaminergic (D2), serotoninergic (5-HT2A), and 5-HT7 receptors (antagonist), a moderate affinity for 5-HT1A receptors (partial agonist), and no appreciable affinity for histaminergic (H1) and muscarinic (M1) receptors. It was recently included by the European Medication Agency among the in-label pharmacological treatments for children and adolescents affected by early onset schizophrenia. As a dopamine and serotonin antagonist, lurasidone acts on a variety of receptors and showed its efficacy both as an antipsychotic and an activating compound. Administered with food or within 30 minutes from a meal, it presents sufficient bioavailability and does not interact ith most of the other drugs during metabolism. With little effects on hormones and weight gain, potential procognitive profile due to its 5-HT7 antagonism, and reduced extrapyramidal side effects, lurasidone could be a good choice in terms of both effectiveness and tolerability, particularly for patients headed towards a long-term treatment. This article aims to summarize the available scientific evidence from the literature on the use of lurasidone in children and adolescents and to provide recommendations for clinical management and future research.


Atrial shunt revision surgeries are sometimes difficult due to venous occlusion and neck scarring. A direct approach guided by venography facilitates exposure and guarantees accurate placement of the distal catheter. Five patients with complicated histories of shunt malfunction were treated using an endoscope-assisted technique. The distal end of an atrial catheter was advanced into the atrium after having been connected to a venous catheter of a slightly smaller diameter than the one previously advanced from the femoral vein through the atrium. Once the position of the atrial catheter was confirmed fluoroscopically, the venous catheter was detached and removed. No complications developed in any patient. This endoscope-assisted technique offers three advantages: it demonstrates the patency of the jugular vein through venography, facilitates identification of the internal jugular vein in the neck, and provides a quick way to confirm that the distal end of the atrial catheter has been placed correctly. This technique should be considered for use in patients with a history of failed atrial shunts.


Abstract. The high aerosol concentration (AC) over eastern China has attracted
attention from both science and society. Based on the simulations of a
chemical transport model using a fixed emissions level, the possible impact of
the previous autumn North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) combined with the
simultaneous El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the boreal winter AC
over eastern China is investigated. We find that the NAO only manifests its
negative impacts on the AC during its negative phase over central China, and
a significant positive influence on the distribution of AC is observed over
south China only during the warm events of ENSO. The impact of the previous
NAO on the AC occurs via an anomalous sea surface temperature tripole
pattern by which a teleconnection wave train is induced that results in
anomalous convergence over central China. In contrast, the occurrence of
ENSO events may induce an anomalous shift in the western Pacific subtropical
high and result in anomalous southwesterlies over south China. The anomalous
circulations associated with a negative NAO and El Niño are not
favorable for the transport of AC and correspond to worsening air conditions
over central and south China. The results highlight the fact that the combined
effects of tropical and extratropical systems play a considerable role in
affecting the boreal winter AC over eastern China.


Predicting two-phase behaviour in subhorizontal pipes has become critical for offshore oil and gas fields development, specially in great water depths or when the sea bed is uneven. Standard methods of calculating average pressure losses are lacking in precision and do not predict transient phenomena, e.g. liquid slugs length or separation of phases at low points in the lines. As a result, two-phase flow is generally ruled out as a method of transporting produced hydrocarbons to land, even though this process is very simple and requires only low investments. The objective of the "two-phase flow research group", associating CFP, IFP and SNEA (P) within the GERTH, is to improve methods of predicting flow regimes, spatial phases distributions and pressure losses, specially in inclined pipelines. After preliminary air-water experiments on a two inch test loop at the LMEF of PARIS-ORSAY, construction of a test loop working in industrial conditions was undertaken in 1977 at the SNEA (P) gas plant of BOUSSENS. Main characteristics of this 6" loop are: Length of the testline : 400 ft (260 ft in inclined position) Continuous variable slopes between - 10 % and + 10 % Average test pressure between 100 and 800 psi - Superficial gas flow velocity between 0 and 30 ft/s - Superficial liquid flow velocity between 0 and 10 ft/s. The loop is equiped with about 40 process instruments and 40 two-phase flow sensors such as slug detection probes or average liquid fraction probes. Instruments are monitored by a 3052A H.P. data acquisition system which controls measurements in real time and print out lists of processed results. First experiments were made at high GOR flows, in horizontal or slowly rising slopes, where the stratified flow pattern predominates. Results confirmed the strong influence of the inclination angle on pattern, liquid hold-up and pressure gradient, in particular at moderated gas flow rates. A critical gas velocity was observed at very high GOR in inclined flow : if the gas velocity is below this critical value, the liquid accumulates in the line, increasing drastically the pressure losses. The experimental data were compared to the results of the predictive models usually used in oil industry. All these methods do not take enough account of the slope influence, especially for high GOR at gas flow rates below the critical gas velocity. So, theoretical research is going on, in order to develop a more precise stratified flow model.


