Acoustic wedge transducer assemblies (AWTA) for generating and detecting surface acoustic waves (SAW) on non-piezoelectric substrates were designed, fabricated and evaluated for outdoor touch panel applications. An AWTA consists of a piezoelectric acoustic transducer plate bonded to an acoustic prism that is bonded to a glass panel. The acoustic prism converts a longitudinal acoustic wave into a SAW on the glass. This conversion is based on the acoustic analogy of optics Snell's law. Thus, the prism material must have low longitudinal acoustic velocity and low acoustic attenuation. For nearly all SAW-based touch panels on the market, the acoustic prisms are made of Lucite. An issue with Lucite is high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), much higher than that of glass panels and piezoelectric ceramics. In outdoor environments with large temperature variations, this large CTE mismatch causes the Lucite prism to break off the glass panel and the piezoelectric transducer to break apart from the Lucite prism. After extensive search, we identified liquid crystal polymer (LCP) and bismuth (Bi) as potential acoustic prism materials having low CTE. Wedge transducer assemblies with Lucite, LCP, and Bi prisms, were fabricated and evaluated. Following Telcordia GR-468-Core recommendation, the wedge assemblies went through thermal cycling between ${-}{\rm 45}^{\circ}{\rm C}$ and 85 $^{\circ}{\rm C}$ for 1000 cycles. The wedge assemblies with Lucite prism broke before 50 cycles. Wedge assemblies with LCP and Bi prisms survived 1000 cycles. In terms of acoustic performance, wedge assembly with LCP prisms is as good as wedge assembly with Lucite prism. Accordingly, LCP is the best prism material for SAW-based touch panels in outdoor applications.


PURPOSE
To establish the dose-response relationship for the induction of chromosomal instability in GM10115 cells exposed to high-energy iron ions (1 GeV/nucleon, mean LET 146 keV/microm) and gold ions (11 GeV/nucleon, mean LET 1450 keV/microm). Past work has established that sparsely ionizing X-rays can induce a long-lived destabilization of chromosomes in a dose-dependent manner at an incidence of approximately 3% per gray. The present investigation assesses the capacity of High-Z and High-energy (HZE) particles to elicit this same endpoint.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Clonal populations derived from single progenitor cells surviving heavy-ion irradiation were analyzed cytogenetically to identify those clones showing a persistent destablization of chromosomes.

RESULTS
Dose-response data, with a particular emphasis at low dose (< 1.0 Gy), indicate a frequency of approximately 4% per gray for the induction of chromosomal instability in clones derived from single progenitor cells surviving exposure to iron ions. The induction of chromosomal instability by gold ions was, however, less responsive to applied dose, as the observed incidence of this phenotype varied from 0 to 10% over 1-8 Gy. Both iron and gold ions gave dose-dependent increases in the yield of chromosomal aberrations (both chromosome- and chromatid-type) measured at the first mitosis following irradiation, as well as shoulderless survival curves having D0=0.87 and 1.1 Gy respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
Based on the present dose-response data, the relative biological effectiveness of iron ions is 1.3 for the induction of chromosomal instability, and this indicates that heavy ions are only slightly more efficient than X-rays at eliciting this delayed phenotype.


Recycled plastic waste as an aggregate in concrete mixtures is one of the important issues in the construction industry since it allows the reduction of building weight and has beneficial effects on the environment. In addition, the bonding ability of this kind of lightweight concrete to reinforcement is also a prerequisite as a composite material in forming reinforced concrete structures. Therefore, in this study, the bond of plain rebar embedded in artificial lightweight aggregate concrete made from polypropylene plastic waste coated with sand was investigated. A pull-out test of nine group specimens was conducted to study the bond strength of 10 mm, 12 mm, and 16 mm diameter plain rebar embedded in polypropylene plastic waste coarse aggregates lightweight concrete (PWCAC), failure mode, and bond stress–slip relationship. The test results show that the bond–slip relationship and bond strength depend mainly on the bar diameter for PWCAC. Meanwhile, for all PWCAC specimens tested, the pull-out failure modes were observed. A bond equation for PWCAC was formulated by performing a regression analysis on the experimental results and afterward was combined with an existing bond–slip equation for normal concrete to have the bond–slip formulation for the lightweight concrete studied. The comparison between the model and experimental results indicates a close agreement.


The analysis of structural information of planar holograms (i.e., "surface" holograms in integrated optics) is presented by using Ewald's construction and a grating vector uncertainty theorem. The influences of the geometry and the material constants of the holographic system, the modulation transfer function, and dimensions of the hologram are given. A new approach to the transfer of information, connected with multimode operation, is presented.


Abstract. Weeds growing in close proximity to the seedline area are highly competitive for resources needed by crop plants and causes a reduction in crop productivity if left uncontrolled. A method to automate the weed removal process, which is currently a costly manual operation, is in high demand by vegetable growers. Automatic weed removal requires machine vision, displacement sensing, and actuation systems. For high plant and weed density scenarios common in organic production of leafy greens, the development of a machine vision system that analyzes images to provide weed and crop mapping while spraying actuators are required to automatically spray on the weed location precisely depending on the displacement. It is a challenging task to develop a high-resolution spraying actuator and automatically controls it while synchronizing it with all other subsystems to work in the actual field at high-speed. This paper describes a spraying actuator that was developed to be controlled in real-time based on weed and crop mapping. To allow for image processing time, and to minimize spray drift collecting on the camera lens, the spray nozzles are placed 0.8 m behind the camera. The performance of spraying actuator is tested and evaluated in a densely populated lettuce field scenario with a selective herbicide dosing treatment area of 1 x 1 cm at the continuous speed of 2.4 km/h. The spraying actuator is able to spray correctly detected weeds without spray drift. The results established that the developed herbicide spraying actuator was robust and effective for the automatic weed control process.


In this work, we present sMax a multimodal toolkit for stock market data sonification. Unlike most research focusing their effort primarily on the sonification of single stock information, sMax provides an auditory display for the user to monitor parallel distributed data. sMax uses a set of Java and Max modules to map real time stock market information into recognizable musical patterns. One of the main design goals of the toolkit is to allow low-latency controls over real-time data sonification. Because of its object-oriented architecture, sMax can be easily extended by the user when additional functionality is required. The project outcomes range from the creation of art installations to auditory display for mobile computing devices. We present the theoretical background, and the structure of the program.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Assessment of possible hemorrhage in acute stroke before appropriate therapy remains important. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency with which patients present with clinical stroke and have intracranial hemorrhage on initial noncontrast head CT scan (NCCT). In addition, we sought to determine the frequency with which initial clinical diagnosis acute stroke is confirmed in this group.

METHODS
Medical records of 691 consecutive patients with admitting diagnosis of acute stroke were evaluated retrospectively. Results of initial NCCT performed within 24 hours after presentation were assessed. All patients were examined before anticoagulation or thrombolysis. Correlation with treatment and leading differential etiology was made.

RESULTS
Twenty-five patients (25/691 [3.6%]) had hemorrhage. Twenty-three patients (23/25 [92%]) had intraparenchymal hemorrhage only. One patient (1/25 [4%]) had a combination of intraparenchymal and subarachnoid hemorrhage. One patient (1/25 [4%]) had subdural hemorrhage only. Twenty-two NCCT scans (22/25 [88%]) were performed within 6 hours of presentation. Seventeen NCCT scans (17/25 [68%]) were performed within 3 hours of presentation.

CONCLUSION
Despite frequent concerns for intracranial hemorrhage complicating acute stroke and treatment, a low percentage of patients had this complication. Moreover, our frequency is much lower than the wide ranges reported elsewhere. The most common type of intracranial hemorrhage in this cohort was intraparenchymal, but subarachnoid and subdural hemorrhages were also diagnosed and must also be considered. Twenty-eight percent of patients with initial suspicion of acute ischemic stroke are eventually given other diagnoses. These results may have implications for use of CT imaging.


Author(s): Sherman, Lauren E. | Advisor(s): Dapretto, Mirella; Greenfield, Patricia M | Abstract: Social media use is extremely prevalent among adolescents, leading to continued public interest in its effects on social interaction. Understanding the neural underpinnings of social media use will allow researchers to better understand these effects; but the literature on social media and the brain is, at present, remarkably limited. This dissertation examined a unique feature of digital interaction- "Quantifiable Social Endorsement" - and demonstrated that this indicator of peer opinion significantly influences both neural and behavioral responses to content posted online. In Study 1, adolescents underwent an fMRI scan while using a tool that mimics Instagram, a popular photo-sharing social media platform. Participants viewed photos that had been ostensibly "Liked" by peers. In reality, the number of Likes was experimentally manipulated such that half of the photos appeared with many Likes ('popular') and half with few Likes ('unpopular'). Included among these photos were images submitted by the participants from their own Instagram accounts and images depicting risky behaviors (e.g., drinking alcohol, smoking). Participants demonstrated significantly different behavioral and neural responses as a function of photo popularity. Participants were more likely to Like photographs if they were popular than unpopular, and popular photos elicited significantly greater activity in neural regions implicated in reward processing, social cognition, and visual attention. Behavioral effects were significantly stronger for participants' own photographs than for photographs ostensibly supplied by peers, and participants showed significantly greater activity in the nucleus accumbens - a hub of the brain's reward circuitry - for the popular g unpopular contrast when viewing their own photographs compared to others' photographs.Study 2 replicated and extended the findings of Study 1 in an expanded sample that additionally included 27 college students. Like the high-school students, college students also were significantly more likely to Like popular than unpopular photographs, and popular photographs elicited significantly greater activity in brain regions involved in social cognition, visual attention, and reward. When high-school students, but not college students, viewed risky (vs. non-risky) photographs, activation in the cognitive control network decreased. For high-school students, nucleus accumbens response to social reward (i.e., receiving many Likes on one's own photographs) increased with age.The findings reported in this dissertation suggest that Quantifiable Social Endorsement is a means by which peer socialization and influence occurs in online environments, including to behaviors like drinking and drug use, which represent a significant public health concern in adolescence. Furthermore, social media provide a unique opportunity to examine the neural correlates of social interaction and peer influence in an ecologically valid manner.


