The present work attempts to investigate the combustion, performance and emission characteristics of an existing single-cylinder four-stroke compression-ignition engine operated in dual-fuel mode with hydrogen as an alternative fuel. Environmental concerns and limited amount of petroleum fuels have caused interests in the development of alternative fuels like hydrogen for internal combustion (IC) engines. In this experimental investigation, a diesel engine is made to run using hydrogen in dual fuel mode with diesel, where hydrogen is introduced into the intake manifold using an LPGCNG injector and pilot diesel is injected using diesel injectors. A Timed Manifold Injection (TMI) system has been developed to vary the injection strategies. The optimized timing for the injection of hydrogen was 10 CA after top dead center (ATDC). From the study it was observed that with increasing hydrogen rate, enhancement in brake thermal efficiency (BTHE) of the engine has been observed with reduction in brake specific energy consumption (BSEC). Furthermore, Soot contents decrease with an increase in indicated specific NOx emissions with the enhancement of hydrogen flow rate. Keywords—Diesel engine, Hydrogen, BTHE, BSEC, Soot, NOx.


Background Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines have been an important topic in public discourse. The discussions around vaccines are polarized, as some see them as an important measure to end the pandemic, and others are hesitant or find them harmful. A substantial portion of these discussions occurs openly on social media platforms. This allows us to closely monitor the opinions of different groups and their changes over time. Objective This study investigated posts related to COVID-19 vaccines on Twitter (Twitter Inc) and focused on those that had a negative stance toward vaccines. It examined the evolution of the percentage of negative tweets over time. It also examined the different topics discussed in these tweets to understand the concerns and discussion points of those holding a negative stance toward the vaccines. Methods A data set of 16,713,238 English tweets related to COVID-19 vaccines was collected, covering the period from March 1, 2020, to July 31, 2021. We used the scikit-learn Python library to apply a support vector machine classifier to identify the tweets with a negative stance toward COVID-19 vaccines. A total of 5163 tweets were used to train the classifier, of which a subset of 2484 tweets was manually annotated by us and made publicly available along with this paper. We used the BERTopic model to extract the topics discussed within the negative tweets and investigate them, including how they changed over time. Results We showed that the negativity with respect to COVID-19 vaccines has decreased over time along with the vaccine rollouts. We identified 37 topics of discussion and presented their respective importance over time. We showed that popular topics not only consisted of conspiratorial discussions, such as 5G towers and microchips, but also contained legitimate concerns around vaccination safety and side effects as well as concerns about policies. The most prevalent topic among vaccine-hesitant tweets was related to the use of messenger RNA and fears about its speculated negative effects on our DNA. Conclusions Hesitancy toward vaccines existed before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, given the dimension of and circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, some new areas of hesitancy and negativity toward COVID-19 vaccines have arisen, for example, whether there has been enough time for them to be properly tested. There is also an unprecedented number of conspiracy theories associated with them. Our study shows that even unpopular opinions or conspiracy theories can become widespread when paired with a widely popular discussion topic such as COVID-19 vaccines. Understanding the concerns, the discussed topics, and how they change over time is essential for policy makers and public health authorities to provide better in-time information and policies to facilitate the vaccination of the population in future similar crises.


One of the questions that arises when designing models that learn to solve multiple tasks simultaneously is how much of the available training budget should be devoted to each individual task. We refer to any formalized approach to addressing this problem (learned or otherwise) as a task selection policy. In this work we provide an empirical evaluation of the performance of some common task selection policies in a synthetic bandit-style setting, as well as on the GLUE benchmark for natural language understanding. We connect task selection policy learning to existing work on automated curriculum learning and off-policy evaluation, and suggest a method based on counterfactual estimation that leads to improved model performance in our experimental settings.


Availability in connection-oriented service in networks has traditionally been "all-or-nothing," i.e., when a failure occurs, a connection either is unprotected or fully protected. The differences in availability and cost between these two extremes can be quite high. A general framework for service availability will be presented that fills the gap. It is shown how network resources and cost are related to service parameters of the framework for networks that are bandwidth-efficient. In addition, a simple revenue model is presented and characterized, revealing when nontraditional service agreements may be attractive.


Abstract When crises such as disease outbreaks occur in low-income countries, the global response can influence the output of researchers in the most affected locations. This paper investigates the impact of the 2014 West African Ebola epidemic on publication outcomes of endemic country scientists. Driven by collaborations with high-income country scientists in Ebola publications, endemic country scientists with relevant experience increase their publication output. However, the productivity of scientists without relevant experience falls, driving a reduction in non-Ebola publications. Any benefits arising from increased visibility during the epidemic does not appear to spill over to non-Ebola or Africa-led research in the long run.


The statutory office of Commonwealth Ombudsman was created in 1977, as part of the new federal administrative law. In this article, marking the 40th anniversary of the appointment of the first Commonwealth Ombudsman, Professor Jack Richardson, the author describes the early history, including the resistance in some quarters to the model adapted from Sweden. He describes the innovations of the first ten ombudsmen and the frustrations and difficulties they faced. He then identifies ten issues on the future of the office: (1) whether it should be directly linked to the Parliament; (2) whether it should be served by a select committee; (3) how its funding should be maintained; (4) protecting the Ombudsman title; (5) retaining ministerial support in circumstances of differences; (6) overcoming official resistance; (7) addressing judicial hostility; (8) embracing new technology and generic reform; (9) embracing self-criticism and human rights analysis; and (10) engaging with comparative and international outreach and innovation.


Many consumers do not practice proper food safety behaviors when preparing food in the home. Several approaches have been taken to improve food safety behaviors among consumers, but there still is a deficit in actual practice of these behaviors. The objective of this study was to assess whether the introduction of food safety instructions in recipes for chicken breasts and ground turkey patties would improve consumers' food safety behaviors during preparation. In total, 155 consumers in two locations (Manhattan, KS, and Nashville, TN) were asked to prepare a baked chicken breast and a ground turkey patty following recipes that either did or did not contain food safety instructions. They were observed to track hand washing and thermometer use. Participants who received recipes with food safety instructions (n = 73) demonstrated significantly improved food safety preparation behaviors compared with those who did not have food safety instructions in the recipe (n = 82). In addition, the majority of consumers stated that they thought the recipes with instructions were easy to use and that they would be likely to use similar recipes at home. This study demonstrates that recipes could be a good source of food safety information for consumers and that they have the potential to improve behaviors to reduce foodborne illness.


An easy and greener flow injection method was developed for the spectrophotometric screening of tetracycline antibiotic residues in bovine milk. The combined benefits of the use of a detection system based on a liquid waveguide capillary cell (LWCC) and stop-flow (60 s) conditions significantly enhanced (45.6-fold) the analytical sensitivity. The determination is based on the formation of tetracycline azo derivatives (λmax = 435 nm) from diazotized p-sulfanilic acid, in a slightly alkaline medium. The analytical conditions were optimized by multivariate analysis, using a fractional factorial design. The linear range was 50–400 μg L−1, and the limits of detection and quantification were in the ranges 8.6–12.2 μg L−1 and 28.8–40.7 μg L−1, respectively. The applicability of the LWCC-based method was successfully tested using fortified milk samples that were only submitted to a prior acid treatment. The screening provided a quick response, enabling the determination of whether the tetracyclines were above or below the limit established by legislation (100 μg L−1). The positive samples were also analyzed by an AOAC Official Method, and the results obtained with the two methods were in good agreement. Additionally, the presence of tetracycline residues was confirmed using an HPLC-MS/MS reference analytical procedure. The excellent performance of the new screening method makes it suitable for use in the quality control of bovine milk in the food industry, aiming at consumer protection.


Studies have revealed that elevated homocysteine levels can cause damage to motor neurons through multiple neurotoxic mechanisms, thus leading to the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). One way by which homocysteine levels are increased in the body is the consequence of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms. Therefore, to address this question, we studied the MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms in 437 sporadic ALS (SALS) and 439 healthy controls to learn whether they were associated with SALS. The overall SALS were not associated with MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms (v = 1.378; p = 0.502; v = 1.304; p = 0.521, respectively). However, when we stratified results in terms of gender, we found that the MTHFR C677T polymorphism (v = 6.376; p = 0.041), T677T genotype (v = 5.508; p = 0.019; odds ratio [OR] = 2.561; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.142–5.744), C677C/A1298A (v = 5.216; p = 0.022; OR = 0.424, 95% CI = 0.199–0.900), and T677T/A1298A (v = 6.639; p = 0.010; OR = 2.900; 95% CI = 1.252–6.717) compound genotypes were associated with SALS in female patients only. Moreover, stratification of SALS according to the onset of disease indicated that there was no association between MTHFR C677T (v = 1.565; p = 0.457; A1298C v = 3.461; p = 0.177) polymorphisms and overall spinal onset SALS. Further stratification analysis according to gender revealed that there was a remarkable association between MTHFR C677T (v = 9.728, p = 0.008), T677T genotype (v = 7.820; p = 0.005; OR = 3.126; 95% CI = 1.361–7.178) and T allele (v = 5.000; p = 0.025; OR = 1.711; 95% CI = 1.067–2.745), and T677T/A1298A compound genotype (v = 9.108; p = 0.003; OR = 3.540; 95% CI = 1.494– 8.387) and spinal onset female SALS only. Likewise, there was also association between MTHFR A1298C polymorphism (v = 5.946; p = 0.051) and the C1298C genotype (v = 5.282; p = 0.022; OR = 2.524; 95% CI = 1.125– 5.658), and the C677T/C1298C compound genotype (v = 7.155; p = 0.007; OR = 1.045; 95% CI = 0.983–1.112) and bulbar onset SALS only in women. In conclusion, the evidence we provide here clearly shows that MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms are genetic risk factors for SALS in women in a gender-specific manner whether they are of spinal or bulbar onset.


