In analogy to pressure-driven gradient techniques in high-performance liquid chromatography, a system has been developed for delivering electroosmotically-driven solvent gradients for capillary electrochromatography (CEC). Dynamic gradients with sub-mL/min flow rates are generated by merging two electroosmotic flows that are regulated by computer-controlled voltages. These flows are delivered by two fused-silica capillary arms attached to a T-connector, where they mix and then flow into a capillary column that has been electrokinetically packed with 3-mm reversed-phase particles. The inlet of one capillary arm is placed in a solution reservoir containing one mobile phase and the inlet of the other is placed in a second reservoir containing a second mobile phase. Two independent computer-controlled programmable high-voltage power supplies (0-50 kV)--one providing an increasing ramp and the other providing a decreasing ramp--are used to apply variable high-voltage potentials to the mobile phase reservoirs to regulate the electroosmotic flow in each arm. The ratio of the electroosmotic flow rates between the two arms is changed with time according to the computer-controlled voltages to deliver the required gradient profile to the separation column. Experiments were performed to confirm the composition of the mobile phase during a gradient run and to determine the change of the composition in response to the programmed voltage profile. To demonstrate the performance of electroosmotically-driven gradient elution in CEC, a mixture of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was separated in less than 90 minutes. This gradient technique is expected to be well-suited for generating not only solvent gradients in CEC, but also other types of gradients such as pH- and ionic-strength gradients in capillary electrokinetic separations and analyses.


ABSTRACT: The purpose of this article is to expose accounting faculty to an accounting negotiation course to inspire them to consider teaching such a course. Professional standards recognize the auditor's dual responsibility to detect material misstatements and to ensure their appropriate resolution. However, accounting education has focused primarily on the first responsibility of designing and performing appropriate audit procedures to detect material misstatements, and not on negotiation skills to ensure their proper resolution (Trotman et al. 2005). This article provides a detailed overview of the author's half-semester graduate elective accounting negotiation course that may become a required course in the near future. Data Availability: Interested parties can obtain copies of all course materials by contacting the author.


Based on two typical laminar plasma torches(LPT), i.e. a multi-electrode plasma torch(MEPT) with segmented anode structure and a two-electrode plasma torch(TEPT) with conventional structure, this paper studied the influence of the LPTs construction on the jet characteristics. Experiments were designed to measure their arc voltage, jet length, thermal efficiency and specific enthalpy using a home-made data acquisition system. With them, the jet characteristics of the two different LPTs were compared in detail. Results show that different plasma torch construction leads to distinctively different characteristics of the generated plasma jet. Based on the different jet characteristics, a plasma torch with appropriate construction could be used to meet the different application requirements.


Author(s): Lee, Catherine | Advisor(s): Wechsler-Reya, Robert J | Abstract: Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Recent studies have divided MB into four molecular subgroups: WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4. While WNT and SHH tumors have relatively favorable prognoses, Group 3 tumors (characterized by amplification or overexpression of the MYC oncogene) are frequently fatal. The first mouse models of Group 3 MB combine Myc overexpression and p53 loss of function, but they do not precisely recapitulate the disease genetics, as human Group 3 tumors rarely exhibit mutation or loss of p53. Thus, the goal of my research has been to identify secondary hits that can cooperate with MYC and are relevant to human MB.Collaborating with a MB genomics group, we utilized whole genome sequencing (WGS) data and identified two chromosomal loci that are hotspots for rearrangement in Group 3 MB. Using histone chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and expression profiling, we found that rearrangements at these loci activate the zinc-finger transcriptional repressors GFI1 and GFI1B by repositioning them adjacent to super-enhancers. Importantly, we demonstrated their functional relevance in an orthotopic transplantation model, where overexpression of either Gfi1 or Gfi1b cooperated strongly with Myc to drive MB formation in mice. These studies highlight a new mechanism for oncogene activation in MB and reveal GFI1/1B as highly prevalent drivers of Group 3 MB. Although the oncogenic potentials of GFI1/1B have previously been studied in blood malignancies, their roles in MB are not well understood. We proceeded to identify the chromatin modifier Lysine demethylase 1 (Lsd1) as a key mediator of Gfi1 function in MB, and integration of ChIP-seq and gene expression data revealed a number of putative target genes and signaling pathways that may be co-regulated by Gfi1/1b and Lsd1. Given the critical interaction between Gfi1 and Lsd1 in these tumors, we tested several small molecule inhibitors of Lsd1 and found that they specifically reduced Gfi1-driven tumor cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. Together these studies confirm the importance of Lsd1 in Gfi1-driven MB and suggest that targeting Lsd1 pharmacologically may be a promising therapeutic strategy.


State-of-the-art airborne SAR sensors provide spatial resolution on the order of a decimetre. In such data, many features of urban objects can be identified, which were beyond the scope of radar remote sensing before. In this paper, the impact of high-resolution SAR data on the analysis of urban scenes is discussed. An example for the new quality of the appearance of buildings in such data is given and interpreted. The fine level of detail opens the opportunity to reconstruct the structure of man-made objects (e.g. buildings). First results of segmentations of salient roof and facade structures, which become visible in such kind of data, are presented. The topics geocoding and data fusion using different kinds of reference GIS data are addressed. In order to limit the computational load, a combined multi-scale SAR image processing and analysis is advantageous.


Within the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) framework, the involvement of local communities in national forest monitoring activities has the potential to enhance monitoring efficiency at lower costs while simultaneously promoting transparency and better forest management. We assessed the consistency of forest monitoring data (mostly activity data related to forest change) collected by local experts in the UNESCO Kafa Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia. Professional ground measurements and high resolution satellite images were used as validation data to assess over 700 forest change observations collected by the local experts. Furthermore, we examined the complementary use of local datasets and remote sensing by assessing spatial, temporal and thematic data quality factors. Based on this complementarity, we propose a framework to integrate local expert monitoring data with satellite-based monitoring data into a National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) in support of REDD+ Measuring, Reporting and Verifying (MRV) and near real-time forest change monitoring.


A physically based soil-water storage model with two surface and drip irrigation scenarios in response to saline water was used in the semi-arid Gordonia district in South Africa. The model (CoupModel) consists of several different modules that couples mass and energy flow models with dynamic biotic models of plant and its environment. The simulation period accounted for non-productive water losses, salt accumulation in root zone, and salt transport to below aquifer via deep percolation. The monitoring of biomass production with respect to water consumption and soil osmotic pressure indicted a decline in crop yield due to the water and salt stresses. The drip scenario had a better functionality in terms of the water wastage as the soil evaporation decreased by 40%. However, the productive water consumption decreased by 20% due to insufficient leaching fraction while salt accumulation increased drastically in the entire root zone. We found that salt could be flushed out from the root zone by more leaching but the water wastage increases as well as increasing the possibility of salinization beneath aquifer. The soil-water and plant ecosystem responds differently to salinity in different water management practices. Salt as a source of pollution can either stabilizes the soil by accumulation in the root zone causing anthropogenic soil desertification or can percolate it to beneath the aquifer resulting to long-term salinization. The findings of our study could sever to improve different management schemes in similar semi-arid regions.


Abstract Severe spinal cord injuries (SCI), causing physical handicaps and accompanied by many serious complications, remains one of the most challenging problems in both, human and veterinary health care practices. The central nervous system in mammals does not regenerate, so the neurological deficits in a dog following SCI persists for the rest of its life and the affected animals display an image of permanent suffering. Diagnostics are based on: neurological examination, plain x-rays of vertebral column, x-rays of the vertebral column following intrathecal administration of a water-soluble contrast medium (myelography), x-rays of the vertebral column following epidural administration of a contrast medium (epidurography), computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Currently, only limited therapeutic measures are available for the dogs with SCIs. They include: the administration of methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS) during the acute stage; early spinal cord decompression; stabilisation of vertebral fractures or luxations; prevention and treatment of complications, and expert rehabilitation. Together with the progress in the understanding of pathophysiologic events occurring after SCI, different therapeutic strategies have been instituted, including the local delivery of MPSS, the utilisation of novel pharmacological agents, hypothermia, and stem/precursor cell transplantation have all been tested in the experimental models and preclinical trials with promising results. The aim of this review is the presentation of the generally accepted methods of diagnostics and management of dogs with SCIs, as well as to discuss new therapeutic modalities. The research strategy involved a PubMed, Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid) and ISI Web of Science literature search from January 2001 to December 2017 using the term "spinal cord injury", in the English language literature; also references from selected papers were scanned and relevant articles included.


Abstract In countries such as the United States and Canada, an increasing number of non-native English speaking graduate students work in the capacity of university teaching assistants. Over the past several decades, a number of communication challenges between non-native English speaking International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) and native English-speaking undergraduate students have emerged. Universities have responded by developing ITA education programs that aim to teach English for the specific purpose of university teaching. This paper examines how ITA education can provide ITAs opportunities for authentic practice and reflection of communicating in an instructional capacity. ITAs enrolled in an English course participated in a video-recorded clinical simulation – a form of situated practice in which individuals engage with an actor who is trained to interact with all participants in a consistent manner. ITAs met with an actor-portrayed undergraduate student who is visiting their teaching assistant to express concern about a group project. ITAs met in small groups following the simulated meeting to reflect on the shared experience. Qualitative analysis demonstrates that the simulated context elicited both challenges to comprehensibility and the use of strategies by students and ITAs to manage miscommunication, while working towards mutual understanding of the students' concerns. Reflective discussions reveal how the ITAs evaluated approaches to communicating with a concerned student in an instructional context. Embedding clinical simulations in ITA education can provide opportunities for the situated practice of using language to communicate instructional decisions, and as a structured opportunity for supporting mutual understanding between ITAs and native English-speaking students.