The best way for students to learn to read and to come to love reading is - surprise, surprise - by reading in quantity. Unfortunately, many of today's students read far too little. This lack of time spent reading is particularly unfortunate, as reading constitutes a bedrock skill, essential in all subject areas. Thus, we teachers need to devote curriculum time to not only teaching students how to read but also to encouraging them to read extensively. This is what Extensive Reading is all about. Teachers Sourcebook for Extensive Reading provides hundreds of teacher tested ideas on how to do Extensive Reading. The book begins with an introduction to 'the what' and 'the why' of Extensive Reading. Thereafter, the book consists of three parts. Part 1 discusses finding materials for Extensive Reading. Part 2 offers ideas for motivating students to read and for activities that students might do after they read or while they are reading, including cooperative learning activities. Part 3 looks at how teachers can serve as advocates for Extensive Reading. Among the book's distinctive features are breaks for reflection, first person accounts from teachers, and ideas for doing Action Research and other forms of teacher investigation and research on Extensive Reading. We hope that you will find the Teachers Sourcebook for Extensive Reading to be a practical book, but also informed by theory and researh. We also hope this book will make a difference for your students in their test scores and, even more, in their attitude toward reading, now and in the future.


The essence of benefit transfer is that the assessment of ecological effects of an intended project is based on information from similar studies, undertaken at other sites. Instead of performing a completely new study, which may cost a lot of time and money, key parameters from older studies are used. This approach is assumed to save valuable research time and money. In the paper it will be shown that this benefit may occur at the expense of the validity of assessments. Using these assessments for the new project may result in sub-optimal decision-making by governments and other stakeholders, like private landowners. The paper contains a meta-analysis on the validity of benefit transfer. The two basic types of benefit transfer, simple benefit transfer and benefit function transfer are being compared. It turns out that the validity of simple benefit transfer is often poor even when applied at comparable sites. This raises the question whether simple benefit transfer should be used to support policy-making regarding investment scenarios of national importance. It may be better to use benefit function transfer as an alternative, because it can compensate for differences in explanatory variables. In this way, the validity of the assessment can be increased, which may lead to 'better' decisions, provided that suitable benefit functions are available.


Abstract Sediments of Late Triassic age preserved in the upper Hawasina nappes of the Central Oman Mountains document the early sedimentary and oceanographic evolution of a segment of the Triassic seaway bordering the northern Gondwanian continental margin. Within the Zulla Formation of Glennie et al. four members can be distinguished. 4. Halobia limestones (Lower to ?Upper Norian) 3. Radiolarian cherts (Ladinian to Lower Norian) 2. Sandstone-shale member 1. Calcarenite-shale member Changes in composition and abundance of turbiditic sediments in the Zulla Formation reflect environmental changes in the source areas, probably linked to sea-level fluctuations, whereas changes in the pelagic facies reflect basin-wide oceanographic fluctuations. Episodic low-oxygen conditions are indicated by laminated dolomites in the calcarenite-shale member. An increase in radiolarian abundance may record an increase in surface-water productivity possibly related to a sea-level rise and corresponding changes in the circulation pattern. A deepening of the CCD during the Early Norian is documented by the Halobia limestones. Similar facies types are encountered along the South-Tethyan seaway (Lagonegro-Pindos-Antalya-Pichakun). However, diachroneity of facies changes from radiolarite to limestone point to differences in the bathymetric and/or oceanographic evolution of the basins.


Novel technologies to establish three-dimensional constructs are desired for tissue engineering. In the present study, magnetic force was used to construct multilayered keratinocyte sheets and harvest the sheets without enzymatic treatment. Our original magnetite cationic liposomes, which have a positive surface charge in order to improve adsorption, were taken up by human keratinocytes at a concentration of 33 pg of magnetite per cell. The magnetically labeled keratinocytes (2x10(6) cells, which corresponds to 5 times the confluent concentration against the culture area of 24-well plates, in order to produce 5-layered keratinocyte sheets) were seeded into a 24-well ultralow-attachment plate, the surface of which was composed of a covalently bound hydrogel layer that is hydrophilic and neutrally charged. A magnet (4000 G) was placed under the well, and the keratinocytes formed a five-layered construct in low-calcium medium (calcium concentration, 0.15 mM) after 24 h of culture. Subsequently, when the five-layered keratinocytes were cultured in high-calcium medium (calcium concentration, 1.0 mM), keratinocytes further stratified, resulting in the formation of 10-layered epidermal sheets. When the magnet was removed, the sheets were detached from the bottom of the plates, and the sheets could be harvested with a magnet. These results suggest that this novel methodology using magnetite nanoparticles and magnetic force, which we have termed "magnetic force-based tissue engineering" (Mag-TE), is a promising approach for tissue engineering.


The student thesis deals with standardization and adaptation of a company's website in the enhancement of customers' online satisfaction in the case of Unilever Bangladesh & Adhuli.The aim of the study is to carry out a comparative study between Unilever's Bangladesh website and Adhuli's website and through comparing and contrasting, identify the level of adaptation and standardization that effects customer online satisfaction in a positive manner. Effectiveness of a website in our study context means the website's ability to attract, retain and ultimately engage the customer in a buying behavior online or later in an offline context. Ultimately, the examination of the two websites in an OCS context will lead to some recommendations, which we hope can prove insightful for future online retailers within the confines of similar markets.Website is probably the best and most time and cost effective way for companies to engage their customers and entice them to buy online or in some cases connect with them for later offline6/18/2013 ivengagement. It's therefore essential for companies to standardize and adapt their websites according to the needs and tastes of their target customers for enhanced customer satisfaction. It's significant to note that MNCs especially those like Unilever with an informational website often ignore the importance of adaptation of their webpage in accordance with the local tastes of their customers and thereby primarily rely on their technological knowhow often dictate by costs concerns minimized through standardization. Local vendors like Adhuli with a transactional website on the other hand often ignore the value of technologically sound webpages often blinded by the fact that their understanding of the local market and taste, to some extent handicapped by costs as well, can adequately cater for online customer satisfaction. Either strategies result in the design of a webpage which capacity to enhance customer satisfaction online is greatly diminished.


HELLP syndrome is a life threatening condition requiring ICU admissions among obstetric patients.it is most of the times seen with preeclampsia-eclampsia and is characterised by hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count. It is associated with maternal and fetal complications. Aims and Objectives: To study Hellp syndrome cases as a complication in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, mode of delivery, foeto maternal outcome. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective observational study conducted in Rangaraya medical college in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology from January 2019 to October 2019 Results: Pregnancy induced hypertension complicating pregnancy diagnosed in 920 women. HELLP syndrome was a complication in (n=6 cases)that is 0.65%,5 cases of Partial HELLP and one case of Complete HELLP in a total of 7850 deliveries. There are 2 preterm deliveries and 4 term deliveries, vaginal delivery in 4 cases,2 caesarean sections. Maternal morbidity of Hellp syndrome in our cases include abruptio placentae(16.6%),disseminated intravascular coagulation(16.6%), pulmonary edema (16.6%),acute renal failure(16.6%), maternal death (16.6%).Fetal complications were prematurity, LBW, IUD, RDS out of 6 cases Conclusion: Hellp syndrome has deleterious complication of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy with high maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis and multimodal team approach at teritary care center can reduce foeto maternal morbidity and mortality.


Because frequency components interact nonlinearly with each other inside the cochlea, the loudness growth of tones is relatively simple in comparison to the loudness growth of complex sounds. The term suppression refers to a reduction in the response growth of one tone in the presence of a second tone. Suppression is a salient feature of normal cochlear processing and contributes to psychophysical masking. Suppression is evident in many measurements of cochlear function in subjects with normal hearing, including distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). Suppression is also evident, to a lesser extent, in subjects with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. This paper describes a hearing-aid signal-processing strategy that aims to restore both loudness growth and two-tone suppression in hearing-impaired listeners. The prescription of gain for this strategy is based on measurements of loudness by a method known as categorical loudness scaling. The proposed signal-processing strategy reproduces measured DPOAE suppression tuning curves and generalizes to any number of frequency components. The restoration of both normal suppression and normal loudness has the potential to improve hearing-aid performance and user satisfaction.


Preparation and characterization of catalyst mix Fe-Co/MgO for carbon nanotubes growth Fe-Co/MgO is one of the most common catalyst mix applied to carbon nanotubes (CNTs) growth in chemical vapor deposition process. Therefore, here we present detailed study on the preparation and characterization of Fe-Co/MgO. The precursors of Fe and Co are iron (II) acetate and cobalt acetates, correspondingly. The molar ratio of the catalyst mix is Fe:Co:MgO=1:1:100. Initially, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the mixture was performed. TGA analysis of it indicated the stepwise mass losses which pointed out the crucial thermal conditions for the changes in the elemental composition, morphology, crystallographic structure and vibrational properties. In current state of the art the lowest growth temperature for singlewalled carbon nanotubes is 550°C in CVD technique and here the characterization of the catalyst mix strongly suggest that this temperature can be decreased what would enhance the compatibility of CNT growth with current complementary metal-oxide-silicon (CMOS) technology for CNTs-based nanoelectronics. The morphology, crystallographic structure, elemental composition of the samples and its spectroscopic properties were performed via high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Infrared spectroscopy (IR), respectively.


