The pancreas is a dual organ, performing endocrine and exocrine functions. The exocrine pancreas harbours duct, centroacinar and acinar cells in charge of production, secretion, and transport of digestive enzymes. Acinar cells are producing large amounts of proteins and account for the majority of all cells in the pancreas. The acinar cell pool is believed to be a population of equipotent cells, which are equal in form and function. However, by examining acinar cells on the single cell level, we find that acinar cells represent a heterogeneous pool of morphologically, functionally and molecularly distinct cells.
Long-term, multicolour lineage tracing reveals the existence of previously neglected progenitor-like acinar cells with the ability to persistently generate acinar cells for at least one year. In a complementary in vitro approach, we find that only a subpopulation of acinar cells is able to form organoids, if in direct contact with a supporting acinar cell. We demonstrate that binuclear acinar cells are proliferation deficient and uncover their existence in the human pancreas. Chemically induced pancreatitis transiently activates a population of acinar cells, distinct from the proliferating acinar cells that maintain homeostasis. Furthermore, single cell mRNA sequencing of acinar cells confirms their functional heterogeneity on the molecular level. Altogether, our study transforms our understanding of the acinar cell compartment as a pool of equipotent secretory cells and provides a framework to further disentangle the cellular complexity within the exocrine pancreas in the future.


Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common and polymorphic syndrome, characterized by long-lasting, widespread musculoskeletal pain, in the presence of 11 or more tender points located at specific anatomical sites. A heterogeneous series of disturbances, mainly involving autonomic, neuroendocrine and neuropsychic systems, is usually present. Even if subjective, the chronic psychophysical suffering state of FM adversely affects the patient's quality of life, performance and mood. Cognitive behavioural therapy and antidepressant drugs are useful in FM treatment, suggesting a close link between the syndrome and psychiatric, psychological and behavioural factors. Our aim was to evaluate the personality profiles of FM patients, as well as the aggregation and relationships between FM and psychiatric disorders (PD), reviewing the available evidences in current literature on this comorbidity. Personality variables associated with psychological vulnerability are frequent in FM patients. Personality disorders are rarely reported. Compared with controls, FM patients show a significantly higher prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders, reported in 20-80% and 13-63.8% of cases, respectively. This high variability may depend on the psychosocial characteristics of patients, since most of the studies were performed on tertiary care consulting patients, however, even referring to the lower percentages, the occurrence of PD is significantly higher in FM subjects compared to the general population (7%). Moreover, elevated frequencies of PD have been detected in relatives of FM patients. The FM/PD aggregation suggests a common physiopathology, and alterations of neurotransmitter systems may constitute the shared underlying factor.


Objective: Determine any disparities in care based on race, ethnicity and language (REaL) by utilizing inpatient (IP) core measures at Texas Health Resources, a large, faith-based, non-profit health care delivery system located in a large, ethnically diverse metropolitan area in Texas. These measures, which were established by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and The Joint Commission (TJC), help to ensure better accountability for patient outcomes throughout the U.S. health care system. Methods: Sample analysis to understand the architecture of race, ethnicity and language (REaL) variables within the Texas Health clinical database, followed by development of the logic, method and framework for isolating populations and evaluating disparities by race (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Native American/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Asian and Other); ethnicity (Hispanic and non-Hispanic); and preferred language (English and Spanish). The study is based on use of existing clinical data for four inpatient (IP) core measures: Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), Pneumonia (PN) and Surgical Care (SCIP), representing 100% of the sample population. These comprise a high number of cases presenting in our acute care facilities. Findings are based on a sample of clinical data (N = 19,873 cases) for the four inpatient (IP) core measures derived from 13 of Texas Health's wholly-owned facilities, formulating a set of baseline data. Results: Based on applied method, Texas Health facilities consistently scored high with no discernable race, ethnicity and language (REaL) disparities as evidenced by a low percentage difference to the reference point (non-Hispanic White) on IP core measures, including: AMI (0.3%–1.2%), CHF (0.7%–3.0%), PN (0.5%–3.7%), and SCIP (0–0.7%).


An ASTM-CFR engine was modeled through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) coupled with chemical kinetics to evaluate the effect on combustion characteristics and engine emissions of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and ethanol as gasoline components, the latter as reference oxygenating agent. Validation against experimental in-cylinder pressure data indicated adequate reproduction of these fuels combustion, all blends showing higher and earlier pressure peaks than neat gasoline (ca. 0.2 MPa and 2 CAD). Simulated temperatures were close for all fuels, though slightly advanced for the oxygenated blends (ca. 2 CAD). Similar behavior of the oxygenates was predicted regarding HC, CO and soot emissions: ca. 90% reduction in HC, CO, and soot emissions were observed, but ethanol displayed up to 3.5% CO2 reduction and 17% NOx increase, while DMC showed up to 7% decrease in CO2 and 6% increase in NOx. Considering the advantage of using chemical kinetics for combustion calculations in the CFD model, i.e., quantification of any species present in the reaction mechanism, including those difficult to observe/measure experimentally, concentrations of non-regulated emissions (e.g., formaldehyde) were studied. In particular, a minor increase in formaldehyde emissions was found with both oxygenated fuels. Albeit a first approach to assessing oxygenating compounds effects on gasoline combustion and emissions under engine conditions through a CFD + detailed chemistry model, the results underline the potential of DMC as gasoline oxygenating agent, and are a starting point for studying non-measured/non-regulated species and parametric engine analysis in future models.


Abstract. The Galloway region of south-west Scotland has historically been subject to long-term deposition of acidic precipitation which has resulted in acidification of soils and surface waters and subsequent damage to aquatic ecology. Since the end of the 1970s, however, acidic deposition has decreased substantially. The general pattern is for a rapid decline in non-marine sulphate in rainwater over the period 1978-1988 followed by stable concentrations to the mid-1990s. Concentrations of nitrate and ammonium in deposition have remained constant between 1980 and 1998. Seven water quality surveys of 48 lochs in the Galloway region have been conducted between 1979 and 1998. During the first 10 years, from 1979, there was a major decline in regional sulphate concentrations in the lochs, which was expected to have produced a decline in base cations and an increase in the acid neutralising capacity. But sea-salt levels (as indicated by chloride concentrations) were approximately 25% higher in 1988 than in 1979 and thus short-term acidification due to sea-salts offset much of the long-term recovery trend expected in the lochs. During the next 10 years, however, the chloride concentrations returned to 1979 levels and the lochs showed large increases in acid neutralising capacity despite little change in sulphate concentrations. From the observed decline in sulphate deposition and concentrations of sulphate in the lochs, it appears that approximately 75% of the possible improvement in acid neutralising capacity has already occurred over the 20-year period (1979-1998). The role of acid deposition as a driving factor for change in water chemistry in the Galloway lochs is confounded by concurrent changes in other driving variables, most notably, factors related to episodic and year-to-year variations in climate. In addition to inputs of sea-salts, climate probably also influences other chemical signals such as peaks in regional nitrate concentrations and the sharp increase in dissolved organic carbon during the 1990s. Keywords: acidification, recovery, Galloway, sulphur, nitrogen


Mushrooms that grow all over the world are used sources of food and medical features since the time of ancient Greece and Roman. Today, request of edible mushrooms such as Pleurotus Ostreatus cultivated at the industrial level, due to its short growing period, higher compliance and productivity are increasing according to the other edible mushrooms. Commercial production is carried out in indoor and conditioned environments with labor-intensive way throughout the year. Indoor cultivation, leads to allergic symptoms such as extrinsic allergic alveolitis known as hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) in workers. HP that caused by repeated inhalation of organic antigens and inorganic low-molecular-weight particles is a non-IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reaction in susceptible people. Although there are different reasons HP9s clinical, radiological and pathological features are shared. 23-year-old male patient9s symptoms emerged after starting mushroom production business. A patient was admitted to our clinic complaints with chills, fever, joint pain, skin rashes. As a result of his medical history, physical and radiographic examination patient was diagnosed as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and medical therapy was started. The patient9s symptoms disappeared in a few days. The patient was discharged at the end of the first week. Despite the difficulties in the diagnosis of disease it should be kept in mind in medical history, physical examination and radiographic evaluation. Question of the "What is your occupation?" which allows us to diagnose or help should certainly be asked and considered.


Neutrosophic set (NS) is a powerful tool to deal with indeterminacy. In this paper, the neutrosophic set is applied to the image domain and a novel edge detection technique is proposed. Noise reduction of images is a challenging task in image processing. Salt and pepper noise is one kind of noise that affects a grayscale image significantly. Generally, the median filter is used to reduce salt and pepper noise; it gives optimum results while compared to other image filters. Median filter works only up to a certain level of noise intensity. Here we proposed a neighborhood-based image filter called nbd-filter, it works perfectly for gray image regardless of noise intensity. It reduces salt and pepper noise significantly at any noise level and produces a noise-free image. Further, we proposed an edge detection algorithm based on the neutrosophic set, it detects edges efficiently for images corrupted by noise and noise-free images. Since most of the real-life images consists of indeterminate regions, neutrosophy is a perfect tool for edge detection. The main advantage of the proposed edge detector is, it is a simple and efficient technique and detect edges more efficient than conventional edge detectors.