Six patients with advanced cancer were treated with amygdalin (laetrile) at dosages similar to those employed by laetrile practitioners. Amygdalin given intravenously at 4.5 g/sq m/day was largely excreted unchanged in the urine and produced no clinical or laboratory evidence of toxic reaction. Amygdalin given orally at 0.5 g three times daily produced significant blood cyanide levels to 2.1 microgram/mL. No clinical or laboratory evidence of toxic reaction was seen in the six patients taking oral amygdalin at this dosage. One patient, however, challenged with a large intake of raw almonds, had transient symptoms of cyanide toxic reaction with escalating blood cyanide levels. This small study indicates that amygdalin in the doses employed produces few clinical side effects. A definite hazard of cyanide toxic reaction must be assumed, however, and possible long-term side effects remain unknown.


A toughness locus Jc-Q for a ductile steel, SA106 Grade C used in the main steam piping of nuclear power plants, has been experimentally evaluated. Along with the standard fracture test procedure for J-R curve, Q as the second parameter governing stress triaxiality nearby the crack tip is measured from the displacements nearby the side necking which occurs near the crack tip on the lateral surface of a fracture specimen. The displacements nearby the side necking are measured from the digital images taken during the fracture experiment based on Stereoscopic Digital Photography (SDP) and high resolution Digital Image Correlation (DIC) software. The crack length is monitored by Direct Current Potential Drop (DCPD) method and the J-R curve is determined according to ASTM standard E1737-96. The effects of crack length, specimen geometry and thickness of specimen are studied, which are included in the toughness locus Jc-Q.


The paper deals with a combination of the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) and remote sensing, studying historical mangrove shoreline changes and mangrove zoning in the GiaoThuy coastal area of the Nam Dinh province, Vietnam. The results show an over-all mangrove area increase of 2,487 hectares during the years 2005-2014. This dynamics results from both degradation and increase of the mangroves. The calculated degradation rate is 1.41 m yr -1 , and the growth rate is 1.26 m yr -1 on average. 4 different mangrove zones were delineated based on the End Point Rate (EPR) values of DSAS transects. The differential evolution of the mangroves in these zones is driven by socio-economic and environmental factors. The results contribute to practices of mangrove planning and management in a coastal area. Furthermore, historical mangrove shoreline change provides indicators to monitor coastal environmental changes for global warming, climate change, storm effects, sea level change, pollution, and sedimentation rates. References Alongi, D.M., 2008. Mangrove forests: Resilience, protection from tsunamis, and responses to global climate change. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 76(1), 1-13. Cohen, M.C.L., Lara R.J., 2003. Temporal changes of mangrove vegetation boundaries in Amazonia: Application of GIS and remote sensing techniques. Wetland Ecology Management 11, 223-231. Ellison, J., 2000. How South Pacific mangroves may respond to predicted climate change and sea  level rise. In: Gillespie A. and Burns W. (Eds.). Climate change in the South Pacific: Impacts and responses in Australia, New Zealand, and small islands states. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers (Chapter 15), 289-301. Hegde, A.V., Akshaya B.J., 2015. Shoreline transformation study of Karnataka Coast: Geospatial Approach. Aquatic Procedia 4, 151-156. Lewis, R.R., 2005. Ecological engineering for successful management and restoration of mangrove forests. Ecological Engineering, 24(4SI), 403-418. Moussaid, J., Fora A.A., Zourarah B., Maanan M., Maanan M., 2015. Using automatic computation to analyze the rate of shoreline change on the Kenitra coast, Morocco.Ocean Engineering, 102(1), 71-77. Nguyen Hai Hoa, McAlpine C., Pullar D., Leisz S.J., Galina G., 2015. Drivers of coastal shoreline change: case study of Hon Dat coast, Kien Giang, Vietnam. Environmental Management, 55(5), 1093-1108. Oyedotun, T.D.T., 2014. Shoreline Geometry: DSAS as a tool for historical trend analysis. Geomorphological Techniques, Chapter 3(2.2), British Society for Geomorphology, 1-12. Pham Quang Son , Nguyen Duc Anh, 2016. Evolution of the coastal zone in Hai Hau district (Nam Dinh province) and nearest region over the last 100 years based on analysis topographic maps and multi-temporal remote sensing data. Vietnam Journal of Earth Sciences, 38(1), 118-130 (in Vietnamese). Rebelo, L.M., Finlayson C.M., Nagabhatla N., 2009. Remote sensing and GIS for wetland inventory, mapping and change analysis. Environmental Management, 90, 2144-2153. Sathirathai, S., Barbier E.B., 2001. Valuing mangrove conservation in southern Thailand. Contemporary Economic Policy, 19(2), 109-122. Sheik, M., Chandrasekar, 2011. A shoreline change analysis along the coast between Kanyakumari and Tuticorin, India, using digital shoreline analysis system. Geo-spatial Information Science, 14(4), 282. Thieler, E.R., Himmelstoss E.A., Zichichi J.L., Ergul A., 2009. Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) version 4.0 - An ArcGIS extension for calculating shoreline change.U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008-1278. Dang Van To, Phan Thi Phuong Thao, 2008. A shoreline analysis using DSAS in Nam Dinh coastal area. GeoInformatics, 4(1), 37-42. Tran Thi V., Xuan A Tien Thi., Phan Nguyen Hong, Dahdouh-Guebas F., Koedam N. , 2014. Application of remote sensing and GIS for detection of long-term mangrove shoreline changes in Mui Ca Mau, Vietnam. Biogeosciences ,11, 3781-3795. Vu Van Loi, 2016. Sedimentary facies and engineering geological characteristics of Holocene deposits in the coastal area of Tien Lang district, Hai Phong city. Vietnam Journal of Earth Sciences, 38(1), 108-117.


In this article the linguistic features of three Italian Sign Language (Lingua Italiana dei Segni, or LIS) registers are analyzed focusing on iconic phenomena. Previous treatments of iconicity and motivation in spoken and signed language are discussed. Iconicity is defined as a regular mapping between expressive form and meaning that can be active in the citation form of signs and/or in discourse. Accordingly two major kinds of iconicity are devised in spoken and signed languages: (1) Frozen Iconicity, which affects citation forms and (2) Dynamic Iconicity, which is active in discourse. Three different kinds of LIS texts (poems, narrative, and conferences) are compared to assess to which degree Frozen Iconicity and different types of Dynamic Iconicity are present in each register. Articulatory features of signs in discourse such as two handedness, one handedness, coarticulation and simultaneous syntax are also examined. Analysis demonstrates differences in the presence of frozen and dynamic iconic features in the three registers: frozen iconic forms prevail in Poems and Dynamic Iconicity is particularly prevalent both in Poems and in Narratives. A comparable presence of coarticulation and simultaneous syntax affects the three different kinds of texts. Conclusions are drawn which point out that iconic features of signs are an important structural resource of SLs that can be enhanced in discourse according to different textual and situational contexts.


In the present study, 300 plant derived secondary metabolites (100 each of alkaloid, flavonoid, and terpenoid), have been screened for their anti-cancerous activity through inhibition of selected key enzymatic targets, namely cyclooxygenases (COXs), topoisomerases (Topos), and aromatase by molecular docking approach. Furthermore, the stability of the complexes of top hits, from each class of secondary metabolites, with their respective enzymatic targets was analyzed using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation analyses and binding free energy calculations. Analysis of the results of the docking in light of the pharmacokinetically screened 18 alkaloids, 26 flavonoids, and 9 terpenoids, revealed that the flavonoid, curcumin, was the most potent inhibitor for all the selected enzymatic targets. The stability of the complexes of COX-1, COX-2, Topo I, Topo IIβ and aromatase with the most potent inhibitor curcumin and those of the respective drugs, namely ibuprofen, aspirin, topotecan, etoposide, and exemestane were also analyzed through MD simulation analyses which revealed better stability of curcumin complexes than those of respective drugs. Binding energy calculations of the complexes of the curcumin with all the targets, except those of Topos, exhibited lower binding energies for the curcumin complexes than those of respective drugs which corroborated with the results of molecular docking analyses. Thus, the present study affirms the versatile and multipronged nature of curcumin, the traditionally used herbal medicine, as anti-cancer molecule directed against these enzymatic targets.


Purpose: Amplification and mutation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and HER-2 genes were analyzed in the tissues of hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) patients. Materials and Methods: Gene amplifications of the EGFR and HER-2 gene were analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with direct sequencing. Studies were performed on 10 patients; tissues were sampled at the time of initial diagnosis and after the conversion to HRPC (a total of 20 tissue samples). Direct sequencing was performed on exons 18-24 of the EGFR gene and exons 19 and 20 of the HER-2 gene. The amplifications and mutations were compared with the clinicopathologic features. Results: Gene amplification of the EGFR gene was observed in 6 (30%) out of 20 samples. A total of six EGFR mutations in exons 18 and 19 were detected in three pairs of tissues (three patients). One patient with a hormone refractory status had a novel deletion mutation in EGFR exon 19. EGFR mutations were associated with the acinar type of prostate cancer, but they were not associated with the ductal type. No significant correlation was found between mutation change and the hormone sensitive or refractory status. However, the time to convert to HRPC was significantly shorter in the patients with a mutation in the EGFR gene (p=0.017). There were no HER-2 gene amplifications or mutations found in any of the samples. Conclusions: EGFR gene mutation and amplification occurred frequently in these advanced prostate cancer cases, but EGFR mutations do not appear to play a significant role in the hormone refractory pathway. However, EGFR gene mutation is closely associated with the time to convert to HRPC. (Korean J Urol 2008;49:24-30) 󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏󰠏


Standardization in Web services simplifies integration. However, it does not remove the need for adapters due to possible heterogeneity among service interfaces and protocols. In this paper, we characterize the problem of Web services adaptation focusing on business interfaces and protocols adapters. Our study shows that many of the differences between business interfaces and protocols are recurring. We introduce mismatch patterns to capture these recurring differences and to provide solutions to resolve them. We leverage mismatch patterns for service adaptation with two approaches: by developing stand-alone adapters and via service modification. We then dig into the notion of adaptation aspects that, following aspect-oriented programming paradigm and service modification approach, allow for rapid development of adapters. We present a study showing that it is a preferable approach in many cases. The proposed approach is implemented in a proof-of-concept prototype tool, and evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative methods.


