This paper aims at correcting flaws in the way expectations are set in a paper by Walsh (2000) in order to assess with precision the impact of complex market rigidities and market expectations in the optimal choices of inflation in a monetary game between society and central bankers. After setting the expectations right, one of the results achieved indicates that the optimal inflation under any type of central banker is higher than that obtained in the original paper, suggesting that the time inconsistency phenomenon plays a more important role in explaining an inflationary bias than originally interpreted by Walsh (2000). However, if society organizes itself towards shorter tenure wage contracts, inflation will be lower. The results obtained for the output gap of the economy also differ from those achieved by Walsh in the sense that a central banker who is highly committed to previously announced inflation targets will have more opportunities to generate output growth above equilibrium rates and still commit. Finally, the stability of the premises regarding the contractual structure of the economy proposed by Walsh is tested under a game theoretic approach. The outcome of the test is that stability can be guaranteed only under strong assumptions and high symmetry in the sectoral distribution of firms. By using a social welfare function in which price surprises in any direction lead to welfare loss, the results indicate that society is better off by choosing longer tenure wage contracts, moving away from shorter tenure ones, at the cost of higher inflation.


While tourism has often been proposed as a mechanism for equitable and sustainable development in developing countries, most destination communities remain relegated to the role of passive "tourees" who are unable to participate in economic opportunities often controlled by tourism retail monopolies. Guided by information systems (IS) research on mobile and temporarily interconnected systems (MTIS), this work examines the ubiquitous nature of information services for users on the move. That is, users that are largely dependent on mobile telephones and temporary tourism services. Stakeholder interviews included local South African micro-entrepreneurs from under-resourced rural and peri-urban communities and other national and regional stakeholders. The findings informed the development and early implementation of a web marketplace for tourism micro-entrepreneurs (i.e., www.peoplefirsttourism.com) that bridges hyper-connected consumers with under-resourced microentrepreneurs who use simple mobile phones. Further, this study builds on interdisciplinary research to enrich discussions about ICT for Development (ICT4D).


Usaha Makmur Jaya has conducted various promotional activities such as direct promotion, advertisement, and exhibition to strengthen Naturalz brand. But in fact, Usaha Makmur Jaya is experiencing low sales due to lack of brand awareness on Naturalz car perfume. Usaha Makmur Jaya needs to evaluate promotional activities that can support brand awareness at Usaha Makmur Jaya. In addition to increasing brand awareness, Usaha Makmur Jaya must strengthen their brand in the market, so consumers always make Naturalz as their primary choice for car perfume, so that in the end can increase sales of the company. The purpose of this study is to evaluate promotional activities at Usaha Makmur Jaya. This research type is qualitative with semi structured interview method with 4 informant that is consumer of business of Makmur Jaya, marketing expert, and business associate of Business Makmur Jaya and also documentation in collecting data. The results of this study indicate that the factors that can increase the brand awareness of Makmur Jaya  Enterprises, strengthen the Naturalz brand, and increase sales of Makmur Jaya Enterprises is by creating the right advertisement, increasing the Reseller of Makmur Jaya Business, stabilizing the price of Naturalz, following the exhibition with automotive, and doing sales promotion activities.


Background: The ability to maintain balance while simultaneously performing a cognitive task is essential for daily living and has been implicated as a risk factor of falls in older adults. Aims: To evaluate the evidence related to the psychometric properties of dual-task balance assessments in older adults. Methods: An extensive literature search of electronic databases was conducted. Articles were included if they evaluated the psychometric properties of dual-task balance assessment tools in older adults. The data were extracted by two independent researchers and confirmed with the principal investigator. The methodology quality of each study was rated by using the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist. Results: Twenty-six articles were included in this systematic review. For dual-task static standing balance assessments, the center of pressure-related parameters (displacement, velocity) and reaction time measurements were reliable but not useful for prediction of falls. For walking balance assessments, the gait outcomes derived generally demonstrated good to excellent reliability [Intraclass correlation coefficient >0.75)], but their ability to predict falls varied. Outcomes derived from the cognitive tasks and the dual-task cost (dual-task performance minus single-task performance) mostly demonstrated low to fair reliability. The methodological quality of majority of studies was poor to fair, mainly due to small sample size. Conclusions: Among the dual-task balance assessments examined, the reliability and validity varied. The findings of this review should be useful in guiding the selection of dual-task balance measures in future research.


Conditions are described for using Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I for synthesizing complementary DNA copies of natural RNA molecules, which are suitable for use in hybridization experiments. The molar ratio of enzyme to template is critical; below a certain level, synthesis is not observed. Hybrids formed with the complementary DNA are of comparable specificity and stability to those formed with complementary DNAs synthesized by viral RNA-directed DNA polymerase. Synthesis of dA-dT polymers, a common occurrence with this enzyme, can be eliminated by including distamycin in the reaction mixture.


Dyslipoproteinaemia is a cardinal feature of the metabolic syndrome that accelerates atherosclerosis. It is usually characterised by high plasma concentrations of triglyceride-rich and apolipoprotein (apo) B-containing lipoproteins, with depressed concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Dysregulation of lipoprotein metabolism in these subjects may be due to a combination of overproduction of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) apoB-100, decreased catabolism of apoB-containing particles, and increased catabolism of HDL apoA-I particles. These abnormalities may be consequent on a global metabolic effect of insulin resistance that increases the flux of fatty acids from adipose tissue to the liver, the accumulation of fat in the liver, the increased hepatic secretion of VLDL-triglycerides and the remodelling of both low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and HDL particles in the circulation; perturbations in lipolytic enzymes and lipid transfer proteins contribute to the dyslipidaemia. Our in vivo understanding of the kinetic defects in lipoprotein metabolism in the metabolic syndrome has been chiefly achieved by ongoing developments in the use of stable isotope tracers and mathematical modelling. Knowledge of the pathophysiology of lipoprotein metabolism in the metabolic syndrome is well complemented by extensive cell biological data. Nutritional modifications and increased physical exercise may favourably alter lipoprotein transport in the metabolic syndrome by collectively decreasing the hepatic secretion of VLDL-apoB and the catabolism of HDL apoA-I, as well as by increasing the clearance of LDL-apoB. Pharmacological treatments, such as statins, fibrates or fish oils, can also correct the dyslipidaemia by several mechanisms of action including decreased secretion and increased catabolism of apoB, as well as increased secretion and decreased catabolism of apoA-I. The complementary mechanisms of action of lifestyle and drug therapies support the use of combination regimens to treat dyslipidaemia in the metabolic syndrome.


Since the outset of the financial crisis, the EU financial markets regime1 has been undergoing a period of turbulence which contrasts sharply with the period of relative stability which it briefly enjoyed over 2005–2007 and post-FSAP (Financial Services Action Plan2). The FSAP reforms had been adopted. The Committee of European Securities Regulators (CESR) had emerged as an influential actor, driving some degree of supervisory coordination and co-operation and constructing a significant soft law 'rule-book.' And the 2007 Lamfalussy Review suggested broad political, institutional and stakeholder satisfaction with the Lamfalussy process. There was little enthusiasm for grand adventures in institutional design, albeit that supervision, an institutionally-driven concern, was presciently if belatedly emerging as a concern of the EU institutions. The Review's main concern, however, was with strengthening the pragmatic, if somewhat haphazard, network-based, 'supervisory convergence' model as the means for supervising the integrating EU financial market. With respect to regulation, reflecting the wider international zeitgeist pre-crisis,3 'Better Regulation' and the need for a 'regulatory pause' were the watchwords of a Commission which, once the massive FSAP regime was safely in place, espoused the benefits of self-regulation and highlighted the risks of intervention without impact assessment, extensive consultation and evidence of market failure.4 This was most apparent with respect to credit rating agencies,5 debt market transparency,6 hedge funds,7 and clearing and settlement.8 Institutionally, a relatively sophisticated law-making apparatus, in the form of the Lamfalussy structures, a plethora of advisory bodies and stakeholder bodies (notably FIN-NET which represents the consumer and SME interest), had been established.


Levels of R proteins, immunoglobulins A, M, and G, natural anti-sheep erythrocyte antibodies, active oxygen (superoxide) were measured in the neutrophilic leukocytes in pregnant females at a risk for late gestosis. The examinees were found to have high levels of R proteins, IgA, IgM, natural anti-sheep erythrocyte antibodies, neutrophils capable to restore NST, and low levels of IgG. Teen-agers, old-year primiparas, pregnant females with a history of pyelonephritis, obesity, neuropathy in the prior labour, and hypertensive vegetovascular dystonia constituted a gestosis-risk group. The R-protein test should be considered to be the most informative indicator of a gestosis risk.