What is it with Doctor Who and Victoriana? The current series of the BBC science-fiction show Doctor Who (2005-present) has returned to the Victorian era frequently, mining the nineteenth century for storylines. In the post-millennial series, each regeneration of The Doctor has appeared in his own Victorian-inspired episodes, which update, subvert, and highlight Victorian culture and its relationship to a modern audience. This article considers one such neo-Victorian dimension of Doctor Who: the relationship of Madame Vastra, a Silurian (a fictional race of reptile-like humanoids), and her human wife Jenny Flint. Both Vastra and Jenny, as well as their Sontaran butler Strax (a member of an alien race of belligerent and militaristic clones), form a trio of recurring fictional characters known as the Paternoster Gang. The Paternoster Gang acts as a vehicle to explore and question family, gender, and sexuality norms in the nineteenth-century world of Doctor Who. The show depicts Vastra and Jenny as a queer, female, and interspecies incarnation of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. The crime-fighting duo's relationship with each other and with Strax represents the possibility of interdependence and interspecies harmony.


High-performance distributed computing systems increasingly feature nodes that have multiple CPU sockets and multiple GPUs. The communication bandwidth between these components is non-uniform. Furthermore, these systems can expose different communication capabilities between these components. For communication-heavy applications, optimally using these capabilities is challenging and essential for performance. Bespoke codes with optimized communication may be non-portable across run-time/software/hardware configurations, and existing stencil frameworks neglect optimized communication. This work presents node-aware approaches for automatic data placement and communication implementation for 3D stencil codes on multi-GPU nodes with non-homogeneous communication performance and capabilities. Benchmarking results in the Summit system show that choices in placement can result in a 20% improvement in single-node exchange, and communication specialization can yield a further 6x improvement in exchange time in a single node, and a 16% improvement at 1536 GPUs.


As a result of the European legislation, it is necessary to put in the educational offer of the educational institutions, the distance eLearning training courses for the pilots of the aircraft without human pilot on board. The problem at the moment is therefore not the acquisition of the RPAS, but the training of the staff. The paper highlights the importance of organizing the distance eLearning training courses for RPAS pilots. The big development of the RPAS predicted, will be in First Class, where the payloads are not so complex and therefore the purchase price is greatly reduced. Thus, accessibility has now become possible for SMEs as well as for the general public. The dangers are even greater from the perspective of the flight in the same airspace and of the aircraft with human pilot on board, but also of the problems related to the security of some objectives within the critical infrastructure. And not only once have there been reported incidents of drones flying near airports, nuclear power stations or military targets. In order to prevent such incidents from occurring, it is necessary to train RPAS remote pilots' through online courses.
The professional training of the military personnel for these RPAS, including the remote pilots, is carried out through specialized courses organized at the Air Force Application School "Aurel Vlaicu". There are detailed the aspects of the content of these courses. The introductory course for UAS operators is intended to prepare, both theoretically and practically the trainees, to be able to perform operating activities with aircraft without human pilot on board from the state. Also, is mentioned the Professional Re-qualification Program within the European Union ERASMUS + Program, "Educational for drone (eDrone)". With the support of the European funds received and the expertise achieved in the project by the partners, at the end of 2017 a laboratory at the Moldova State University of Chi?in?u (Republic of Moldova) was created at the level of European standards and in accordance with the current requirements of a modern education. Consequently, the same can be done to us.


Big Data is a term used to describe the large amount of data in the networked, digitized, sensor-laden, information-driven world. While opportunities exist with Big Data, the data can overwhelm traditional technical approaches and the growth of data is outpacing scientific and technological advances in data analytics. To advance progress in Big Data, the NIST Big Data Public Working Group (NBD-PWG) worked to develop consensus on important fundamental concepts related to Big Data. The results are reported in the NIST Big Data Interoperability Framework series of volumes. This volume, Volume 3, contains the original 51 Version 1 use cases gathered by the NBD-PWG Use Cases and Requirements Subgroup and the requirements generated from those use cases. The use cases are presented in their original and summarized form. Requirements, or challenges, were extracted from each use case, and then summarized over all the use cases. These generalized requirements were used in the development of the NIST Big Data Reference Architecture (NBDRA), which is presented in Volume 6. During the development of Version 2 of the NBDIF, the Use Cases and Requirements Subgroup and the Security and Privacy Subgroup identified the need for additional use cases to strengthen work of the NBD-PWG in Stage 3. The subgroup accepted additional use case submissions using the more detailed Use Case Template 2. The three additional use case submissions collected using Use Case Template 2 are presented and summarized in this volume.


ABSTRACT. de Sa M.E.P. & de Melo C.B. [Spread of animal diseases through international trade and the role of the border veterinary services in Brazil.] Disseminacao de enfermidades animais por meio do comercio internacional e o papel dos servicos veterinarios de fronteira no Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinaria, 38(1):7-12, 2016. Universidade de Brasilia, Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Ciencias Animais, Campus Universitario Darcy Ribeiro, ICC Sul, Asa Norte, Brasilia, DF 70910-900, Brasil. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com The international movement of animals and products of animal origin (PAO) is a major mechanism of introduction and spread of pathogens in disease-free areas. Aiming for prevention and control of diseases, the commercial transactions of animals and their products are carried through a series of technical regulations and must follow the international sanitary standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The knowledge, management and control of the movement of live animals in Brazil are important tools to aid in the sanitary condition of the Brazilian herd, which is essential for the maintenance and expansion of the country's participation in the global market. The satisfactory performance of governments and the credibility of the border veterinary services are essential components to successfully achieve the process of mitigating the risks associated with the spread of diseases through international trade.


Remembering information can be likened to a search through a network composed of semantically related information. An appropriate search through this network requires an adaptive balance between exploratory and exploitative search behaviors. Without exploration, a searcher will perseverate too long on a semantic area devoid of resources. Without exploitation, a searcher may jump around aimlessly, failing to find the semantic areas with plentiful resources (see Hills, Jones, & Todd, 2012). The semantic fluency task, in which subjects are asked to recall items from a given semantic category, can be used to measure these behaviors. Classically, this task has been used to predict Alzheimer's susceptibility, but other clinically relevant predictions have required involved semantic analyses. Here, we show that distribution fitting applied to the gross time series of recall events, can be used to easily predict measures of clinical relevance such as Wender Utah ADHD and Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking scores.


Mobile agents often have a task to collect data from several predefined sites. This should be done in an efficient way by minimizing the elapsed time. Usually these agents only know the list of sites but not the distance s between them. This research proposes a method to minimize a network routing time taken by the mobile agents using genetic algorithm (GA) to collect query datasets from different hosts from the World Wide Web. The mobile agents repeat traveling over short routes and avoid longer ones. The GA will be used to select the best routes that will be used by mobile agents to retrieve query datasets in a very short time. Specifically, the performance of mobile agent in obtaining a query result from the remote hosts using extended hierarchical query retrieval (EHQR) approach is proposed. It is based on a hierarchical and a parallel dispatching of mobile agents to the remote servers in order to retrieve the query results. The new dispatching algorithms for mobile agents to be dispatched to various sited have been developed such as an itinerary query retrieval approach (IQR), a parallel query retrieval approach (PQR), a serial query retrieval approach (SQR) a shuttle query retrieval approach (SHQR), a hierarchical query retrieval approach (HQR) and the EHQR approach Experimental results show that the proposed approach reduces the number of mobile agents and also improve the total time taken to retrieve the query results compared with other approaches.


Abstract: One way to better understand the contribution of DNA repair, DNA damage, and mutagenesis in aging would be to enhance DNA repair activity, lower DNA damage, and lower mutagenesis. Because the repair protein O6‐methylguanine‐DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) acts alone and stoichiometrically, the human MGMT (hMGMT) cDNA was selected to test the feasibility of enhancing DNA repair activity in transgenic mice. MGMT activity is largely responsible for ameliorating the deleterious effects of O6‐methylguanine (O6mG) lesions in DNA in a direct reversal mechanism. A transgene was constructed consisting of a portion of the human transferrin (TF) promoter and hMGMT cDNA such that hMGMT is expressed in transgenic mouse brain and liver. Expression of hMGMT was associated with a significant reduction in the occurrence of an age‐related hepatocellular carcinoma in male mice at 15 months of age. Longitudinal and cross‐sectional studies were initiated to determine whether the reduced incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma would impact median or maximum life span. The cross‐sectional study performed on 15‐month‐old male animals confirmed the reduced occurrence of spontaneous hepatocellular carcinoma. At 30 months of age, however, the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma in at least one transgenic line was similar to that for nontransgenic animals. The longitudinal study is ongoing; however, at present no significant differences in life span have been detected. Tissues expressing the MGMT transgene also displayed greater resistance to alkylation‐induced tumor formation. These results suggest that transgenes can be used to direct enhanced DNA repair gene expression and that enhanced expression can protect animals from certain spontaneous and induced tumors.