Objectives Occupational injuries and diseases are a huge public health problem and cause extensive suffering and loss of productivity. Nevertheless, many occupational health and safety (OHS) guidelines are still not based on the best available evidence. In the last decade, numerous systematic reviews on behavioural, relational and mixed interventions to reduce occupational injuries and diseases have been carried out, but a comprehensive synopsis is yet missing. The aim of this overview of reviews is to provide a comprehensive basis to inform evidence-based decision-making about interventions in the field of OHS. Methods We conducted an overview of reviews. We searched MEDLINE (Ovid), the Cochrane Library (Wiley), epistemonikos.org and Scopus (Elsevier) for relevant systematic reviews published between January 2008 and June 2018. Two authors independently screened abstracts and full-text publications and determined the risk of bias of the included systematic reviews with the ROBIS (Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews) tool. Results We screened 2287 abstracts and 200 full-texts for eligibility. Finally, we included 25 systematic reviews with a low risk of bias for data synthesis and analysis. We identified systematic reviews on the prevention of occupational injuries, musculoskeletal, skin and lung diseases, occupational hearing impairment and interventions without specific target diseases. Several interventions led to consistently positive results on individual diseases; other interventions did not show any effects, or the studies are contradictory. We provide detailed results on all included interventions. Discussion To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive overview of behavioural, relational and mixed interventions and their effectiveness in preventing occupational injuries and diseases. It provides policymakers with an important basis for making evidence-based decisions on interventions in this field. PROSPERO registration number CRD42018100341


Purpose: To assess tumor differentiation in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) using dynamic 11C‐methionin (D‐MET) PET and fuzzy c‐means (FCM) clusteringanalysis; and to evaluate the added value of D‐MET PET in radiation therapy (RT) target definition. Method and Materials: D‐MET PETimages were obtained prior to RT in 25 patients with GBM. Each scan was composed of 15 phases acquired at 0–50 minutes following injection. Conventional MRI was also acquired before RT for target volume definition and after RT for evaluation of treatment outcome. D‐MET PET data were normalized to the mean uptake of each individual's cerebellum. Volume of interest (VOI) for the analysis was defined based on pre‐RT FLAIR‐MRI and extended to incorporate regions of high uptake of MET. Time‐activity curves of MET uptake in the VOI were classified using a FCM clustering algorithm with spatial constraints. The optimal number of clusters was determined for each dataset by calculating several clustering validity indices. The results of classification were reviewed by experts; and were also correlated to the patterns of local failure after RT. Results: Using the FCM clustering algorithm, time‐activity curves of MET uptake in the VOI were successfully partitioned into tumor, normal braintissue, inflammation response, surgical cavity and edema. Heterogeneous MET uptake in the tumor was also differentiated. In 15 of the 25 patients who had tumor progression, the pre‐RT PET in the clusters correspondent to the locations of recurrence had a median uptake value of 1.47 (last dynamic phase), which involves clusters beyond the hottest ones. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that dynamic MET‐PET is capable of differentiating active tumors in patients with GBM. It is also promising in providing extra information for RT target definition. Supported by NIHP01CA59827.


Ionizing radiation (IR) presents a risk to human health via DNA damage even when administered at low doses, such as those used in panoramic radiography. Objectives : This study used the comet assay to assess DNA damage in buccal mucosa cells consequent to X-ray radiation from panoramic radiography. Methods : Twenty participants were recruited from among patients who underwent panoramic examinations at Prof. Soedomo Dental Hospital, Universitas Gadjah Mada, and divided into two groups of 10. Buccal mucosa cells were collected from all participants before exposure to IR and at 30 min or 24 h after exposure in groups 1 and 2, respectively, and subjected to a comet assay to assess DNA damage. Assay output images were analyzed using OpenComet software. Double-strand breaks (DSBs) were assessed by comparing the percentages of tail DNA in output images obtained before and after X-ray exposure. Results : A statistically signifcant ( p =0.014) increase in the percentage of tail DNA was observed at 30 min after exposure, but not at 24 h ( p =0.29). Conclusion : Panoramic X-ray radiation may induce DSBs in human buccal mucosal cells within 30 min after exposure.