1. Microsomal fractions of lactating rabbit mammary gland incubated with UDP-glucose formed lipid-linked mono- and oligo-saccharides. The lipid-linked monosaccharide had chromatographic properties similar to those of dolichol phosphate mannose and yielded glucose on acid hydrolysis. 2. Incubation of the microsomal fraction with GDP-[U14C]-mannose yielded an oligosaccharide lipid of approximately seven monosaccharide units. Further incubation with UDP-glucose increased the size of the oligosaccharide by approximately two units. 3. Explants of lactating rabbit mammary gland incorporated [U-14C]glucose into both lipid-linked mono- and oligo-saccharides. The oligosaccharide lipid was of approx. 11 monosaccharide units. 4. Considerable redistribution of radioactive label occurred in the explant system, and radioactively labelled glucosamine and mannose, as well as glucose, were detected on acid hydrolysis of the oligosaccharide lipid. 5. Glucose was also detected in the acid hydrolysate of explant proteins. Radioactive glucosamine, galactosamine, galactose and mannose were also found in this fraction.


A modified phenolic resin containing tertiary amine oxide was prepared via a two-step method. Epoxy phenolic resin, F-48, was reacted with dimethylamine to give the phenolic resin containing the tertiary amine group, which was then oxidized with hydrogen peroxide to obtain the target product. The tertiary amine oxide-containing resin could easily dissolve in water. However, it became water insoluble after heat treatment at a high temperature such as 160 °C. Thermal properties of the tertiary amine oxide resin were studied with DSC and TGA. A thermo-sensitive film comprising the prepared resin and an IR-dye was prepared and laser-induced thermal imaging was also conducted. This material might be used to develop new chemistry-free printing plates.


This paper presents a novel micromechanism for precise positioning by using an N-bit digital code. The mechanism is an N-stage network of connected suspensions, in which an electrostatic actuator is attached to the longer suspensions of compliance 2C, and N of such unit structures are connected side by side with the shorter suspensions of compliance C. Each actuator is an electrostatic shuttle moving back and forth between the driving electrodes, and is operated by the corresponding digit of the input code. The N-bits of local displacement accumulate in the suspension network to synthesize an analog output, which is proportional to the analog value coded with the N-bit input. The output displacement is independent of the fluctuation of the driving voltage since the traveling distance of the shuttle is clipped by mechanical stoppers. We call the mechanism a microelectromechanical digital-to-analog converter (MEMDAC) since the function is equivalent to the electrical digital-to-analog converter known as the R-2R resistor network. Three different types of MEMDAC's are compared. Preliminary results of a silicon micromachined 4-bit MEMDAC successfully showed a total stroke of 5.8 /spl mu/m with a step of 0.38 /spl mu/m. The positioning resolution can be made finer by simply increasing the number of chained units.


Introduction: Rearranged during transfection (RET) gene fusions are rare genetic drivers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Selective RET-inhibitors such as selpercatinib have shown therapeutic activity in early clinical trials; however, their efficacy in the real-world setting is unknown. Methods: A retrospective efficacy and safety analysis was performed on data from RET fusion-positive NSCLC patients who participated in a selpercatinib access program (named patient protocol) between August 2019 and January 2021. Results: Data from 50 patients with RET fusion-positive advanced NSCLC treated with selpercatinib at 27 centers in 12 countries was analyzed. Most patients were Non-Asian (90%), female (60%), never-smokers (74%), with a median age of 65 years (range, 38–89). 32% of the patients had known brain metastasis at the time of selpercatinib treatment. Overall, 13 patients were treatment-naïve, while 37 were pretreated with a median of three lines of therapy (range, 1–8). The objective response rate (ORR) was 68% [95% confidence interval (CI), 53–81] in the overall population. The disease control rate was 92%. The median progression-free survival was 15.6 months (95% CI, 8.8–22.4) after a median follow-up of 9 months. In patients with measurable brain metastases (n = 8) intracranial ORR reached 100%. In total, 88% of patients experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs), a large majority of them being grade 1 or 2. The most common grade ⩾ 3 TRAEs were increased liver enzyme levels (in 10% of patients), prolonged QTc time (4%), abdominal pain (4%), hypertension (4%), and fatigue/asthenia (4%). None of patients discontinued selpercatinib treatment for safety reasons. No new safety concerns were observed, nor where there any treatment-related death. Conclusions: In this real-world setting, the selective RET-inhibitor selpercatinib demonstrated durable systemic and intracranial antitumor activity in RET fusion-positive NSCLC and was well tolerated.


The airway management of patients with subglottic stenosis poses many challenges for the anesthesiologists. Many anesthesiologists use a narrow endotracheal tube for airway control. This, however, can lead to complications such as tracheal mucosal trauma, tracheal perforation or bleeding. The ASA difficult airway algorithm recommends the use of supraglottic airway devices in a failed intubation/ventilation scenario. In this report, we present a case of failed intubation in a patient with subglottic stenosis successfully managed during an i-gel TM supraglottic airway device. The device provided a good seal, and allowed for controlled mechanical ventilation with acceptable peak pressures while the patient was in the beach-chair position. (Korean J Anesthesiol 2013; 65: 254-256)


Regular drug treatment in mild hypertension (diastolic blood pressure 90-104 mm Hg) reduces death from stroke, and other non-coronary vascular events. The optimum strategy remains sequential monotherapy with the lowest effective dose, with drug combinations as an option. A beta-adrenoceptor blocker or low-dose thiazide is good value treatment for many patients. beta-Blockers are good for young (under 50 years), anxious non-smoking men, men after myocardial infarction, and renal failure patients. Older persons over about 65 years, women, smokers, stroke victims, and liver disease patients should generally take a thiazide or calcium ion-channel blocker. Pregnant women and untreated gouty patients should avoid diuretics. Calcium blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are preferable in severe or insulin-dependent diabetes and renal failure, and angiotensin manipulators or thiazides in heart failure or peripheral vessel disease. Hyperlipidaemia should not generally exclude thiazides or beta-blockers. Some hypertensive stroke patients without encephalopathy may not need antihypertensive drug treatment for the first 24-48 hours. Drug treatment should be tailored to individuals according to their general condition, physiological age, and any concurrent disease or medication. Unwanted drug reactions should not deter patients from fulfilling social and economic goals. The desired treatment end-point is a diastolic pressure of 85-89 mm Hg, but a compromise is usual in poorly motivated young men, and the elderly.


Paracelsus (1493 – 1541) is mainly known as an alchemist and a "miracle doctor", the first who challenged the dogma which prevailed in western medicine for around 1300 years. In his comprehensive treaties he included the science about studying the effects of the movement of celestial bodies on nature and humans, as well as astute observations of various life forms. The doctrine of signatures is an associative, artistic method reflecting similitude in aspect, habitat and organoleptic characteristics of the substance and the symptoms addressed. He was also the first to introduce the concept of dose in medical treatment. Paracelsus' description of pathophysiological processes and their address through something similar to them, not antagonistic methods, was innovative and reflect approaches in other traditional medicine systems. He viewed health as the capacity to resonate with the rhythms of nature and understood disease as disharmony in the person's relationship to the material and spiritual world. Remedies should prolong the precious life, improve its quality and offer support for self-discovery. Paracelsus was a truth-seeker and truth has no validity date. Studying his legacy is of currently of great relevance and could offer deep insights into solving the conundrums facing humankind, including new disease outbreaks, antibiotic resistance and environmental toxins. His life-style advice and practical application in our daily routine could offer relief for an abundance of dis-eases plaguing modern man. It is also encouraging and refreshing to notice that similar (plant) remedies and ceremonies such as fumigation, bathing, sweating, and sound therapy are practiced as they have always been in different parts of the world, confirming the unity of humanity all over the planet.


Helicobacter pylori causes chronic gastritis in the human stomach, yet only a minority of infected individuals develop peptic ulcer disease, atrophic gastritis, or gastric malignancies. The severity, progression, and consequences of H. pylori infection have been shown to depend on the host genetic background, and in particular on gene polymorphisms affecting the host immune response. Numerous studies published last year brought new information on the mechanisms by which the host genetic make‐up modifies the inflammatory and immune responses to H. pylori and the induction of tissue damage secondary to the infection. Novel insights on the regulatory role of H. pylori on the adaptive T‐cell response and on its consequences for the persistence of the infection and for the development of vaccines are discussed.


The quality of RNA is of great importance in gene expression studies. It is mostly measured using the RNA integrity number (RIN). Lately it has been shown that samples with low RIN and different fragmentation patterns could affect quality of sequencing data. For such low RIN samples a new approach has been developed by Illumina called the DV200 metric, which is the percentage of fragments >200 nucleotides. For samples with low RIN, DV200 has proved to be a better method to predict if good quality data from RNA sequencing can be generated. However, neither RIN nor DV200 provide spatial infromation on the RNA integrity. Thus, tissues with areas of heterogeneous RNA integrity, where regions of good quality RNA sequencing data could be generated from are missed. We have designed a method to spatially evaluate the RNA integrity in tissue, which we named in situ RNA QC. The method uses three probes with three different fluorophores, each bound to three specific cDNA regions synthesized from the high abundant and well conserved 18S rRNA.With the help of in-house technology from the Spatial Transcriptomics (ST) group at SciLifeLab, we enable creation of heat maps over the RNA integrity to show spatial fragmentation patterns of RNA in tissue. This could reveal the regional quality of transcripts in situ, which is crucial knowledge when selecting samples for further RNA sequencing.The assay has been tried using different tissue fixation methods in order to show a proof of concept that formalin gives shorter cDNA fragments than acetone. The generated heat-map provides a visual overview of RNA integrity in situ; hence this method could be used to select samples for sequencing by evaluation the spatial quality of RNA. For instance from fresh frozen and formalin fixated paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue (biobanks contain large number of longterm storage FFPE samples). With this assay we will be able to determine which samples are suitable for sequencing.


