The story of how Zionist colonisers planned and established nearly 700 agricultural settlements, towns and cities from the 1880s to the present. This extraordinary activity of planners, architects, social scientists, military personnel, politicians and settlers is inextricably linked to multiple contexts: Jewish and Zionist history, the Arab/Jewish conflict, and the diffusion of European ideas to non-European worlds. Ilan Troen demonstrates how professionals and settlers continually innovated plans for both rural and urban frontiers in response to the competing demands of social and political ideologies and the need to achieve productivity, economic independence, and security in a hostile environment. In the 1930s, security became the primary challenge, shaping and even distorting patterns of growth. Not until the 1993 Oslo Accords, with prospects of compromise and accommodation, did planners again imagine Israel as a normal state, developing like other modern societies. Troen concludes that if Palestinian Arabs become reconciled to a Jewish state, Israel will reassign priority to the social and economic development of the country and region.


Abstract. Terrestrial water storage (TWS) composed of surface waters, soil moisture, groundwater and snow where appropriate, is a key element of global and continental water cycle. Since 2002, the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) space gravimetry mission provides a new tool to measure large-scale TWS variations. However, for the past few decades, direct estimate of TWS variability is accessible from hydrological modeling only. Here we propose a novel approach that combines GRACE-based TWS spatial patterns with multi-decadal-long in situ river level records, to reconstruct past 2-D TWS over a river basin. Results are presented for the Amazon Basin for the period 1980–2008, focusing on the interannual time scale. Results are compared with past TWS estimated by the global hydrological model ISBA-TRIP. Correlations between reconstructed past interannual TWS variability and known climate forcing modes over the region (e.g., El Nino-Southern Oscillation and Pacific Decadal Oscillation) are also estimated. This method offers new perspective for improving our knowledge of past interannual TWS in world river basins where natural climate variability (as opposed to direct anthropogenic forcing) drives TWS variations.


Bacterial strains differ in their ability to cause hospital outbreaks. Using comparative genomic hybridization, Enterobacter cloacae complex isolates were studied to identify genetic markers specific for Enterobacter cloacae complex outbreak strains. No outbreak-specific genes were found that were common in all investigated outbreak strains. Therefore, the aim of our study was to identify specific genetic markers for an Enterobacter hormaechei outbreak strain (EHOS) that caused a nationwide outbreak in The Netherlands. Most EHOS isolates carried a large conjugative plasmid (pQC) containing genes encoding heavy-metal resistance, mobile elements, pili-associated proteins and exported proteins as well as multiple-resistance genes. Furthermore, the chromosomally encoded high-pathogenicity island (HPI) was highly associated with the EHOS strain. In addition, other DNA fragments were identified that were associated with virulence: three DNA fragments known to be located on a virulence plasmid (pLVPK), as well as phage- and plasmid-related sequences. Also, four DNA fragments encoding putative pili with the most homology to pili of Salmonella enterica were associated with the EHOS. Finally, four DNA fragments encoding putative outer-membrane proteins were negatively associated with the EHOS. In conclusion, resistance and putative virulence genes were identified in the EHOS that may have contributed to increased epidemicity. The high number of genes detected in the EHOS that were related to transferable elements reflects the genomic plasticity of the E. cloacae complex and may explain the emergence of the EHOS in the hospital environment.


Purpose To examine the relationship between the morphological and functional results in eyes after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling due to stage 4 full-thickness macular hole (FTMH). Methods The study included 22 eyes that underwent successful PPV due to FTMH. Both vertical metamorphopsia (VM) and horizontal metamorphopsia (HM) were determined using type 2 M-charts, as well as best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), microperimetry, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed before PPV and 1 and 6 months postoperatively. Results A significant improvement of BCVA and metamorphopsia scores measured by M-charts in particular periods before surgery, 1 and 6 months after PPV, was observed. The VM scores were consistently higher than the HM scores at all assessment times. There was a correlation found between VM and BCVA and microperimetry parameters before surgery. The macular sensitivity (MS) as well as macular integrity index increased from 1 month to 6 months after PPV and were correlated with postoperative visual acuity (VA). There was a correlation found between the hole diameter and MS and P2 parameter 6 months after PPV. There was a correlation found between mean duration of symptoms of FTMH and VA and VM score. Conclusions VM scores seem to correlate better than HM scores with preoperative BCVA, microperimetry parameters, and duration of symptoms of the FTMH. VM scores are higher after PPV than HM scores in patients with stage 4 of the FTMH. This trial is registered with NCT03701542.


Abstract The objectives of this trial were to evaluate the association between corn processing, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) concentration, and intramuscular (IM) fat deposition. We hypothesized that steers fed whole shelled corn (WSC) would have a greater IM fat deposition than steers fed cracked corn (CC) due to an increase in plasma GIP concentration. Backgrounded, Angus-cross cattle (initial body weight [BW] = 279 ± 9.8 kg) were used in a randomized complete block design in a feedlot setting for an average of 230 d. Cattle were allotted in 12 pens (6 pens per treatment with 8 animals per pen). There were three blocks: heifers (n = 32, initial BW = 265 ± 1.3 kg), small steers (n = 32, initial BW = 262 ± 1.3 kg), and large steers (n = 32, initial BW = 310 ± 1.4 kg). Two pens within each block were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments: 1) CC or 2) WSC. Animal growth performance, carcass characteristics, and plasma hormone and metabolite concentrations were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS, including the fixed effects of treatment, or treatment, time, and their interaction. Pen and block were included as random effects. Carcass yield and quality grade distributions were compared using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. including the fixed effects of treatment and time with pen and block as random effects. Linear regression was used to evaluate the association of plasma GIP concentration and IM fat content. Average daily gain (P = 0.57) and final BW (P = 0.34) were similar, regardless of treatment. Cattle fed CC had reduced (P < 0.01) dry matter intake (DMI) when compared with those fed WSC. This lesser DMI resulted in improved gain:feed ratio (P < 0.01) for cattle fed CC compared with cattle fed WSC. There was no effect (P ≤ 0.33) of corn processing on plasma glucose, plasma GIP concentrations, hot carcass weight, dressing percentage, or marbling score. There was a positive linear relationship (P = 0.03) between IM fat concentration and plasma GIP concentration. In conclusion, feeding CC increased gain:feed ratio compared with WSC, but there was no difference in plasma GIP concentration, whereas plasma GIP concentration appears to be related to IM fat deposition.


As many other ethno-cultural identities in Europe, the collective self perceptions of Scotland's Gaels and the Sorbs of Lusatia are undergoing considerable changes. Proceeding from the post-structuralist premise that discourse plays a crucial part in the generation of knowledge, power and social behaviour (Foucault, Derrida, Lyotard), the study addresses the ways in which the Gaelic and Sorbian elites incorporate the language aspect into narratives on cultural continuity and considers the implications of accelerated language shift towards English/German and the survivalist promotion of the ancestral medium for the maintenance of group boundaries. Its primary empirical data corpus comprises more than 100 interviews and a questionnaire survey (n=201) conducted during the late 1990s in peripheral parts of the Ghidhealtachd and bilingual territories of Lusatia, publications by Gaelic and Sorbian organisations, and relevant items from the local and national media. A brief exploration of the ways in which the two communities came to think of themselves as distinct reveals that a substantial legacy of cultural nationalism and pan-Slavism allowed the Sorbian intelligentsia to sustain a strong sense of ethnic difference throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, whereas Scotland's Gaels have never overtly embraced this paradigm in political terms. Their elite was confronted with its premises during their reinvention as Scotland's Celts and combined linguistic patriotism with calls for socioeconomic improvements during the 1880s, but it has been rather reluctant to portray contemporary and future users of the ancestral language as a distinct nation or ethnic group. To the present day, Gaels are inclined to perceive themselves to be a key component, and arguably the kernel, of the Scottish nation. The most significant overlap between Gaelic- and Sorbian-related revival discourses has been the notion that a complete decline of the traditional medium would seal the fate of the associated culture, though the underlying rationales indicate a gradual shift from an essentialising agenda of preservation and exclusion to a more liberal and pluricentric approach. A desire to withstand the homogenising forces of capitalist globalisation fuels purist attitudes with regard to specific cultural forms, many of which are thought to depend on the traditional medium and put native speakers with heartland links into positions of authority. At the same time, the Gaelic and Sorbian heritage are treated as sources of alternative values and wisdom, in which context Gaelic/Sorbian language ability is primarily valued as an access tool. Tensions between essentialist and dynamic perspectives also occur over the development of the languages themselves. They are enhanced by the assumption that the 'survival' of Gaelic and Sorbian depends in part on individuals who acquire and transmit them outside the bilingual districts, where an ability in the minority medium is more likely to generate subcultural, regional and political identities than a radical ethno-cultural reorientation. According to this study's findings, the linguocentric agendas of many Gaelic and Sorbian organisations can neither be attributed to a naive belief in linguistic determinism nor be dismissed as an entirely symbolic ingredient for the restoration of justice and pride where historic circumstances inflicted marginalisation and oppression. They are based on a justified concern that the complete demise of a linguistic boundary would make it impossible to generate separate discursive spaces, to which Gaelic and Sorbian culture have in most locations become reduced and for which a separate literature and separate electronic media are indispensable.