Increasing evidence indicates that extracellular vesicles (EVs) released from both tumor cells and the cells of the bone marrow microenvironment contribute to the pathobiology of multiple myeloma (MM). Recent studies on the mechanisms by which EVs exert their biological activity have indicated that the non-coding RNA (ncRNA) cargo is key in mediating their effect on MM development and progression. In this review, we will first discuss the role of EV-associated ncRNAs in different aspects of MM pathobiology, including proliferation, angiogenesis, bone disease development, and drug resistance. Finally, since ncRNAs carried by MM vesicles have also emerged as a promising tool for early diagnosis and therapy response prediction, we will report evidence of their potential use as clinical biomarkers.


The dental pulp is a soft connective tissue of ectomesenchymal origin that harbors distinct cell populations, capable of interacting with each other to maintain the vitality of the tooth. After tooth injuries, a sequence of complex biological events takes place in the pulpal tissue to restore its homeostasis. The pulpal response begins with establishing an inflammatory reaction that leads to the formation of a matrix of reactionary or reparative dentin, according to the nature of the exogenous stimuli. Using several in vivo designs, antigen-presenting cells, including macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs), are identified in the pulpal tissue before tertiary dentin deposition under the afflicted area. However, the precise nature of this phenomenon and its relationship to inherent pulp cells are not yet clarified. This literature review aims to discuss the role of pulpal DCs and their relationship to progenitor/stem cells, odontoblasts or odontoblast-like cells, and other immunocompetent cells during physiological and pathological dentinogenesis. The concept of "dentin-pulp immunology" is proposed for understanding the crosstalk among these cell types after tooth injuries, and the possibility of immune-based therapies is introduced to accelerate pulpal healing after exogenous stimuli.


If uncertainty and anxiety are the troubling but potentially radical qualities of gothic narrative, suburban gothic has typically been understood in terms of a banal unhomeliness which merely confirms reassuring commonplaces about the postwar American suburbs. In such readings, the suburbs are supposed to embody a desire to stand outside history: either they are places in which people seek refuge from their own pasts, or they represent an idealized past removed from the challenges of the present. This article argues that Jeffrey Eugenides's 1993 novel The Virgin Suicides undermines easy assumptions about the suburbs' atemporality. The novel's various gothic motifs suggest the difficulty of abandoning European pasts in order to adopt the white American identities required for a life in the suburbs; repressed ethnic difference haunts the suburban landscape. Yet Eugenides's suburban gothic also complicates the process of remembering such acts of forgetting: the difficulty of explicating suburban pasts, the novel insists, is precisely a measure of their having become historical. The drive to present comforting, codified narratives of the suburbs is shown to be part of a move – which always fails – to disassociate the present from these sites of conflict and trauma.


Interest in and use of 3D visualizations for analysis and communication of flooding risks has been increasing. At the same time, an ecosystem of 3D user interfaces has also been emerging. Together, they offer exciting potential opportunities for flood visualization. In order to understand how we turn potential into real value, we need to develop better understandings of technical workflows, capabilities of the resulting systems, their usability, and implications for practice. Starting with existing geospatial datasets, we develop single user and collaborative visualization prototypes that leverage capabilities of the state-of-the art HoloLens 2 mixed reality system. By using the 3D displays, positional tracking, spatial mapping, and hand- and eye-tracking, we seek to unpack the capabilities of these tools for meaningful spatial data practice. We reflect on the user experience, hardware performance, and usability of these tools and discuss the implications of these technologies for flood risk management, and broader spatial planning practice.


The construction industry is facing dramatic challenges, specifically labor shortage. Due to a lack of skilled craftspeople working in the field, projects result in delays and increased project costs. Throughout the United States, construction companies are looking to find skilled workers to meet the projects workforce. In order to expose people to the construction industry, a presentation and survey was conducted amongst high school students. The concept consists of majority of high school students not being informed about the career opportunities in the construction industry. Consequently, by exposing students to the construction industry would benefit the industry itself and recent high school graduates. This research allowed us to build an understanding of the knowledge of potential apprentices. This paper presents data analysis and suggests how this information may be used in order to create a reliable workforce for the industry's demand.