This thesis explores the potential risk implications that a large penetration of intermittent renewable electricity generation –such as wind and solar power– may have on the future electricity generation technology mix, focusing on the anticipated new operating conditions of different thermal generating technologies and their remuneration in a competitive market environment. In addition, this thesis illustrates with an example how risk should be valued at the power plant level in order to internalize the potential risks to which the generators are exposed. This thesis first compares the impacts of three different bidding rules on wholesale prices and on the remuneration of units in power systems with a significant share of renewable generation. The effects of bidding rules are distinguished from the effects of regulatory uncertainty that can unexpectedly increase renewable generation by considering two distinct situations: 1) an 'adapted' capacity mix, which is optimized for any given amount of renewable penetration, and 2) a 'non-adapted' capacity mix, which is optimized for zero renewable penetration, but that operates with a certain non-zero renewable capacity, added on top of an already adequate system. The analysis performed stresses the importance of sound mechanisms that allow the full-cost recovery of plants in a system where the intermittency of renewables accentuates nonconvex costs, without over-increasing the cost paid by consumers for electricity. Additionally, the analysis quantifies the potential losses incurred by different thermal technologies if renewable deployment occurs without allowing for adaptation. Methodologically, this thesis uses a novel long-term generation investment model, the Investment Model for Renewable Electricity Systems (IMRES), to determine the minimum cost thermal capacity mix necessary to complement renewable generation to meet electricity demand, and to extract hourly wholesale prices. IMRES is a capacity expansion model with unit commitment constraints whose main characteristics are: 1) reflecting the impact of hourly resolution operation constraints on investment decisions and on total generation cost; 2) accounting for the chronological variability of demand and renewable output, and the correlation between the two; and 3) deciding on power plant investments at the individual


The relative recurrence risk ratio λR (and particularly the sibling recurrence risk ratio, λS ) is often of interest to those wanting to quantify the genetic contribution towards risk of disease or to discriminate between different genetic models. However, estimating λR for complex diseases for which genetic and environmental risk factors are both involved is not straightforward. Ignoring environmental factors may lead to inflated estimates of λR. We present a marginal model which uses a copula function to model the association in cumulative incidence rates between pairs of relatives. This model is applicable to present‐state data and allows estimation of risk of disease in a pair of relatives (and hence λR), given measured environmental covariates. We apply the model to leprosy among sibling pairs from the Karonga district, Malawi. If risk factors are ignored, the apparent λS in this population is over 3. Accounting for known nongenetic risk factors reduces it to just under 2. Genet Epidemiol 25:293–302, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Berlin-Brandenburg airport (BER) has become well-known far beyond German borders due to substantial mis-planning and heavy delays in opening. Planned to open in March 2012 and to take over all air-transport services from Germany's capital city, with the other airports expected to close, construction work at BER is still ongoing in 2019. Four weeks before the expected opening of the airport, the opening was suddenly delayed by several months. This unexpected delay was an exogeneous shock for residents surrounding the largest existing airport, Berlin-Tegel, which is expected to close upon the opening of Berlin-Brandenburg. A series of additional delay announcements followed. We analyze the effect of airport noise and proximity to the airport on housing rental prices. Our identification strategy is based on the expectations regarding the closing of Berlin-Tegel airport. The results suggest that there is a negative effect of noise on housing rental prices while there are positive effects of proximity to Berlin-Tegel. These delays reduce rental prices by a small amount, when compared with the noise discounts in the literature for owner-occupied properties in studies of other cities. These findings likely occur because renters have a relatively short time horizon for their tenure in an apartment, on average, to benefit from the future noise reduction. For instance, a one-year delay for a renter who plans to stay in an apartment for only one or two years implies a very low benefit from the future noise reduction. We also find that the benefits from a delay announcement have a net negative effect on prices for rental properties that are in the noisier areas but further drive time from Tegel; and a net positive effect in the less noisy areas that are shorter drive time from Tegel. This likely re flects the disamenity from prolonged airport noise exposure, as well as the benefits from proximity due to expectation of continued ease of employment and travel access.


Just as teenagers divide the world into jocks, nerds, goths, preps, townies, posers, and so on, linguists tend to categorize languages in broad strokes by what is best known about them: Bantu languages are defined by applicatives and tones, Slavic languages by palatalization and aspect, Native American languages by polysynthesis and attrition, and so on. Ask a linguist who does not work on Austronesian what he or she knows about these languages and you are likely to hear about nasal substitution, infixation, verb-initial word order, articulated systems of grammatical voice, or restrictions on movement. Any book that is addressed to the general public, not just to Austronesianists, and that takes the reader beyond these staple topics fills an important gap. The book reviewed here does just that and more. If pressed to name its goals, I would identify them as twofold: to make issues that at first sight may seem parochial to Austronesianists relevant to the entire field by identifying the theoretical challenges they pose, and to move the analysis of Austronesian beyond the traditional stereotypes, such as named above, but in a way that also connects the new theoretical challenges with established ones. The interests of the three editors are nicely distributed: Gärtner is best known for his semantic work on a number of languages, Sabel is a dedicated explorer of everything Malagasy who has done important work in theoretical syntax, and Law combines interests in syntax with attention to Malagasy. Leaving phonology and morphology aside, the most publicized, although not yet fully understood, aspects of Austronesian languages include verb-initial word orders (often accompanied by the right-hand subject), articulated voice systems, and very rigid constraints on what can be extracted—usually the only constituent undergoing extraction is subject-like, or what many researchers call an external argument ("subject-only restriction"). The introductory chapter, "Clause structure and adjuncts in Austronesian languages," by Gärtner, Law, and Sabel, does an excellent job surveying the main approaches to these three phenomena, and in so doing will be of clear use not only to specialists in Austronesian but also to generalists and syntacticians. With respect to verb-initiality, a number of researchers have argued that pathways to verb-initial order may differ across languages, and even within a language family or group. The well-recognized possibilities include (i) nonconfigurationality (see, for example, Austin 2004); (ii) base-generation, with parametric variation in the position of the specifier in functional projections either to the right or to the left (the rightward specifier of T allows one to derive VOS order in a direct way); (iii) subject lowering (as argued for Chamorro and Māori by Chung 1998); (iv) verb-raising; and (v) VP-raising. The introductory chapter does a particularly good job presenting options (iv) and (v) and discussing their pros and cons. Still, more explicit comparisons with other verb-initial languages outside the Austronesian family would have been useful—after all, these languages may present additional test cases for particular theories. This criticism notwithstanding, the background part of the introductory chapter is clearly written and can be a valuable companion in courses on verb-initiality, restrictions on


Cancer is one of the biggest killers in the western world; every two minutes someone is diagnosed with cancer in the UK. Tumour growth and progression is a complex biological process, normally beginning with genetic mutations in a single cell. It starts with the early or avascular phase where growth is limited by nutrient diffusion, then the vascular stage where angiogenesis occurs to stimulate blood vessel production by the secretion of tumour angiogenesis factors and finally the metastasitic phase where the tumour spreads from the site of origin to distant sites around the body. While considering these events at the cellular level, these processes involve many microenvironment parameters like oxygen concentration, hypoglycaemia, acidity, hypoxia (lack of oxygen), cell-cell adhesion, cell migration and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. In this paper, a computational model is proposed which considered hypoxia as a microenvironment constraint of tumour growth. The model is built on two dimensional cellular automata grid and artificial neural network is considered for establishing signaling network of tumour cells. Each tumour cell can take its own decision in this model. A hypoxia impact was implemented in the model by varying different oxygen concentrations. The results show that hypoxia was introduced in the tumour mass due to lack of oxygen. The model measured tumour invasion and the number of apoptotic cells to support that hypoxia has a critical impacts on avascular tumour growth. This model could inform a better understanding of the impacts of hypoxia in tumour growth from the computational point of view.


This poster presents a study on the voice of two Swedish mathematics teacher guides. We have made a content analysis of teacher guides to the two most commonly used mathematics textbooks in Swedish lower secondary school Grades 7 to 9. Our theoretical stance is that curriculum resources can support teachers pedagogical design capacity. Our analysis shows that the voice of both guides speaks through the teacher with narratives and scripted instructions, instead of making visible the strengths and weaknesses with different teaching design considerations. The results could be used to further elaborate on how the teacher guides can be designed to support the pedagogical design capacity for a range of different teachers.


Quasi-optical (QO) filter design is commonly based on the direct coupled bandpass filter topology with distributed resonator elements. Conventionally, prototypes with symmetrical impedance inverters are employed during synthesis, and as a result, this leads to resonators with custom lengths across the filter. This can be impractical from a QO filter implementation perspective, since spacers of arbitrary thickness may not be readily available. In this paper, we propose a novel impedance inverter equivalent network, which allows the development of prototypes where transmission lines across the filter structure to have predefined fixed lengths. Based on this technique, we developed a fourth-order QO filter prototype that composed of 2-D periodic arrays with subwavelength features. Its performance is verified with free-space measurement, and the measured results show good agreement with both full-wave and circuit simulation. Thus, it is shown that the proposed impedance inverter circuit can simplify the implementation of QO filters of higher order.


New Bicoumarin derivatives 5a-cwere synthesized through condensation of 3-acetylcoumarin derivatives with coumarin acid hydrazide. All the prepared compounds were evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activity against human hepatic (Hep-G2) and human breast (MCF-7)cancer cell lines. The prepared compounds showed variable anticancer activity against Hep-G2 cell line with compound 5c being the most potent with IC50 1.21 mg/mL.Also, compound 5a showed moderate activity with IC50 4.62 mg/mL against the same cell line. However, all the prepared compounds showed no activity against MCF-7 cell line with IC50>10mg/mL


This study presents the results of a 2010 Internet survey conducted on 999 Norwegian citizens aiming to investigate and explain the main determinants of public attitudes towards carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS), a technology considered crucial for mitigating adverse consequences of global climate change. The results confirmed the main hypothesis, in line with previous research based on risk psychology and the risk-benefit model: Attitudes towards CCS were positively related to benefit perceptions and negatively related to risk perceptions, but this study found benefit perception to be a stronger predictor of attitudes than risk perception. Clear relationships were also found between attitudes towards CCS and other predictor variables. Perception of CCS as an interference with nature was negatively related to attitudes, while general trust in science and technology, a concept labeled epistemic trust, was positively related to attitudes towards CCS. Based on the results, epistemic trust seemingly was a more important predictor than social trust. Climate change concern did not directly predict CCS attitudes, but mediation analysis revealed an indirect relationship through benefit perception. Ecological concern, as measured by The New Ecological Paradigm Scale, was not a significant predictor of attitudes towards CCS and neither were knowledge of environmental issues, climate change or the CCS technology. Knowledge was, however, negatively related to risk perception. The results and future implications are discussed.