The fundamentals of a parametric oscillator using an orthogonal-flux-type amorphous core are described, and several applications are proposed. The parametric oscillator circuit has a power-conversion efficiency of 42% and automatic overcurrent protection. The flux distribution calculated by the finite-element method (FEM) suggests that the discharge of a tuning capacitor generates a circulating flux in a leg of the core. The parametric oscillator, a self-oscillating invertor using a Royer circuit, shows an efficiency of 47% at 18.5 kHz and offers overcurrent protection. As a separately controlled parametric inverter, it operates at a frequency of 74 kHz and shows an efficiency of 14% at the maximum output power of 11 W. It can also be used as a potential transformer and as a current transformer in a three-phase system. >


Background: Over the years, many reusable products have been invented to replace single-use disposable items to reduce waste. One of such products is the reusable beeswax food wrap, which aims to replace plastic film wraps to store food. According to manufacturer instructions, the beeswax wrap can only be washed with cold water and detergent. This presents the question whether the beeswax wrap can be effectively cleaned, as continuous reuse may present cross contamination issues. This study examines if manufacturer instructions is effective in cleaning the beeswax wrap. Methods: ATP analysis was used to determine the level of cleanliness on the beeswax wrap between the pre-intervention and post-intervention treatments. Pre-intervention samples are the new beeswax wraps. Post- intervention samples are wraps that have been contaminated with avocado, washed, and dried. ATP counts (RLU) were measured with Hygiena SystemSURE Plus ATP monitoring system. Paired T-Test was done on NCSS to analyze the results. Results: The mean of the pre-intervention group was measured at 8 RLU, which is considered clean under the Hygiena standard. The mean for the post-intervention group was measured at 67 RLU, which is considered a fail on cleanliness under the Hygiena standard. This shows that the manufacturer instructions on washing the beeswax wrap does not effectively clean the beeswax wrap. Statistical analysis show p-value is 0.000, therefore one can conclude there is a statistically significance difference in the mean ATP count between pre-intervention and post-intervention beeswax wrap samples. Conclusion: Results show that some food residue remained on the wrap after washing. This means manufacturer instructions cannot effectively clean beeswax wrap. Therefore, it is recommended that manufactures should put a label on their packaging to let their customers know that the wrap can't be thoroughly cleaned, and certain foods should be avoided for its use. During its use, the wraps should be labeled for the specific category of food it is used for. BCCDC can also use this result to add into the reusable container guideline.


Background: Recent scientific reports have mainly focused on the comparison between coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention. However, the impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on mortality in patients who were treated by CABG was often ignored. Therefore, we aimed to compare the long-term mortality following CABG in patients with and without T2DM. Methods: Studies comparing the long-term adverse outcomes following CABG in patients with and without T2DM were searched from electronic databases. Total number of deaths (primary outcome) and events of myocardial infarction (MI), major adverse cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events (MACCEs), stroke, and repeated revascularization (secondary outcomes) were carefully extracted. An analysis was carried out whereby odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the RevMan 5.3 software. Results: Eleven studies with a total number of 12,965 patients were included. Current results showed that mortality was significantly higher in patients with T2DM with OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.37 to 1.72, P < .00001; OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.36 to 1.72, P < .00001; and OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.26 to 1.87, P < .0001 at 1 to 15, 5 to 15, and 7 to 15 years, respectively. However, MI, repeated revascularization, MACCEs, and stroke were not significantly different with OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 0.81 to 1.64, P = .44; OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.88 to 1.36, P = .43; OR: 1.11, 95% CI: 0.83 to 1.48, P = .48; and OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 0.93 to 3.07, P = .08, respectively. Conclusion: Following CABG, a significantly higher rate of mortality was continually observed in patients with T2DM compared to patients without T2DM showing that the former apparently has a high impact on the long-term mortality. However, even if T2DM is an independent risk factor for mortality, it should not be ignored that CABG remains the best revascularization strategy in these patients.


Using current research and real-life scenarios to motivate students to understand chemistry principles is a key strategy in learning and teaching. An illustration of psychoactive drugs referred to as "legal highs" used in the U.K. and Europe is presented to highlight key chemistry principles and relate the importance of chemistry research in healthcare. Specific topics include stereochemistry, 1H NMR characterization, organic synthesis, and functional groups, which can be used in chemistry curricula for high school students and also in higher education programs. A contextualized example focused on mephedrone is used during an interpretative spectroscopy exercise in a second-year bioscience program. Student evaluations on the use of this case study approach were very positive. This topic on psychoactive drugs integrates chemistry in social and legal issues relating to patient safety. It highlights public awareness of "legal highs" and the generalized perception that "natural products" are safe and nontoxic.


: Several authors have advocated reducing cylinder power when fitting soft toric lenses. One rationale for this reduction is the formation of a tear lens due to incomplete flexure. Using toric lenses of various thickness (0.06-0.14 mm), I was unable to demonstrate the existence of a tear lens under thin or standard thickness Hydron toric lenses. In the absence of such a tear lens, it seems reasonable to use the same cylinder power in a soft toric lens as would be used if prescribing spectacles.


Quantification of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA by branched-chain DNA signal amplification, measurement of soluble tumor necrosis factor type II receptors (sTNFR-II), neopterin, beta2-microglobulin, or CD4 cell counts can be used to predict the risk of clinical progression or death in HIV infection but have not been compared in the same study. Ninety subjects were categorized into progression groups by their rate of CD4 cell decline and matched into triplets by initial CD4 cell count, age, race, and calendar time. By matched logistic regression, only the sTNFR-II and HIV RNA values were predictive of outcome across the progression groups. Categorization of baseline HIV RNA and sTNFR-II resulted in differences in progression to several clinical outcomes. sTNFR-II concentrations were the only immune marker examined that increased the prognostic utility of HIV RNA determination in early-stage subjects. Further studies in later stages of disease or after therapy are indicated.


OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, pathogenesis, and prognosis of acute pancreatitis (AP) in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA is associated with nonspecific increase in serum amylase levels. Autopsy studies, on the other hand, had previously raised the issue of pancreatic necrosis in patients with DKA. However, the incidence, pathogenesis and prognosis of AP in the setting of DKA has not been prospectively evaluated.METHODS:This is a prospective evaluation of 100 consecutive episodes of DKA during a period of 13 months starting in January 1998, in a university hospital in New York City. In addition to careful history, complete blood count, arterial blood gas estimation, and a comprehensive metabolic assay, serum amylase, lipase, and triglyceride levels were estimated on admission and 48 h later. All patients with abdominal pain or elevated serum levels of amylase or lipase (more than three times normal) or triglyceride levels >5.65 mmol/L (500 mg/dl) had a CT scan of the abdomen. The diagnosis of AP was confirmed when pancreatic enlargement or necrosis on contrast enhanced CT scan was seen.RESULTS:Eleven patients (11%) had AP. History of abdominal pain, not a feature on admission to include AP in the differential diagnosis, was elicited subsequently in eight patients. Abdominal pain was absent in two and one was comatose on admission. The etiology of AP was hypertriglyceridemia in four, alcohol in two, drug induced in one, and idiopathic in four patients. The hypertriglyceridemia was transient in four patients and resolved once the episode of DKA was corrected. Lipase elevation was noted in 29% and amylase elevation in 21% of all patients with DKA. Similar to increased amylase levels, serum lipase levels were also noted to be high in the absence of CT evidence of AP.CONCLUSIONS:DKA may mask coexisting AP, which occurs in at least 10–15% of cases. The pathogenesis of AP in DKA varies, but at least in some transient and profound hyperlipidemia is an identifiable factor. AP is more likely to be associated with a severe episode of DKA with marked acidosis and hyperglycemia. Ranson's prognostic criteria are not applicable to assess the severity of AP in DKA because they overestimate the severity. Severity index based on CT findings appears to better correlate with outcome. Elevation of serum lipase and amylase occur in DKA, and elevation of lipase levels appears to be less specific than amylase levels for the diagnosis of AP in the diagnosis of DKA. Although in this study AP in DKA appeared to be mild, a definite conclusion with regard to the severity should be based only on a much larger number of patients, as only 20% of patients with AP in general have serious disease.


During the last decade, there has been a huge development of Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS), and thousands of loci associated to complex traits have been detected. These efforts have led to the creation of public databases of GWAS results, making a huge source of information available on the genetic background of many diverse traits. Here we present GWEHS (Genome-Wide Effect size and Heritability Screener), an open-source online application to screen loci associated to human complex traits and diseases from the NHGRI-EBI GWAS Catalog. This application provides a way to explore the distribution of effect sizes of loci affecting these traits, as well as their contribution to heritability. Furthermore, it allows for making predictions on the change in the expected mean effect size, as well as in the heritability as new loci are found. The application enables inferences on whether the additive contribution of loci expected to be discovered in the future will be able to explain the estimates of familial heritability for the different traits. We illustrate the use of this tool, compare some of the results obtained with those from a previous meta-analysis, and discuss its uses and limitations.


Over the 10 years 1966-75 the rate of induction of labour in the Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital has increased from 16-3% of all births. During the same period perinatal mortality fell from 33 to 22 per 1000, mainly because of significantly fewer deaths due to antepartum haemorrhage; trauma; maternal diseases; and unknown causes in mature babies. The reduction in the number of deaths of unknown causes in mature fetuses was achieved by preventing deaths occurring after 40 weeks and was recorded in all age and parity groups. The results suggested that increased use of induction of labour has contributed to the improved perinatal mortality rate.