Microarray data contains thousands of genes which are used to evaluate expression level. However, most of them are not associated with cancer diseases and leads to the curse of dimensionality. The challenge based on microarray data is feature selection which searches for subsets of informative genes. At the moment, these techniques focus on filter and wrapper approaches to discover subsets of genes. Filter approach is better than wrapper approach in terms of time consuming. On the contrary, the accuracy of wrapper approach is higher than that of filter approach. However, it is more beneficial to reduce the time process and increase accuracy simultaneously when searching for subsets of genes. Thus, this paper proposes comparison of hybrid feature selection models on gene expression datasets, this consists of four steps 1) filter subgroup of gene using Correlation based Feature Selection (CFS), Gain Ratio (GR), and Information Gain (INFO) 2) transfers output of each filter method into a wrapper approach that's based on the Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier and two heuristic searches which are Greedy Search (GS) and Genetic Algorithm (GA) 3) generate hybrid feature selection model CFSSVMGA, CSFSVMGS, GRSVMGA, GRSVMGS, INFOSVMGA, and INFOSVMGS 4) performance comparison using precision, recall, F-measure, and accuracy rate. Results from the experiment concluded the CFSSVMGA model outperformed other models on three public gene expression datasets.


Background: Driving performance is strongly vulnerable to drowsiness and vigilance fluctuations. Excessive sleepiness may alter concentration, alertness, and reaction times. As people age, sleep undergoes some changes, becoming fragmented and less deep. However, the effects of these modifications on daily life have not been sufficiently investigated. Recently, the assessment of sleepiness became mandatory in Europe for people at risk who need the driving license release. Moreover, considering the expectation that people around the world are rapidly aging, it is necessary to investigate the relationships between senescence sleep changes, vigilance levels, and driving-related cognitive skills. Method: 80 healthy subjects (40 young adults and 40 elders) participated in the study. Sleep quality, sleepiness, and vigilance levels were assessed through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT). Driving-related cognitive abilities were assessed through Vienna Test System TRAFFIC, investigating selective attention, tachistoscopic perception, and risk assumption. Results: 2 × 2 between-subject ANOVAs showed less habitual sleep efficiency and worse performances in PVT in the older group. Unexpectedly, younger subjects show higher self-rated sleepiness. Moreover, older adults have lower performance in attention and perception tests, but they appear to be more cautious in situations involving traffic. Finally, the multiple regressions show age to be the only robust predictor of cognitive driving-related abilities. Conclusions: This is the first study that investigates the relationships among sleepiness/vigilance and specific driving-related cognitive skills on a sufficiently large sample. Nevertheless, the study should be considered preliminary and does not allow us to understand how specific changes in sleep architecture impact performances in the elders' everyday life and, specifically, on driving skills.


Magnesium, titanium and aluminium are classified as light metals. They are extensively in structures and components where the strength/weight ratio is an important factor
determining the choice of the metal. India possesses vast reserves of these metals in its minerals, in the form of oxides, silicates, carbonates etc. Developments in tech-nologies for the extraction of these metals have been driven by the need to reduce the cost of production and make the utilization of these metals and their alloys viable in industrial application. The processes must have no adverse impact on the environment, too. Cost of
raw materials, cost and availability of reducing agents and the cost of energy are the major factors that dete-rmine the viability of any process for the extraction of these metals. Magnesium and titanium are fast emerging as the favoured metals in the manufacture of automobile components due to their high strength/weight ratio and excellent properties at high temperatures. The high cost of production of these metals has severely limited the
exploitation of this huge emerging market. Therefore, the focus is on developing alternative technologies to reduce the cost of production of these metals. The technology for the extraction of aluminium is well established. Attempts are being made to reduce the impact of the extraction process on the environment and also to reduce the energy consumption. Another interesting attempt has been to use carbon as a reducing agent for the reduction of the oxide. The relevance of the emerging technological options for India will depend on the type of raw materials available; the cost of the same; the energy resources available
and the preferred scale of operation.