Designing electrode materials with high specific capacitance is crucial for further improving the energy storage performance of supercapacitors. Nickel sulfide (NiS) nanosheets anchored on the surface of N-doped hollow carbon spheres (NiS/NHCS) were rationally designed and synthesized via a multistep transformation approach. Uniform nickel silicate nanosheets were first deposited on the surface of NHCSs, followed by chemical conversion into NiS nanosheets. The NiS/NHCS composite shows excellent electrochemical properties as an electrode material for supercapacitors. The NiS/NHCS electrode can deliver a high specific capacitance of 1150 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 and show outstanding cycling performance with a retention rate of 76% over 4000 cycles, which are much higher than those of pure NiS hollow spheres (NiS-HS) (400 F g−1 and 63%, respectively). Moreover, a hybrid supercapacitor assembled with NiS/NHCS as the cathode and an activated carbon electrode as the anode delivers a high energy density of 38.3 W h kg−1 at a power density of 160 W kg−1 and has an excellent cycle performance with the retention rate of 96% after 5000 cycles. The exceptional electrochemical performance of the NiS/NHCS composite indicates its potential application in high-performance supercapacitors.


The present study is conducted to investigate the local heat/mass transfer characteristics for flow through perforated plates. A naphthalene sublimation method is employed to determine the local heat/mass transfer coefficients on the effusion plate. Two parallel perforated plates are arranged for the two different ways: staggered and shifted in one direction. The experiments are conducted for hole pitch-to-diameter ratios of 6.0, for gap distance between the perforated plates of 0.33 to 10 hole diameters, and for Reynolds numbers of 5,000 to 12,000. The result shows that the high transfer region is formed at stagnation region and at the mid-line of the adjacent impinging jets due to secondary vortices and flow acceleration to the effusion hole. For flows through the perforated plates, the mass transfer rates on the surface of the effusion plate are about six to ten times higher than for effusion cooling alone (single perforated plate). More uniform and higher heat/mass transfer characteristic is obtained in overall region with small gap between two perforated plates.


The evolution of modern cameras, mobile phones equipped with sophisticated image editing software has revolutionized digital imaging. In the process of image editing, contrast enhancement is a very common technique to hide visual traces of tampering. In our work, we have employed statistical distribution of block variance and AC DCT coefficients of an image to detect global contrast enhancement in an image. The variation in statistical parameters of block variance and AC DCT coefficients distribution for different degrees of contrast enhancement are used as features to detect contrast enhancement. An SVM classifier with 10-fold cross-validation is employed. An overall accuracy greater than 99% in detection with false rate less than 2% has been achieved. The proposed method is novel and it can be applied to uncompressed, previously JPEG compressed and post enhancement JPEG compressed images with high accuracy. The proposed method does not employ oft-repeated image histogram-based approach.


Background An unexpected difficult intubation occurs because physical examination of the airway is imperfect in predicting it. Lingual tonsil hyperplasia (LTH) is one risk factor for an unanticipated failed intubation that is not detectable during a routine oropharyngeal examination. The authors attempted to determine the incidence of LTH in unanticipated failed intubation in patients subjected to general anesthesia. Methods Thirty-three patients with unanticipated failed intubation via direct laryngoscopy were subjected to airway examinations and fiberoptic pharyngoscopy to determine the cause(s) of failure. Mouth opening, mandibular subluxation, head extension, thyromental distance, and Mallampati airway class were recorded. Fiberoptic pharyngoscopy was then performed to evaluate the base of the tongue and valleculae. Results Of these 33 patients, none had an airway examination that suggested a difficult intubation. The lungs of 12 patients were difficult to ventilate by mask. In 15 patients, airway measurements were within normal limits with Mallampati class of I or II. Ten patients had a Mallampati class III airway, 6 associated with obesity and 5 with mildly limited head extension. Among the 5 morbidly obese patients, most of the weight was distributed on the lower trunk and body. The 3 remaining patients had a thyromental distance of 6 cm or less but otherwise had a normal airway examination. The only finding common to all 33 patients was LTH observed on fiberoptic pharyngoscopy. Conclusion Lingual tonsil hyperplasia can interfere with rigid laryngoscopic intubation and face mask ventilation. Routine physical examination of the airway will not identify its presence. The prevalence of LTH in adults and the extent of its contribution to failed intubation is unknown.


ABSTRACT Temperature-dependency of back-extraction behavior of inert platinum group metals (PGMs) like Ru(III) and Rh(III) has been investigated in a biphasic system consisting of H2C2O4(aq) and betainium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide ([Hbet][Tf2N]) after extracting these PGMs as well as that of non-inert Pd(II). At 298 K, Pd(II) in [Hbet][Tf2N] phase was stripped high efficiency (78.8%) by 0.1 M H2C2O4 within 2 min. In contrast, back-extraction of Rh(III) and Ru(III) did not proceed at all in practice under the same condition, demonstrating the inertness of these PGMs. When the sample temperature was risen up to 353 K, the stripping of Rh(III) was promoted, and completed within 300 min at 353 K. The stripping efficiency of Ru(III) was still as low as 24.2% at 300 min and 353 K, and took 48 h in use of 1 M H2C2O4(aq) for completion. Further mechanistic studies by means of UV-vis absorption spectroscopy clarified that the complexation of these PGMs and oxalate ion (C2O4 2-) is rate-determining in their stripping, and is successfully accelerated and enhanced by elevating the temperature and increasing the concentration of the stripping agent.


Hans Christian Andersen. Shadow Pictures from a Journey to the Harz Mountains, Saxon Switzerland, etc. etc., in the Summer of 1831. Trans. Anna Halager. Ed. Sven Hakon Rossel and Monica Wenusch. Vienna: Praesens Verlag, 2011. Pp. 161. According to translator Anna Halagers introduction, Shadow Pictures (which is intended to be volume 1 in a series of translations of each of Hans Christian Andersen's [1805-1875] five "travelogues" that he wrote over a period of many years) represents die first complete translation into English of Andersen's Skyggebilleder af en Reise til Harzen, det sachsiske Schweitz etc. etc., i Sommeren 1831 based on die recent version edited by fohan de Mylius and published in the Danske Klassiker series by the Danske Sprog og Litteraturselskap in 1986. (All page numbers after Danish citations refer to this edition.) Her enumeration, however, discounts Charles Beckwith's somewhat maligned (and in any case long out of print) 1848 Englishing of this work (7). A reliable English translation of this slender volume from Andersen's youth is in fact gready overdue, especially for those Andersen devotees whose command of Danish may not be quite equal to the task of reading die author's works in the original. Skyggebilleder, although it is one of Andersen's very early pieces, truly has much to offer both to die literary specialist and to the general reader. When first published, Skyggebilleder proved to be an effervescent and entertaining work that showed the versatility of the young (twenty-six-year-old) and not at all well-known Andersen to considerable advantage. In retrospect we can see that it contains many of the endearing artistic qualities, conceits, and themes which came to characterize the author's later output. By way of illustration, Skyggebilleder demonstrates many instances of Andersen's acute powers of observation. The reader is drawn in, for instance, by such memorable scenes as the author's account of the meager funeral procession of the poor man in Hamborg--with its touching (and probably spurious) vignette of the simple act of kindness on the part of the wealthy couple whose missing pet canary is returned by the grieving widow (36-7). And Andersen's brief sketch of one of his mountain guides, the wife of the tailor who would rather be a poet, is as sympathetic as it is wistful (84-5). Andersen the humorist is equally well in evidence in Skyggebilleder, as he pokes gentle fun both at himself and at those he meets along the way. When one of his fellow stagecoach passengers, for example, complains that the German romantic poet Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) had written "that we Germans have 'Kartoffel-Gesichter,'" and asks Andersen "Do our faces look like potatoes?" Andersen drily reports, "He showed me a face, which quite honestly resembled a potato" (43). Likewise, Andersen's wry description of die bookseller cum archeologist, who takes what by all appearances seems clearly to be a mere cow's bone (at least according to the skeptical and bemused Andersen) as a rare pre-historical find of great significance (79) is delightfully subtle in its humor. And Andersen nearly outdoes himself in describing the mental agony that he undergoes during and after the performance of a very badly written play that he had attended in Braunschweig, Drei Tage aus dem Leben eines Spielers. The first act (or day), he tells the reader, ends with the protagonist's killing his old father, the second by his shooting a totally innocent person, at which point Andersen remarks, "I felt my blood boil and fully expected the third day would be devoted to murdering the audience." And further, "I walked home but everywhere I saw human outcasts, broken-hearted mothers, and desperate gamblers. I felt so disgusted with cards that I immediately burnt a pack of innocent visiting cards I bought in Hamborg just because the word card was written on them" (52). This same fiasco of a stage work, however, serves to inspire Andersen to conjure up the tale of the king who would not believe that anyone would tell a lie and who is consequently doomed to wander the world aimlessly and alone after death until he encounters someone who will tell him a lie. …


— Recognition of different internal emotions of human face under various critical conditions is a difficult task. Facial expression recognition with different age variations is considered in this study. This paper emphasizes on recognition of facial expression like happiness mood of nine persons using subspace methods. This paper mainly focuses on new robust subspace method which is based on Proposed Euclidean Distance Score Level Fusion (PEDSLF) using PCA, ICA, SVD methods. All these methods and new robust method is tested with FGNET database. An automatic recognition of facial expressions is being carried out. Comparative analysis results surpluses PEDSLF method is more accurate for happiness emotional facial expression recognition.