Introduction The incidence of brain metastases among breast and ovarian cancer patients with germline BRCA mutations (gBRCAmut) is significantly higher than those with gBRCA wild-type tumors (gBRCAwt), and has been estimated to be greater than 50%. gBRCAmut patients with brain metastases have a worse prognosis, and limited therapeutic options. The potential of two poly-ADP-ribose polymerase 1 inhibitors, niraparib and olaparib, were evaluated for their ability to target a gBRCAmut intracranial xenograft tumor model. Methods Pharmacokinetic (pk) studies were conducted in rat to determine the brain and plasma levels of niraparib following a single oral dose of 10 or 30 mg/kg. The BRCA2-mutant Capan-1 human pancreatic cancer xenograft model was utilized to evaluate efficacy. Briefly, randomized cohorts of Balb/c nude mice bearing either subcutaneous Capan-1 tumors, or intracranial Capan-1-luc tumors were dosed orally for up to 50 days with Niraparib (15, 30, or 45 mg/kg qd) or Olaparib (75 mg/kg qd). Tumor growth was monitored by either weekly physical measurement or quantification of bioluminescent signal in subcutaneous and intracranial models, respectively. Results Concentration-time profiles of niraparib in the brain were similar to those observed in the plasma after oral gavage dosing in rats, with an increase in Tmax observed for brain concentrations. Mean brain-to-plasma concentration ratios for niraparib following a single oral dose to rats were 0.85-0.99 of the brain Tmax. After a single oral dose, brain Ctrough levels (24hrs) were 2-4 times greater than observed in plasma, indicating niraparib is able to penetrate the brain in rodents. To evaluate activity in the brain response to niraparib was determined in a single xenograft model implanted either subcutaneously or intracranially. In the subcutaneous model, niraparib at 15, 30, or 45 mg/kg produced antitumor activity with tumor growth inhibition (TGI) values of 13, 49, or 54%, respectively (p Conclusions These data indicate that niraparib has sufficient exposure in rodent brains to have therapeutic benefit in an intracranial BRCA-mutant human xenograft model shown to be moderately sensitive to PARP inhibition. These results support the clinical investigation of niraparib against BRCAmut tumors that have metastasized to the brain. Citation Format: Keith Mikule, Keith Wilcoxen. The PARP inhibitor, niraparib, crosses the blood brain barrier in rodents and is efficacious in a BRCA2-mutant intracranial tumor model. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2015 Nov 5-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(12 Suppl 2):Abstract nr B168.


Concrete is a multi-phase composite material which is difficult to inspect using conventional ultrasonic techniques, including those that work well on relatively homogeneous materials such as metals. This paper summarizes recent research that makes use of signal processing techniques to overcome ultrasonic inspection difficulties in concrete. Basic findings from several new laboratory-based NDE techniques for concrete are reported. First, the application of split spectrum processing (SSP) is described. The SSP techniques obtains a frequency-diverse ensemble of narrowband signals through a filterbank and recombines them nonlinearly to improve the target visibility. Examples that demonstrate the capability of SSP to reduce coherent noise (clutter) in ultrasonic signals collected from concrete samples are presented. Next, a self-compensating procedure for practical one-sided surface wave transmission measurements on concrete structures is described. The utility of the technique is demonstrated by sensitivity to surface-opening crack depth in concrete slabs. Finally, an approach by which the setting process (stiffness change) in concrete is nondestructively monitored is described. The reflection factor of shear wave pulses at a steel-concrete interface is measured, from which the stiffness change (setting) of the concrete is inferred.


Objectives This study sought to use a population-based cross-sectional survey to describe depression prevalence, healthcare seeking and associations with socioeconomic determinants in a district in North India. Setting This study was conducted in Sahaspur and Raipur, administrative blocks of Dehradun district, Uttarakhand, in July 2014. Participants A population-based sample of 960 people over the age of 18 years was selected in 30 randomised clusters after being stratified by rural:urban census ratios. Primary outcome measures The survey used a validated screening tool, Patient Health Questionnaire, to identify people with depression, and collected information regarding socioeconomic variables and help-seeking behaviours. Depression prevalence and health seeking behaviours were calculated, and multivariable logistic regression was used to assess associations between risk factors and depression. Results Prevalence of depression was 6% (58/960), with a further 3.9% (37/960) describing a depressive episode of over 2 weeks in the past 12 months. Statistically significant adjusted OR for depression of more than 2 were found for people who were illiterate, classified as Scheduled Caste/Tribe or Other Backward Castes, living in temporary material housing and who had recently taken a loan. While over three quarters of people with depression (79%) had attended a private or government general medical practitioner in the past 3 months, none had received talking therapy (100% treatment gap) and two people (3.3%) had been prescribed antidepressants. Conclusions There are clear associations between social, educational and economic disadvantage and depression in this population. Strategies that address the social determinants of depression, such as education, social exclusion, financial protection and affordable housing for all are indicated. To address the large treatment gap in Uttarakhand, we must ensure access to primary and secondary mental health providers who can recognise and appropriately manage depression.


The aim of the work was to optimise the Hydrostatic Extrusion, HE, parameters in terms of their influence on the microstructure and certain mechanical properties of 6082 aluminium alloy. The investigations focused on the fabrication of a nano- or ultrafine-grained microstructure of the alloy. The effects of a multi-pass process were compared with those of a one-pass process producing the same cumulated true strain of 3.75. Both the multi-pass and the one-pass deformation resulted in profound grain refinement of the alloy. The microstructure contained grains with an average size of 195 nm and 239 nm, respectively. The grain refinement brought about a significant improvement in the microhardness and tensile strength of the alloy. It should be noted that the multi-pass HE produced slightly greater improvement than the single pass process.


Although gastric cancer is relatively uncommon in the United States and Europe, it is a prevalent malignancy in Asia, particularly Japan and South Korea (1). Throughout surgery, minimally invasive techniques (MIS), including laparoscopic and robotic platforms, have gained popularity for their benefit in shorter post-operative patient recovery. While this is true in surgery for benign disease, minimally invasive surgery has not yet proven to be superior to open surgery for cancer. Increasing data from multiple centers, however, continues to show non-inferiority of the MIS approach.


As the increasing size of private or online electronic text collections reaches several terabytes, finding relevant information has become a real challenge for modern computerized systems. The low classification of the data stored in repositories exempted from quality control justifies the need for approximate matching methods maintaining the efficiency of the retrieval and accuracy of the results. Moreover, because the average bandwidth of the main memory is crucial for system performance, development of digital VLSI (very large scale integration) architectures for low-level and very high throughput data processing has been a main issue in this work. Thus this paper presents the hardware realization of a text search engine using bit-parallelism and a fast serial processing of the database information. It describes the internal architecture of an associative processor which was efficiently implemented and tested on an FPGA (field programmable gate array) platform, acting yet as an external hardware accelerator for standard PC solutions.


Cell signaling proteins may form functional complexes that are capable of rapid signal turnover. These contacts may be stabilized by either scaffolding proteins or multiple interactions between members of the complex. In this study, we have determined the affinities between a regulator of G protein signaling protein, RGS4, and three members of the G protein-phospholipase Cbeta (PLC-beta) signaling cascade which may allow for rapid deactivation of intracellular Ca(2+) release and activation of protein kinase C. Specifically, using fluorescence methods, we have determined the interaction energies between the RGS4, PLC-beta, G-betagamma, and both deactivated (GDP-bound) and activated (GTPgammaS-bound) Galpha(q). We find that RGS4 not only binds to activated Galpha(q), as predicted, but also to Gbetagamma and PLCbeta(1). These interactions occur through protein-protein contacts since the intrinsic membrane affinity of RGS4 was found to be very weak in the absence of the protein partner PLCbeta(1) or a lipid regulator, phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5 trisphosphate. Ternary complexes between Galpha(q), Gbetagamma and phospholipase Cbeta(1) will form, but only at relatively high protein concentrations. We propose that these interactions allow RGS4 to remain anchored to the signaling complex even in the quiescent state and allow rapid transfer to activated Galpha(q) to shut down the signal. Comparison of the relative affinities between these interacting proteins will ultimately allow us to determine whether certain complexes can form and where signals will be directed.


The needles from 25 trees of Abies equi-trojani from Kazdagi (Mount Ida) were compared with those from four populations of A. alba, two of A. cephalonica, and three of each of A. xborisii-regis, A. bornmuelleriana, and A. nordmanniana, each represented by 29-31 individuals. Thirty-nine morphological and anatomical needle characters (26 main and 13 estimated ones) were examined biometrically to verify the systematic position of A. equi-trojani. To evaluate the relationships among taxa, Student's t-test for independent samples, the Mann-Whitney U test, and discrimination and clustering analyses were applied. The differences between taxa were statistically significant for several characters, but the data ranges generally overlapped between species. Morphological and anatomical characters of the needle allowed to distinguish between A. equi-trojani, A. alba, A. cephalonica, A. xborisii-regis, A. bornmuelleriana, and A. nordmanniana when used together, but no single character applied separately could distinguish between species. A close relationship of A. equi-trojani to A. bornmuelleriana and to A. nordmanniana detected based on the needle characters supported the infraspecific systematic position of these three taxa.


This paper investigates the propagation of an air finger into a fluid-filled, axially uniform tube of elliptical or rectangular cross-section with transverse length scale a and aspect ratio α. Gravity is assumed to act parallel to the tube's axis. The problem is studied numerically by a finite-element-based direct solution of the free-surface Stokes equations. In rectangular tubes, our results for the pressure drop across the bubble tip, Δp, are in good agreement with the asymptotic predictions of Wong et al. (1995b) at low values of the capillary number, Ca (ratio of viscous to surface-tension forces). At larger Ca, Wong et al.'s (1995b) predictions are found to underestimate Δp. In both elliptical and rectangular tubes, the ratio Δp(α)/Δp(α = 1) is approximately independent of Ca and thus equal to the ratio of the static meniscus curvatures. In non-axisymmetric tubes, the air-liquid interface develops a noticeable asymmetry near the bubble tip at all values of the capillary number. The tip asymmetry decays with increasing distance from the bubble tip, but the decay rate becomes very small as Ca increases. For example, in a rectangular tube with α = 1.5, when Ca = 10, the maximum and minimum finger radii still differ by more than 10% at a distance 100a behind the finger tip. At large Ca the air finger ultimately becomes axisymmetric with radius r∞. In this regime, we find that r∞ in elliptical and rectangular tubes is related to r∞ in circular and square tubes, respectively, by a simple, empirical scaling law. The scaling has the physical interpretation that for rectangular and elliptical tubes of a given cross-sectional area, the propagation speed of an air finger, which is driven by the injection of air at a constant volumetric rate, is independent of the tube's aspect ratio. For smaller Ca (Ca < Ca), the air finger is always non-axisymmetric and the persisting draining flows in the thin film regions far behind the bubble tip ultimately lead to dry regions on the tube wall. Ca increases with increasing α and for α > αˆ dry spots will develop on the tube walls at all values of Ca.