Objectives: With the rapid development in the Light Emitting Diode (LED) it leads a path for the development of the next generation data communication named as Visible Light Communication (VLC). VLC replaces Radio Frequency communication by giving higher and better bandwidth and a very high data rate. In the present day life we use a lot of LED based lights for illumination. Methods/Analysis: The LEDs are also used alternatively for Communication. This has many advantages like high duration, safety, high efficiency and Flickering rate. Findings: The visible light can be used extensively to transmit the audio signals and this is done by the presence of the normal White LEDs. Applications: Solar panels are used in the receiver section to which an amplifier and speaker are connected to recover the transmitted signal.


I assessed non-random microhabitat use by larval and adult southern two-lined salamanders (Eurycea cirrigera) and adult spotted dusky salamanders (Desmognathus conanti) in two Georgia Piedmont streams from April 2000 to April 2001. Southern two-lined larvae were generally under-represented in deep areas with low percentages of coarse substratum and in microhabitats dominated by bedrock substrata. Spotted dusky and southern two-lined salamander adults were typically over-represented in microhabitats with higher percentages of gravel, pebble, and cobble substrata. Spotted dusky salamander capture locations were found to have greater number of invertebrates than random locations. Invertebrate distribution did not seem to affect the microdistribution of adult southern-two lined salamanders. Between stream and seasonal differences in microhabitat use for all species generally reflected differences in microhabitat availability. Consequently, anthropogenic disturbance that reduces stream complexity and the availability of coarse substratum may decrease stream salamander populations for these species in Georgia.


Integration of wind units into power system introduce various sources of technical and economical challenges to operation of power system due to its inherent uncertainty and variability. In operation of power system, stochastic wind generation can affect on the system security. In this paper, optimal security-constrained unit commitment (SCUC) in presence of demand response program (DR) based on stochastic wind generation is proposed as a novel method of SCUC to address the mentioned concern. In order to secure system from stochastic wind generation, the SCUC results have to be valid for most probable wind generation scenarios. The problem is formulated as a mixed-integer programming (MIP) and solved using Benders decomposition which implemented using GAMS software (CPLEX solver). The results of applying proposed method on IEEE six-bus test system show that the proposed method can successfully find the optimal SCUC which satisfied all constraints while is secure against variations in wind generation..


Two of the fundamental issues in designing protocols for message passing between mobile agents (MAs) are tracking the migration of the target agent and forwarding messages to it. Even with an ideal fault-free network-transport mechanism, messages can be dropped during MA migration. Therefore, in order to provide reliable message delivery, protocols need to overcome message loss caused by asynchronous operations of agent migration and message forwarding. In this paper, two known message forwarding approaches, namely push and pull, are explored to design adaptive and reliable message delivery protocols. Based on a commonly used MA tracking model, the pros and cons of these two approaches are evaluated, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The comparative performance evaluation is presented in terms of network traffic and delay in message processing. We also propose improvements to the pull approach to reduce network traffic and the message delay. We conclude that with different message passing and migration patterns and varying requirements of real-time message processing, specific applications can select different message delivery approaches to achieve the desired level of performance and flexibility.


Cultivation of Bt crops is an important tactic in integrated pest management. The effect of Bt maize on arthropod predators needs to be investigated because of the important role of these natural enemies in the absence of target pests. The objective of the present study was to generate information on the distribution model of Cycloneda sanguinea (L.) (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae) in Bt and non-Bt maize. A sampling field of 2.500 m 2 area, divided into 100 plots, was used in this study. Five plants per plot, totaling 500 plants in each field, were studied. We counted the total number of adults every week, totaling six samples for each field (Bt and non-Bt). The aggregation index (variance/mean ratio, Morisita index, and exponent k of the negative binomial distribution) and Chi-square fit of the observed and expected values to the theoretical frequency distribution (Poisson, binomial, and negative binomial positive) revealed that, in both cultivars, the adults of C. sanguinea were distributed according to the random distribution model, which fits the pattern of Poisson distribution. Keywords: Spatial distribution, natural enemy, lady beetle, Poisson. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(42), pp. 6086-6090


The macaque visual cortex is exquisitely organized into columns, modules, and streams, much of which can be correlated with its metabolic organization revealed by cytochrome oxidase (CO). Plasticity in the adult primate visual system has also been documented by changes in CO activity. Yet, the molecular mechanism of regulating this enzyme remains not well understood. Being one of only four bigenomic enzymes in mammalian cells, the transcriptional regulation of this enzyme necessitates a potential bigenomic coordinator. Nuclear respiratory factor 2 (NRF-2) or GA-binding protein is a transcription factor that may serve such a critical role. The goal of the present study was to determine if the two major subunits of NRF-2, 2α and 2β, had distinct subcellular distribution in neurons of the rat and monkey visual cortex, if major metabolic neuronal types in the macaque exhibited different levels of the two subunits, and if they would respond differently to monocular impulse blockade. Quantitative immuno-electron microscopy was used. In both rats and monkeys, nuclear labeling of α and β subunits was mainly over euchromatin rather than heterochromatin, consistent with their active participation in transcriptional activity. Cytoplasmic labeling was over free ribosomes, the Golgi apparatus, and occasionally the nuclear envelope, signifying sites of synthesis and possible posttranslational modifications. The density of both subunits was much higher in the nucleus than in the cytoplasm for all neurons examined, again indicating that their major sites of cellular action is in the nucleus. In both layer IVC and supragranular puffs of the macaque visual cortex, the expression of both NRF-2α and β was higher in medium-sized, non-pyramidal (type C and C-like) cells previously shown to have higher CO activity than small, type A and A-like cells with low CO activity. Pyramidal, type B cells in puffs had intermediate levels of CO as well as NRF-2α and β labeling. Monocular impulse blockade induced a greater reduction of NRF-2 labeling in type C/C-like than type A/A-like cells. These results substantiate and extend our previous findings that NRF-2 is constitutively active in adult primate and rat visual cortical neurons, that it is expressed more strongly in metabolically more active neurons, and that its level is directly regulated by neuronal activity, the blockade of which imposes a greater down-regulation of this transcription factor in metabolically more active than less active neurons.


Kibish, in the lower Omo Valley on the borders of Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan, is one of the wildest and most remote places in Africa. This book is a beguiling portrait of its people, seen through an original lens that of a simple window frame. From painted, marked and scarified tribesmen with their tools and farmers with their livestock, this collection presents an amazing slice of life, and is a priceless record of a unique and increasingly fragile way of life, one threatened by conflict, tourism and the rapidly encroaching 21st century.


and Mr. Klein this is only exceeded by liverpool. The disproportion is emphasized in hospital expenditure, where the A.H.A.(T.) has 21% of the region's population but consumes 29% of resources. A point requiring caution in interpretation of these data, not previously mentioned, is that the population size of each area has a weighting effect. For example, the percenitage difference from the national average in provision of mental handicap beds in Kent is +81, and in Greenwich aind Bexley it is -81. However, the Kent population is 3-36 times that of Greenwich and Bexley, and in real terms Kent has + 1470 beds and Greenwich and Bexley -429. I would support the suggestion that the D.H.S.S. eventually publish details of the distribution of resources by A.H.A.s, including community and general practitioner services where possible. Until then one would hope for the fullest co-operation from regional information departments in assisting independent researchers.-I am, etc.,


Purpose:  To find out the indications and outcomes of Penetrating Keratoplasty at a tertiary eye hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Study Design:  This was a retrospective hospital based study.
Place and Duration of Study:  Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh from July 2011 and July 2018.
Methods:  In this study, data was collected from the records of patients, who came for treatment at the cornea unit. Pre-operative evaluation and post-operative follow-up record was analyzed. Patents' demographic information, visual acuity, management, pre and post-operative complications, follow-up visits and outcomes were recorded. A technical research team headed by a senior consultant determined the content validity and their comments were incorporated in finalizing the research instruments.
Results:  A total of 213 penetrating keratoplasties (PK) were performed during the study period. The main indications were keratoconus (8.28%), Corneal scarring (41.42%), Adherent leukomas (25.59%), corneal dystrophy (3.84) and bullous keratopathy (7.25%). Rejection rates at 8 years were 5.62%. Keratoconus showed the best graft survival (79%). The percentage of patients with post-transplant best-corrected visual acuity of 6/36 at 8 years was 52%. There was a statistically significant reduced rejection rate in males.
Conclusion:  Penetrating Keratoplasty is an effective treatment option for improving visual outcomes for people with visual impairment. There are many co-factors involved with a quality outcome of patients with Penetrating Keratoplasty such as immunological rejection, microbial keratitis and patient level of awareness, which continue to limit the success.
Key Words:  Penetrating, Keratoplasty, Bangladesh, Keratoconus, Corneal Dystrophy.