Emotion theory emphasizes the distinction between social vs non-social emotional-processing (E-P) although few functional neuroimaging studies have examined whether the neural systems that mediate social vs non-social E-P are similar or distinct. The present fMRI study of script-driven imagery in 20 women demonstrates that social E-P, independent of valence, more strongly recruits brain regions involved in social- and self-referential processing, specifically the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate/precuneus, bilateral temporal poles, bilateral temporoparietal junction and right amygdala. Functional response within brain regions involved in E-P was also significantly more pronounced during negatively relative to positively valenced E-P. Finally, the effect for social E-P was increased for positive relative to negative stimuli in many of these same regions. Future research directions for social and affective neuroscience are discussed.


Background: The FDA has approved pembrolizumab in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, paclitaxel [ACT], and carboplatin) for stage II/III TNBC, on the basis of improved event free survival (EFS) and pathologic complete response (pCR) rate in the Keynote-522 study.1 Novel combination immunotherapy strategies may further improve outcomes and allow the opportunity to de-escalate the chemotherapy backbone, potentially mitigating grade III/IV toxicities which occurred in 81% of recipients. We have previously reported safety and feasibility of pre-operative IRX-2, a novel cytokine biotherapeutic, that is administered locoregionally in the peri-areolar tissue to enhance the immune microenvironment within the sentinel lymph nodes, the putative site of antigen presentation.2 In this phase Ib study, pre-operative IRX-2 was safe and was associated with increased tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs, by H&E and multispectral immunofluorescence [mIF]), PD-L1 expression (Ventana SP142 assay, mIF), and lymphocyte activation (by RNA sequencing). Similar effects were observed in a pre-operative head and neck carcinoma trial. These findings support further study of IRX-2 in combination with anti-PD-1 in early stage TNBC.neoIRX is an open-label, phase II trial to evaluate the clinical and immunological activity of induction IRX-2 plus pembrolizumab, followed by de-escalated chemotherapy (ACT) and pembrolizumab as neoadjuvant therapy in TNBC. Patients are randomized to receive pembrolizumab induction (single dose 200mg IV, n=15), versus pembrolizumab + IRX-2 induction (1mL SQ x 2 daily, x 10 days, n=15), followed by research biopsy. All patients will then receive neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus ACT every three 3 weeks. Eligible subjects will have previously untreated, resectable stage II/III TNBC. The primary endpoint is pCR. The secondary endpoint is safety. On-treatment biopsies will permit a prospective, randomized validation of previously reported immunomodulatory effects of IRX-2 (sTILs, PD-L1, lymphocyte RNA signatures). As of 7/28/2021, n=7/30 subjects are enrolled (Providence Cancer Institute, Portland, OR, Providence St. John's Cancer Institute, Santa Monica, CA, Baylor Medicine, Houston, TX).Schmid PN. Engl J Med 2020; 382:810–821.Page DB. Clinical Cancer Research 26.7(2020):1595–1605.The study protocol was approved by the Providence Portland Medical Center IRB committee and was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards established by the Declaration of Helsinki, PH&S IRB# 2019000486. Written informed consent was obtained for all trial participants.


The presence of large bottom roughness, such as that formed by benthic organisms on coral reef flats, has important implications for the size, concentration, and transport of suspended sediment in coastal environments. A 3 week field study was conducted in approximately 1.5 m water depth on the reef flat at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, to quantify the cross-reef hydrodynamics and suspended sediment dynamics over the large bottom roughness (∼20–40 cm) at the site. A logarithmic mean current profile consistently developed above the height of the roughness; however, the flow was substantially reduced below the height of the roughness (canopy region). Shear velocities inferred from the logarithmic profile and Reynolds stresses measured at the top of the roughness, which are traditionally used in predictive sediment transport formulations, were similar but much larger than that required to suspend the relatively coarse sediment present at the bed. Importantly, these stresses did not represent the stresses imparted on the sediment measured in suspension and are therefore not relevant to the description of suspended sediment transport in systems with large bottom roughness. Estimates of the bed shear stresses that accounted for the reduced near-bed flow in the presence of large roughness vastly improved the relationship between the predicted and observed grain sizes that were in suspension. Thus, the impact of roughness, not only on the overlying flow but also on bed stresses, must be accounted for to accurately estimate suspended sediment transport in regions with large bottom roughness, a common feature of many shallow coastal ecosystems.


Problem statement: Development of mathematical models based on set of observed data plays a crucial role to describe and predict any phenomena in science, engineering and economics. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency of Arithmetic Mean (AM), Geometric Mean (GM) and Explicit Group (EG) iterative methods to solve system of linear equations via estimation of unknown parameters in linear models. Approach: The system of linear equations for linear models generated by using least square method based on (m+1) set of observed data for number of Gauss-Seidel iteration from various grid sizes. Actually there were two types of linear models considered such as piece-wise linear polynomial and piece-wise Redlich-Kister polynomial. All unknown parameters of these models estimated and calculated by using three proposed iterative methods. Results: Thorough several implementations of numerical experiments, the accuracy for formulations of two proposed models had shown that the use of the third-order Redlich-Kister polynomial has high accuracy compared to linear polynomial case. Conclusion: The efficiency of AM and GM iterative methods based on the Redlich-Kister polynomial is superior as compared to EG iterative method.


AMY JOY BURRELL Analysis of the Transcriptional Expression of Arabidopsis GAUT1 and GAUT7: Members of a Pectin Biosynthetic α-1,4-Galacturonosyltransferase Complex (Under the Direction of DR. DEBRA MOHNEN) The plant cell wall provides the structural basis upon which the morphogenesis of plant cells, tissues, and organs rests. Pectin, a major wall component, is a family of polysaccharides that provides many of the biochemical properties that define cell wall form and function. Regulation of enzymes that synthesize wall components could potentially be altered to affect wall formation and therefore modify the growth and development of the plant. A specific family of enzymes involved in pectin biosynthesis known as Galacturonosyltransferases (GalATs) catalyze the transfer of galactosyluronic acid (GalA) residues from uridine diphosphate-GalA (UDP-GalA) to the growing pectic polysaccharide chain. The first gene that encodes a pectin GalAT in Arabidopsis thaliana, known as GAlactUronosylTransferase1 (GAUT1), was previously identified and BLAST analyses indicated a gene superfamily with high-sequence similarity. To understand the biological significance of GAUT1 and GAUT7, transcriptional expression was analyzed using a β-Glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene system. The GAUT promoters were amplified, fused to the GUS gene, and transformed into Arabidopsis plants. The activities of the promoter:GUS constructs were assayed to reveal spatial and temporal expression patterns. This data shows that GAUT1 and GAUT7 are expressed heavily in meristematic regions, vascular tissues, and pollen, suggesting a role in primary and secondary wall growth. Extensive overlap of expression provides evidence that these proteins work in a complex. This study provides new insight to guide the design of future studies on GAUT function in pectin synthesis and can be used with other evidence to further elucidate the physiological relevance of these genes. INDEX WORDS: Cell wall, Pectin, Galacturonosyltransferase, β-Glucuronidase, GUS, Transcriptional expression ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSCRIPTIONAL EXPRESSION OF ARABIDOPSIS GAUT1 AND GAUT7: MEMBERS OF A PECTIN BIOSYNTHETIC α-1,4-GALACTURONOSYLTRANSFERASE COMPLEX


Bioactive glasses have attracted considerable interest in recent years. In this work, Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) measurements were performed on bulk and powdered samples of the SiO2-Na2O-CaO-P2O5 glass system, in order to study the particle size effect on the crystal growth and nucleation process. A shift of the crystallization peak to lower temperatures and deconvolution of a slightly asymmetric crystallization peak into two separate peaks were observed with decreasing particle size. The bioactive behavior -through the process of immersion SBF- of the specific glass is studied as a function of particle size. A better bioactive response was observed increasing particle size until a specific size, further increase leading in no further improvement in the bioactive behavior.


DC–DC power converters have generated much interest, as they can be used in a wide range of applications. In micro-inverter applications, flyback topologies are a relevant research topic due to their efficiency and simplicity. On the other hand, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are one of the fastest growing and most promising renewable energy sources in the world. A power electronic converter (either DC/DC or DC/AC) is needed to interface the PV array with the load/grid. In this paper, a modified interleaved-type step-up DC–DC flyback converter is presented for a PV application. The topology is based on a multi-winding flyback converter with N parallel connected inputs and a single output. Each input is supplied by an independent PV module, and a maximum power point tracking algorithm is implemented in each module to maximize solar energy harvesting. A single flyback transformer is used, and it manages only 1/N of the converter rated power, reducing the size of the magnetic core compared to other similar topologies. The design of the magnetic core is also presented in this work. Moreover, the proposed converter includes active snubber networks to increase the efficiency, consisting of a capacitor connected in series with a power switch, to protect the main switches from damaging dv/dt when returning part of the commutation energy back to the source. In this work, the operating principle of the topology is fully described on a mathematical basis, and an efficiency analysis is also included. The converter is simulated and experimentally validated with a 1 kW prototype considering three PV panels. The experimental results are in agreement with the simulations, verifying the feasibility of the proposal.