The weather is known to have a major impact on demand of utilities such as electricity or gas. Given that the Internet usage is strongly tied with human activity, one could guess the existence of similar correlation between its traffic demand and the weather conditions. In this paper, empirical in nature, we demonstrate and quantify such correlation between weather conditions and the Internet traffic demand on different time-scales (from hourly to yearly). For that purpose we collect and use the data from 8 Internet eXchange Points (IXP), geographically spread on 5 different continents, as indicators of the Internet demand in those particular areas. We observe that the seasonal traffic demand variability exists in the locations with large yearly variations in temperature, while the traffic demand in locations close to the equator (with low variability of temperature) is season independent. Using a fine-grain dataset, from three European IXPs, we show that precipitation increases the traffic demand for up to 6%, and somewhat surprisingly that in regards to the impact of precipitation on the demand all major types of ISPs (mobile, residential, content, etc.) observe very similar behavior. One of the implications of the observed time-of-the-day dependent impact of the precipitation is that precipitation has a mild impact on the IP transit costs. Finally, we hint on the possible benefits of the seasonal variations on the energy-proportional computing and scheduling large-scale software releases.


The main objective of this paper is to offer a discussion framework and arguments about how educational leaders can administer dynamic and sustainable educational organizations under the new circumstances of modern societies emphasizing on managing students' social exclusion (at micro and macro-level), giving all actors involved the tools and skills to think universally and critically and, thus, structuring the individuality of the modern citizen. It is important to note that, nowadays, organizations have to play a larger and more positive role in society by putting the emphasis both on the socio-emotional and cognitive development of its members and the significance of their mission. Furthermore, it is obvious that, organizations continually redesign their interfaces as they decide which activities they will undertake and which activities will be purchased or conducted out. Thus, the overall goal of this paper is to depict a new type of school leader who will not only have an active role in the daily operation and management of his educational community but, will have a transformative role in shaping organizational culture and ethics as well as organization's reputation and character with a view to contributing to social prosperity by fostering citizenship and social inclusion.


Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by a trinucleotide (AGC) amplification at 19q13.3. The degree of trinucleotide amplification may increase in successive generations and generally correlates with severity of the disorder. Because amplification of a trinucleotide repeat is also associated with the observation of a fra(X)(q27.3) in the fragile X syndrome, we investigated whether chromosome fragility at 19q13.3 might be inducible in patients with DM. Using 3 different culture stress systems (medium 199, RPMI 1640 with excess TdR, and RPMI 1640 with FudR) and high resolution chromosome analyses, we studied 6 individuals with DM and 5 unaffected relatives representing two unrelated families. Molecular studies were done on two of the most affected patients and showed AGC repeat sequences of 970 and 1,260 at 19q13.3. The normal range of AGC repeat is 5 to 30. We found no indication of fragility at 19q13.3 in any of these individuals.


AbstractEffective management and monitoring programs require confidence regarding basic biological sampling. Gear comparisons are often required to determine the most effective techniques. Such is the case for populations of invasive Asian carps Hypophthalmichthys spp., which have recently occurred in large numbers throughout sections of the Mississippi River basin. We tested five gears (mini-fyke nets, beach seine, purse seine, pulsed-DC electrofishing, and gill net) that targeted juvenile (age 0) Silver Carp H. molitrix at sites along the Illinois River during 2014 and 2015 to determine the most effective ones for age-0 Silver Carp. We considered the most cost-effective gear to be the one that provided the largest catch at a minimal expenditure of labor. Mini-fyke nets were the most effective at collecting large numbers of age-0 Silver Carp, followed in decreasing order by beach seines, pulsed-DC electrofishing, purse seines, and gill nets. The smallest Silver Carp were caught in beach seines and the la...


NAD+ is found in every cell of the body and is essential for life. It serves as a cofactor for dehydrogenase, reductase and hydroxylase enzymes where it facilitates electron transfer in major metabolic pathways such as glycolysis, the triacarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, fatty acid synthesis and steroid hormone synthesis, enabling the conversion of the food we eat into the energy and chemical products the body needs. More recently it has been found that NAD+ is also required as a substrate by enzymes that regulate the expression of genes involved in cell viability and aging and in repair of damaged DNA. Through these reactions, NAD+ influences a variety of cell processes involved in cell health, including improving mitochondrial efficiency, enhancing cell viability, down-regulating inflammation, increasing the antioxidant capacity of cells and tissues, and activating the 'longevity' enzyme SIRT1. An increasing body of evidence indicates that enhancing NAD+ availability in the brain has the potential to moderate elements of the neurodegenerative disease processes associated with oxidative stress and aging, including Alzheimer's disease. However there are difficulties associated with raising NAD+ levels using the classical pathway and vitamin B3 precursors nicotinic acid and nicotinamide. The recent discovery of two alternative naturally occurring B3 vitamins; nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and nicotinamide riboside (NR) may resolve these problems. NR in particular has shown good efficacy in its ability to raise NAD+ levels under a variety of conditions. Directly boosting [NAD+] may present a new and exciting approach to preventing the natural decline in cellular energy and function as we age, particularly in the brain.