This article outlines the chief challenges concerning the philosophical theories of emancipation and clarifies the solutions provided by a so-called negative theory of justice. Besides highlighting the classic questions that every philosophical theory of emancipation is expected to answer, the article aims to highlight the link between this theoretical framework and an immanent critique of conditions of domination. Moreover, it sheds light on the main differences between this theoretical perspective and Honneth's theory of recognition, Fraser's three-dimensional conception of justice, and the critique of power relations recently advanced by Rainer Forst. The comparative analysis of these theoretical approaches will make it possible to highlight and appreciate the main merits of a so-called negative theory of justice that combines a multidimensional diagnosis of existing asymmetries of power with an immanent critique of their justifications.


Linoleic acid was encapsulated with a soluble soybean polysaccharide, gum arabic, or a mixture of both together with maltodextrin, and the oxidation process of the encapsulated acid was measured at 37°C and at a relative humidity of 12%. The soybean polysaccharide was more effective for encapsulating the acid and suppressing the oxidation of the encapsulated acid than gum arabic. A mixture of the soybean polysaccharide and maltodextrin was also effective for this purpose when the weight fraction of the polysaccharide was equal to or greater than 0.75.


We consider the Dicke model, describing an ensemble of $N$ quantum spins interacting with a cavity field, and study how the coupling to a non-Markovian environment with power-law spectrum changes the physics of superradiant phase transition. Quite remarkably we find that dissipation can induce, rather than suppress, the ordered phase, a result which is in striking contrast with both thermal and Markovian quantum baths. We interpret this dissipation-induced superradiance as a genuine dissipative quantum phase transition that exists even at finite $N$ due to the coupling with the bath modes and whose nature and critical properties strongly depend on the spectral features of the non-Markovian environment.


Mathematics is and will always be a fascinating subject. Learning mathematics by means of modern IT technique and the new pedagogical approaches meant to respond the 21st century educational challenges are ideas to be tackled in this article. We are now witnessing an informational explosion; a revolutionary, fast-developing technical progress and it is for this reason that it is highly needed to ask questions, to evaluate risks, to update methods, concepts and to create new learning environments. It is our responsibility to design the future that comes today in the shape of pupils/students, to transmit attitudes, behaviours and knowledge useful in this perpetual changing world. E-Learning software comes up with a complex online teaching-learning system that provides users at any stage of learning with advanced technology by means of laptops, smart phones, tablet, E-learning platforms, and internet. Experimental mathematics is getting more and more attention in engineering, therefore computerization and simulations are highly important in the teaching-learning-evaluating process, making it clearer and easier to be comprehended. The present article follows the previous ones, presenting a way of better understanding mathematical formulas, an option to the boring methods of teaching, encouraging the pleasure of experimenting in the virtual environment of educational software. The article analyses a topic in the vast domain of the Euclidean geometry, as a fundament for a future online course on this subject. In the Euclidean geometry, Brocard points are points with special properties in a triangle. They were named after Pierre René Jean Baptiste Henri Brocard (May, 12th 1845 – January, 16th 1922), the mathematician who had discovered these properties. Using the data available in the specialized literature, we propose an unique mathematical model to determine the coordinates of the Brocard points, checking everything in an app.


The insulin-like growth factor II (IGF2) mRNA binding protein (IMP) p62/IMP2-2, originally isolated from a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patient, induces a steatotic phenotype when overexpressed in mouse livers. Still, p62 transgenic livers do not show liver cell damage but exhibit a pronounced induction of Igf2 and activation of the downstream survival kinase AKT. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between p62 and IGF2 expression in the human system and to study potential antiapoptotic actions of p62. p62 and IGF2 mRNA levels were assessed by real-time RT-PCR. For knockdown and overexpression experiments, human hepatoma HepG2 and PLC/PRF/5 cells were transfected with siRNA or plasmid DNA. Phosphorylated AKT and ERK1/2 were analyzed by Western blot. Investigations of 32 human HCC tissues showed a strong correlation between p62 and IGF2 expression. Of note, p62 expression was increased markedly in patients with poor outcome. In hepatoma cells overexpression of p62 lowered levels of doxorubicin-induced caspase-3-like activity. Vice versa, knockdown of p62 resulted in increased doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. However, neither PI3K inhibitors nor a neutralizing IGF2 antibody showed any effects. Western blot analysis revealed increased levels of phosphorylated ERK1/2 in hepatoma cells overexpressing p62 and decreased levels in p62 knockdown experiments. When p62-overexpressing cells were treated with ERK1/2 inhibitors, the apoptosis-protecting effect of p62 was completely abrogated. Our data demonstrate that p62 exerts IGF2-independent antiapoptotic action, which is facilitated via phosphorylation of ERK1/2. Furthermore, p62 might serve as a new prognostic marker in HCC.


Fossil power plants firing lower grade coals or equipped with modified system for NO x controls are challenged with maintaining good combustion conditions while maximizing generation and minimizing emissions. In many cases significant derate, availability losses and increase in unburned carbon levels can be attributed to poor combustion conditions as a result of poorly controlled local fuel and air distribution within the boiler furnace. In order to develop a on-line combustion tuning system, field test was conducted at operating power boiler. During the field test the exhaust gases' O₂, NO x and CO was monitored by using a spatially distributed monitoring grid located in the boiler's high temperature vestibule and upper convective back-pass region. At these locations, the flue gas flow is still significantly stratified, and air in-leakage is minimal which enables tracing of poor combustion zones to specific burners and over-fire air ports. using these monitored information we can improving combustion at every point within the furnace, therefore the boiler can operate at reduced excess O₂ and gas temperature deviation, reduced furnace exit gas temperature levels while also reducing localized hot spots, corrosive gas conditions, slag or clinker formation and UBC. Benefits include improving efficiency, reducing NO x emissions, increasing output and maximizing availability. Discussion concerning the reduction of greenhouse gases is prevalent in the world. When taking a practical approach to addressing this problem, the best way and short-term solution to reduce greenhouse gases on coal-fired power plants is to improve efficiency. From this point of view the real time optimized combustion tuning approach is the most effective and implemented with minimal cost.


Compared to the Sciatic Functional Index (SFI), kinematic analysis is a more reliable and sensitive method for performing functional evaluations of sciatic nerve injury rodent models. In this protocol, we describe a novel kinematic analysis method that uses a three-dimensional (3D) motion capture apparatus for functional evaluations using a rat sciatic nerve crush injury model. First, the rat is familiarized with treadmill walking. Markers are then attached to the designated bone landmarks and the rat is made to walk on the treadmill at the desired speed. Meanwhile, the posterior limb movements of the rat are recorded using four cameras. Depending on the software used, marker tracings are created using both automatic and manual modes and the desired data are produced after subtle adjustments. This method of kinematic analysis, which uses a 3D motion capture apparatus, offers numerous advantages, including superior precision and accuracy. Many more parameters can be investigated during the comprehensive functional evaluations. This method has several shortcomings that require consideration: The system is expensive, can be complicated to operate, and may produce data deviations due to skin shifting. Nevertheless, kinematic analysis using a 3D motion capture apparatus is useful for performing functional anterior and posterior limb evaluations. In the future, this method may become increasingly useful for generating accurate assessments of various traumas and diseases.


OBJECTIVE: To establish whether a correlation exists between the innercanthal width and maxillary central incisors.
STUDY DESIGN: A Descriptive cross sectional study
PLACE AND DURATION: Department of Prosthodontics, Dr Ishrat ul Ebad Khan Institute of Oral Health Sciences, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi and from 15th October 2012 to 25th March 2014.
METHODOLOGY: One hundred and seventy five dentate individuals with intact maxillary anterior teeth were investigated. The innercanthal space was calculated among the inner canthal angles utilizing computer software. The mean dimension of the two central incisors was determined extra orally at their widest dimension. Teeth measurement and inner canthal distance association in respect to gender was evaluated by paired t test. Pearson correlation coefficients test was premeditated to establish any association amongst innercanthal space and central incisors width, significance was set at a = 0.05.
RESULTS: The mean value for male and female subjects was 33.24±3.4 mm and 34.90±3.8 mm correspondingly. The mean width of maxillary central incisors for male and female subjects was recorded 15.84 ±1.4 mm and 15.92±1.3 mm. The value (P = 0.000) for both estimations were significant. The Pearson correlation coefficient were positive (r = 0.202) and highly significant (P = 0 .008) between innercanthal dimension and the maxillary central incisors. The results indicated that innercanthal ratio ratio of 1:0.462 may be used to calculate the combined width of maxillary central incisor teeth.
CONCLUSION: Mean of maxillary central incisor width and inner canthal distance were higher in females significantly. The results proposed that innercanthal distance is a good prognostic factor for determining the maxillary central incisors mesiodistal width.