This study was undertaken to determine whether receptor and non-receptor components of the adenylate cyclase (AC) cascade were altered in brown adipose tissue (BAT) of 14-day-old pre-obese (fa/fa) rats, before endocrine status is strongly modified by fa gene expression. Activity of the AC catalytic subunit did not differ between the two genotypes. In fa/fa rats compared with control Fa/fa rats, there was a 50% decrease in the activity of alpha Gs (stimulated by NaF or guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate) but no change in protein content (Western blotting). alpha Gi function, assessed by the inhibitory action of low concentrations of guanosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate upon 10(-4) M forskolin-stimulated AC activity, was equally low in both genotypes. Analysis of dose-response curves for different beta-agonists revealed that (i) both the basal and the maximally stimulated activity of AC were 2-fold lower in fa/fa rats than in Fa/fa rats; (ii) BRL37344 and CGP12177 (beta 3 agonists) were less potent in fa/fa than in Fa/fa rats (Kact. multiplied by 2); (iii) noradrenaline and isoprenaline (Iso), at the low-affinity site (beta 3-AR), were less potent in fa/fa than in Fa/fa pups (Kact. increased by 30 and 20% respectively). At the high-affinity site (mainly beta 1) these two agonists were more potent in fa/fa than in Fa/fa rats (Kact. decreased by 40 and 80% respectively). In good agreement with the latter result, the beta 1-adrenergic receptor (beta 1-AR)-selective antagonist CGP20712A had more effect on the Iso-stimulated AC activity in pre-obese than in lean pups (2-fold decreased in IC50). Binding experiments with [3H]CGP12177 show that in BAT of suckling rats, beta 3-ARs represent 80% of the total beta-ARs. Bmax values for the two sites were not affected by the genotype, although the beta 3-AR mRNA concentration in BAT (quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR) was 3-fold lower in fa/fa rats than in Fa/fa pups. In conclusion, these results provide evidence for alterations in beta 1- and beta 3-AR signalling in BAT of 14-day-old suckling pre-obese Zucker rats with a decreased activity of alpha Gs. The impaired AC responsiveness to catecholamines might be a primary contributor to the development of this genetic obesity.


Modern aircrafts are becoming lighter and more flexible to meet fuel efficiency, endurance and other requirements. The structural modes therefore occur at lower frequencies and there is an increased coupling between the structural and rigid body modes. A general approach is to design control laws for the rigid body modes and then apply filters which avoid the excitation of the structural modes. However this approach is not possible in lighter and more flexible aircrafts, due to the coupling of the structural and rigid body modes. In this report several control methods are developed to prevent a flexible wing aircraft from fluttering. State space models with a flight envelope ranging from 40 Knots Equivalent Air Speed (KEAS) to 90 KEAS are used. The models consist of 182 states, 8 inputs and 13 outputs. The models are reduced using various model reduction steps like truncation, (modal) residualization and balanced truncation. After this model reduction different control techniques, namely Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control, Linear Parameter Varying control and L1Adaptive control, are investigated using different examples and applied on the flexible wing aircraft.


As a major agricultural province, to realize the agriculture sustainable development, it is necessary to change the traditional extensive mode of agricultural production and vigorously develop the recycling economy of agriculture. On the basis of the analysis of the status quo of the development of Heilongjiang agricultural recycling economy, this paper first selects four corresponding evaluation indicator: the economic and social development, resource input, resource recycling, and environmental safety of resource. Then, based on comprehensive evaluation indicator system of agricultural recycling economy in Heilongjiang province, after collecting the development data of agricultural economy during 2009-2012, this paper makes a quantitative analysis of the agriculture economic of Heilongjiang province. After a comprehensive evaluation of the past four yearsÂ' data, the paper gains a good command of the development of agricultural recycling economy in Heilongjiang province, and then puts forward effective methods, proposal and countermeasures for the development of agricultural recycling economy in Heilongjiang province.


The work of the Marquis de Laplace (1749–1827) was enormously influential in the development of mathematical physics, astronomy and statistics. Educated in Normandy, he moved to Paris on obtaining a letter of introduction to d'Alembert, who acted as his mentor while he undertook teaching and independent research in probability, statistics and astronomy. Laplace survived the turmoil of the French Revolution, the rise of Napoleon and the restoration of the Bourbons by a series of manoeuvres which gave him a reputation for insincerity and hypocrisy even among his peers who could correctly assess his contributions to science. His Essai philosophique sur les probabilites, first published in 1814, and of which the fifth edition, revised by the author, is presented here, is a fundamental work which establishes six principles of probability in mathematical terms.


Local rub-impact is the common fault in rotating machinery and results in impact and friction between rotor and stator. The vibration signal due to impact and friction is always non-stationary which includes three components, namely, the rub-impact signal, the background signal and the noise signal. EMD (Empirical mode decomposition) is based upon the local characteristic time scale of signal and could decompose the complicated signal into a number of IMFs (intrinsic mode functions). However, because the weak rub-impact signal is always submerged in the background signal and noise signal. The EMD procedure will generate the components redundancy. In order to solve the problem, a novel method combining with independent component analysis (ICA) and EMD is proposed. ICA is introduced into the EMD procedure, so that the components are orthogonal to each other and the components redundancy can be cut down. In the end, a much better decomposition performances can be obtained. Furthermore, integration of EMD with Hilbert envelope analysis is applied to component instantaneous amplitude in order to obtain envelope spectra from which the mechanical fault can be diagnosed. The analysis results from the rub-impact vibration signals show that the proposed method can be applied to the machinery fault diagnosis effectively.


The statutes of the European Central Bank (ECB) stipulate that it should have recourse to national
central banks (NCBs) to carry out monetary policy operations. Such a structure would not be a
problem if these operations were all identical across member states and if the resulting profits and
losses were shared. But this is not the case today. In this sense, the euro area no longer has a 'single'
monetary policy.
There is little one can do about this situation, except to wait until the government purchase
programme ends and is then reversed.
However, two steps could be undertaken already now: i) the granting of emergency liquidity
assistance should be shifted to the ECB, and ii) the NCBs should be forbidden to undertake any
financial operation that is not a direct consequence of their execution of the ECB's monetary policy
decisions. The existing stocks of assets (and liabilities), the so-called ANFA (Agreement on Net
Financial Assets) holdings, which are not related to monetary policy, should be transferred to either
national finance ministries or national special purpose vehicles.


The technical feasibility of selective intranidal endovascular occlusion of experimental arteriovenous malformations with detachable superfine platinum electrodes was assessed in a swine model. The delivery and release of electrodes were performed within normal carotid retia mirabilia, the faster-flowing nidus (bilateral retia) of a carotid-jugular fistula-type model of an arteriovenous malformation, and a small-caliber H-type direct arteriovenous fistula. Controllable atraumatic placement of the electrodes was possible deep within each rete and in the middle of the fistula. The devices were soft and flexible, allowing them to conform to the tight turns and branches of rete vessels. Marked diminution of flow was achieved by release of multiple devices within each rete. Migration of the electrode occurred when detached within the larger-caliber arteriovenous fistula. The main advantages of this technique appear to be the controlled delivery and assured release of an occlusive radiopaque embolic agent within the nidus.


We present a link rewiring mechanism to produce surrogates of a network where both the degree distribution and the rich–club connectivity are preserved. We consider three real networks, the AS–Internet, the protein interaction and the scientific collaboration. We show that for a given degree distribution, the rich–club connectivity is sensitive to the degree–degree correlation, and on the other hand the degree–degree correlation is constrained by the rich–club connectivity. In particular, in the case of the Internet, the assortative coefficient is always negative and a minor change in its value can reverse the network's rich–club structure completely; while fixing the degree distribution and the rich–club connectivity restricts the assortative coefficient to such a narrow range, that a reasonable model of the Internet can be produced by considering mainly the degree distribution and the rich–club connectivity. We also comment on the suitability of using the maximal random network as a null model to assess the rich–club connectivity in real networks. PACS numbers: 89.75.-k, 89.75.Da, 89.75.Fb, 89.20.Hh, 82.39.Rt, 87.23.Ge, 05.70.Ln


The health of its workforce is of paramount importance to a business. The loss of even one key person to heart and lung disease can have a detrimental effect on organizational efficiency. Provided strides similar to those made in the last five years continue, perhaps within the next five years major employers will have all work areas smoke free. In large cities considerable help in implementing a nonsmoking policy is available to employers. Individual companies need to consider the merits of each type of program and then decide which best fits the organization. Compared with a nonsmoker, the average employed smoker in the United States 1. Takes approximately 50% more sick leave 2. Uses the health care system at least 50% more 3. Suffers over twice the mortality rate during working years 4. Spends 6% of working hours smoking 5. Causes indoor work facilities to expend six times the capital and operating outlays to maintain air circulation rates that meet building code specifications 6. Imposes a much greater maintenance burden for cleaning, repairing, repainting and replacing furnishings and equipment 7. Imposes unnecessary costly liability on employers for damages sustained by co-workers who are forced to work in a smoky environment 8. Exacts a high price in employee morale because of the irritation and discomfort suffered by fellow workers.


In this paper we propose five versions of a Proportional Conflict Redistribution rule (PCR) for information fusion together with several examples. From PCR1 to PCR2, PCR3, PCR4, PCR5 one increases the complexity of the rules and also the exactitude of the redistribution of conflicting masses. PCR1 restricted from the hyper-power set to the power set and without degenerate cases gives the same result as the Weighted Average Operator (WAO) proposed recently by J{\o}sang, Daniel and Vannoorenberghe but does not satisfy the neutrality property of vacuous belief assignment. That's why improved PCR rules are proposed in this paper. PCR4 is an improvement of minC and Dempster's rules. The PCR rules redistribute the conflicting mass, after the conjunctive rule has been applied, proportionally with some functions depending on the masses assigned to their corresponding columns in the mass matrix. There are infinitely many ways these functions (weighting factors) can be chosen depending on the complexity one wants to deal with in specific applications and fusion systems. Any fusion combination rule is at some degree ad-hoc.