Abstract Objective Appearance and performance‐enhancing drugs and supplements (APEDS) can be used to enhance muscle growth, athletic performance, and physical appearance. The aim of this study was to examine the lifetime use of APEDS and associations with eating disorder and muscle dysmorphia symptoms among gender minority people. Method Participants were 1653 gender minority individuals (1120 gender‐expansive [defined as a broad range of gender identities that are generally situated outside of the woman–man gender binary, e.g., genderqueer, nonbinary] people, 352 transgender men, and 181 transgender women) recruited from The Population Research in Identity and Disparities for Equality Study in 2018. Regression analyses stratified by gender identity examined associations of any APEDS use with eating disorder and muscle dysmorphia symptom scores. Results Lifetime APEDS use was common across groups (30.7% of gender‐expansive people, 45.2% of transgender men, and 14.9% of transgender women). Protein supplements and creatine supplements were the most commonly used APEDS. Among gender‐expansive people and transgender men, lifetime use of any APEDS was significantly associated with higher eating disorder scores, dietary restraint, binge eating, compelled/driven exercise, and muscle dysmorphia symptoms. Any APEDS use was additionally associated with laxative use among gender‐expansive people. Among transgender women, use of any APEDS was not significantly associated with eating disorder or muscle dysmorphia symptoms. Discussion APEDS use is common and associated with eating disorder and muscle dysmorphia symptoms in gender‐expansive people and transgender men, thus highlighting the importance of assessing for these behaviors and symptoms among these populations, particularly in clinical settings. Public Significance This study aimed to examine APEDS use among gender minority people. We found that 30.7% of gender‐expansive (e.g., nonbinary) people, 45.2% of transgender men, and 14.9% of transgender women reported lifetime APEDS use, which was associated with eating disorder and muscle dysmorphia symptoms in transgender men and gender‐expansive people. Clinicians should assess for these behaviors in gender minority populations.


Abstract High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)-densitometry was directly combined with electrospray (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry for obtaining rapid and relevant structural identification of phospholipids (PL) species associated to membrane proteins (MP), in non-sulfur, purple bacteria having photosynthetic activity. Thus, species belonging to phosphatidylcholines (PC), phosphatidylethanolamines (PE), cardiolipins (CL) and phosphatidylglycerols (PG) associated to MP were investigated in bacterial membrane extracts from Rhodobacter (Rb.) blasticus, Rhodospirillum (R.) rubrum and Rhodobaca (Rbc.) bogoriensis, as well as those which are bound to a purified MP-photosynthetic complex from Rbc. bogoriensis. PL-classes were separated using a 7-step gradient-solvent sequence with a previous acid plate preconditioning, using Automated Multiple Development. Band zones of the plate corresponding to PL classes were selected to ensure their direct transfer to ion-trap MS equipment through an elution-based interface. Under the studied conditions, ESI+-MS spectra of PC and CL mostly showed sodium adducts ([M + Na]+) and [M-2H + 3Na]+, respectively, when recorded from the plate. The respective sodium adducts were fragmented in the ion-trap, and sodium remained as the charge of the fragment ions, thus being useful for their structural identification through MS/MS. ESI--MS and MS/MS spectra of CL were also obtained as [M-2H]2−, as well as those of PE and PG species as [M-H]- and [M]−, respectively. In this way, relative composition profiles of each studied PL-class by ESI-MS, and further identification of individual PL and the molecular species belonging to each of them by MS/MS were obtained. Graphical Abstract


Smart energy systems are a promising choice for countries worldwide to handle the challenges predicted in the next decades. With the will to participate in this development technology providers create a plethora of custom system solutions. While traditional equipment can be evaluated using power system simulations, the impact of components with complex communication and responsive behavior is hard to measure and evaluate. In this work we introduce a co-simulation framework, which is developed to analyse properties of custom smart grid solutions. We combine classical power system simulations, reactive smart grid components coupled to actors and use CIM as an intermediate model. Our actor connection to SCADA allows to efficiently run large-scale co-simulation experiments to evaluate the behavior of custom components under real environment or duplicate real systems to analyse scalability and emergent properties of new solutions.


In this paper we undertake an ex-post evaluation of whether the special economic zones (SEZs) introduced in Poland in 994 have been successful in meeting regional development objectives. We evaluate the policy on as many of its objectives as possible: employment creation, business creation (which includes attracting foreign direct investment), income or wage effects, and environmental sustainability. We use different panel data methods to investigate this question at the powiat (nuts4 or something similar to a commune) and gmina (nuts5 or something similar to a village) levels in Poland during the 995-20 period. It is also possible to include numerous controls to reduce the problem of the omitted variables bias such as education level, dependency rates, state ownership, general subsidies and whether the area is urban or rural. Our results indicate that SEZs in Poland have been successful in a number of their objectives such as private business creation. The positive effect of the policy however mainly comes through foreign direct investment (FDI), whereas the effects on e.g. investment and employment are small or insignificant. In other areas, such as securing higher income levels and locking firms into the sustainability agenda through the adoption of green technologies and reduced air pollution, we find only a small positively moderating effect of the policy on what are traditionally economically disadvantaged areas in Poland that used to be dependent on the socialist production model. Hence, despite high levels of FDI, the zones policy has not managed to overcome the legacy of backwardness or lagging regions. The main policy implication of the paper is that SEZs may be successful in stimulating activity in the short run but the policy must be seen as one of necessary temporality and can therefore not stand alone. Before launching SEZs, policymakers must have plans in place for follow up measures to ensure the longer term competitiveness and sustainability implications of such an initiative. There is a need to understand the connection between the specific incentive schemes used (in this particular case tax incentives were used) and the kinds of firms and activities they attract, including the behavioral models that those incentives promote.


Understanding the visual world is a constructive process. Whilst a frontal-hippocampal circuit is known to be essential for this task, little is known about the associated neuronal computations. Visual understanding appears superficially distinct from other known functions of this circuit, such as spatial reasoning and model-based planning, but recent models suggest deeper computational similarities. Here, using fMRI, we show that representations of a simple visual scene in these brain regions are relational and compositional – key computational properties theorised to support rapid construction of hippocampal maps. Using MEG, we show that rapid sequences of representations, akin to replay in spatial navigation and planning problems, are also engaged in visual construction. Whilst these sequences have previously been proposed as mechanisms to plan possible futures or learn from the past, here they are used to understand the present. Replay sequences form constructive hypotheses about possible scene configurations. These hypotheses play out in an optimal order for relational inference, progressing from predictable to uncertain scene elements, gradually constraining possible configurations, and converging on the correct scene configuration. Together, these results suggest a computational bridge between apparently distinct functions of hippocampal-prefrontal circuitry, and a role for generative replay in constructive inference and hypothesis testing.


A polynomial time algorithm (pruned correspondence search, PCS) with good average case performance for solving a wide class of geometric maximal matching problems, including the problem of recognizing 3D objects from a single 2D image, is presented. Efficient verification algorithms, based on a linear representation of location constraints, are given for the case of affine transformations among vector spaces and for the case of rigid 2D and 3D transformations with scale. Some preliminary experiments suggest that PCS is a practical algorithm. Its similarity to existing correspondence based algorithms means that a number of existing techniques for speedup can be incorporated into PCS to improve its performance.


Sentinel ducks and domestic turkey flocks were monitored for influenza infection during a 4-year period. The onset of infection among ducks was similar each year, occurring in late July or early August. Influenza in turkeys was also shown to be seasonal, but the usual onset was 6 to 8 weeks after the detection of influenza in sentinel ducks. Possible explanations for the delayed infection in turkeys are (i) increased waterfowl activity associated with fledging and congregating in late summer and early fall; (ii) vectors transmitting virus from the waterfowl habitat to poultry farms; (iii) cooler environmental temperature, allowing prolonged virus viability; (iv) cooler surface water temperature, allowing prolonged virus viability; (v) groundwater contamination from contaminated surface water; and (vi) virus adaptation in domestic turkeys before infection is detected. We conclude that ducks are not only a natural reservoir of influenza but also have a seasonal infection that appears to be related to seasonal influenza outbreaks in domestic turkeys in Minnesota. However, only some influenza A virus isolates circulating among waterfowl at any given time appear capable of causing detectable infection in turkeys. It is speculated that the seasonal infection in migratory waterfowl may also be related to seasonal influenza infections in other species including humans.


With comprehensive utilization of drilling, logging and seismic data, research was conducted on the sequence stratigraphic models of Jiufotang Formation, Lower Cretaceous in the Luxi Sag, Kailu Basin. It was revealed that Jiufotang Formation could be divided into one three-order sequence, which including lowstand systems tract (LST), transgressive systems tract (TST), highstand systems tract (HST) and regressive systems tract (RST). Within the sequence, it developed five types of sedimentary facies, which were nearshore subaqueous fan, braided river delta, meandering river fan, turbidite fan and lacustrine facies, respectively. The LST mainly developed nearshore subaqueous fan, the TST mainly developed meandering river deltas while the HST and RST mainly developed meandering river delta, braided river delta and nearshore subaqueous fan. In addition, turbidite fan developed in all four systems tracts. Two types of sequence stratigraphic models developed: short-axis model and long-axis model.


The target of this work was to study the synthesis and characterization of pumice-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) and the effectiveness of nZVI coated pumice to remove copper from water. The impacts of pumice dose, pumice surface chemistry, pH, and water source on copper removal were studied. Natural pumice particles were used as granular support media and coated with nZVI. Results of nZVI coated pumice characterization showed nZVI coated successfully on pumice surface being proved with characterization methods such as SEM-EDS, XPS, and XRF. nZVI coating overwhelmed the surface chemistry properties of the underlying pumice particles. Higher surface areas and more iron content were obtained in nZVI coated pumice. nZVI coating significantly increased copper uptake compared to uncoated particles. High removal capacity has been observed for all tested pH values. Control experiments indicated that nZVI bound on pumice surfaces is stable at pH values of typical natural waters. The nZVI coated pumice was found to be effective in removing copper from waters having a wide range of specific UV absorbance (SUVA) values. Overall, the results indicated that nZVI coated pumice particles are maybe alternative adsorbents to remove copper.


