The molecular mechanisms of endocrine resistance in breast cancer remain poorly understood. Here we used PRO-seq to map the location of hundreds of genes and thousands of distal enhancers whose transcriptional activities differ between endocrine sensitive and resistant MCF-7 cells. Our genome-wide screen discovered increased transcription of the glial-cell line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), a RET tyrosine kinase receptor ligand, which we validate as both necessary and sufficient for resistance in MCF-7 cells. GDNF caused endocrine resistance by switching the active state of a bi-stable feedback loop in the MCF-7 regulatory network from ERα signaling to GDNF-RET signaling. To cause this switch, GDNF downregulated ERα transcription and activated the transcription factor EGR1, which, in turn, induced GDNF. Remarkably, both MCF-7 cells and ER+ primary tumors appear poised for endocrine resistance via the RET signaling pathway, but lack robust RET ligand expression and only develop resistance upon expression of GDNF or other RET ligands.


Interaction networks within biotic communities can be dramatically altered by anthropogenic habitat modification. Ants, an important ecological group, often interact competitively to form mosaic-like patterns in disturbed plantation habitats, in which dominant species form mutually exclusive territories. However, the existence of these ant mosaics in pristine forests is contentious. Here we assess the relative strengths of ant competitive interactions in oil palm plantation and primary rain forest in Sabah, Malaysia, using null models of species co-occurrence. We use two metrics: the C-score, which measures mean degree of overall co-occurrence, and a novel metric, the Cvar-score, which measures the variance in degree of co-occurrence. We also investigate the role of nest sites by collecting ants from canopy and leaf litter microhabitats, and from epiphytic ferns, an important nest site for canopy ants. Furthermore, we assess whether non-native species, which were widespread in oil palm plantation (61 occurrences vs five in rain forest) are important in driving the formation of ant mosaics. We found no evidence for ant mosaics in any primary forest microhabitat. In oil palm plantation, segregation between species was pronounced in epiphytes, weak in the rest of the canopy and absent in leaf litter communities. Intriguingly, exclusion of non-native ant species from analyses increased the degree of negative species co-occurrence in all three microhabitats, with species segregation in the oil palm canopy becoming statistically significant. Our results suggest that invasion of plantation habitats by non-native species does not drive increased species segregation in ant communities. Rather, high degrees of species segregation might relate to changes in the importance of canopy nest sites, with colonies competing more strongly for these in plantations. In primary forests, weaker nest-site limitation and the highly complex, more vertically stratified, non-uniform canopy could lead to random co-occurrence between ant species at the scales studied here.


This paper deals with different dimensions of the formal construction of songs in 20 century popular music. First, it proposes that the form of songs is not only an obligatory starting point for analysis but is actually itself a worthwhile object of interpretation. It explains how the analysis of the formal song structure can produce meaningful insights on a semantic, symbolic, and functional level. Secondly, the authors provide a critical discussion on the use of prevalent terms such as chorus, refrain, verse, bridge, etc. They show that a study of the historical evolution both of constituent song parts, and of song forms in general, is necessary to overcome the internal contradictions and incompatibilities of the current terminology. This approach is the center of this paper. It refers to the authors' analysis of c. 3000 songs spanning the whole 20 century with a focus on the decisive years 1920 to 1970. Illustrating the results with a large number of examples, the authors trace the development of the AABA-form, various verse/chorus-forms, the evolution of the prechorus and various other song parts, and song form models. The findings are supported by statistical data based on the US Billboard Top 100, and show the prevalence of certain models as well as specific trends in historic change. Finally, the paper shows that the awareness of formal conventions and particularities can be an essential pre-condition for the analysis of popular music's cultural


It has long been recognized that energy conservation usually comes at the cost of degraded performance such as longer delay and lower throughput in stand-alone systems and communication networks. However, there have been very few research efforts in quantifying such trade-offs. In this paper, we develop analytical models to characterize the relationships among energy, delay and throughput for different power management policies in wireless communication. Based on the decision when to put nodes to low-power states, we divide power management policies into two categories, i.e., 1) time-out driven and 2) polling-based. M/G/1/K queues with multiple vacations and an attention span are used to model time-out driven policies while transient analysis is applied to derive the state transition probability in polling-based systems. We find that For time-out driven power management policies, the "optimal" policy exhibits a threshold structure, i.e., when the traffic load is below certain threshold, a node should switch to the low-power state whenever possible and always remain active otherwise. From our analysis, contrary to general beliefs, polling-based policies such as the IEEE 802.11 PSM are not energy efficient for light traffic load


Looking at Italy today, one will see a multiplicity of regions, accents and traditions -- not necessarily the mythic birthplace of Western civilization, Italy's fragmentation mirrors the complexity of the European project of community because it presents a mosaic of cultural differences within a national unity. In 1979, in Storia dell'arte italiana (Vol. 1), Enrico Castelnuovo and Carlo Ginzburg contested the global image of Italian art history in an essay entitled "Center and Periphery." They suggested a new approach to Italian art through the study of the regional schools and the individual artist's "deviations" from a central "norm." The essay intended to relocate the so-called "peripheries" as "centers" in their own right; it mapped Italy as a multi-regional entity, and it encouraged further inquiry on the local contexts and productions. Italian contemporary photography can also be approached in the terms outlined by Castelnuovo and Ginzburg, as it presents a regional pattern rather than a unified, homogeneous center. For the past 50 years, regionalism in Italian photography has played a decisive role, both to the advantage and disadvantage of the medium. Regionalism has generated creative projects for the interpretation of local cultures, but it has also caused an institutional delay in the support of archives, museums and educational activities. The lack of a national style has thwarted a significant art market for photography. The critical analysis of regionalism goes back to the 1940s with Antonio Gramsci's study of local traditions -- anthropology, folklore and dialects. Along these lines, Italian neorealist writers, filmmakers and photographers paid close attention to the culture of everyday life. Since the 1970s, Italian regionalism has been an active element in the critique of consumer culture and media as well as Italian stereotypes and mythologies. Not surprisingly, most creative projects in photography in the past 30 years have tried to suggest what Italy is by showing what it is not: not the leaning tower of Pisa, nor the picturesque landscape, nor the collection of masterpieces stored in museums. One photographer in particular, Luigi Ghirri, became the spokesperson for these projects, Ghirri, who died in 1992, knew what it meant "to suggest," both with words and with pictures. He left an important legacy of his interest in the phenomenology of an Italian "elective landscape" -- a marginal, fleeting landscape, rich with local memories and daily events, which he captured with lightness, wit and a childlike wonder. He saw this landscape as the alternative to the cliches of Italian culture. He entitled one of his many series "Italia Ailati" (1971-1979) with the intention to mirror the omnipresent, official image of the country ("Italia") with the reversed word and image ("ailati"). He sandwiched both images, and from that he derived a sense of estrangement and surprise. In Luigi Ghirri (1979), the catalog to his exhibition at the University of Parma, he noted: Whenever I have traveled in italy by train, I always observed with enjoyment the distance between the landscape seen from the window of the train and the photographs hanging inside the compartment of the train: these photographs illustrated the invariable leaning tower of Pisa, the Romanesque cathedrals, the Renaissance cities, the mountains, the lakes, and the Mediterranean pine trees. Thus, my travel was twofold: one perceived outside, from the window, and one experienced inside, in the train's compartment. Ghirri photographed the space "in-between" two Italies -- the peripheral and the mainstream -- with a lyrical and critical eye. His work revealed the possibility of integrating personal and collective memory, indicating, as he said, "a new set of clues" for the perception of Italian landscapes. With this intention and dedication, Ghirri curated an exhibition, "Viaggio in Italia" (1984), which brought together the work of 20 photographers to depict the peripheral and the vernacular landscapes of the peninsula. …


Starting from microeconomic foundations, we derive a general formula for the aggregation of outputs of heterogeneous firms (or sectors), and we solve explicitly for the fundamental intertemporal equilibrium path of the aggregate economy. The firms are subject to temporary technology shocks, but the aggregate output has radically different dynamical properties, and a special form of long memory and nonlinearity never used hitherto. We study, analytically, the implied time series properties of the new process characterizing aggregate GDP per capita. This process is more persistent than any dynamically-stable linear process (e.g. autoregressions) and yet is mean-reverting (unlike unit-root processes), and its volatility is of a greater order of magnitude than that of any of its components. This amplification of volatility means that even small shocks at the micro level can lead to large fluctuations at the macro level. The process is also characterized by long cycles which have random lengths and which are asymmetric. Increased monopoly power will tend to reduce the amplitude and increase the persistence of business cycles. Strikingly, we find that the nonlinear aggregate process has an S-shaped decay of memory, similar to the data but unlike linear time series models such as the widely-used Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving-Average (ARIMA) processes and their special cases (including fractional Integration).


A single center prospective study was done to evaluate the role of hepatic portal pedicle clamping (PC) during right hepatectomy (RH) in patients with primary and secondary liver tumors. Cirrhotics were excluded. Two groups were compared for preoperative demographics including diagnosis, tumor size, portal vein embolization and liver enzymes, pre and postoperative hemoglobin levels, percentage of residual liver mass, morbidity and mortality, pedicle clamp time, intensive care unit stay, length of hospital stay and blood loss. We observed no significant difference in the analysis of the post-operative hemoglobin, liver enzymes, residual liver size, size of tumor resected, need for postoperative monitoring in ICU stay, length of hospital stay and blood loss. Mortality and morbidity were the same. None of the patients were transfused during surgery. Our findings show that pedicle clamping was beneficial 15% of the time when uncontrolled intra-operative bleeding was encountered or in a subset of patients with peliosis, steatohepatitis, Jehovah Witness patient, and post-chemotherapy patients. However, its advantage has to be weighed against the disadvantages.