UNDERSTANDING SURFACE HOPPING ALGORITHMS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS IN CONDENSED PHASE SYSTEMS Wenjun Ouyang Dr. Joseph E. Subotnik While electron transfer plays an important role in a variety of fields, our understanding of electron transfer relies heavily on quantum mechanics. Given the high computational cost of quantum mechanics calculations and the limits of a computer's capability nowadays, the straightforward use of the Schrödinger equation is extremely limited by the dimensionality of the system, which has spurred the advent of many approximate methods. As a mixed quantum-classical approach, fewest-switches surface hopping (FSSH) can treat many nuclei as classical particles while retaining the quantum nature of electrons. However appealing, though, FSSH has some notable drawbacks: FSSH suffers from over-coherence (in addition to its inability to capture presumably rare nuclear quantum effects). Here, in this thesis, we revisit the issue of decoherence from the perspective of entropy, unraveling the nature of the erroneous coherence associated with FSSH trajectories and further justifying the improvements made by the recently proposed augmented-FSSH. Going beyond traditional Tullystyle surface hopping technique, we also study new flavors of surface hopping that treat a manifold of electronic states to capture dynamics near metal surfaces. Moreover, we highlight how surface hopping can be used to study electrochemistry and we thoroughly benchmark the surface hopping algorithms against mean-field approaches. This thesis captures 4 years of research which has successfully analyzed the guts of the surface hopping approach for nonadiabatic dynamics both in solution and at a metal surface. iv


Emotion mining is an emerging task that is still at a first stage of research. Most of the existing works and resources focus on English, but there are other languages, such as Spanish, whose presence on the Internet is greater every day. In WASSA-2017 Shared Task on Emotion Intensity, it was found that the best systems included features from affect lexicons. This fact combined with the scarcity of resources in Spanish, led us to build a new Spanish lexicon that has been tested over the dataset released at SemEval 2018 Task 1. Moreover, it has been compared with the unique emotion intensity lexicon existing in Spanish, SEL lexicon, and it has shown the difficulty of the task and the importance of continuing working on the development of resources.


Congenital dislocation of the patella is a rare condition which manifests as a permanent and irreducible patella fixed on the lateral aspect of the femoral condyle, usually present at birth. This condition is to be distinguished from habitual or obligate dislocation, in which the patella dislocates and relocates from its normal position in the trochlear groove spontaneously with flexion and extension of the knee. Congenital dislocation of the patella is frequently associated with a flexion contracture at the knee, genu valgus, foot deformity and external tibial torsion, along with various conditions including arthrogryposis, Down syndrome, and nail-patella syndrome, among others. Surgical correction is the only definitive treatment for this condition, which typically includes lateral release, medial stabilization, distal patellar tendon realignment, and proximal extensor lengthening if needed. Outcomes following surgical correction are generally satisfactory, with an improvement in function, range of motion, and quality of life for patients. The aim of this paper is to review the current understanding of congenital and habitual dislocation of the patella and provide an updated overview of the diagnosis and surgical management of these conditions.


At industrial level, by apple processing into juice results significant amounts of waste, representing 25-40% of the mass of processed apple depending on the technology applied for juice extraction. At European level, by apple processing into juice results annual millions of tonnes of waste. Apple waste is a rich source of food fibres (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, pectin), minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, etc.), phenolic compounds, mainly phenolic acids such as chlorogenic acid, protocatechuic acid and caffeic acid and flavonoids. Also, apple waste contains simple sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose). In this paper are presented the results of the research performed to achieve a functional ingredient (powder) from apple waste resulting in apple juice industry. For this purpose, apple waste (Jonathan, Golden Delicious and Red Delicious varieties) was subjected to a convective drying process at 50°C to protect the bioactive compounds (vitamins, phenolic compounds, etc.) to a moisture content to allow their milling and turning them into powder and their stability in terms of quality. The achieved functional ingredient was evaluated sensory, physic-chemically and microbiologically. Powder achieved from apple waste is characterized by total dietary fibre (60.62...64.75%), iron (2.31....2.73 mg/100 g), potassium (450.12... 508.45 mg/100 g), calcium (76.32 ....92.44 mg/100 g), magnesium (41.15....55.65 mg/100 g) and total polyphenol content (17.83 ...38.83 mg GAE/g). At the same time, powder achieved from apple waste has antioxidant potential. Due to its complex biochemical composition and antioxidant potential, the functional ingredient achieved from apple waste can be used to fortify bakery and pastry products.


Self-regulation is the private provision of public goods and private redistribution. This paper examines the scope of self-regulation motivated by altruistic moral preferences that are reciprocal and stronger the closer are citizens in a socioeconomic distance. The focus is on the role of organizations in increasing self-regulation by mitigating free-rider problems. Social label and certification organizations can expand the scope of self-regulation but not beyond that with unconditional altruism. Enforcement organizations expand the scope of self-regulation farther, and for-profit enforcement is more aggressive than nonprofit enforcement. Enforcement through social pressure imposed by NGOs also expands the scope of self-regulation. (JEL D64, H41, L51)


In this paper, exponential stabilizability of continuous-time positive switched systems is investigated. For two-dimensional systems, exponential stabilizability by means of a switching control law can be achieved if and only if there exists a Hurwitz convex combination of the (Metzler) system matrices. In the higher dimensional case, it is shown by means of an example that the existence of a Hurwitz convex combination is only sufficient for exponential stabilizability, and that such a combination can be found if and only if there exists a smooth, positively homogeneous and co-positive control Lyapunov function for the system. In the general case, exponential stabilizability ensures the existence of a concave, positively homogeneous and co-positive control Lyapunov function, but this is not always smooth. The results obtained in the first part of the paper are exploited to characterize exponential stabilizability of positive switched systems with delays, and to provide a description of all the "switched equilibrium points" of an affine positive switched system.


The present ultrastructural study shows how cells organize to form the complex structure of downfeathers in chick embryos. The embryonic epidermis of the apical part of feather filaments folds inward forming barb ridges which extend toward the base of the feather. The stratification of epidermal cells in barb ridges is maintained but the basal layer loses most of the germinal activity. New cells for the growth of feather filaments are mainly produced in its basal part. In barb ridges only the original four epidermal layers of the embryonic epidermis remain to form feathers: 1) the external periderm, 2) three-five layers of the feather sheath and barb vane ridge cells, 3) subperiderm cells, and 4) basal or cylindrical cells. Periderm, sheath, barb vane ridge and cylindrical cells synthesize only alpha-keratin. Instead, cells of the subperiderm layer synthesize a small type of beta-keratin: feather beta-keratin. At hatching, the subperiderm layer is lost in most areas of the skin of the chick (apteric and scaled), and is replaced by cells containing alpha-keratin (interfollicular-apteric epidermis), scale beta-keratin (scales), beak beta-keratin (beak), and claw beta-keratin (claws). Only in feathers, cells of the original subperiderm layer remain and give origin to barb and barbule cells. The formation of separated chains of barb and barbule cells is allowed by the presence of barb vane ridge cells that function as spacers between merging cells of barb and barbule cells. Subperiderm cells elongate and merge into a syncitium to form barbules and barbs. While barbule and barb cells accumulate feather-keratin, barb vane and cylindrical cells accumulate lipids, vesicles and little alpha-keratin. These cells eventually degenerate by necrosis leaving empty spaces and lipids between barbules and barbs. No apoptosis is necessary to explain the process of carving out of barb and barbules in feathers after dissolution of the external sheath. In fact, the retraction of blood vessels nourishing the apical part of the feather filament determines anoxia and eventually necrosis of all cells of the feather. While sheath, barb vane and cylindrical cells degenerate, the keratinized syncitium forming barbs and barbules simply remain in place to form the ramifications of feathers. The formation of barb ridges is considered as the evolutionary innovation necessary for the origin of feathers. The evolution of the morphogenetic process of barb ridge formation within epidermal tubular outgrowths of the integument of ancient archosaurians was an evolutionary novelty, a true avian and theropod characteristic. Barb ridges morphogenesis determines the contemporary formation of barb and barbule cells as a unique and inseparable process so that intermediate forms of evolving feathers with only barbs but not barbules are unlikely. Barb ridges can merge with a large ridge (rachis) or into branched ridges, a process which was at the origin of the ramogenic process from which pennaceous feathers evolved.


BACKGROUND
The reconstruction of alveolar ridges for implant placement is still a challenging surgical procedure, especially in the case of extensive vertical and horizontal bone atrophy.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the quantity and quality of newly regenerated bone; clinically by means of direct clinical measuring, ridges augmented by autogenous cortical bone associated with autogenous particulate bone graft in the posterior lower jaw defect.

METHODS
For the preliminary study, a bone defects in partially edentulous in patient aged 52 years were selected to receive horizontal ridge augumentation prior autolougous bone block and particulate graft. The donor site was the ramus of the same side. Prior the clinical evaluation, periapical X-ray and the cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) was observed the quality, quantity and the stability the soft and hard tissue healing process, final result and the outcome.

RESULT
The bone augmentation achieved with this technique created the ideal bone volume of hard and soft tissue, in quantity and quality, for placement of implants.

CONCLUSION
The surgical technique was found to be easy in terms of technique and surgical trauma.


The subcellular distribution of G protein subunits in the neutrophil was examined. Cells were nitrogen cavitated and subcellular organelles fractionated on discontinuous sucrose gradients. The presence of GTP- binding regulatory protein (G protein) alpha and beta/gamma subunits in each organelle was determined using three methods of analysis: specific binding of guanine nucleotide, ADP ribosylation by pertussis toxin, and immunoblot analysis with subunit-specific G protein antibodies. Both plasma membrane and cytosolic G protein components were detected. In contrast, neither the specific nor the azurophilic granules contained detectable G protein. Based on the ability of exogenous G protein beta/gamma subunits to increase the ADP ribosylation of the cytosolic form of G protein and upon the hydrodynamic behavior of the cytosolic protein, it is likely that this represents an uncomplexed G protein alpha subunit. Proteolytic mapping with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease suggests the soluble alpha subunit is from Gn, the major pertussis toxin substrate of human neutrophils. Using quantitative analysis, the levels of the 40-kD G protein alpha subunit and of the 35/36-kD beta subunit in the neutrophil membrane were determined.