Norovirus (NoV) is one of the most prominent agents of gastroenteritis and water/food-borne outbreaks affecting all of the age groups in the world. As the identification of the etiologic agent is important during gastroenteritis outbreaks, it is recommended to combine two different methods for rapid and reliable laboratory diagnosis of NoV. Although NoV outbreaks have been observed in many different countries of the world, there was no report on "NoV outbreak" in Turkey till 2008 due to the absence of a regular surveillance system for non-bacterial gastroenteritis. This study aimed to present the laboratory results for "the first NoV outbreak" in Turkey in 2008. A number of cases with diarrhea and nausea/vomiting initially emerged in Aksaray (located at the southern part of central Anatolia) in May 2008, followed by cases from Sereflikochisar, Kirsehir, and Adana provinces (located at central and southern Anatolia; geographically closer regions). However, regional laboratories declared that no known bacterial (Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli), viral (Rotavirus, Adenovirus) and parasitic agents were detected. A total of 50 stool samples were sent to the Virology Reference Laboratory (Refik Saydam Hygiene Center, Ankara) for further investigations including NoV. For the investigation of NoV, the samples were analysed by using antigen-ELISA (Ridascreen, R-Biopharm, Germany) and real-time polymerase chain reaction(PCR) (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Germany) methods. Of the samples, 26% (13/50) were found antigen positive, whereas 33% (13/40) were positive for viral nucleic acids. The positivity rates determined by ELISA and PCR were as follows, respectively; 57% (4/7) and 71% (5/7) in Aksaray, 25% (1/4) and 25% (1/4) in Sereflikochisar, 28% (7/25) and 40% (6/15) in Kirsehir, 7% (1/14) and 7% (1/14) in Adana. Nine (69.2%), and 4 (30.8%) out of 13 positive samples were genotyped as NoV GI and GII, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of antigen-ELISA method were found as 61.5% and 100%, respectively, when compared with real-time PCR. In conclusion, further epidemiological studies and genomic analysis are needed for the detection and control of circulating strains in Turkey, since NoV outbreaks spread rapidly and cause serious economical and workforce loss.


We investigate wave solutions of a lubrication model for surfactant-driven flow of a thin liquid film down an inclined plane. We model the flow in one space dimension with a system of nonlinear PDEs of mixed hyperbolic-parabolic type in which the effects of capillarity and surface diffusion are neglected. Numerical solutions reveal distinct patterns of waves that are described analytically by combinations of traveling waves, some with jumps in height and surfactant concentration gradient. The various waves and combinations are strikingly different from what is observed in the case of flow on a horizontal plane. Jump conditions admit new shock waves sustained by a linear surfactant wave traveling upstream. The stability of these waves is investigated analytically and numerically. For initial value problems, a critical ratio of upstream to downstream height separates two distinct long-time wave patterns. Below the critical ratio, there is also an exact solution in which the height is piecewise constant and ...


Abstract Incised valleys are a ubiquitous feature of the Lower Cretaceous Mannville Group of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. The Basal Quartz, a member of the Lower Mannville Formation, is present in two north–south-oriented subparallel valley-form systems in southern Alberta, the western valley form termed the Taber–Cutbank Valley and the eastern valley form termed the Whitlash Valley. This paper details the application of chemostratigraphy to discriminate between the three informal lithostratigraphic units of the Basal Quartz, namely the Horsefly, the Bantry–Alderson–Taber (BAT), and the Ellerslie units in these valley forms. In the Taber–Cutbank Valley, the Horsefly, BAT, and Ellerslie units each have unique chemostratigraphic signatures that enable them to be readily differentiated using inorganic geochemical data. The changes in elemental chemistry that allow this differentiation are inferred to reflect changes in sediment provenance, paleoclimate, and surface residence time. The whole-rock geochemistry of the Horsefly unit, the basal unit of the fill, is demonstrated to remain relatively constant longitudinally in the Taber–Cutbank Valley, therefore demonstrating, when compared to the vertical changes in geochemistry, that temporal or stratigraphic changes are of a greater magnitude than longitudinal changes within in a single valley form. The whole-rock geochemistry of the Horsefly unit in the two valley forms, which in previous studies has been demonstrated to be homotaxial by conventional stratigraphic techniques, is markedly different between the two valley forms. The geochemical differences suggest that the Horsefly unit was subjected to more prolonged and/or intense weathering in the eastern Whitlash Valley than in the western Taber–Cutbank Valley, and that the provenance of the Horsefly unit is fundamentally different between the two valley systems. The application of chemostratigraphy to the Basal Quartz of the Lower Mannville Formation demonstrates that the technique can be utilized as a viable correlation tool in low-accommodation incised-valley settings; however, it is most effective when the whole-rock geochemical data are placed in a regional context by integration with a detailed stratigraphic framework. Once chemostratigraphy is used in conjunction with these other data streams, the differences in geochemistry of the Horsefly unit between the Whitlash and Taber–Cutbank Valleys can be used to infer that the Horsefly unit deposited in the two valleys are two homotaxial, not coeval subunits.


Abstract Aspirin is a common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to reduce fever, pain, and inflammation. However, aspirin's anti-inflammatory properties may also prevent increased levels of blood lactate dehydrogenase, vascular arterial stiffness and oxidative stress induced by high-intensity exercise. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 4 weeks of aspirin supplementation on lactate dehydrogenase activity, lactate, arterial stiffness, and antioxidant capacity during high-intensity exercise in Taekwondo athletes. Participants were randomly divided into two groups: aspirin supplementation (n = 10) and placebo-control (n = 10). Blood levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme activity and lactate were assessed to examine muscle damage and carotid-to-radial pulse wave velocity and the augmentation index were measured to examine arterial stiffness. Blood levels of superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, and glutathione peroxidase were assessed to determine antioxidant capacity and levels of oxidative stress. There were significant group × time interactions for enzyme activity of LDH (Δ-60 ± 24.36 U/L) and carotid-to-radial pulse wave velocity (Δ-1.33 ± 0.54 m/s), which significantly decreased (p < 0.05) following aspirin supplementation compared to placebo-control. Superoxide dismutase (Δ359 ± 110 U/gHb) and glutathione peroxidase (Δ28.2 ± 10.1 U/gHb) significantly decreased while malondialdehyde (0Δ3.0 ± 0.1 mmol/mL) significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the placebo-control group compared to the supplementation group. However, there were no changes in lactate concentration levels or augmentation index. These results reveal that low-dose aspirin supplementation would be a useful supplementation therapy to prevent high-intensity exercise training-induced increases in oxidative damage, inflammation, skeletal muscle fatigue, and arterial stiffness in elite Taekwondo athletes.


In this Opinion, the importance of public awareness to design solutions to mitigate climate change issues is highlighted. A large-scale acknowledgment of the climate change consequences has great potential to build social momentum. Momentum, in turn, builds motivation and demand, which can be leveraged to develop a multi-scale strategy to tackle the issue. The pursuit of public awareness is a valuable addition to the scientific approach to addressing climate change issues. The Opinion is concluded by providing strategies on how to effectively raise public awareness on climate change-related topics through an integrated, well-connected network of mavens (e.g., scientists) and connectors (e.g., social media influencers).


Poly-N-substituted glycines or "peptoids" are protease-stable peptide mimics. Although the peptoid backbone is achiral and lacks hydrogen-bond donors, substitution with alpha-chiral side chains can drive the formation of stable helices that give rise to intense CD spectra. To systematically study the solution properties and stability of water-soluble peptoid helices with alpha-chiral side chains, we have synthesized and characterized an amphipathic, 36-residue N-substituted glycine oligomer. CD was used to investigate effects of concentration and solvent environment on this helical peptoid. We saw no significant dependence of helical structure on concentration. Intense, "alpha-helix-like" CD spectra were observed for the 36-mer in aqueous, 2,2,2-trifluorethanol (TFE), and methanol solution, proving a relative insensitivity of peptoid helical structure to solvent environment. While CD spectra taken in these different solvents were fundamentally similar in shape, we did observe some interesting differences in the intensities of particular CD bands in the various solvents. For example, the addition of TFE to an aqueous solvent increases the degree of peptoid helicity, as is observed for polypeptide alpha-helices. Moreover, the helical structure of peptoids appears to be virtually unaffected by heat, even in an aqueous buffer containing 8 M urea. The extraordinary resistance of these peptoid helices to denaturation is consistent with a dominant role of steric forces in their structural stabilization. The structured polypeptoids studied here may have potential as robust mimics of helical polypeptides of therapeutic interest.


The current study constituted the first attempt to generate repertoires of relational responding in accordance with opposite, as generalized operant behavior, when they are found to be absent in young children. Three children, aged between 4 and 6 years, participated in the study. A basic problem-solving task was adopted from previous research to test and train patterns of relational responding in accordance with opposite. This task involved presenting a child with various numbers of identically-sized paper coins and providing the following instructions, for example: "This coin buys many (or few) sweets, and is opposite to this coin, which would you take to buy as many sweets as possible"? All three participants failed to pass baseline tests for specific patterns of relational responding in accordance with opposite. Various interventions, including training and testing across different stimulus sets and across different numbers of sets, were then successfully used with all participants to establish these relational responses as well as increasingly complex patterns of opposite responding. Generalization tests also demonstrated that the relational responding generalized to novel stimuli and experimenters. In addition, the use of a non-contingent reinforcement condition for one participant, during which no improvement was made, together with contingency reversals for all three participants, indicated that the trained and tested opposite responding may be considered a form of generalized operant behavior. These findings support previous research and lend positive support to Relational Frame Theory's approach to derived relational responding, and to the functional analysis of human language and cognition. Alternative interpretations of the data are also considered.


These conversion kits are designed for a 7500 Westinghouse Generator to enable the engine to run on gasoline, natural gas or propane.


Stem injection of imidacloprid is an available component of management strategies for hemlock woolly adelgid. Preliminary observations of similar treatments of maple and ash show that the injury sustained by injection warrants investigation of the wound response in eastern hemlock. Such investigations need adequate experimental controls to identify the role of phytoxicity of the active ingredient and the carrier formulation, delivery pressure, seasonality, and tree condition. External indicators such as bark cracks tend to underestimate the amount of cambial dieback. Evaluation of the wound response requires tree dissection. We suggest that the unintended consequences of treatment such as injection injury be considered and incorporated into the management decision process.