Background: Drug resistant epilepsy is defined as failure of adequate trials of two tolerated, appropriately chosen and used antiepileptic drug schedules to achieve sustained seizure freedom. Up to 30% of patients referred to clinics with a diagnosis of pharmaco-resistant epilepsy may have been misdiagnosed, and many can be helped by optimizing their treatment.Pseudoresistance, in which seizures persist because the underlying disorder has not been adequately or appropriately treated, must be ruled out or corrected before drug treatment can be considered to have failed.
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the causes of drug failure in patients with epilepsy and to differentiate between drug resistant epilepsy and pseudoresistant epilepsy.
Type of the study: This is a retrospective study.
Method: It is conducted in Baghdad governorate at the epilepsy clinic in the neurosciences hospital during the period from the 1st of February through July 2013. Two hundred patients with refractory epilepsy were involved. These patients attended the epilepsy clinic during 2011 and 2012. The data was collected from the files of the patients including age, gender, weight, history of presenting illness, type of seizure, drugs used, duration of disease, EEG and imaging findings, compliance and follow up.
Results: Drug resistance epilepsy constituted a prevalence of 24% (128) as the total number of patients with epilepsy attending the hospital during the same period was 527.The mean age of patients with refractory epilepsy was 25 years. Male were 56.5% (113/200) and urban residents were 70.5% (141/200). The study revealed that 64% (128/200) of refractory epilepsy was attributed to drug resistance; while the remaining proportion was pseudoresistance 36% (72/200). The main cause of pseudoresistance was poor compliance 36.1% (26/72).The most common type of seizure in the sampled patients was generalized tonic clonic seizures in 51.5% (103/200).Compliance was found to be statistically associated with abnormal EEG finding, past medical history (hypertension, cardiac diseases, encephalitis, diabetes mellitus and any significant history) and quality of follow up. The follow-up was found to be statistically associated with the family history, past medical history( encephalitis and hypertension) and compliance of patient.
Conclusion:A considerable number of patientsdiagnosed as cases of drug resistant epilepsy had another explanation causing drug failure.The study recommends the application of consensus definition for drug resistant epilepsy and periodic evaluation of patients with drug resistant epilepsy to exclude pseudoresistance.


Governments are increasing reaching out beyond their organizational boundaries to engage citizens in policy design, co-created and co-delivered public services. While social media platforms have been largely used by government entities for communicating with and obtaining feedbacks on programs and services from citizens; traditional websites remain the primary interaction channel for emerging co-delivered services involving Citizen-to-Government (C2G) interactions. This work explores the affordances of the social media platform as a more natural platform to support not only C2G, but also Citizen-to-Citizen services (C2C) and Intermediary-to-Government (I2G) services. By considering a set of concrete C2C and C2G initiatives, we determine 1) the extent to which social media platform affordances support these initiatives, 2) the relative advantage of using these social media platforms over traditional government websites. Insights from this work should help in moving Government Social Media policies to cover the use of social media channels for C2C, C2G and I2G services.


The result of some twenty years of intensive collecting from strata in the Maastrichtian type area is a collection of more than 1,200generally small-sized anomuran and brachyuran remains. The stratigraphical ranges of the thirty-one species known to date from the Maastricht Formation (Late Maastrichtian) are shown and five successive decapodassemblages are discussed. For the first time, decapod crustacean remains now turn out to be useful biostratigraphic tools on a local to regional scale.


pH sensors play a key role in many industrial and diagnostic applications. Mostly their usage is based on experience, and in many cases the working mechanisms of these sensors are not known in detail, thereby hindering a systematic improvement of such sensors for specific applications. In this report, we present results from combined quantum chemical and molecular mechanics calculations of molecular structures and optical absorption properties of bromocresol green (BRG) in aqueous solution with varying pH value. In the acidic pH range, this chromophore has an intense band with absorption maximum at 444 nm and in the basic pH regime the absorption spectra show a redshift toward 613 nm. In order to identify the molecular structures responsible for this pH dependent optical behavior the closed and open forms of BRG are studied using static approaches considering in each case the three possible protonated states namely, neutral, anionic, and dianionic. For the most significant forms, i.e. the open forms of BRG, extensive modeling based on the integrated approach has been carried out, where the structure and dynamics were studied using hybrid QM/MM molecular dynamics, while the excitation energy calculations were carried out using time dependent density functional theory wherein the surrounding solvent was described as polarizable continuum, semicontinuum, or via a molecular mechanics force-field. The anionic and dianionic forms of BRG have been recognized as molecular forms responsible for its acidic and basic pH behavior, respectively. In contrast to the case of solvatochromic probes, the different protonation states determine the optical behavior in different pH values for pH probes. Hence, the level of solvent description appears to be of minor importance. Independent of the level of theory used to describe the solvent, all models reproduce the spectral features of BRG in different pH and also the pH induced redshift in good agreement with experiment.


The main purpose of the study is to determine the correlation between learning styles of students and their attitudes toward computer-assisted language learning (CALL). Given the importance on the role of learning styles and students' attitudes toward computer-assisted language learning, the current study seeks to explore, in more detail, second language learners' perspectives on this issue by asking the following questions:1.What is the correlation between learning styles of students and their attitudes toward CALL? 2.What is the difference between ESL/EFL learners in terms of their attitudes toward second language learning and CALL? The research sample was chosen with the snowball sampling method from the United States and Turkey without looking at their individual differences. All of the 50 participants in the sample were second language learners. For data analysis, Cohen, Oxford, and Chi's (2002) multi-dimensional Learning Style Survey (LSS) and Min's (1998) Attitude Toward CALL Questionnaire was used in the study. As a result of the study, a positive scale moderately significant relationship was determined between extroverted and inductive learning styles of students, and their attitudes toward second language learning. It is also concluded that the inductive and reflective learning style was moderately correlated with their attitude toward second language learning with computers. In addition, it was found that there was a significant difference between the attitudes of ESL language learners and EFL language learners. In line with this study's findings, further study may be done especially on deductive and inductive learning styles in order to understand how they affect language learning. Other further research focus may be on the differences between ESL and EFL learners so as to find out their motivation to learn a language with computers.


Although the Groenveld formula, concretizing the notion of measures having equivalent effect to quantitative restrictions on exports, is very often perceived as encompassing only those measures that are directly discriminatory, the ECJ's jurisprudence proves that the Court is ready to include within that formula also the indistinctly applicable rules constituting indirect discrimination (Gysbrechts). In the present article it is submitted that the concept of measures having equivalent effect to quantitative restrictions on exports should encompass also non-discriminatory measures which hinder the access of exported goods to markets in other Member States, i.e. which trigger some perceptible difficulties within the activity of exporters (additional expenses or additional administrative or financial burdens), interfering with their commercial freedom to an extent that is not merely uncertain or indirect. The inclusion of such measures within the scope of Article 35 TFEU would be justified especially in the light of recent developments of the Court's case law concerning Article 34 TFEU. The inclusion of non-discriminatory measures within the scope of Article 35 TFEU would make the system of fundamental freedoms more transparent and coherent, thus eliminating the hardly understandable situation in which the given measure, while prohibited by Articles 34 or 49 TFEU, is nonetheless permitted under Article 35 TFEU. Moreover, it is submitted that this is the concept of market access that should become the central issue within the fundamental freedoms' dogma, covering not only market entry as such, but also the continued presence on the market.


The discovery of the role of leptin on bone formation through the central nervous system marks the beginning of a new era for bone research. Several gut hormones play a role in mediating postprandial bone metabolism. Among them, GIP, GLP, and ghrelin are known to have either direct or indirect effects on bone formation. However, the idea that gut hormones binding to their receptors in the brain modulate bone metabolism has not been tested before. To investigate whether gut hormones modulate bone metabolism centrally we employed the techniques of densitometry, histomophormetry, measuring of serum bone turnover markers, as well as real time RT-PCR. The hormones we tested included leptin, GIP and ghrelin. In the first study, we found that centrally administered GIP (10 μg / inj.) decreased food intake and body weight while also affecting feeding behavior although there was no expected bone effect. Leptin treatment decreased rat tibia bone marrow size and number, and increased spinal bone mineral density. In the second study, ICV ghrelin (G20, 20 pmol / inj.) increased tibia bone mineral density. Leptin increased bone mineral density while decreasing bone marrow adipocytes size and number. The third study was designed to confirm the previous study, and to explain the underlying mechanism by measuring and comparing the expression level of a set of pre-selected gene markers. Tibial bone mineral density was increased by leptin and G20, while spinal BMD was only increased by leptin. Gene expression data from nonadherent bone marrow cell cultures show that G20 increased gene expression of apoptosis marker, CASP2. Ghrelin also resulted in decreased adipogenesis gene expression in bone marrow. Thus, we suggest that centrally administered ghrelin resulted in increased bone mineral density by decreasing osteoclastogenesis through apoptosis, as well as by reducing bone marrow adipogenesis. In summary, gut hormones affect bone marrow adipocytes and bone metabolism when binding to receptors in the brain. Histomophormetry, densitometry, as well as measuring mRNA expression levels employing microfluidic technology provide sensitive, convenient and effective ways of measuring changes in bone marrow adipocytes and bone mass, and for developing new therapeutic strategies for treatment of osteoporosis. INDEX WORDS: Bone, bone marrow, Real time PCR, Leptin, GIP, Ghrelin, ICV, Gene expression, Bone turnover, Histomorphometry, Densitometry CENTRALLY ADMINISTERED GUT HORMONES AND LEPTIN ON FOOD INTAKE, BONE AND BONE MARROW ADIPOCYTES IN RATS


Context. The frequency of planets in binaries is an important issue in the field of extrasolar planet studies, because of its relevance in estimating of the global planet population of our Galaxy and the clues it can give to our understanding of planet formation and evolution. However, only preliminary estimates are available in the literature. Aims. We analyze and compare the frequency of planets in multiple systems to the frequency of planets orbiting single stars. We also try to highlight possible connections between the frequency of planets and the orbital parameters of the binaries (such as the periastron and mass ratio.) Methods. A literature search was performed for binaries and multiple systems among the stars of the sample with uniform planet detectability defined by Fischer & Valenti (2005, ApJ, 622, 1102), and 202 of the 850 stars of the sample turned out to be binaries, allowing a statistical comparison of the frequency of planets in binaries and single stars and a study of the run of the planet frequency as a function of the binary separation. Results. We found that the global frequency of planets in the binaries of the sample is not statistically different from that of planets in single stars. Even conservatively taking the probable incompleteness of binary detection in our sample into account, we estimate that the frequency of planets in binaries can be no more than a factor of three lower than that of planets in single stars. There is no significant dependence of planet frequency on the binary separation, except for a lower value of frequency for close binaries. However, this is probably not as low as required to explain the presence of planets in close binaries only as the result of modifications of the binary orbit after the planet formation.