A lively introduction to morphology, this textbook is intended for undergraduates with relatively little background in linguistics. It shows students how to find and analyze morphological data and presents them with basic concepts and terminology concerning the mental lexicon, inflection, derivation, morphological typology, productivity, and the interfaces between morphology and syntax on the one hand and phonology on the other. By the end of the text students are ready to understand morphological theory and how to support or refute theoretical proposals. Providing data from a wide variety of languages, the text includes hands-on activities designed to encourage students to gather and analyse their own data. The third edition has been thoroughly updated with new examples and exercises. Chapter 2 now includes an updated detailed introduction to using linguistic corpora, and there is a new final chapter covering several current theoretical frameworks.


The value of serum acid phosphatase (S-ACP) as a marker of transurethral resection (TUR) syndrome was studied in 105 patients undergoing TURP. In ten patients who developed TUR syndrome the elevation of S-ACP was statistically significantly higher than in the rest of the patients. In seven patients prostatic cancer was diagnosed in the resection chips, but there were no differences in the S-ACP levels during TURP between these patients and the rest of the group. According to the present study, S-ACP seems to be a reliable and cheap marker of TUR syndrome, but the method is slow as compared to ethanol, which restricts its use.


In this paper, we investigate kernel based methods for multimodal information analysis and fusion. We introduce a novel approach, kernel cross-modal factor analysis, which identifies the optimal transformations that are capable of representing the coupled patterns between two different subsets of features by minimizing the Frobenius norm in the transformed domain. The kernel trick is utilized for modeling the nonlinear relationship between two multidimensional variables. We examine and compare with kernel canonical correlation analysis which finds projection directions that maximize the correlation between two modalities, and kernel matrix fusion which integrates the kernel matrices of respective modalities through algebraic operations. The performance of the introduced method is evaluated on an audiovisual based bimodal emotion recognition problem. We first perform feature extraction from the audio and visual channels respectively. The presented approaches are then utilized to analyze the cross-modal relationship between audio and visual features. A hidden Markov model is subsequently applied for characterizing the statistical dependence across successive time segments, and identifying the inherent temporal structure of the features in the transformed domain. The effectiveness of the proposed solution is demonstrated through extensive experimentation.


The toughness anisotropy in steel plates (0.08%C, 1.52%Mn, 0.3%Si, 0.055%Nb and 0.078%V) was studied in relation to the crystallographic texture and microstructural anisotropy of the material. The plates, with a ferrite –pearlite microstructure, were obtained by hot rolling in a laboratory reversible rolling mill to 66% reduction with the final rolling pass in the two-phase (g/a) domain followed by accelerated cooling to 570°C and subsequent slow cooling to room temperature (coiling simulation). Standard size Charpy samples with their long axis oriented at 0, 22.5, 45, 67.5 and 90° with respect to the rolling direction of the plate were tested at different temperatures varying from +20°C to –80°C. Microstructures and textures of the plates were studied by means of orientation scanning electron microscopy and XRD. A specific toughness anisotropy profile was observed which could not be correlated to the crystallographic texture of the plates, which all displayed very weak, almost random transformation type textures with a maximum intensity of approximately 2x random. Therefore, it was investigated whether the toughness anisotropy might be related to the microstructural anisotropy rather than to the crystallographic texture. The study of the grain size distribution in differently oriented sections together with the distribution of the pearlite zones in these sections revealed that the directional changes in the toughness could be successfully associated to these parameters. A significant increase in the absorbed impact energy from 140J to 270J, together with a remarkable decrease of the toughness anisotropy at room temperature, was observed after annealing the hot rolled samples at an intercritical temperature followed by an isothermal treatment in the low bainite region. The observed effect was explained by the replacement of the pearlite constituents by lower bainite in the grain boundary regions which produced a local strengthening of grain boundaries.


Background: Even with the rapid advancement in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), most affected children still suffer from remarkable degree of discomfort and reduced functional capacity. As such, many instruments have been invented to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) in those patients. Objective: This study aimed to assess the QoL in children with JIA using Children Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) instrument. Materials and Methods: This is a case–control study including 52 children with JIA who were attending Basrah Center for Disables Rehabilitation/Basrah, Iraq. Other age- and gender-matched children free from any systemic connective tissue diseases were also enrolled to represent the control group. One parent of each child (cases and control) was asked to read and fill an Arabic-translated version of the original CHAQ. Data were extracted from the questionnaire and subjected for statistical analysis. Results: Four types of JIA have been recognized which were oligoarthritis, polyarticular arthritis, systemic arthritis, and enthesitis-related arthritis which represented 48.08%, 36.54%, 9.62%, and 5.77%, respectively. Analysis of CHAQ data revealed a worse life quality in patients compared to controls. Six CHAQ domains (arising, walking, hygiene, activities, disability, and pain) attained significantly higher scores in patients (0.73 ± 0.61, 0.76 ± 0.52, 0.5 ± 0.29, 1.12 ± 0.6, 0.67 ± 0.41, and 0.83 ± 0.53, respectively) than in controls (0, 0, 0, 0.32 ± 0.26, 0.24 ± 0.21, and 0, respectively). Conclusion: CHAQ is a feasible and a reliable instrument to evaluate Iraqi children with arthritis. Treated children with JIA of different types had a worse QoL compared with the unaffected children.


Numerical studies have been carried out using a validated two-dimensional RNG k-epsilon turbulence model for the design optimization of a thrust vector control system using shock induced supersonic secondary jet. Parametric analytical studies have been carried out with various secondary jets at different divergent locations, jet interaction angles, jet pressures. The results from the parametric studies of the case on hand reveal that the primary nozzle with a small divergence angle, downstream injections with a distance of 2.5 times the primary nozzle throat diameter from the primary nozzle throat location warrant higher efficiency over a certain range of jet pressures and jet angles. We observed that the supersonic secondary jet opposing the core flow with jets interaction angle of 40 to the axis far downstream of the nozzle throat facilitates better thrust vectoring than the secondary jet with same direction as that of core flow with various interaction angles. We concluded that fixing of the supersonic secondary jet nozzle pointing towards the throat direction with suitable angle at a distance 2 to 4 times of the primary nozzle throat diameter, as the case may be, from the primary nozzle throat location could facilitate better thrust vectoring for the supersonic aerospace vehicles. Keywords— Fluidic thrust vectoring, rocket steering, supersonic secondary jet location, TVC in spacecraft.


This study was conducted during 2013-14 at Student Farm, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Crop Production, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (factorial) with three replications having net plot size 3x4m=(12m 2 ). The effect of three sowing dates 25 th October, 10 th November and 25 th November on three hybrid maize varieties Pioneer 1543, Syngenta 4841 and Monsanto DK-6142 was studied. Yield components and grain quality parameters such as plant height, number of cobs per plant, cob length, grains per cob, grain yield, protein, starch and oil content of maize varieties were significantly affected by different sowing dates. It was concluded from the finding of present research work that all quantity and quality traits were promising when the sowing was completed up to 25 th October. Further delay of the sowing had negative effects on the performance of quantity and quality of maize. Hybrid maize variety Pioneer 1543 was promising variety which gave the grain yield more than 8312 kg ha -1 .


Despite its growing popularity and use, bottom-up proteomics remains a complex analytical methodology. Its general workflow consists of three main steps: sample preparation, liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), and computational data analysis. Quality assessment of the different steps and components of this workflow is instrumental to identify technical flaws and avoid loss of precious measurement time and sample material. However, assessment of the extent of sample losses along with the sample preparation protocol, in particular, after proteolytic digestion, is not yet routinely implemented because of the lack of an accurate and straightforward method to quantify peptides. Here, we report on the use of a microfluidic UV/visible spectrophotometer to quantify MS-ready peptides directly in the MS-loading solvent, consuming only 2 μL of sample. We compared the performance of the microfluidic spectrophotometer with a standard device and determined the optimal sample amount for LC–MS/MS analysis on a Q Exactive HF mass spectrometer using a dilution series of a commercial K562 cell digest. A careful evaluation of selected LC and MS parameters allowed us to define 3 μg as an optimal peptide amount to be injected into this particular LC–MS/MS system. Finally, using tryptic digests from human HEK293T cells and showing that injecting equal peptide amounts, rather than approximate ones, result in less variable LC–MS/MS and protein quantification data. The obtained quality improvement together with easy implementation of the approach makes it possible to routinely quantify MS-ready peptides as a next step in daily proteomics quality control.


Subcellular compartmentalization of energy stores to support different myocardial processes has been exemplified by the glycolytic control of the ATP-sensitive K+ channel. Recent data suggest that the control of intracellular sodium (Nai) may also rely on glycolytically derived ATP; however, the degree of this dependence is unclear. To examine this question, isolated, perfused rat hearts were exposed to hypoxia, to selectively inhibit oxidative metabolism, or iodoacetate (IAA, 100 μmol/l), to selectively inhibit glycolysis. Nai and myocardial high-energy phosphate levels were monitored using triple-quantum-filtered (TQF)23Na and31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy, respectively. The effects of ion exchange mechanisms (Na+/Ca2+, Na+/H+) on Nai were examined by pharmacological manipulation of these channels. Nai, as monitored by shift reagent-aided TQF 23Na spectral amplitudes, increased by ∼220% relative to baseline after 45 min of perfusion with IAA, with or without rapid pacing. During hypoxia, Nai increased by ∼200% during rapid pacing but did not increase in unpaced hearts or when the Na+/H+exchange blocker ethylisopropylamiloride (EIPA, 10 μmol/l) was used. Neither EIPA nor a low-Ca2+perfusate (50 μmol/l) could prevent the rise in Nai during perfusion with IAA. Myocardial function and high-energy phosphate stores were preserved during inhibition of glycolysis with IAA and continued oxidative metabolism. These results suggest that glycolysis is required for normal Na+ homeostasis in the perfused rat heart, possibly because of preferential fueling of Na-K-adenosinetriphosphatase by glycolytically derived ATP.