Abstract Recent years have seen a sustained decline in the labor share around the world. This paper studies this trend by focusing on the effect of corporate income taxes on firm-level labor shares. From 2010 to 2013, the Chinese central government cut the corporate income tax rate in 21 cities for service firms whose revenue from outsourcing services offshore surpassed half of their total revenue. Leveraging a regression discontinuity design with proprietary administrative data, we find that a one percentage point decrease in the statutory corporate income tax rate induces a one percentage point decrease in the firm-level labor share. Firms respond to the tax cut by increasing their physical capital and bank borrowing while keeping their employment unchanged, consistent with a capital deepening process documented in recent theoretical models. Our results suggest that falling corporate income taxes could have contributed to the global decline in the labor share.


Vacuum ultraviolet laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (VUV-LIBS) experiments were carried out on pharmaceutical samples and machine learning techniques were applied to analyze the samples. The motivation for the application of these machine learning techniques is the classification of analytes, allowing us to distinguish pharmaceuticals from one another based on their spectra. Three machine learning techniques have been compared, self-organizing maps (SOM), support vector machines (SVM) and convolutional neural networks (CNN). For multiclass and 1vs1 testing CNNs appeared to perform the best of the three machine learning techniques on the relatively small number of pharmaceutical LIBS spectra used in this study.


This study was carried out to investigate the effects of eggshell colour and spot properties (colour and size of the spot area) on growth performance and carcass traits of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) eggs. Study material were allocated to five groups according to their eggshell and spot colours: black spots on greyish white coloured eggshell (I), blue spots on greyish white coloured eggshell (II), diffuse brown spots on greyish brown coloured eggshell (III), brown spots on light green colored eggshell (IV), and small brown spots on greyish brown coloured eggshell (V). The size of the spotted area was determined in each egg group using digital image analysis. The groups did not differ for body weight and length of the shank at the end of the growth period. However, the groups differed significantly for carcass yield after slaughter (not eviscerated) and carcass yield. These parameters were highest in Group I (82.08 and 76.09%) and lowest in Group III (80.20 and 73.86%). Digital image analysis demonstrated that heart length, cardiac fat area, gizzard width, and intestine length varied between the groups. Cardiac fat area was largest in Group III (0.86 cm2) and smallest in Group V (0.65 cm2). Gizzard width was greatest in Group I (2.63 cm) and smallest in Group V (2.47 cm). Intestine length was greatest in Group V (78.45 cm) and smallest in Group IV (72.39 cm). Body weight, shank length, and slaughter and carcass weight do not vary in relation to eggshell colour or the size of the spotted area. The lengths of intestine and heart, gizzard width, and cardiac fat area do vary in relation to eggshell colour or the size of the spotted area.


Constitutive COL2A1 mutations are associated with a wide variety of clinical manifestations known as type II collagenopathies. Among them is Kniest dysplasia, which is phenotypically variable and includes both skeletal (short trunk and limbs, kyphoscoliosis, prominent joints, and osteoarthritis) and craniofacial characteristics. Kniest dysplasia mutations primarily arise in the triple‐helicoidal region of the alpha 1 (II) chain in COL2A1 between exons 12 and 24. Somatic COL2A1 mutations have been identified in chondrosarcoma, a rare cartilage forming neoplasm, with a hypermutability of the gene reported in 37% of cases. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no reported increase in predisposition to chondrosarcoma in human collagenopathies, and no reported clinical association between these congenital diseases and cartilaginous tumors. In the case study presented here, we report the first description of an association between these two rare diseases involving COL2A1, in a child presenting with Kniest dysplasia and a grade I sphenoethmoidal chondrosarcoma. We also describe a new constitutive mutation in COL2A1. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Objectives
To investigate whether cornus officinalis (CO) polyphenol extract attenuate the inflammatory response induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Methods
CO polyphenol extract was prepared using methanolic extraction, followed by solvent evaporation and freeze-drying. RAW 264.7 macrophages were treated with 0, 50, 100, 200 and 400 μg/ml of CO polyphenol extract. After 2 h, cells were then treated with 100 ng/ml of LPS for 6 h. Cells were then collected for whole cell protein expression analysis of signaling and inflammatory molecules via western blot. Results were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Tukey-Kramer post-hoc test.

Results
LPS treatment significantly increased Akt phosphorylation compared to control (1.00 ± 0.00 vs 0.16 ± 0.02 fold, P < 0.0001). However, pre-treatment with 100, 200 and 400 µg/ml of CO polyphenol extract significantly reduced Akt phosphorylation (0.57 ± 0.08 fold, P = 0.0030; 0.49 ± 0.08 fold, P = 0.0003 and 0.44 ± 0.09 fold, P < 0.0001, respectively) in LPS stimulated macrophages compared to LPS alone. Control cells did not express inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS); however, LPS induced iNOS expression, which was significantly decreased by treatment with 400 µg/ml CO polyphenol extract (1.00 ± 0.00 vs 0.36 ± 0.1 fold, P = 0.0098). Similarly, inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β and 6 were not expressed in control macrophages; however, their expression was induced by LPS. CO polyphenol extract dose-dependently decreased LPS-induced expression of IL-1β (P < 0.0001) and IL-6 (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions
CO polyphenol extract attenuated the inflammatory response induced by LPS in RAW 264.7 macrophages. This effect is likely due to Akt downstream signaling inhibition.

Funding Sources
Lewis Foundation Grant Program.


To describe the shape and location of free surfaces in the mold filling simulation, parameters including volume filled ratio, surface dimensionless distance, and surface filled ratio for the DFDM (Direct Finite Difference Method) elements were proposed. A model of mold filling process was established, considering the mass, momentum and heat transfer in the vicinity of free surface. It had been applied to an experimental Al casting. In-situ observation and record of actual mold filling process of the casting with special X-ray apparatus were carried out, and were used to validate the simulation results. The validation showed that the model could predict the mold filling process well. It was found that back pressure of gas in the mould cavity had minor effect on change of liquid flow when using pressurized feeding system and sand mould with good air permeability.


The Timor-Leste Government's 2011-2013 strategic development plan (SDP) outlines its plan for achieving upper-middle income country status, with a secure, well-educated, and healthy population, by 2030. It argues that the four key national attributes of political will, economic potential, national integration, and a dynamic population will underpin the achievement of this vision. The development of infrastructure is a core pillar of the SDP. Thus, the SDP outlines specific plans for a number of large construction projects for the development of roads and bridges, water and sanitation facilities, electrical power generation facilities, telecommunications, and ports. The SDP recognizes that Timor-Leste currently lacks the core infrastructure required to support a modern and productive economy. According to the SDP, government spending on infrastructure will drive high, double-digit rates of economic growth in the short and medium term, contributing to a rate of growth of 8 percent by 2020. The SDP also emphasizes the construction of infrastructure as a means to achieve its stated goals in the pillars of economic development, notably agriculture, and the development of social capital. The SDP commits the government to a significant school building program and to the expansion and rehabilitation of health facilities such as local clinics and hospitals.


We introduce Spline Moment Equations (SME) for kinetic equations using a new weighted spline ansatz of the distribution function and investigate the ansatz, the model, and its performance by simulating the one-dimensional Boltzmann-BGK equation. The new basis is composed of weighted constrained splines for the approximation of distribution functions that preserves mass, momentum, and energy. This basis is then used to derive moment equations using a Galerkin approach for a shifted and scaled Boltzmann-BGK equation, to allow for an accurate and efficient discretization in velocity space with an adaptive grid. The equations are given in compact analytical form and we show that the hyperbolicity properties are similar to the well-known Grad moment model. The model is investigated numerically using the shock tube, the symmetric two-beam test and a stationary shock structure test case. All tests reveal the good approximation properties of the new SME model when the parameters of the spline basis functions are chosen properly. The new SME model outperforms existing moment models and results in a smaller error while using a small number of variables for efficient computations.


AbstractThe influence of high-frequency atmospheric forcing on the circulation of the North Atlantic Ocean with emphasis on the deep convection of the Labrador Sea was investigated by comparing simulations of a coupled ocean–ice model with hourly atmospheric data to simulations in which the high-frequency phenomena were filtered from the air temperature and wind fields. In the absence of high-frequency atmospheric forcing, the strength of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and subpolar gyres was found to decrease by 25%. In the Labrador Sea, the eddy kinetic energy decreased by 75% and the average maximum mixed layer depth decreased by between 20% and 110% depending on the climatology. In particular, high-frequency forcing was found to have a greater impact on mixed layer deepening in moderate to warm years whereas in relatively cold years the temperatures alone were enough to facilitate deep convection. Additional simulations in which either the wind or temperature was filtered revealed that...


There is broad agreement among the scientific community that local government's play a vital role in fostering smart cities which focusses on improving quality of life by integrating technology with the built environment. But, urban governance in rapidly urbanising countries of global south is often poorly organised to deal with complex urban challenges, severely hindering their aspirations to become smart cities. Although smart city dossiers are abundant in literature, their governance framework and structural variations in such development across regions is lacking. Furthermore, efforts to import governance models from developed world cities are facing lack of unique context sensitivities, which stand against their transformation as smart cities. This paper contributes to the debate on urban governance of smart cities by providing their distinct theoretical conceptualisations and linking them with case studies. It analyses the urban governance dynamics in Indian cities which has started implementing a massive 100 smart cities development programme. From the past experiences of Indian cities in reforming urban administration to its new model of special purpose vehicle led project execution; this research critically assesses the ability of Indian cities to transform their traditional bureaucratic governments into a more accountable collaborative governance. The outcomes from this study highlight the need for aspiring smart cities in emerging economies to address deep-seated structural issues of municipal government's and engage in the process of governance transformation rather than adopting temporary solutions.