Several studies have suggested that estuaries, lagoons and enclosed embayments may offer special opportunities for local subdivision in marine species. We used data from published papers and unpublished theses to examine the effect of such water bodies on allozyme differentiation of seven species of inshore fishes in Western Australia. We included species that differ in their dispersal, and hence their intrinsic potential for gene flow. Over large distances, subdivision was generally greater among estuarine populations than among conspecific marine populations collected over similar distances. Over small distances, paired marine and estuarine samples were generally more divergent than pairs of marine samples separated by similar distances. For species with a low capability for dispersal, estuaries appear to add to the high levels of genetic subdivision that commonly result from other factors. Under special circumstances estuaries may also provide opportunities for genetic divergence in species with a high capability of dispersal that are rarely subdivided at a large geographical scale. These observations indicate that estuaries can increase the genetic subdivision of populations of inshore fishes, and that species that use both marine and estuarine habitats are likely to have greater genetic subdivision than those that are restricted to marine habitats.


The tips in the tree of life serve as foci for conservation and management, yet clear delimitations are masked by inherent variance at the species-population interface. Analyses using thousands of nuclear loci can potentially sort inconsistencies, yet standard categories applied to this parsing are themselves potentially conflicting and/or subjective [e.g., DPS (distinct population segments); DUs (Diagnosable Units-Canada); MUs (management units); SSP (subspecies); Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs)]. One potential solution for consistent categorization is to create a comparative framework by accumulating statistical results from independent studies and evaluating congruence among data sets. Our study illustrates this approach in speckled dace (Cyprinidae: Rhinichthys osculus) endemic to two basins (Owens and Amargosa) in the Death Valley ecosystem (DVE). These fish persist in the Mojave Desert as isolated Pleistocene-relicts and are of conservation concern, but lack formal taxonomic descriptions/designations. Double-digest RAD (ddRAD) methods identified 14,355 SNP loci across 10 populations (N=140). Species delimitation analyses [multispecies coalescent (MSC) and unsupervised machine learning (UML)] delineated four putative ESUs. FST outlier loci (N=106) were juxtaposed to uncover the potential for localized adaptations. We detected one hybrid population that resulted from upstream reconnection of habitat following contemporary pluvial periods, whereas remaining populations represent relics of ancient tectonism within geographically-isolated springs and groundwater-fed streams. Our study offers three salient conclusions: A blueprint for a multi-faceted delimitation of conservation units; a proposed mechanism by which criteria for intraspecific biodiversity can be potentially standardized; and a strong argument for the proactive management of critically-endangered DVE fishes.


The Survey of Hi in Extremely Low-mass Dwarfs is an on-going multi-wavelength program to characterize the gas, star formation, and evolution in gas-rich, very low-mass galaxies that populate the faint end of the galaxy luminosity function. The galaxies were selected from the first ∼10% of the Hi Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA survey based on their low Hi mass and low baryonic mass. Here, we measure the star formation properties from optically resolved stellar populations for 12 galaxies using a color–magnitude diagram fitting technique. We derive lifetime average star formation rates (SFRs), recent SFRs, stellar masses, and gas fractions. Overall, the recent SFRs are comparable to the lifetime SFRs with mean birthrate parameter of 1.4, with a surprisingly narrow standard deviation of 0.7. Two galaxies are classified as dwarf transition galaxies (dTrans). These dTrans systems have star formation and gas properties consistent with the rest of the sample, in agreement with previous results that some dTrans galaxies may simply be low-luminosity dwarf irregulars. We do not find a correlation between the recent star formation activity and the distance to the nearest neighboring galaxy, suggesting that the star formation process is not driven by gravitational interactions, but regulated internally. Further, we find a broadening in the star formation and gas properties (i.e., specific SFRs, stellar masses, and gas fractions) compared to the generally tight correlation found in more massive galaxies. Overall, the star formation and gas properties indicate these very low-mass galaxies host a fluctuating, non-deterministic, and inefficient star formation process.


: Contrast injection for angio-CT shows kinetic changes in patients with portal hypertension due to cirrhosis of the liver when compared with normals. Contrast-duration diagrams show a higher aortic peak, low contrast and delayed contrast maximum in the liver and portal vein in patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. On these criteria it is possible to distinguish patients with cirrhosis (n = 18) from normals (n = 16).


A random 10% sample of patients aged 65 years and over in a large rural practice were screened by a member of the primary health care team. Five 'at risk' categories were chosen: lives alone, unable to prepare own food, no telephone, death of partner in last two years and discharged from hospital in last two months. The aim was to identify those at risk and those who had unmet needs for services and to see if the at risk criteria were valid indicators of unmet need. The cost of the screening itself and the cost of the services and aids were calculated. Thirty nine per cent of those aged 65 years old and over had one or more of the risk factors. The cost of screening all people in our practice aged 65 years and over who were living independently was estimated at 16,600 pounds and this screening revealed the estimated cost of additional needs to be 45,151 pounds per annum. The cost of screening the elderly could be reduced by first restricting it to those aged 75 years and over, the group with greatest need, and secondly by using opportunistic screening, since 87% of all those aged 85 years and over and 71% of the 75-84 year olds are seen annually by the primary health care team for other reasons. This could reduce the cost of screening all those aged 75 years and over in our practice from 7560 pounds to 1925 pounds. Contact is not synonymous with screening and a conscious effort to ask the salient questions is required in order to discover the unmet needs.


The problem of labeled graph generation is gaining attention in the Deep Learning community. The task is challenging due to the sparse and discrete nature of graph spaces. Several approaches have been proposed in the literature, most of which require to transform the graphs into sequences that encode their structure and labels and to learn the distribution of such sequences through an auto-regressive generative model. Among this family of approaches, we focus on the Graphgen model. The preprocessing phase of Graphgen transforms graphs into unique edge sequences called Depth-First Search (DFS) codes, such that two isomorphic graphs are assigned the same DFS code. Each element of a DFS code is associated with a graph edge: specifically, it is a quintuple comprising one node identifier for each of the two endpoints, their node labels, and the edge label. Graphgen learns to generate such sequences auto-regressively and models the probability of each component of the quintuple independently. While effective, the independence assumption made by the model is too loose to capture the complex label dependencies of real-world graphs precisely. By introducing a novel graph preprocessing approach, we are able to process the labeling information of both nodes and edges jointly. The corresponding model, which we term Graphgen-redux, improves upon the generative performances of Graphgen in a wide range of datasets of chemical and social graphs. In addition, it uses approximately 78% fewer parameters than the vanilla variant and requires 50% fewer epochs of training on average.


Recently, the global ionosphere map (GIM) has been used to study the seismo-ionospheric precursors (SIPs) intensively. In order to shorten the data latency, an SIP monitoring system is built up based on the near-real-time GIM processing. The GIM data is derived from the combination of the ground-based and spaceborne total electron content (TEC) observation by means of the spherical harmonic function, where the data is retrieved from a global GPS observational network and the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC radio-occultation (RO) experiments. The temporal statistical analysis is developed to detect the SIPs at several important metropolitans such as Tokyo. Some new finding and results are to be further discussed. The spatial analysis will be introduced to finding the repeat, duration and distribution of worldwide SIPs to estimate the possibility of forthcoming large earthquakes in the future.


Confocal microlaparoscopy is a promising approach in minimally invasive surgery for replacing conventional biopsies that involve physical tissue sampling. However, the typical images acquired with this technique cover a very small area limited by the field of view of the probe. This paper presents the mechanical design of a distal scanner, the conic-spiraleur, to perform automated spiral scan with the probe in order to construct a mosaic-image. The design of the conic-spiraleur is based on using a conic structure with a particularly curved surface. The pieces of the design are simple to manufacture and easy to assemble with conventional methods to form a device that can be inserted through a conventional 5-mm diameter trocar. We present the pieces, assembly, control, and precision test of the system. The system is tested in vivo in an experimental pig operation. We present the first in vivo, large field-of-view (3 mm 2) and high resolution (1.4-μm lateral and 10-μm axial) images in confocal microscopy.


Cyber security risks are socio-technical in nature. They result not just from technical vulnerabilities but also, more fundamentally, from the degradation of working practices over time – which move an organization across the boundary of secure practice to a place where attacks will not only succeed, but also have a significantly greater impact on the organization. Yet current risk analysis and management methodologies are not designed to detect these kinds of systemic risks. We present an approach, devised in the field, to deriving these risks – using a qualitative research methodology, akin to grounded theory, but based on preset coding descriptors. This allows organizational and individual behavior identified during interviews, observations or document research to be thematically analyzed, collated and mapped to potential risks, linked to poor working practices. The resulting risk factors can be linked together forming "risk narratives", showing how the degradation of working practices in one part of the organization can contribute to undermining its ability to respond to cyber security threats in another part of the organization.


Background: Neonatal hypoglycemia is the most common carbohydrate metabolic disturbance seen in case of neonates and especially in preterm neonates. Accurate and rapid determination of hypoglycemia and its prompt treatment is of utmost importance to decrease morbidity and mortality of neonates.

Aims: To estimate blood glucose in neonates and test the efficacy of HemoCue Glucose 201+ analyser and B Braun Glucometer by comparing with centralised laboratory testing. To compare the blood glucose in capillary and venous blood samples of neonates.

Settings and Design: Hospital setting; Comparative Study

Materials and Methods: After obtaining informed consent, all neonates admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) were screened for blood sugar. Capillary and venous blood glucose was estimated employing HemoCue Glucose 201+ analyser and B Braun Glucometer. Simultaneously, the same venous sample was collected in fluoride tube and sent to central clinical biochemistry laboratory for glucose estimation. When anaemia or polycythemia was clinically suspected the same venous sample was sent for estimation of Hematocrit (Hct).