: Purpose: The article presents the results of research on lithium iron phosphate energy storage. The subject of the study was to gain knowledge about the potential benefits of using this type of storage for storing energy from distributed sources. The goal was achieved, among other things, by estimating the efficiency, calculating the capacity and investment /operating costs of the tested technology. Design/Methodology/Approach: During the research, the following work was carried out: Comparative analysis of technical parameters, literature research, desk research. Findings: The research results showed possible positive effects of the use of lithium iron phosphate energy storage in micro-source systems due to the low internal resistance. The authors also emphasize the twice longer service life of the tested solution about acid batteries, which is particularly important in high investment costs. Practical implications: The dynamic development of distributed generation determines the growing interest in energy storage technologies. These solutions are tested in terms of the possibility of using them to stabilize the operation of power grids and the absorption of surplus energy. The storage technology described in this article is one of the few most promising for large-scale use. Distribution system operators can use the test results. Originality/Value: The survey attempts to fill a gap in the literature on the subject. The study provides practical answers about the characteristics of the described solution and the costs of its use. The results may encourage the use of this technology by companies from the energy sector as one of the solutions supporting the energy transition.


The paper presents the data on an Eemian–Late Glacial sedimentary sequence from the Zwierzyniec site, central Poland. A number of boreholes document one or two organic layers that occur beneath one or two horizons of clayey and silty deposits of ice-dammed lakes. This study demonstrates to which extent the Zwierzyniec site can contribute to a better understanding of the palaeoenvironmental changes during the Eemian–Vistulian time-frame in central Poland. To study it, a multi-proxy approach was applied, involving: palynological and plant macrofossil analysis, study of rounding of quartz grains and morphology of their surface, and investigations of sand mineralogy and till petrography. The results show that a till bed is overlain by a sandy series corresponding to the glacial-interglacial transition. Either one or two distinct peaks of organic accumulation are evidenced by peat horizons. The lower horizon records spectra with hazel and hornbeam, and did, therefore, accumulate in the Eemian. Observed only in some boreholes, the upper peat horizon marks the Brorup (or the lower part of the Rederstall stadial) represented by forest-steppe conditions with patchy mosaics of larch and further transition into sedges and herbaceous taxa. Localized in between the two peat sequences, the sandy horizon marks a long-lasting aeolian transformation with weathering by frost in the Early Vistulian. Again, significant changes of the palaeoenvironmental regime occurred, and are manifested in the one or two horizons of the glaciolacustrine sediments. This corresponded to the last glaciation in the region, when the ice-dammed lakes formed during the Main Stadial.


Astronomy has been an inherently visual area of science for millenia, yet a majority of its significant discoveries take place in wavelengths beyond human vision. There are many people, including those with low or no vision, who cannot participate fully in such discoveries if visual media is the primary communication mechanism. Numerous efforts have worked to address equity of accessibility to such knowledge sharing, such as through the creation of three-dimensional (3D) printed data sets. This paper describes progress made through technological and programmatic developments in tactile 3D models using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory to improve access to data.


Flow instability and its correlations with performance characteristics were investigated for a centrifugal pump with a volute. Unsteady three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes analysis was performed to analyze the flow and performance characteristics using the shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model. The grid dependence and temporal resolution were tested to evaluate the numerical uncertainties, and the numerical solutions were validated using experimental data. The total-to-static head coefficient, the impeller's total-to-static head coefficient, and the volute static pressure recovery coefficient were selected as performance parameters. To identify the flow instability, pressure fluctuations were monitored upstream of the impeller, at the volute inlet, and on the shroud wall of the impeller. Three different types of flow instability were detected in partial-load conditions: inside the volute, upstream of the impeller, and at the interface between the impeller and volute. The time-dependent flow structures were investigated to obtain insight into the onset of the flow instability. The correlation of the onset of the flow instability with the performance curves was discussed.