In order to analyze and determine the parameters which influence the pricing strategy of the power company in China, evolutionary game theory and Hawk and Dove game model are used. Given the two types of enterprises in Chinese power market, the large-scale enterprises and the small-scale enterprises, based on the replicator dynamic equations of the pricing strategies of the two types of enterprises and Jacobian Matrix analysis, the evolution equilibrium solutions to pricing for the two types of enterprises are obtained. By changing the values of the parameters in the pricing strategies, their influences on the competitive evolution strategies are explicated. The results show that the bidding evolution process depends on the success probability (r) of the competitive bidding between the two types of enterprises and depends on the difference (f) between the mark-up and the basic bidding. And the other conclusion is that some parameters are difficult to be adjusted by market mechanism. Government intervention on deciding the parameter values is helpful for the health and stability of Chinese power market.


In this study, a generalized contaminant retardation factor applicable to a multiphase system where various types of colloids exist simultaneously with contaminants is derived and incorporated into an equilibrium model which is successfully applied to experimental data for which phenanthrene was used as hydrophobic organic contaminants and dissolved organic matter (DOM) or bacteria as mobile carriers. Based on the parameter values for the experimental data regarding the association of phenanthrene with solid matrix, DOM and various bacterial isolates, numerical experiments are performed to examine the transport behaviour of hydrophobic organic contaminants in various types of the multiphase system. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the extent of contaminant transport enhancement depends on the adsorption affinity of the colloid, its concentration and its mobility, and that the importance of a third phase to contaminant transport needs to be evaluated carefully with respect to the relevance of experimental conditions applied to realistic environmental conditions. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


The objective of the project was to evaluate the water quality of four limestone bedrock springs in an urban environment during a severe drought in the summer of 2007. Three of the springs were discovered on the Tennessee State University (TSU) campus in Nashville, TN in May, 2007. Two are located near a poultry research facility and a third near the TSU athletic center. An additional spring flowing from a cave in the Charlotte Park neighborhood of west Nashville (Carlos Cave) was also included in the study. The two TSU springs behind the poultry barns were sampled approximately every week from June through September, 2007. The cave and TSU athletic center springs were sampled less frequently. Water quality parameters included temperature, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen, pH, sulfate, nitrogen, E. coli, and bacteria Biological Activity Reaction Tests (BART). Continuous water-quality monitoring devices were installed at two of the springs to measure changes associated with different weather patterns. Water temperatures were very stable, ranging from 16 o C in June to 19 o C in September. Sulfate concentrations were consistently higher in the spring water than the receiving surface waters, suggesting that surface vegetation may have removed the sulfate. Conversely, nitrogen levels were lower in the spring water (< 10 mg/L) than the surface waters, suggesting denitrification by bacteria in the subsurface. Fecal bacteria levels fluctuated randomly with no discernable correlation to weather pattern. BART tests confirmed the presence of denitrifying, iron-reducing, sulfur-reducing, and slime-producing bacteria at each of the springs. Spring discharges decreased at all sites as the drought continued but never decreased below 10 gallons per minute. The data showed that each spring had unique water quality characteristics reflective of the different hydrologic recharge areas that replenish them.


This paper reveals the role of population data systems in the governmental management of Aborigines and Aboriginal communities in Australia during the colonial era, and the first several decades after federation in 1901. State control over Aboriginal affairs was paramount during this period. In varying degrees, each of the Australian states implemented policies and programmes concerning Aboriginal persons and communities in the areas of settlement and geographical mobility, employment, marriage and cohabitation, health, criminal activities, voting, and the education of children. Each of these areas of management suggests an important role of population statistics and data systems. This paper considers the colony, then state, of Victoria as the first in a series of case studies. Archival methods are used to examine records concerning Aboriginal policy and administration. In Victoria, the call for evidence and reports on the conditions of Aborigines is heard often throughout historical records of communication between colonial representatives and governors, and subsequently between state parliamentarians and Chief Protectors. The distribution of rations and blankets to Aborigines and the regulation of movement in and out of reserves similarly were monitored using demographic accounting and registration systems. The forced removal of Aborigines to reserves in some areas, and the prohibition of half-caste persons from reserves in other locales, notably Victoria, were administered by the larger reserves through population registration and the recording and tabulation of information about individuals and families. The policy to treat Aborigines of 'pure blood' differently from persons of mixed heritage, and hence to maintain an official classification of lineage, similarly required population registration and classification of Aboriginal persons for legal, administrative and managerial purposes. This research contributes to the growing scholarly literature on the role of population data systems in the infliction of human rights violations. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


The beating characteristic of PPTA fiber and its influence on the performance of paper-based functional materials based on PPTA fiber and resin has been investigated in this study. The results show that the morphology of PPTA-pulp had significant influences on the mechanical and electrical properties of the composites. The sample contained with PPTA fiber of 35 °SR showed the increase in tensile strength, tearing strength and dielectric strength by 147.7%, 119.3% and 69.9% as compared with the untreated PPTA fiber.


Abstract
During studies on the emission of Sindbis virus from the mouthparts of experimentally infected Aedes aegypti, virus was detected in the anal discharge. This report deals with the quantity and source of virus expelled from the anus and with the possible significance of these findings with respect to the transmission of arboviruses from mosquitoes to vertebrate hosts. Anal fluid was collected from mosquitoes by several methods during and after the mosquitoes fed on either infant mice, chick embryos, or artificial feeding solutions contained beneath a membrane or within a capillary tube. Infected mosquitoes frequently discharged droplets or spray of virus-containing anal fluid during and after feeding. The probable source of the anal virus was the Malpighian tubules. Infant mice were infected by applying virus to broken skin or nasal mucosa. Sealing the anus of infected mosquitoes did not, however, alter the frequency of virus transmission, by bite, to infant mice. Transmission from infected mosquito to vertebrate host by this "posterior" route deserves further investigation with other arboviruses and appropriate insect intermediate hosts.


ABSTRACT Fed-batch fermentation processes are commonly used in bioprocessing industry. A fed-batch fermentation process often exhibits integrating/unstable type of dynamics with multiple right-half plane zeros. A class of fourth-order integrating model can be used to adequately represent such a complex dynamics of the fed-batch fermentation process. In this paper, rigorous stability analysis of proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller based on the Routh-Hurwitz criteria for the fourth-order integrating system is presented. A set of all stabilising PID controller parameter regions is established. Based on these stabilising regions, a general PID controller tuning procedure is proposed for the fourth-order integrating system with two right-half plane zeros. Numerical study shows that based on the proposed tuning procedure, a low-order PID controller can outperform a fifth-order optimal LQG controller in terms of servo and regulatory controls.


An animal's perceived sense of orientation depends upon the head direction (HD) system found in several limbic structures and depends upon an intact peripheral vestibular labyrinth. However, how the vestibular system influences the generation, maintenance, and updating of the HD signal remains poorly understood. Anatomical and lesion studies point towards three key brainstem nuclei as being potential critical components in generating the HD signal: nucleus prepositus hypoglossi (NPH), supragenual nucleus (SGN), and dorsal paragigantocellularis reticular nuclei (PGRNd). Collectively, these nuclei are situated between the vestibular nuclei and the dorsal tegmental and lateral mammillary nuclei, which are thought to serve as the origin of the HD signal. To test this hypothesis, extracellular recordings were made in these areas while rats either freely foraged in a cylindrical environment or were restrained and rotated passively. During foraging, a large subset of cells in all three nuclei exhibited activity that correlated with changes in the rat's angular head velocity (AHV). Two fundamental types of AHV cells were observed: 1) symmetrical AHV cells increased or decreased their neural firing with increases in AHV regardless of the direction of rotation; 2) asymmetrical AHV cells responded differentially to clockwise (CW) and counter-clockwise (CCW) head rotations. When rats were passively rotated, some AHV cells remained sensitive to AHV whereas others had attenuated firing. In addition, a large number of AHV cells were modulated by linear head velocity. These results indicate the types of information conveyed in the ascending vestibular pathways that are responsible for generating the HD signal. Significance Statement Extracellular recording of brainstem nuclei (nucleus prepositus hypoglossi, supragenual nucleus, and dorsal paragigantocellularis reticular nucleus) that project to the head direction circuit identified different types of angular head velocity (AHV) cells while rats freely foraged in a cylindrical environment. The firing of many cells was also modulated by linear velocity. When rats were restrained and passively rotated some cells remained sensitive to AHV, whereas others had attenuated firing. These brainstem nuclei provide critical information about the rotational movement of the rat's head in the azimuthal plane.


This thesis explores the role for phenomenography in instructional design. Phenomenography is an educational research methodology that focuses on discovering the qualitatively different ways people experience learning a particular topic. The intent of the research is to come to understand the cognitive interactions that occur when learners attempt to make sense of difficult material, the kinds of difficulties they encounter, and the strategies they apply. This thesis considers how the analysis of these interactions may form the basis for the design of learning materials.

Two case studies are presented that illustrate the utility of phenomenographic studies in the design process. The first considers how learner's conceptions of geological mapping can inform the instructional design of a print-based module on interpreting geological maps. A description of the design process details how specific elements were developed using the data, such as objectives and feedback and design guidelines are generated. The second case presented involves a study of learner's conceptions of phase diagrams in metallurgy. The results are integrated in the design of a computer-based learning module on phase diagrams. Design guidelines generated from this case focus on how the data needs to be communicated within the context of a team development environment.

The data derived from phenomenographic studies provide descriptions of difficulties learners experience that are often not known to content experts or lecturers.. The two cases presented in this thesis demonstrate the gap between what the learner needs and what experts think they need. Communicating the existence of the gap to experts is discussed and design strategies that help to overcome this gap are presented.