Statistical Analysis: Comparison of blood glucose concentration of B Braun glucometer, HemoCue Glucose 201+ analyser and centralis/ed plasma glucose levels was done by using students test. All the statistical analysis were done using software SPSS 6 version.

Results: Mean values of blood glucose (100.2 + 48.4) with B Braun glucometer was significantly higher (p=0.003) when compared to plasma glucose values (76.95 + 45.99) estimated in central laboratory and HemoCue glucose 201+ analyser (82.9 + 51.4). HemoCue glucose 201+ analyser did not show significant difference (p=0.463) with central laboratory testing. There was no significant difference between the capillary and venous sample estimated in both the instruments. Estimation with HemoCue glucose 201+ analyser correlated well with central laboratory testing in neonates with blood glucose <55mg/dl,

Conclusion: We conclude that HemoCue glucose 201+ analyser appears to be a suitable point of care (POC) blood glucose measurement device in neonates on both capillary and venous blood samples, as it showed a good correlation with central laboratory values without significant interference from Hct.


The Triple-S project (Syndromic Surveillance Survey, Assessment towards Guidelines for Europe) is a 3 year European project. One main objective is to produce a proposal for coordinating syndromic surveillance (SyS) systems operated by European countries and for comparing findings from these systems. Three models have been identified for ensuring the comparison and reporting of findings from EU countries. For the sustainability of the models, a SyS coordinating group is needed to coordinate SyS activities in Europe.


The relationship between farm, wholesale, and retail prices for meats is often controversial. Data from USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) show that retail beef and pork prices react faster to cost increases than to cost decreases. Wholesale and farm pork and beef prices also adjust more quickly upward than downward. In addition, wholesale-to-retail price spreads have grown faster than inflation over the past 20 years. These facts have convinced some people that retailers or packers have, and use, market power to the disadvantage of consumers and producers. Increases in the price spread, for example, often lead to accusations by producer and consumer groups of price gouging and to Congressional calls for investigation of the meat industry. The long-term trend, however, shows farm-to-wholesale price spreads increasing less than inflation. And, more labor-intensive services offered by retailers account for some of the widening in wholesale-to-retail meat price spreads.


A combination of five thermostabilizing mutations, Gly23→Ala, His62→Pro, Val74→Leu, Lys95→Gly, and Asp134→His, has been shown to additively enhance the thermostability of Escherichia coli RNase HI [Akasako A, Haruki M, Oobatake M & Kanaya S (1995) Biochemistry34, 8115–8122]. In this study, we determined the crystal structure of the protein with these mutations (5H‐RNase HI) to analyze the effects of the mutations on the structure in detail. The structures of the mutation sites were almost identical to those of the mutant proteins to which the mutations were individually introduced, except for G23A, for which the structure of the single mutant protein is not available. Moreover, only slight changes in the backbone conformation of the protein were observed, and the interactions of the side chains were almost conserved. These results indicate that these mutations almost independently affect the protein structure, and are consistent with the fact that the thermostabiling effects of the mutations are cumulative. We also determined the protein stability curve describing the temperature dependence of the free energy of unfolding of 5H‐RNase HI to elucidate the thermostabilization mechanism. The maximal stability for 5H‐RNase HI was as high as that for the cysteine‐free variant of Thermus thermophilus RNase HI. In contrast, the heat capacity of unfolding for 5H‐RNase H was similar to that for E. coli RNase HI, which is considerably higher than that for T. thermophilus RNase HI. These results suggest that 5H‐RNase HI is stabilized, in part, by the thermostabilization mechanism adopted by T. thermophilus RNase HI.


This paper addresses the modeling and analysis problems for power distribution networks (PDNs) in 3-D ICs. An on-chip distributed model is proposed for 3-D power grids, in which the details of metal layers are considered. The distributed model is demonstrated to be essential to identifying the unique noise behavior of 3-D PDNs. A lumped model is proposed based on the distributed model. The lumped model features the connection impedance between tiers and is proven to be useful for designers to understand the global effects of 3-D PDNs. Based on the models, an analysis flow is designed for 3-D PDNs in both frequency domain and time domain. With the analysis flow, the electrical characteristics of 3-D PDNs are studied systematically for the first time. The frequency-domain analysis identifies the global and local resonance phenomena in 3-D PDNs that are distinct from those in 2-D PDNs. The physical mechanisms behind the resonance phenomena are investigated. The time-domain analysis predicts the worst-case supply noise based on distributed current constraints. The "Rogue Wave" concept is introduced to explain the spatial and temporal relations of the worst-case on-chip noise responses in 3-D PDNs.


Chapter 1: Tax Research Chapter 2: Corporate Formations and Capital Structure Chapter 3: The Corporate Income Tax Chapter 4: Corporate Nonliquidating Distributions Chapter 5: Other Corporate Tax Levies Chapter 6: Corporate Liquidating Distributions Chapter 7: Corporate Acquisitions and Reorganizations Chapter 8: Consolidated Tax Returns Chapter 9: Partnership Formation and Operation Chapter 10: Special Partnership Issues Chapter 11: S Corporations Chapter 12: The Gift Tax Chapter 13: The Estate Tax Chapter 14: Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates Chapter 15: Administrative Procedures Chapter 16: U.S. Taxation of Foreign-Related Transactions


Based on the Fenchel pre-dual of the total variation model, a nonlinear multigrid algorithm for image denoising is proposed. Due to the structure of the differential operator involved in the Euler-Lagrange equations of the dual models, line Gauss-Seidel-semismooth-Newton step is utilized as the smoother, which provides rather good smoothing rates. The paper ends with a report on numerical results and a comparison with a very recent nonlinear multigrid solver based on Chambolle's iteration [6].


Background: There is currently no universal consensus on nomenclature for spondyloarthropathy (SpA), or on activity and severity criteria for ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Method: Points of agreement and majority opinions among 28 international experts in the field were identified by questionnaire. Agreement was defined as >80% concurrence, clear majority as >60% concurrence, and a majority or trend as >50% concurrence. Results: Respondents agreed on the need for one term that reflects the inflammatory nature of the disease, but no agreement was reached on a specific term. Agreement included subdivision of patients with SpA into AS, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease associated arthritis, and undifferentiated spondyloarthritis/spondyloarthropathy. A majority of experts defined active disease as fulfilling classification criteria for AS and/or a SpA, and disease activity measured by a Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) score >4 determined by two patient visits during a two month period, but no maximum radiographic score. The majority of participants considered failure of treatment response to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) alone to be a prerequisite for active/severe AS, and 15/28 (54%) thought that NSAID treatment failure should be defined as lack of response to two or more NSAIDs. Conclusions: Respondents agreed that a two to five year study is the ethical method to demonstrate effects of anti-tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) therapy on radiographic progression of AS, and that inclusion criteria should include a certain level of disease activity (measured by BASDAI) and failure of certain treatments. After the efficacy of anti-TNFα therapy in AS and psoriatic arthritis is proved, respondents agreed that more studies will be needed to show efficacy for other SpA subsets.


Advances in nanophotonics, quantum optics, and low-dimensional materials have enabled precise control of light-matter interactions down to the nanoscale. Combining concepts from each of these fields, there is now an opportunity to create and manipulate photonic matter via strong coupling of molecules to the electromagnetic field. Towards this goal, here we introduce a first principles framework to calculate polaritonic excited-state potential-energy surfaces for strongly coupled light-matter systems. In particular, we demonstrate the applicability of our methodology by calculating the polaritonic excited-state manifold of a Formaldehyde molecule strongly coupled to an optical cavity. This proof-of-concept calculation shows how strong coupling can be exploited to alter photochemical reaction pathways by influencing avoided crossings. Therefore, by introducing an ab initio method to calculate excited-state potential-energy surfaces, our work opens a new avenue for the field of polaritonic chemistry.


Abstract Health technology assessment (HTA) agencies are considering adopting a lifecycle approach to assessments to address uncertainties in the evidence base at launch and to revisit the clinical and economic value of therapies in a dynamic clinical landscape. For reassessments of therapies post launch, HTA agencies are looking to real-world evidence (RWE) to enhance the clinical and economic evidence base, though challenges and concerns in using RWE in decision-making exists. Stakeholders are embarking on demonstration projects to address the challenges and concerns and to further define when and how RWE can be used in HTA decision making. The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review piloted a 24-month observational RWE reassessment. Key learnings from this pilot include identifying the benefits and challenges with using RWE in reassessments and considerations on prioritizing and selecting topics relevant for RWE updates.


Masculinity Lockdown is an ethnographic study that analyzes the construction of Black masculinity at Southeast County High School (SCHS) in Southern California. Specifically, the article examines how three young Black males at SCHS navigate amidst a social milieu established by the school that denies the assertion of race and simultaneously fosters a homophobic understanding of masculinity. Through ethnographic accounts, the piece details how explicit utilization of violent, sexist rhetoric encourages Black males to participate within a masculine performance that serves reinforce their oppression.


BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia is a major obstetric problem worldwide, especially in developing countries that can cause maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality that affect 2–10% of pregnancies worldwide. More than 4 million pregnant women each year develop preeclampsia and cause 15–20% of maternal deaths worldwide. There are several high-risk factors associated with preeclampsia. Diabetes mellitus is one of the risk factors for preeclampsia. Preeclampsia has been shown to have higher levels of Th1 (pro-inflammatory) products and lower levels of Th2 (anti-inflammatory) products compared to normal pregnancy in blood serum. Interleukin (IL) 1, IL-2, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and interferon gamma are Th1 cytokines or pro-inflammatory cytokines that can induce inflammatory reactions and are associated with pregnancy complications such as repeated abortion, preterm labor, rupture of membranes. preeclampsia, and stunted fetal growth. In contrast, Th2 cytokines such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), IL-4, IL-5, IL6, and IL-10 are associated with normal pregnancy.

