This thesis is a study of representations of disability in a selection of Anglophone Indian literature written between 1981 and 2006. In this thesis, I argue that, in fiction by Salman Rushdie, Rohinton Mistry, Indra Sinha, and Firdaus Kanga, disability often takes on positive symbolic value as it represents the potential for the postcolonial polis to survive and thrive, but that the ultimate death or medical normalisation of disabled characters in many of these narratives is tied to a loss of political optimism. While these texts in many instances disturb norms surrounding able-bodiedness and disability, they often ultimately narrate a pessimistic conformity to scripts of normalization, and in so doing, map the unjust triumph of a prescriptive national or international politics onto a prescriptive politics of the body. As disability is eliminated, so is the potential for resistance to latent colonial or hegemonic forms. On the other hand, those fictions that narrate a sustainable disabled presence suggest the potential for the community or nation to emerge from oppressive social structures unscathed. I focus on applying literary disability scholarship to Indian novels which demand scrutiny through a disability studies lens, given their dependence upon the disabled body as a metaphoric object and the continuities in their disability representation and the representation of history. While the focus of my work is upon the nuances of disability representation as it is used to parallel the rise (and sometimes fall) of political optimism in these examples of Anglophone Indian literature, I also read toward an understanding of how the postcolonial perspective of these fictions may inflect and complicate disability representations, and investigate Western notions of normalcy as they are represented as intruding upon this literature and as disciplining the body in these texts. This disciplining is further explored through an ancillary reading of how medical apparatus and infrastructure, such as hospitals, ambulances, and especially doctors, are represented in this group of novels, as it is often in conjunction with the medical establishment that disabled characters are subjected to (neo) colonial violence. In the first chapter, which takes the form of a critical introduction, I discuss the terms of my argument within the development of disability studies, and position myself within the debates and concerns of literary disability studies in particular. I consider the antecedents and development of what is now called the cultural model of disability, and discuss how literary disability scholarship, which began its development with a focus on Western texts and contexts, has begun to extend its range of inquiry to become global in scope. I consider examples of the interplay of contemporary Indian history with biopolitical ideals and the paradigm of normalcy as it has been articulated by Lennard Davis and his intellectual predecessors including Canguillheim and Foucault. In the second chapter, which is entitled "The Medical and the Monstrous: Disability in Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children, Shame, and The Moor's Last Sigh," I consider how the disabled body is created as an object of competition in an ideological agon between a violent, globalized modernity and a sometimes-idealized fictive past. While Rushdie often represents the disabled body in a very simplified and rather bigoted register, he also to some extent engages with the more complex potentialities of disability to represent the failure of the state. The normalizing perpetration of a Westernized medical apparatus against disabled people becomes the proof and of political disintegration and the dissolution of hope for the emergent nation, whether in Rushdie's fictional version of India or Pakistan. In the third chapter, "Disability and the Realization of Metaphor in Rohinton Mistry's Such a Long Journey and A Fine Balance," I consider Rohinton Mistry's disability representations in relation to his engagement with the tradition of European realism. While Mistry attempts to re-locate the normal type articulated by the European novel, and subverts the conventions of European fiction even as he employs them, he still depends upon a largely uncontested tradition of disability representation. While he re-locates the norm in many demographic respects, he does not fully manage to rescue disability from an ancillary and symbolic role in the fiction. Mistry uses disabled characters symbolically to imagine political upheaval from a disadvantaged and sometimes from a subaltern position, creating in disabled characters their symbolic correlates. In my fourth chapter, "Collective Disability and the Dis-located Norm in Indra Sinha's Animal's People," I consider the ways in which this novel effaces paradigms of normalcy by imagining an environment in which disability is the unifying commonality of community life. While Mistry and Rushdie ultimately write disability as narrative anomaly in the ways described by Mitchell and Snyder, Sinha inverts the paradigm of the anomalous body in his fictional representation of the Bhopal disaster. The failure of the Indian state to protect its citizenry results in collective disability identification, while those able-bodied individuals who might be treated as normal in another fiction become suspicious outsiders. In my fifth chapter, "Unaccommodating Fictions: Disability, Authorship, and the Politics of Failure in Firdaus Kanga's Trying to Grow," I consider the ways in which gay, disabled, Parsi writer Firdaus Kanga represents failure and dependency as character weakness. Kanga validates neoliberal competition by re-imagining the potential for economic and social attainment as properties of mind at the exclusion of the body, and, in so doing, inaugurates an adaption of paradigms of normalcy. Kanga's imaginary valorises the economically competitive individual, but simply removes the constraint of bodily normalcy from this ideal marketable man. For Kanga, economic freedom from parental, societal, or governmental intervention is edifying, as masculinity is achieved through uninhibited competition. In my conclusion, "Good Doctors and Bad Doctors in Rushdie, Mistry, Sinha, and Kanga," I consider the representation of the clinic and of physicians in addition to the representation of disabled people in the novels included in this thesis. Doctors and medical apparatus become symbolic correlates for different political impositions and political strategies, often representing the abuses and failures of government or of public policy. I will frame my discussion within Foucault's concept of the clinic, and will consider the ways in which traditional and Western medicine take on symbolic meaning in these fictions of India.