2382. Grid references. 1. At first sight the O.S. Grid System appears to be a normal system of rectangular coordinates. Closer examination discloses two differences in the nature of the approximation to definition of position ; one of method, the other of magnitude. 2. Regarded as an approximation, coordinates (41, 36) indicate that a point lies within a square of side 1 unit having (41, 36) as its central point, the exact coordinates each having a possible difference of &.5 units. 3. On the other hand, a grid reference 41 36 indicates that a point lies within a square of side 1 unit having 4136 as its SW corner, each half of the exact reference having a possible difference of + 1 unit. 4. It appears then that not only is the approach to the limit different but the margln of error in a grid reference is twice that in the normal coordinate system. I. E ' IT~ROY JONES.


We study the electron transmission through the domain boundary on bilayer graphene separating AB and BA stacking regions. Using the effective continuum model, we calculate the electron transmission probability as a function of the electron energy and the incident angle, for several specific boundary structures. The transmission strongly depends on the crystallographic direction of the boundary and also on the atomic configuration inside. At the low energy, the boundary is either insulating or highly transparent depending on the structure. In insulating cases, the transmission sharply rises when the Fermi energy is increased to a certain level, suggesting that the electric current through the boundary can be controlled by the field effect. The boundary parallel to the zigzag direction generally have different transmission properties between the two different valleys, and this enables to generate the valley polarized current in a certain configuration. We show that those characteristic features can be qualitatively explained by the transverse momentum conservation in the position-dependent band structure in the intermediate region.


I argue that John Dewey's analysis of imagination enables an account of learning from imaginary cases consistent with Jonathan Dancy's moral particularism. Moreover, this account provides a more robust account of learning from cases than Dancy's own. Particularism is the position that there are no, or at most few, true moral principles, and that competent reasoning and judgment do not require them. On a particularist framework, one cannot infer from an imaginary case that because a feature has a particular moral importance there, that it must have that import in an actual case. Instead, for Dancy, cases can yield "reminders," and a person with a lot of experience (real or imagined) brings a "checklist" of features that can matter to a situation. Using the Nathan-David exchange from 2 Samuel and Martha Nussbaum's "Steerforth's Arm" from Love's Knowledge, I show that this account does not explain all instances of learning from cases. Drawing on recent work on cases, I argue that cases can be educative by serving an exploratory function, probing what one takes to be known and provoking change in the background one uses in evaluating a situation. I then argue that Dewey's work on imagination in his comments on sympathy and in A Common Faith and Art as Experience enables such a role for cases on a particularist framework. Mark Johnson's recent work on metaphor further illuminates how Dewey's account of art can be exploratory. I contend that this account affords an exploratory role for cases consistent with Dancy's particularism. Moral Particularism and the Role of Imaginary Cases European Journal of Pragmatism and American Philosophy, VIII-1 | 2016 21


Abstract : Relativity compensations must be made in precise and accurate measurements whenever an observer is accelerated. Although many believe the Earth-centered frame is sufficient inertial, accelerations of the Earth, as evidenced by the tides, prove that it is technically a noninertial system for even an Earth-based observer. Dr. Einstein introduced the concept that time was essentially a fourth component that could be added to any three-dimensional position. Using the constant speed of light, a set of fixed remote clocks in an inertial frame can be synchronized to a fixed master clock transmitting its time in that frame. The time on the remote clock defines the coordinate time at the coordinate position. However, the synchronization procedure for an accelerated frame is affected, because the distance between the master and remote clocks is altered due to the acceleration of the remote clock toward or away from the master clock during the transmission interval. An exact metric that converts observations from noninertial frames to inertial frames was recently derived. Using this metric with other physical relationships, a new concept of noninertial coordinate time is defined. This noninertial coordinate time includes all relativity compensations. This new definition raises several timekeeping issues, such as proper time standards, time transfer processes, and clock synchronizations, all in the noninertial frame such as Earth.


We propose a new dataset for the evaluation of food recognition algorithms that can be used in dietary monitoring applications. Each image depicts a real canteen tray with dishes and foods arranged in different ways. Each tray contains multiple instances of food classes. The dataset contains 1027 canteen trays for a total of 3616 food instances belonging to 73 food classes. The food on the tray images has been manually segmented using carefully drawn polygonal boundaries. We have benchmarked the dataset by designing an automatic tray analysis pipeline that takes a tray image as input, finds the regions of interest, and predicts for each region the corresponding food class. We have experimented with three different classification strategies using also several visual descriptors. We achieve about 79% of food and tray recognition accuracy using convolutional-neural-networks-based features. The dataset, as well as the benchmark framework, are available to the research community.


&Summary Antibiotic therapy has revolutionised medical care and has many benefits for patients with or at risk of infections. However, the development of antibiotic resistance now limits the effectiveness of these agents, which is a serious public health concern. This article examines these issues and offers guidance on prescribing strategies and resources for nurse prescribers. Author


We propose clipping methods that are capable of using complex geometries for volume clipping. The clipping tests exploit per-fragment operations on the graphics hardware to achieve high frame rates. In combination with texture-based volume rendering, these techniques enable the user to interactively select and explore regions of the data set. We present depth-based clipping techniques that analyze the depth structure of the boundary representation of the clip geometry to decide which parts of the volume have to be clipped. In another approach, a voxelized clip object is used to identify the clipped regions. Furthermore, the combination of volume clipping and volume shading is considered. An optical model is introduced to merge aspects of surface-based and volume-based illumination in order to achieve a consistent shading of the clipping surface. It is demonstrated how this model can be efficiently incorporated in the aforementioned clipping techniques.


In this paper, we present an approach to coordinate two temporal plans, where one plan is for the achievement of a reactive goal, and thus has more priority, while the other is for the achievement of a proactive goal. As both plans have been computed independently from each other, conflicts can arise during their execution. We present a plan merging algorithm to coordinate the actions of both plans. Unlike many other plan merging approaches, which use only the actions present in both plans to coordinate them, our approach is supported by a sound plan repairing approach, to deal with the situations where both plans can not be merged as they are i.e. when one plan uses the same resource needed by the other plan and then does not release the resource. The plan repairing algorithm uses an extension of the well known planner Sapa, to repair a plan in the presence of another plan, and thus taking into account the constraints imposed by the latter. Our approach is generic and can be used in different situations of coordination between multiple agents and within a single agent.


In this study, we explore the impact of feedback, feedforward, and personality on computer-mediated behavior change. We studied the impacts of the effects using subjects who entered information relevant to their diet and exercise into a database through an online tool. We divided the subjects into four experimental groups: those who received only feedback, those who received only feedforward, those who received both feedback and feedforward, and those who received neither feedback nor feedforward. We found that both feedforward and feedback impacted behavior change but that the effect was much greater for individuals who ranked low in conscientiousness than for individuals who ranked high in conscientiousness. In fact, the magnitude of the effect of feedforward and feedback was nearly the same as the magnitude of the effect of conscientiousness.


In this thesis, we present a practical framework for mining quantitative association rules and give recommendations regarding presentation of the discovered rules. A system for mining and working with quantitative association rules was designed. We suggest a general system architecture that covers a range of practical applications, spreads logically separate functionality between several independent modules, and scales well with the number of clients served by the system. Further, we motivate a choice of a suitable mining technique and present an alternative mechanism for generating rules from trend rule candidates. A workflow allowing users without previous background in data mining to make effective use of mined rules to support everyday work is described. Two models for assessing interestingness of rules are suggested. Impact is an interestingness measure based on the difference between the observed average and the expected average as well as on the number of data records behind the rule. Hotness is a user-specific interestingness value combining statistical significance of the rule with collective intelligence of all users and personal preferences of the current user. The segment-to-item technique for visualizing multiple rules in a compact and accessible format was developed, as well as the metasegment-to-item approach that is a further generalization of this idea. In addition, ways of using data visualization to facilitate analysis of individual rules are described. A working system based on these ideas was implemented and integrated into an industrial software product proving that the developed techniques and designs are feasible in a practical application.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of bacterial vaginosis (BV) in Shanghai, China, and to explore the value of a dual-fluorescence staining method in the diagnosis of BV.

METHODS
Specimens were collected from women with vaginitis at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University from January 2020 to December 2021, and the proportions of various vaginitis types (such as Candida vaginitis, Trichomonas, and bacterial vaginitis) were analyzed statistically. To explore the diagnostic value of dual-fluorescence staining for BV, we first executed a dual-fluorescence staining method to analyze the vaginal secretions of 265 patients, then confirmed our diagnoses by consulting clinical physicians and by using Nugent scoring of Gram staining.

RESULTS
There were 16,905 patients who were diagnosed with vaginitis over the previous 2 years, with a median age of 32 (minimum age of 9 years and maximum of 84 years). Of these patients, we noted 10,887 cases (64.40%) of BV. Our staining results revealed that the dual-fluorescence method was consistent with Gram staining in the diagnosis of BV, with a P value of less than .001 using a χ 2 test and a consistency kappa value of 0.896. Compared with Gram staining, the dual-fluorescence staining method required an acceptable time (2.2 min vs 2.5 min, respectively) and exhibited different visual effects (green and yellow vs purple and red, respectively).

CONCLUSION
Dual-fluorescence staining for the detection of bacterial diseases of the vagina exhibited acceptable consistency with Gram staining and performed well with respect to dyeing time, stability, and the interpretation of results. We argue that this method should be used in outpatient services.


Simultaneous imaging of different cell types and structures in the mouse central nervous system (CNS) by intravital two-photon microscopy requires the characterization of fluorophores and advances in approaches to visualize them. We describe the use of a two-photon infrared illumination generated by an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) on quantum-dots 655 (QD655) nanocrystals to improve resolution of the vasculature deeper in the mouse brain both in healthy and pathological conditions. Moreover, QD655 signal can be unmixed from the DsRed2, CFP, EGFP and EYFP fluorescent proteins, which enhances the panel of multi-parametric correlative investigations both in the cortex and the spinal cord.