AIM: This study aims to prove the effect of giving Moringa leaf powder (M. oleifera) to decrease blood levels, , so this study will answer the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf powder on blood level of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and TGF-β

METHODS: A total of 30 rats were checked for sugar levels on day 4 after being induced by alloxan for 18 days to see if the rats were already in a hyperglycemic state. Then, they were divided into six groups, each group contained five pregnant white rats. Group 1 was the negative group (without being given alloxan), Group 2 was positive (given alloxan 150 mg/day/kg BW), and Groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 were given alloxan 150 mg/day/kg BW and each given a dose of 100 Moringa leaf powder; 200, 400, and 800 mg/day/kg body weight. After alloxan was induced and given a dose of Moringa leaf powder according to each group, blood samples were taken to separate the serum and continued with the ELISA method to calculate the levels of IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and TGF-β.

RESULTS: The administration of Moringa leaf powder at a dose of 800 mg/day/kg BW was able to increase the levels of IL-10 in the positive control Group 4 by 7.211 mIU/ml and reduced levels of IL-6 in the 8th dose group by giving Moringa leaf powder as much as 800 mg/day/kg body weight by 2.112 mIU/ml, was able to increase TGF-β levels in the dose Group 4 by giving Moringa leaf powder as much as 800 mg/day/kg BW, amounted to 1049.066 mIU/ml, and decreased TNF-α levels in the dose Group 4 by giving Moringa leaf powder as much as 800 mg/day/kg BW mIU/ml.

CONCLUSION:The administration of Moringa leaf powder was able to increase the levels of IL-10 in the positive control Group, reduced levels of IL-6, was able to increase TGF-β levels, and decreased TNF-α levels.


This study investigates the responsiveness of global cropland to changes in output prices and the uncertainty therein. The study provides a global short- and long-term acreage and yield elasticity which hints at how major agricultural commodity producers respond to the recent high food prices and volatility. Using cross-country panel data for the period 1961-2010, this paper investigates the global supply impacts of output prices and their volatility. Besides providing updated estimates of supply responses to own and competing price expectations, it also estimates growth trends that are informative to policy in understanding the likely extensive and intensive margin changes because of crop price changes. Estimation of acreage response to input and output prices as well as output price volatilities is a necessary step but not sufficient to predict the global food supply effect of possible developments in output prices and their volatility. In addition to the acreage allocation response that agricultural producers make towards price changes, they also react to expected changes in terms of yield response. While acreage as well as yield responses to own output prices are positive, the response towards output price volatilities is modest. Thus, besides via acreage changes, the global food supply response to expected prices comes from yield changes, both affecting global food supply and food security.


Endocrine-disruptor (ED) is an exogenous substance or mixture that alters function(s)
of the endocrine system and consequently produces adverse health effects in an intact
organism, or its progeny, or (sub) populations. Aquatic pollution by EDs, especially
estrogenic EDs, has become one of the most serious environmental problems worldwide.
The objective of this study is to develop a transgenic marine medaka (Oryaizs melastigma)
for accurate and prompt detection of estrogenic EDs contaminated waters and screening
of new EDs.
O. melastigma is scarcely studied and its embryonic development is not reported.
The transparent chorion and embryo allow clear observation of the development of inner
organs under light microscope. According to the diagnostic features used to stage the
freshwater medaka (O. latipes), the embryonic developmental process of O. melastigma
was divided into 39 stages and showed high morphological similarity to that of O. latipes
with minor differences. Moreover, advantageous characteristics including small body size
(3-4 cm), short life cycle (2-3 months), high prolificity (20-30 embryos daily per pair
under proper temperature, light cycle and feeding systems), and especially the habitability
in both fresh water and sea water, make O. melastigma an ideal model for aquatic
toxicology studies.
Teleost choriogenins, precursors of the inner layer subunits of egg envelope, are
regarded as sensitive biomarkers for estrogenic pollutants. To select the more estrogen
sensitive gene for transgenic study, full-length cDNAs - omChgH and omChgL - which
encode the choriogenin H and L forms, respectively, were isolated from O. melastigma
and their induced expression at different developmental stages were analyzed.
17β-Estradiol (E2; 10 μg/L)-dependent expression of omChgH and omChgL was observed
starting at embryonic stage 34 and restricted to the liver. In hatchlings, E2 induction of
omChgH was stronger than that of omChgL. Static exposure of adult fish to E2 (0, 1, 10,
100 and 500 ng/L), 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2; 0, 1, 10, 100 and 500 ng/L), 4-nonylphenol
(NP; 0, 1, 10, 100 and 200 μg/L) and bisphenol A (BPA; 0, 1, 10, 100 and 200 μg/L) in
artificial seawater for 7 days resulted in dose-dependent induction of both genes in the liver.
In the male livers, the sensitivity of omChgH to these estrogenic compounds was higher
than that of omChgL; the lowest-observed-effect concentrations (LOECs) of E2, EE2, NP
and BPA on omChgH were 10 ng/L, 10 ng/L, 100 μg/L and 100 μg/L, respectively, and on
omChgL were 100 ng/L, 100 nglL, 100 μg/L and 200 μg/L, respectively. All these
observations highlighted the potential of using omChgH expression as a sensitive
biomarker for estrogenic EDs in the developing O. melastigma embryos, juveniles and
male adults.
Thus, omChgH genomic DNA sequence including ca. 5 kb 5'-upstream region and ca.
0.8 kb 3'-flanking region was cloned. Cis-regulatory activity analysis of different sizes of
omChgH 5'-upstream region and the regulation effects of 3'-flanking region were analyzed
using microinjection techniques. Results showed that 750 bp 5'-upstream region from
transcription initiation site had the highest promoter activity and homogenous 3'-flanking
region was important for obtaining high promoter activity in omChgH transgenic studies.
Based on the cis-regulatory activity analysis of omChgH 5' and 3'-flanking region, a
transgenic O. melastigma strain harboring the reporter gene green fluorescence protein
(GFP) gene regulated by 758 bp omChgH 5'-upstream region and flanked by omChgH
3'-flanking region was established. In this strain, GFP transgene was expressed
constitutively in the liver of mature female, but could also be induced from non-expression
liver of embryos (since stage 34), juvenile and male fish in response to 17β-estradiol (E2).
GFP fluorescence quantification analysis using MetaMorph revealed that 0.63 nM E2 or
0.17 nM 17a-ethanylestradiol (EE2) significantly induced GFP expression in the livers of
larvae after 24-h exposure and the responses were dose-dependent. Additionally, this strain
was also observed to express GFP fluorescence after exposure to different estrogenic
compounds at concentrations equal to or higher than 1.8 nM estrone (E1), 1.73 nM estriol
(E3), 2000 nM 4-nonylphenol (NP), 4380 nM bisphenol A (BPA), 3670 nM genistein and
0.25 nM ethinylestradiol 3-methyl ether for 24 h. These results suggested the high estrogen
sensitivity of this transgenic O. melastigma strain and its capability to monitor a wide range
of estrogenic chemicals.
Further preliminary field study found that marine water samples collected from Hong
Kong Victoria Harbor could induce GFP expression in the liver of transgenic larvae after
exposure for 24 h. This result demonstrated the practical applicability of this transgenic O.
melastigma strain for prompt in vivo biomonitoring of estrogenic activity of aquatic
environment directly, and such high estrogen sensitivity has not been reported yet.
To conclude, this study successfully developed the first transgenic marine fish for
biomonitoring estrogenic endocrine-disrupting pollutants. This strain showed quick
response to a wide range of estrogenic compounds including weak EDs (e.g. NP, BPA and
genistein), and could detect estrogenic activity of environmental water samples promptly
and directly. All my findings indicate the great practical potential of this transgenic O.
melastigma as a sensitive sentinel for simple, economic, rapid and accurate screening of
new EDs and identification of estrogenic EDs contaminated waters. While the wide salinity
adaptability to both freshwater and marine environment makes this transgenic strain more
unique and powerful.


In this paper, we present a framework for teleoperation and the maintenance of industrial robots. The idea of the framework is to provide a rapid change of products to be manufactured and safely monitor and carry out the maintenance remotely. Also, the goal of the work is to provide an easy-to-use HMI for user of the robot. Remote connection relies on the Internet that is nowadays easily available, cheap and includes a lot of existing components to be used. As an illustration of this framework we present a web-based user interface that enables the user to operate remotely to robot workcell with an industrial robot.


Peak discharge data from catchments in the central Appalachian region of eastern United States suggest that the coefficient of variation of annual flood peaks, CV[Q], is not constant, as implied by the index flood method but varies with catchment size in a complex manner [Smith, 1992]. Gupta et al. [1994] have interpreted the data as indicating that for catchments smaller than a critical threshold size, CV[Q] increases with increasing catchment size, while for larger catchments CV[Q] decreases with catchment size. Our analysis of the same discharge data suggests further that the spatial heterogeneity of these flood frequency characteristics, for example, mean annual flood,E[Q], and coefficient of variation, CV[Q], between catchments in the region is also not constant but varies systematically with catchment size. The spatial heterogeneity of E[Q] appears to decrease with catchment size, while heterogeneity of CV[Q] appears to mirror the observed scaling behavior of CV[Q]. These observations have been made based on statistical analysis of empirical flood data without being underpinned by a physical theory to explain them. In this paper, motivated by these observations and by the need for a physical theory of regional flood frequency, we develop a simple derived flood frequency model. On the basis of insights provided by the model, we relate the increase of CV[Q] with catchment size for small catchments (smaller than a threshold size) to the scaling behavior of the ratio of storm duration to catchment response time. On the other hand, we connect the decrease of CV[Q] with catchment size for larger catchments to the spatial scaling of rainfall (excess) intensity. Our simple model also permits us to separate the relative contributions of catchment routing response and rainfall intensity to the scaling behavior of E[Q]. Our results also lead us to hypothesize that the heterogeneity ofCV[Q] between catchments is primarily due to the heterogeneity of catchment response time, while the heterogeneity of E[Q] is primarily due to the heterogeneity of runoff generation processes.