Concerns about the effects of ICSI on offspring health and fertility include the rate of chromosomal anomalies, cystic fibrosis (CF) gene mutations associated with congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) and Y-chromosome microdeletions. The evidence in favour of screening for these in the presence of azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia is beyond debate. Concerns requiring further investigation include the effects of ICSI on imprinted genes and genes involved in DNA replication error repair. There is evidence of an increased risk of low birth weight, cerebral palsy and major birth defects following assisted reproductive technologies (ART), including ICSI, although the causes remain unknown. Given the large studies required to investigate these questions, particularly for rarer genetic conditions, we may simply have to accept that we may not know for many years if there are increased risks associated with ICSI. It would be prudent, however, to acknowledge this as a possibility and counsel patients accordingly. In terms of certainty of outcome and magnitude of impact the single most important health effect of ART for the offspring remains the iatrogenic multiple pregnancy rate. A reduction of iatrogenic multiples is the single most important and achievable means of preventing cerebral palsy currently available. Once achieved, the occurrence of rare genetic conditions will assume greater importance.


The non-breeding period is a critical life history period for seabirds, as individuals need to regain body condition lost while breeding. Where animals move is driven by a myriad of factors that can be divided into intrinsic factors, which are linked to physiological and life-history traits, and extrinsic factors which occur as the result interactions with other animals or the environment. To better understand the challenges of wintering in the North Pacific marine ecosystem, I studied the migrations and foraging ecology of three species, surface foraging black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) and red-legged kittiwakes (R. brevirostris), and deep-diving thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) from three colonies in the southeastern Bering Sea. I tracked birds with geolocation loggers and time-depth recorders over three winters with contrasting environmental conditions (2008-2011). Remotely-sensed environmental data was used to highlight the effects of changing conditions both intra- and inter-annually, while stable isotope values of carbon and nitrogen from feather tissue were used to infer dietary trophic level and niche partitioning. In Chapter 1, I contrasted red-legged and black-legged kittiwake wintering ecology across the spatial, behavioral and dietary niche dimensions and found significant partitioning; red-legged kittiwakes showed greater specialization across all niche dimensions and depended almost exclusively upon on the Bering Sea ecosystem. In Chapter 2, I assessed individual winter foraging strategies of thick-billed murres using a combination of spatial, stable isotope, and behavioral data. Both annual and body size differences largely determined strategies, with some larger bodied birds from St Paul using a deeper daytime diving and more residential strategy unexploited by smaller birds. In Chapter 3, I contrasted intrinsic drivers (e.g. sex, breeding colony and experience) with the influence of annual habitat conditions on black-legged kittiwake winter distributions. I found large annual differences in distributions that spanned the sub-arctic North Pacific, yet in consecutive winters individuals returned to the same regions more often than expected. Overall, environmental conditions played a significant role in influencing the movements and behavior of individuals, however life history characteristics in consecutive winters such as sex, dietary preference or body size sometimes constrain individual wintering ecology.


Centrifugal compressors used in floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) have special characteristics, forcing manufacturers to build machines that operate at higher speeds in order to achieve the required process performance. Under these operating and design conditions, a special balance procedure called high-speed balancing may be necessary. This procedure is generally done in a special workbench of specialized companies and carrying out a field balance of these machines is an unlikely alternative. Therefore, the development of techniques to identify unbalance malfunction prior to reaching the machine vibration trip limits is essential to minimize the unit downtime. Data-based techniques are strong candidates for the task, since they can take full advantage of huge amounts of available data, allowing the information to be used in an effective way. In this work, two different techniques were chosen to improve unbalance identification: Mahalanobis–Taguchi system (MTS) and principal component analysis (PCA). Considering a real machine, several unbalance conditions were simulated and the results are presented and discussed. Both methods were able to detect unbalance, with a slightly advantage for PCA for the considered conditions.


Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are 4 times as likely to experience gastrointestinal symptoms as children without ASD. The gut microbiota has increasingly been the subject of investigation as a contributing factor to these symptoms in this population because there is evidence to suggest that alterations in the intestinal microflora are correlated with gastrointestinal and ASD symptom severity. Probiotic therapy has been proposed as a treatment for augmented gastrointestinal symptom severity in children with ASD. This narrative review systematically searched the literature to provide an update for practitioners on the state of the evidence surrounding probiotic therapy in children with ASD as a treatment option for reducing gastrointestinal symptoms. A total of 186 articles were screened and 5 articles met the inclusion criteria. A collective sample of 117 children with ASD is represented and outcomes addressed include improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms as well as influence of probiotic supplementation on the gut microbiota and ASD symptoms and behavior. There is promising evidence to suggest that probiotic therapy may improve gastrointestinal dysfunction, beneficially alter fecal microbiota, and reduce the severity of ASD symptoms in children with ASD. Future research is still warranted in this area because there are methodologic flaws in the available literature and optimal species, strains, dosages, and duration of treatment have not been identified.


Wellington was in a period of transition in the 1850s. The first flurry of settlement was easing somewhat and trading was becoming established. However, the earthquakes of 1848 and 1855 shook not only buildings not designed to withstand them, but also the confidence of the immigrant population. People were quick to realise that timber flexed better than brick or cob, but, in the process, they lost several of the earliest buildings with any pretensions to architectural merit. Together with the shaky nature of the economy, and the fact that Auckland was the capital city, there was little incentive for men whose sole training was in architecture to attempt to practice full time.The paucity of architectural records from the 1850s further complicates accurate evaluation of the situation, but it is clear that many of the people designing buildings had multiple skills in several other fields besides architecture. Buildings definitely dated to the 1850s that remain in Wellington can be numbered on one hand and not one of them can be said to have been designed by an architect. The two men with the largest tallies of Wellington building designs in the 1850s also claimed skills in surveying and civil engineering, whereas the two (possibly three) trained architects that we know of seem to have obtained minimal work in their field and to have largely diversified into other occupations. A further five names are associated with Wellington architecture in some way during the 1850s, either with the design of single buildings or simply advertising their services in local newspapers - with no evidence they actually obtained any work. In this paper we look at the backgrounds of the major designers including the trained architects, their work and a few of the factors which caused most of them to seek alternative employment.