Input energy is the principal component of the energy balance equation. It is beneficial to determine, through its components, how the recoverable and irrecoverable energies are distributed within the structural elements. Several equations and attenuation relations to define mass‐normalized input energy spectra exist in the literature. They are mainly proposed for elastic systems subjected to far‐fault EQs. There is a lack of experimental verification of these proposed spectra. In this paper, experimental assessment was performed to the existing spectra, and further improvements were accomplished. For this purpose, steel cantilever columns were tested on the shake table for two specific historical EQs coincidently having similar spectral acceleration values. Based on the experimental results, a three‐part mass‐normalized relative input energy spectrum was formulated including soil type, EQ (corner period, intensity, duration, spectral acceleration, and velocity), and structural behavioral characteristics (period and structural damping). The proposed input energy spectrum was experimentally calibrated and numerically validated for various EQs featuring near‐ and far‐field types. Analytical and experimental comparisons were made between the previously developed spectrum and the newly proposed one. The validation studies and the statistical evaluations exposed that the proposed spectrum yielded better agreement with the experimental and numerical results.


Background and Objective: Acinetobacter has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen,and can cause a wide spectrum of clinical infections in the ICU.In recent years the incidence of Acinetobacter infection is a great concern due to its ability to develop multiple resistance mechanisms against major antibiotic classes including cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, carbapenems, and quinolones.Hence this study was undertaken to determine the antibiotic resistant pattern of Acinetobacter isolates from clinical samples .Materials and Methods:A total of 63 isolates of Acinetobacter spp collected from various clinical samples during the six month period (January2014-June2014) were included in this study. Isolates were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing by Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method and the results were interpreted as per recommended by the CLSI.Results: Among 63 isolates studied,,47(74.6%) were identified as A.baumannii, 16 were A. lwoffii (25.4%).Urine was the most common source of Acinetobacter (36.51%) followed by respiratory specimens(26.98%). About 39(61.90 %) isolates were found to be multidrug resistant by disc diffusion method.The most active drug against MDR Acinetobacter was found to be Polymyxin B (93.65%).Conclusion:To prevent the occurrence and transmission of MDR Acinetobacter in the ICU, antibiotic control strategies and infection control measures are essential


In arid and semiarid ecosystems, low organic matter is an important threat to soil fertility, crop productivity, and economic returns. Sustainable approaches are required to build organic matter in such soils to improve nutrient use efficiency and food security. Therefore, we conducted an experiment on spring maize to test with and without diazotrophic bacteria (BM) ( Azotobacter chroococcum and Azospirillum brasilense ) on crop productivity and soil properties when applied with organic (farm yard manure FYM) and inorganic (commercial fertilizer) nitrogen (N) sources (with percentile of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) in 2014. The analysis of the study showed that the application of BM and organic and inorganic N ratio were significant and have a positive effect in crop yield and soil properties. BM with a 50:50 ratio of organic and inorganic N was improved biological yield (kg ha (cid:1) 1 ), grain yield (kg ha (cid:1) 1 ), stover nitrogen (%), and grain nitrogen (%). However, soil organic matter (%) and soil total nitrogen (%) were enhanced with the application of BM with 100% organic source. Soil bulk density (g cm (cid:1) 3 ) was significantly reduced by BM with 100% organic. From overall results, it is concluded that the application of beneficial microbes and organic and inorganic N positively improved maize yield and quality and soil health in Peshawar valley.


We present multifrequency VLA observations, multicolor CCD imaging, optical spectroscopy, and ROSAT HRI observations of the giant FR II radio galaxy NVSS 2146+82. This galaxy, which was discovered by the NRAO VLA Sky Survey, has an angular extent of nearly 20′ from lobe to lobe. The radio structure is normal for an FR II source except for its large size and regions in the lobes with unusually flat radio spectra. Our spectroscopy indicates that the optical counterpart of the radio core is at redshift z = 0.145, so the linear size of the radio structure is ∼4 h Mpc, H0 = 50 h50 km s-1 Mpc-1. This object is therefore the second-largest FR II galaxy known (3C 236 is ∼6 h Mpc). Optical imaging of the field surrounding the host galaxy reveals an excess of candidate galaxy cluster members above the number typically found in the field surrounding a giant radio galaxy. WIYN Hydra spectra of a sample of the candidate cluster members reveal that six share the same redshift as NVSS 2146+82, indicating the presence of at least a rich group containing the FR II host galaxy. ROSAT HRI observations of NVSS 2146+82 place upper limits on the X-ray flux of 1.33 × 10-13 ergs cm-2 s-1 for any hot intergalactic medium and 3.52 × 10-14 ergs cm-2 s-1 for an X-ray active galactic nucleus (AGN), thereby limiting any X-ray emission at the distance of the radio galaxy to that typical of a poor group or weak AGN. Several other giant radio galaxies have been found in regions with overdensities of nearby galaxies, and a separate study has shown that groups containing FR II galaxies are underluminous in X-rays compared with groups without radio sources. We speculate that the presence of the host galaxy in an optically rich group of galaxies that is underluminous in X-rays may be related to the giant radio galaxy phenomenon.


Internet and social media are creating a whole new world for young people today. Where they can get in touch with the world and partake of both positive and negative experiences. The purpose of this paper is to focus on what harassment on the Internet means. If there are any difference between gender and the consequences it can provide young people who are victims of harassments. To gather information a literature search was done and it focused on scientific articles but also Swedish research of various organizations working with these issues. To interpret the results and get an understanding of why these phenomena occur the following theories was used; Thomsson and Elvin-Novak's theory of doing gender, Erving Goffman's dramaturgical analysis model and O.Duregards theory of adolescence. The result shows that harassment on the internet is when a person because of an action performed by someone else gets hurt, sad, or feel less worthy. There is a clear gender difference where the girls more often use social media and posting more statuses and pictures while boys play more games and watching videos. The most common cause of harassment are due to behavior or looks. Statistics show that girls are subjected to violations to a greater extent. The places where the boys are exposed to nasty comments are usually when participating in games and it occurs when they are not performing well enough so it rarely have anything to do with look as for girls. Common consequences for those who have been wronged are mental illness, It can be anything from loneliness, stress, fear, aggression, thoughts of suicide and seriously mental illness. The Internet is a place where many harassment are taking place, especially vulnerable are women and the consequences are something you should take seriously.


Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the economic impact of psychological distress among employees of the Australian Coal Mining Industry. Methods: Sample data were gathered from 1456 coal mining staff across eight sites in two Australian states. Two measures were taken of work time lost over four weeks due to psychological distress: (1) full-day absences; (2) presenteeism. Lost work time was valued using hourly wages. Sample data was modeled to estimate annual monetary losses for the Australian Coal Mining Industry. Results: For the sample, estimated annual value of time lost due to psychological distress was $4.9 million ($AUS2015) ($0.61 million per mine), and for the Australian Coal Mining Industry, $153.8 million ($AUS2015). Conclusion: Psychological distress is a significant cost for the Australian Coal Mining Industry. Relevant intervention programs are potentially cost-effective.


This deliverable relates to the work carried out under task T8.3, "Research Impact Services". The task's focus is on the development of pilots with selected National funding agencies and infrastructure initiatives in order to serve them with the OpenAIRE research impact suite of services. A major service that OpenAIRE provides is the linking of research results to funding. Aside from importing the links from the repositories and journals, OpenAIRE designs, develops and enhances mining algorithms that identify and extract funding information from the text of scientific publications. With the help of NOADs we have initiated bi-lateral, often informal, collaborations with national funding agencies to facilitate mining extraction on their data. This is an on-going activity throughout the duration of the project. Currently the national funding agencies that we are working with are: FCT (Portugal), ARC (Australia), NHMRC (Australia), NSF & NIH (USA), SFI (Ireland), "Ministry of Science Education and Sport" & "Croatian Science Foundation" (Croatia), NWO (Netherlands), and DFG (Germany). This deliverable describes the nature of the data of the identified National funding agencies, as well as their export technologies, and provides the specification of the general-purpose OpenAIRE services required to support research impact measurements.


This paper, prepared for the Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences, presents an account of the scholarly career of Simon S. Kuznets. Among the issues considered are his contribution to the development of the empirical tradition in economics, his transformation of the field of national income accounting, his use of national income accounting during World War II to set production targets for both the military and civilian sectors of the economy, and to guide the implementation of those targets; his development of a theory of economic growth, his investigation of the interrelationship between economic growth and population growth, his contribution to methods of measurement in economics, and his legacy to the economics profession.


Achieving efficient and stable tin-based perovskite solar cells remains challenging. In this work, we incorporate the ethylenediammonium diiodide (EDAI2) additive into a cesium–guanidinium doped formamidinium tin triiodide perovskite with the composition of (CsGA)xFA1−2xSnI3 + y% EDAI2. This new perovskite utilizes the strong hydrogen bonding of the guanidinium cation and the lattice strain relaxation of the small cesium cation as well as the hollowing and passivation effects of the EDAI2 additive. The EDAI2 additive not only yields pinhole-free cubic phase perovskite films but also decreases both shallow and deep trap states in the perovskite films. These effects are pronounced with the increase of substitution of the pair of GA+ and Cs+. The new perovskites are deployed in inverted planar solar cells. A maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.01% is achieved with the (CsGA)0.15FA0.70SnI3 + 0% EDAI2 device but the device degrades after storage in a nitrogen-filled glove box for 30 days. Both performance and stability are improved with the addition of EDAI2. A maximum PCE of 5.72% is achieved with the (CsGA)0.15FA0.70SnI3 + 1.0% EDAI2 device. The (CsGA)0.15FA0.70SnI3 + 1.5% EDAI2 devices exhibit a maximum PCE of 5.69% and the performance is further increased to 6.39% after storage in a nitrogen-filled glove box for 4 days; 70% of the initial PCE is retained after 45 days. This study demonstrates the benefit of tuning cation sizes and introducing divalent cations to integrate stabilizing factors into pure Sn perovskites, creating new routes for efficient and stable lead-free perovskite solar cells.