BACKGROUND
Everolimus-eluting stents (EES) have equivalent short-term angiographic and clinical outcomes to sirolimus-eluting stents (SES), but EES may be superior to SES with regard to long-term clinical safety. We report the 3-year clinical outcomes of EES and SES from the prospective EXCELLENT Randomized Trial (NCT00698607).Methods and Results:We randomly assigned 1,443 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention 3:1 to receive EES and SES, respectively. We investigated endpoints including target lesion failure (TLF) and individual clinical outcomes including stent thrombosis (ST) at 3 years. For EES and SES, the TLF rate was 4.82% and 4.12% (risk ratio [RR], 1.16, 95% CI: 0.65-2.06, P=0.62), respectively. Results were similar in other efficacy endpoints including target lesion revascularization. For safety endpoints, rate of all-cause death was significantly lower for EES (1.67%) than SES (3.57%; RR, 0.46; 95% CI: 0.23-0.94, P=0.03), while the incidence of cardiac death or myocardial infarction was numerically lower in EES. On 1-year landmark analysis, rates of all-cause death and major adverse cardiovascular events were significantly lower for EES than SES. Definite or probable ST was numerically 3-fold higher for SES (1.37%) compared with EES (0.46%).

CONCLUSIONS
EES and SES had similar efficacy with regard to 3-year outcomes in the EXCELLENT trial, while delayed safety events all trended to favor EES.


BACKGROUND
Cervical cancer constitutes the second most common cancer in women. Estrogen promotes development of cervical cancer in cells infected with high risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs). We asked whether the phytochemical indole-3-carbinol (I3C) has anti-estrogenic activities in cervical cells with the goal of preventing cancer in HPV infected cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Using the cervical cancer cell line CaSki, we evaluated expression of HPV and cytochrome p450 (CYP) enzymes by Northern, RNase protection or quantitative RT-PCR. I3C binding to estrogen receptor was measured by competition with estradiol. Estrogen metabolites were measured by gas chromarography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

RESULTS
Estradiol increased expression of HPV oncogenes whereas I3C and the estrogen metabolite 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE) abrogated the estrogen-increased expression of HPV oncogenes. Both I3C and 2-OHE competed with estradiol for estrogen receptor binding. I3C enhanced gene expression of CYP enzymes responsible for 2-hydroxylation of estrogen, and induced the formation of 2-OHE.

CONCLUSION
I3C has anti-estrogenic activities which should prevent cancer in cervical cells.


In the preceding paper, p. 722, Oliphant, Kinsey and Rutherford have given an account of the examination of the disintegration of lithium by protons and by ions of the heavy isotope of hydrogen, using electrical counting methods, and have shown that the results of their experiments lend strong support to the views of the modes of disintegration which they there suggest. Certain of these conclusions may be more completely examined by photographing the tracks of the disintegration particles in an expansion chamber and with that object we have made the experiments described below. In the course of this work a great amount of experimental data has been collected which will require a more detailed analysis; in the present paper the photographs described have been selected with the object of testing the above-mentioned theories. It is possible that the photographs show evidence of other modes of disintegration, but in view of the time required for a full analysis, we publish here only an account of the more obvious phenomena. The apparatus used for the production of the high voltage and its application to the tubes used for accelerating the bombarding particles was that described by Cockcroft and Walton, and potentials up to about 400 kilovolts were used. The first attempts to work an expansion chamber in conjunction with that apparatus showed that the maximum number of disintegrations produced per second was much too small, and considerable time was spent in attempting to obtain a more intense beam of protons. The form of discharge tube finally adopted was that described by Oliphant and Rutherford, This has been found much more definite in behaviour than the glass discharge tube used in the early work of Cockcroft and Walton. The total positive ion current measured at the target is at least ten times greater than could be obtained from the latter tube, and the number of disintegrations produced per second has been increased by an even larger factor. It is probable that the new type of tube gives a larger ratio of protons to molecular ions in the beam—this ratio being more liable to fluctuation with the glass discharge tubes. With the present arrangement, using the maximum output of current and voltage, it is possible to obtain over 100 tracks per expansion from a lithium target a few square millimetres in area.


Network analyses applied to models of complex systems generally contain at least three levels of analyses. Whole-network metrics summarize general organizational features (properties or relationships) of the entire network, while node-level metrics summarize similar organization features but consider individual nodes. The network- and node-level metrics build upon the primary pairwise relationships in the model. As with many analyses, sometimes there are interesting differences at one level that disappear in the summary at another level of analysis. We illustrate this phenomenon with ecosystem network models, where nodes are trophic compartments and pairwise relationships are flows of organic carbon, such as when a predator eats a prey. For this demonstration, we analysed a time-series of 16 models of a lake planktonic food web that describes carbon exchanges within an autumn cyanobacteria bloom and compared the ecological conclusions drawn from the three levels of analysis based on inter-time-step comparisons. A general pattern in our analyses was that the closer the levels are in hierarchy (node versus network, or flow versus node level), the more they tend to align in their conclusions. Our analyses suggest that selecting the appropriate level of analysis, and above all regularly using multiple levels, may be a critical analytical decision. This article is part of the theme issue 'Unifying the essential concepts of biological networks: biological insights and philosophical foundations'.


Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of Wellness SelfPerceptions Scale (WSPS). Methods: Five hundred fifty-five university students voluntarily participated in this study. WSPS consists of 15 items and 5 factors (Emotional, Intellectual, Physical, Social and Spiritual Wellness). For each factors and for the general of the scale, total scores of the items were evaluated. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis were applied to evaluate the validity of the scale. Results: After the EFA, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin was found 0.86; and Cronbach Alpha internal consistency of total scale was found 0.86. Conclusion: WSPS, which was translated into Turkish, was proved to be a scale that can be used to evaluate "wellness" with five dimensions (emotional, intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual). We think that our study contributes to the literature on health behavior in the workplace by providing a theory-based approach to analyzing personal and attitude variables of WSPS.


American Indian and Alaska Native elders are an important at-risk population in need of mental health services, yet little is known about the factors that influence Indian/Native elders to actually seek mental health services. This study uses the Anderson and Newman conceptual framework to identify need as well as enabling and predisposing factors for mental health service use in a national sample of reservation and urban American Indian and Alaska Native elders. Results indicate that self-perceived need is the strongest predictor of mental health service use for elders living on reservations. However, for Indian/Native elders in urban areas, degree of mental impairment is most likely to predict use of mental health services. For both groups of elders, enabling variables, such as total income, level of education and access to medical insurance, were the least important in influencing whether or not an elder elected to use mental health services.


Mineral/matrix and mineral/mineral partition coefficients were
determined for clinopyroxene and phlogopite phenocrysts and
their very fine-grained (chilled) groundmass from a Variscan
calc-alkaline (agpaitic index = 0.6) lamprophyre dyke of
minette composition from the Bohemian Massif (Krizanovice,
Tepla-Barrandian Unit). This dyke is characterized by high MgO
(8.9 wt. %; Mg-number = 69) at intermediate SiO2 content (53
wt. %). The partition coefficients (D) between clinopyroxene
and matrix were determined for 23 elements by laser
ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.
Calculated D-clinopyroxene/matrix values are very low, except
for heavy rare earth elements (HREE) that range between 0.9 and
1.1. This suggests that HREE can be concentrated in
clinopyroxene during crystallization from lamprophyre melt. In
phlogopite, only 15 elements had contents above their
respective detection limits. Phlogopite/matrix partition
coefficients are on average higher than 1 (D-Ba = 1.1, D-Rb =
1.7 D-Ti = 1.5) and extremely low (<= 0.02) for light rare
earth elements (LREE). On the other hand, D-phlogopite/matrix
values for the majority of HREE could not be determined. Taken
together, during simultaneous crystallization of clinopyroxene
and phlogopite phenocrysts, Th, Zr, Hf, Y and LREE are
preferentially partitioned into clinopyroxene and Ba with Rb
and Ti into phlogopite.


Besides the bottom vertical gas blowing, horizontal gas injection through both a nozzle fitted at the sidewall and a submerged lance has a wide application to metallurgical processes for converting and refining purposes. Based on analysis of the behavior of a gas jet injected horizontally into liquid, a plume model was presented to predict the volume fraction of gas in the two-phase region, and a mathematical model was developed to predict three-dimensional turbulent flow and mixing process. In the present work, three types of horizontal injection were taken into account and the optimization of gas injection through a submerged lance with one horizontal tuyere was carried out. The results show that the maximum volume fraction of gas along the upward jet trajectory decreases by about 50 % compared with the bottom vertical blowing, while the half-value radius of maximum volume fraction of gas increases about two times; the distributions of velocity and turbulent kinetic energy are relatively uniform and big azimuthal component of velocity is produced in the bath; horizontal injection has an advantage of rapid mixing over bottom injection and the injection by a submerged lance with one horizontal tuyere shows the shortest mixing; basically, the presented models are capable of describing the phenomena occurring in the bath with horizontal gas injection.