Frank Knight was one of the twentieth century's most illustrious economic thinkers. His writings and enquiry into the nature of method, theory and knowledge in relation to the activities of social actors, and under what circumstances and with what limitations we might adequately theorise social agency, bequeathed a rich tradition of theoretical and practical insight. Many of his writings centred on the issue of risk and uncertainty, how social actors anticipate the future and manage and mediate terrains of uncertainty and risk, and in doing so change the outcomes that obtain. Knight's contributions essentially constructed a means for assessing and measuring risk in various facets of social activity, seeding insights which remain pertinent today. As the article notes, however, despite Knight's insights and the methodological schema he constructed for probability analysis, remarkably few social sciences – including international relations – have mined his work. Ironically, much that we need to know to more effectively theorise and accommodate the conundrums of risk and uncertainty into social scientific methods Knight long ago handed down to us.


Treatment of a chemically induced mouse solid fibrosarcoma using either non-specific (C. parvum 350 mu i.v.), or specific active (s.c. C. parvum mixed with 5.10(5) irradiated tumour cells) immunotherapy, 4 days after a single dose of cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg) was synergistically more effective than either C. parvum or drug treatment alone. A contributory factor may be that cyclophosphamide pretreatment has been shown to potentiate the specific antitumour immunity that arises from C. parvum interaction with tumour antigen. Systemic C. parvum before cyclophosphamide will potentiate the antitumour effects of the drug--previously ineffective low doses becoming effective. No similar potentiation of the effects of another alkylating agent, Melphalan, was evident.


Human beings rely heavily on vision for almost all of the tasks that are required in daily life. Because of this dependence on vision, humans with visual limitations, caused by genetic inheritance, disease, or age, will have difficulty in completing many of the tasks required from them. Some individuals with severe visual impairments, known as high-order aberrations, may have difficulty in interacting with computers, even when using traditional means of visual correction (e.g., spectacles, contact lenses). This is, in part, because these correction mechanisms can only compensate for the most regular (low-order) distortions or aberrations of the image in the eye. This paper proposes an image processing approach that will pre-compensate the images displayed on the computer screen, so as to counter the effect of the eye's aberrations on the image. The characterization of the eye required to perform this customized pre-compensation is the eye's Point Spread Function (PSF), which can now be measured by a new generation of ophthalmic instruments generically called "Wavefront Analyzers." The characterization provided by these instruments also includes the "higher-order aberration components" and could, therefore, lead to a more comprehensive vision correction than traditional mechanisms. The methods presented here will be explained in terms of their theoretical foundation and illustrated with results from the correction of aberrations introduced by a lens with known and constant PSF.


In 2008 journalist Bill Bishop achieved the kind of notice that authors dream about. His book, The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded America Is Tearing Us Apart, was mentioned regularly during the presidential campaign; most notably, former president Bill Clinton urged audiences to read the book. Bishop's thesis is that Americans increasingly are choosing to live in neighborhoods populated with people just like themselves. In turn, these residential choices have produced a significant increase in geographic political polarization. Bishop does not contend that people consciously decide to live with fellow Democrats or Republicans; rather political segregation is a byproduct of the correlations between political views and the various demographic and life-style indicators people consider when making residential decisions. Whatever the cause, Bishop contends that the resulting geographic polarization is a troubling and dangerous development.


The present alarming environmental world crisis is the uncontrolled generation and illegal dumping of solid waste (SW) that poses great harm to public health and the environment (Ali & Sion, 2014). Poor waste management may cause air, water, and soil contamination. The Republic Act 9003 (RA 9003) or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (ESWMA) had been in place for several years. However, its implementation was a challenge for every LGU, including in a highly urbanized city. Hence, the paper examined the level of implementation of the provisions and enforcement of prohibited acts on ESWMA of barangays as assessed by community leaders as a whole and according to their geographical location and income. Also, it explores the challenges encountered by the barangays and the recommendations of the community leaders in the implementation of RA 9003 and the local ordinance enacted by the city.


The convergence of recent technology advances opens the way to new ubiquitous environments, where network-enabled devices collectively form invisible pervasive computing and networking environments around the users. These users increasingly require extensive applications and capabilities from these devices. Recent approaches propose that cooperating service providers, at the edge of the network, offer these required capabilities (i.e services), instead of having them directly provided by the devices. Thus, the network evolves from a plain communication medium into an endless source of services. Such a service, namely an overlay application, is composed of multiple distributed application elements, which cooperate via a dynamic communication mesh, namely an overlay association. The Quality of Service (QoS) perceived by the users of an overlay application greatly depends on the QoS on the communication paths of the corresponding overlay association. This thesis asserts and shows that it is possible to provide QoS to an overlay application by using alternate Internet paths resulting from the compositions of independent consecutive paths. Moreover, this thesis also demonstrates that it is possible to discover, select and compose these independent paths in a distributed manner within an community comprising a limited large number of autonomous cooperating peers, such as the fore-mentioned service providers. Thus, the main contributions of this thesis are i) a comprehensive description and QoS characteristic analysis of these composite alternate paths, and ii) an original architecture, termed SPAD (Super-Peer based Alternate path Discovery), which allows the discovery and selection of these alternate paths in a distributed manner. SPAD is a fully distributed system with no single point of failure, which can be easily and incrementally deployed on the current Internet. It empowers the end-users at the edge of the network, allowing them to directly discover and utilize alternate paths.