RNAi is a potent method, requiring only a few molecules of dsRNA per cell to silence the expression. Long molecules of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) trigger the process. The dsRNA comes from virus and transposon activity in natural RNAi process, while it can be injected in the cells in experimental processes. The strand of the dsRNA that is identical in sequence to a region in target mRNA molecule is called the sense strand, and the other strand which is complimentary is termed the antisense strand. An enzyme complex called DICER thought to be similar to RNAase III then recognizes dsRNA, and cuts it into roughly 22- nucleotide long fragments. These fragments termed siRNAs for "small interfering RNAs" remain in double stranded duplexes with very short 3' overhangs. However, only one of the two strands, known as the guide strand or antisense strand binds the argonaute protein of RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) and target the complementary mRNA resulting gene silencing. The other anti-guide strand or passenger strand is degraded as a RISC substrate during the process of RISC activation. This form of RNAi is termed as post transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS); other forms are also thought to operate at the genomic or transcriptional level in some organisms. In mammals dsRNA longer than 30 base pairs induces a nonspecific antiviral response. This so-called interferon response results in a nonspecific arrest in translation and induction of apoptosis. This cascade induces a global non-specific suppression of translation, which in turn triggers apoptosis. Interestingly, dsRNAs less than 30 nt in length do not activate the antiviral response and specifically switched off genes in human cells without initiating the acute phase response. Thus these siRNAs are suitable for gene target validation and therapeutic applications in many species, including humans.


In this paper, methods and algorithms are presented for an efficient slicing process specifically designed for microstereolithography, a high‐resolution rapid prototyping technology. Modifications are given for different implementation environments (FPU, Parallel Computing, directly wired processes). They use the common STL‐format as the description of the 3D objects and compute bitmapped layers for the layered manufacturing step. Specific attention was paid to the requirements for flexibility, accuracy, supporting standards and performance. A layer‐resolution of up to 32767×32767 pixels is supported. The described system is a flexible solution easy to be coupled with almost any system controller for a micro‐stereolithography machine using the integral irradiation process.


According to Jerry Fodor's atomistic theory of content, subjects' dispositions to token mentalese terms in counterfactual circumstances fix the contents of those terms. I argue that the pattern of counterfactual tokenings alone does not satisfactorily fix content; if Fodor's appeal to patterns of counterfactual tokenings has any chance of assigning correct extensions, Fodor must take into account the contents of subjects' various mental states at the times of those tokenings. However, to do so, Fodor must abandon his semantic atomism. And while Fodor has recently qualified his atomism, the cognitively holistic nature of dispositions continues to undermine his view.


Antarctic ice cores preserve the record of past aerosols, an important proxy of past atmospheric chemistry. Here we present the aerosol compositions of sulphate and chloride particles in the Talos Dome (TD) ice core from the Holocene and Last Glacial Period. We find that the main salt types of both periods are NaCl, Na2SO4 and CaSO4, indicating that TD ice contains relatively abundant sea salt (NaCl) from marine primary particles. By evaluating the molar ratio of NaCl to Na2SO4, we show that about half of the sea salt does not undergo sulphatisation during late Holocene. Compared to in inland Antarctica, the lower sulphatisation rate at TD is probably due to relatively little contact between sea salt and sulphuric acid. This low contact rate can be related to a reduced time of reaction for marine-sourced aerosol before reaching TD and/or to a reduced post-depositional effect from the higher accumulation rate at TD. Many sulphate and chloride salts are adhered to silicate minerals. The ratio of sulphate-adhered mineral to particle mass and the corresponding ratio of chloride-adhered mineral both increase with increasing dust concentration. Also, the TD ice appears to contain Ca(NO3)2 or CaCO3 particles, thus differing from aerosol compositions in inland Antarctica, and indicating the proximity of peripheral regions to marine aerosols.


This paper addresses simulation of phase change mechanism in the capillary wick of a flat heat pipe. The two-phase flow through porous media has wide application especially in heat pipes. It is a thermodynamic device that transports heat energy from one location to another with a negligible temperature drop. The present analysis concentrates only on the two-phase zone of the porous wick structure. The basic governing equations used for the formulation are continuity, mixture momentum, liquid conservation and energy. These equations are converted into ordinary differential equations using similarity transformation and two-phase similarity solutions are obtained for both boiling and condensing flows. The adjacent layer to the wall is considered to have two-phase region where the liquid and vapour can coexist. The liquid wall saturation, non-dimensional temperature and non-dimensional temperature gradient are predicted numerically during the phase change of water-steam system in the heat pipe for horizontal and vertical cases.


We utilize metal-poor stars in the local, ultra-faint dwarf galaxies (UFDs; Ltot ⩽ 105 L☉) to empirically constrain the formation process of the first galaxies. Since UFDs have much simpler star formation histories than the halo of the Milky Way, their stellar populations should preserve the fossil record of the first supernova (SN) explosions in their long-lived, low-mass stars. Guided by recent hydrodynamical simulations of first galaxy formation, we develop a set of stellar abundance signatures that characterize the nucleosynthetic history of such an early system if it was observed in the present-day universe. Specifically, we argue that the first galaxies are the product of chemical "one-shot" events, where only one (long-lived) stellar generation forms after the first, Population III, SN explosions. Our abundance criteria thus constrain the strength of negative feedback effects inside the first galaxies. We compare the stellar content of UFDs with these one-shot criteria. Several systems (Ursa Major II, and also Coma Berenices, Bootes I, Leo IV, Segue 1) largely fulfill the requirements, indicating that their high-redshift predecessors did experience strong feedback effects that shut off star formation. We term the study of the entire stellar population of a dwarf galaxy for the purpose of inferring details about the nature and origin of the first galaxies "dwarf galaxy archaeology." This will provide clues to the connection of the first galaxies, the surviving, metal-poor dwarf galaxies, and the building blocks of the Milky Way.


With a focus on the immigrant population, this study examines how the association between a relative income position and life satisfaction varies when the comparison group changes. Drawing data from Understanding Society in the UK between 2009 and 2015, this study first shows that after migration, income comparisons with the mainstream and co-ethnic groups in the host country matter more than that with the source-country population for one's life satisfaction. Furthermore, the relevance of comparison groups to life satisfaction varies across immigrant generations. Income comparison with the source-country population is more relevant to life satisfaction of the 1st generation, whereas 1.5 and 2nd generations consider income comparisons within the host country more relevant. In particular, favourable income comparison with the mainstream group in the host country is the most relevant to life satisfaction of the 2nd-generation, followed by the 1.5-generation, and last by the 1st-generation immigrants.


Since the Gilmer decision in 1991, the vast potential from using arbitration to resolve statutory employment discrimination has expanded into a burgeoning reality. Although employers rushed in to adopt so-called mandatory pre-dispute agreements to arbitrate statutory discrimination claims, advocates for employees criticized these agreements as being unfair and primarily because the agreements were made before any dispute arose. Employers could use their bargaining power to require as a condition of employment that employees opt out of the jury trial system allowing compensatory and punitive damage awards by requiring arbitration before knowing anything about an actual dispute. Because of continuing criticism of pre-dispute agreements to arbitrate, ongoing legal challenges to their enforcement, difficulties in challenging arbitrators' awards, and the growing interest in mediation, a number of employers have started to reconsider the value of mandatory arbitration. Now the vast potential for resolving employment discrimination disputes outside of the litigation process through arbitration that arose in 1991 may eventually diminish without some Congressional action. Some commentators have argued that the only realistic opportunity for employers and employees to agree to arbitrate occurs before the dispute arises and will never occur after the dispute becomes a reality. This paper examines that postulate, disputes its validity, and asserts that even if employers and employees do not have strong incentives to agree to arbitrate after a dispute arises, then Congress (which is already seriously considering banning pre-dispute arbitration agreements) must step in to provide such incentives. Only Congress can give arbitration a new chance as a valid and viable dispute resolution tool when the parties agree to it after a statutory employment discrimination dispute arises. Within this paper, the author suggests incentives that Congress could create to inspire both employers and employees to agree to arbitrate their statutory employment discrimination claims after a dispute arises.


There is a logical bound on the time-series variability of analyst forecasts; when variability exceeds this bound it must be caused by something besides statistically rational forecasting. We document occurrences of excessively volatile analyst forecasts and show that they influence investment performance. Comparing trading rules based on forecasts that are excessively volatile and those that are not, we find the returns to investing based on the former are significantly lower, with higher daily volatility, and a lower Sharpe ratio. We also show that returns to trading based on excessively volatile forecasts underperform the most when there is little news arriving and when the news that does arrive is relatively neutral. In this region, it is hardest to argue that analysts are unwittingly overreacting to news; instead, they appear to be intentionally making extreme forecasts to curry favor with management or to differentiate themselves from other analysts.


Compression-based Analysis of Metamorphic Malware by Jared Lee Recent work has presented a technique based on structural entropy measurement as an effective way to detect metamorphic malware. The technique uses two steps, file segmentation and sequence comparison, to calculate file similarity. In another previous work, it was observed that similar malware have similar measures of Kolmogorov complexity. A proposed method of estimating Kolmogorov complexity was to calculate the compression ratio of a given malware which could then be used to cluster the malicious software. Malware detection has also been attempted through the use of adaptive data compression and showed promising results. In this paper, we attempt to combine these concepts and propose using compression ratios as an alternative measure of entropy with the purpose of segmenting files according to their structural characteristics. We then compare the segment-based sequences of two given files to determine file similarity. The idea is that even after malware is transformed using a metamorphic engine, the resulting variants still share identifiable structural similarities with the original. Using this proposed technique to identify metamorphic malware, we compare our results with previous work.


Biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAOs), including untreated (e.g., raw or aged manure, or incompletely composted manure) and treated animal products (e.g., compost), are used for crop production and as part of soil health management. Application of BSAAO's must be done cautiously, as raw manure commonly contains enteric foodborne pathogens that can potentially contaminate edible produce that may be consumed without cooking. USDA National Organic Program (NOP) certified production systems follow the 90-or 120-day interval standards between applications of untreated BSAAOs and crop harvest, depending on whether the edible portions of the crops are in indirect or direct contact with the soil, respectively. This study was conducted to evaluate the survival of four foodborne pathogens in soils amended with BSAAOs and to examine the potential for bacterial transfer to fresh produce harvested from USDA NOP certified organic farms (19) from four states. Only 0.4% (2/527) of produce samples were positive for L. monocytogenes. Among the untreated manure and compost samples, 18.0% (42/233) were positive for at least one of the tested and culturable bacterial foodborne pathogens. The prevalence of non-O157 STEC and Salmonella in untreated manure was substantially > that of E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes. Of the 2,461 soil samples analyzed in this study, 12.9% (318) were positive for at least one pathogen. In soil amended with untreated manure, the prevalence of non-O157 STEC [7.7% (190) and L. monocytogenes (5.0% (122), was > that of Salmonella (1.1% (26)] or E. coli O157 [0.04% (1)]. Foodborne pathogen prevalence in the soil peaked after manure application and decreased significantly 30 days post-application (dpa). However, non-O157 STEC and L. monocytogenes were recovered from soil samples after 90 and 120 dpa. Results indicate that produce contamination by tested foodborne pathogens was infrequent, but these data should not be generalized outside of the specific wait-time regulations for organic crop production and the farms studied. Moreover, other sources of contamination, e.g., irrigation, wildlife, environmental conditions, cropping and management practices, should be considered. This study also provides multi-regional baseline data relating to current NOP application intervals and development of potential risk mitigation strategies to reduce pathogen persistence in soils amended with BSAAOs. These findings contribute to filling critical data gaps concerning occurrence of fecal pathogens in NOP-certified farming systems used for production of fresh produce in different US regions.


Background. The early introduction of medical students to medical research-related courses is one of the innovative solutions devised by medical schools to address the dearth of physician-scientists. Objective. To describe the knowledge and attitudes of medical students towards medical research at a medical school where research and measurement skills are taught from the first year of study. Methods. A validated, pretested self-administered questionnaire was employed in a cross-sectional study to collect data from 228 third- and fourth-year medical students at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU), Pretoria, South Africa in April 2017. Knowledge of medical research was assessed with a 15-item questionnaire, and attitude towards research was measured with a 10-item scale. The data were analysed with Epi Info (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA) and findings are presented as means, percentages, proportions and tables. The χ2 test was used to assess association among the variables, with p <0.05 considered significant. Results. The mean age of the 228 participants was 22.7 (standard deviation 2.55) years, with ages ranging between 19 and 36 years; 66.2% were female. Although only a few (22%) had prior research experience and less than half (36%) were confident to interpret medical research, the mean score on research knowledge was 73% and a positive attitude towards research was demonstrated. Statistical significance was found between having previous research experience and ability to interpret medical research (χ2=12.8; p =0.01), and between age and having previous research experience (χ2=35.7; p =0.01). Conclusion. The findings revealed a good knowledge and positive attitude to medical research among the students. All these outcomes are the result of early exposure to medical research. More research-based courses are recommended for medical students, without overloading the medical curriculum.


Tuberous sclerosis complex is a group of autosomal disorders characterized by hamartomas and benign neoplastic lesions that invariably affect the central nervous system. We report a case of tuberous sclerosis that is the first presenting ultrastructural findings of this phacomatosis in the Latin American literature. The patient was a 2 year old girl presenting West syndrome non responsive to the clinical treatment with vigabatrin, trileptal and clonazepan, and undergoing left frontal lobectomy. The histopathological and ultrastructural findings were compatible with tuberous sclerosis. These results may help to further understand this controversial phacomatosis, warning to the clinical presentation as West syndrome.


Adhesion molecules are essential components of immunitary response and inflammation. Adhesion molecules could be classified as integrins, selectins, immunoglobulins superfamily and carbohydrates. The role of adhesion molecules in inflammation, immunity cancer, acute respiratory diseases, transplantation and his possible relevance in therapy are reviewed and discussed.


This paper discusses a novel tag/reader system, based on the passive, far-field RFID principle, with megabits per second read capability at operating ranges of several centimeters. The system operates in the ISM band at 2.45 GHz. A maximum data rate of 4 Mbps was demonstrated, at a tag/reader distance of 5.5 cm. The tag is entirely realized in a standard CMOS process for minimum costs. The described system also uses wireless voltage regulation, an innovative technique that allows to improve the overall efficiency of wireless power transmission and to save power on reader side. According to the measurement results, it is shown that the efficiency was improved by a factor larger than four in the best case.


Mathematical models are useful for providing a framework for integrating data and gaining insights into the static and dynamic behavior of complex biological systems such as networks of interacting genes. We review the dynamic behaviors expected from model gene networks incorporating common biochemical motifs, and we compare current methods for modeling genetic networks. A common modeling technique, based on simply modeling genes as ON—OFF switches, is readily implemented and allows rapid numerical simulations. However, this method may predict dynamic solutions that do not correspond to those seen when systems are modeled with a more detailed method using ordinary differential equations. Until now, the majority of gene network modeling studies have focused on determining the types of dynamics that can be generated by common biochemical motifs such as feedback loops or protein oligomerization. For example, these elements can generate multiple stable states for gene product concentrations, state-dependent responses to stimuli, circadian rhythms and other oscillations, and optimal stimulus frequencies for maximal transcription. In the future, as new experimental techniques increase the ease of characterization of genetic networks, qualitative modeling will need to be supplanted by quantitative models for specific systems.


Exposure to dampness and fungi in the home is a known risk factor for individuals with allergic asthma. Inadequate heating and ventilation may lead to dampness and concomitant increased exposure to spores of allergenic fungi such as Aspergillus and Penicillium. These fungi have been cultured from sputum of asthmatic and non‐asthmatic individuals, and implicated in the initiation or exacerbation of asthma. Indoor environmental factors influence the presence and concentrations of fungal propagules and, in turn, risk of asthma outcomes. This review aims to identify modifiable risk factors in the built environment that have been shown to influence fungal composition indoors, and to examine this association with the risk of asthma development and/or exacerbation. A complex interaction between residential characteristics, the built environment and the behaviour of people regulate the diversity and concentrations of indoor fungi. Modifiable factors include build age, architectural design, level of maintenance, variations in construction materials, presence of pets, heating and ventilation patterns. Risk of fungal contamination and asthma outcomes are also influenced by low occupant awareness concerning potential health effects and socio‐economic factors. Addressing these factors provides an opportunity to improve future housing interventions, though it is not clear how the built environment and occupant behaviours interact to modify the diversity of indoor fungi and resultant risk of asthma. A combination of housing improvements combined with awareness programmes and the alleviation of fuel poverty can be used to lower the allergen burden associated with damp homes. Further research is needed to identify factors that regulate the concentration and diversity of indoor fungi and how this may act as a modifier for asthma outcomes.


In the ampulla of Vater, carcinomas with "diffuse-infiltrative"/"signet ring cell" morphology, designated as "poorly cohesive carcinoma" (PCC) in the WHO classification, are very rare and poorly characterized. Nine cases with a classical PCC morphology constituting >50% of the tumor were identified. Mean age was 64.8 years (vs 64.6 in ampullary carcinomas [ACs]) and 6 were males, 3 females. The mean invasive tumor size was 2.5 cm (vs 1.9 in ACs). Other morphologic patterns displayed included cord-like infiltration (n=2), plasmacytoid cells (n=2), and microglandular component (n=4), including goblet cell adenocarcinoma-like foci. None of the cases were associated with dysplasia. By immunohistochemistry, the carcinomas did not show intestinal differentiation (CDX2 0/9, CK20 1/9, MUC2 3/9), MUC1 was positive in 4/9, MUC5AC was positive in 7/8. E-cadherin loss was noted in 4/9. All cases were advanced stage (6/9-pT3, 3/9-pT4) (vs 43% in ACs). Lymph node metastases were identified in 44% (vs 45% in AC). Six patients (67%) died of disease at a median of 25 months, 3 were alive at 13, 15, and 60 months. Overall median survival was significantly worse than that of intestinal-type ACs (26 vs 122 months, P = .006) and trended toward worse than pancreatobiliary type (26 vs 42 months, P = .1). In conclusion, PCCs constitute 2.45% of all ACs. These present as advanced tumors and express upper-gastrointestinal immunoprofile with frequent MUC5AC labeling, which may be helpful in identifying subtle infiltration in the surface mucosa since MUC5AC is not expressed in the ampullary mucosa. Patients have poor prognosis.


The UK faces two challenges over the coming years: transitioning to a low-carbon energy system while continuing to grow our economy. This will require close collaboration between industry, government and society. But chiefly, it will require innovation to ensure we meet the needs of a growing population in a smarter, more sustainable way. Innovation is created throughout the economy. What has become clear over the past few decades, however, is that entrepreneurs and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have proved to be a highly efficient innovation engine within our economy. In low-carbon they represent 91.5% of the UK market, and are disproportionately likely to innovate compared to peers in other sectors. The game-changing technologies that will lead the transition to a lower-carbon energy system rely on individuals with technical skills in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), and bringing these to market requires entrepreneurial skills. In the coming years the UK low-carbon sector will need to recruit an additional 50,000 people with STEM skills annually by 2023. This shortage is compounded by a weakness in the UK's entrepreneurial culture which prevents some of the most ground-breaking and promising low-carbon ventures from scaling up. But while the UK has created a comparatively higher quantity of low-carbon start-up ventures, we lag significantly behind the US in scale-up performance. There is a very real threat that the highest potential low-carbon businesses generated in the UK will look elsewhere to attain true scale. This new research commissioned by Shell Springboard and written by Imperial College Business School focuses on the structures and ecosystems which enable low-carbon enterprise in the UK.


The utilization of direct arylation polymerization (DArP) for the tin-free synthesis of three-component semi-random copolymers is rare, as several assumptions derived from Stille polycondensation—such as functional group assignment, monomer reactivity, defect tendencies, and practical performance—are not necessarily applicable across a broad range of DArP conditions and monomer substrates. Through a comparative analysis of conditions on increasingly complex model systems ranging from P3HT (where highly successful but distinct conditions are compared for the first time herein) to a three-component polymer architecture featuring ubiquitous diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP), reaction conditions are optimized to generate polymers that perform similarly to Stille reference polymers in solar cells. Subsequently, these optimized conditions are then applied to the synthesis of several novel semi-random polymers, exploring a variety of both electron-poor and electron-rich substrates, such as (E)-2-(2-(thiophen-2-yl)vinyl)thiophene (TvT), 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bithiazole (BTz), and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) as well as distinct acceptor units, such as pentacyclic aromatic lactam, 4,10-bis(2-ethylhexyl)thieno[2′,3′:5,6]pyrido[3,4-g]thieno[3,2-c]isoquinoline-5,11(4H,10H)-dione (TPTI) and 2,3-bis(3-(octyloxy)phenyl)quinoxaline (QX), further demonstrating the broad compatibility of these DArP conditions and expanding the semi-random toolkit toward achieving polymers with a variety of highly tunable optoelectronic properties. Polymers are characterized by NMR analysis, electrochemical HOMO level determination, UV-Vis, GIXRD, DSC, SCLC hole mobilities, and are also implemented into polymer solar cells.


Introduction To screen for coeliac disease in Egyptian children with non-endocrinal short stature, refractory iron deficiency anaemia and type 1 diabetes. Also, to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of different serological tests for diagnosis of coeliac disease (CD). Material and methods The study included 292 patients with clinical risk of CD. Testing for coeliac antibodies was performed, together with upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and small intestinal biopsy. Results Eleven patients (44%) among 25 patients with refractory iron deficiency anaemia, 23 patients (34.3%) among 67 patients with non-endocrinal short stature, and 6 patients (3%) among 200 patients with type I diabetes mellitus were diagnosed by jejunal biopsy as having coeliac disease. AGA (IgG) had the highest sensitivity for diagnosing CD (80.0%) followed by the TTG (72.7%) antibody, while ARA had the highest specificity (95.9%) followed by anti-EMA (94.7%). Conclusions Coeliac disease is more common in Egyptian children with refractory iron deficiency anaemia, non-endocrinal short stature and type 1 diabetes than was previously thought; therefore it is mandatory to screen such patients for CD. Serological tests showed fairly good sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis; however, intestinal biopsy remains the cornerstone for definitive diagnosis of patients with immunological reaction to gluten.


The effects of isoniazid on liver, kidney, and lung monooxygenases were determined using hamsters administered 0.8% of the antituberculosis drug in drinking water. Binding of isoniazid to liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 induced a Type II difference spectrum and the spectral binding was enhanced in hamsters treated with isoniazid. The levels of cytochrome P-450, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, and cytochrome b5 in the tissues microsomes from isoniazid-treated hamsters were similar to the respective levels in control animals. In the liver, treatment with isoniazid caused 5- and 3-fold induction of aniline hydroxylase and N-nitrosodimethylamine demethylase activities, respectively. The treatment was without effect on hepatic benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase or 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activities. In the kidneys, isoniazid treatment caused 6-, 2-fold, and 42% increases in monooxygenase activities toward aniline, N-nitrosodimethylamine, and 7-ethoxycoumarin, respectively. However, the treatment caused a 15% decrease in renal benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase activity. In the lungs, isoniazid caused a 69% increase in aniline hydroxylase and, in contrast, a 30% decrease in 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activities. The treatment had no significant effects on pulmonary catalytic activities toward N-nitrosodimethylamine and benzo(a)pyrene. Gel electrophoresis of liver and kidney microsomes from control and isoniazid-treated hamsters revealed that the treatment increased the intensity of a protein band in the P-450 molecular weight region. Immunoblotting of microsomal proteins showed that the protein band induced by isoniazid in the liver, kidney and lung was cross-reactive with antibody raised against ethanol-inducible human liver P-450.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Fouling in pre–heat trains of refinery crude distillation units causes major energy inefficiencies, resulting in increased costs, greenhouse gas emissions, maintenance efforts and health and safety hazards. Although chemical and physical phenomena underlying fouling deposition are extremely complex and several details remain unknown, the understanding of the fouling process has progressed significantly in the past 40 years. However, this knowledge has so far not been exploited to effectively improve heat exchanger and heat exchanger network design and operation. As a result, old methodologies that neglect the local effects and dynamics of fouling, in favor of lumped, steady–state, heuristic models (e.g. using TEMA fouling factors) are still used. In this thesis a novel mathematical model for pre–heat trains undergoing crude oil fouling was developed, validated with plant data and used to propose mitigation strategies. The model is dynamic, distributed and considers simultaneously several scales of investigation. Key phenomena are captured at the tube level as a function of local conditions. These include the dependence of fouling rate on temperature and velocity, the variation of physical properties, the structural changes of the deposits over time (ageing) and the dynamics of surface roughness. The single tube model was then extended to describe a unit–scale heat exchanger geometry. This has been validated against plant data from four units in two refineries operated by major oil companies. The predicted outlet temperatures over extended periods (i.e. 4-16 months) are accurate within ±1% for the tube–side and ±2% for the shell–side. Model simulations were then used to assist the retrofit of one particular unit for which it was possible to save ca. 22% of the energy losses (not including pumping power) produced by fouling over ca. a year of operation. Finally, the interconnection of single heat exchangers in a network allowed the simulation of the fouling behavior of two existing pre–heat trains. To systematically assess the impact of fouling on refinery economics, a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) was proposed. Network–level simulations were used in conjunction with the KPIs to unveil complex interactions and propose network retrofit arrangements that improve energy recovery over time whilst reducing fouling. It is concluded that the model can be used with confidence to predict fouling and assist monitoring, design and retrofit of refinery heat exchangers and heat exchanger networks. The results shown indicate that the approach proposed can lead to substantial benefits.


How can we find patterns in a sequence of sensor measurements (eg., a sequence of temperatures, or water-pollutant measurements)? How can we compress it? What are the major tools for forecasting and outlier detection? The objective of this tutorial is to provide a concise and intuitive overview of the most important tools, that can help us find patterns in sensor sequences. Sensor data analysis becomes of increasingly high importance, thanks to the decreasing cost of hardware and the increasing on-sensor processing abilities. We review the state of the art in three related fields: (a) fast similarity search for time sequences, (b) linear forecasting with the traditional AR (autoregressive) and ARIMA methodologies and (c) non-linear forecasting, for chaotic/self-similar time sequences, using lag-plots and fractals. The emphasis of the tutorial is to give the intuition behind these powerful tools, which is usually lost in the technical literature, as well as to give case studies that illustrate their practical use.


In order to monitor the incidence and types of peripheral vascular complications in a single institution, we prospectively entered 1,579 coronary angioplasty cases into a computer data base during the years 1991 and 1992. Various periprocedural risk factors were analyzed. The patients were followed closely to identify complications that occurred outside the laboratory or after discharge from the hospital. Peripheral vascular complications occurred in 37 patients (2.37%) and included hematoma 20 (1.27%), retroperitoneal bleeding 7 (.44%), false aneurysm 6 (.38%), occlusion 1 (.06%), infection 2 (.13%), and cholesterol emboli 1 (.06%). Risk factors for complications by multivariate analysis were older age, female gender, and clinical evidence of peripheral vascular disease. Other factors potentially related to vascular trauma or bleeding tendency that were not risk factors in this series were clinical presentation, use of heparin or thrombolytic agents, blood clotting parameters, and arterial sheath size. There was no significant difference between the femoral and brachial approaches in frequency of complications (2.5% vs. 1.6%), but femoral complications tended to carry greater morbidity.


While the disks are initially rotating eccentrically, the unsteady flow caused by their oscillations in their own planes and in the opposite directions is studied. The analytical solutions to the problem are obtained for both small and large times, and thus the velocity field is determined for every value of time. The variations of all the parameters on the flow are scrutinized by means of the graphical representations. In particular, the effect of the ratio of the frequency of oscillation to the angular velocity of the disks is analyzed. The dependence of the oscillations in both - and -directions on the flow is examined. The influence of the Reynolds number is also investigated.