Integrating phenomenographic study in the design process complements established instructional design models and teaching practice. A four-stage design model is presented that includes generic guidelines that can be applied to any design context. A constructivist designer may use the guidelines to identify and generate problem-based learning tasks. Classroom teachers may use the guidelines to generate examination questions that encourage the learner to demonstrate their understanding of the key concepts associated with the topic of study. The goal for the work presented here is to improve instructional design practice, and in doing so, improve the experience of learning for students.


A quarter of a century after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the confidence once surrounding liberal democracy has been replaced with increasing concerns over its health. Reflecting this change of mood, there has been a proliferation of books examining whether democracy may be in crisis. This review surveys some of these recent contributions, which are united by a much more pessimistic tone. As these books detail, democracy now confronts major problems in essentially every sphere, with changes in the economic realm arguably being the most consequential. Rather than theorising more expansive forms of democracy, the challenge increasingly seems to be one of holding onto what we already have. Brown W (2015) Undoing the Demos: Neoliberalism's Stealth Revolution. New York: Zone books. Coggan P (2013) The Last Vote: The Threats to Western Democracy. London: Allen Lane. Dunn J (2013) Breaking Democracy's Spell. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Johnston S (2015) American Dionysia: Violence, Tragedy, and Democratic Politics. New York: Cambridge University Press. Kurlantzick J (2013) Democracy in Retreat: The Revolt of the Middle Class and the Worldwide Decline of Representative Government. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Mair P (2013) Ruling the Void: The Hollowing of Western Democracy. London: Verso. Runciman D (2013) The Confidence Trap: A History of Democracy in Crisis from World War I to the Present. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.


Study Design The authors studied the rotational effect of sublaminar wiring on the spinal pelvic axis on 20 patients who were being treated for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Objectives To determine if sublaminar wiring effectively derotates the scoliotic spine. Summary of Background Data The correction of the rotational deformity in adolescent scoliosis via sublaminar wiring is not well quantified in the literature. The derotation maneuver of Cotrel‐Dubousset has been shown to produce variable and unpredictable amounts of axial derotation. Methods Twenty patients who underwent posterior spine fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were evaluated using computed tomography scans and plain radiography before and after surgery and at a subsequent follow‐up examination (average time of follow‐up examination, 35 months after surgery). The degree of angle of vertebral rotation about the sagittal plane and that relative to the pelvis were measured before and after surgery and at a follow‐up examination. Results The primary thoracic curves were not derotated significantly relative to the pelvis with sublaminar wiring. Primary thoracolumbar curves instrumented on the convexity with pedicle screws were derotated significantly relative to the pelvis (P =.001). The average initial correction was 57%. On final follow‐up examination, the correction was 24% (18 of 20 twenty individuals lost axial correction by an average of 34%). In nine of 20 patients the spine was more rotated, relative to the pelvis, than it had been before surgery. No coronal or sagittal decompensation was seen in any curve type. Conclusions Coronal and sagittal plane correction of scoliotic curves may be achieved with sublaminar instrumentation. The ability to derotate axially the scoliotic spine appears to be variable, however, and, in most cases, curve‐type dependent. Over time, much correction appears to be lost, and in many patients the scoliosis actually becomes worse than it was before surgery. Nonetheless, the apical derotation that takes place appears to be reasonably true: the percent correction of angle of rotation about the sagittal plane and the percent correction of angle of rotation about the sagittal plain relative to the pelvis were closely correlated. Derotation forces applied to the instrumented spine do not appear to be transmitted to more distal segments.


—The phase relations and melting of subducting sediment were studied in two series of high-pressure experiments at 750– 900 °C and 2.9 GPa and by thermodynamic modeling. In the runs we used a chemical mixture corresponding in composition to global subducting sediment (GLOSS) but enriched in water (H2O = 15.52 wt.% as compared with 7.29 wt.% in GLOSS). The first series of runs was carried out in open capsules, and the second series was performed by the same procedure and at the same P–T–t parameters but in closed (welded) capsules. The products of the runs of both series showed agreement on the P–T conditions of melting and the presence of garnet, carbonate, kyanite, SiO2 phase, and phengite in the parageneses. However, the products of all runs in open capsules contain omphacite, including magmatic one, whereas the products of the runs in welded capsules lack it, except for those obtained in the subsolidus run (at 750 °C). The results of thermodynamic modeling for the composition of the experimental mixture (H2O–GLOSS) in the closed system are in agreement with the experimental data on the hydrous solidus and the stability of most minerals, showing a decrease in the content of omphacite as melt appears. This specific effect caused by the increased pressure of aqueous fluid in the closed system is observed in the welded capsules. Thermodynamic modeling for the H2O–GLOSS composition also shows that a complete decomposition of slab carbonates under "hot" subduction conditions is possible, but this result is not confirmed by our experimental data. Since the melting and mineral growth processes in subduction zones are controlled by migrating fluids and melts, it seems correct to rely on the results of runs in open capsules.


This thesis focuses on a function which moves the last digit of an integer to the first position, e.g. A(123) = 312. The objective of this thesis is to show how one can find all solutions x to the equation A(x) = kx, where k is a rational number. It also explains the connection between the solutions and certain periodic decimal numbers, and in which way these decimal numbers can be used to solve the equation. Finally, the problem is generalized to other bases than 10.


Crude metabolite extracts derived from the culture broths of endophytic fungi of five ethno-pharmacologically important plant species used by the ethnic tribes of the hill state of Meghalaya in North-East India were screened for the presence of toxins and secondary metabolites using agar plug paper chromatography, TLC (thin layer chromatography) and LC-MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy). The endophytic fungal isolates were found to produce a wide range of toxins, growth hormones and antibiotics upon searching in a fungal mycotoxin database. Relatedness among the fungal isolates was determined based upon their extra-cellular metabolite production pattern. The endophytic fungal isolates in the present study showed a wide range of metabolomic diversity and can be explored as potential microbial cell factories for production of a diverse range of biomolecules. Taxonomic relatedness of the endophytes based upon the snapshots of their secretomes, presented a contrasting picture in relation to their morphological identity. Rapid metabolome analysis of endophytic fungi using analytical techniques like LC-MS coupled with mass related search in fungal specific metabolite databases is bound to increase our insights about fungal chemo-taxonomy as a whole and bio-prospection of useful fungal metabolites in particular.

 Key words: Endophytic fungi, ethnic tribes, medicinal plants, agar plug paper chromatography, TLC, LC-MS, chemo-taxonomy, metabolome.


Background Recent-onset inflammatory arthritis (IA) may represent a broad range of diseases. Few studies have examined the full spectrum of diagnostic outcomes in an unselected cohort of recent-onset IA patients. Objectives To describe the disease spectrum and 2-year outcome of recent onset IA in a large multicenter study in Norway. Methods Data from the Norwegian Very Early Arthritis Clinic (NOR-VEAC), a 2-year longitudinal observational study of 1118 patients (age 18–75 yrs) with inflammatory arthritis of ≤16 weeks duration, were used. Exclusion criteria were arthritis due to crystal deposits, trauma, osteoarthritis and septic arthritis. Herein we included all patients with follow-up information. Descriptive methods were applied to describe the whole range of diagnostic outcomes (clinical diagnoses made by the treating rheumatologist), as well as disease persistency (defined as disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) use and/or persistent joint swelling) vs resolution of disease for each clinical diagnosis. Patients with temporary DMARD use were classified as no-DMARD users if they were observed for ≥1 year after DMARD cessation. If a patient dropped out of the study before 2 years, the last outcome information was used in a last observation carried forward approach. Results 1077 patients (96.3%) were included in the current analyses, of these 64.9% had 2-year follow-up data. Duration of joint swelling before inclusion [median (25–75 perc.)] was 34 (13–66) days, mean (SD) age 46.1 (14.8) years, 54.7% were females, 16.9% anti-CCP positive, and 21.9% anti-CCP and/or RF positive. Presentation as mono-, oligo- (2–4 swollen joints), and polyarthritis (≥5 swollen joints) had approximately the same frequency, 32.5, 35.7 and 31.8%, respectively. After 2 years 33.0% used DMARDs, and a further 9.3% had joint swelling without DMARD use. The arthritis resolved in the remaining 57.6%. The final clinical diagnoses and their respective outcomes are shown in Figure 1. The most common final diagnoses were undifferentiated arthritis (UA) (39.9%), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (22.7%), reactive arthritis (17.1%), psoriatic arthritis (6.0%) and sarcoid arthropathy/Löfgren's syndrome (6.2%). A final diagnosis of sarcoid arthropathy, reactive arthritis and UA carried the best prognoses, with resolution of arthritis without DMARDs in 91.0, 85.9 and 73.7%, respectively. Patients presenting with polyarthritis developed persistent disease more often than patients with oligo- or monoarthritis (67.6%, 34.9 and 26.0%, respectively) (p<0.001). Conclusions Among 1077 patients with IA of ≤16 weeks duration, UA was the most common diagnosis after 2 years, 22.7% were diagnosed with RA and 6.0% with psoriatic arthritis. The arthritis resolved without DMARDs in the majority of the patients. This is, as far as we know, the first study to describe the whole range of diagnostic outcomes in an unselected cohort of recent-onset arthritis, as well as the persistency of disease according to each diagnosis. Disclosure of Interest E. S. Norli: None declared, G. Hetland Brinkmann: None declared, T. K. Kvien Consultant for: Tore K Kvien has received fees for speaking and/or consulting from AbbVie, Biogen, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celltrion, Eli Lilly, Epirus, Janssen, Merck-Serono, MSD, Mundipharma, Novartis, Oktal, Orion Pharma, Hospira/Pfizer, Roche, Sandoz and UCB, O. Bjørneboe: None declared, A. Julsrud Haugen: None declared, H. Nygaard: None declared, C. Thunem: None declared, E. Lie: None declared, M. Mjaavatten: None declared


Plasmonics is a technologically advanced term in condensed matter physics that describes surface plasmon resonance where surface plasmons are collective electron oscillations confined at the dielectric-metal interface and these collective excitations exhibit profound plasmonic properties in conjunction with light interaction. Surface plasmons are based on nanomaterials and their structures; therefore, semiconductors, metals, and two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials exhibit distinct plasmonic effects due to unique confinements. Recent technical breakthroughs in characterization and material manufacturing of two-dimensional ultra-thin materials have piqued the interest of the materials industry because of their extraordinary plasmonic enhanced characteristics. The 2D plasmonic materials have great potential for photonic and optoelectronic device applications owing to their ultra-thin and strong light-emission characteristics, such as; photovoltaics, transparent electrodes, and photodetectors. Also, the light-driven reactions of 2D plasmonic materials are environmentally benign and climate-friendly for future energy generations which makes them extremely appealing for energy applications. This chapter is aimed to cover recent advances in plasmonic 2D materials (graphene, graphene oxides, hexagonal boron nitride, pnictogens, MXenes, metal oxides, and non-metals) as well as their potential for applied applications, and is divided into several sections to elaborate recent theoretical and experimental developments along with potential in photonics and energy storage industries.