The effects of conjugated linoleic acids with triacylglycerol form (TAG-CLA) and free fatty acid form (FA-CLA) on lipid mass and lipid metabolizing enzymes in the liver, and on serum metabolites was compared in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty (OLETF) rats, which have high levels of hepatic and serum triacylglycerol (TAG) and higher serum insulin, glucose, leptin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Obese rats fed either forms of CLA significantly lowered the concentrations of TAG in the liver and serum to a similar extent, compared to the control dietary group. It was further demonstrated that both forms of CLA markedly enhanced mitochondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) activity, but reduced microsomal phosphatidate phosphohydrolase (PAP) activity in the liver. This suggests that the CLA-induced reduction in liver lipid mass may be attributable to increase in fatty acid β-oxidation. Both forms of CLA also lowered serum leptin levels. TAG-CLA had no significant effects on serum insulin and glucose levels, whereas FA-CLA raised the serum glucose level without affecting insulin levels. TNF-α concentrations were comparable between the groups. These results suggest that TAG-CLA and FA-CLA reduce TAG levels in the liver and serum, but have different effects on fasting serum glucose levels in OLETF obese rats.


A few methods exist to identify the full spectrum of recent mutations in specific lineages, but all are costly, laborious and slow. We propose a novel strategy that requires only resequencing data and a reference genome sequence that are available at no cost from public databases. The comparison of differences between resequencing shotgun data and overlapping 50mers created in silico to represent the complete reference genome allows the discovery of reference-genome-specific de novo mutations, rare alleles, and sequencing errors unique to the reference genome. We investigated Nipponbare rice, and discovered thousands of candidate de novo sequence changes, of which ~51% are calculated to be events that occurred during the recent descent of this lineage. The remaining 49% were Nipponbare reference genome sequencing errors. Of the 148 validated mutations specific to Nipponbare, we found 143 single nucleotide substitutions, 4 tiny insertions, and 1 tiny deletion. Additionally, we applied our method to the reference genome for foxtail millet, Yugu1. However, the resequencing data for this species was not sufficient to mask ancient standing variation in the progenitors of Yugu1, so the analysis primarily yielded rare alleles and sequencing errors rather than de novo mutations. Of 119 confirmed sequence variations unique to Yugu1, we found 66 transitions, 40 transversions, and 13 indels (9 insertions, 4 deletions), all of which were only 1 bp. Surprisingly, despite very high sensitivity to this type of genome change, we did not detect any recent transposable element activity in the origins of Nipponbare or Yugu1. INDEX WORDS: whole genome, de novo mutation, rare alleles, rice, foxtail millet, mutation, genomics, genetics EFFICIENT DISCOVERY OF RARE ALLELES AND DE NOVO MUTATIONS FROM PREEXISTING GENOMIC DATA


In December 2004, Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights added its voice to the call for a greater parliamentary role in the making of treaties. In its report on Protocol No. 14 to the European Convention on Human Rights, the Joint Committee included a one-page chapter on 'Increasing Parliament's involvement in the adoption of human rights treaties', expressing the view that it was desirable for Parliament to become more involved prior to ratification on the grounds that effective parliamentary scrutiny would serve to 'enhance the democratic legitimacy of human rights obligations incurred… by the Executive pursuant to the prerogative power.'1 Motivated by this concern, the Committee has undertaken, on its own initiative, an extensive review of the UK's treaty commitments in the human rights field with a view to securing greater parliamentary support for these obligations through the mechanism of public scrutiny.2


Protein sequences with unknown functionality are often compared to a set of known sequences to detect functional similarities. Efficient dynamic-programming algorithms exist for solving this problem, however current solutions still require significant scan times. These scan time requirements are likely to become even more severe due to the rapid growth in the size of these databases. In this paper, we present a new approach to bio-sequence database scanning using re-configurable field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based hardware platforms to gain high performance at low cost. Efficient mappings of the Smith-Waterman algorithm using fine-grained parallel processing elements (PEs) that are tailored toward the parameters of a query have been designed. We use customization opportunities available at run time to dynamically reconfigure the PEs to make better use of available resources. Our FPGA implementation achieves a speedup of approximately 170 for linear gap penalties and 125 for affine gap penalties compared to a standard desktop computing platform. We show how run-time reconfiguration can be used to further improve performance.


Political scientists and legal scholars have written a good deal in recent years on the consequences of Supreme Court decisions. Much of this scholarship has been skeptical of the capacity of courts to produce significant social change. Most notably, Professor Gerald Rosenberg has declared the notion that courts can reform society a "hollow hope." While much of my own scholarship has reached conclusions broadly similar to those of Professor Rosenberg, it is a mistake to conclude that Supreme Court decisions in the civil rights context never made much difference. The Court's most important white primary decision, Smith v. Allwright, inaugurated a political revolution in the urban South. This Article considers both the circumstances that enabled Smith to accomplish what it did and the limitations of that accomplishment. My goal is to shed light on the conditions that enable and disable Supreme Court decisions from effectuating significant social change. Part I summarizes the Supreme Court's three pre-Smith white primary decisions. Part II provides legal and political background to Smith v. Allwright and also describes the post-Smith history of the white primary. Part III, the core of the Article, describes the impact of Smith on southern black voter registration. Relying principally on archival material mined from the NAACP Papers, I describe how southern blacks and whites responded to Smith and identify the political and social conditions that enabled Smith to launch a revolution in black political participation in the urban South. This Part also examines the factors that largely nullified the impact of Smith in the rural South. The Conclusion addresses the question of why the Supreme Court's intervention in the white primary context was so much more immediately efficacious than were either its contemporaneous decisions involving criminal procedure issues affecting southern blacks or its slightly later ruling in Brown v. Board of Education.