With the convergence of mobile devices and the Internet, ubiquitous computing promises to revolutionize the way that we access services and run applications. However, ubiquitous computing environments, in particular, mobile and wireless environments interfaced with the Internet, currently possess security vulnerabilities that are ripe for attack from cyber-threats. Thus, this paper discusses the limitations of current security mechanisms in ubiquitous (but heterogeneous) computing environments and presents a general-purpose infrastructure that addresses these limitations, thus allowing heterogeneous environments to communicate in a secure manner. These heterogeneous environments of the future will be interoperable and will include environments such as wireless sensor networks, mobile communication, and computational grids.


PURPOSE
Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is a risk factor for glaucoma. The principal outflow pathway for aqueous humor in the human eye is through the trabecular meshwork (HTM) and Schlemm's canal (SC). The junction between the HTM and SC is thought to have a significant role in the regulation of IOP. A possible mechanism for the increased resistance to flow in glaucomatous eyes is an increase in stiffness (increased elastic modulus) of the HTM. In this study, the stiffness of the HTM in normal and glaucomatous tissue was compared, and a mathematical model was developed to predict the impact of changes in stiffness of the juxtacanalicular layer of HTM on flow dynamics through this region.

METHODS
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to measure the elastic modulus of normal and glaucomatous HTM. According to these results, a model was developed that simulated the juxtacanalicular layer of the HTM as a flexible membrane with embedded pores.

RESULTS
The mean elastic modulus increased substantially in the glaucomatous HTM (mean = 80.8 kPa) compared with that in the normal HTM (mean = 4.0 kPa). Regional variation was identified across the glaucomatous HTM, possibly corresponding to the disease state. Mathematical modeling suggested an increased flow resistance with increasing HTM modulus.

CONCLUSIONS
The data indicate that the stiffness of glaucomatous HTM is significantly increased compared with that of normal HTM. Modeling exercises support substantial impairment in outflow facility with increased HTM stiffness. Alterations in the biophysical attributes of the HTM may participate directly in the onset and progression of glaucoma.


The project started in January 2003 as an initiative of the Euganean Hills Regional Park in collaboration with Padua University and territorial Authorities, and involves five municipalities of the Euganean Thermal Area. The target is to implement five Environmental Management Systems (EMS), one for each municipality concerned, which want to adopt an observing legal prescriptions' Environmental Policy, and commit themselves to introduce measures for an effective and continuous improvement of the environmental performance and to put transparent communication with stakeholders into effect. The programme, proposed to the European Community jointly with other projects of different European partners and co-financed by the European Commission (ERDF Funding), is a pilot scheme set in an IPAM-Toolbox (Integrative Protective Area Management), in order to promote the sustainable management of protected areas, and the exchange of good practices. This project is now in its last stage. Its implementation allowed the municipalities involved to provide for the Initial Environmental Analysis study, identify direct and indirect environmental aspects and impacts, check environmental legislative conformity, define an Environmental Policy, implement five EMS, improve stakeholders' environmental awareness through the circulation of the "Environmental Statement" and the meetings organization. Two municipalities became registered EMAS between 2005 and 2006.


Zinc is added to PWRs to lower excore dose rates and to help prevent PWSCC with almost 80 reactors world wide now adding Zn. Despite this wide spread use our understanding of what happens to Zn when added to a PWR plant is still limited and plant to plant variations in behaviour are difficult to understand. For example some plants observe increases in dose rates immediately following a cycle of Zn injection while other reactors do not. Likewise, some reactors see increases in shutdown nickel releases following a cycle with Zn, while others do not. This variation in behaviour is due to differences in material corrosion behaviour at individual plants, differences in core duty and differences in operational chemistry and it is important to understand how these individual factors effect the behaviour of the plant during Zn addition. A major question is whether adding Zn leads to increased fuel crud and whether such crud significantly hinders heat transfer from the fuel. This will be the case if Zn leads to additional releases of Ni and Fe, and Zn compounds precipitate out in the steam chimneys of crud preventing wick boiling. Several plants adding Zn have also seen significant chromium levels within their fuel crud, which poses the question of how Zn affects the release of this element from excore surfaces.Some understanding of the mechanisms for Zn behaviour in a PWR plant can be obtained from analysis of specific plant data. This paper therefore applies several models to analyse Zn behaviour at a number of PWR plants to rationalise the plant observations in terms of the chemistry and physics that is taking place. The thermodynamics of Zn compounds is first discussed, including the ferrite and chromite species that form the inner and outer oxide phases, as well the thermodynamics of ZnO and Zn-silicate, potential precipitates in fuel crud. This thermodynamics is then used in a number of models for Zn capture in the inner and outer oxides on the excore surfaces, for capture of Zn in fuel crud due to concentrating via wick boiling and for the effects of enhanced Ni and Fe release due to Zn uptake. All these models of Zn capture are considered and applied to understand the behaviour at a number of PWR plants, the predictions of the models being compared with the plant observations. The approach that is adopted gives a complete picture of what is happening when Zn is added to a PWR, but although the approach answers several questions there are still several uncertainties and these are also discussed.


The Yeonsan Ogye (Ogye) is a rare Korean domestic chicken breed, the entire body of which, including its feathers and skin, has a unique black coloring. Although some protein-coding genes related to this unique feature have been examined, non-coding elements have not been globally investigated. In this study, high-throughput RNA sequencing and DNA methylation sequencing were performed to dissect the expression landscape of 14,264 Ogye protein-coding and 6900 long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) genes along with DNA methylation landscape in twenty different Ogye tissues. About 75% of Ogye lncRNAs showed tissue-specific expression whereas about 45% of protein-coding genes did. For some genes, the tissue-specific expression levels were inversely correlated with DNA methylation levels in their promoters. About 39% of the tissue-specific lncRNAs displayed functional association with proximal or distal protein-coding genes. In particular, heat shock transcription factor 2 (HSF2)-associated lncRNAs were discovered to be functionally linked to protein-coding genes that are specifically expressed in black skin tissues, tended to be more syntenically conserved in mammals, and were differentially expressed in black tissues relative to white tissues. Our results not only facilitate understanding how the non-coding genome regulates unique phenotypes but also should be of use for future genomic breeding of chickens.


Technology is a driving force behind why intercultural education and intercultural communication are important goals for the 21st century. As such, tomorrow's educational technology leaders must be well-versed in these areas. In this article we describe an international grant designed to build a transatlantic doctoral community focused on educational technology, highlight the impact of this grant on an educational technology program in the United States and provide suggestions for others interested in enculturating educational technology doctoral students into a community of intercultural practice. Readers will be particularly interested in our struggles (and potential solutions) related to student exchanges and our curriculum for courses designed to elevate intercultural education in our program.


In rural Benin, malnutrition, especially micronutrient deficiencies, contrasts with a rich agrobiodiversity that abounds in cultivated or wild foods that are potential sources of micronutrients. This paradox leads us to examine the role of local agrobiodiversity in the diet of children living in two agroecological zones of southern Benin. This study involved 1,263 children aged 6-23 months from 17 randomly selected villages in Southern Benin. A multiple-pass 24-h recall method on two non-consecutive days with the estimation of the consumed portions was used to collect dietary intake data. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect socioeconomic and demographic data to explore factors driving agrobiodiversity food consumption, especially wild foods. Non-parametric analyses based on gamma distribution were performed to establish the effect of wild food consumption on vitamin A, calcium, iron, and zinc intakes. Conditional inference tree-classification models were performed to identify factors driving wild food consumption. Among a total of 48 local foods that were reported as consumed by children, 11 were from wild species. The contributions of total local agrobiodiversity to nutrient intake of complementary foods was between 49% (calcium) and 98% (vitamin A). Cultivated species contributed to local agrobiodiversity foods for 57% (calcium) and 96 % (zinc). The semi-domesticated species have a contribution of between 2% (zinc) and 35% (calcium) to nutrient intake. Wild species contribution to nutrient intake was between 1% (zinc) and 9% for vitamin C. Wild foods consumption correlated significantly and positively with calcium and vitamin A intakes among children. Socio-linguistic factors such as ethnicity and religion of the household head were determinants of wild food consumption. These findings suggest that sensitization on the nutritional importance of the wild foods including socio-linguistic factors may be necessary to promote wild foods' consumption. This could be a good strategy to promote healthy diets in local communities. Key words: agroecological zone, micronutrients, local biodiversity, wild food, healthy diets, Benin


Date Presented 04/06/19
 OTs are well positioned to support older drivers (65+) with determining their fitness to drive but are in need of an evidence-informed method to identify at-risk older drivers. This presentation will discuss 10 years of research and development of the Fitness-to-Drive Screening Measure (FTDS) for identifying at-risk older drivers. The FTDS may aid OTs with initial fitness-to-drive decisions and in determining an older driver's risk probability.
 Primary Author and Speaker: Shabnam Medhizadah
 Additional Authors and Speakers: Sherrilene Classen, Sandra Winter


Pressure from short-horizon investors can hurt investment in innovative, long-run value increasing projects. We explore the efficacy of a commonly proposed tax-based policy tool to mitigate this problem: imposition of greater taxes on short-term capital gains relative to long-term capital gains. Using a panel of 30 OECD countries and 21 capital gains tax shocks over 1991-2006, we find that rewarding longer-term ownership through lower capital gains taxes results in an increase in corporate innovation. The evidence should be of interest to lawmakers and regulators and also adds to our understanding of the real effects of taxation of investor trading activity. JEL Classification: G38, H20, H24, O31


Greywater has been identified as a widespread problem in all categories of dense settlements in Africa, due to poor or absence of waste management, thus, the quest for sustainable wastewater management. The suitability of greywater for growth and yield improvement in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), widely grown as field and home garden vegetables in Nigeria were tested. Seedlings grown in perforated plastic pots filled with 10 Kg top soil were irrigated till maturity with 20, 40, 60, 80 or 100% greywater while those irrigated with tap water served as the control (0%). Greywater-irrigated vegetables were taller with more number of branches and leaves than tap water-irrigated ones, but there was a general growth reduction at 100% grey water regime. Yield parameters including fruit fresh weight, fruit dry weight and number of fruits/plant were also enhanced by tap water-diluted greywater with a reduction at 100% concentration. Greywater increased mineral nutrients including N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Na in soil and fruits of test plants relative to the control. The soil and fruits of greywater-treated plants had higher concentrations of heavy metals; Cu, Zn, Pb and Cr but at a permissible level. Fruit percentage crude fibre was unaffected, protein, soluble carbohydrate and ash were generally increased in both plants while fat content was reduced by greywater at 100% regime in tomato fruits only. Reuse of greywater by dilution at 20-80% have a double-edged positive impact; it responds to the perennial quests for sustainable wastewater management and contributes to sustainable agriculture. However, there should be appropriate guidelines through research on the control and amelioration of the negative environmental impacts of repeated greywater re-use, which will further help improve overall wastewater usage and promote public acceptance of the concept. Keywords :  Tomato, pepper, yield, fruit nutrient and proximate, domestic waste recycling, soil.