Double wall carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) have proven to have a very good structural stability when exposed to high static pressures. We report here on the study of DWCNTs after application of shock wave (dynamic) compression up to 36 GPa in a recovery assembly. TEM images of so‐treated samples reveal a threshold between 19 and 26 GPa of shock wave compression above which significant structural damage is induced whereas only minor damage can be detected below. The threshold detected with TEM coincides well with the collapse pressure of DWCNTs previously reported [You et al., High Press. Res. 31, 186 (2011); Aguiar et al., Phys. Chem. C 115, 5378 (2011)]. Raman data demonstrate a gradual accumulation of structural defects via an increase in D‐band to G‐band intensity ratio (ID/IG‐ratio) from ∼0.2 to ∼0.8 in going from the source CNT material to the nanotubes after compression to 36 GPa. Despite severe damage; the DWCNTs exposed to 36 GPa of shock wave compression survived which is evidenced by Raman spectra. The DWCNTs demonstrate a higher susceptibility to structural damage under dynamic than static pressure.


Using the Internet as a basis for communication, collaboration, and storage of artifacts, the open source community is producing software of a quality that was previously thought to be achievable only by professional engineers following strict software development paradigms. This accomplishment is even more astounding as developers contribute to the source code without any remuneration. Open source leaders as well as academics have proposed theories about the motivation of open source developers that are rooted in diverse fields such as social psychology and anthropology. However, Lerner and Tirole (2000) argue that developer participation in open source projects may, in part, be explained by existing economic theory regarding career concerns. This research seeks to confirm or disconfirm the existence of economic returns to participation in open source development. Our findings suggest that greater open source participation per se, as measured in contributions made, is not associated with wage increases. However, a higher status in a merit-based ranking within the Apache Project is associated with significantly higher wages. This suggests that employers do not reward the gain in experience through open source participation as an increase in human capital. The results are also consistent with the notion that a high rank within the Apache Software Foundation is a credible signal of the productive capacity of a programmer.


The field of uncertain databases has recently attracted considerable interest. Many motivating applications for uncertainty rely fundamentally on improving the quality of data over time, through modifications, as additional information becomes available, e.g., after analysis (as in scientific data management systems), with user feedback (as in {\em pay-as-you-go} data integration). Incorporating data modifications, while still serving applications' needs to access and query older data (as in hypothetical databases), necessitates light\-weight versioning for such applications. This paper presents the first DBMS for uncertain data that supports data modifications and versioning. Our work is in the context of {\em Trio}, a project at Stanford for managing data {\em uncertainty} and {\em lineage}. We introduce SQL-based language constructs for data modifications and lightweight versioning in Trio's query language. We present an extended Trio data model, {\em ULDB$^v$}, and show how primitive modifications are applied to it, yielding versioned relations with uncertainty and lineage. We show that Trio's lineage feature enables an elegant approach to query answering in ULDB$^v$. We give efficient algorithms for propagating data-modifications to materialized views. We have incorporated the data modification and versioning capabilities in the Trio system, and validate our techniques through experiments.


Abstract : Tool Control Language (Tcl) is a programming language having a Toolkit (Tk) library that provides a standard set of graphical user interface (GUI) widgets. Since these are aimed at direct presentation via a window manager, Tcl/Tk applications are not compatible with Web-based service delivery environments. Several tools provide some help, but do not provide a migration path for eventual full conversion to Web-based delivery. This note suggests a new approach. For the particular application prompting this note, the GUI consists almost entirely of Tk widgets, especially tables and buttons. Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) offers these same widgets, so it is natural to consider delivering Tk windows by expressing their contents in HTML. To demonstrate this possibility, the Tk library was altered to generate HTML. As described in the paper, this shows that the Tcl/Tk internal data structures are sufficient to generate appropriate HTML commands having the same user interface as that presented by the application. Consequently, it is possible to add to Tk a fourth GUI interface in parallel to the existing ones for Unix, Macintosh, and MS Windows.


OBJECTIVES
The Hip Injection Trial (HIT) compared the effectiveness of adding a single ultrasound-guided intra-articular injection of either corticosteroid and local anaesthetic or local anaesthetic alone to advice and education among people with hip osteoarthritis (OA). This nested qualitative study explored participants' experiences of living with hip OA and of the trial treatment they received.

METHOD
Semi-structured telephone interviews were undertaken with a purposeful sample of trial participants after a 2-month trial follow-up. Interviewers were blinded to which injection participants had received. Thematic analysis using constant comparison was undertaken prior to knowing the trial results.

RESULTS
34 trial participants were interviewed across all arms. OA causes pain, physical limitations, difficulties at work, lowered mood, and disrupted sleep. Those who received advice and education alone felt that they had not received 'treatment' and described little/no benefit. Participants in both injection groups described marked improvements in pain, physical function, and other aspects of life (e.g., sleep, confidence). The perceived magnitude of benefit appeared greater among those who received the corticosteroid injection; however, the length of benefit varied in both injection groups. There was uncertainty about the longer-term benefits of injection and repeated injections.

CONCLUSION
Hip OA is highly burdensome. Participants perceived little/no benefit from advice and education alone but reported marked improvements when combined with either injection. However, the magnitude of benefit was greater among those who received corticosteroid. The varying duration of response to injection and uncertainty regarding longer-term benefits of injection and repeated injections suggests that these areas are important for future research.

TRIAL REGISTRATION
EudraCT 2014-003412-37; ISRCTN50550256.


Composite materials have been developed for use in supercapacitors utilising both electrochemical double-layer capacitance and pseudocapacitance in the same electrode. These combined a high surface area carbon with a conducting polymer (which produces a large specific capacitance), resulting in a device which produces both a high power and energy density with increased stability of the specific capacitance. A variety of carbon materials were chosen for this research including multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT), vapour grown carbon fibres (VGCF) and Super P (Li), each with unique properties and morphologies. The carbons were combined with a polyoxometalate and conducting polymer to fabricate a polypyrrole (PPy) impregnated composite material or a caesium-anchored polyoxometalate fabricating a dispersed polyoxometalate carbon composite. The polymer was chosen for its conductive properties and cost compared to conductive metal oxides. The polyoxometalate acted as a dopant, increasing the conducting properties of the polymer matrix. The dispersed polyoxometalate composite material used caesium to anchor the polyoxometalate, making that insoluble. The electrodes were characterised using electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy and CHN analysis. The PPy composite created a coating over the carbon tubes/fibres/powder, while the dispersed polyoxometalate formed particulates which were seen either attached to the carbon or as a physical mixture. Elemental analysis showed that the carbons each interacted with the POM differently, in some cases barely interacting chemically at all. Electrochemical testing was used to study the performance of the electrodes when placed in test cells simulating a supercapacitor. Cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic cycling and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to study the electrodes. The dispersed electrodes continually showed the highest specific capacitances during testing (~ 78 F/g for both MWNTs and Super P Li at 10 A/g), with the composites containing MWNTs providing the best results (impregnated - 40 F/g and dispersed - 80 F/g at 10 A/g). The results produced using Super P (Li) were only slightly lower relative to MWNTs, indicating these materials are strong contenders for composite electrodes in supercapacitors at a fraction of the cost of those incorporating MWNTs.


An oral small molecule turns on the transcription of human interleukin-12, with biological effects in patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas. Think globally, treat locally The antitumor cytokine interleukin-12 cannot be used as a systemic treatment because of excessive toxicity. To safely take advantage of its beneficial properties, Chiocca et al. applied a two-part strategy for patients with recurrent aggressive glioma. The patients first received gene therapy with a vector encoding human interleukin-12, injected into the tumor resection cavity. Subsequently, the patients were treated with a compound called veledimex, activating interleukin-12 production. Although some interleukin-12 was found in the patients' circulation, intracranial injection of the gene therapy appeared to be beneficial, showing limited toxicity and promising signs of antitumor immune response. Human interleukin-12 (hIL-12) is a cytokine with anticancer activity, but its systemic application is limited by toxic inflammatory responses. We assessed the safety and biological effects of an hIL-12 gene, transcriptionally regulated by an oral activator. A multicenter phase 1 dose-escalation trial (NCT02026271) treated 31 patients undergoing resection of recurrent high-grade glioma. Resection cavity walls were injected (day 0) with a fixed dose of the hIL-12 vector (Ad–RTS–hIL-12). The oral activator for hIL-12, veledimex (VDX), was administered preoperatively (assaying blood-brain barrier penetration) and postoperatively (measuring hIL-12 transcriptional regulation). Cohorts received 10 to 40 mg of VDX before and after Ad–RTS–hIL-12. Dose-related increases in VDX, IL-12, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were observed in peripheral blood, with about 40% VDX tumor penetration. Frequency and severity of adverse events, including cytokine release syndrome, correlated with VDX dose, reversing promptly upon discontinuation. VDX (20 mg) had superior drug compliance and 12.7 months median overall survival (mOS) at mean follow-up of 13.1 months. Concurrent corticosteroids negatively affected survival: In patients cumulatively receiving >20 mg versus ≤20 mg of dexamethasone (days 0 to 14), mOS was 6.4 and 16.7 months, respectively, in all patients and 6.4 and 17.8 months, respectively, in the 20-mg VDX cohort. Re-resection in five of five patients with suspected recurrence after Ad–RTS–hIL-12 revealed mostly pseudoprogression with increased tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes producing IFN-γ and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). These inflammatory infiltrates support an immunological antitumor effect of hIL-12. This phase 1 trial showed acceptable tolerability of regulated hIL-12 with encouraging preliminary results.