Background: Non bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (NBCIE) is an inherited genodermatosis, very rare autosomal recessive inflammatory ichthyosis, chronic, characterized by dryness and scaling. Purpose: To describe the clinical manifestations of NBCIE since it is a rare case, occurs in 1 in 300.000 people. Case: Baby MR 5 month old, Javanese boy, with main complaint white scale and redness patches on almost all of his body since 1.5 month old. Born as collodion baby, then the membrane was slowly thinning and became generalized erythroderma on almost all of his body accompanied with fine white scale, large, thick, plate-like scale only on lower leg. No ectropion and eclabium. No relatives in the pedigree suffer from the same disease. Histopathology examination showed non-bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma. Case management: Emollient after bath and pH balance soap. Conclusions: Diagnosis of NBCIE is established from history taking, clinical features, and histopathology examination. Emollient therapy and pH balance soap will eventually lead to improvement. Key words: non bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma, genodermatosis, collodion baby.


There are serious gaps in our knowledge and understanding of how public policy at the federal, state, and local levels affects the work of a wide array of nonprofit organizations. On October 4th and 5th, 2010, the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Organizations (ARNOVA), with the support and encouragement of the Bill and Melinda Gates, Kresge and C.S. Mott foundations, convened a group of thirty nonprofit scholars and leaders to explore what we know about the impact of public policy on the nonprofit sector. The conference focused on how public policy helps or harms the ability of nonprofit organizations, particularly but not exclusively public charities, to fulfill their missions.


Flooded rice (Oryza sativa L.) in south Florida is grown commercially in rotation with sugarcane and vegetables. From 2008 to 2018, rice production has doubled. During the spring-summer, nearly 200 km2 of fallow sugarcane land is available for rice production. In 2017, approximately 113 km2 of rice were planted in the region. The net value of growing rice as a rotation crop far exceeds its monetary return. This study evaluated soil health parameters before and after rice cultivation and compared them against two other common summer farming practices - fallow fields and flooded-fallow. The soil health parameters that were tested as part of this study included soil pH, bulk density, water holding capacity, cation exchange capacity, organic matter, active carbon and nutrient content. Results indicated an increase in soil pH, and a significant reduction in soil bulk density due to rice cultivation. Water holding capacity increased significantly under all flooded land use practices compared to fallow fields. Cation exchange capacity significantly increased when sugarcane fields were cultivated with rice and ratoon rice, nearly doubled from 58 to 101 cmolc kg-1. Small, yet significant 3% increase in organic matter was observed when sugarcane fields were cultivated with ratoon rice. Almost 16 g kg-1 of active C is being generated within fallow soils, whereas less than half that under flooded practices, limiting the amount of soil loss via oxidation. Based on the soil health index, rice cultivation and flooded-fallow improved overall soil quality compared to fallow lands.


Lymphoma is fourth most frequent malignancy diagnosed prenatally (~1:6000 cases), with Hodgkin's Lymphoma (HL) forming the major chunk. However, in recent times, there has been an increase in occurrence of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) due to late child bearing age and high incidence of AIDS-related NHL in developing countries. Managing NHL in pregnancy involves intricate medical, ethical and psychological issues. Diagnostic and treatment delays may influence the prognosis for indolent cases. Seen the complexity of the management decisions associated with NHL, interdisciplinary and individualized approach becomes imperative for each woman. We present a case of 25-year-old G2P0010 at 32 weeks Period of Gestation (PoG) with right sided deep cervical lymphadenopathy, who was diagnosed as aggressive malignant NHL and was subsequently started on chemotherapy after confirmation of diagnosis and eventually had an optimal feto-maternal outcome. The critical appraisal of the accessible data, identification of controversies and unresolved issues and proposal of elucidations about varied facets of NHL in pregnancy are also provided.


Abstract This study deals with the issue of cultural integration of a migrant community, i.e. Albanian community or Diaspora in the Austrian society. First, it elaborates culture as an element that distinguishes human beings from other living beings, stating that man is not born with culture but it is rather acquired, developed, cultivated, and enriched during one's lifetime. It also emphasizes the weight that culture has in society, noting that three forces have the greatest impact on society: the state, religion and culture. The second issue treated is cultural assimilation, as a process of social and cultural fusion of groups with different identities, cultural defense, cultural isolation and ghettoization. The second is Albanian Diaspora in Austria, the history, structure and cultural apology trends. Final and most important element of this research is empirical part, namely the survey applied in the field, i.e. in Austria, with 296 respondents, selected randomly. Among the conclusions are that Austrian Albanians tend cultural self-defense, apology of their code by creating cultural islands, meeting points, being concentrated culturally, that the first generation is more hesitant in accepting the Austrian cultural values compared with the second generation that is more cosmopolitan.


STUDY DESIGN
This Cervical Spine Research Society (CSRS) Study is a prospective, multicenter, nonrandomized investigation of patients with cervical spondylosis and disc disease. In this analysis, only patients with cervical myelopathy as the predominant syndrome were considered.

OBJECTIVES
To determine demographics, surgeon treatment practices, and outcomes in patients with symptomatic myelopathy.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA
Current data on patient demographics and treatment practices of surgeons do not exist. There are no published prospective studies in which neurologic, functional, pain, and activities of daily living outcomes are systematically quantified.

METHODS
Patients were recruited by participating CSRS surgeons. Demographic information, patients' symptoms, and patients' functional data were compiled from patient and physician surveys completed at the time of initial examination, and outcomes were assessed from patient surveys completed after treatment. Data were compiled and statistically analyzed by a blinded third party.