Assessing workforce attitude is a business imperative. Committed and engaged employees are invaluable assets to an organization as high levels of employee commitment and
engagement promote retention of talent, foster customer loyalty, and improve organizational performance and stakeholder value. The development of employees for future positions enables organizations to develop and place employees in positions compatible with their individual career interests, needs, and goals. However, most of the previous studies done on career development did not focus on public institutions. It is against these that the study sought to establish the perceived relationship between career development and employee commitment and engagement at Nairobi County Government. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The target population of this study were 443employees at Nairobi County government (Nairobi County Government Registry, 2015). Stratified random sampling technique is used to arrive at the sample size. The researcher used a questionnaire as the primary data collection instrument. Descriptive statistics involved the use of absolute and relative (percentages) frequencies, measures of central tendency and
dispersion (mean and standard deviation respectively). Frequency tables and graphs used to present the data for easy comparison. The study found that career development practices (career planning, coaching, counselling and mentoring) greatly affected employee commitment and engagement at Nairobi County Government. The study concludes that that the County government has a policy that governs career development for its staff, has put in place coaching practice in developing staff for future positions as an organization. Career counselling which is also a fundamental human resource policy is applied to a greater extent in the County. The study also concludes that management suggests specific strategies to accomplish work objectives by providing junior employee with specific guidance for achieving career goals. This study recommends that the County government should formulation of appropriate career development policies to adequately address the training needs. These include: policy makers in the County moving with speed to give their HR departments' full mandate to formulate HR policy on career
development function which sets guidelines and framework on how to successfully conduct and implement the findings\surveys on career development. Assessment to effectively tackle career development deficiencies and to ensure staff is clear on their career growth.


Background & objectives: A prospective study on 72 HIV infected and 33 HIV negative individuals undergoing malaria treatment with dihydroartemisinin (Cotecxin) was undertaken to compare CD4 cells count, viral load and parasite density at two time-points, a baseline visit and a 9-day posttreatment visit. Methods: CD4 count and viral load of the subjects were estimated using Dynabeads T4–T8 Quantification Protocol (Dyneal Biotech, Norway) and Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor Test respectively (Roche, United Kingdom). Results: There was a significant decrease in CD4 count at 9-day post-treatment when compared with baseline value (p <0.05) in HIV infected individuals with CD4 <200 cells/μl. Also, the 9-day posttreatment viral load value was statistically higher than the baseline value (p <0.05). In HIV positive patients with CD4 > 200 cells/μl, a marked significant increase was obtained when the mean viral load at baseline was compared to the 9-day post-treatment visit value (p <0.05). The mean parasite density in HIV positive subjects was statistically higher when compared to that of HIV negative individuals at baseline and 9-day post-treatment (p <0.05). Interpretation & conclusion: The study as such may not confirm the impact of malaria infection on progression to AIDS, incorporating effective malaria control in HIV management programmes may improve tremendously the quality of life of HIV infected individuals.


The problem of system identification of structural or mechanical systems using dynamic data has
received much attention over the years because of its importance in response prediction, control
and health monitoring. However, the results of system identification studies are usually restricted to
the "optimal" estimates of the modal or model parameters, whereas there is additional information
related to the uncertainty associated with these estimates which is very important. For example,
how precisely are the values of the individual parameters pinned down by the measurements made
on the system? Probability distributions may be used to describe this uncertainty quantitatively and
so avoid misleading results. Also, if the identification results are used for damage detection, this
probability distribution for the identified model parameters may be used to compute the probability
of damage.

An important special case of system identification is where the input is unknown so only response
measurements are available. In particular, this is the case in ambient vibrations surveys
(AVS) where the naturally occurring vibrations of a structure (due to traffic, micro-tremors and
structural operations) are measured. AVS have attracted much interest because they offer a means
of obtaining dynamic data in an efficient manner, without requiring the set-up of special dynamic
experiments which are usually costly and time consuming. The uncertain input excitation is usually
modeled as a broad-band stationary stochastic process such as white noise. Usually a linear structural
model is then employed to estimate the parameters of the contributing modes of vibration.

System identification using linear models is appropriate for the small-amplitude ambient vibrations
of a structure that are continuously occurring. There is, however, a number of cases in recent
years where the strong-motion response of a structure has been recorded but not the corresponding
seismic excitation. In some cases this is because of inadequate instrumentation of the structure and
in other cases it is because the free-field or base sensors malfunctioned during the earthquake.

A literature search reveals relatively few papers that deal with system identification using
nonlinear models and measurements of only the system response and these few papers tend to favor
a stochastic spectral approach. In this paper, this subject is tackled using a stochastic model for the
uncertain input and a Bayesian probabilistic approach to quantify the uncertainties in the model parameters.
This Bayesian probabilistic system identification framework was first presented for the
case of measured input and it has been recently extended to the case of unknown input and linear
structural models. The proposed spectral-based approach utilizes important statistical properties of
the Fast Fourier Transform (FFf) and the robustness of the FFf in terms of probability distribution
of the response signal, i.e., regardless of the stochastic model for this signal, its FFf is approximately
Gaussian distributed. It allows for the direct calculation of the probability density function
for the parameters of a nonlinear model conditional on the measured response. It turns out that this
probabilistic approach is well suited for the identification of nonlinear systems and does not require
huge amounts of dynamic data, which is in contrast to most other methods for nonlinear models
and unknown input. For simplicity, the formulation is presented for single-degree-of-freedom systems.
Examples using simulated data are presented to illustrate the proposed approach.


Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss with an initial mean weight of 174 g (1+ year old) were fed on 3 different commercial diets (1 extruded pellet and 2 steam pellet) in the same environmental conditions until their first spawning. Changes in growth performance (weight gain, condition factor, specific growth rate and feed conversion rate), gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI) and body composition (protein, lipid, ash and dry matter) were investigated. The mean weight gain and condition factor for fish fed the extruded diet was significantly greater than for those fed the steam pellet diets (P < 0.05 ). There were no significant differences in specific growth rate, mean length increments and feed conversion rate among the groups, although the feed conversion rate for the extruded diet was slightly lower than the others. The HSI of the group fed an extruded diet was significantly greater than those of the others ( P < 0.05 ). The GSI values of female and male fish at the end of the study (October) did not differ significantly among the groups. Similarly, diet had no significant effects on the muscle composition of the trial fish, except that the muscle lipid of the group fed the extruded diet was significantly higher than those of the other groups (P < 0.05).


In this paper, the control of the pulsewidth-modulated current-source-inverter-fed induction motor drive is discussed. The vector control system of the induction motor is realized in a rotor-flux-oriented reference frame, where only the measured angular rotor speed and the dc-link current are needed for motor control. A new damping method for stator current oscillations is introduced. The method operates in an open-loop manner and is very suitable for microcontroller implementation, since the calculation power demand is low. Also, the stator current phase error caused by the load filter is compensated without measurement of any electrical variable. With the proposed control methods the motor current sensors can be totally eliminated since the stator current measurements are not needed either for protection in the current-source-inverter-fed drives. The proposed control methods are realized using a single-chip Motorola MC68HC916Y1 microcontroller. The experimental tests show excellent performance in both steady-state and transient conditions.


: The authors have developed a method for measuring the blood loss with feces using an available and inexpensive reagent--methyl-4-aminophenol sulphate (Metol). The diagnostic value of the method in ulcerative and hemorrhagic lesions of the alimentary tract is demonstrated, as well as its advantages over other techniques. The method helps choose a differentiated course of treatment with due regard for the hemorrhage severity.


Medicaid enrollees in the United States are among the poorest and sickest of the population. Meeting their health needs can be difficult in part due to their vulnerability. Little is known about how Medicaid beneficiaries view their health, the health care delivery system, or their own ability to participate in activities or actions that would help them control or improve their health. This qualitative study used a combination of individual telephone interviews and in-person focus groups to explore Medicaid beneficiaries' views of their health. Beneficiaries described health as a life experience, as a function or action, and with respect to the health care system. The ability to control health was associated with the availability of resources, the influence of family and friends, and the role of God and prayer.