Chronic nonhealing wounds are a major source of morbidity and mortality in bed-ridden and diabetic patients. Monitoring of physical and chemical parameters important in wound healing and remodeling process can be of immense benefit for optimum management of such lesions. Low-cost flexible polymeric and paper-based substrates are attractive platforms for fabrication of such sensors. In this review, we discuss recent advances in flexible physiochemical sensors for chronic wound monitoring. After a brief introduction to wound healing process and commercial wound dressings, we describe various flexible biocompatible substrates that can be used as the base platform for integration of wound monitoring sensors. We will then discuss several fabrication methods that can be utilized to integrate physical and chemical sensors onto such substrates. Finally, we will present physical and chemical sensors developed for monitoring wound microenvironment and outline future development venues.


BACKGROUND
Pancreatic injuries in children are rare and most often caused by mechanisms of blunt injury. Injury to the pancreas in children may be difficult to diagnose and treat.

MATERIAL AND METHOD
The article is based on literature searches in PubMed from the last 10 years (performed on 20 October 2015 and terminating on 20 October 2016) and on the authors' own clinical experience and knowledge of the literature.

RESULTS
The search yielded a total of 20 articles, of which 6 concerned diagnostics and 14 dealt with treatment. Pancreatic injuries are rare and constitute around 0.3 % of all injuries in children, and 0.6 % of all abdominal traumas. Pancreatic injury is the fourth most frequent abdominal organ injury in children, and most occur in the age group 5 – 18 years. A little less than one fifth are isolated injuries. Computed tomography is the first choice in diagnostics, supported by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography to achieve optimum sensitivity. Where findings are unclear or pancreatic duct injury is suspected, early endoscopic resonance cholangiopancreatography and stent treatment are relevant to determine pancreatic duct injury. Less severe (grade I–II) injuries are treated conservatively. The choice of surgery or conservative treatment of severe injuries (grade III–V) where the pancreatic duct is involved must be considered for each individual patient. Mortality is generally associated with other severe traumas such as head injuries and multiple organ injuries.

INTERPRETATION
Pancreatic injuries or blunt traumas are rare in children and in most cases can be managed by observation. The evidence base is scant, particularly for severe injuries.


Focusing on the relationship between African Americans, Mexican Americans, Jews and working class Anglos, this dissertation explores the development of whiteness ideology in Texas. It argues that whiteness in Dallas was a complex construction of racial identity. This ideology was disseminated through the printed media, school curricula, popular songs and political discourse. White identity required not only a European background, but also adherence to a series of ideological assumptions, including belief in welfare capitalism and faith in a republican system of government that ensured rule by elites. Many Mexican Americans and Jews pursued a strategy of claiming a white identity in order to achieve high social standing, but both groups were only partially successful, with the elite Jews and Latinos achieving probationary whiteness based on their economic standing but remaining socially marginalized. Most Jewish residents occupied a higher economic status than Latinos and their efforts to achieve a white identity were more successful. Whiteness was also shaped in part by pre-millennial dispensationalist theology. Dispensationalist theologians such as Cyrus Scofield interpreted the Bible as a prophetic text predicting the end of the world and emphasized a positive role for Jews in causing the Second Coming. This allowed elites to set aside anti-Semitism and accommodate economically important wealthy Jews. Well into the twentieth century, however, Jews would be defined not as fully white, but as closely related cousins. The struggle to construct a regional identity, however, created instability in the city's leadership. Elites originally depicted Dallas as Southern in order to rationalize slavery and opposition to Reconstruction, but this discouraged Northern investment and the political support of wealthy Northern immigrants to the city. From the 1870s on, Dallas leaders constructed the city as Southwestern, or as part of the Sunbelt, or even culturally Eastern in order to incorporate wealthy non-Southern whites into the ruling class. While whiteness marginalized white workers, Mexican Americans, and blacks, its  flexibility allowed wealthy gentile Northerners and Southerners, as well as  upper-class Jews, to unite under a common racial banner.


In Common with most senior professors I now readily and comfortably concede that I learn as much from my undergraduates as I do from colleagues and from research. When I was a junior professor, of course, I admitted no such thing as I regularly reminded myself that I (replete even surfeit with knowledge) was instructing my students, and under no circumstances should they ever be allowed to even think they were instructing me. Yet, it was from my excellent students here at Brown--our Admissions Office is the most successful and most efficient bureaucratic part of the University--that I first learned about the Blue Box. Also in common with most senior professors my memory is not what it once was, but I think the Blue Box was first brought to my attention in. a seminar discussion of Women's History in high school textbooks. One of my students pointed out that Women's History was almost always covered, but usually only in the Blue Box, As I looked puzzled, a number of students chimed in to explain that most high school texts on American History were organized around the central theme of the many achievements of white men, but that in a Blue Box on the side of the page women were discussed. I was further informed that green was also a popular color, but that some boxes had no color at all, and were simply firmly ruled off from the main text by heavy black lines. In his article, "Chaffing a Course in Early African-American History," William and Mary Quarterly (1993), Jon Sensbach cites two leading scholars on Native Americans, Daniel Richter and Vine Deloria, Jr., on Natives in United States history. Richter writes, "the hoary 'master narrative' of American history seems distressingly tenacious. Much scholarship remains trapped in what Vine Delorla, Jr. calls the 'cameo' theory of history which "takes a basic manifest destiny ... and lovingly plugs in a few feathers, wooly heads, and sombreros Into the famous events without really changing the story line." People of color, my students explained, were usually not included in the story line, but just shoved over into the segregated Blue Box. It was therefore possible, they continued, to just read the text and simply ignore the Blue Box as it seldom had any direct connection to the ongoing story. Students took their cue as to how to deal with material in the Blue Box from their teacher. If the teacher worked to integrate it into the course, then they gave it attention, if she ignored it, then so too did they. Students noted that Afro-American History was handled in much the same way. We also discovered that Women's History and Afro-American History were similarly treated in American History College textbooks. I cannot remember just when these early (for me)) discussions around the Blue Box occurred. My best guess is sometime in the late 1970s/early 1980s. About this same time I was struck by the treatment of Native Americans in Black History texts. These books mostly focused on white/black relations and Native peoples were seldom mentioned. Indians didn't even rate a Blue Box. When discussed at all, Natives were viciously stereotyped. As one whose research focused on the 1700s, I was forcibly struck that so many of these late 20th century stereotypes mirrored those used by early 18th, century colonists. Many scholars using these negative ideas about Natives were either black or non-blacks writing in solidarity with what we then called the Black Struggle. It seemed to me that students of Afro-American History ought to have been especially wary of stereotypes and moreover that instead of simply continuing colonialist lies about Natives should have made an effort to determine the actual relations between red and black peoples. I explored this issue in my "Black over Red: The Image of Native Americans in Black History," Umoja (1977) and feeling a need to address my own complaints examined actual patterns of contact between the two groups in "Black and Native American Relations before 1800," Western Journal of Black Studies (1977). …


Differences were assessed by ethnic group in the performance of cancer risk related lifestyle behaviors through the transition out of high school. Data were obtained from a nationally representative probability sample survey, the 1992 National Health Interview Survey-Youth Risk Behavior Survey. A cross-sectional sub-sample included adolescents with an age range from high school freshmen to young adults within four years after high school. Self reported indicators of diet, physical activity, cigarette smoking, smokeless tobacco use, alcohol use, and sexual practices were the primary dependent measures. Cancer risk increased at the transition out of high school through changes in cancer related behaviors. Hispanic-American males experienced somewhat higher risks after the transition for chewing tobacco and snuff. African Americans experienced somewhat higher risks after the transition for physical activity, chewing tobacco, and number of sexual partners. Further research needs to verify these findings with longitudinal designs, assessment of tracking of behaviors through the transition, and of the ecological, social and psychosocial correlates that may explain why these changes occurred.


This paper describes a proposed laboratory project involving the design of a myoelectric-controlled partial-hand prosthesis to reinforce mechatronic education. The proposal focuses mainly on extract electromyogram (EMG) signals generated during contraction of the biceps. The EMG signals are first amplified and filtered by a laboratory-designed electronic circuit and then reprocessed using a microcontroller to drive the servomotor so that the designed prosthesis can be properly controlled. The project introduces students to component-level and system-level design and exposes them to the integration of a microcontroller, electronic circuits, sensors, and prosthesis mechanisms. Moreover, since the project results in a working prosthesis, student enthusiasm for mechatronic education increases, and they see its relevance to the field in applied engineering. Implementation of the laboratory project within the curriculum has been demonstrated to be highly motivational and educational and has even helped to attract more students to study mechatronic applications.


Early intervention programs in Russia have spanned a short 25-year history. Serving as active participants in the development of Early Intervention programs in various regions of Russia and post-soviet countries and training of professionals has provided us the ability to oversee the progress of the Early Intervention system. This article will go on to present the process through which Early Intervention services have been established and developed. Development of early intervention programs can be considered as a dynamic process, which on the one hand, changes the lives of the families of young children with disabilities, and on another hand, alters the system of support and concrete early intervention services. The development of an early intervention service as a new model of family support is also a dynamic process and these processes mutually influence one another. The article analyzes the process of development on the example of the core principles of early intervention such as: interdisciplinary teamwork, family centered approach, normalization of life, and principle of scientifically reasonable and evidence based practice. Ours observations show that adherence to the principles of early intervention allows for the development of professional teams, thereby providing improvement of quality of the support programs created for children and their families.