RESULTS
Sixty-two (12%) of the 503 patients enrolled by 41 CSRS surgeons had myelopathy. Patients (48.4% male; mean age, 48.7 +/- 12.03 years) had a mean duration of symptoms of 29.8 months (range, 8 weeks to 180 months). Surgery was recommended for 31 (50%) of these patients. Forty-three patients (69%) returned for follow-up and completed the questionnaire adequately for analysis. Twenty (46%) of the 43 patients on whom follow-up data are available underwent surgery, and 23 (54%) received medical treatment. Surgically treated patients had a significant improvement in functional status and overall pain, with improvement also observed in neurologic symptoms. Patients treated nonsurgically had a significant worsening of their ability to perform activities of daily living, with worsening of neurologic symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS
When medical and surgical treatments are compared, surgically treated patients appear to have better outcomes, despite exhibiting a greater number of neurologic and nonneurologic symptoms and having greater functional disability before treatment. Randomized studies, if feasible, should be performed to address outcome in cervical myelopathy further.


Rationale: The lymphatic vasculature plays a major role in fluid homeostasis, absorption of dietary lipids, and immune surveillance. Fluid transport depends on the presence of intraluminal valves within lymphatic collectors. Defective formation of lymphatic valves leads to lymphedema, a progressive and debilitating condition for which curative treatments are currently unavailable. How lymphatic valve formation is regulated remains largely unknown. Objective: We investigated if the repulsive axon guidance molecule Semaphorin3A (Sema3A) plays a role in lymphatic valve formation. Methods and Results: We show that Sema3A mRNA is expressed in lymphatic vessels and that Sema3A protein binds to lymphatic valves expressing the Neuropilin-1 (Nrp1) and PlexinA1 receptors. Using mouse knockout models, we show that Sema3A is selectively required for lymphatic valve formation, via interaction with Nrp1 and PlexinA1. Sema3a (cid:1) / (cid:1) mice exhibit defects in lymphatic valve formation, which are not due to abnormal lymphatic patterning or sprouting, and mice carrying a mutation in the Sema3A binding site of Nrp1, or deficient for Plxna1, develop lymphatic valve defects similar to those seen in Sema3a (cid:1) / (cid:1) mice. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate an essential direct function of Sema3A-Nrp1-PlexinA1 signaling in lymphatic valve formation. ( Circ Res . 2012;111:437-445.) by capturing extravasated fluid and transporting it back to the bloodstream. To allow efficient fluid transport, lymphatic vessels contain a smooth muscle layer and intraluminal valves that prevent fluid backflow. The signals important for lymphatic valve specification and assembly of the supporting fibrin matrix have been identi-fied; however, the cues that guide the formation of a functional valve leaflet remain unknown. This study shows, for the first time, that the guidance molecule Semaphorin 3A can bind to Neuropilin 1 and PlexinA1 expressed in the valve-forming areas of the lymphatic endothelium. This interaction guides the migration of endothelial cells to form a functional valve leaflet, which promotes unidirectional flow of lymph back to the bloodstream. These results identify cues important for valve morphogenesis. Semaphorin 3A was not required for lymphatic vessel sprouting or branching; therefore these results reveal a previously unanticipated and selective role for Sema3A-Nrp1-PlexinA1 signaling in the lymphatic component of the vascular system. Because functional lymphatic valves are important in human disease such as primary lymphedema, these results may provide novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of this inherited, debilitating disease.


Based on the gliding-box and relative differential box-counting algorithms, a novel method that estimates accurately the multifractal exponents, a distinct characteristics of gray-scale digital images, is proposed. Four natural texture images are used to test the performance of the novel multifractal measure. Comparisons with published methods show that the proposed method can efficiently describe texture images and can provide accurate classification results.


This paper aims to make two contributions to the sustainability transitions literature, in particular the Geels and Schot (2007. Res. Policy 36(3), 399) transition pathways typology. First, it reformulates and differentiates the typology through the lens of endogenous enactment, identifying the main patterns for actors, formal institutions, and technologies. Second, it suggests that transitions may shift between pathways, depending on struggles over technology deployment and institutions. Both contributions are demonstrated with a comparative analysis of unfolding low-carbon electricity transitions in Germany and the UK between 1990–2014. The analysis shows that Germany is on a substitution pathway, enacted by new entrants deploying small-scale renewable electricity technologies (RETs), while the UK is on a transformation pathway, enacted by incumbent actors deploying large-scale RETs. Further analysis shows that the German transition has recently shifted from a 'stretch-and-transform' substitution pathway to a 'fit-and-conform' pathway, because of a fightback from utilities and altered institutions. It also shows that the UK transition moved from moderate to substantial incumbent reorientation, as government policies became stronger. Recent policy changes, however, substantially downscaled UK renewables support, which is likely to shift the transition back to weaker reorientation. ublis © 2016 The Authors. P


Design of controllers for uncertain systems is inherently paradoxical. Adaptive control approaches claim to adapt system parameters against uncertainties, but only if these uncertainties change slowly enough. Alternatively, robust control methodologies claim to ensure system stability against uncertainties, but only if these uncertainties remain within known bounds. This is while, in reality, disturbances and uncertainties remain faithfully uncertain, i.e., may be both fast and large. In this paper, a PI-adaptive fuzzy control architecture for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems is proposed that aims to provide added robustness in the presence of large and fast but bounded uncertainties and disturbances. While the proposed approach requires the uncertainties to be bounded, it does not require this bound to be known. Lyapunov analysis is used to prove asymptotic stability of the proposed approach. Application of the proposed method to a second-order inverted pendulum system demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Specifically, system responses to fast versus slow and large versus small disturbances are considered in the presented simulation studies.


BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to compare clodronate and zoledronic acid regarding their influence on the repair of surgical wounds in maxillae (soft tissue wound and tooth extraction) and their relation to osteonecrosis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Thirty-four Wistar rats were allocated into three groups according to the treatment received: (i) 12 animals treated with zoledronic acid, (ii) 12 animals treated with clodronate and (iii) 10 animals that were given saline solution. All animals were subjected to tooth extractions and surgically induced soft tissue injury. Histological analysis of the wound sites was performed by means of hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemical staining for receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin (OPG), von Willebrand factor, and caspase-3.

RESULTS
The zoledronic acid group showed higher incidence of non-vital bone than did the clodronate group at the tooth extraction site. At the soft tissue wound site, there were no significant differences in non-vital bone between the test groups. RANKL, OPG, von Willebrand factor, and caspase-3 did not show significant differences between the groups for both sites of surgical procedures.

CONCLUSION
Both of the bisphosphonates zoledronic acid and clodronate are capable of inducing maxillary osteonecrosis. Immunohistochemical analysis suggests that the involvement of soft tissues as the initiator of osteonecrosis development is less probable than has been pointed out.


Profiling of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has been well demonstrated to be a potential non-invasive screening tool for early cancer detection. However, limited studies have investigated the detectability of cfDNA methylation markers that are predictive of cancers in asymptomatic individuals. We performed cfDNA methylation profiling using cell-free DNA methylation immunoprecipitation sequencing (cfMeDIP-Seq) in blood collected from individuals up to seven years before a breast cancer diagnosis in addition to matched cancer-free controls. We identified differentially methylated cfDNA signatures that discriminated cancer-free controls from pre-diagnosis breast cancer cases in a discovery cohort that is used to build a classification model. We show that predictive models built from pre-diagnosis cfDNA hypermethylated regions can accurately predict early breast cancers in an independent test set (AUC=0.930) and are generalizable to late-stage breast cancers cases at the time of diagnosis (AUC=0.912). Characterizing the top hypermethylated cfDNA regions revealed significant enrichment for hypermethylation in external bulk breast cancer tissues compared to peripheral blood leukocytes and breast normal tissues. Our findings demonstrate that cfDNA methylation markers predictive of breast cancers can be detected in blood among asymptomatic individuals up to six years prior to clinical detection.


Aims and Background Sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection is currently employed in patients with malignant melanoma (MM) to spare them unnecessary lymph node dissection. Methods and Study Design We investigated 241 patients (130 men and 111 women, median age, 50 years (range, 14-92)) with MM (192 before and 51 after surgical biopsy); two of them had more than one melanoma lesion. In each patient approx. 10 MBq of 99mTc Nanocoll in 0.1 mL (Nycomed Amersham Sorin; particle size range, 3-80 nm) was injected intradermally around the MM lesion or surgical scar. Dynamic acquisition was performed for 20 minutes (20 frames/min) and the study was concluded within four hours of injection. Using an external radioactive marker, the skin over the SLN was marked with China ink. Results 294 SLNs were scintigraphically identified: 117 in the inguinal region, 147 in the axillae, four in the submandibular region, three in the laterocervical region and 23 at other sites. In two patients no drainage was detected. In 43 patients more than one sentinel node was identified. In 13 patients with lesions located in the trunk the tracer drained towards multiple lymph node stations or unexpected lymph nodes (nine cases). Histology and immunohistochemistry diagnosed MM in 25 SLNs; 19 were positive for metastasis with hematoxylin-eosin staining, five with Hmb45 and one with CD68 immunostaining. All 25 detected lymphatic basins were excised. In nine of these basins there was metastatic involvement of at least one other lymph node besides the SLN. During follow-up, which ranged from six to 86 months, metastatic disease was found in only one patient with a histologically negative SLN six months after surgery. Conclusions This study confirms the utility of scintigraphic SLN detection in patients with MM. In most of the cases the procedure led the surgeon to evaluate the drainage area, which is unpredictable for lesions in the trunk and may be difficult to delineate using only patent blue dye. Furthermore, in approximately 10% of cases we observed dual drainage from individual lesions, mainly those located on the trunk. We will proceed to compare the results obtained during follow-up with those of an investigational group of patients with melanoma who were not subjected to lymphoscintigraphy for SLN detection in order to obtain well-founded information on the prognostic value of this technique.


SUMMARY Geological and geotechnical researches and studies must be done before the preparation of construction plans of urban area for the proper and safe construction. The perfect urbanization should be carried out on the pre-determined favorable soil. In this scope, 32 different Seismic Cone Penetration Test (SCPT) was applied into new alluvial deposit in the study area. The studied area is approximately 25 km 2 . The soil classification map of the studied area was prepared based on the regional changes of the average shear wave velocity (Vsav) value of the unconsolidated layer recommended by the standards of National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). Supervised classification method was applied on Landsat satellite images of 1987 and 1999 of the area to determine the development of urbanization. Development of the urbanization was examined according to NEHRP soil classification. The distribution of the urban development on different soil conditions was sought using Geographic Information System (GIS). It is determined that, the increase of urbanization on the D type soil and E type soil were 63 % and 7 % respectively. On the other hand 30 % increase was determined on old alluvial deposit and rock formations. As a result, it is understood that the development of urbanization was increasing on unavailable soil conditions.