In quantum spin liquid states, the fractionalized spinon excitations can carry fractional crystal symmetry quantum numbers, and this symmetry fractionalization distinguishes different topologically ordered spin liquid states. In this work we propose a simple way to detect signatures of such crystal symmetry fractionalizations from the crystal symmetry representations of the ground state wave function. We demonstrate our method on projected $\mathbb Z_2$ spin liquid wave functions on the kagome lattice, and show that it can be used to classify generic wave functions. Particularly our method can be used to distinguish several proposed candidates of $\mathbb Z_2$ spin liquid states on the kagome lattice.


Specimens of rectangular and circular cross section of a Mg-9Al binary alloy have been tensile tested and the cross section of undeformed specimens examined using scanning electron microscopy. The rectangular cross sections showed three scales in the cellular intermetallics network: coarse at the core, fine at the surface and very fine at the corners, whereas the circular ones showed only two, coarse at the core and fine at the surface. The specimens of rectangular cross section exhibited higher yield strength in comparison to the circular ones. Possible reasons for the observed increased strength of the rectangular sections are discussed.


Here, the various types of naturally synthesized metallic nanoparticles, which are essentially composed of Ce, Ag, Au, Pt, Pd, Cu, Ni, Se, Fe, or their oxides, are presented, based on a literature analysis. The synthesis methods used to obtain them most often involve the reduction of metallic ions by biological materials or organisms, i.e., essentially plant extracts, yeasts, fungus, and bacteria. The anti-tumor activity of these nanoparticles has been demonstrated on different cancer lines. They rely on various mechanisms of action, such as heat, the release of chemotherapeutic drugs under a pH variation, nanoparticle excitation by radiation, or apoptotic tumor cell death. Among these natural metallic nanoparticles, one type, which consists of iron oxide nanoparticles produced by magnetotactic bacteria called magnetosomes, has been purified to remove endotoxins and abide by pharmacological regulations. It has been tested in vivo for anti-tumor efficacy. For that, purified and stabilized magnetosomes were injected in intracranial mouse glioblastoma tumors and repeatedly heated under the application of an alternating magnetic field, leading to the full disappearance of these tumors. As a whole, the results presented in the literature form a strong basis for pursuing the efforts towards the use of natural metallic nanoparticles for cancer treatment first pre-clinically and then clinically.


Molnupiravir, an antiviral medication that has been widely used against SARS-CoV-2, acts by inducing mutations in the virus genome during replication. Most random mutations are likely to be deleterious to the virus, and many will be lethal. Molnupiravir-induced elevated mutation rates have been shown to decrease viral load in animal models. However, it is possible that some patients treated with molnupiravir might not fully clear SARS-CoV-2 infections, with the potential for onward transmission of molnupiravir-mutated viruses. We set out to systematically investigate global sequencing databases for a signature of molnupiravir mutagenesis. We find that a specific class of long phylogenetic branches appear almost exclusively in sequences from 2022, after the introduction of molnupiravir treatment, and in countries and age-groups with widespread usage of the drug. We calculate a mutational spectrum from the AGILE placebo-controlled clinical trial of molnupiravir and show that its signature, with elevated G-to-A and C-to-T rates, largely corresponds to the mutational spectrum seen in these long branches. Our data suggest a signature of molnupiravir mutagenesis can be seen in global sequencing databases, in some cases with onwards transmission.


3 Abstract: A 10 wk feeding experiment was conducted to develop a model for predicting the ME requirement for broiler breeder hens housed in different environmental temperatures. Three groups of 50 Cobb 500 broiler breeder hens were individually housed in breeder cages located in environmentally controlled rooms set at 15.5, 23 and 30°C. Each breeder was given an intramuscular injection of Tamoxifen (TAM) (5 mg/kg BW) in corn oil at days 1 and 4 to stop egg production. Ten breeders from each environmental temperature were sacrificed for carcass composition analysis at the beginning of the study. Breeders, during the non- laying period, housed at 15.5°C were fed 100 g providing 285 kcal MEn/b/d (2851 kcal/kg; 16%CP) and breeders housed at 23°C and 30°C were fed 93 g providing 265 kcal MEn/b/d of same diet. Five breeders were sacrificed from each environmental room after the breeders resumed egg production. The ME requirement for maintenance (MEm) determined during the non-laying period was 104.3, 98.1 and 99.4 kcal/kg for birds housed in 15.5, 23 and 30°C, respectively. At first egg, 136, 130 and 128 g/bird/d of same 0.75 diet previously fed during the non-laying period provided 388, 371 and 365 kcal MEn/b/d to broiler breeder hens housed at 15.5, 23 and 30°C, respectively. The egg number, egg weight and BW change for each breeder during egg production was evaluated through the remainder of the 10 wk period. At the end of the trial, all birds were sacrificed and frozen at -4°C for carcass composition analysis. Body weight data collected during the non-laying period was used to construct a single equation by plotting Metabolizable Energy (ME) against body weight change (BWΔ) for each individual hen to calculate the MEm. Egg production and egg weights were recorded daily after egg production resumed. The MEg and MEe requirement for BW gain and egg production were determined for breeders in each of the environmental temperatures based on th e energy content of carcass and egg mass and the respective efficiency of energy utilization. The average MEg and MEe for the three environmental temperatures was 5.8 kcal/g and 2.3 kcal/g, respectively. Three equations were developed from the feeding experiment to predict ME needs for breeders: Eq. 1: (ME = BW 0.75


The UK has set very ambitious targets for achieving zero carbon in the domestic sector by 2016. As recognised by government and as part of the Climate Change Act 2008, 27% of the UK emissions are attributed to the household sector. Domestic emissions increased in UK increased by 36 % between 1971 and 2001. The government has therefore set a challenge and mechanism, of delivering reductions in the sector. The methods of environmental labelling applied (Code for Sustainable Homes ) has been recently introduced and offer a rating certificate (1-6) that benchmarks the performance, and overall environmental sustainability of a dwelling against a set of defined environmental criteria. Of which mandatory requirements for energy, CO2 and water is the most significant? This paper discusses the challenges that face the construction sector due to the introduction of the code, and looks at technology, policy and regulatory barriers drawing from real case studies. In addition to examining some other alternative benchmark systems used in the UK such as Passive house. In addition the paper will look at and discuss the effectives of the energy modelling tool SAP and part L The next few years leading up to 2016 target of introduction of zero carbon dwellings, will be a good test of the government's policy of making zero carbon a reality. While the requirements are tough and there are additional costs involved, the code has bee effective in increasing best practice, and has forced a change in Sustainable house building and integration of low carbon and smart technologies at conceptual design stage within the domestic sector.


Spinal cord injury (SCI) adversely affects the physiological functions of most organ
systems resulting in restrictions in performance of daily activities and social participation.
Depending on the level of injury, SCI individuals can be amongst the most physically
deconditioned of individuals with a disability. SCI renders profound effects on fitness,
exercise capacities and health. There is increased risk of developing secondary health
conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes in chronic SCI survivors.
There is good evidence that exercise is effective for improving physical fitness and general
health in the SCI population. Leg exercise is usually restricted because of paralysis after
SCI and upper body exercise is not as beneficial as lower body exercise due to the
relatively small muscle mass in the arms. Technological advancements have allowed
functional electrical stimulation (FES) muscle contractions to enable exercise for the
paralysed lower limbs of persons with SCI. Other technologies including virtual reality
(VR) approaches have also begun to be deployed as exercise and rehabilitation strategies in
recent years.
This thesis comprised of three studies, which examined exercise outcomes involving the
use of assistive technologies (FES and VR) for exercise testing and training in persons with
SCI.
The acute physiological response of FES-assisted cycling exercise was first assessed
comparing the different exercise modalities that were available for people with SCI. These
vii
were arm crank ergometry (ACE), FES–leg cycle ergometry (FES-LCE), ACE+FES-LCE
and an integrated arm and FES-leg tricycle. It was found that combined arm and leg
(hybrid) FES cycling exercise could develop higher oxygen uptake and cardiovascular
demand compared to ACE or FES-LCE alone. Hybrid FES cycling evoked up to 148%
higher oxygen uptake, 49% greater cardiac output and 47% higher heart rate than FES-LCE
during steady-state exercise thereby concluding that FES-LCE by itself was insufficient to
promote aerobic fitness and training benefit in people with SCI.
Based on the findings of the first experiment, the acute physiological and psychological
responses to hybrid FES cycling were then further assessed in different exercise
environment i.e. natural outdoor and simulated VR-enhanced indoor environment. With
only 5% and 1% difference in the cardiorespiratory and perceptual-psychological responses
respectively between the two modes, it was concluded that indoor and outdoor modes have
similar exercise "dose-potency" and self-perceived effort.
Following these experiments on acute responses, a final study which examined the fitness,
carbohydrate and lipid metabolisms and psychological outcomes following a 6-week high
intensity interval training employing hybrid FES cycling training was carried out. The
study demonstrated greater aerobic fitness by 16% and increased muscle mass by 6%. The
6-week training resulted in 60-80% improvement in negative mood states and up to 76%
increase in post-exercise positive feeling states. However there was a lack of change in
their lipid profile and glucose metabolism.
viii
The importance of incorporating regular physical activity and exercise into the lifestyle of
people with SCI is evident. The studies conducted herein identified the best exercise
modality; propose strategies for enhancement of exercise participation and highlight the
benefits of exercise in this population.