Abstract. Volcanoes are a known source of halogens to the atmosphere. HBr volcanic emissions lead rapidly to the formation of BrO within volcanic plumes as shown by recent work based on observations and models. BrO, having a longer residence time in the atmosphere than HBr, is expected to have a significant impact on tropospheric chemistry, at least at the local and regional scales. The objective of this paper is to prepare a framework that will allow 3-D modelling of volcanic halogen emissions in order to determine their fate within the volcanic plume and then in the atmosphere at the regional and global scales. This work is based on a 1-D configuration of the chemistry transport model MOCAGE whose low computational cost allows us to perform a large set of sensitivity studies. This paper studies the Etna eruption on the 10 May 2008 that took place just before night time. Adaptations are made to MOCAGE to be able to produce the chemistry occurring within the volcanic plume. A simple sub-grid scale parameterization of the volcanic plume is implemented and tested. The use of this parameterization in a 0.5° × 0.5° configuration (typical regional resolution) has an influence on the partitioning between the various bromine compounds both during the eruption period and also during the night period immediately afterwards. During the day after the eruption, simulations both with and without parameterizations give very similar results that are consistent with the tropospheric column of BrO and SO2 in the volcanic plume derived from GOME-2 observations. Tests have been performed to evaluate the sensitivity of the results to the mixing between ambient air and the magmatic air at very high temperature at the crater vent that modifies the composition of the emission, and in particular the sulphate aerosol content that is key compound in the BrO production. Simulations show that the plume chemistry is not very sensitive to the assumptions used for the mixing parameter (relative quantity of ambient air mixed with magmatic air in the mixture) that is not well known. This is because there is no large change in the compounds limiting/favouring the BrO production in the plume. The impact of the model grid resolution is also tested in view of future 3-D-simulations at the global scale. A dilution of the emitted gases and aerosols is observed when using the typical global resolution (2°) as compared to a typical regional resolution (0.5°), as expected. Taking this into account, the results of the 2° resolution simulations are consistent with the GOME-2 observations. In general the simulations at 2° resolution are less efficient at producing BrO after the emission both with and without the subgrid-scale parameterization. The differences are mainly due to an interaction between concentration effects than stem from using a reduced volume in the 0.5° resolution combined with second order rate kinetics. The last series of tests were on the mean radius assumed for the sulphate aerosols that indirectly impacts the production of BrO by heterogeneous reactions. The simulations show that the BrO production is sensitive to this parameter with a stronger production when smaller aerosols are assumed. These results will be used to guide the implementation of volcanic halogen emissions in the 3-D configuration of MOCAGE.


The opening of the Palace of Auburn Hills, the SkyDome, and Oriole Park at Camden Yards led to the beginning of a construction boom in professional sport. In the National Football League (NFL) alone, 26 stadiums have been built or renovated in the past 10 years. Due to the additional revenue generated by these facilities and the NFL's current revenue sharing system, professional football franchises are building new stadia for economic reasons rather than to replace unusable or unsafe facilities. The purpose of this study was to determine if a significant difference in net revenue change existed for NFL teams that moved into a new facility and to determine if there was a significant change in valuation for these franchises. The findings indicated that new stadia significantly increase revenue and franchise value in the NFL; therefore, the primary goal of every firm, wealth maximization, is met for teams after opening a new facility.


Native LDL and LDL oxidized under various conditions were compared in terms of their ability to activate platelets. Native LDL did not induce platelet shape change or aggregation, even at high concentrations (2 mg protein/mL). LDL was mildly oxidized with either CuSO4 (mox-LDL) or 3-(N-morpholino)sydnonimine (SIN-1-LDL). Analysis of mox-LDL and SIN-1-LDL showed a small increase of dienes (E234nm from 0.28 +/- 0.04 to 0.55 +/- 0.09, mean +/- SD) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (from 0 to 10.6 +/- 1.5 nmol/mg, mean +/- SEM), no change in apo B electrophoretic mobility, and a minor (12% to 30%) decrease in polyunsaturated fatty acid content. Interestingly, this small oxidative modification of LDL dramatically changed its effect on platelets. Irreversible aggregation and secretion were induced by a threshold concentration of 0.4 mg protein/mL. In contrast, LDL thoroughly oxidized with CuSO4 (ox-LDL) did not aggregate platelets. Although mox-LDL was depleted in antioxidants (alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, alpha- and beta-carotene, and other carotenoids), incubation of mox-LDL with exogenous alpha-tocopherol did not reverse its ability to induce platelet aggregation and secretion. Preincubation of platelets with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor aspirin or the phospholipase A2 inhibitors trifluoperazine, quinacrine, 4-bromophenacyl bromide, and propranolol completely prevented platelet aggregation and secretion caused by mox-LDL or SIN-1-LDL. These results indicate that mildly oxidized LDL activates platelets through a phospholipase A2/cyclooxygenase-dependent pathway. The complete inhibition of mox-LDL-induced platelet aggregation by aspirin could contribute to its beneficial effect in cardiovascular disease.


The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which the Jordanian banking sector uses Business Continuity Management (BCM) as a way to manage organizational risk, disasters and crises, as well as business interruptions. The population in this study consists of all 17 Jordanian banks registered with the Amman Stock Exchange. Data was collected via an interviewer-administered questionnaire. 11 completed questionnaires were obtained, representing a response rate of 64.7%. All the respondents showed a high level of commitment to performing the entire range of BCM activities. There are no statistically significant differences in the practice of BCM between Jordanian banks in terms of organizational characteristics, such as size and age. This suggests that the adoption of BCM by Jordanian banks is influenced more by sectoral, than organizational, characteristics, as well as by the national context.


We present hard X-ray observations of the nearby radio galaxy M87 and the core of the Virgo cluster using the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer . These are the first hard X-ray observations of M87 not affected by contamination from the nearby Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 4388. Thermal emission from Virgo's intracluster medium is clearly detected and has a spectrum indicative of kT ≈ 2 . 5 keV plasma with approximately 25% cosmic abundances. No non-thermal (power-law) emission from M87 is detected in the hard X-ray band, with fluctuations in the Cosmic X-ray Background being the limiting factor. Combining with ROSAT data, we infer that the X-ray spectrum of the M87 core and jet must be steep (Γ core > 1 . 90 and Γ jet > 1 . 75), and we discuss the implications of this result. In particular, these results are consistent with M87 being a mis-aligned BL-Lac object.


The title anion was synthesized by oxidation of nido-Ge94- with Ph3P or Ph3As in ethylenediamine solution. It was structurally characterized in the compound (Rb-2,2,2-crypt)6[Ge9=Ge9=Ge9].3en (2,2,2-crypt = 4,7,13,16,21,24-hexaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo[8.8.8]hexacosane) crystallized from the solution. The anion is a linear trimer of nine-atom clusters with the shape of tricapped trigonal prisms elongated along two of the three prismatic edges. Each pair of clusters is connected by two exo-bonds.


Background: Two recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified SNPs in or near four genes related to circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration. To examine the hypothesized inverse relationship between vitamin D status and breast cancer, we studied the associations between SNPs in these genes and breast cancer risk in a large pooled study of 9,456 cases and 10,816 controls from six cohorts. Methods: SNP markers localized to each of four genes (GC, CYP24A1, CYP2R1, and DHCR7) previously associated with 25(OH)D were genotyped and examined both individually and as a 4-SNP polygenic score. Logistic regression was used to estimate the associations between the genetic variants and risk of breast cancer. Results: We found no association between any of the four SNPs or their polygenic score and breast cancer risk. Conclusions: Our findings do not support an association between vitamin D status, as reflected by 25(OH)D–related genotypes, and breast cancer risk. Impact: These findings may contribute to future meta-analyses and scientific review articles, and provide new data about the association between vitamin D–related genes and breast cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(3); 627–30. ©2014 AACR.


Intergovernmental fiscal transfer (IFT) is one of the several sources of funds of sub-national governments. There are two general types of IFT — conditional and unconditional. In many developing economies including the Philippines, the usual existing IFT is a form of unconditional fiscal transfer called revenue shares. In the Philippines, this revenue-sharing scheme is called the internal revenue allotment (IRA). Empirical literature says that unconditional IFTs are the type of fiscal transfers with the least effect on local government spending. The literature posits that the reason for this is that local governments use these transfers to substitute for own-sourced revenues such as local taxes. This explanation was formalized through a framework presented in this paper. Using panel data from Philippine provinces for the years 2001 to 2015, this paper attempted to determine the effect of revenue shares, in the form of IRA, on local government expenditures. Using different econometric methodologies, this paper arrived at several conclusions. First, IRA has a strong positive effect on total local government spending with a marginal effect slightly greater than one — much higher than what comparable studies found using data from other countries. Secondly, the effect of IRA on local government expenditures is even stronger for provinces with relatively greater ability to generate its own funds. Next, IRA and other externally sourced revenues have much stronger marginal effects on local government spending than do own-sourced revenues. Finally, IRA has widely varying effects on different components of local government expenditures.


Two hundred and fifty-six sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage, and bronchial and tracheal aspirate specimens from 243 patients were tested for the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex by auramine fluorochrome staining, rRNA target amplification (Gen-Probe Amplified Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct Test [AMTD]), and PCR (Roche Amplicor Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Test [Amplicor PCR]. The results were compared with those of conventional Löwenstein-Jensen tube culture and BACTEC radiometric liquid culture. A total of 26 specimens from 18 patients were culture positive for M. tuberculosis. In addition, seven specimens were positive by staining and by culture for other Mycobacterium species but negative by nucleic acid amplification methods and were not included in the comparison. When compared with that for culture, the sensitivities of the techniques were as follows: for staining, 80.8%; for Gen-Probe AMTD, 84.6%; and for Roche Amplicor PCR, 84.6%. The specificities were 99.1, 98.7, and 99.1%, respectively. After resolution of discrepant results by review of the patients' clinical data, 29 specimens from 21 patients were considered positive, and the overall sensitivities, specificities, and positive and negative predictive values were 89.7, 100, 100, and 98.7% for culture; 75.9, 99.5, 95.7, and 96.9% for staining; 86.2, 100, 100, and 98.2% for Gen-Probe AMTD; and 82.8, 100, 100, and 97.9% for Roche Amplicor PCR, respectively. It is concluded that both nucleic acid amplification methods are rapid, sensitive, and specific methods for the detection of M. tuberculosis in respiratory specimens.