The northeastern margin of the Arabian plate in the Fars Area was influenced by a series of tectono-sedimentary events during the Late Cretaceous. These events are well documented by significant variations in sedimentary facies and sedimentation patterns and thickness. The presence of igneous dikes is another significant phenomenon at the top of Cenomanian platform. Nine regional transects parallel and perpendicular to the Zagros trend were prepared. These transects vertically contain three tectono-sedimentary phases: Phase I (Late Albian to Turonian), Phase II (Coniacian to Late Campanian) and Phase III (Late Campanian to Maastrichtian). Phase I is characterised by shallow-water carbonate platforms bordering intrashelf basins. Eustatic sea-level variations can be the main factor controlling the accommodation space in parts of the area, whereas to the southeast the role of the regional and salt tectonic are more dominant. Phase II is marked by major changes in the depositional environments and sedimentary facies, as a result of obduction and foreland basin creation. The pelagic marls host large volumes of carbonate and siliciclastic gravity flows and far-traveled radiolarites and ophiolites as well as thrust slices of older carbonates. Phase III is dominated by pelagic facies interfingering with shallow-water Omphalocyclus and Loftusia-bearing facies.


The article deals with the data concerning localization, properties and functions of specific proteins of nerve endings, especially in the synaptic vesicles and synaptic membranes, as well as concerning their metabolism. In the fractions of the synaptic vesicles and synaptic membranes simple and conjugated proteins (glycoproteids) typical of these high-specialized structures only are localized. Acid polypeptides, contractile proteins and neurospecific proteins of S-100, 14-3-2 type and glycoproteids are such specific proteins of the studied structures. Their possible function in the mechaninsm of secretion and circulation of mediators in synapses is discussed.


Abstract:Yijian zhi, the massive collection of supernatural tales compiled by Hong Mai (1123– 1202) in the twelfth century, gives considerable attention to merchant figures and even members of more lowly walks of life (e.g., soldiers, butchers, waiters, and singing girls). This is unexpected since Hong Mai himself was not just an imperial official but a particularly eminent one, whose appointments included Hanlin academician and court historian. Appearing in the tales, sometimes even as protagonists, are members of society whom the superelite like Hong Mai seldom even mention in their conventional literary and scholarly writings. These Yijian zhi stories thus provide a glimpse of the ways that members of the socially and politically elite perceived persons of lowly social backgrounds. The fact that Hong Mai did not compose his stories from his own imagination but, rather, recorded tales told to him by informants, most of whom were also members of the elite, as well as his conviction that the tales narrate events that actually happened, however uncanny or "marvelous" they were, makes the collection even more valuable as a source for general upper-class perceptions. Once identified and examined, those perceptions by socially elite persons of contemporaries who did not have a classical education contain elements we might expect as well as those that may surprise us.


Background Pharmaceutical interventions are a method of ensuring the efficacy and safety of treatments. Purpose To classify pharmaceutical interventions made by a pharmacy resident in the pharmacokinetics unit of a tertiary hospital and evaluation of acceptance by the clinician. Materials and methods For one month, The authors reviewed electronic prescriptions of drugs with a narrow therapeutic range in medical and intensive care wards. Pharmacokinetics studies were performed using the PKS software package and reports were issued to the patient's physician. Pharmaceutical interventions were classified according to the method described by Overhage et al, which measures the gravity of medication errors and the value of clinical interventions made by the pharmacist. Drug-related problems were classified according to the Granada Consensus. Results Thirty-two patients (84% of those reviewed) were evaluated. The drugs prescribed were digoxin (55%), valproic acid (20%), vancomycin (11%), phenytoin (7%) and amikacin (7%). The authors made 29 pharmaceutical interventions (the remaining patients had drug levels within the therapeutic range), with a degree of acceptance of 93%. Interventions were classified as follows: 'dosing error (DE) consisting of a very low dose of a drug that is not potentially life-saving' (10/29); 'DE consisting of a very low dose of a potentially life-saving drug' (10/29); 'DE resulting in potentially toxic concentrations' (3/29); 'inappropriate dosing interval' (3/29); 'clinically significant interaction requiring follow-up' (2/29); 'adverse events related to precautions or contraindications' (1/29). The classification of interventions according to clinical importance were life-threatening (34%), serious (14%), and significant (52%). Drug-related problems were classified as quantitatively ineffective (20/29), qualitatively ineffective (2/29); quantitatively unsafe (4/29), qualitatively unsafe (3/29). Conclusions Most of the patients required a pharmaceutical intervention to adjust their treatment. All interventions made had a relevant clinical impact, as they involved high-risk drugs with a narrow therapeutic range. The most common drug-related problem was quantitative inefficacy due to underdosing.