: An extensive G-banding study of karyotypes of 12 species of Bovidae has been undertaken in an attempt to trace homologies and patterns of evolution of karyotype phenotypes throughout the family. G-banding profiles revealed a considerable degree of chromosome-arm homology throughout the group, which also extended into the related superfamilies, the Giraffoidea and Cervoidea. The conservation of banding patterns in chromosome arms strongly indicates that Robertsonian translocation type rearrangements have provided the major source of interspecies karyotype differences, with inversions and reciprocal and tandem translocations providing relatively minor contributions. Examples of individuals carrying newly arisen Robertsonian translocations are not infrequent, and in one instance there was evidence that two similar rearrangements had arisen independently in two species. Despite the extensive changes in karyotype organization, subfamilies within the Bovidae were characterized by the presence of common rearrangements, and those involving autosomal pairs 11 and 12 of the ox, as well as the X chromosome, separate the Bovinae from the Caprinae and Hippotraginae.


This paper proposes a Distributed Computing and Centralized Determination (DCCD) method to solve the multi-robot task allocation problem, in order to maximize the utility of the whole robot system. First, a utility model is presented which takes the cost for executing tasks and the quality of task completing time into consideration. DCCD employs each robot to compute and provide sub-plans for executing one or multiple tasks. Then, the task manager forms allocations for accomplishing tasks using all the sub-plans and determine the optimal one according to the utility model. Compared with fully-centralized allocation, this method can reduce the computation largely for task manager. Theoretical analysis and simulation verify the effectiveness of DCCD, and shows that DCCD can obtain global optimal allocation comparing with the fact that the widely-used single-item and combinational auction methods can only obtain local optimal solution.


The complexation of NpO2+ with acetate is studied in aqueous solution by absorption spectroscopy as a function of the total ligand concentration (NaAc), ionic strength (Im = 0.5–4.0 mol kg−1 Na+(Cl−/ClO4−)) and temperature (T = 20–85 °C). Three distinct Np(V) species (NpO2(Ac)n1−n; n = 0, 1, 2) are identified, and their molar fractions determined by peak deconvolution of the absorption spectra. With increasing temperature the molar fractions of the higher complex species increase. The conditional stability constants log βj′(T) are calculated for each temperature and extrapolated to IUPAC reference state conditions (Im = 0) using the specific ion interaction theory (SIT). The log β0n(T) values increase by approximately 0.4–0.5 logarithmic unit for NpO2(Ac) and by about 0.5–0.6 for NpO2(Ac)2−. Furthermore, the thermodynamic stability constants are linearly correlated with the reciprocal temperature. Thus, fitting the data according to the integrated Van't Hoff equation yields the standard reaction enthalpy ΔrH0 and entropy ΔrS0 for the complexation reactions. Both complexation reactions are endothermic and driven by the entropy. In addition, the SIT specific binary ion–ion interaction coefficients of the complex species with Na+/ClO4− and Na+/Cl− (eT(i,k)) are determined as a function of temperature.


Understanding movement patterns of adult male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is important to explaining population dynamics, predation interactions, gene flow, and disease spread. Relatively few studies have investigated movement ecology of mature male deer, although recent trends in hunter-harvest selectivity have led to an increased representation of this cohort in many herds. Multiple co-occurring variables influence spatiotemporal variation in deer movements, but individuals should move at an optimum rate to maximize individual health and fitness while minimizing high-risk encounters. We used GPS telemetry data from 24 adult male deer (≥2.5 years old) in northeastern Louisiana to determine fine-scale movement patterns during the 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 hunting seasons. We calculated half-hour step lengths and performed generalized linear mixed models to examine the effects of habitat, age, breeding chronology, photoperiod, and refugia from hunting on step length. We used informationtheoretic approaches to identify the most plausible model. On average, deer moved more in agriculture and mature hardwood areas. Also, older individuals moved less. Movements were greatest during the rut, especially at crepuscular and night hours. Our most plausible model suggested mature males tended to be more crepuscular in refuge areas where they were infrequently hunted compared to adjacent lands which were open to hunters the entirety of the season. Despite the amount of covariates we examined, our models explained a relatively small amount of movement variance. Future research should examine the degree of within-population heterogeneity in spatial behaviors and its resulting effects on individuals.


Background Diagnostic criteria and empirical evidence support the existence of cognitive deficits in depression. However, depressed mood, loss of interest and low self-efficacy might influence cognitive performance. Method Goal-setting instructions were used to promote motivation in depressed patients and control subjects during neuropsychological assessment. The resulting performance was compared with performance using standard instructions. Sixty in-patients with non-psychotic unipolar depression and 60 age- and education-matched healthy control subjects were assessed with standard neuropsychological tests [the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), the Digit Symbol Test (DST), the Regensburg Word Fluency Test (RWT), and the Number Combination Test (Zahlen-Verbindungs-Test, ZVT)] using either goal-setting or standard test instructions. Results Depressed patients showed lower baseline performance and lower generalized self-efficacy (p<0.0005) than controls. However, goal-setting instructions significantly improved patients' memory performance by 10% [AVLT: F(5, 54)=3.611, p=0.007] and psychomotor performance by 13% [ZVT: F(3, 56)=3.667, p=0.017]. Consequently, patients and control subjects demonstrated similar results when goal-setting instructions were applied. Goal-setting instructions showed a statistical trend, increasing patients' performance in the DST by 12% [F(1, 58)=2.990, p=0.089], although their verbal fluency measured by the RWT did not increase. No significant correlations of increased performance with generalized self-efficacy were found. Conclusions Cognitive deficits in depressed patients are influenced by motivational shortcomings. Because generalized self-efficacy failed to correlate to increased test performance, future research needs to disentangle the effective components of goal-setting instructions. Task-specific self-efficacy as well as enhancement of task-focused attention might underlie the significant goal-setting effect in depressed patients.


With the worldwide explosion of social media, the use of online communities in the healthcare landscape has grown dramatically in recent years. Although healthcare communities already existed in the era before the WorldWideWeb, the primary medium for communities today is the Internet. Online healthcare communities can be seen as social support groups, whereby patients with similar interests gather virtually to collectively conduct activities related to healthcare and education. The recent proliferation of online health communities has directed researches to investigate the actual impact of such communities on patients. In this thesis we are interested in studying how online communities could influence consumers' healthcare behaviors. Specifically in this study, we seek to study the extent to which patients are actually willing to follow the health advice they receive online and whether this information can make significant health behavior changes in individuals. Through conducting a survey at two leading healthcare social networks, we are empirically testing a model to understand 'how different features of online health communities can increase its members' acceptance and adherence to health management advice they receive online.' This thesis provides several theoretical and practical implications in the areas of online communities, healthcare IS and self-regulatory healthcare behaviors.


Pyrolysis treatments of three [Zn(eim)2] (Heim = 2-ethylimidazole) supramolecular isomers, namely MAF-5 (ANA, 38.6%), MAF-6 (RHO, 55.4%) and MAF-32 (qtz, 0%), possessing different network topologies and porosities, gave morphology-retaining, nitrogen-doped porous carbons denoted as CMAF-5, CMAF-6 and CMAF-32, respectively. Elemental analyses gave nitrogen contents of CMAF-32 (5.45%) > CMAF-5 (5.05%) > CMAF-6 (2.55%), indicating that larger pores are beneficial for the removal of nitrogen contents. Ar sorption measurements for CMAF-5/CMAF-6/CMAF-32 gave pore volumes and surface areas of 0.42/0.65/0.35 cm3 g−1 and 1027/1453/730 m2 g−1, respectively, which are higher than those of their precursors but showing the same trend. The pore sizes of CMAF-5/CMAF-6/CMAF-32 mainly distribute in the ultramicroporous region of 3.7 to 7.5 A, but still follow CMAF-32 < CMAF-5 < CMAF-6, coincident with the porosities of their precursors. These carbons show remarkable CO2 sorption and CO2/N2 selectivities, consistent with their pore sizes and nitrogen contents. Notably, the IAST CO2/N2 (v/v = 15 : 85, 298 K and 1 bar) selectivities of CMAF-5 and CMAF-32 reach 180 and 262, respectively, which are the highest among all known porous carbon materials. Mixed-gas breakthrough experiments using a 15 : 85 CO2/N2 mixture gave a CO2/N2 selectivity of 234 for CMAF-32.


Change is the only constant and so it is with the Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery ( JNIS ). Last month, Rob Tarr stepped down as Editor-in-Chief after seven-and-a-half years. His tenure bore witness to, and largely established, critical milestones. The journal quickly became indexed and has steadily climbed the impact factor ladder. More importantly, JNIS has become the forum for the field's most significant clinical and scientific work. While this is in part the culmination of the efforts of our authors, reviewers, and associate editors, it is also the byproduct of Rob's dedication and vision. I have long admired the grace and perseverance of Rob's leadership. As a tribute to him and as a means of maintaining his counsel, the editorial board recently bestowed upon him the title of Emeritus Editor. To say that I have big shoes to fill as the new Editor-in-Chief is putting it mildly.

My …


Several benefits are gained from using cold mix asphalt (CMA) instead of hot mix asphalt (HMA). The benefits include conservation of materials and reducing energy consumption, preservation of the environment and reduction in cost. One of the common types of CMA is cold bitumen emulsion mixture (CBEM) which is the mixture produced by mixing mineral aggregate with bitumen emulsion. Despite the efforts applied in the last few decades in order to improve and develop CBEM utilization, certain deficiencies remain that make it inferior to HMA, resulting in restricting or minimizing of its use. However, the development of CBEM for road construction, rehabilitation and maintenance is steadily gaining interest in both pavement engineering industrial and research sectors.

The present study was primarily aimed at evaluating the effect of using different cementitious materials on the performance of CBEM. The idea of the research is to provide a sustainable filler from supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) to be used as fillers to provide enhanced properties of CBEMs. By achieving this aim it is expected that the utilization of CBEM would increase, allowing them to be used as structural pavement materials with some confidence.