The tourism and leisure industries are currently exploring the potential of new presentation strategies that will maximise the promotional appeal of tourism regions and their main assets, which include a unique landscape and scenery, an impressive cultural heritage, and a wide range of sports facilities and other tourist amenities. Further, publishers of tour guides and maps similarly have expressed a strong interest in the new technologies. The EU Travel Study carried out by Sloggett (1997) revealed that major travel and tourist companies and organisations take an increasing interest in satellite technology, and in the development of a Travel, Leisure and Tourism Information Service. The kind of innovative Information Service they envisage will provide information on a resort and the region, entertainment possibilities and will also allow business transactions. Online and offline data visualisation for tourism topics have to be optimised for the different output devices related to the software, the hardware requirements and the display design. This paper will briefly discuss the current situation in the tourism industry regarding currently available modes of information presentation for specific target groups, and will further present proposals for a novel interactive multimedia information system focusing on the various components of such a system. The system will integrate satellite images, GPS data, GIS information and other information on leisure activities and tourist facilities. Aerial and satellite images will be used to implement the visualisation of a tourist region for multimedia CD-ROMs, display on the Internet and also on mobile devices.


X-band radar systems represent a flexible and low-cost tool for ship detection and tracking. These systems suffer the interference of the sea-clutter but at the same time they can provide high measurement resolutions, both in space and time. Such features offer the opportunity to get accurate information about the target's state and shape. Accordingly, here we exploit an extended target tracking methodology based on the popular Probability Hypothesis Density to get information about the targets observed in an actual X-band radar dataset. For each target track we estimate the target's position, velocity and acceleration, as well as its size and the expected number of radar returns.


Joint fundamental frequency and model order estimation is an important problem in several applications. In this paper, a default estimation algorithm based on a minimum of prior information is presented. The algorithm is developed in a Bayesian framework, and it can be applied to both real- and complex-valued discrete-time signals which may have missing samples or may have been sampled at a non-uniform sampling frequency. The observation model and prior distributions corresponding to the prior information are derived in a consistent fashion using maximum entropy and invariance arguments. Moreover, several approximations of the posterior distributions on the fundamental frequency and the model order are derived, and one of the state-of-the-art joint fundamental frequency and model order estimators is demonstrated to be a special case of one of these approximations. The performance of the approximations are evaluated in a small-scale simulation study on both synthetic and real world signals. The simulations indicate that the proposed algorithm yields more accurate results than previous algorithms. The simulation code is available online.


Andrographis paniculata Nees, a well-known plant of Indian and Chinese traditional system of medicines, commonly known as Kalmegh has drawn attention of researchers in recent times. Andrographolide, the principal bioactive phytoconstituent of the plant has shown credible anticancer, anti-inflammatory, angiogenic, antivenom, antidiabetic, antimalarial potentially in various investigations around the globe. This review contains brief discussion about active constituent and pharmacological activity of plant Andrographis paniculata.


This paper presents the LIU system for the WMT 2011 shared task for translation between German and English. For English--German we attempted to improve the translation tables with a combination of standard statistical word alignments and phrase-based word alignments. For German--English translation we tried to make the German text more similar to the English text by normalizing German morphology and performing rule-based clause reordering of the German text. This resulted in small improvements for both translation directions.


There are only a few studies looking at the analgesic effect of cold chamber exposures in patients suffering from fibromyalgia. However, in addition to the pain symptoms, patients with this syndrome also frequently suffer from an increased sensitivity to cold. Thus, the effect of cold chamber exposures (-67°C, 1-3 min) on the sensitivity to pain, thermal comfort and actual pain intensity was examined in 17 female patients with fibromyalgia (ACR criteria) and compared with a control group without applications. The measured parameters were pressure, heat and cold pain thresholds (pressure algometry, Peltier thermode), thermal comfort (local thermal cutaneous stimulation applied by a Peltier thermode; systematically varied stimulation sequence) as well as the actual pain intensity and feeling of general well-being (visual analogue scales, VAS). The thermal pain thresholds were determined on the inner surface of the forearm, and the sensitivity to pressure pain at the styloideus radii. The thermal comfort measurements were carried out at the forehead. After cold chamber exposures, cold and pressure pain thresholds were significantly or very significantly increased while no shifts of the threshold were evidenced for heat pain. In the range of the applied thermode temperatures of 17.5 – 27.5 °C the subjective temperature sensation curve was significantly increased after cold chamber exposure as compared to initial values and control period. The mean thermal tolerance range calculated from the intersection points of comfort curve and temperatures applied showed a statistically significant increase. Such an improvement of the thermal tolerance could not be evidenced for the control group. The mean values of the actual pain scores (VAS) were also significantly reduced after cold chamber exposures, and the overall-being improved. It is concluded that cold chamber exposures have an analgesic effect in patients suffering from fibromyalgia and that in addition the thermal tolerance is increased. Now, further studies have to be carried out to determine if repeated cold chamber applications yield in stable adaptive improvements of pain sensitivity and thermal discomfort.


ABSTRACT Background: Many epidemiological studies have been able to address the relationships between benzene exposure in the environment  and  the level of risk. Incidence has risen in industrialized countries since the 1960s and is highly and rapidly fatal and represent the fifth leading cause of deaths from cancer  and 50%-100%  more  common in men than women. To identify, appraising and synthesizing  the risk of cancer from benzene exposure in environment or workplace,  a meta analysis is conducted. Method: Epidemiological studies were identified through a computerized Medline and search on follow up and case control studies.  The risk were identified as Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMRs), Standardized Incidence Ratios (SIRs), Relative Risk (RR) and Odd Ratio (OR).   Data extraction covered characteristic of the study (publication year, country, study type, case definition, sources of cases, reference population, follow up period, risk measures) and  risk estimates. The extracted data were checked for consistency and entered into a database and checked for correctness. Summary of  relative risk was calculated from log(RR) and log(upper and lower limit of 95% CI of log RR). SE and weight of all studies were estimated by fixed effect model. Results: The identified studies  were industrial-based (n=6), community-based (n=2),  and multicentre hospital-based study (n=2). RR of each study were also show benzene exposure was favour to risk of malignancy. This findings indicated workers who were exposed to benzene have risk to get malignancy 2 times higher than  person who were not exposed to benzene. The excess risk found for Benzene was based on 8 population that were exposed with benzene from oil or petroleum  industry. The risk of soft tissue carcinoma due to benzene exposure was highest  with RR=15,59 (95% CI= 1.74-139.3).  The lowest risk was  stomach carcinoma RR 2,51  (95% CI= 1,60-2,94) and hemopoetic malignancy in general with RR 2,63  (95% CI= 0,90-7,69). Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggest that environmental or occupational exposures of benzene may increase the risk of cancer,  with the highest case of soft tissue carcinoma and the lowest case of  stomach cancer. The excess may be pronounced in men who works in petroleum industry for more than 10 years and exposed to moderate and even level of benzene. Keywords: benzene, malignancy, industry, petroleum


In this ground breaking work of synthesis, Monika Fludernik combines insights from literary theory and linguistics to provide a challenging new theory of narrative. This book is both an historical survey and theoretical study, with the author drawing on an enormous range of examples from the earliest oral study to contemporary experimental fiction. She uses these examples to prove that recent literature, far from heralding the final collapse of narrative, represents the epitome of a centuries long developmental process.


This study is essentially projected to explore the process of translating hedges from the Arabic language into the English language in one of Gassan Kanafni's master pieces "Rijal fi Ashams" and how the hedges forms are affected after the translation and it conveys more commitment or less according to the language culture and system. The novel is considered as a piece of resistance literature and it is translated into the English language by Hilary Klipatrick. The collected data investigates the whole novel which consists of seven chapters in both versions. In this research, two main objectives have been proposed. Firstly, the study attempts to explore the translation procedures that have been employed to translate the Arabic hedges into English. Secondly, it examines the cultural role in translating the Arabic hedges into English. For the sake of collecting and analyzing the hedges in the novel, the current research has applied two translation approaches. Firstly, Hyland's typology (1998) has been used in order to classify the data from both versions. Secondly, Vinay and Darbelnet's translation procedures have been applied in order to explore the types of procedures used by the translator in rendering the hedges. The findings of the study have shown that: firstly, the translator tends to use oblique or indirect translation procedures in rendering the vast majority of the hedges in the novel. And, he only uses literal procedures from the direct translation procedures. Secondly, it is evident that culture affectes the degree of commitment and the range numbers of hedges in both languages.


On one side, there is an increasing amount of learning material available on the Internet and an increasing use of technology in learners' daily activities. On the other side, we see high level of disengagement in STEM area and a need for effective technology-based teaching and learning that can improve learning effectiveness, efficiency and learner satisfaction. This paper investigates the impact of employing personalisation in a programming module delivered at undergraduate level through the NEWTELP platform. Preliminary results have shown that students perceived that personalisation has improved their learning experience and their learning outcomes.


The use of latency reversing agents (LRAs) is currently a promising approach to eliminate latent reservoirs of HIV-1. However, this strategy has not been successful in vivo. It has been proposed that cellular post-transcriptional mechanisms are implicated in the underperformance of LRAs, but it is not clear whether proviral regulatory elements like viral non-coding RNAs (vncRNAs) are also implicated. In order to visualize the complexity of the HIV-1 gene expression, we used experimental data to construct a gene regulatory network (GRN) of latent proviruses in resting CD4+ T cells. We then analyzed the dynamics of this GRN using Boolean and continuous mathematical models. Our simulations predict that vncRNAs are able to counteract the activity of LRAs, which may explain the failure of these compounds to reactivate latent reservoirs of HIV-1. Moreover, our results also predict that using inhibitors of histone methyltransferases, such as chaetocin, together with releasers of the positive transcription elongation factor (P-TEFb), like JQ1, may increase proviral reactivation despite self-repressive effects of vncRNAs.