The present study examined employee-involvement climate (i.e., information-sharing and decision-making climate) as a moderator of the relationship between pay-level satisfaction and employee outcomes (i.e., job satisfaction, affective commitment, and turnover intention). Survey data were collected from 22,662 Belgian employees, representing 134 organizations. The hypotheses derived from distributive justice theory and from research on the meaning of pay received partial support. Multilevel analyses revealed that a decision-making climate buffered the negative effects of low pay-level satisfaction, and that an information-sharing climate exacerbated the negative effects of low pay-level satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications of this differential moderating effect are discussed.


In this study we demonstrate the feasibility of dyeing polyester with reactive dye after treatment with an argon plasma discharge. The dyeing with reactive dyes was made possible through the introduction of hydroxyl groups on a polyester fabric after treatment with low-pressure argon plasma. Additionally, a preliminary study on the effects of plasma treatment with air over polyester is presented. The objective of this project was to modify the surface of a polyester fabric in order to improve the dyeing process. As a consequence of hydrophobicity, polyester fibers are dyed exclusively with disperse dyes. This class of dyes requires the use of temperatures up to 130°C. The research presented here addresses this limitation of the polyester dyeing process by creating a cotton-like surface over the polyester fabric. Our goal was to replace disperse dyes with reactive dyes in the polyester dyeing process. The advantage of the reactive dye process is that it is carried out at ambient temperatures. The analytical techniques used to evaluate the results were X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to estimate the presence of new reactive groups in the polymer structure, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and cold-field scanning electron microscopy (FSEM) to assess topographical modifications. Our final step was to visually prove the presence of hydroxyl groups in the fiber structure. We were able to dye the treated polyester fabrics with reactive dyes. The dyeing of plasma-treated and untreated polyester exhibited significant differences under color analysis with a spectrophotometer, with differences greater than 1, which, according to the normative ISO 105-J03:1995, means that the colors cannot be considered the same.


The Penguin History of Greece offers a one-volume history of Hellas, and is principally written for the reader who is not a student or expert in classical literature. Readable, erudite, enthusiastic and balanced, it sweeps the reader along from the days of Mycenae to the splendors of Athens and to the conquests of Alexander and the last dark ages, ably pin-pointing the culture, society and politics of an astonishing people.


This thesis addresses the topic of risk communication effectiveness on a national level in Norway regarding a future pandemic. The consequences of a pandemic influenza will depend partly upon the risk communication strategy effectiveness. Within risk psychology research, such a strategy should fully consider how general and situational factors may influence public perceptions of the pandemic risk, and how public perceptions affect risk communication efficiency and, consequently, the behavior of recipients towards the pandemic. If ignored, communication gaps could result in overall greater consequences for the general public and/or unequal protection for vulnerable risk groups during a future pandemic.The overall aim of the thesis is therefore to help enhance risk communication efficiency, and thereby risk management. To address this area of research the thesis summarizes scientific research on risk perception and risk communication, and reviews experiences from prior situations and cases. The central interest of the thesis has been how public perceptions of a pandemic risk relate to risk communication efficiency and communication strategy. Scientific communication models used to address public perceptions, which may limit or hinder correct health behavior, are presented and their use in potential future pandemic settings are discussed. The thesis argues that risk communication efficiency will be strengthened by use of scientific models of communication. In this context especially models on information processing (i.e. ELM), approaches eliciting mental contents (i.e. mental models), and practical work with communication of risk (i.e. RISCOM).Predictions of future pandemics are extremely hard to make. To cover various possibilities within a future pandemic this thesis discusses risk communication challenges in situations with different combinations of possibility and consequences (severity of the virus). The idea is that different situations demand different amount of, and different approaches to, the management of risk. Lastly, an effective risk communication strategy does not stop when the pandemic risk officially subsides. It is recommended that communicators learn from the "rights and wrongs" encountered in the latest pandemic and thus ensure public trust in risk communication for the next health risk.