Research was first undertaken to optimize the mix design of CBEM using a statistical approach known as response surface methodology (RSM), as an alternative approach to achieve acceptable engineering properties. The optimization of CBEM was investigated, to determine optimum proportions to gain suitable levels of both mechanical and volumetric properties. This optimization focussed on the mix design parameters, namely bitumen emulsion content (BEC), pre-wetting water content (PWC) and curing temperature (CT). This work also aimed to investigate the effect of the interaction between these parameters on the mechanical and volumetric properties of CBEMs. The results indicate that the interaction of BEC, PWC and CT influences the mechanical properties of CBEM. However, PWC tends to influence the volumetric properties more significantly than BEC. The individual effects of BEC and PWC are important, rather than simply the TFC which is used in conventional mix design of CBEM. Furthermore, the experimental results for the optimum mix design corresponded well with model predictions. It was concluded that optimization using RSM is an effective approach for mix design of CBEMs.
The study also investigated in-depth the performance characteristics of CBEMs using different filler treatments. The study was extended to understand the performance enhancement through mineralogical and microstructural investigations. The research was designed to use cement, binary and ternary blended fillers (BBF and TBF). Fly ash (FA) and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) were used as BBF while silica fume (SF) was added to the BBF to obtain TBF. A significant improvement was achieved in mechanical and durability properties of CBEMs due to incorporation of both cement and blended fillers. Also, the results indicated that TBF was more suitable than BBF for the production of CBEMs. The microstructural assessment indicated that the effect of BBF on the internal microstructure of CBEMs was slightly negative and more noticeable in CBEMs containing FA. Mineralogical and microstructural assessments also suggested that the presence of bitumen emulsion might not affect the hydration of the silicates in treated CBEMs. The formation of additional CSH was observed due to the replacement of conventional limestone filler by cement, BBF and TBF. However, it seems that this can cause a delay in the formation of other hydration products (Ettringite) resulting from the hydration of aluminates in cement. Furthermore, it is proposed that the addition of SF to BBF mixtures can eliminate the delay in formation of hydration products caused by the bitumen emulsion.
The present work was also aimed at better understanding the curing mechanism of CBEMs and to bridge the gap between laboratory curing and field evolution of these mixtures. This was achieved by evaluating the effect of the curing process on CBEM performance and developing a prediction model to assess in-situ CBEM performance using maturity relationships. Different contributory factors affecting the curing process were investigated such as curing temperature and relative humidity (RH) in addition to the impact of curing time and the presence of cement/active fillers. The results indicated that high curing temperature is responsible for additional stiffness gain by increasing the binder stiffness due to ageing and by increasing the moisture loss by evaporation during the curing process. However, at high curing temperature the moisture loss by evaporation may hinder the hydration of cement/active fillers. Moreover, the results also indicated that the high RH level influences the stiffness modulus of CBEMs negatively. The laboratory results were then used to develop a tool to assess in-situ curing of CBEMs using the maturity approach, which is widely used to estimate in-situ concrete properties. A strong correlation was found between maturity and the stiffness values obtained from the laboratory tests, which resulted in development of maturity-stiffness relationship. The application of this relationship to assess the in-situ stiffness of CBEMs is presented using three hypothetical pavement sections in the United Kingdom, Italy and Qatar; to simulate different curing regimes.
A pavement analysis and design study was conducted to evaluate the incorporation of treated CBEMs into a pavement structure. CBEMs are suggested to be used in two scenarios: the first is as a surface course and the second is as a base course. The scope of the study is limited here to design based on the fatigue criterion only. Although, the structural design was based on practical hypothetical layer thicknesses, the results provided useful insight into the structural capabilities of CBEMs.


Neutral sulfite semi-chemical (NSSC) pulping of rapeseed residues from Karadj rapeseed growing fields was investigated. Rapeseed residue was collected from the research field at the Agriculture and Natural Resources Campus, University of Tehran located in Karadj. Cellulose, lignin, holocellulose, extractives soluble in alcohol acetone, 1% NaOH solubility, and ash were determined as 42 ± 2%, 17 ± 1%, 77.5 ± 2%, 2.2 ± 0.1%, 50.3 ± 1.6%, and 6%, respectively. Fiber length, width, and cell wall thickness were measured as 1.190 mm, 32 mm, and 4 mm. Three pulping durations of 20, 40, and 60 min and 5 chemical charges of 8%, 10%, 12%, 14%, and 16% active alkali were used. Cooking temperature at 175 °C, Na2SO3 to Na2CO3 ratio of 3:1, and liquor to residue ratio of 8:1 were kept constant. The highest yield (72%) was obtained applying the treatment combination of 20 min pulping time and 8% active alkali and the lowest yield (58.7%) was observed with 60 min pulping time and 16% chemical. After the pulping study, selected pulps were refined to 375 ± 5 mL CSF and 60 gm-2 handsheets were made. The results of pulping and handsheet evaluation indicated that 12% active alkali, 60 min pulping at 175 °C can be considered as the optimum pulping condition for rapeseed residues. Tear, tensile, and burst indices and breaking length of this pulp were measured as 7.5 mN m2g-1, 66.5 N mg-1, 2.57 kPa m2g-1, and 6.78 km, respectively.


Objective—To ascertain the importance of a single regulatory element in the control of Cnn1 expression using CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9) genome editing. Approach and Results—The CRISPR/Cas9 system was used to produce 3 of 18 founder mice carrying point mutations in an intronic CArG box of the smooth muscle cell–restricted Cnn1 gene. Each founder was bred for germline transmission of the mutant CArG box and littermate interbreeding to generate homozygous mutant (Cnn1&Dgr;CArG/&Dgr;CArG) mice. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy showed dramatic reductions in Cnn1 mRNA and CNN1 protein expression in Cnn1&Dgr;CArG/&Dgr;CArG mice with no change in other smooth muscle cell–restricted genes and little evidence of off-target edits elsewhere in the genome. In vivo chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed a sharp decrease in binding of serum response factor to the mutant CArG box. Loss of CNN1 expression was coincident with an increase in Ki-67 positive cells in the normal vessel wall. Conclusions—CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing of a single CArG box nearly abolishes Cnn1 expression in vivo and evokes increases in smooth muscle cell DNA synthesis. This facile genome editing system paves the way for a new generation of studies designed to test the importance of individual regulatory elements in living animals, including regulatory variants in conserved sequence blocks linked to human disease.


Mandatory disclosure is a—maybe the—defining characteristic of U.S. securities regulation. Issuers selling securities in a public offering must file a registration statement with the SEC containing detailed disclosures, and thereafter comply with the periodic disclosure regime. Although the New Deal-era Congresses that adopted the securities laws thought mandated disclosure was an essential element of securities reform, the mandatory disclosure regime has proven highly controversial among legal academics—especially among law and economics-minded scholars. Some scholars argue market forces will produce optimal levels of disclosure in a regime of voluntary disclosure, while others argue that various market failures necessitate mandatory disclosure.


Recent advances and achievements of artificial intelligence (AI) as well as deep and graph learning models have established their usefulness in biomedical applications, especially in drug-drug interactions (DDIs). DDIs refer to a change in the effect of one drug to the presence of another drug in the human body, which plays an essential role in drug discovery and clinical research. DDIs prediction through traditional clinical trials and experiments is an expensive and time-consuming process. To correctly apply the advanced AI and deep learning, the developer and user meet various challenges such as the availability and encoding of data resources, and the design of computational methods. This review summarizes chemical structure based, network based, natural language processing based and hybrid methods, providing an updated and accessible guide to the broad researchers and development community with different domain knowledge. We introduce widely used molecular representation and describe the theoretical frameworks of graph neural network models for representing molecular structures. We present the advantages and disadvantages of deep and graph learning methods by performing comparative experiments. We discuss the potential technical challenges and highlight future directions of deep and graph learning models for accelerating DDIs prediction.


In the present study, we have made an effort to develop the novel synthetic antioxidants and antimicrobials with improved potency. The novel benzofuran-gathered C-2,4,6-substituted pyrimidine derivatives 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7f, 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 8e, 8f, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f were synthesized by simple and efficient four-step reaction pathway. Initially, o-alkyl derivative of salicylaldehyde readily furnish corresponding 2-acetyl benzofuran 2 in good yield, upon the treatment with potassium tertiary butoxide in the presence of molecular sieves. Further, Claisen–Schmidt condensation with aromatic aldehydes via treatment with thiourea followed by coupling reaction with different sulfonyl chlorides afforded target compounds. The structures of newly synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, mass, and elemental analysis and further screened for their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The results showed that the synthesized compounds 8b, 8e, 9b, and 9e produced significant antioxidant activity with 50% inhibitory concentration higher than that of reference, whereas compounds 7d and 7c produced dominant antimicrobial activity at concentrations 1.0 and 0.5 mg/mL compared with standard Gentamicin and Nystatin, respectively.


A distributed Brillouin fiber sensor with centimeter spatial resolution has been employed for the measurement of small crack up to 1.5 cm. The out-layer damaged regions on an optical ground wire (OPGW) cable have been identified successfully by measuring the strain distributions every 5 cm. The stress increased to 127 kN which corresponds to more than 7000 micro-strain in the fibers. The locations of structural indentations comprising repaired and undamaged regions are found and distinguished using their corresponding strain data. The elongation of repaired region increases with time under 127 kN. These results are quantified in terms of the fiber orientation, stress, and behavior relative to undamaged sections.