Regional trading blocs and bilateral trade agreements have become increasingly important within the western hemisphere. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement, and the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) have all been passed in the last fifteen years. This Article will focus principally on the labor provisions in NAFTA and CAFTA. (1) Additionally, with the Andean Trade Preference Act set to expire in 2006, the United States initiated negotiations with three Andean countries in May 2004: Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador. The United States Trade Representative (USTR) signed the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement in April 2006, concluded negotiations with Colombia in February 2006, and is participating in ongoing discussions with Ecuador. (2) Furthermore, the Administration announced in 2003 that it intends to launch negotiations for a separate agreement with Panama, and the Senate recently approved a resolution of advice and consent for a United States-Uruguay Bilateral Investment Treaty in September 2006. (3) All of these bilateral and regional agreements represent a "building block" (4) in the attempt to secure a Free Trade Area of the Americas despite its current dim prospects. (5) Free Trade Areas/Agreements (FTAs) are cross-border arrangements in which the trade barriers--both tariff and non-tariff barriers--among participating nations are reduced, sector-by-sector over time, and often eventually abolished. Unlike a customs union or a common market, each member country of the FTA remains free to determine its own external trade barrier against non-FTA members. For businesses operating within the FTA, the market expands because consumers in member states can purchase their products for a lower price than before the FTA was established, and usually also at a lower price than goods originating outside of the member countries. (6) At the same time, businesses are subjected to increased competition. While labor rights provisions are now standard in American FTAs, (7) their incorporation has not been without controversy. The movement to incorporate labor rights into FTAs is driven by a number of interests, including labor interests in the United States, international labor rights movements, and human rights activism. The incorporation of labor rights in FTAs, however, is often resisted on two main grounds: (1) as an attempt to lower the less-developed countries' comparative advantage of lower wages, and/or (2) as an infringement on the less-developed countries' sovereignty. (8) The integration of trade and labor has been incremental. For example, the original NAFTA agreement did not include labor protections; instead, the labor agreement was negotiated separately from, and subsequent to, the passage of NAFTA. (9) More recently, CAFTA explicitly incorporated labor rights into the core text, indicating acceptance of the idea that labor rights and trade should be addressed simultaneously. When one compares the two labor agreements, however, the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC) used an eleven-part definition of "labor laws" that included "elimination of employment discrimination ...," (10) while CAFTA reduced the definition to five labor rights, and excluded "employment discrimination" from its definition of labor law. (11) In relation to labor protections, pregnancy discrimination is an issue of growing importance in U.S.-Latin America FTAs. Pregnancy discrimination is considered a form of sex discrimination, as it is based on a condition unique to women. (12) This issue first emerged in the NAFTA context following the publication of a 1996 Human Rights Watch report that exposed pervasive pregnancy discrimination in maquiladoras in Mexico. (13) In 2004, Human Rights Watch released a report confirming that pregnancy-based discrimination was pervasive in the Dominican Republic's free trade zone. (14) Women in both of these countries were, and continue to be, routinely required to undergo pregnancy tests or answer intrusive questions regarding their possible pregnant status as a condition of being hired or maintaining employment. …


Background Diagnostic procedures such as bone marrow aspiration and biopsy have increased in recent years. The pain during such procedures is too much for most children to tolerate, and therefore general anesthesia with sevoflurane is the only choice. Emergence agitation (EA) is described as a mental disturbance during the recovery from general anesthesia. The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that, because of its sedative effects, the use of dexmedetomidine decreases EA and improves parents and nurses′ satisfaction after sevoflurane-based anesthesia in children. Patients and methods A total of 200 children aged 2-6 years, scheduled for bone marrow aspirations and biopsies, in a hospital procedure room, were enrolled. Patients were randomized into two groups: group D, receiving dexmedetomidine (2 μg/kg) in 10 ml saline over 2 min; and group S, receiving 10 ml saline over 2 min. Procedure duration, recovery time, and discharge time were recorded. Agitation score and parents and nurses′ satisfaction scores were assessed. Results There were no significant differences between groups in the duration of the procedure or the time of discharge. The recovery time was longer in group D. Both parents and nurses′ satisfaction scores were significantly lower in group D. Both agitation score and percent of patients who had agitation were significantly lower in group D. The mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate were significantly lower in group D. Conclusion Dexmedetomidine is an effective drug to reduce EA in pediatric patients after sevoflurane anesthesia without prolongation in the time of discharge, and provide better parents and nurses′ satisfaction scores, which may allow better performance of the nurses.


In this paper ,we study estimation of two parameters of Weibull distribution .Methods of estimation used are maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) and Bayes. We compared the numerical results by simulation in MATLAB program. The comparison show that the Bayes estimator gives the best results ( less error) .


The application of high-power voltage-source converters (VSCs) to multiterminal dc networks is attracting research interest. The development of VSC-based dc networks is constrained by the lack of operational experience, the immaturity of appropriate protective devices, and the lack of appropriate fault analysis techniques. VSCs are vulnerable to dc-cable short-circuit and ground faults due to the high discharge current from the dc-link capacitance. However, faults occurring along the interconnecting dc cables are most likely to threaten system operation. In this paper, cable faults in VSC-based dc networks are analyzed in detail with the identification and definition of the most serious stages of the fault that need to be avoided. A fault location method is proposed because this is a prerequisite for an effective design of a fault protection scheme. It is demonstrated that it is relatively easy to evaluate the distance to a short-circuit fault using voltage reference comparison. For the more difficult challenge of locating ground faults, a method of estimating both the ground resistance and the distance to the fault is proposed by analyzing the initial stage of the fault transient. Analysis of the proposed method is provided and is based on simulation results, with a range of fault resistances, distances, and operational conditions considered.


Comparative theology is a relatively novel theological approach that revolves around a practice of comparative reading of authoritative religious documents. The International Theological Commission's Theology Today: Perspectives, Principles and Criteria (2012) develops a systematic-theological elaboration of the specificity of Catholic theology. Our author investigates the question whether and to what extent Theology Today may endorse comparative theology as a genuine expression of Catholic theology.


The free vibration analysis of the functionally graded cylindrical shell panels  with and without cutout is carried out using the finite element method based on a higher-order shear deformation theory. A higher-order theory is used to properly account for transverse shear deformation. An eight noded degenerated isoparametric shell element with nine degrees of freedom at each node is considered. The stiffness and mass matrices are derived based on the principle of minimum potential energy. The stiffness and mass matrices of the element are evaluated by performing numerical integration using the Gaussian quadrature. The effect of volume fraction exponent on the fundamental natural frequency of simply supported and clamped functionally graded cylindrical shell panel without a cutout is studied for various aspect ratios and arc-length to thickness ratios. Results are presented for variation of the fundamental natural frequency of the cylindrical shell panel with cutout size for simply supported and clamped boundary conditions.


This paper offers a new interpretation of Zhao Shuli's (1906–70) stories by examining how his efforts were coinciding, or sometimes perhaps in conflict, with the Communist Party of China's mandate of creating a "new direction" for society. The discussions of his stories reveal the general historical experience of a rural society in transition in the "liberated area." There are two major themes: social improvement under the intervention of the new government, and the "standing up" of the subaltern peasant class. These motifs often overlap to various degrees, and sometimes there is a hybrid narrative which combines the two. The last section of this paper briefly explores the supposed paradox of Zhao Shuli's "direction," its contributions to representing and educating the masses, and its limitations in fulfilling the party's long-term ideological goal of reforming the peasants' ethical-moral world.


In Arabidopsis thaliana, the evolutionary conserved N-terminal acetyltransferase (Nat) complexes NatA and NatB co-translationally acetylate 60% of the proteome. Both have recently been implicated in the regulation of plant stress responses. While NatA mediates drought tolerance, NatB is required for pathogen resistance and the adaptation to high salinity and high osmolarity. Salt and osmotic stress impair protein folding and result in the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The ER-membrane resident E3 ubiquitin ligase DOA10 targets misfolded proteins for degradation during ER stress and is conserved among eukaryotes. In yeast, DOA10 recognizes conditional degradation signals (Ac/N-degrons) created by NatA and NatB. Assuming that this mechanism is preserved in plants, the lack of Ac/N-degrons required for efficient removal of misfolded proteins might explain the sensitivity of NatB mutants to protein harming conditions. In this study, we investigate the response of NatB mutants to dithiothreitol (DTT) and tunicamycin (TM)-induced ER stress. We report that NatB mutants are hypersensitive to DTT but not TM, suggesting that the DTT hypersensitivity is caused by an over-reduction of the cytosol rather than an accumulation of unfolded proteins in the ER. In line with this hypothesis, the cytosol of NatB depleted plants is constitutively over-reduced and a global transcriptome analysis reveals that their reductive stress response is permanently activated. Moreover, we demonstrate that doa10 mutants are susceptible to neither DTT nor TM, ruling out a substantial role of DOA10 in ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) in plants. Contrary to previous findings in yeast, our data indicate that N-terminal acetylation (NTA) does not inhibit ER targeting of a substantial amount of proteins in plants. In summary, we provide further evidence that NatB-mediated imprinting of the proteome is vital for the response to protein harming stress and rule out DOA10 as the sole recognin for substrates in the plant ERAD pathway, leaving the role of DOA10 in plants ambiguous.


Discovery of undesirable hidden oscillations, which cannot be found by simulation, in models of phase-locked loop (PLL) showed the importance of development and application of analytical methods for the analysis of such models. Approaches to a rigorous nonlinear analysis of analog PLL with multiplier phase detector (classical PLL) and linear filter are discussed. An effective analytical method for computation of multiplier/mixer phase-detector characteristics is proposed. For various waveforms of high-frequency signals, new classes of phase-detector characteristics are obtained, and dynamical model of PLL is constructed.