ABSTRACT/RESUME Following the tragic September 11 attacks, Canadians felt a need to understand the causes and consequences. In the face of such dramatic events, the media began to produce informative content in an effort to reassure a worried public. The first part of this study presents the results of a statistical analysis of the main French-language newspapers in Canada. The second offers an interpretation of a content and lexical analysis. Three themes--representations of Islam, immigration, and multiculturalism--were studied. Les evenements tragiques du 11 Septembre ont provoque un grand besoin de comprehension de la part de la population canadienne. Cette etude a pour objectif d'analyser le contenu de la presse francophone. Une premiere section du travail presente des resultats d'une analyse statistique de certains journaux francophones du Canada. Une deuxieme section propose une interpretation sommaire des resultats de l'analyse de contenu et lexicale. Nous avons retenu trois themes analyses dans l'etude de John Biles et Humera Ibrahim (2003), soit les representations de l'Islam, l'immigration et le multiculturalisme. INTRODUCTION Following the events of September 11, Canadians felt a need to understand the causes and consequences. Confronted with the magnitude of the tragedy, North American journalists found it extremely difficult to grasp this new course of history; the result was errors, easy value judgments, and confusion between religion and extremist politics. (1) Any news directly or indirectly related to the Arab world and the Near East was [translation] "linked to the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington" (Maurice 2002, 1). The media bad to clearly define the boundaries of an international scene that had been changing drastically since the end of the cold war, one that was now confronted with new threats such as terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and the rise of radical Islamism. In the face of such dramatic events, the press began to produce informative content in an effort to reassure a worried public. Major French language newspapers such as Le Devoir and La Presse called upon a plethora of experts, scholars, and researchers. These newspapers also received countless editorials that reflected ordinary citizens' desire to speak out and express some kind of solidarity with victims in New York and Washington. The objective of this study is to analyse the content of the Francophone press. The first segment presents the results of a statistical analysis of the main French-language newspapers in Canada. The second offers an interpretation of the content and lexical analyses. We analyzed three themes chosen from a similar study by John Biles and Humera Ibrahim (2003) on the media coverage of September 11: representations of Islam, immigration, and multiculturalism. According to this research, it seems that the anglophone press was anything but subtle, especially the widely cited National Post, which took a right-wing, conservative stand. Biles and Ibrahim also referred to the annual report, Anti-Islam and the Media published by the Canadian Islamic Congress, which addresses the differences between the English and French press in Canada. According to the authors, the events of September 11 provided fodder for inward-looking people who had been presenting Islam as a major threat to the West. From this perspective, immigration benefits Muslim extremist groups, and some journalists presented Canada as a port of entry for terrorists. Multiculturalism is widely criticized for diluting the Canadian identity. From the early 1990s, this criticism was voiced by right-wing populist parties--the Reform Party, the Canadian Alliance, and the Confederation of Regions Party (COR)--which considered the discourse of diversity as particularly harmful to the definition of a Canadian national identity (Harrison 1995; Laycock 2001; Patten 2002). A more progressive discourse is also represented in the press, one that highlights Canada's distinction from our neighbours to the south as a leader in diversity, tolerance, and pluralism; multiculturalism is presented as an alternative to the increasing homogenization of the western world. …


A mobile ad-hoc network is a cluster of communication nodes which are capable of communicating among each other in the absence of a backbone. Due to increase in the use of wireless communication, minimizing the hindrances in wireless networks is becoming a high priority objective. Mobile ad-hoc wireless networks are vulnerable to wormhole and blackhole attacks. These attacks affect directly the performance of network. Prevention of such attacks on network is a challenging task. These attacks can result in a significant collapse of the wireless communication networks. In this paper, a novel method (LTAWB) based on LTA multipath routing is proposed, which filters the packets of wormhole and blackhole attacks, for reliable communication in MANETs. In the proposed method, LTA is used to identify the order of event and to make synchronization of time clock in network device that reduces the complexity. The simulated results of the proposed algorithm are compared with that of fuzzy logic based secured MANET transmission against wormhole and blackhole attacks (SMTWB)[7]. It is observed that the proposed LTAWB shows better performance as compared to SMTWB [7], in terms of throughput, end-to-end delay and packet delivery ratio.


The objective of this study is to analyse the climate changing patterns chronologically for exposing the coincident relationships between the lake area fluctuation and the climate change in Qehan lake of Abaga county of Inner Mongolia. The results show that there's highly interrelation between the changes of the lake area and the climatic factors here, the annual average temperature and annual evaporation are negatively interrelate to the lake area fluctuation, and the annual precipitation interrelate to it is positive. The lake area has descended about 75 km2 during the nearly past 40 years. There were about two considerable lake expansions in 1973, 1998 through the generally lake area descending process.


The current method for estimating the static reservoir temperature from transient data gathered downhole after the cessation of mud circulation is a Horner-type approach. The reservoir temperature estimate so established generally turns out to be lower than the true temperature. This work shows that the temperature analog of the Horner method is limiting to large circulation-time situations and is not applicable to cases where the mud circulation time is generally short (less than 30 hours). This study provides a general solution of the thermal diffusivity equation obtained with an appropriate inner-boundary condition to solve the early-time, transient heat-transfer problem. An analytical solution was developed to handle problems requiring a variable-rate heat transfer on the superposition effects. A simple graphical technique is used to interpret data with the superposition function. Three approximate solutions, reflecting different time domains, are also presented. These solutions are reliable as long as they are applied within the specified time bounds. Synthetic examples are used to validate the proposed method, and field examples from both oil and geothermal wells demonstrate application of the method.


Non-agency securities collateralized by jumbo hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) are continuing to develop in the private-label sector. Securitization volumes from certain issuers rival or exceed their fixed-rate production. It is only a matter of time before other significant hybrid ARM lenders start securitizing their hybrid ARM production, thus increasing liquidity in the sector. Pricing in the sector should become consistent as production gradually shifts from constant-maturity Treasury-based hybrid ARMs to hybrid ARM products indexed to LIBOR. This report addresses the typical questions about prepayment characteristics of these bonds, their relative value, and the expected credit performance of the underlying loans, with particular emphasis on 5/1 hybrids, which constitute the most heavily originated and securitized hybrid ARM loans.


The AASHTO M332 specification includes a relationship between the non-recoverable creep compliance at 3.2 kPa (Jnr3.2) and the percent of elastic recovery (R3.2) from the multiple stress creep and recovery (MSCR) test. Justification for the exact position of this curve based on binder performance is largely undocumented in the technical literature as is the singular effect of higher or lower R3.2 values on mixture performance. In this study, nine binders were tested to evaluate the effect of R3.2 on the performance of asphalt mixtures. Binders with similar Jnr3.2 and varying MSCR R3.2 were divided into four groups based on their Jnr3.2 value. Comparisons were made based on results obtained from the dynamic modulus test, Hamburg wheel tracking test, and axial fatigue test. Based on these tests, it was shown that R3.2 had a strong relationship to the dynamic modulus of asphalt mixtures especially at intermediate and high temperatures. Binders with lower R3.2 had a higher dynamic modulus but showed no correlation to phase angle. Both modulus and phase angle of the mixture correlated to the binder shear modulus and phase angle. Binders with high R3.2 had a greater fatigue resistance and the effect is quite noticeable. However, R3.2 was shown to have little to no effect on the rutting resistance of the asphalt mixtures for the temperatures tested in this study. Finally, an alternative Jnr3.2 versus R3.2 relationship based on the results of this study is also presented.


79 TUESDAY AFTERNOON, JANUARY 6,1998 CONCOURSE, 2:OO TO 5:OO Session BP MICROWAVE MATERIALS (POSTER SESSION) Rodger Walser, Cochair University of Texas, Dept. of EE, Austin, TX 78712 Carmine Vittoria, Cochair Northeastern University, Dept. of EE, Boston, MA 021 15


In 2005, a human adenovirus strain (formerly known as HAdV-D22/H8 but renamed here HAdV-D53) was isolated from an outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctititis (EKC), a disease that is usually caused by HAdV-D8, -D19, or -D37, not HAdV-D22. To date, a complete change of tropism compared to the prototype has never been observed, although apparent recombinant strains of other viruses from species Human adenovirus D (HAdV-D) have been described. The complete genome of HAdV-D53 was sequenced to elucidate recombination events that lead to the emergence of a viable and highly virulent virus with a modified tropism. Bioinformatic and phylogenetic analyses of this genome demonstrate that this adenovirus is a recombinant of HAdV-D8 (including the fiber gene encoding the primary cellular receptor binding site), HAdV-D22, (the ε determinant of the hexon gene), HAdV-D37 (including the penton base gene encoding the secondary cellular receptor binding site), and at least one unknown or unsequenced HAdV-D strain. Bootscanning analysis of the complete genomic sequence of this novel adenovirus, which we have re-named HAdV-D53, indicated at least five recombination events between the aforementioned adenoviruses. Intrahexon recombination sites perfectly framed the ε neutralization determinant that was almost identical to the HAdV-D22 prototype. Additional bootscan analysis of all HAdV-D hexon genes revealed recombinations in identical locations in several other adenoviruses. In addition, HAdV-D53 but not HAdV-D22 induced corneal inflammation in a mouse model. Serological analysis confirmed previous results and demonstrated that HAdV-D53 has a neutralization profile representative of the ε determinant of its hexon (HAdV-D22) and the fiber (HAdV-D8) proteins. Our recombinant hexon sequence is almost identical to the hexon sequences of the HAdV-D strain causing EKC outbreaks in Japan, suggesting that HAdV-D53 is pandemic as an emerging EKC agent. This documents the first genomic, bioinformatic, and biological descriptions of the molecular evolution events engendering an emerging pathogenic adenovirus.