Disturbed marine habitats contain banks of microscopic forms that develop into macroscopic vegetation under adequate conditions. This study examined seasonal species turnover, timespace community development and species-area relationships of an assemblage of microscopic forms, on boulders and stones in 2 tidal pools in central Chile (32" 4 6 ' s ; 71" 33' W). A total of 25 taxa were found in the assemblage, with low species turnover throughout the year. The assemblage contained about twice the number of species present In the water column and about half the number present in the n~acroscopic vegetation. Species present in the macroalgal vegetation and in the water column accounted for 7 0 % of the taxa in the assemblage, the remaining 30% suggested propagule sources outside the study area. Colonization and succession experiments indicated that the banks were formed by ephemeral and perennial species. Most perennials are slow-growing and crustose, of IOIY-colonizing capacity, the bank seemed more important for the survival of these perennial species than for fugitwe forms. Species r~chness in the bank correlated w ~ t h the surface area of boulders. For areas larger than 40 cm2, species richness was significantly higher on individually sampled stones than on equivalent surfaces subsampled from larger boulders, suggesting that species richness follows predictions of the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. The number of species was high, suggesting that disturbance affects the macroscopic expression of diversity rather than the total number of species.


The microwave properties and microstructures of (ZnMg)TiO3-based dielectric prepared by conventional solid-state method were investigated as functions of CaTiO3 and CaO-B2O3-SiO2 additions. The effects of CaTiO3 on the crystal phase and the evolution of microstructure of (Zn0.65Mg0.35)TiO3 were studied. The result indicated that CaTiO3 secondary phase coexists with (ZnMg)TiO3 main phase in the ZMT-CT ceramics, which confirmed by EDS analysis. Because of CaTiO3 with large τf value (τf = 800 ppm/°C), the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τf) of ZMT-CT with biphasic structure was adjusted to near zero value. The microwave properties of (Zn0.65Mg0.35)TiO3 ceramics doped with 5wt% CaTiO3 sintered at 1150°C were ε ≈ 24, τf ≈ ±10 ppm/°C, Q×f > 45,000 GHz. Further, it was found that the CaO-B2O3-SiO2 additive could successfully reduce the sintering temperature of (Zn0.65Mg0.35)TiO3–CaTiO3 ceramics from 1150 to 950°C, and significantly improve the densification of this system, which were densified below 1000°C. This was due to the formation of liquid phases during the sintering observed by SEM. The (Zn0.65Mg0.35)TiO3–0.05CaTiO3 dielectrics with 1 wt% CaO-B2O3-SiO2 sintered at 950~1000°C exhibited the optimum microwave properties: ε ≈ 22, Q×f ≈ 20,000 GHz and τf ≈ ±10 ppm/°C.


Semaphorins, originally identified as axon guidance regulators in the nervous system, are also involved in various aspects of immune cell function (see Bismuth and Boumsell). Kumanagoh et al. report that Sema 4A enhanced T cell activation, measured as proliferation and stimulation of interleukin and interferon production, in vitro and in vivo. In a mouse model of autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), EAE was suppressed if the mice were injected with an antibody against Sema 4A. The Tim-2 protein, a member of a family of proteins expressed on T cells that contain immunoglobulin and mucin domains, was identified by expression cloning as a receptor for Sema 4A. Unlike the CD100 (also known as Sema 4D), Sema 4A stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of Tim-2 in transfected COS7 cells--CD100 promotes dephosphorylation of its receptor CD72. G. Bismuth, L. Boumsell, Controlling the immune system through semaphorins. Science's STKE (2002), http://stke.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/OC_sigtrans;2002/128/re4. [Abstract] [Full Text] A. Kumanogoh, S. Marukawa, K. Suzuki, N. Takegahara, C. Watanabe, E. Ch'ng, I. Ishida, H. Fujimura, S. Sakoda, K. Yoshida, H. Kikutani, Class IV semaphorin Sema4A enhances T-cell activation and interacts with Tim-2. Nature 419, 629-633 (2002). [Online Journal]


• Three patients with Laennec's cirrhosis were initially seen with anemia, abdominal pain, and increased abdominal girth. Hemoperitoneum was diagnosed by paracentesis, and laparotomy revealed ruptured intraperitoneal varices. The two patients with more severe volume depletion died. The other patient, who was initially normotensive but had orthostatic changes, survived. A review of 11 previously reported cases is presented. Abdominal pain, hypotension, and increased abdominal girth were common initial findings, and should lead to early abdominal paracentesis. Suture ligation of the bleeding varix gives the greatest likelihood of survival. ( Arch Surg 1982;117:953-956)


The relationship between trade and growth has been a familiar topic of discussion in the development literature. More often, the question posed concerns the effects of international trade on economic growth, and thus focuses on trade as an active "agent" of growth. This active role played by international trade can be found in many different models. Todaro (1994) concludes that trade can be an important stimulus to rapid economic growth, although it might not be a desirable strategy for economic and social development. The contribution to development depends on the nature of the export sector, the distribution of its benefits, and the sector's linkages with the rest of the economy.It seems that, to the extent we are only interested in the effects of international trade on pure economic growth, there is a consensus that trade can provide an important stimulus to growth. At the sub- national level, the export base theory provides the foundations to different models of regional development. Recently, however, given the focus on globalization issues and the implicit assumption that a region's economic future is inextricably tied with its ability to compete in the international export market, international trade has attracted the attention of regional analysts as well. In this paper we address some of these issues. An interstate CGE model is implemented to simulate the likely implications of state export growth on the structure of the Brazilian economic interregional system.


This paper presents a new approach towards the reconstruction of human posture from monocular video images that contain unrestricted human posture and human movement. It is a way towards low cost motion capture and at the same time avoids many limitations of the classical motion capture methods. A parameterized human skeleton model based on anatomy is used with the angular constraints encoded in the joints. Criterion Function is defined to represent the residuals between feature points in the monocular image and the corresponding points resulted from projecting the human model to the projection plane. A procedure is developed to recovery the whole body posture, and angle constraints are considered to obtain more natural human postures. Our model makes it feasible to reconstruct any possible human postures, and hence possible to generate highly realistic human animation. The experimental results from many monocular images are satisfactory.


In criminological debates, explanations of post 9/11 fear and control warn for the rise of security obsessions in which civil rights and social welfare principles are endangered. In this study on port security, the author entered the social world behind port security, where antiterrorist maritime laws that are influenced by global xenophobic politics and populist media, push police officers, customs officers and security personnel to interact in a multi-agency in the space of the port to establish a secure environment. The key research question focuses on this multi-agency of port security. By giving face to the rather unknown port security community and it cultures, this paper provides a criminological understanding of those responsible for securing and policing "at the docks". As will be argued, illustrated by of collected ethnographic data, the port security realm reveals how virtues of fearlessness, trust and wish to decontrol come paradoxically forward from cultures of fear and control.


The thrust of this paper is the critical evaluation of the level of acceptance of social media marketing in the Yorùbá film industry. In this age of globalization, many film marketers across the world have abandoned traditional media in favor of online forms of communication, which enable them to share information and get feedbacks from their audience. Based on this premise, it is necessary to investigate the level of acceptance of social media as a channel for film marketing in the fledgling Yorùbá video film industry. Questionnaires were administered to fifty randomly selected marketers in Ibadan and the Lagos metropolis, where there is a high concentration of these video film personnel. The study reveals that due to technology deficiency and lack of interest many marketers have not adopted social media for marketing their film products. The ineffective implementation of the copyright law in Nigeria, which is the major bane of this industry, has also prevented the marketers from adopting the new media. The loose market structure in the industry also deters marketers from maximally utilizing the great potentials social media marketing offers. Recommendations are made for improvement.


The direct utilisation of primary fuels such as natural gas, green methane or ethanol represents a transition step towards a cleaner energy-based society. This work shows the influence of a nickel-free intermediate anode layer, and a ceria-based functional anode composite, on solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) performance when directly utilising dry methane without fuel pre-reforming. A CeO 2 -Co 3 O 4 -CuO electrocatalyst was investigated by X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence to confirm the presence of CeO 2 , Co 3 O 4 , and CuO phases. To avoid thermal mismatches between the anode/electrolyte, an anode intermediate layer was developed and tested, with the aim of enhancing the thermal and chemical compatibility of components and oxygen ion transfer within the anode. The electrochemical properties of the assembled cells were evaluated by measuring i-V plots and electrochemical impedance spectra. The addition of the intermediate layer substantially decreased the polarisation resistance of the cell and increased the electrochemical performance of the cell 2.5-to 5.5-fold depending on which fuel was being utilised. Scanning electron microscopy was performed to observe the integrity of the microstructure morphology of both anode assemblies. The utilisation of dry methane was shown to be viable for operation from 750 to 850 ˚ C within the developed cells. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy and temperature-programmed oxidation tests confirmed that carbon deposition over the anode surface was negligible within the proposed configuration and materials design. Accordingly, this study reveals that the addition of the intermediate layer is promising for improving SOFC performance and mitigating carbon coking under direct methane-fuelled operation


In order to deal with the problem of flood disaster, water balance system damage and eco-environment deterioration for cities with development of urbanization in rain and snow area, an urban road cross section eco-design program with storage-infiltration utilization of rainwater and snowfall was proposed with the purpose of groundwater eco-replenishment, water conservation and snowfall stack, also ecological cross section form that can be used in practical engineering and enhancement of infiltration capability for sunken green space of urban road were put forward, and some effective anti-infiltration measures for subgrade and pavement were proposed to prevent the adverse action on urban road from the water in the sunken green space. The eco-design program increases storage-infiltration of rainwater and snowfall with holding the function of traffic organization, drainage and road landscape that belongs to the traditional urban road cross section, and it changed a single drainage system into a compositive storage-infiltration-drainage system. The eco-design program provided a basis and reference for urban road cross section eco-design in rain and snow area.


An accurate and precise analysis procedure is presented for the detection and quantification of cyclophosphamide (CP), 4ketocyclophosphamide (4-keto-CP), a primary metabolite of CP, and ifosfamide (IF) in human urine. CP and IF are common antineoplastic drugs used for the treatment of many types of cancer. Workers in the healthcare field, including nurses and pharmacists who interact with or prepare prescriptions for patients, have potential low-level exposure to the parent drugs; therefore, an analysis procedure is needed. The main focus of this procedure is the quantitation of 4-keto-CP because it is a primary metabolite of CP exposure and stable under physiological conditions. Sample preparation consists of liquid‐liquid extraction of urine with ethyl acetate, and the analysis consists of reversed-phase highperformance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry for detection of the analytes. Accuracy and precision of this procedure is demonstrated by means of recovery experiments. Recoveries are between 97‐105% of theory for the three target analytes at various concentrations (25, 50, 100, and 375 ng/mL for 4-keto-CP; 1, 2, 4, and 15 ng/mL for CP and IF) with relative standard deviations of 8.4% or less. The limit of detection for this procedure is 1 ng/mL for 4-keto-CP, 0.1 ng/mL for CP, and 0.05 ng/mL for IF in urine.


Background A number of symptomatic patients tend to use over-the-counter (OTC) medications and prescription medications. OTC medications can be easily obtained in pharmacies for self-treatment, but using OTC medications is not always safe and beneficial for patients. The aims of this study were to examine the use patterns of OTC medications and assess patients' perspectives regarding the use of OTC medications in Korean patients with chronic diseases. Patients and methods A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was carried out with Korean patients who visited the community pharmacy, located at the southern region of South Korea, during September 2015. Results A total of 345 patients participated in this survey. Approximately 64% of Korean survey respondents reported that they had used OTC drugs. The most commonly used OTC medications were antipyretics, analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. The perception level of Korean consumers on adverse drug reactions and drug–drug interactions from OTC medications was relatively low. Although OTC package leaflets are a main source of information about OTC medications, Korean consumers' level of reading OTC package leaflets was relatively low. Conclusion Based on these results, this study can serve as a meaningful starting point for interventions of health care professionals regarding OTC medications in South Korea. In particular, pharmacists should inform their consumers of drug-related problems from OTC drugs during consultation with the consumers; however, information about OTC drugs should be tailored to consumer information needs with the consideration of his or her circumstance. It is somewhat difficult to generalize the results from this study to other regions of South Korea since most of the respondents were probably residents of a small rural city located in the southern region of South Korea.


We associate learning in living systems with the shaping of the velocity vector field of a dynamical system in response to external, generally random, stimuli. We consider various approaches to implement a system that is able to adapt the whole vector field, rather than just parts of it - a drawback of the most common current learning systems: artificial neural networks.

This leads us to propose the mathematical concept of self-shaping dynamical systems. To begin, there is an empty phase space with no attractors, and thus a zero velocity vector field. Upon receiving the random stimulus, the vector field deforms and eventually becomes smooth and deterministic, despite the random nature of the applied force, while the phase space develops various geometrical objects. We consider the simplest of these - gradient self-shaping systems, whose vector field is the gradient of some energy function, which under certain conditions develops into the multi-dimensional probability density distribution of the input.

We explain how self-shaping systems are relevant to artificial neural networks. Firstly, we show that they can potentially perform pattern recognition tasks typically implemented by Hopfield neural networks, but without any supervision and on-line, and without developing spurious minima in the phase space. Secondly, they can reconstruct the probability density distribution of input signals, like probabilistic neural networks, but without the need for new training patterns to have to enter the network as new hardware units. We therefore regard self-shaping systems as a generalisation of the neural network concept, achieved by abandoning the "rigid units - flexible couplings'' paradigm and making the vector field fully flexible and amenable to external force. It is not clear how such systems could be implemented in hardware, and so this new concept presents an engineering challenge. It could also become an alternative paradigm for the modelling of both living and learning systems.

Mathematically it is interesting to find how a self shaping system could develop non-trivial objects in the phase space such as periodic orbits or chaotic attractors. We investigate how a delayed vector field could form such objects. We show that this method produces chaos in a class systems which have very simple dynamics in the non-delayed case. We also demonstrate the coexistence of bounded and unbounded solutions dependent on the initial conditions and the value of the delay. Finally, we speculate about how such a method could be used in global optimization.


Laboratory indices reflecting phases and level of systemic inflammatory reaction were analysed in 30 patients with acute gestation pyelonephritis (AGP). The patients were divided into two groups depending on clinical manifestations and drainage of the kidney. AGP course runs according to major regularities of systemic inflammatory reaction the analysis of which enables formulation of principles of optimal AGP treatment.


Background: The accurate measurement of physical activity is crucial to understanding the relationship between physical activity and disease prevention and treatment. Objective: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the activPAL physical activity monitor in measuring step number and cadence. Methods: The ability of the activPAL monitor to measure step number and cadence in 20 healthy adults (age 34.5±6.9 years; BMI 26.8±4.8 (mean±SD)) was evaluated against video observation. Concurrently, the accuracy of two commonly used pedometers, the Yamax Digi-Walker SW-200 and the Omron HJ-109-E, was compared to observation for measuring step number. Participants walked on a treadmill at five different speeds (0.90, 1.12, 1.33, 1.56, and 1.78 m/s) and outdoors at three self selected speeds (slow, normal, and fast). Results: At all speeds, inter device reliability was excellent for the activPAL (ICC (2,1)⩾0.99) for both step number and cadence. The absolute percentage error for the activPAL was <1.11% for step number and cadence regardless of walking speed. The accuracy of the pedometers was adversely affected by slow walking speeds. Conclusion: The activPAL monitor is a valid and reliable measure of walking in healthy adults. Its accuracy is not influenced by walking speed. The activPAL may be a useful device in sports medicine.


Laryngoceles and saccular cysts, while relatively rare, occur more often than the literature would suggest. In the past, most were diagnosed clinically in a symptomatic patient. Today, however, more patients suspected of head and neck cancer are being diagnosed with diagnostic radiographic procedures. Of 2,068 patients studied at M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute for suspected laryngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer, 87 (4.2%) had laryngoceles. There are three types of laryngoceles currently recognized: internal, external, and mixed/combined. Saccular cysts are divided into two categories: anterior and lateral. Both may be congenital, or acquired, and may occur at any age. This article reviews current evidence regarding classification, anatomy, clinical symptoms, etiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic techniques, and treatment of these two disorders.


3 dimensional RGB map extraction with use of registered RGB and depth data from Kinect has been widely implemented. This wide usage mostly comes from the fact that intrinsic and extrinsic parameters for both RGB and the infrared cameras are known out of the shelf. This study mostly focuses on 3 dimensional thermal mapping with RGBD-SLAM (RGBD Simultaneous Localization And Mapping) method utilizing the calibration and registration of a thermal camera with Kinect infrared camera.


A clinical trial was conducted to evaluate protracted systemic thiotepa as an adjuvant to radical mastectomy for treatment of operable carcinoma of the breast. Patients were randomized to have the operation (controls) or the operation plus a year of adjuvant therapy beginning at the time of surgery. Seventy-five controls and 90 treated patients have been observed from one to ten years. It was not possible to establish from this trial that thiotepa used in this manner was of value as a surgical adjuvant. Local recurrence was reduced but recurrence overall was not altered, either in its frequency or time of appearance. A notable trend associated with treatment was improved disease-free survival among treated patients without axillary metastases, suggesting that the adjuvant may be most effective when residual cancer is minimal.


The demand for sustainable and green chemistry has inspired chemists to hunt for efficient and economic ways to construct chemical bonds in organic synthesis. In particular, C-C, C-O and C-N bonds formation is a central aspect in synthetic chemistry. On the other hand, C-H bonds are ubiquitous in organic molecules. Therefore, the direct functionalization of C-H to C-C, C-O and C-N bonds becomes one of the most valuable and straightforward methods for the synthesis of complex structures. Sustainability has become one of the important scientific challenges nowadays, due to environmental, health and societal concerns. Due to this, there is a need for developing facile, efficient, and non-polluting synthetic procedures to reduce the use of organic solvents and toxic reagents. One such approach, which involves green and sustainable chemistry, drives towards pollution prevention and environmental protection, and is now gaining importance. Which mainly involves designing chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous substances, volatile organic compounds, generation of waste materials, by-product formation and unnecessary derivatization (like blocking, protecting/deprotecting) etc. One of the strategies widely implemented is the development of alternative sustainable routes involves catalyst-free and solvent-free reactions (CFR & SFR) which have gained importance recently. These approaches have several advantages over the conventional organic synthetic methods, like (a) reduced pollutant production, (b) reduced use or elimination of toxic and hazardous chemicals, (c) operational simplicity, (d) decreasing the reaction time (under SFR), (e) formation of pure products which avoids tedious purifications, (f) high yields, (g) reduced cost and many more. vi Due to the various advantages of solvent-free and catalyst-free reactions, from the past decades tremendous efforts have been made by several groups for the synthesis of heterocyclic molecules. Accordingly, we have developed the green protocols particularly solventfree, catalyst-free techniques and designed acid catalyzed cyclizations for making Dihydroisoquinolinium (DHIQ) Salts, highly substituted Oxazoles, Furocoumarins and Pyridoxazoles.