Mathematics educators and cognitive scientists are exploring the importance of embodied, multisensory, arts-infused experiences as a central component of mathematics learning, countering pedagogic traditions that valued only abstract, disembodied representations. Dance has great potential for sensory, fully-embodied mathematical engagement -- but how can abstract mathematical concepts be danced? I introduce the work of acclaimed Canadian modern dancer Sarah Chase and her explorations involving number theory, connecting her work to a Bridges 2009 paper on multisensory representations in number theory and exploring attentional aspects of her cross-patterning movement work and simultaneous verbal storytelling. This paper will be accompanied by an original short film of Sarah Chase's dancebased teaching.


This paper describes a new resource allocation algorithm which performs dynamic sub-carrier and power allocation in multi-user OFDM systems. The aim is to maximize the sum of data rate while achieving proportional fairness among users under a total power and bit error rate constraint. Meanwhile, we maintain individual minimum rate requirements and QoS constraints. Simulation results are shown to compare the performance of the proposed algorithm with that of the previous algorithms, such as LINEAR, ITERATIVE and static TDMA. And the proposed method yields higher data rates and better performance in simulation. We also simulate the relation


Students in the middle years encounter an increasing range of unfamiliar visuals. Visual literacy, the ability to encode and decode visuals and to think visually, is an expectation of all middle years curriculum areas and an expectation of NAPLAN literacy and numeracy tests. This article presents a multidisciplinary approach to teaching visual literacy that links the content of all learning areas and encourages students to transfer skills from familiar to unfamiliar contexts. It proposes a classification of visuals in six parts: one-dimensional; two-dimensional; map; shape; connection; and picture, based on the properties, rather than the purpose, of the visual. By placing a visual in one of these six categories, students learn to transfer the skills used to decode familiar visuals to unfamiliar cases in the same category. The article also discusses a range of other teaching strategies that can be used to complement this multi-disciplinary approach.


Colombia used lotteries to distribute vouchers which partially covered the cost of private secondary school for students who maintained satisfactory academic progress. Three years after the lotteries, winners were about 10 percentage points more likely to have Ž nished 8th grade, primarily because they were less likely to repeat grades, and scored 0.2 standard deviations higher on achievement tests. There is some evidence that winners worked less than losers and were less likely to marry or cohabit as teenagers. BeneŽ ts to participants likely exceeded the $24 per winner additional cost to the government of supplying vouchers instead of publicschool places. (JEL I22, J13, I28)


Ever more detailed European Environmental legislation makes it increasingly necessary to see the system as a whole. A consistent and coherent structure is suggested as an important element of successful regulation. The paper sets out a conceptual framework for studying the conditions under which coherence could be confirmed. Coherence is proposed as a legal principle within EU (Environmental) Law with an imperative to act in favour of this principle. Using the primary EU law and general EU legal policy for analysis, the design of the paper is deductive: Bearing in mind the concept of coherence within the Good Governance and Better Legislation initiatives, the paper suggests coherence not only as a rule but as a legal principle in EU law and explores the consequences of such a shift. The paper shows that coherence has the capacity to improve environmental regulation until restrained by concepts of subsidiarity and proportionality. The main findings concern the specific commitments of this normative approach in the EU Environmental Law, by focussing on the new Commission Directive on Industrial Emissions (IED) as the central regulation of industrial plants. The findings suggest that the IED is some distance away from an optimal coherent status.


In the structure and function, the Nigeria police even in a democracy still portray itself, as the colonial vestige that it is. The enduring mutual suspicion between the police and the public has continued to account for the waning of the peoples trust and confidence, which the police needs, to be able to live up to expectations. What is more, in orientation and duty-performance, the Nigeria police continue to reflect the society that has been ranked as the second most corrupt nation in the world. Yet, the police remain an indispensable factor in the social control, and the maintenance of law and order in a society that is systemically gravitating towards disorder and lawlessness. There is need then to police Nigeria by a process of decolonization and orientation so as to empower the police to play the role within the context of a free, democratic and ever-changing Nigeria society.


ABSTRACT This Special Issue aims to present evidence about the relationships between content knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK); the development of these types of knowledge in novice and experienced secondary science teachers; and how CK, PK and/or PCK impact students' learning. Since Shulman's introduction of PCK as the feature that distinguishes the teacher from the content expert, researchers have attempted to understand, delineate, assess and/or develop the construct in pre- and in-service teachers. Accordingly, empirical findings are presented that permit further discussion. Outcomes permit post-hoc examination of a recent, collectively described, 'consensus' model of PCK, identifying strengths and potential issues. As we will illustrate, the relationship between CK, PK and PCK is central to this; that is, probing the hypothesis of pedagogical content knowledge as an 'amalgam' of content and pedagogical knowledge.


Antibiotic resistance is emerging as a potential threat in the next decades. This is a global phenomenon whereby globalization is acting as a catalyst. Presently, the most common techniques used for the detection of antibiotics are biosensors, ELISA and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Each of these techniques has its benefits as well as drawbacks. This review aims to evaluate different biosensing techniques and their working principles in order to accurately, quickly and practically detect antibiotics in chicken muscle and blood serum. The review is divided into three main sections, namely: a biosensors overview, a section on biosensor recognition and a section on biosensor transducing elements. The first segment provides a detailed overview on the different techniques available and their respective advantages and disadvantages. The second section consists of an evaluation of several analyte systems and their mechanisms. The last section of this review studies the working principles of biosensing transducing elements, focusing mainly on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology and its applications in industries.


Abstract The importance of riparian vegetation for aquatic habitat is well established in the ecological conservation literature, but urban planning agencies' limited understanding of landowners' motivations for, and interest in, riparian conservation has left them unable to prevent its loss along stream corridors. For this study I surveyed streamside residents in the Puget Sound Lowland to examine their perceptions of and preferences for riparian vegetation. I found that property owners' preferences do not match conditions on their own land, and my results suggested several possible causes, including: poor information about how to limit ecological degradation and what actions are permissible along streams; fears about potentially negative impacts of making changes; and cost, time, and other constraints that prevent owners from making changes.


Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant role of zinc (Zn) against radiation-induced cataract in the rat lens after total cranial irradiation with a single 5 Gray (Gy) dose of gamma irradiation. Materials and Methods: Twenty-one Sprague-Dawley rats were used for the experiment. The control group did not receive Zn or irradiation but received 1-ml saline orally plus sham-irradiation. The irradiation (IR) group received 5 Gy gamma irradiation to the total cranium as a single dose plus 0.1 ml physiological saline intraperitoneally. The IR plus Zn group received irradiation to total cranium plus 10 mg/kg/day Zn intraperitoneally. Biochemical parameters measured in rat lenses were carried out using spectrophotometric techniques. Results: Lens total (enzymatic plus non-enzymatic) superoxide scavenger activity (TSSA), glutathione reductase (GRD), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities significantly increased in the IR plus Zn groups when compared with the IR group. However, TSSA, GRD and GST activities were significantly lower in the IR group when compared with the control group. Lens non-enzymatic superoxide scavenger activity (NSSA) in the IR plus Zn group was significantly increased compared to that of the IR group. Lens xanthine oxidase (XO) activity in the IR group significantly increased compared to that of both the control and IR plus Zn groups. Conclusion: Zn has clear antioxidant properties and prevented oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals generated by ionizing radiation in rat lenses.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to use transabdominal sonography to investigate the incidence of midline prostatic cysts in healthy men.

CONCLUSION
Midline prostatic cysts represent a common variant in asymptomatic men. In a patient with urologic symptoms, detection of a midline prostatic cyst requires a focused examination to determine whether the cyst represents a normal variant or is the cause of symptoms.


Objective: This project analyzed the psychometric properties of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) including factor structure, interitem reliability and intraclass correlations, usefulness for assessment, predictive validity, and sensitivity. Methods: The survey was administered to 454 health care staff in 3 hospitals before and after a series of multidisciplinary interventions designed to improve safety culture. Respondents (before, 434; after, 368) included nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and other hospital staff members. Results: Factor analysis partially confirmed the validity of the HSOPSC subscales. Interitem consistency reliability was above 0.7 for 5 subscales; the staffing subscale had the lowest reliability coefficients. The intraclass correlation coefficients, agreement among the members of each unit, were within recommended ranges. The pattern of high and low scores across the subscales of the HSOPSC in the study hospitals were similar to the sample of Pacific region hospitals reported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and corresponded to the proportion of items in each subscale that are worded negatively (reverse scored). Most of the unit and hospital dimensions were correlated with the Safety Grade outcome measure in the tool. Conclusion: Overall, the tool was shown to have moderate-to-strong validity and reliability, with the exception of the staffing subscale. The usefulness in assessing areas of strength and weakness for hospitals or units among the culture subscales is questionable. The culture subscales were shown to correlate with the perceived outcomes, but further study is needed to determine true predictive validity.