This paper explores how emotion research may inform the design of a playful interactive tool for emotion measurement and communication, called Child Patient Game (CPgame) that has been developed for paediatric patients at a Danish hospital. The CPgame differs from other instruments in that it uses digital narrative and game play as means for self-report. In so doing it integrates play, communication and measurement in one and the same device. First it gives 4-6 year old hospitalized children an opportunity to learn how to cope with their own emotional reactions to medical treatment through game play. Second, healthcare personal and design researchers can use the CPgame to gain knowledge of this patient group as it measures the children's subjective feelings about their emotions. In the paper we discuss how key theoretical concepts of emotion may help the designer to indentify the basic building blocks of emotions and to distinguish closely related emotions from each other. Further, by comparing various methods and techniques for emotion measurement, we argue that design research offers more sensitive techniques for self-report measurement for children than psychology and the behavioural sciences.


Actin
dynamics plays an important role in many physiological functions such as
long-term potentiation, neurotransmission, regulatory proteins translocation, ATP
cycle, etc. When amyloid β (Aβ)-induced neurotoxicity occurs, the imbalance of
actin dynamics leads to dystrophy of dendrites, which is characteristic
pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Transient and persistent Aβ
neurotoxicity provokes distinct manifestations of actin dynamics and causes
opposing effects in AD. It has been shown that bone morphogenetic protein 6/7
(BMP6/7) protects neuronal morphology against Aβ-induced neurotoxicity, and can
directly bind to LIM kinase1 (LIMK1), being one part of the upstream regulatory
pathway of actin dynamics. This review aims to discuss a potential mechanism of
BMPs underlying maintainance of cytoskeletal stabilization in neurite.


Ionotropic receptors in the neuronal plasma membrane are organized in macromolecular complexes, which assure their proper localization and regulate signal transduction. P2X receptors, the ionotropic receptors activated by extracellular ATP, have been shown to influence synaptic transmission. Using a yeast two-hybrid approach with the P2X2 subunit C-terminal domain as bait we isolated the β-amyloid precursor protein-binding proteins Fe65 and Fe65-like 1 as the first identified proteins interacting with neuronal P2X receptors. We confirmed the direct interaction of Fe65 and the P2X2 C-terminal domain by glutathione S-transferase pull-down experiments. No interaction was observed between Fe65 and the naturally occurring P2X2 splice variant P2X2(b), indicating that alternative splicing can regulate the receptor complex assembly. We generated two antibodies to Fe65 to determine its subcellular localization using postembedding immunogold labeling electron microscopy. We found labeling for Fe65 at the pre- and postsynaptic specialization of CA1 hippocampal pyramidal cell/Schaffer collateral synapses. By double immunogold labeling, we determined that Fe65 colocalizes with P2X2 subunits at the postsynaptic specialization of excitatory synapses. Moreover, P2X2 and Fe65 could be coimmunoprecipitated from brain membrane extracts, demonstrating that the interaction occurs in vivo. The assembly with Fe65 regulates the functional properties of P2X2 receptors. Thus, the time- and activation-dependent change in ionic selectivity of P2X2 receptors was inhibited by coexpression of Fe65, suggesting a novel role for Fe65 in regulating P2X receptor function and ATP-mediated synaptic transmission.


The User Analysis of the CMS experiment is performed in distributed way using both Grid and dedicated resources. In order to insulate the users from the details of computing fabric, CMS relies on the CRAB (CMS Remote Analysis Builder) package as an abstraction layer. CMS has recently switched from a client-server version of CRAB to a purely client-based solution, with ssh being used to interface with HTCondor-based glideinWMS batch system. This switch has resulted in significant improvement of user satisfaction, as well as in significant simplification of the CRAB code base and of the operation support. This paper presents the architecture of the ssh-based CRAB package, the rationale behind it, as well as the operational experience running both the client-server and the ssh-based versions in parallel for several months.


Layered manganese dioxide is a promising cathode candidate for aqueous Zn-ion batteries. However, the narrow interlayer spacing, inferior intrinsic electronic conductivity and poor structural stability still limit its practical application. Herein, we report a two-step strategy to incorporate ammonium ions into manganese dioxide (named as AMO) nanosheets as a cathode for boosted Zn ion storage. K+-intercalated δ-MnO2 nanosheets (KMO) grown on carbon cloth are chosen as the self-involved precursor. Of note, ammonium ions could replace K+ ions via a facile hydrothermal reaction to enlarge the lattice space and form hydrogen-bond networks. Compared with KMO, the structural stability and the ion transfer kinetics of the layered AMO are enhanced. As expected, the obtained AMO cathode exhibits remarkable electrochemical properties in terms of high reversible capacity, decent rate performance and superior cycling stability over 10000 cycles.


This article examines the responses of Jewish San Franciscans to World War I, comparing reactions of Jewish and non-Jewish Americans and considering regional differences in the Jewish response. The primary source is the Emanu-El, San Francisco9s only Jewish newspaper during the war. Comparing the San Francisco experience with that of New York, the article argues that, while San Francisco Jews shared many of their fellow citizens9 feelings toward the nations at war, the �ghting in Europe raised troubling issues for Jewish Americans, as well as problems they did not share with other Americans. In key respects, region mattered more than religious identi�cation: Jewish San Franciscans tended to view the war as westerners rather than as Jews, but war exacerbated tensions within American Jewry and added urgency to leaders9 efforts to create consensus, especially on such controversial issues as Zionism.


We consider the multi-particle Anderson tight-binding model and prove that its lower spectral edge is non-random under some mild assumptions on the inter-particle interaction and the random external potential. We also adapt to the low energy regime the multi-particle multi-scale analysis initially developed by Chulaevsky and Suhov in the high disorder limit, if the marginal probability distribution of the i.i.d. random variables is log-H\"older continuous and obtain the spectral exponential and strong dynamical localization near the bottom of the spectrum.


All three main components of the immune system (phagocytosis, humoral and cell-mediated immunity) are changed in patients with lichen ruber planus (LRP). Changes in the functional activity of phagocytes manifest by a decreased phagocytic activity of the peripheral blood monocytes towards Staphylococcus aureus and increased production of active oxygen forms during phagocytosis, which are registered by luminol-dependent chemiluminescence. Changes in the humoral immunity consist in increased serum levels of IgG and IgA, and shifts in the cell-mediated immunity manifest by increased count of cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes and decreased functional activity of T cells recorded by the proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin. The greatest shifts in the immune status are observed in patients with erosive ulcerative LRP, which is characterized by the greatest severity and intensity of inflammation.


The fragments of 350 bp in 28S rRNA from the closely related monogenea of trematoda, Neobenedenia girellae and N. melleni are obtained by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified using a couple of special primers and then sequenced. The results show that the comparison of 28S rRNA sequences, with only a base varying in 337bp accounting for 0.3% genetic difference, from the relative species N. girellae and N. melleni parasitized on the different fishes in different farms displays that they possess a very high genetic similarity of 99.7%, higher than that of 99.41% for the single species N. melleni sampled in different areas, and the intraspecific divergence of N.melleni is 0.59%. Meanwhile, the interspecific differences between the two Neobenedenia and three Benedenia (i.e., B. lutjani, B. rohdei and B. seriolae) range from 2.08% to11.73%. In addition, UPGMA and MP molecular phylogenetic trees are constructed and proved to be consistent with each other. Though the morphological characteristics and the results of genetic diversity for the two Neobenedenia show a high similarity, whether they belong to a single species or not are still undefined, and the more genes of them should be further investigated, in combination with the systematical and detailed morphological study.


Fluid–structure interaction (FSI) is a common phenomenon in biological systems. FSI problems of practical interest, such as fish/mammalian swimming, insect/bird flight, and human cardiac blood flow and respiration often involve multiple 3D immersed bodies with complex geometries undergoing very large structural displacements, and inducing very complex flow phenomena. Simulation of heart valve FSI is a technically challenging problem due to the large deformation of the valve leaflets through the cardiac fluid domain in the atrium and ventricular chambers. Recently, we developed a FSI computational framework [1] for modeling patient-specific left heart (LH) dynamics using smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) for the blood flow, and non-linear anisotropic finite element analysis for heart valve tissues. SPH is a meshless, statistical method that relies on sampling neighboring particles to calculate fluid field variables. SPH's mesh-free and Lagrangian nature makes it particular suitable for numerical problems where there are 1) moving boundaries and 2) large deformations, which are the conditions seen in heart valve FSI applications. In this presentation, I will explain under which scenarios that heart valve FSI simulations are needed, and give a few examples of our FSI applications. Briefly, we utilized the SPH-FE based, fully-coupled FSI modeling techniques to investigate the pathological LH dynamics under primary and secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) conditions [2], and examine the underlying biomechanics of various minimally-invasive mitral valve (MV) repair techniques. The FSI model was also used to investigate the impact of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) on LH dynamics under bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) stenosis and concomitant significant MR [3].


A104 Studies were designed to determine if vaccination of human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-transgenic mice (where CEA is a self-antigen) with a heat-killed recombinant S. cerevisiae construct expressing human CEA (yeast-CEA) elicits dendritic cell (DC) activation, CEA-specific T-cell responses and antitumor activity. CEA-transgenic mice were vaccinated with yeast-CEA, and maturation of DCs was studied. In addition, CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses were assessed after one and multiple administrations or vaccinations at multiple sites per administration. Antitumor activity was determined by tumor growth and overall survival in both pulmonary metastasis and subcutaneous pancreatic tumor models. These studies demonstrate that recombinant yeast can indeed break tolerance and that a) vaccination with yeast-CEA induces the maturation of DCs; b) treatment of DCs with yeast-CEA resulted in specific activation of CEA-specific CD8+ T cells in vitro in an MHC-restricted manner; c) yeast-CEA constructs can elicit both CEA-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses in vivo; d) repeated yeast-CEA administration causes increased antigen-specific T-cell responses after each vaccination; e) vaccination with yeast-CEA at multiple sites induces a greater T-cell response than the same dose given at a single site; f) tumor-bearing mice vaccinated with yeast-CEA show a reduction in tumor burden and increased overall survival compared to mock-treated or control yeast-vaccinated mice in both pulmonary metastasis and subcutaneous pancreatic tumor models. These studies thus form the rationale for the incorporation of recombinant yeast-CEA and other recombinant yeast constructs in cancer immunotherapy protocols.