Metabolic processes in eukaryotic cells depend on interactions between mitochondrial and nuclear gene products (mitonuclear interactions). These interactions could play a direct role in population divergence. We studied the evolution of mitonuclear interactions in a widespread passerine that experienced population divergence followed by bi-directional mitochondrial introgression into different nuclear backgrounds. Using >60,000 SNPs, we quantified patterns of nuclear genetic differentiation between populations that occupy different climates and harbour deeply divergent mitolineages despite ongoing nuclear gene flow. Analyses were performed independently for two sampling transects intersecting mitochondrial divergence in different nuclear backgrounds. In both transects, low genome-wide nuclear differentiation was accompanied by strong differentiation at a ~15.4 Mb region of chromosome 1A. This region is enriched for genes performing mitochondrial functions. Molecular signatures of selective sweeps in this region alongside those in the mitochondrial genome suggest a history of adaptive mitonuclear co-introgression. The chromosome 1A region has elevated linkage disequilibrium, suggesting that selection on genomic architecture may favour low recombination among nuclear-encoded genes with mitochondrial functions. In this system, mitonuclear interactions appear to maintain the geographic separation of two mitolineages in the face of nuclear gene flow, supporting mitonuclear co-evolution as an important vehicle for climatic adaptation and population divergence.


Climate and land use/cover (LUC) are the two most significant factors that directly affect the runoff process. However, most research on runoff response has focused mainly on projected climate variation, while future LUC variability has been neglected. Therefore, the objective of this study is to examine the impacts of projected climate and LUC changes on runoff. Future climate scenarios are projected using the Quantile Mapping (QM) method, and future LUC scenarios are predicted with the Cellular Automaton-Markov (CA-Markov) model. Three different scenarios are simulated and compared to evaluate their impacts: Scenario 1 (LUC of 2010 and climate during the 2011–2050 period, abbreviated S1), Scenario 2 (LUC of 2010, 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050 and climate of the historical wet year, normal year and dry year, abbreviated S2) and Scenario 3 (LUC of 2010, 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050 and corresponding climate projections of 2011–2020, 2021–2030, 2031–2040 and 2041–2050 period, abbreviated S3). These three scenarios are then input into the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model to assess runoff responses. Beijiang River Basin, located in southern China, is used in this case study. The results obtained from S1, S2 and S3 show that runoff change in this basin is mainly caused by climate change; warmer temperatures and greater precipitation increase runoff. LUC change has little influence on runoff at the whole-basin scale, but changes in runoff components are more notable in the urban area than in the natural region at the sub-watershed level. The impact of LUC change in urbanized region on runoff components differ obviously among the wet, normal and dry years, and surface runoff and groundwater are found to be more sensitive to urbanization. Runoff depth is predicted to increase in this basin under the impacts of both climate and LUC changes in the future. Climate change brings greater increase in water yield and surface runoff, whereas LUC change leads to changes in allocation between surface runoff and groundwater in the urban region.


Respective effects of sodium and chloride ion on growth, cell morphological changes, membrane disorganization, ion homeostasis, exoenzyme activities and fermentation performance in Zymomonas mobilis232B cultures were presented. In batch cultures containing 0.15 M NaCl, Z. mobilis232B developed filaments, and growth and ethanol production were inhibited remarkably. Chloride ion (as NH4Cl) produced similar filaments, while sodium ion (as Na2SO4) had little effect on morphology changes, indicating that filament formation in NaCl-inhibited Z. mobilis cultures is attributable to chloride ion. Furthermore, growth and ethanol production were more strongly inhibited by chloride ion than sodium ion and the damage of cell membrane under NaCl treatment was mainly caused by chloride ion. NH4+ and SO42- (as (NH4)2SO4) had little inhibitory effects at similar concentration. It was strongly suggested that the inhibitory effects of growth, fermentation performance and morphology changes of Z. mobilis232B produced by NaCl were mainly due to the chloride ion.

 Key words: Sodium ion, chloride ion, morphological changes, Zymomonas mobilis, fermentation.


: During the second half of the twentieth century, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) has undergone significant warming at more than twice the global mean and thus is regarded as one of the most rapidly warming regions on Earth. However, a reversal of this trend was observed in the 1990s, resulting in regional cooling. In particular, during 1999–2018, the observed annual average surface air temperature had decreased at a statistically significant rate, with the strongest cooling in austral spring. The spring cooling correlates significantly with the second leading modes (EOF2) derived from empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis on the sea level pressure over Antarctica during 1999–2018, associated with the negative phase of the interdecadal Pacific oscillation with an average of cooling of central and eastern tropical Pacific surface sea temperature (SST) anomalies. The EOF2 results in the enhanced cold southerly winds on the continental WAIS through the cyclonic conditions over the Amundsen Sea region and a blocking high in the Drake Passage and northern Antarctic Peninsula, causing the WAIS cooling trend.


The aims of the study are to (1) compare the road safety behaviors among car drivers and motorcyclists in five different regions in Norway and Greece, (2) examine the factors influencing the road safety behaviors in these groups, and (3) examine the relationship between road safety behaviors and accident involvement. The study is based on survey answers from car drivers and motorcycle riders in two Greek and three Norwegian regions (N = 1,212). Road safety culture (RSC) is defined as shared patterns of behavior and shared expectations to other road users. The results indicate shared national RSC among Norwegian riders and drivers in the three Norwegian regions. The results from the Greek sample indicate the importance of the regional level for RSC and a unique RSC on the studied Greek island. The data do not indicate that transport mode is important for road safety behaviors or RSC. Our analyses indicate that RSC is important as it is closely related to road safety behaviors, which in turn is related to accident involvement. This suggests that accidents may be reduced by influencing the RSC. To contribute to such efforts, we discuss how and where RSC is created and how it influences road safety behavior, based on our results.


OBJECTIVE: To review the controversies surrounding the use of nutritional interventions, particularly enteral support, in patients with acute pancreatitis. DATA SOURCES: Articles were obtained through a MEDLINE search (1966–June 1999). Additionally, several textbooks containing information on the diagnosis and management of acute pancreatitis were reviewed. The bibliographies of retrieved publications and textbooks were reviewed for additional references. STUDY SELECTION: All original investigations in humans pertaining to the use of enteral nutritional support in acute pancreatitis were reviewed for inclusion. Studies that investigated parenteral nutrition in acute pancreatitis were also reviewed, with preference given to controlled comparisons with enteral regimens or no nutritional support. DATA EXTRACTION: The primary outcomes extracted from the literature were time to oral feeding tolerance, complications (e.g., infection) associated with nutritional support, and length of stay. DATA SYNTHESIS: The duration of pancreatitis and time to oral feedings is similar whether patients receive enteral (i.e., jejunal tube feedings) or parenteral nutrition. Additionally, complications, length of stay, and costs are either similar or decreased with enteral versus parenteral nutrition. CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence suggests that the enteral rather than parenteral route should be used to provide nutrition to patients with acute pancreatitis. Parenteral nutrition should be reserved for patients in whom nasojejunal feeding is not possible.


Mutations are regarded as ideal targets for cancer immunotherapy. As neo-epitopes with strict lack of expression in any healthy tissue, they are expected to be safe. The systematic use of mutations for vaccine approaches, however, is hampered by the uniqueness of the repertoire of mutations (the mutanome) in every patient9s tumor. We have recently proposed a personalized immunotherapy approach targeting the spectrum of individual mutations. Preclinically we could show in three independent murine tumor models that a considerable fraction of non-synonymous cancer mutations is immunogenic and that unexpectedly the immunogenic mutanome is pre-dominantly recognized by CD4+ T cells (the CD4+ immunome). Vaccination with such CD4+ immunogenic mutations confers strong antitumor activity. Encouraged by these findings we set up a process comprising mutation detection by exome sequencing, selection of vaccine targets by solely bioinformatical prioritization of mutated epitopes predicted to be abundantly expressed and good MHC class II binders and rapid production of synthetic mRNA vaccines encoding multiple of these mutated epitopes. We show that vaccination with such poly-neo-epitopic mRNA vaccines induces potent tumor control and complete rejection of established aggressively growing tumors in mice. End of 2013 this approach has been translated from bench to bedside when a first in human clinical study started demonstrating the clinical feasibility of the approach (NCT02035956). This tailored immunotherapy approach may be regarded as a universally applicable blueprint for comprehensive exploitation of the huge neo-epitope target repertoire of cancers enabling the treatment of patients by targeting every patient9s tumor with individual just in time produced vaccines. Citation Format: Ugur Sahin. Targeting the mutanome for individualized cancer immunotherapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Inaugural International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; September 16-19, 2015; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(1 Suppl):Abstract nr IA06.


The Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei M5 strain exerted potential anticancer activity through the cell wall. In this study, whole peptidoglycan (WPG) was extracted from the Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei M5 strain and was evaluated for anticancer effects as well as its properties. SDS-PAGE analysis confirmed the presence of WPG with dominant bands of approximately 14.4 kDa. Further analysis revealed that the amino acids present in the WPG consisted of alanine, glycine, glutamic acid, and lysine in a molar ratio of approximately 8 : 5 : 3 : 3.5. In addition, the cell viability of HT-29 cells with WPG addition was investigated with methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) and trypan blue exclusion (TBE) assays, and cell apoptosis was analyzed with a transmission electron microscope, flow cytometry, and semiquantitative RT-PCR. These results showed that WPG exerted cytotoxic effects on colon cancer HT-29 cells in a dose-dependent manner and upregulated proapoptotic genes, while downregulating antiapoptotic genes. The gene expression study definitively revealed that WPG induced a mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway.