Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder during childhood that leads to impairment in functioning in academic and career domains and social responsibility. Methylphenidate is a common treatment for ADHD that may not be taken by patients due to its complications. The goal of the present study is to examine and compare the effects of Methylphenidate plus Betahistine and Methylphenidate plus placebo on ADHD in Children.Methods: This was a randomized double-blind clinical trial with control group conducted with 76 children with ADHD referred to Be'sat Hospital in Sanandaj, Iran in 2019. The data was collected using the demographic form, a researcher-made form for assessing the reported complications of Methylphenidate and Betahistine, ADHD Rating Scale and the Clinical Global Impression – Severity scale (CGI-S).Results: There was no age difference between the two experimental groups. Both groups experienced a reduction in intensity of ADHD symptoms according to mean scores, but there was more reduction in the Methylphenidate plus Betahistine than the other group. The most common complications in the two groups were lack of appetite (weeks 2 and 4) and agitation and vertigo (week 2).Conclusion: Betahistine plus Methylphenidate may be more effective in treating ADHD symptoms compared to Methylphenidate alone.


Linear porphyrin arrays self-assembled by either hydrogen bonding or metal ion coordination self-organize into lipid bilayer membranes. The length of the transmembrane assemblies is determined both by the thermodynamics of the intermolecular interactions in the supermolecule and by the dimension and physical chemical properties of the bilayer. Thus, the size of the porphyrin assembly can self-adjust to the thickness of the bilayer. An aqueous electron acceptor is placed on one side of the membrane and an electron donor is placed on the opposite side. When illuminated with white light, substantial photocurrents are observed. Only the assembled structures give rise to the photocurrent, as no current is observed from any of the component molecules. The fabrication of this photogated molecular electronic conductor from simple molecular components exploits several levels of self-assembly and self-organization.


Mastitis occurs on all dairy farms, and veterinarians can help producers reduce losses and promote more judicious antimicrobial usage. In the US, 7 intramammary (IMM) antibiotics are approved for treatment of mastitis, but no antibiotics are approved for systemic treatment of mastitis. Most cases of clinical mastitis present with mild or moderate clinical signs and there is no evidence that use of systemic antimicrobials is of benefit. Farmers typically underestimate costs associated with treatment of clinical mastitis, and about 75% of costs are associated with milk discard. Selection of drugs and duration of treatment are both areas that can have significant impact on economic losses associated with mastitis therapy. The distribution of etiologies is associated with the value of antimicrobial therapy, and use of intramammary antibiotics should be determined based on knowledge of etiology. Clinical outcomes of most mastitis cases that are culture-negative or caused by E. coli are not improved by use of antimicrobials, and considerable losses can be incurred when longer-duration therapy is used as the standard protocol. When etiology of non-severe clinical mastitis is unknown, use of narrow-spectrum IMM antimicrobials for short duration results in optimal economic outcomes.


The Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) preprocessing algorithm is considered "de facto" standard in the framework of learning from imbalanced data. This is due to its simplicity in the design of the procedure, as well as its robustness when applied to different type of problems. Since its publication in 2002, SMOTE has proven successful in a variety of applications from several different domains. SMOTE has also inspired several approaches to counter the issue of class imbalance, and has also significantly contributed to new supervised learning paradigms, including multilabel classification, incremental learning, semi-supervised learning, multi-instance learning, among others. It is standard benchmark for learning from imbalanced data. It is also featured in a number of different software packages -- from open source to commercial. In this paper, marking the fifteen year anniversary of SMOTE, we reect on the SMOTE journey, discuss the current state of affairs with SMOTE, its applications, and also identify the next set of challenges to extend SMOTE for Big Data problems.


An ever increasing concern over bacterial infections caused by consumer products as well as medical devices is obvious from the recent surge in literature documenting the need for novel self-decontaminating coatings. Within, we report a hybrid ionic organic/inorganic siloxane epoxy system containing quaternary ammonium moieties. This novel low surface energy antimicrobial coating is capable of self-decontaminating in a variety of environments. The system is designed to be used as an over-coating, for devices that are prone to come into contact with pathogenic bacteria. These coatings have been synthesized, characterized, and analyzed for both physical and antimicrobial properties. Preliminary antimicrobial evaluation indicates a direct correlation between antimicrobial activity and hydrophobicity of the biocidal functional group within the resin matrix. These coatings have demonstrated the ability to eliminate up to 99.9% of pathogenic bacteria on the surface. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008


High-performance computing developers are faced with the challenge of optimizing the performance of OpenCL workloads on diverse architectures. The Architecture-Independent Workload Characterization (AIWC) tool is a plugin for the Oclgrind OpenCL simulator that gathers metrics of OpenCL programs that can be used to understand and predict program performance on an arbitrary given hardware architecture. However, AIWC metrics are not always easily interpreted and do not reflect some important memory access patterns affecting efficiency across architectures. We propose a new metric of parallel spatial locality - the closeness of memory accesses simultaneously issued by OpenCL work-items (threads). We implement the parallel spatial locality metric in the AIWC framework and analyse gathered results on matrix multiply and the Extended OpenDwarfs OpenCL benchmarks. The differences in the observed parallel spatial locality metric across implementations of matrix multiply reflect the optimizations performed. The new metric can be used to distinguish between the OpenDwarfs benchmarks based on the memory access patterns affecting their performance on various architectures. The improvements suggested to AIWC will help HPC developers better understand memory access patterns of complex codes and guide optimization of codes for arbitrary hardware targets.


William Ball (or Balle as he signed himself in the Journal Book) was one of the enthusiastic amateurs with royalist sympathies and independent means who was present at the foundation meeting on 28 November 1660. He was the eldest son of Sir Peter Ball, Recorder of Exeter and Attorney General to Queen Henrietta Maria and to Queen Catherine. The exact date of his birth is uncertain, it was probably in 1627. Nothing is known of his early life, but as he lived for a time in the Temple he probably intended to follow his father's profession. He became a keen astronomer with his own telescope and like Wren and Sir Paul Neile he was specially interested in the puzzling appearance of Saturn. We know of his work from the letters of Wallis to Huygens between 1656 and 1659 which contain records of his observations and his drawings of Saturn both of which were frequently cited by Huygens in support of his own view of the annular nature of the appendages of the planet. These vanish for the terrestrial observer every time the earth crosses the plane of Saturn's ring, when part of this ring can be seen projected as a fascia or band upon the planet's disc. To observe this accurately was a severe test of the quality of the telescopes available at this time, but Ball succeeded in discerning this elusive phenomenon. In letters to Huygens dated 29 May 1656, which never reached him and had to be repeated, and 22 December 1658 (1), Wallis reported that William Ball had already, in 1655, observed the fascia across Saturn's disc, using a Roman telescope scarcely more than 12 feet long and supposed to have been constructed by Eustachio de Divinis.


Low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) participates in the uptake and degradation of several ligands implicated in neuronal pathophysiology including apolipoprotein E (apoE), activated alpha(2) -macroglobulin (alpha(2)M*) and beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP). The receptor is expressed in a variety of tissues. In the brain LRP is present in pyramidal-type neurons in cortical and hippocampal regions and in astrocytes that are activated as a result of injury or neoplasmic transformation. As LRP is expressed in the monocyte/macrophage cell system, we were interested in examining whether LRP is expressed in microglia. We isolated glial cells from the brain of neonatal rats and LRP was immunodetected both in microglial cells and in astrocytes expressing glial fibrillar acidic protein (GFAP). Microglial cells were able to bind and internalize LRP-specific ligand, alpha(2)M*. The internalization was inhibitable by RAP, with a Kd of 1.7 nM. The expression of LRP was up-regulated by dexamethasone, and down-regulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) or a combination of both. LRP was less sensitive to dexamethasone in activated astrocytes than in microglia. We provided the first analysis of LRP expression and regulation in microglia. Our results open the possibility that microglial cells could be related to the participation of LRP and its ligands in different pathophysiological states in brain.


This module uses an anonymous commentary (ca. 1827) to discuss the Atlantic anti-slavery movement as well as political debates over the punishment of slave women. 1 Gender and Anti-Slavery in the Atlantic World Although the British slave trade o cially ended in 1807, the institution of slavery continued for decades afterwards and reformers across the Atlantic world focused on putting an end to slavery or, at the very least, improving conditions for the enslaved. An anonymous commentary, "On the ogging of women," captures the frustration felt by British anti-slavery activists as they struggled with a colonial system reliant upon slave labor. This four-page document, physically housed in the Woodson Research Center at Rice University, is also made available in a digital format as part of the `Our Americas' Archive Partnership, a collection of rare documents focused on a hemispheric approach to the study of the history and literature of the Americas. This module is designed to suggest a few avenues through which teachers of history and literature courses at both the advanced high school and undergraduate levels can use "On the ogging of women," as an entry point into a discussion of gender, slavery, and anti-slavery within their courses. The commentary, dated roughly 1827, opens with an account of the defeat of a proposition presented to the Jamaican House of Assembly. This bill would have regulated the ogging, or whipping, of enslaved women. A poem by Charlotte Elizabeth entitled, "On the Flogging of Women," or "Flogging Females," comprises the second half of the document. This poem also calls attention to the plight of female slaves, not just in Jamaica but across the Americas. Therefore, in terms of course design, the commentary would t well within a thematic section such as 'Slavery and the Atlantic World' or a chronological section such as 'The Age of Reform, 1820-1860.' It can be noted that both of these suggestions do not include geographic limitations, therefore even in a course devoted to the rst half of U.S. history it is not only possible, but highly useful, to incorporate a hemispheric approach. Educators can link the story of Jamaican reform movements and emancipation to U.S. history by exploring the di erent paths through which emancipation was achieved in the two areas. While emancipation in the U.S. occurred as a result of a militaristic con ict, Jamaican emancipation followed a gradual route beginning with reformist movements during the early 1800s. By the 1820s Jamaica was one of Britain's most valuable colonial holdings. However, Britain struggled to retain control over the island's inhabitants and suggestions *Version 1.5: Aug 8, 2011 10:38 am -0500 "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ See the le at  See the le at  http://cnx.org/content/m32169/1.5/ OpenStax-CNX module: m32169 2 from Westminster were often met with coldness, if not outright hostility, from Jamaican planters. The 1820s debates over the treatment of female slaves proved no di erent as both sides refused to accept defeat. In 1823, the Colonial Secretary Lord Bathurst (the same Bathurst mentioned in the document) rst approached the West Indian colonies with a British House of Commons resolution by humanitarian Thomas Buxton that argued for a ban on the ogging of female slaves. Bathurst defended the bill in gendered terms and stated, "[B]eing single in its nature [it] may be at once adopted, viz., an absolute prohibition to in ict the punishment of ogging under any circumstances on female slaves . . . to restore to the female slave that sense of shame which is at once the ornament of and the protection of their sex. . . ." (Harlow and Madden, 560). However, the planters countered with their own gender-based arguments that enslaved women were particularly hard to control and bene ted more from whipping than their male counterparts. Educators could very successfully pair a discussion of the anonymous commentary alongside an investigation of the Journals of the Assembly of Jamaica (1822-26), in which the debates are recorded. In the end, the Jamaican House of Assembly refused to pass a measure regulating female ogging and even the Slave Act of 1826 did not include any such limitation. The author of "On the ogging of women," is referring to the 1826 debates when he/she states, "However painful to the feelings the knowledge of these proceedings may be, it is better they should be known" (see Figure 1). On the ogging of women (ca. 1827) Figure 1: An excerpt from the second page of an anonymous commentary on the treatment of Jamaican


MFL_PIG (Magnetic Flux Leakage detector) is the most widely used long-range pipeline inspection equipment to detect corrosion condition of the pipeline and thus to avoid serious pipeline accidents. In order to collect the diameter information of the pipeline, geometry pig (also called diameter analyzing system) is used before applying the MFL_PIG. In this paper, the hardware design of a new modern smart diameter analyzing system which is suitable for detecting cracks and corrosions in the pipeline with different diameters is introduced. Miles round system,as one of important part of the system, is investigated in detail. A pulse optimum algorithm for miles round system is put forward and its principle and realization method is discussed. Reverse time algorithm is adopted in miles round system to solve the problem of location precision. In the end, one of the verification tests is given to measure reliability of the system and results showed that the optimum algorithm works well when frequency of the analog block wave is in the range of 100Hz to 1MHz.


CV. Purnama's workshop is a welding workshop with appropriate technology. The workshop covers an area of 600 m2, with a total of seven workers. The workshop manufactures a cracker-making machine, a cutting machine, a dough mixer, etc. A preliminary study on the manufacturing process of the workshop conducted in 2014 reported a work accident in which the workers' feet were exposed to iron. Also, in 2019, workers fell into a boiler-machine pulley, which hit the head of one of the workers. Thus, this study aims to determine the risks and hazards involved in the work process at the Purnama workshop. This study used a qualitative research method and collected data through observation in each machine-building process and interviews with all workshop employees and workshop owners. The results of this study highlighted that the process of making a chopping machine had six hazards, while that of a dough mixer had five. The levels of hazards in the processes of making a chopping machine and a dough mixer were "high" at 58% and 56%, respectively. It is concluded that since a higher level of danger was found in each machine-building process in the workshop, risk control is necessary to avoid work accidents or occupational diseases. The workshop owners and workers are recommended to apply K3 in the workplace.


The University of Northampton made the decision to move to e-submission and feedback for the 12/13 academic year across all year groups. Throughout piloting we faced challenges ranging from determining best tools to accommodating practices specific to faculties and departments within the institution. We are now looking to further integrate the student record system with Blackboard to enable us to transfer data both ways. This will ultimately mean that academic staff can spend less time undertaking administrative processes, as the electronic transfer of information means that data can be passed between systems and departments more accurately and in less time.

We are now facing challenges in accommodating administrative processes attached to assessment. As the institution becomes more reliant on data, how do administrative teams manage the transition to electronic assessment processes and ensure the accuracy of that data? How do we ensure that everything we put into place is auditable? What part does Blackboard play in these processes?

In this session I will talk about practice we have already put into place at Northampton, and ask for participation and discussion from attendees about how others have dealt/plan to deal with similar situations.


This Article explores the possibility of constitutional self-help, whereby one arm of government takes otherwise impermissible action to redress another arm's constitutional wrong. As David Pozen provocatively suggests in Self-Help and the Separation of Powers, this system may already be upon us. President Obama, for instance, has pushed against constitutional and statutory limits in immigration, health care, education, environmental regulation, and more — proclaiming "We Can't Wait!" for Congress to "do its job." Meanwhile, Republican detractors in Congress often cite the President's failure to "faithfully execute" the law as a reason for their intransigence, in the form of blocking legislation, blocking presidential nominees for cabinet-level positions, and otherwise. In these recursive showdowns, each branch lays blame with the other to explain or justify their own questionable action. Prescriptively, and more ambitiously, Pozen suggests legalizing separation of powers self-help. This move would transform federal interbranch self-help from something that the President and Congress do to something they may do lawfully under certain circumstances. This Article intervenes. Pozen dexterously navigates his thesis through a number of separation-of-powers thickets, but he does not factor in federalism. Filling that void, this Article constructs a two-dimensional model of "self-help structuralism" — one that accounts for federalism and separation of powers simultaneously. More specifically, this Article illustrates how states engage in self-help too, often in looping feedback with the federal branches. Appreciation for this cross-dimensional dynamic offers better purchase on the idea that constitutional self-help is happening. Yet it also instigates a fresh mix of anxieties over whether to legalize the practice. For example, should states also be licensed to invoke self-help against each other, or against the federal government? Can federal acts of self-help preempt state law? More generally, what meta-principles should guide the analysis when our dual commitments to federalism and separation of powers collide? This Article takes a first pass at these and related questions. But just asking them advances the idea of constitutional self-help to new ground. Whatever political, legal, and academic battles over constitutional self-help lie ahead, they will need to be fought on the field of "self-help structuralism." More broadly, this Article contributes to a larger project of cross-dimensional structuralism. Creative solutions to problems in public governance along one dimension (whether federalism or separation of powers) can have structural spillovers into the other. When separation of powers and federalism overlap and intersect — and, increasingly they do — a cross-dimensional approach of the type modeled here can be analytically necessary. Innovations that may look good in isolation can take on new hue when assayed in full structural context.


More than ten years on from the 2008 financial crisis, two trends of global statism remain dominant: Beijing-led "exceptional neoliberalism" and the emerging "illiberal democracy" topped by Trumponomics, with racist populism looming at the back of both. Even though these persistent programs are remnants of the ideological, national, and economic wars of the previous century, the boundary separating them is permeable. Jiang Rong 姜 戎's prizewinning novel, Wolf Totem 《狼图腾》, helps us see this porosity. Wolf Totem is the first "Chinese Cultural Revolution" (fictional) memoir written explicitly for Chinese nationals and yet goes on to engage the sensibility of readers from a Western historical and ideological context. This essay critically identifies certain acts of reading Wolf Totem and looks at the way these selected readings, all allegorical in their approach, step across the literary subject to build symbolic extensions that stretch thin the wolves for various purposes. Collectively, such acts of reading expose both an important quality of our historical moment and the ideological function of literary intellectuals within it. They show that our era is one of skepticism about the status quo, one in which certain antidemocratic drives commiserate over historical conflicts and strategize for an extended, ongoing, and relentless process of global dominance. The popular reception of Wolf Totem crystallizes the thrust and conduct of these seeming competing drives. In the final analysis, this essay follows through the symptoms of these drives to reveal a kind of energetics or "primitivist social ethos" alive in the unified way humanity makes extinct any life forms unsubscribed to global statisms in their Beijing or "illiberal democratic" forms.


Syntectonic microstructural evolution is a well‐known phenomenon in the mantle and lower crust associated with two main processes: grain size reduction through dynamic recrystallization and development of crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO). However, the effects of annealing via static recrystallization on grain size and CPO have been largely overlooked. We investigated mantle annealing by analyzing a suite of kimberlite‐hosted garnet peridotite xenoliths from the Wyoming Craton. We focus on five xenoliths that show microstructures reflecting different degrees of recrystallization, with annealed grains characterized by distinctive faceted boundaries crosscutting surrounding, nonfaceted matrix grains. These textures are indicative of discontinuous static recrystallization (DiSRX). Electron backscatter diffraction analysis further demonstrates a ∼10°–20° misorientation between DiSRXed grains and the matrix grains, resulting in an overall weaker CPO. These characteristics are remarkably similar to microstructures observed in samples that were annealed after deformation in the laboratory. Measurements of the thermal conditions and water contents associated with the last equilibration of the xenoliths suggests that high homologous temperatures (T/Tm > 0.9) are necessary to induce DiSRX. We postulate that annealing through DiSRX occurs under high temperatures after a short episode of intense deformation (years to hundreds of years) with timescales for annealing estimated as weeks to years, significantly slower than the timescale of hours expected for a kimberlitic magma ascent. We conclude that microstructural transformation due to DiSRX will occur during transient heating events associated with mantle upwelling, plumes, and lithospheric thinning.


The steganographic schemes embed secret data in the location of cover image generated by pseudo random number generator. These kinds of algorithms do not evaluate the content and size of the secret message during embedding. It creates distortion in smooth region of cover image and results in secret data loss. In order to solve the above issues, high-capacity novel region-based spatial fusion steganographic scheme is proposed in this paper. This spatial fusion decomposes the image into various regions based on the level of intensity. It is extensively used to evaluate the capacity of region for high payload. Size and type of secret data is initialised as a key for the extraction to improve the confidentiality and privacy. Then the secret message with key is embedded by differentiating the pixel by 1 with constraints not equal to 0 and even or odd option which leads to less rate of modification. The proposed scheme is applied in the region of blue channel which is less sensitive to human visual system gives high imperceptibility to secret data. It is experimented with standard IST natural images by steganalysis algorithms results in better enhancement of security and quality in terms of imperceptibility and embedding capacity when compare to other LSB approaches.


Objective To correlate prenatal and postnatal findings of all cases of isolated fetal lower limb anomalies, to inform antenatal counselling of parents. Methods The authors identified all fetuses presenting to the Fetal Medicine Unit at University College London Hospital with a lower limb abnormality between 1995 and 2009. Those with isolated femoral and/or lower leg abnormalities were selected and postnatal findings correlated with prenatal findings. Results The authors identified 138 fetuses, of which 84 cases had isolated femoral or lower leg abnormalities. Of these 84, 52 had generalised shortening (<third percentile) of all long bones. In the remaining 32 cases there was an apparently isolated lower limb anomaly. The prenatal findings were confirmed after birth in 30 cases, one was lost to follow-up and in one a missing tibia was misdiagnosed as a missing fibula. Of the eight cases with bilateral lesions, a skeletal dysplasia was subsequently diagnosed in the seven cases with symmetrical leg abnormalities. For all cases not associated with an underlying skeletal dysplasia, plotting the size of the affected limbs showed that the growth velocity is usually maintained, albeit along a line below the normal centiles. Conclusion Prenatal ultrasound can identify with a reasonable degree of accuracy the abnormalities associated with isolated hypoplasia of the lower limb. The data presented here suggest that the initial degree of shortening is maintained throughout the pregnancy allowing a reasonably reliable estimate of size at birth. Fetuses with bilateral, symmetrical lower limb anomalies are more likely to have an underlying skeletal dysplasia.


ABSTRACT In the United States (US), young, Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV. Delayed and infrequent HIV testing has been associated with the increased likelihood of YBMSM to be infected, yet unaware. Despite increased efforts to provide HIV testing to YBMSM in the US, HIV testing remains underutilized by YBMSM in the South. To develop strategies to increase HIV testing, this study sought to understand the factors that affect HIV testing utilization among YBMSM. Twenty-two HIV-positive and HIV-negative YBMSM aged 22–33 in North Carolina participated in semistructured interviews. Qualitative thematic analysis revealed that deterrents and motivators to HIV testing spanned individual, social, and structural levels. Deterrents included a low perceived risk of HIV, fear of receiving an HIV-positive test result, lack of HIV testing locations, healthcare provider mistreatment and privacy concerns due to intersectional stigma. Motivators of HIV testing included health maintenance, social support, and increased access to HIV testing. The findings from this study contribute to ongoing research that aims to address inconsistent HIV testing and late HIV diagnosis among YBMSM. Interventions to address intersectional stigma in community and healthcare settings can enhance utilization of HIV prevention services .


A microbial chip is demonstrated that immobilises microbes into micro holes using positive dielectrophoresis (DEP) for efficient screening. The DEP frequency was set at 10 MHz, which was found to be most effective to selectively immobilise live bacteria. The media including reactive agents can be flown into the chip continuously and therefore the reaction products can be continuously collected. Immobilisation of microbes enables quantification of the number of microbes involved in the reaction and makes their reactions conditions consistent. These advantages enable the proposed microbial chip to evaluate the production capacity of a single bacterium. To demonstrate it, the developed microbial chip was used to characterise microbes and evaluate biological activity. First, Corynebacterium bacterium was used as a sample bacteria. The chip successfully revealed the production capacity of lactic acid by a single C. bacterium . It was experimentally found that the production rate of lactic acid of Corynebacterium glutamicum increased 1.7 times and 3.8 times by adding pyruvic acid and sodium bicarbonate, respectively. Secondly, microbes belonging to the Corynebacterium group with respect to the lactic acid production were screened. Corynebacterium variabile was experimentally found to be the most productive among three tested members. The proposed microbial chip is readily applicable to an efficient microbial screening platform and potentially a reliable microbial sensor given the capacity of quantifying the total number of bacteria involved in the microbial reaction.


This work-in-progress describes a novel approach to support freshman engineering students entering college with low math competencies in pre-calculus. Institutions across the nation are making significant efforts to develop K-12 programs and summer camps to recruit more ethnic minorities into engineering to better support the growing needs for diversity in industry workforce. However, while a diverse freshman-engineering cohort is essential, it is even more important that schools provide students with adequate support to be successful in their freshman year and thus increase their chances to be retained and graduate with an engineering degree. In particular, first generation and low-income students may enter college without proper academic preparation with fundamentals in mathematics, which may lead to low academic performance during their first year in engineering and impact their retention in engineering. To address this issue, engineering schools are investing resources in developing and offering remediation programs to ensure underrepresented minority students acquire the necessary foundational skills to be successful in their first calculus, physics and engineering courses in college. In this large public institution, all incoming engineering freshmen are required to take a math placement exam, which determines if they are calculus ready for their first mathematics course. This work-in-progress describes interventions, such as co-enrollment of students in a precalculus and engineering projects in community service courses, to assist students who scored very low on this exam in building a mathematical foundation with an engineering framework. At the end of fall semester, students had improved pre-calculus skills (13.8 points) and 86.4% were retained in engineering. The findings of this study will provide further contributions to research on the retention of students who enter engineering requiring remediation in mathematics.


Rethinking Vaccine Distribution The distribution of vaccines is a complex issue lying at the intersection of public health, economics, and ethics and it cannot be decided in hindsight as an epidemic unfolds. Thus, mathematical modeling can be valuable for guiding policy, and Medlock and Galvani (p. 1705, published online 20 August) present an analysis of how to distribute influenza vaccine among different age groups in a way that will minimize transmission. Scenarios were developed for different outcomes that tell us what happens, in terms of numbers of infections, mortality, and cost, when various cohorts are targeted for vaccination under different epidemic conditions, and compare 1918- and 1957-like epidemics. The scenarios could apply equally well to antiviral drug distribution. The conclusion is that the current recommendations for vaccine distribution from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may need to be revised to include age-related patterns of transmission to minimize the impact of epidemic influenza. Age-related transmission patterns should be incorporated into vaccine distribution policy to minimize the impact of epidemics. The criteria to assess public health policies are fundamental to policy optimization. Using a model parametrized with survey-based contact data and mortality data from influenza pandemics, we determined optimal vaccine allocation for five outcome measures: deaths, infections, years of life lost, contingent valuation, and economic costs. We find that optimal vaccination is achieved by prioritization of schoolchildren and adults aged 30 to 39 years. Schoolchildren are most responsible for transmission, and their parents serve as bridges to the rest of the population. Our results indicate that consideration of age-specific transmission dynamics is paramount to the optimal allocation of influenza vaccines. We also found that previous and new recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both for the novel swine-origin influenza and, particularly, for seasonal influenza, are suboptimal for all outcome measures.


The subjective attributes of 2-channel phantom images of transient piano, continuous trumpet and male speech sources were elicited using pair-wise comparison between reference mono images and their phantom images. The attributes elicited included 'image focus', 'image width', 'image distance', 'brightness', 'hardness' and 'fullness'. The effect of interchannel time and intensity differences on the perceived difference between the real image and its phantom image was investigated for each sound source in respect of the elicited subjective attributes. Results show that the type of panning method (pure time, pure intensity and combination of the two) had a statistically significant effect on image focus and image width attributes. It was also found that the type of sound source had a significant effect on all the attributes.


Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection are complex diagnoses that require management by multidisciplinary providers using a variety of medical therapies, surgical interventions, and lifestyle modifications. Pharmacological agents, such as β-blockers (atenolol) and angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (losartan), have been mainstay treatments for several years, and research from the past decade has continued to evaluate these and other medication classes to further improve patient morbidity and mortality. Combination β- and renin-aldosterone-angiotensin blockade, statins, metformin, antioxidants, and vitamins have been evaluated as therapeutics in both thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms, as well as the effects of various antibiotics (ie, fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines) and benefits of lifestyle modifications (eg, diet and exercise) and enhanced patient-centered care and treatment adherence. In addition, as our understanding of the genetic, biochemical, and pathophysiological mechanisms behind these diseases expands, so do potential targets for future therapeutic research (eg, interleukins, matrix metalloproteases, and mast cells). This review incorporates the major meta-analyses, systematic and generalized reviews, and clinical trials published from 2010 through 2021 that focus on these topics in thoracic aortic aneurysms (and abdominal aneurysms when thoracic literature is scarce). Several key ongoing clinical trials, case studies, and in vivo/in vitro studies are also mentioned. Furthermore, we discuss current gaps in the literature and the abundance of clinical evidence for some interventions in abdominal aneurysms with few thoracic correlates, thus indicating a need for investigation of these subjects in the latter.


Abstract –Mobile application processors will soon interchange  desktop processors as the effort  of innovations in microprocessortechnology. Previously, these processors have largely reached their most power-crazy cousins, supporting out-of-order execution and multi-core processing. In the near future, the problem of the exponential fading of dark silicon will be the main force Remote patient observing is an eHealth administration, which is utilized to collect and interchange bio flag information from the patients to the eHealth specialist organization (e.g., human services focus). Having timestamps that are dynamic and dependable is fundamental for remote patient checking all together for patient information to have setting and to be connected with other information. The utilization of WSNs willconquest the need of patients to be stationery for their essential parameters to be estimated. In this paper the system execution is examined and dissected dependent on different execution parameters like sensor hub thickness, correspondence length, Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), throughput, normal system postponement and vitality expended and so on. By conflicting acquired execution and required execution, pick proper hub thickness, information transmission rate and correspondence term for foundation of Zigbee based WSN for patient checking.


This paper analyzes the root cause of performance degradation and the impact of hot-carrier injection (HCI) on the lifetime prediction of an LC voltage-controlled oscillator (LC-VCO). Observed from both constant voltage stress and ramped voltage stress tests, it is shown that the dominant degradation mechanism shifts from a negative bias temperature instability to an HCI due to the accelerated aging condition. Furthermore, simulations show that a frequency increase of degraded VCO is mainly attributed to the degradation in the pMOSFET of a cross-couple pair, while the degradations in the pMOSFET and nMOSFET have relatively the same impact on the startup voltage shift. Compared with the frequency change, the degradation of the startup voltage of an LC-VCO is less sensitive to device width. Based on the observed results, methodologies to optimize the reliability tests and mitigate the frequency shift of LC-VCO are proposed.


Degenerative spinal cord compression is a frequent pathological condition with increasing prevalence throughout aging. Initial non-myelopathic cervical spinal cord compression (NMDC) might progress over time into potentially irreversible degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). While quantitative MRI (qMRI) techniques demonstrated the ability to depict intrinsic tissue properties, longitudinal in-vivo biomarkers to identify NMDC patients who will eventually develop DCM are still missing. Thus, we aim to review the ability of qMRI techniques (such as diffusion MRI, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), magnetization transfer (MT) imaging, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS)) to serve as prognostic markers in NMDC. While DTI in NMDC patients consistently detected lower fractional anisotropy and higher mean diffusivity at compressed levels, caused by demyelination and axonal injury, MT and 1H-MRS, along with advanced and tract-specific diffusion MRI, recently revealed microstructural alterations, also rostrally pointing to Wallerian degeneration. Recent studies also disclosed a significant relationship between microstructural damage and functional deficits, as assessed by qMRI and electrophysiology, respectively. Thus, tract-specific qMRI, in combination with electrophysiology, critically extends our understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of degenerative spinal cord compression and may provide predictive markers of DCM development for accurate patient management. However, the prognostic value must be validated in longitudinal studies.


The modelling of metabolic acidosis and alcalosis states proves that AAB is capable to influence on the haemoglobin parameters and its oxiform levels in the blood of newborn animals. The quantitative redistribution of the indicated haemoglobin forms in blood of the experimental animal is estimated as compensator process and is explained by their buffer properties. The investigated regularities revealed some aspects of adaptive mechanisms manifested during the abnormal exit of the newborn organism from the respiratory-metabolic acidosis state.


Background and Purpose:
 Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are frequently observed in patients with lacunar infarction. CMBs are associated with an increased risk of mortality in stroke patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and in the elderly population. We investigated the association of CMBs with long-term mortality in patients with lacunar infarction according to characteristics of CMBs.

 Methods:
 This was a retrospective hospital-based observational study. This study included 315 patients with first-ever lacunar infarction who underwent brain gradient-recalled echo imaging. The mortality data were obtained from the Korean National Statistical Office. By using a Cox regression analysis, we investigated the relationship between CMB characteristics and all-cause, ischemic stroke, and hemorrhagic stroke mortality.

 Results:
 CMBs were noted in 17.5% of patients (55/315). During a follow-up of 4.8 median years (interquartile range, 3.4-6.2 years), 43 patients (13.7%) died (ischemic stroke, 8; hemorrhagic stroke, 3). In multivariate analysis (age, sex p < 0.1 in univariate), the presence of multiple (≥4) CMBs was an independent predictor for all-cause (hazard ratio [HR], 6.02), ischemic stroke (HR, 15.44), and hemorrhagic stroke (HR, 16.56) mortality. Considering CMB location, strictly lobar CMBs were independently related to hemorrhagic stroke mortality (HR, 101.22)(Tables and Figures).

 Conclusions:
 The presence, multiplicity, and distribution of CMBs were predictive of long-term mortality in acute lacunar infarction. The detection and evaluation of CMBs are of value in predicting long-term prognosis in patients with lacunar infarction.


Preliminary professional conduct decision in the matter of trustees Eric Metivier, Robert Brochu, and Serge Morency and trustee firms PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. and Serge Morency & Associes Inc. (October 15, 2002).


Balance is a fundamental component of movement, involving the ability to recover from instability and to avoid instability, to anticipate balance disturbances. Various developmental motor disorders cause poor balance, resulting in difficulties with postural control and disturbing the development of numerous activities of daily living. To plan interventions for these young children with motor disabilities, a specific measure to evaluate balance is an essential part of the assessment.Most of the standardized developmental motor tests encompass balance tasks. However the isolated balance items can not be interpreted. Therefore, we aim to develop a new assessment tool to evaluate balance from independent walking to 6 years of age. The Ghent Developmental Balance Test aims at offering a complete developmental series of tasks, reflecting specifically the development of the child's balance abilities. This test is fit for typically developing children between 18 months and six years zero months or for children with a similar level of balance control.


Sustainability, as a new concept, has been adopted recently in the world of architecture, related to new technical utilities and new assessment environmental methods. At the same time, several eco-logics have been developed, according to a new approach from the world of energy, resources and health. After that, economical and social items have been summed up. From an aesthetical and expressive point of view, the architecture based in this new paradigm has not developed a new common language yet, which is still diverse, confused and non identifiable, but the trend in the future will establish new formal and coherent initiatives. Eventually, all activities related to the world of architecture and construction are creating a holistic approach from an environmental viewpoint, which will be a really important matter for the human habitat in the future, according to the actual trend. The economics and social items related to architecture are showing that the environmental conscience must be spread not only to market and economical diplomacy, but to education, participation, and ethics too. The approach, then, is finally global, holistic and focused on values. This scenario rooted to values means that the environmental awareness will be placed in a very significant position, in opposition to the last age, in which the technical pattern was one of the predominant, overestimated values. Hazards and impacts from Human activities over Nature are now essentially analyzed in every discipline, including construction and architecture. That means that what is really changing in the construction world is not only science or technology. What are changing are the values, which turned up from the sense of man as the centre of the universe to Nature in a first place, in harmony with nonanthropocentric values. This conviction can help to address the new focuses for Ravage of the Planet III 291


Pain management in post transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy is a key to early recovery. Different types of regional anesthesia techniques have been applied for managing post-operative pain. However, the results are still not satisfactory. This study aims to compare effectiveness of ultrasound-guided bilateral Quadratus Lumborum (QL) block with continuous epidural analgesia in improving post transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy analgesia and motoric mobility. This is a randomized controlled trial that included 26 healthy living kidney donor patients. All subjects were randomized to receive preoperatively bilateral QL block (n=13) or continuous epidural analgesia (n=13). Subjects in QL group received 20 mL of bupivacaine 0.25% bilaterally and subjects in epidural group received continuous bupivacaine 0.125% infusion 6 mL/hour. Numerical rating scale (NRS), Bromage score, and duration of urinary catheterization were recorded. The results presented no significant differences in NRS scores at rest and movement, and Bromage score between QL block group and epidural block group in at 2,6,12,24 hours after surgery. The QL block group received significantly lower total dose of bupivacaine (p<0.001) and duration of urinary catheterization was significantly shorter (p=0.001) compared to epidural group. This study found that QL block produced similar postoperative NRS and Bromage score with fewer dose of bupivacaine and shorter duration of urinary catheterization compared with continuous epidural analgesia within 24 hours.


The mechanical properties of Bombyx mori silk yarns and baves were investigated with tensile testing method. After silk yarns were pre-extended at different strain levels and fixed for a while followed by recovery process, the tensile characteristics were examined in detail. It was commonly observed that low preliminary extensions up to 2–3% do not cause the changes of the mechanical properties and stress-strain curves because they result in small structural changes and distortions, which were recovered within relatively short time (∼ 1 min) in recovery process. However, pre-extension values >3% strain lead to great changes of the mechanical properties and fibre structure, i.e., the changes of the shape of stress-strain curve where additional transition point was observed, increase in the rigidity and stress at rupture, but decrease in extensibility as a result of orientation and destruction of the fibre structure especially in the amorphous region. It was stated that silk fibre consists of two distinct deformation regions, namely first linear region extending up to 2–3% strain and the second region beyond 2–3% strain where the main reorganization processes of the fibre structure, that is, the straining of macromolecular chains especially in the amorphous regions, the orientation of structural units such as β-sheet microcrystals in stretching direction, and the destruction of macromolecules take place. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009


Mental illnesses are highly stigmatized worldwide;in Nigeria, the psychiatric
institutions and the mental health personnel are additionally stigmatized. From its inception
as an asylum about a century ago, Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba Lagos has had its own share of
stigmatization. For instance the observed fear of the citizenry to enter into the hospital
premises, as well as its being derogatorily labeled as "Ogba were" (lunatic asylum) and
"Yaba apa osi" (Yaba to the left side). Consequently, in the year 2000 the hospital stepped
up its efforts on destigmatization through public enlightenment programmes and provision
of commercial /social as well as general health care services in the institution that would
bring or attract the citizenry to its facilities
We carried out an audit study of the utilization of general health care services
provided within the hospital partly aimed at attracting the citizenry to the hospital premises
such as Harvey Road Community Clinic (HRCC): a general health care practice and
Electroencephalograph(EEG)unit. Furthermore, the statistics of patients\' flow to the
hospital 5 years before the year 2000 (when destigmatization programme was reorganized
in the hospital) and five years after was done.
Necessary consent was obtained from the Research and Ethical Committee of the
hospital to carry out the study. The records of the patients\' flow into the hospital for the
period of 1995 to 2005 were obtained from the Medical Records department. Furthermore,
the necessary records of services utilisation were also retrieved from the HRCC and EEG
units; and an audit evaluation was carried out on the obtained records. Observation of
services rendered in these units (HRCC and EEG) was also carried out by three recruited
research assistants.
In the first year of the EEG unit in the hospital, 560 patients had EEG recording
done in the centre; 44% of them were from outside the institution. The figure rose to 1326
patients in the fifth year, with 57.7% from outside the institution. Similarly, for HRCC, the
number of patients\' attendances in the clinic rose from 3033 in 2001 (91.7% hospital staff
attendances and 8.3% attendances from the community) to 5013 in 2005 (76.0% hospital
staff attendances and 24.0% from the community). For psychiatrically ill patients, the total
number seen in the facility rose from 23488 in 1995 (5 years before the reorganization of
the destigmatization programme and the establishment of general healthcare services) to
40513 in 2005 but with a peak of 41116 in the year 2003.
Although expediency (especially for EEG) may partly explain the citizenry\'s
patronisation of the services provided in the study centre; it is concluded that the subjects,
especially the non-psychiatrically ill ones would most probably disregard perceived
psychiatric stigma and not mind to utilise the general health services provided within the
premises of the psychiatric facility when the need arose.
 Nigerian Journal of Psychiatry Vol. 5 (1) 2007: pp. 19-25


Many platforms that facilitate transactions between buyers and sellers charge ad valorem fees in which fees depend on the transaction price set by sellers. Given these platforms do not incur significant costs that vary with transaction prices, their use of ad valorem fees has been questioned. In this paper, using a model that connects ad valorem fees to third‐degree price discrimination, we evaluate the welfare consequences of banning such fees. We find the use of ad valorem fees generally increases welfare, including for calibrated versions of the model based on data from Amazon's marketplace and Visa's signature debit cards.


Factors that Influence an Individual's Decision to Teach Agricultural Education Lee Ann Hall The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence an individual's decision to teach agricultural education. A descriptive research design, in the form of a census survey, was used to collect data for this study. The population included individuals who completed their student teaching from 2002-2005 while attending one of five universities in the eastern United States. The five most influential factors identified by the respondents included (in order of influence): their agriculture teacher, agricultural background, FFA involvement, high school agricultural program involvement, and family. Individuals who did not teach agriculture made their decision based on the following reasons: student teaching experience, demands of the job, low salary, no teaching jobs in the area, and time requirements. Respondents who had left teaching cited a lack of administrative support, low salary, time requirements, no other available jobs in area, unsuccessful as a teacher, and too many demands other than teaching.


The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of credit risk management on the profitability of commercial banks in Tanzania. Secondary panel data was collected from published financial statements of a sample of 19 commercial banks covering a period of 11 years, from 2005 to 2015 and used for the analysis. Financial profitability of the banks was proxied by Return on both assets and equity ratios.Independent variables included, nonperforming loan ratio, capital adequacy ratio,total loans to total deposits ratio and loan loss provision to nonperforming loan ratio.Panel data regression analysis were used to run the estimation model, specifically pooled regression model. Results reveal that there was a significant negative relationship between the NPL/TL ratio and ROE. Also, there was a significant negative relationship between the LLP/NPL ratio with both ROE and ROA. It was also revealed that CAR had an insignificant positive relationship with ROE but significant positive relationship with ROA. However, TL/TD ratio had negative but insignificant relationship with both ROE and ROA. It is concluded that increasing nonperforming loans relative to total loans reduces the profitability of a bank or financial institution and so is increasing loan loss provisions relative to nonperforming loans. Therefore, management and all stakeholders are required to put in place a robust credit risk management structure that will strengthen the loan assessment process so as to minimize possibility of issuing potentially bad loans. Furthermore, management should put in place an effective credit portfolio management mechanism so as to effectively follow up on all issued credit facilities so as they do not turn bad.


Recent genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of severe malaria have identified several association variants. However, much about the underlying biological functions are yet to be discovered. Here, we systematically predicted plausible candidate genes and pathways from functional analysis of severe malaria resistance GWAS summary statistics (N = 17,000) meta-analysed across 11 populations in malaria endemic regions. We applied positional mapping, expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL), chromatin interaction mapping, and gene-based association analyses to identify candidate severe malaria resistance genes. We further applied rare variant analysis to raw GWAS datasets (N = 11,000) of three malaria endemic populations including Kenya, Malawi, and Gambia and performed various population genetic structures of the identified genes in the three populations and global populations. We performed network and pathway analyses to investigate their shared biological functions. Our functional mapping analysis identified 57 genes located in the known malaria genomic loci, while our gene-based GWAS analysis identified additional 125 genes across the genome. The identified genes were significantly enriched in malaria pathogenic pathways including multiple overlapping pathways in erythrocyte-related functions, blood coagulations, ion channels, adhesion molecules, membrane signalling elements, and neuronal systems. Our population genetic analysis revealed that the minor allele frequencies (MAF) of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) residing in the identified genes are generally higher in the three malaria endemic populations compared to global populations. Overall, our results suggest that severe malaria resistance trait is attributed to multiple genes, highlighting the possibility of harnessing new malaria therapeutics that can simultaneously target multiple malaria protective host molecular pathways.


Although liver transplantation (LT) lengthens the survival time of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), LT patients exhibit a high recurrence rate; particularly those that had advanced HCC associated with the tumor biological characteristics and long-term application of immunosuppressants. A consensus on optimal prophylaxis and treatment for recurrent HCC following LT does not currently exist. The present study retrospectively analyzed data from 36 non-University of California at San Francisco criteria-eligible patients with advanced HCC who underwent LT, and then treated them with sirolimus (SRL)-based therapy with thymalfasin and huaier granules (SRL+, n=18), or with tacrolimus-based therapy (controls; n=18). The SRL+ group had significantly longer recurrence times (P=0.008) and survival times (P<0.0001) (OS, 1-year: 100%, 3-year: 94.4%, 5-year: 77.8%; DFS, 1-year: 88.9%, 3-year: 55.6%, 5-year: 50.0%). Furthermore, compared with pre-LT values and the control group, the SRL+ group had significantly lower serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels (both P<0.0001) and percentage of Forkhead box P3 (FoxP3)+ Treg lymphocytes (P<0.001) during the first year. In the SRL+ group, FoxP3+/cluster of differentiation (CD)8+ Treg lymphocyte percentages decreased significantly following LT (P<0.001); however, CD8+/CD3+ T-cells significantly increased (P<0.001). Levels of serum AFP and FoxP3+ Treg cells increased when tumors relapsed, and decreased to near-normal when relapse foci were cured or stabilized. SRL+ therapy may decrease AFP and Treg levels, while increasing CD8+ T cells, indicating an associated mechanism among them. In conclusion, SRL+ therapy appears to be safe and effective in preventing HCC recurrence following LT with no significant adverse events, and warrants further investigation.


Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) and Right Dorsal Colitis (RDC) are common in performance horses. Diagnoses are based on history, clinical signs, laboratory findings, gastroscopic examination, and response to altered diet and medical therapy. Effective treatment strategies for EGUS focus on increasing stomach pH by inhibiting or buffering gastric acid, which allows a permissive environment for ulcer healing, and environmental and dietary management. Effective treatment strategies for RDC focus on removing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), decreasing the bulk in the diet, reducing inflammation, coating and lubricating the colon and decreasing environmental stress. Prevention of these conditions requires long-term dietary and environmental management.


Summary In this paper, an improved method to extract the chin contour under different face poses is proposed. Several previous approaches have used active contour models(ACM) or snakes in front-view facial images. However, successful chin contour extraction for a wide range of face poses has seldom been mentioned. An algorithm based on an improved snake for chin contour extraction is presented here and it is able to be operated successfully with wide range of different face poses. Since lots of algorithms have been proposed for extracting face region and important facial features like eyes and lips, the algorithm in this paper assumes that the face region and locations of these two features are known as prior knowledge. At the first stage, the face is normalized and face pose is roughly estimated according to the geometric relationship between eyes and lips. Then, the snake for chin contour is initialized with two parabolas according to different face poses. The shape-enhanced snake model is employed to fit the chin contour at last. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can extract the chin contour under different face poses with good accuracy.


This paper first reviews factor reconstructability analysis (RA) modelling completely by data. Gives a description of levelled variable factor reconstruction analysis model generation process and its further extension to forecasting, evaluation and optimisation. It introduces RA modelling with multi‐variety information and knowledge. From generation of mixed variable RA models to generation of models with both data and knowledge, the paper gives a related table and a figure on "Information flow of reconstructability analysis with multi‐variety information and knowledge" which included database, RA relational knowledge base, and interfaces for input of experts' knowledge. Finally, it gives some examples and prospects.


The major part of this thesis describes the synthesis of enantiopure alcohols and diols by combining ruthenium-catalyzed redox reactions that lead to racemization or epimerization and lipase-catalyzed asymmetric trans-formations in one-pot.A mechanistic study of the unexpected facile formation of meso-diacetate products found in enzyme-catalyzed acetylations of alkanediols with Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) was first performed. By deuterium labeling it was found that the formation of meso-diacetates proceeds via different mechanisms for 2,4-pentanediol and 2,5-hexanediol. Whereas the first reacts via an intramolecular acyl migration, the latter proceeds via a direct, anomalous S-acylation of the alcohol. The acyl migration occurring in the 2,4-pentanediol monoacetate was taken advantage of in asymmetric transformations of substituted 1,3-diols by combining it with a ruthenium-catalyzed epimerization and an enzymatic transesterification using CALB. The in situ coupling of these three processes results in de-epimerization and deracemization of acyclic, unsymmetrical 1,3-diols and constitutes a novel dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation (DYKAT) concept.Racemization of secondary alcohols effected by a new ruthenium complex was combined in one-pot with an enzyme-catalyzed transesterification, leading to a chemoenzymatic dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) operating at room temperature. Aromatic, aliphatic, heterocyclic and functionalized alcohols were subjected to the procedure. A mechanism for racemization by this ruthenium complex has been proposed and experimental indications for hydrogen transfer within the coordination sphere of ruthenium were found. The same ruthenium catalyst was used for epimerization in DYKAT of 1,2-diols, and a very similar complex was employed in isomerization of allylic alcohols to saturated ketones. The former method is a substrate extension of the above principle applied for DYKAT of 1,3-diols. The combination of a lipase and an organocatalyst was demonstrated by linking a lipase-catalyzed transesterification to a proline-mediated aldol reaction for the production of enantiopure (S)-β-hydroxy ketones and acetylated (R)-aldols.


Protein dephosphorylation by protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), acting in concert with protein kinase C (PKC) and protein kinase A (PKA), is a pivotal regulatory mechanism of protein phosphorylation. Isolated rat cardiac myofibrils phosphorylated by PKC/PKA and dephosphorylated by PP1 were used in determining dephosphorylation specificities, Ca2+-stimulated Mg2+ATPase activities, and Ca2+ sensitivities. In reconstituted troponin (Tn) complex, PP1 displayed distinct substrate specificity in dephosphorylation of TnT preferentially to TnI, in vitro. In situ phosphorylation of cardiomyocytes with calyculin A, a protein phosphatase inhibitor, resulted in an increase in the phosphorylation stiochiometry of TnT (0.3 to 0.5 (67%)), TnI (2.6 to 3.6 (38%)), and MLC2 (0.4 to 1.7 (325%)). These results further confirmed that though MLC2 is the preferred target substrate for protein phosphatase in the thick filament, the Tn complex (TnI and TnT) from thin filament and C-protein in the thick filament are also protein phosphatase substrates. Our in vitro dephosphorylation experiments revealed that while PP1 differentially dephosphorylated within TnT at multiple sites, TnI was uniformly dephosphorylated. Phosphopeptide maps from the in vitro experiments show that TnT phosphopeptides at spots 4A and 4B are much more resistant to PP1 dephosphorylation than other TnT phosphopeptides. Mg2+ATPase assays of myofibrils phosphorylated by PKC/PKA and dephosphorylated by PP1 delineated that while PKC and PKA phosphorylation decreased the Ca2+-stimulated Mg2+ATPase activities, dephosphorylation antagonistically restored it. PKC and PKA phosphorylation decreased Ca2+ sensitivity to 3.6 µM and 5.0 µM respectively. However, dephosphorylation restored the Mg2+ATPase activity of PKC (99%) and PKA (95%), along with the Ca2+ sensitivities (3.3 µM and 3.0 µM, respectively).


The capacity of species to tolerate physical stressors is critical in a world of increasing environmental instability, however, past selective environments should dramatically impact on future stress tolerance, particularly in isolated populations. Through stabilising selection, long-term environmental stasis may reduce physiological tolerance, creating an evolutionary legacy where populations are less fit if environments change. Few empirical studies have investigated this evolutionary legacy of past selection, and of particular interest whether stabilising selection in a benign environment reduces stress tolerance in natural systems. Here we use multiple populations of salt-lake invertebrates (Coxiella striata, Austrochiltonia subtenuis) with either stable or fluctuating environmental histories to investigate the relationship between stabilising selection and environmental stress resistance. Tolerance to both salinity and temperature stress were examined in invertebrate populations from lakes with long-term (decadal) stable environments and compared with populations from lakes with extreme salinity variations. Individuals from stable environments demonstrated significantly lower survival under both increasing salinity and temperature stresses when compared with environmentally unstable populations. Our results support the hypothesis that the evolutionary legacy from stabilising selection in constant environments leads to reduced stress tolerance. This finding demonstrates that under an increasingly variable climate, the evolutionary legacies of populations will be critical for future survival and adaptation.


The training activity on village asset inventory and development of Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDesa) aims to provide knowledge insights to the Saba Village apparatus and scientific skills to be able to inventory potential assets belonging to the village in order to develop Village Owned Enterprises (BUMDesa). The activity was carried out in the form of training with a workshop approach, discussion and tutorial videos on asset inventories along with comprehensive analysis of solutions to the problem of developing BUMDesa. The results of this service activity include. First, the Saba Village apparatus gained an understanding of village assets and potential that could be developed into a village economy. Secondly, the village apparatus was very enthusiastic and eager to establish BUMDesa. Third, the Sipedas tutorial method helps provide convenience as well as a skill in conducting an asset inventory. Third, helping to solve the problem of assets in Saba Village which had previously been a conflict between communities and has now become clear.Keywords: Village Assets, BUMDesa, Village Economy, Training, Saba


The Xe ion irradiation-induced structural modifications of implantation-synthesized Ag NPs were explored in this paper. Our results clearly show that Xe ion irradiation could induce transformation of crystalline Ag NPs into polycrystalline ones with various shapes. The modified Ag NPs exhibit a notable shoulder absorption band around 550 nm besides the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak located at about 400 nm. Reduction of the electron mean-free-path and interaction between crystallites in the formed polycrystalline NPs have been proposed to interpret the appearance of the shoulder absorption band. Moreover, our results also show that subsequent thermal annealing at 400 °C for 1h can restore polycrystalline Ag NPs to crystalline ones with spherical shape, which are nearly aligned around the end of the Ag ion range, and contribute a much narrower SPR absorption peak at 400 nm.


OBJECTIVE:Meningiomas of the tuberculum sellae have a close relationship with the optic apparatus. Even modern series show a 10 to 20% risk of visual deterioration after surgery. We have attempted to improve visual outcome by extradural decompression of the optic canal and anterior clinoid process, followed by intradural release of the optic nerve; this study provides an analysis of visual outcomes with this approach. METHODS:Treatment, histopathology, and follow-up data of 29 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for tuberculum sellae meningiomas with initial release of the optic nerve were prospectively collected. RESULTS:Radical tumor removal was possible in all 23 patients with primary tumors and in three out of six patients with recurrent tumors. All patients but two of the worst affected with preoperative visual compromise improved from surgery; there were no instances of visual deterioration. Five patients with normal preoperative vision remained intact and visual improvement was 22 (91%) out of 24 patients in the remaining patients. In total, 13 patients (42%) had completely normal vision at follow-up. Mainly patients younger than 60 years experienced complete normalization after surgery. Two patients underwent transsphenoidal surgery for cerebrospinal fluid leaks. Postoperative endocrinological symptoms were temporary diabetes insipidus in one patient and permanent diabetes insipidus in another patient undergoing elective sectioning of the pituitary stalk because of a recurrent tumor with invasive growth into the stalk. CONCLUSION:Adding early optic nerve decompression by extradural clinoidectomy and optic canal unroofing to a frontopterional approach seemed to improve visual outcomes because there were no instances of visual deterioration. Simpson Grade 1 to 2 removal was possible in all patients with primary surgery, whereas recurrent cases could only be treated with lower grades of radicality. Radical removal, however, required readiness to reoperate for cerebrospinal fluid leakage at the site of the drilled tumor origin in bone.


There could be a very long version of this essay, but this will have to be the short version. Occasionally, there will be far too obvious indications of where a much longer, more argued version ought to take over. This version is a short cut. This last remark has to be said with a certain unabashedness because, really, a short cut is something impossible in such a large terrain. The questions I am asking are ones provoked by the almost automatic connection made between poetry and ecological issues, matters to do with the poem and matters of the environment and nature. Is there in fact any reason to make such a connection? Does poetry have any part in the current array of activities necessary to maintain the environment in the face of the new millennium's pressures of urbanism, of technology, of poverty, of capitalism and population growth? Anyway, how much contemporary Australian poetry is ecological?


Thiazide diuretics and statins are used to improve cardiovascular outcomes, but may also cause type 2 diabetes (T2DM), although mechanisms are unknown. Gene expression studies may facilitate understanding of these associations. Participants from ongoing population-based studies were sampled for these longitudinal studies of peripheral blood microarray gene expression, and followed to incident diabetes. All sampled subjects were statin or thiazide users. Those who developed diabetes during follow-up comprised cases (44 thiazide users; 19 statin users), and were matched to drug-using controls who did not develop diabetes on several factors. Supervised normalization, surrogate variable analyses removed technical bias and confounding. Differentially-expressed genes were those with a false discovery rate Q-value<0.05. Among thiazide users, diabetes cases had significantly different expression of CCL14 (down-regulated 6%, Q-value=0.0257), compared with controls. Among statin users, diabetes cases had marginal but insignificantly different expression of ZNF532 (up-regulated 15%, Q-value=0.0584), CXORF21 (up-regulated 11%, Q-value=0.0584), and ZNHIT3 (up-regulated 19%, Q-value=0.0959), compared with controls. These genes comprise potential targets for future expression or mechanistic research on medication-related diabetes development.


Firewalls are core elements in network security, the effectiveness of firewall security is dependent on configuring firewall policy correctly.Firewall policy is a lower-level policy which describes how firewall actually implements security policy. Security policy is a higher-level policy which defines the access that will be permitted or denied from the trusted network. Compare with software engineer, security policy is a design, firewall policy is a set of codes. It is useful to discover inconsistency between security policy and firewall policy. In this paper, we present a method of verifying consistency between security policy and firewall policy, which applies the idea of model checking. First of all,two policies and the consistency are represented with logic programs. Then the verification is applied by testing whether the logic formula of the consistency is satisfied in the semantics of the logic programs. Furthermore, We prove that the method has an unique answer which can be computed in polynomial time.


In response to new and exacerbated challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Indigenous children and youth in Canada have developed innovative and holistic solutions to amplify their voices, continue cultural engagement and combat social isolation for themselves and their communities as a whole. In this analysis, we have selected three Indigenous philosophical tenets as an ethical orientation for discussion of how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the well-being of Indigenous young people. The guiding values of interconnected relationships, holism and Indigenous-informed restorative justice help us interpret existing pandemic-specific literature and identify, define and prioritize considerations of child and youth well-being from an Indigenous-centred worldview. This analysis can (a) help inform future pandemic measures affecting Indigenous young people and (b) foster similar considerations for Indigenous communities in other regions of the world.


Functional gene disruption is a central tenet of cancer research, where novel drug targets are often identified and validated through cell-growth based knockdown studies or screens. Short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated mRNA knockdown is widely used in both academic and pharmaceutical settings. However, off-target effects of shRNAs as well as interference with endogenous small RNA processing have been reported1–3. We show here that lentiviral delivery of both gene-specific and non-targeting control shRNAs impair in vitro cell growth in a sequence independent manner. In addition, exogenous shRNAs induce a depressed cell-cycle-gene expression signature that is also shRNA-sequence independent and present across several studies. Further, we observe an shRNA mediated general repression of microRNAs belonging to polycistronic genetic clusters, including microRNAs from established oncogenic microRNA clusters. The collective impact of these observations is particularly relevant for cancer research, given the widespread historical use of shRNAs and the common goal of interrogating genes that regulate proliferation. We therefore recommend that when employing shRNA for target validation, care be taken to titrate shRNA dose, use hairpin-expressing controls, perform gene-of-interest rescue experiments and/or corroborate shRNA-derived results by small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown or CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genetic knockout. Minimizing these deleterious sequence independent effects will improve research fidelity and help address reported challenges in experimental reproducibility4.


This working paper by Rebecca Zahn of the University of Stirling looks at the effects of the economic crisis on the enlarged European Union and the European Social Model.Starting from an analysis of the well-known Viking and Laval decisions of the European Court of Justice from 2007 and 2008, the author of the report sees increasing tensions between EU member states over "social dumping", austerity packages and growing inequality between workers.This development results in citizens questioning the benefits of further European integration and threatens the very existence of the European social model.


Weather radars are operating at a higher site than the surrounding area in order to prevent the terrain from blocking the beam. This causes a quantitative error to the rainfall estimation near the surface, even though radar observations are useful over the sea where in situ observation is difficult. The marine radar has a shorter detecting radius than the weather radar, but can detect targets with higher spatial resolution. We modified a marine radar to estimate quantitative precipitation in order to fill the gap of the weather radar. The analogue-to-digital converter has been developed to extract the precipitation signal from the marine X-band radar. The terrain clutter and vessel included in the precipitation signal were removed by a clutter map. The attenuation of the precipitation signal due to the increase of beam volume were improved by applying the beam attenuation and volume correction factor depending on the distance. We have developed an algorithm to estimate the quantitative rainfall from the marine X-band radar signal based on the linear relationship between the rainfall measured by rain gauge on the ground and the marine X-band radar precipitation signal. This result was validated by comparison with the rainfall by rain gauge on the ground. The precipitation distribution over 5 mm hr -1 of the marine X-band radar was consistent with that of the weather radar and the movement of the precipitation echo can be monitored in real time on higher spatial and temporal resolution than the weather radar. This study suggests a new observation technique to complement the temporal and spatial gaps of weather radar and to forecast for the risk of severe weather over coastal region.


In 2012, a new jurisdictional body – the Court of the Eurasian Economic Community – began to operate in post-Soviet space. During the almost seven years of activity, from September 2012 to May 2019, the Court primarily dealt with appeals of economic entities who challenged acts of the Eurasian Economic Commission, as well as requests from Member States and the Commission for interpretations of international treaties. On one hand, the decisions of the Court meet basic international standards and contain certain answers to the questions submitted to the Court. On the other hand, they do not draw detailed arguments and clear conclusions and sometimes reflect the Court's predisposition towards the Commission and Member States. As a result, they successfully perform the task of resolving specific disputes, but do not perform (at least effectively) the general task of strengthening the rule of law of the EAEU. The Court did not formulate major concepts that complement and enrich the law of the EAEU. The author substantiates this conclusion and analyzes the Court use of sources of law and evidence; its participation in judicial dialogue; its technique of argumentation; linguistic features of its decisions; procedural and substantive problems faced by the Court, and options for their solution; the practice of presenting separate opinions; legal concepts formulated by the Court, and its overall influence on the development of EAEU law. The ineffective resolution of problems faced by the Court are attributable to subjective and objective reasons – shortcomings of applicable acts, the Court's isolation from Russian doctrine, the Court's focus on an internal model of legal proceedings, mistrust on the part of Member States, failure of the Court organizational structure to conform to international standards, and the vertical nature of the EAEU. If these factors are not overcome, and the Court does not change its conduct, it risks becoming a decorative body engaged in explaining provisions that are clear (and will repeat the sad fate of the CIS Economic Court). This prospect is discouraging.


Wind Turbines constitute a sustainable and effective solution for the production of energy using wind power. Offshore wind turbines especially are becoming of special interest. However, their design poses great challenges, since an offshore structure is subject to combined wind and wave dynamic loading that is characteristic of the site of installation. The purpose of this paper is to provide a case study of fatigue life assessment for the cross-section at mudline (foundation) of a standard offshore wind turbine with a monopile design. Two potential sites of construction in the Aegean Sea of Greece were examined. A probabilistic approach was employed in order to determine the fatigue life based on anemological data at each of the two sites of interest. At its basis is an extensive Monte Carlo simulation of wind (velocity) and wave (height, period) characteristics. The results show the dependence of fatigue life on the local wind and wave conditions, the crosssection size (e.g. diameter and thickness of the foundation's pile) and the welded connection detail. All in all, the more benign conditions in the Aegean allow simpler connection details and smaller in size cross-section of foundation pile's cross-section to still have acceptable performance.


Abstract. Today we find ourselves immersed in what is called the digital revolution, which has already profoundly transformed our cognitive approach and working methods. In archaeology, photogrammetry and 3D modelling enable archaeologists to document the whole excavation process and reconstruct contexts even after they have been removed. We can reproduce a coffin with sub-millimetric accuracy by recording all its phases of production and reuse. Non-invasive diagnostic imaging enables us to peer inside a still sealed vessel and virtually unwrap the mummies. Accurate analysis now gives scholars the opportunity to observe the fibres of a papyrus, helping us recompose ancient documents. Then digital communication enables us to create virtual working environments in which scholars from all over the world can confer and compare their data. All this facilitates and accelerates the work of scholars.Does this mean that the humanist's role is becoming secondary? Quite the contrary. The data we glean is increasingly detailed and complex and requires an even greater level of interpretation. The scientist and the humanist have to work together even more closely to try and unravel the complexity of the contemporary world. This increasing collaboration goes beyond the dogmatisms of individual knowledge. The definition of a shared semantics and the development of a true multidisciplinary approach are the only method we have to cope with the challenges of the future.And in all this, what will the role of the museum be? Are these institutions destined to disappear? The changes will continue. We will think of different organisational and architectural solutions responding to contemporary needs. There will certainly also be new forms of cultural enjoyment. Our task, however, will always be to improve the visual, aesthetic and intellectual experience of every visitor who comes face to face with a piece of the past, and to provide all the information necessary to enrich their understanding. So the future of museums is, as it has always been, research.