How do firms compete? How do firms earn above normal returns? What's needed to sustain superior performance long term? An increasingly powerful answer to these fundamental questions of business strategy lies in the concept of dynamic capabilities. These are the skills, processes, routines, organizational structures, and disciplines that enable firms to build, employ, and orchestrate intangible assets relevant to satisfying customer needs, and which cannot be readily replicated by competitors. Enterprises with strong dynamic capabilities are intensely entrepreneurial. They not only adapt to business ecosystems; they also shape them through innovation, collaboration, learning, and involvement. David Teece was the pioneer of the dynamic capabilities perspective. It is grounded in 25 years of his research, teaching, and consultancy. His ideas have been influential in business strategy, management, and economics, and are relevant to innovation, technology management, and competition policy. Through his consultancy and advisory work he has also brought these ideas to bear in business and policy making around the world. This book is the clearest and most succinct statement of the core ideas of dynamic capabilities. Teece explains their genesis, application, and how they offer an alternative approach to much conventional strategic thinking grounded in simplistic and outdated understandings of industrial organizations and the foundations of competitive advantage. Accessibly written and presented, it will be an invaluable and stimulating tool for all those who want to understand this important contribution to strategic thinking, be they MBA students, academics, managers, or consultants.


Shrews are an abundant and important component of the mammalian fauna in central and southern Appalachian forested habitats. Because most soricids are small, cryptic, and difficult to survey, they typically have been underrepresented in research examining effects of forest management on small mammals. To assess shrew response to clearcutting northern hardwood forests in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia, we conducted a pitfall trapping survey during the late spring and early summer of 1998 and 1999 across a chronosequence of northern hardwood stand-ages from recently clearcut to those � 60 years old. Capture frequency of masked shrews (Sorex cinereus), smoky shrews (S. fumeus), and northern short-tailed shrews (Blarina brevicauda) did not differ among stand-ages. Shrew captures were influenced more by differences in weather conditions between years and pitfall type. Masked shrew and smoky shrew cap- tures were correlated positively with daily precipitation and negatively with maximum daily temperature in 1999, a severe drought year. Pitfalls placed along natural cover such as downed woody debris and emergent rock captured more masked shrews and smoky shrews than did pitfalls placed in the open forest floor. Rock shrews (S. dispar) and pygmy shrews (S. hoyi), both habitat specialists that our survey did not target, were collected only in pitfalls placed near cover. Proc. Annu. Conf. Southeast. Assoc, Fish and Wildl. Agencies 56:374-384


Abstract There has been considerable debate regarding the value of both the 1997 and 2009 World Health Organization (WHO) dengue case classification criteria for its diagnosis and management. Differentiation between classic dengue fever (DF) and dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) or severe dengue is a key aspect of dengue case classification. The geographic expansion of dengue and its increased incidence in older age groups have contributed to the limited applicability of the 1997 case definitions. Clinical experience of dengue suggests that the illness presents as a spectrum of disease instead of distinct phases. However, despite the rigid grouping of dengue into DF, DHF and dengue shock syndrome (DSS), overlap between the different manifestations has often been observed, which has affected clinical management and triage of patients. The findings of the DENCO study evaluating the 1997 case definitions formed the basis of the revised 2009 WHO case definitions, which classified the illness into dengue with and without warning signs and severe dengue. Although the revised scheme is more sensitive to the diagnosis of severe dengue, and beneficial to triage and case management, there remain issues with its applicability. It is considered by many to be too broad, requiring more specific definition of warning signs. Quantitative research into the predictive value of these warning signs on patient outcomes and the cost-effectiveness of the new classification system is required to ascertain whether the new classification system requires further modification, or whether elements of both classification systems can be combined.


Background Providing palliative care to frail older people in the last years of life is challenging. Increasingly this is becoming a focus of Community Matrons (CM) work. Effective communication between CMs and frail older people is vital, ensuring that palliative care needs are identified, responded to and met; a key requisite of the End of Life Care Strategy (DOH 2008). Aim To explore interactions between CMs and frail older people towards the last year of life. Study design A prospective, longitudinal case study design, using ethnographic data collection methods. Ten participants aged 75 years and over, receiving care from a CM, were recruited. Participants followed up approximately monthly for 6 months or until death. In total, 49 interviews were conducted with older people; 49 CM visits were observed. Medical documents were reviewed for 10 participants. Data were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis involved theme identification, with cross case comparison. Findings A feature of the interaction between the older person and CM was 'being at cross purposes'. This occurred when: the older person's concerns were discussed; changes were proposed to their routine; end of life conversations were initiated; role expectations differed. The outcome of these interactions led to the older person's concerns not being identified, and at times a lack of trust. These interactions typically occurred during transitions in health status. Discussion How care is organised contributes to CMs and older people unintentionally being at cross purposes. CMs work is framed by a policy of Risk and Clinical Assessment, which can be at odds with a palliative approach. Assumptions underpinning the label of frailty, and the impact of transition on the older person, compound this further. Commissioners of community services for frail older people need to consider these competing demands so that CMs can engage more effectively in palliative care provision.


Advancements in microfluidic technologies have led to the development of many new tools for both the characterization and sorting of single cells without the need for exogenous labels. Label-free microfluidics reduce the preparation time, reagents needed, and cost of conventional methods based on fluorescent or magnetic labels. Furthermore, these devices enable analysis of cell properties such as mechanical phenotype and dielectric parameters that cannot be characterized with traditional labels. Some of the most promising technologies for current and future development toward label-free, single-cell analysis and sorting include electronic sensors such as Coulter counters and electrical impedance cytometry; deformation analysis using optical traps and deformation cytometry; hydrodynamic sorting such as deterministic lateral displacement, inertial focusing, and microvortex trapping; and acoustic sorting using traveling or standing surface acoustic waves. These label-free microfluidic methods have been used to screen, sort, and analyze cells for a wide range of biomedical and clinical applications, including cell cycle monitoring, rapid complete blood counts, cancer diagnosis, metastatic progression monitoring, HIV and parasite detection, circulating tumor cell isolation, and point-of-care diagnostics. Because of the versatility of label-free methods for characterization and sorting, the low-cost nature of microfluidics, and the rapid prototyping capabilities of modern microfabrication, we expect this class of technology to continue to be an area of high research interest going forward. New developments in this field will contribute to the ongoing paradigm shift in cell analysis and sorting technologies toward label-free microfluidic devices, enabling new capabilities in biomedical research tools as well as clinical diagnostics. This article is categorized under: Diagnostic Tools > Biosensing Diagnostic Tools > Diagnostic Nanodevices.


Sublingual administration of nifedipine (N) at a dose of 20 mg to 8 persons without cardiovascular and renal pathology and to 19 patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) increased renal excretion of sodium (by an average of 51.1-132.8%), water (by an average of 31.7-101.9%), potassium (by an average of 43.2-63.2%) and calcium (by an average of 118%). The natriuretic effect of N appeared in 20 min reaching its maximum in 45-60 min, being more noticeable in CHF. An increment of natriuresis resulted from a decrease in sodium tubular reabsorption (correlation factor--0.92) rather than from an increase in glomerular filtration (correlation factor +0.50). N suppressed sodium reabsorption in the proximal tubule (by an average of 34.1%) as well as in the segment, more distal of Henle's loop (by an average of 6.8%). N might suppress directly calcium-dependent mechanisms of sodium transtubular transport but it could also produce a mediated effect as a result of shifts of renal hemodynamics.


Bacterial leaf blight, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv oryzae (Xoo) is common disease on rice crop in Indonesia. Resistance variety when available, would be a good control measure to the disease, which could be easily adopted by farmers. Source of gene for resistance needs to be identified among rice genotypes, to be used as parents in the breeding program. This research was aimed to characterize the morphological traits and the degree of resistance among rice genotypes against Xoo pathotype III, IV, and VIII. The experiment was conducted at Sukamandi experimental field of Indonesian Center for Rice Research, during the wet season of 2012/2013 and dry season of 2013, using a randomized factorial design. The first factor was three Xoo pathotypes i.e. pathotype III, IV, and VIII, the second factor was 20 rice genotypes including three check varieties, i.e. Ciherang, Inpari 13, and Angke. Observations of morphological and agronomic characters were done on rice plants started from primordial to grain ripening phase. Observations on BLB disease severity were done by measuring the longest symptoms on the leaves at two, three, and four weeks after inoculation. The morphological characters of the isogenic lines showed moderate leaf surface type with an open habitus (60o). Plant height ranged from 99 to 190 cm, maturity between 109 to 157 days after sowing, and the number of tillers was 9-23 tillers/hill. Against the Xoo pathotype III, IV, and VIII, three genotypes of near isogenic lines i.e. IRBB 60, IRBB 61, and IRBB 55 each was resistance, not significantly different from resistance check variety Angke, in two cropping seasons. All three isogenic lines can be used as parent to develop new resistant variety to bacterial leaf blight.


Suturing of Laurussia and Africa, elimination of easterly tropical currents, and consequent equatorial diversion of cold and possibly dysaerobic waters are suggested as prime causes of the Frasnian/Famennian (Late Devonian) extinction. These are explained by using a new paleogeographic model. Evidence for stepdown extinctions that took place from Givetian through Frasnian time is taken particularly from atrypoid brachiopods, one of the most abundant representatives of the global tropical shelly marine benthos during the Middle and Late Devonian. Only 5 of 17 Frasnian genera or subgenera of atrypoids are known to be present in late Frasnian sediments, and possibly only a single genus, Spinatrypa , was present at the Frasnian/Famennian boundary. Evidence for stepdown extinction from other invertebrate and vertebrate groups in general corroborates that provided by brachiopods.