In this study, a laboratory experimental programme was conducted to compare the material properties and fatigue performance characteristics for reference, polymer-modified and rubber-modified gap-graded mixtures. These mixtures were placed on E18 highway between the interchanges Järva Krog and Bergshamra in the Stockholm area of Sweden. The advanced material characterisation tests included dynamic (complex) modulus for stiffness evaluation and the uniaxial tension–compression for fatigue assessment. The data were used to compare the performance of the rubber-modified gap-graded mixture to the reference and polymer-modified gap mixtures using the viscoelastic continuum damage (VECD) approach. Different researchers have successfully applied the VECD model to describe the fatigue behaviour of asphalt concrete mixtures. The damage characteristic (C–S) curves were established for each of the three mixtures. The fatigue behaviour for the three mixtures was ranked based on the C–S curve results and the rubber-modified mixture showed the best fatigue damage resistance followed by the polymer-modified and reference mixtures. The VECD approach provides a more comprehensive analysis to evaluate fatigue resistance compared with the traditional fatigue evaluation using a number of cycles at a given stiffness reduction.


ABSTRACT: Volunteer corn has high competitive capacity with bean, and the degree of interference varies as a function of corn density and origin (individual plant or clump). This study aimed to quantify bean yield losses under interference with densities of individual plants and clumps (seven plants at the same point) of GR® F2 volunteer corn and calculate the economic threshold (ET). Two experiments were carried out in a randomized blocks design with three replicates in Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil. The studied volunteer corn densities were 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 individual plants and clumps m-2. The bean yield was assessed and calculated the yield losses (%) in response to volunteer corn interference. The yield loss data were fitted to the rectangular hyperbola model to generate the parameters for ET determining. ET was calculated as a function of cost (US$ ha-1) and control efficiency (%) of volunteer corn, the price paid for bean (US$ kg-1), and bean yield (kg ha-1). Interferences caused by densities of volunteer corn of 0.5, 1, and 2 individual plants and clumps m-2 in bean resulted in yield losses of 9%, 17%, and 30%, and 33%, 51%, and 70%, respectively. The ET of volunteer corn on bean was, on average, 0.21 individual plants m-2 and 0.04 clumps m-2. Increases in yield and price paid for beans, higher efficiency of volunteer corn control, and a decrease in costs of control promote a reduction in ET. Interferences caused by clumps resulted in higher bean yield losses than individual plants.


Membrane Bioreactors (MBR) are efficient processes for wastewater treatment since they are compact and deliver a constant quality of treated water even with variable influent composition [1]. More recently they are considered for treating persistent pollutants so-called "emerging contaminants" (pharmaceuticals, pesticides, etc.) that create additional problems due to the effects on the environment and/or their interferences within biological processes [2]. Several studies have demonstrated the capacity of Submerged Membrane Bioreactors (SMBRs) to remove a great variety of pharmaceutical compounds [3]. On the other hand, the efforts for modelling of wastewater treatment systems have always targeted either the biological processes (treatment quality target) as well as the various aspects of engineering (cost and operation). The determination of the biokinetic parameters of these models has been carried out by using systems that treat municipal wastewaters. Considering the simulation of SMBR [4], the purpose of these work is to provide these parameters to adapt an SMBR model fot the treatment of hospital wastewater . In a first part, the behavior and activity of the biomass of sludge from two "sources" were studied simultaneously: the first one from a MBR pilot treating hospital wastewater and the other one from a municipal MBR plant (3000 equivalent inhabitants). The biomass oxygen uptake rate measured while the degradation of an equal volume of hospital wastewater added to each system, showed that there was an adaptation of the first one to the pharmaceutical pollutants while the second one showed a reduction of the oxygen uptake rate, which may be a result either of the inhibition of the degradation process or of the death of part of the microorganisms. Respirometry was used to determine the heterotrophic yields,( ratio of the mass of heterotrophic biomass produced by the mass of easily biodegradable substrate consumed) since it is known to be impacted by the nature of the substrate as well as the population of microorganism carrying out the degradation [5]. The obtained results allowed two remarks: First, the influence of the nature of the sludge on the heterotrophic yield coefficient has been confirmed. In our case YH is close to 0.72 mgCOD/mgCOD for activated sludge used in the hospital wastewater treatment and 0.67 mgCOD/mgCOD for activated sludge used in the urban wastewater treatment. But this comparison is not rigorous and this is the topic of the second point: indeed respirograms of hospital sludge showed a queue that may be related to consumption of nutriment reserves from bacteria [5, 6]. By the way the heterotrophic yields are then over estimated, but the bacterial consortium resistance behavior face to pollution may be interpreted with this nutriments reserve and lowering of the growth yield. These new coefficients and a modified version of the ASM model considering the nutriment reserves were implemented in the SMBR model.


Pulmonary atresia with or without a ventricular septal defect is a rare congenital heart disease. The incidence estimated from three large registries and more than four million neonates is between 0.22 and 0.94 per 10 000 life births.1 This condition in its natural course is lethal once the arterial duct closes after birth.2 Even though the condition is rare, it presents with a remarkable morphological heterogeneity.3 4 Thus, a uniform management strategy cannot be applied to all patients.

The earliest approach to treat the condition was surgical,2 and surgery is still more frequently performed than catheter-based treatment.4 Several modifications of the operative management have been made to improve the outcome. After initial construction of a systemic-pulmonary shunt and/or opening the right ventricular outflow tract, the children receive—depending on the anatomy of the right ventricle—either a one or a one-and-a-half ventricle palliation, or a biventricular repair. To achieve the latter several modifications, like infundibular resection, sinus resection and tricuspid and pulmonary valvotomy are performed, as indicated.5 Current studies show that the overall 5-year-survival is between 63% and 85%,4 5 and about 45% of …


The formation of a p38 MAPK and MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2) signaling complex is physiologically relevant to cellular responses such as the proinflammatory cytokine production. The interaction between p38α isoform and MK2 is of great importance for this signaling. In this study, molecular dynamics simulation and binding free energy calculation were performed on the MK2-p38α signaling complex to investigate the protein-protein interaction between the two proteins. Dynamic domain motion analyses were performed to analyze the conformational changes between the unbound and bound states of proteins during the interaction. The activation loop, αF-I helices, and loops among α helices in the C-lobe of MK2 are found to be highly flexible and exhibit significant changes upon p38α binding. The results also show that after the binding of p38α, the N- and C-terminal domains of MK2 display an opening and twisting motion centered on the activation loop. The molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann and generalized-Born surface area (MM-PB/GBSA) methods were used to calculate binding free energies between MK2 and p38α. The analysis of the components of binding free energy calculation indicates that the van der Waals interaction and the nonpolar solvation energy provide the driving force for the binding process, while the electrostatic interaction contributes critically to the specificity, rather than to MK2-p38α binding affinity. The contribution of each residue at the interaction interface to the binding affinity of MK2 with p38α was also analyzed by free energy decomposition. Several important residues responsible for the protein-protein interaction were also identified.


Abstract. Title of the paper: Relationship between milk yield, fertility and amount of disease of Holstein Friesian dairy cows Data of 1 841 lactations of 353 Holstein Friesian dairy cows and data according to their reproductive fertility and diseases were analysed over a period of five years in a breeding farm in Thuringen (Germany). As a result the lowest success of first service has been achieved at a lactation (ranged) between 9 000 and 11 000 kg. The time between calving and the following first service varied according to the first disease in last lactation. With rising milk yield the frequency of diseases and the success of first service tend to decrease. Cows achieving a 305 day milk yield of more than 11 000 kg showed with 56 % the lowest frequency of diseases. In average 60 % of all dairy cows need to be treated once in a lactation. The diseases of highest prevalence are in the field of reproductive fertility and udder health. For heifers a decreased success of first service has been detected if they showed an increased prevalence of illness.


Propolis, bee glue is a sticky substances, which is used to prevent corruption of the ones who broke into the hive, and which is known as a substance that inhibits the growth of microorganisms within the hive. In order to use this propolis, is required to extract the active ingredients from the raw propolis. Mainly goes through the process of extraction with ethanol. Propolis is registered as health functional food for food and drug safety with a valid registration which is anti-oxidant effects and anti microbial effects of oralflora. In this study, in order to determine the antioxidant effect of propolis produced in various regions collected 58 regions. Antioxidant effects were tested by DPPH free radical scavenging effects method. Propolis concentrations were prepared with 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000μg, by the free radical scavenging effects were 500μg Gangwon region showed higher value, 50~100μg Gyeong-gi and Chungcheong region were found to be in the high, Jeolla, Gyeongsang region in the 100~500μg was higher. More than a certain concentration was to determine antioxidant falling rather. These results can be said to suggest if you use the edible excess should be avoided. And then, Jeju lower than in the other regions were shown to be higher with increasing concentration. The propolis of Jeju Island, unlike in other regions the same amount of propolis antioxidant effects appeared low.


In an inductively coupled power transfer (ICPT) system, a primary capacitance is usually used to minimize the VA rating of power supply, and a secondary capacitance is adopted to maximize the power transfer. The changes of the secondary capacitance because of environmental temperature or other factors will alter the resonant frequency of the secondary side, and thus the power transfer capability is varied. In this study, the power transfer capability of ICPT systems is investigated in detail when the secondary capacitance changes. A resonant frequency control strategy is suggested to keep the system operation frequency to follow closely the secondary resonant frequency when the secondary capacitance varies. This new strategy is based on the synergic action of the system operation frequency and the primary capacitance. The performance of three frequency control methods, that is the resonant frequency control, the traditional variable frequency control, and the fixed frequency control, are compared when the secondary capacitance varies. A distinguish feature of a resonant frequency control is that the power transfer is an approximately linear function of the secondary capacitance. This linear characteristics facilitate a voltage control strategy being used to keep the load power unchanging when the secondary capacitance varies. A traditional viewpoint in an ICPT system is that maximizing of output power is achieved when the system operation frequency is equal to the secondary resonant frequency. Numerical simulations show that the power output by a resonant frequency control do not always dominate the power output from other two frequency control methods. This phenomenon suggests that above traditional viewpoint is a misconception, and should be reexamined. The power transfer capability of ICPT systems is an intricate function of the operational frequency, and thus resonant operations of the secondary side do not always guarantee maximizing the power transfer. A suitable control mechanism, such as the resonant frequency control, the variable frequency control, or the fixed frequency control, should be designed carefully according to the practical engineering requirement when the secondary capacitance varies.