\s=b\ Twenty-six patients with bacteremia caused by group G streptococci were seen during a 29-month period. Our findings suggest that the epidemiology of these infections has not changed appreciably during the last 15 years. The disease occurs most commonly as an acute community-acquired infection in older persons with underlying conditions predisposing to skin breakdown. Patients with these bacteremias fall into three categories: those with associated cutaneous infection only; those with serious focal infection; and those with probable infection. Underlying neoplastic conditions were relatively uncommon (25%) in our series compared with others (65%). In contrast to recent reports emphasizing this complication, endocarditis was uncommon in our patients. A prompt response to therapy with \g=b\-lactamantibiotics occurred in most of our patients. (Arch Intern Med 1985;145:58-61)


The purpose of this research was to determine if there was a relationship between the level of funds available and the pattern of expenditure in New Hampshire high schools. For example, was there a relationship between the percentage of its budget a high school spends on regular education programs and its overall per pupil cost? The hypothesis was that there would be less than a moderate correlation between each of eight variables and per pupil expenditure. A Pearson r value of 0.30 or greater was defined as indicating a moderate correlation. The study also examined each high school's spending pattern over time to determine if there was a change in the pattern of expenditure. The hypothesis was that there would be only small changes in expenditure patterns. Finally, the study examined the expenditure pattern of the 38 high schools taken as a group to determine if the pattern of spending across the state was the same. This was examined for each year and for the total time period examined. The hypothesis was that there would only be small differences in expenditure patterns across the 38 schools and only small changes over the nine year period. A coefficient of variation of 0.10 or less was used to define a small change. The research examined four different expenditure areas: (a) regular education, (b) guidance services, (c) educational media and (d) school administration. The amount of money expended in each area was broken down into personnel costs and the cost of supplies and materials. The data supported the following conclusions: (1) There was a negative correlation between regular education expenditures and per pupil cost, in some cases this correlation reached the moderate level. (2) There was a positive correlation between guidance personnel spending and per pupil cost. (3) While there was a consistent pattern of expenditure within individual schools there was not a consistent pattern across schools. (4) The 38 schools, taken as a group, had a consistent expenditure pattern during the period covered by the study.


A retrospective review was conducted to determine the incidence of cardiac catheterization for postinfarction angina, the associated coronary anatomy, and the subsequent clinical course. Over one year, 30 of 178 myocardial infarctions were complicated by postinfarction angina resulting in cardiac catheterization. This was 18% of cardiac catheterizations for evaluation of coronary artery disease. Among the 30 patients, 3 had left main disease, 3 had triple‐vessel disease, 11 had double‐vessel disease, 11 had single‐vessel disease, and 2 had no significant disease. Nine patients had proximal left anterior descending disease without left main disease. In contrast to previous autopsy or surgical series, the extent of coronary artery involvement was less severe and followed a distribution similar to that found in uncomplicated myocardial infarctions. Nevertheless, 17 of the 30 patients underwent revascularization with angioplasty or bypass surgery compared with 41 of 137 without postinfarction angina (p=0.01). Clinical characteristics of the patients with postinfarction angina did not predict who would ultimately require revascularization. Cardiac catheterization is necessary for management of patients with postinfarction angina, because a majority of them will require revascularization.


Internal combustion engine thermal management system functionality can be enhanced through the introduction of smart thermostat valves and variable speed electric pumps and fans. The traditional automotive cooling system components include a wax based thermostat valve and crankshaft driven water pump. However, servo-motor driven valves, pumps, and fans can better regulate the engine's coolant fluid flow to realize fuel economy gains and tailpipe emission reductions. To study these cooling system actuators, with accompanying nonlinear control strategy, a scale experimental system has been fabricated which features a smart valve, electric coolant pump, radiator with electric fan, and immersion heater. In this paper, mathematical models will be presented to describe the system's behavior. A nonlinear controller will then be designed for transient temperature tracking. Representative experimental results are presented and discussed to demonstrate the smart valve's operation in maintaining the temperature within a neighborhood of the target value for various scenarios including highway mode, full power with load disturbance, and quick heat.


Abstract. Husodo T, Shanida SS, Febrianto P, Pujianto MP, Megantara EN. 2019. Mammalian diversity in West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 1846-1858. Protected forests in West Java are wider than conservation forests, whereas mammalian diversity in protected forests is as high as mammalian diversity in conservation forests. Mammals in protected forests are not protected by regional protection regulations, while anthropogenic factors in Java are quite high. This is possible that mammals who have high conservation status will experience local extinction. This study aims to determine (i) the composition of mammalian species and (ii) the species that are always found in studies of mammalian diversity in West Java. The study was conducted through a qualitative approach by combining several methods such as interview, camera trapping, sign survey, observation and transect, and collapsible traps. Mammalia in West Java found 54 species, 21 families, and nine orders with details of three species of Artiodactyla, 12 species of Carnivores, seven species of Chiroptera, one species of Dermoptera, one species of Euphotyphla, one species of Pholidota, five species of Primates, 21 species of Rodentia, and three species of Scandentia. The species that are always found in all study locations are nine species, including wild boar, Javan leopard, leopard cat, Javan mongoose, oriental small-clawed otter, Asian palm civet, grizzled leaf monkey, Javan langur, and Javan tree shrew. The results presented here may facilitate improvements in the mammalian diversity database, especially in the non-conservation area.


Development of electric vehicle (EV) conversion process can be implemented in a low-cost and time-saving manner, along with the design of actual components. Model-based system design is employed to systematically compute the power flow of the electric vehicle propulsion and dynamic load. Vehicle specification and driving cycles were the two main inputs for the simulation. As a result, the approach is capable of predicting various EV characteristics and design parameters, such as EV performance, driving range, torque speed characteristics, motor power, and battery power charge/discharge, which are the necessity for the design and sizing selection of the main EV components. Furthermore, drive-by-wire (DBW) ECU function can be employed by means of model-based design to improve drivability. For the current setup, the system components are consisted of actual ECU hardware, electric vehicle models, and control area network (CAN) communication. The EV component and system models are virtually simulated simultaneously in real time. Thus, the EV functionalities are verified corresponding to objective requirements. The current methodology can be employed as rapid design tool for ECU and software development. Same methodology can be illustrated to be used for EV tuning and reliabil- ity model test in the future.


In this paper we present an efficient algorithm to estimate first order and second order Sobol' indices (SI) and its relationships with the inputs parameters variation range width. In the variance-based global sensitivity measure, SI are quantities defined by normalizing parts of variance in ANOVA decomposition (Sobol', 1993). They are estimated from the ratio between the variance of the conditional expectation of the output given the input and the unconditional variance of the output (eq .1). Many techniques have been proposed to estimate these indices. A recent review of these methods can be found in (Borgonovo & Plischke, 2015). Among others Monte-Carlo-based algorithm (Sobol' 1993, Saltelli et al., 1999, Jansen 1999, Monod et al., 2006, etc.) require a special random sampling scheme i.e. they cannot directly use samples used for the uncertainty propagation. Building on a similar idea than Plischkle (Plischke, 2010) we propose a methodology that allows the computation of SI form a set of given data. We propose to start from the local conditional variance to derive the global sensitivity indicator by estimating the variance of the conditional expectation (Eq. 2). The local information on sensitivity is summarized under the form of a Diagram of Expected Variance Reduction (DEVR), which relates the local reduction in uncertainty with the domain of variation of the considered input parameter with reduced width.


Elastocaloric cooling uses solid-state NiTi-based shape memory alloy (SMA) as a non-volatile cooling medium and enables a novel environment-friendly cooling technology without global warming potential. Due to the high specific latent heats activated by mechanical loading/unloading, large temperature changes can be generated in the material. Accompanied by a small required work input, a high coefficient of performance is achievable.
 Recently, a fully-functional and illustrative continuous operating elastocaloric fluid cooling system based on SMA is developed and realized, using a novel mechanical concept for individual loading and unloading of multiple SMA wire bundles. The fluid-based heat transfer system is designed for efficient heat exchange between the stationary heat source/sink and the SMA elements, operates without any additional heat transfer medium. Rotation frequency and fluid flow-rate are adjustable during operation, which allows adapting the operation point to power- or efficiency-optimized demands.
 The versatile placement of the in- and outlets allows different duct lengths and counter-flow or parallel-flow experiments. To investigate the air flow parameters at the in- and outlets, as well as the crossflow between the hot and cold side, a measurement system is developed and integrated. In this contribution, the first measurement results of the output temperatures for inlet air flow variation in combination with different rotation frequencies are presented.


AIM
To explore the mechanism of differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) into neurons in different micro-environments in vitro.

METHODS
BMSCs were isolated from bone marrow of SD rats and cultured and expanded in vitro. After being identified by immunofluorescence staining, the BMSCs labeled with PKH67 were co-cultured with foetal brain neural cells in the same plate well or in two-layer Petri dish. 8 days later, the BMSCs were detected by immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTS
After being co-cultured with foetal brain neural cells at the same time, some BMSCs differentiated into neurons. (32.72+/-2.56)% of the BMSCs expressed neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in the co-cultured group, which was obviously much more than that in control group (P <0.05). Only (4.87+/-0.79)% of the BMSCs expressed NSE when the BMSCs co-cultured with foetal brain neural cells in two-layer Petri dish, which had no difference with the control group (P>0.05). The number of differentiated BMSCs was less than that of the co-cultured group (P <0.05).

CONCLUSION
In vitro, the local microenvironment formed by neural cells can promote BMSCs to differentiate into neurons, and close contact between BMSCs and neural cells is an important condition that induce BMSC to differentiate into neurons.