Actual crop evapotranspiration (ET) and crop coefficient (Kc) of ratoon rice crop, which are necessary for irrigation planning, have been hardly reported. ET can be directly measured by lysimeter and eddy covariance but it is expensive, so it remains difficult to determine ET, especially in developing countries. The focus of this study was to evaluate the ET and Kc of ratoon cropping in a tropical region of Myanmar using a simplified method. Our method combined the manual observation of water depth in concrete paddy tanks and the ET model estimation using Bayesian parameter inference. The ET and Kc could be determined using this method with an incomplete observation dataset. The total ET of ratoon was 60–70% less than that of the main crop, but this difference was mainly attributed to climate conditions in each cultivation. The Kc regression curve between transplanted rice and ratoon crops was different because of the tillering traits. The results suggest that irrigation scheduling of ratoon cropping in the initial growth stage should take high crop water requirements into account. In addition, the productivity of ratoon crop is equivalent to transplanted rice, which was determined for cultivation in experiment conditions of small concrete tanks. Therefore, further study on ratoon in Myanmar is necessary for clarifying the viability of ratoon cropping.


If the political and social benchmarks of sustainability and sustainable development are to be met, ignoring the role of the humanities and social, cultural and ethical values is highly problematic. People's worldviews, beliefs and principles have an immediate impact on how they act and should be studied as cultural dimensions of sustainability.

Collating contributions from internationally renowned theoreticians of culture and leading researchers working in the humanities and social sciences, this volume presents an in-depth, interdisciplinary discussion of the concept of cultural sustainability and the public visibility of such research. Beginning with a discussion of the concept of cultural sustainability, it goes on to explore its interaction with philosophy, theology, sociology, economics, arts and literature. In doing so, the book develops a much needed concept of 'culture' that can be adapted to various disciplines and applied to research on sustainability.

Addressing an important gap in sustainability research, this book will be of great interest to academics and students of sustainability and sustainable development, as well as those studying sustainability within the humanities and social sciences, such as cultural studies, ethics, theology, sociology, literature and history.


Healthcare organizations (HCO) are under pressure to adopt emerging solutions with a view to improving the quality and efficiency of their operations, patient care and clinical decisions. In the literature, while recommendations have been put forth to follow an organizational approach to the adoption and implementation of analytics, there is a paucity of research into what specifically constitutes healthcare-analytics (HA), as well the antecedents that can explain and predict its adoption-decisions. In this paper, we fill this gap, by first proposing a typology for HA and an adoption-decision model that integrates the TOE framework with DeLone and McLean IS Success Model. We use a case study for the initial validation of the typology and the model. Our study reveals that the HCO studied has the same types of the data proposed in our typology, although the usage of the data and current/future adoption of analytics depends on many factors beyond simply technology.


Whilst there has been much investigation of courtroom testimony and other
linguistic aspects of legal process, there has been little consideration of the linguistic
basis of war crimes tribunals such as the International Criminal Tribunal
for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), which provides the data for this article. The
testimony of witnesses in ICTY rape trials is investigated to discover how their
examination by counsel may affect these alleged victims of a brutal war. The
approach taken is textual as well as discoursal, focusing on the co-construction
of meaning between counsel and witnesses — and its failures. The frequent meta
discussions about the nature of truth in the testimony shows up some disjunction
between the parties in their understanding of the process they are engaged
in, leading to the conclusion that the witnesses may have been 'revictimised'


: Serious neurological complications following long-term intrathecal application of opiates have seldom been published. This report describes complications which developed three months after reimplantation of a spinal catheter for pain therapy. The symptoms which occurred were paraparesis of the legs with sensory loss and urinary retention. A regression of these symptoms occurred only after explantation of the spinal catheter-pump-system. Possible reasons and consequences are discussed.


This 'work-in-progress' presentation provides an overview of on-going research into staff development and ePortfolios. It seeks to explore models for introducing tutors to ePortfolios and the role of ePortfolios in enhancing the learning environment. It presents key themes, which have been identified through a literature review and from approximately 30 semi-structured interviews conducted with staff developers and tutors implementing an ePortfolio in the United Kingdom, the United Stated and New Zealand during 2005 and 2006, which need to be addressed in any staff development programme


ReaxFF-based molecular dynamics simulations are used in this work to study the effect of the polarity of adsorbed molecules in the liquid phase on the structure and polarization of hematite (α-Fe2O3). We compared the adsorption of organic molecules with different polarities on a rigid hematite surface and on a flexible and polarizable surface. We show that the displacements of surface atoms and surface polarization in a flexible hematite model are proportional to the adsorbed molecule's polarity. The increase in electrostatic interactions resulting from charge transfer in the outermost solid atoms in a flexible hematite model results in better-defined adsorbed layers that are less ordered than those obtained assuming a rigid solid. These results suggest that care must be taken when parametrizing empirical transferable force fields because the calculated charges on a solid slab in vacuum may not be representative of a real system, especially when the solid is in contact with a polar liquid.


The manufacture method based on the silicon etching process is one of the most important methods to fabricate micro mechanical structure, e.g. micro-engine. In the processing, the high aspect ratio silicon etch process (HARSE process) is very important to improve the efficiency of structure. At the same time, the surface morphology should be controlled exactly to keep the performance of structure.In this paper, the feasibilities of controlling the surface morphology and Si etch rates were experimentally investigated. In the experiments, the width of structure changes from 15um to 1500um and the depth changes from 50um to 500um. The parameters of surface morphology including sidewall angle, surface roughness, and so on were measured and compared. The influence mechanisms of etching parameters were analyzed.The etching process were completed in a surface technology system (STS) multiplex advanced silicon etcher inductively coupled plasma (ICP) system with SF6/O2 plasma as etching plasma and C4F8 as passivation plasma. In the experiments, the etching experiments were conducted in a low pressure (5–50mTorr), high density, inductively coupled plasma etching reactor (ICP) with a planar coil. The Si etches rates and sidewall angle were investigated as a function of chamber pressure, cathode RF-power, and gas flow.The results indicated that the increasing of total etching time results in an acceleration in etch rate as well as the decrease in sidewall angle (the top width of trench is narrow than the bottom width). Meanwhile, the total passivation time has an opposite effect in the influence of etch rate and sidewall angle. All the experiments indicate that the quick shift between etch and passivation period leads to a smoother surface. An interesting phenomenon were discovered that the etch rate will not change with the changing of width parameter in most of the high aspect ratio silicon etch recipes when the width-depth ratio is upper than 0.34. An experiential function formula were fitted based on four parameters, including width and depth of the structure, and total etching and passivation time.Copyright © 2016 by ASME


An interdisciplinary approach to environmental science is particularly important in the field of palaeoenvironmental research. Indeed, while the majority of such studies employ a range of proxies in their investigation, the more innovative studies tend to truly cross discipline boundaries. The investigation of depositional environments (e.g., lake sediments and mires) as archives of environmental history has a long tradition in the Carpathian region. However, glacial lakes across the region have also been described as under-investigated despite their potential for palaeolimnological study (Buczko et al. 2009). Studies have also largely focused on relatively early (Late Glacial and Early Holocene) environmental change.  Nevertheless, there is an increasing interest in the reconstruction of more human-driven impacts on the environment and events in the very recent past on a century to decade timescale e.g., post Industrial Revolution and following political change from the mid 1940s and in the late 1980s. Furthermore, efforts have are also being made to inform the debate about future climate and environmental changes linking palaeoenvironmental records to predictive computer modelling.


The paper presents results of microscopic tests as well as results of tests concerning mechanical properties of MAG (136) welded joints in duplex steel X2CrNiMoN22-5-3 (1.4462). The research involved metallographic tests of the base material, heat affected zone and weld metal as well as Vickers hardness tests, static tensile tests, bend tests and the identification of a ferrite content obtained using a ferritiscope. The results of observations involving the microstructure of the particular zones of the welded joint as well as the quantitative analysis of phases and the results of the tests concerning the mechanical properties of the joints enabled the formulation of conclusions regarding the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the test joints.


as a Frenchman should have no objection to being called a native of France, an American a native of America, or an Englishman a native of England. The word " native " used by itself when referring to the tropical races rouses in the minds of the coloured people a spirit of hatred, for it naturally reveals an arrogance on the part of the individual who uses it. I am writing this letter as a plea to the European doctors here to at least respect the feelings of the " natives " who study with them.-I am, etc.,


INTRODUCTION
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a newly emerged atypical pneumonia caused by the SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Chest radiographic appearances have been reported as non-specific, ranging from normal to peribronchial thickening and ill-defined airspace shadowing. This study is a retrospective review of chest radiographic findings in children with suspected and probable SARS during the 2003 outbreak in Singapore.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
We focused on children admitted to the SARS treatment ward from March 2003 to May 2003. Chest radiographs of children admitted with suspected or probable SARS as well as other febrile illness during this period were retrospectively and independently reviewed by 3 radiologists. The radiographs were randomised and anonymised before interpretation. Subsequently, we identified the radiographs of patients who were categorised as suspected or probable SARS. We present our findings in these patients' radiographs.

RESULTS
A total of 67 patients' serial chest radiographs were interpreted. Of these, we subsequently selected those patients with suspected or probable SARS for analysis. The radiographic abnormalities in suspected or probable SARS patients consisted of patchy ground glass opacities or patchy airspace consolidation. The abnormalities had a predominantly lower zone distribution on chest radiographs, followed by mid-zone involvement. There was a slight preponderance of peripheral zone involvement. There was equal distribution of abnormalities in both lungs. All the children with radiographic abnormalities made uneventful recoveries and had normal radiographs on follow-up review.

CONCLUSIONS
In children, SARS appears to have a relatively mild and nonspecific pattern of respiratory illness. The radiographic features in children with suspected or probable SARS in our study were comparable to other clusters of paediatric patients during initial presentation. It is difficult to distinguish SARS in children from other viral pneumonias on radiographic features alone. Positive travel history to endemic regions or positive contact history, and laboratory findings of lymphopaenia, leukopaenia and thrombocytopaenia are important clues.