The authors previously considered the application of multilayer perceptrons (MLPs) to block coding at the sensor level of modern imaging systems, and have proposed analogue encoders with transistor-count complexity that is low enough to suit focal-plane implementation. In the paper, they extend the on-sensor block coding MLP study, to include a statistical analysis of the MLP sensitivity to implementation errors occuring in standard CMOS fabrication processes. Employing simple offset models, a comparison is made of the MLP with other block encoders based on full-search entropy-constrained vector quantisation (ECVQ) of the data, and it is verified that the MLPs are less sensitive over a wide range of rate-distortion compression points. By introducing a realistic linear model that takes into account sensitivity and the complexity performances for both systems, the authors verify that, for MLPs, the sensitivity becomes less dependent on the complexity as the expected quality loss is allowed to increase. Without setting a limit on the expected quality loss, the MLPs are consistently better than the ECVQs, both in terms of sensitivity and complexity for a precision equivalent to 6 bits.


Background The Human T-Lymphotropic Virus type 1c subtype (HTLV-1c) is highly endemic to central Australia where the most frequent complication of HTLV-1 infection in Indigenous Australians is bronchiectasis. We carried out a prospective study to quantify the prognosis of HTLV-1c infection and chronic lung disease and the risk of death according to the HTLV-1c proviral load (pVL). Methodology/Principal findings 840 Indigenous adults (discharge diagnosis of bronchiectasis, 154) were recruited to a hospital-based prospective cohort. Baseline HTLV-1c pVL were determined and the results of chest computed tomography and clinical details reviewed. The odds of an association between HTLV-1 infection and bronchiectasis or bronchitis/bronchiolitis were calculated, and the impact of HTLV-1c pVL on the risk of death was measured. Radiologically defined bronchiectasis and bronchitis/bronchiolitis were significantly more common among HTLV-1-infected subjects (adjusted odds ratio = 2.9; 95% CI, 2.0, 4.3). Median HTLV-1c pVL for subjects with airways inflammation was 16-fold higher than that of asymptomatic subjects. There were 151 deaths during 2,140 person-years of follow-up (maximum follow-up 8.13 years). Mortality rates were higher among subjects with HTLV-1c pVL ≥1000 copies per 105 peripheral blood leukocytes (log-rank χ2 (2df) = 6.63, p = 0.036) compared to those with lower HTLV-1c pVL or uninfected subjects. Excess mortality was largely due to bronchiectasis-related deaths (adjusted HR 4.31; 95% CI, 1.78, 10.42 versus uninfected). Conclusion/Significance Higher HTLV-1c pVL was strongly associated with radiologically defined airways inflammation and with death due to complications of bronchiectasis. An increased risk of death due to an HTLV-1 associated inflammatory disease has not been demonstrated previously. Our findings indicate that mortality associated with HTLV-1c infection may be higher than has been previously appreciated. Further prospective studies are needed to determine whether these results can be generalized to other HTLV-1 endemic areas.


Aim/Purpose: The aim of this research paper is to suggest a comprehensive model that incorporates the technology acceptance model with the task-technology fit model, information quality, security, trust, and managerial support to investigate the intended usage of big data analytics (BDA) in banks and insurance companies.

Background: The emergence of the concept of "big data," prompted by the widespread use of connected devices and social media, has been pointed out by many professionals and financial institutions in particular, which makes it necessary to assess the determinants that have an impact on behavioral intention to use big data analytics in banks and insurance companies.

Methodology: The integrated model was empirically assessed using self-administered questionnaires from 181 prospective big data analytics users in Moroccan banks and insurance firms and examined using partial least square (PLS) structural equation modeling. The results cover sample characteristics, an analysis of the validity and reliability of measurement models' variables, an evaluation of the proposed hypotheses, and a discussion of the findings.

Contribution: The paper makes a noteworthy contribution to the BDA adoption literature within the finance sector. It stands out by ingeniously amalgamating the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with Task-Technology Fit (TTF) while underscoring the critical significance of information quality, trust, and managerial support, due to their profound relevance and importance in the finance domain. Thus showing BDA has potential applications beyond the finance sector.

Findings: The findings showed that TTF and trust's impact on the intention to use is considerable. Information quality positively impacted perceived usefulness and ease of use, which in turn affected the intention to use. Moreover, managerial support moderates the correlation between perceived usefulness and the intention to use, whereas security did not affect the intention to use and managerial support did not moderate the influence of perceived ease of use.

Recommendations for Practitioners: The results suggest that financial institutions can improve their adoption decisions for big data analytics (BDA) by understanding how users perceive it. Users are predisposed to use BDA if they presume it fits well with their tasks and is easy to use. The research also emphasizes the importance of relevant information quality, managerial support, and collaboration across departments to fully leverage the potential of BDA.

Recommendation for Researchers: Further study may be done on other business sectors to confirm its generalizability and the same research design can be employed to assess BDA adoption in organizations that are in the advanced stage of big data utilization.

Impact on Society: The study's findings can enable stakeholders of financial institutions that are at the primary stage of big data exploitation to understand how users perceive BDA technologies and the way their perception can influence their intention toward their use.

Future Research: Future research is expected to conduct a comparison of the moderating effect of managerial support on users with technical expertise versus those without; in addition, international studies across developed countries are required to build a solid understanding of users' perceptions towards BDA.


. Numerous studies over last decade have shown that functional capacity of neutrophil granulocytes (NG) determines the course and outcome of many diseases. Identification of phenotypic variants of functionally significant NG subpopulations is a new approach allows us to assess the adequacy or deficiency of NG involvement into infectious inflammation processes at molecular level. An opportunity of reorienting a deficient NG subpopulational phenotype in purulent inflammatory diseases due to the rearrangement of the receptor set induced by various immunotropic substances may serve as a key to recovery of normal NG functioning. Our aim was to study the effect of glucosaminylmuramyldipeptide (GMDP) under in vitro conditions upon the phenotypic profile of four functionally significant subpopulations, i.e., CD62L + CD63 - NG, CD62L + CD63 + NG and CD64 - CD32 + CD16 + CD11b + NG, CD64 + CD32 + CD16 + CD11b + NG, along with assessment of expression density of appropriate membrane molecules and NG microbicidal activity in the children with purulent inflammatory diseases. 90 samples of peripheral blood (PC) were taken from children 2 to 4 years old, including 12 children with minor purulent infection (MPI), and 7 children were studied as conditionally healthy controls. Their peripheral blood was incubated for 60 minutes at 37 °C with GMP (10 were evaluated, and the phenotype features of each subpopulation were investigated according to the density of appropriate membrane molecule expression (MFI). In parallel, phagocytic and microbicidal activity of NG was tested in these study groups. The obtained data indicate for presence of for distinct NG subpopulations, both in healthy children and in children with MPI. We have revealed phenotypic transformation of the four studied NG subpopulations from MPI patients including disturbed phagocytic and microbicidal functions of the cells. Using of this in vitro system, we have shown that the transformed phenotype of the four functionally significant NG subpopulations of MPI patients was re-arranged under GMDP treatment. At the same time, the number of CD62L + CD63 + NG and CD64 - CD32 + CD16 + CD11b + NG subpopulations was increased, along with decreased amounts of CD64 + CD32 + CD16 + CD11b + NG and CD62L + CD63 - NG subpopulations, being accompanied by restoration of microbicidal activity of NGs. The obtained data allow us to accomplish current understanding of immunotropic effects of GMDP, and to extend the potential scope of its experimental and clinical application. The new data on GMDP effects revealed by in vitro system, i.e. phenotype rearrangement of functionally significant NG subpopulations purulent inflammatory in children, may used the future in order to develop innovative strategies immunotherapy aiming for correction of NG dysfunction in children with MPI.


This paper presents the characteristic features of the catalytic properties of the cold-rolled Ni3Al foils for methanol decomposition which were developed in our group. Methanol was effectively decomposed into H2 and CO over the foils above 713 K. The production rates of H2 and CO increased with an increase of time during the initial period of reaction, indicating that the Ni3Al foils were spontaneously activated under the reaction conditions. Surface analyses revealed that fine Ni particles dispersed on carbon nanofibers formed on the foils during the reaction. The high catalytic performance of the foils can be attributed to the spontaneous formation of this nanostructure during the reaction.


The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the causative factor of the posttransplant lymphoproliferative syndromes. Some ocular cases were described. We report the case of a lung-transplanted 59 year old man who presented a chorioretinal lymphoproliferative syndrome. A B-cell monoclonality and numerous EBV genome copies were demonstrated in vitreous material by PCR. We suspect an intermediate stage between polyclonal lymphoproliferative syndrome and malignant lymphoma. A treatment with nucleoside analogs and immunosuppression decrease was successful. The positive clinical evolution was associated with a reduction of the EBV genome quantity.


Although the taxonomic categories covered by the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes include the ranks of Subtribe (Subtribus) and Subfamily (Subfamilia), no names of taxa belonging to these ranks have been validly published. To simplify the Rules of the Code I propose abolishing these ranks. The rank of Kingdom is mentioned once in the Code, in an example to Rule 8, but it is not further defined. Therefore, I propose modifying that example so that the rank of Kingdom is no longer mentioned in the Code.