Reliable determination of metabolic and physical activity pa- rameters and influences of blood pressure indicators is relevant in the development of rehabilitation training programmes for people of all ages, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pan- demic and the aging of the working population. The purpose of the study was to determine reliable parameters that were shaping general health during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in the age- related aspect. This study used the results of comprehensive health monitoring data of 603 adults aged 20–89 from the Human Health Passport online tool (Ukraine) for the period of 2020–2022. On- line health monitoring showed the consequences of mild forms of COVID-19 disease. The main indicators informing about this effect were the laboratory-method indicator for confirming a viral disease and the number of cases of mild forms of the dis- ease. The indirect influence of this factor on various indicators of health, physical activity, metabolism, indicators of blood pressure compensation should also be considered. As for the age aspect, the state of health had a higher influence on the indicators of body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and its correction with drugs, the daily walking distance and exercises performed, and a danger- ous loss of appetite. A noticeable drop in body weight and loss of appetite are reliable factors in the incidence of falls and decline in health. The leading factors shaping the health of the active popu- lation in mild forms of COVID-19 are physical activity (7.77%), metabolism (5.91%), and the blood pressure level (5.21%).


OBJECTIVE
To study correlations of childhood bullying and victimization with juvenile criminality.

DESIGN
Longitudinal birth cohort study from age 8 years to ages 16 to 20 years.

SETTING
Population-based study from Finland.

PARTICIPANTS
The sample comprised 2551 boys (86.6% of the original birth cohort) with complete information about bullying and victimization from parents, teachers, and children at age 8 years.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
Information about criminal offenses from the National Police Register at ages 16 to 20 years.

RESULTS
Frequent bullies and those who frequently both bullied and were bullied (8.8% of the sample) were responsible for 33.0% of all juvenile crimes during the 4-year study period. Frequent bully-only status predicted both occasional and repeated offending, whereas bully-victim status predicted repeated offending. Bullying predicted most types of crime (violence, property, drunk driving, and traffic offenses) when controlled with parental education level. However, frequent bullies or victims without a high level of psychiatric symptoms were not at an elevated risk for later criminality.

CONCLUSIONS
Boys who frequently bully are at risk for later criminality when this condition is accompanied by a high level of psychiatric symptoms. Frequent bullies should be actively screened for psychiatric problems.


Well intervention operations can inflict large strains on a wellhead. The seabed in the North Sea is very rigid up to the point where the sea water meets the mud or sand. This is one of the reasons why wellheads operating on the Norwegian continental shelf are more exposed to fatigue damage. In search for more oil and the wish to increase the utilization rate of existing wells the oil companies drill more and more, causing more and more fatigue life consumption. The oil companies must provide sufficient documentation that the wellhead always has enough remaining fatigue life to perform a Plug and Abandon (P&A) operation. Full scale measurements has been collected for a marine drilling riser connected to a moored Aker H-3 rig operating on a field with a depth of 325 m. The angles at the bottom of the riser above the lower marine riser package are used to calculate the consumed cumulative fatigue life using rainflow cycle counting and Miner-Palmgren summation. A simulation model has been developed in the computer simulation program RIFLEX, which is a state of the art simulation program developed especially for slender structures such as a riser in a marine environment. The model was built with relatively conservative assumptions. This resulted on fatigue life assessments that gave a shorter operation life than what was found using the full scale measurements. Using such simulation is often the only tool available to document fatigue life consumption since full scale measurement tools are rarely installed and used. It is vital that the simulation yield reliable and correct results and as close to the true result as possible. A series of similar simulation models were developed where we looked at the effect of taking away some of the conservatism in the original model. First we looked at the difference between a JONSWAP wave spectrum and a Torsethaugen wave spectrum. The difference lies in the assumption of that a sea state is a superposition of wind driven waves and swell waves, where the Torsethaugen use empirical data collected from the North Sea to account for the difference. A Torsethaugen is a double-peaked spectrum while the JONSWAP spectrum is a single-peaked spectrum. The difference between the two results gave little or no effect on the motion characteristics and fatigue life. Then we introduce a directional wave spectrum, meaning that waves may be short-crested and spread around a mean wave direction. This reduced the angular motion in terms of standard deviation significantly. The reduction was between 10% - 15%. It also affected the fatigue life positively. In the next model we introduced non-linear behaviour in the lower flex joint while the waves now were unidirectional. In terms of standard deviation the reduction was the same as for the model with wave spreading. In the last comparison model we used both non-linear flex joint behaviour and wave spreading. The total reduction was again significant. For some of the simulation even up to 30% compared to the original model. All the standard deviation from the full scale data has natural variances from data set to data set and most of the computer simulation fell within this margin of error. For all simulation models the model was tested with different mean heading direction of the waves. The mean heading directions were 0 deg, 30 deg, 60 deg and 90 deg relative to the rig. While the full scale measurement had little correlation between the measured response direction and the weather direction, the simulation were very consistent on this matter. Some simulations with current and support vessel offset was performed to find the effect on the standard deviation. While the presence of current damped the angular motion, the standard deviation increased with increasing support vessel offset. A discussion around the uncertainty of the true characteristics of the non-linear model explains some of the behaviour. When comparing fatigue life the calculated fatigue life consumption became closer and closer to the measured value as we removed the conservatism. However, by a closer investigation of the angle range spectra which is used in the Miner-Palmgren summation there was found differences that need more attention. While the angle range spectrum from the full scale measurement show a close to linear relation between numbers of cycles exceeding ranges the shape for the simulated models were far from linear. In terms of the shape parameter in the Weibull distribution it was found through fitting the curve that the shape model for full scale and RIFLEX simulations were around 1.05 and 1.9, respectively. It is this difference in shape that demands a closer investigation of the simulation models. The fact that the fatigue life approached the true fatigue life so closely should so far be regarded as a coincidence and not a result of good model approximations. It was also found that the full scale motion for some of the time series are low frequency dominated, i.e. high energy in oscillating components with a frequency outside the wave spectrum. Some peak periods reach periods over a minute or even two. This is an effect that is unaccounted for in the models presented in this thesis.


Several lines of evidence suggest that N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptors significantly contribute to the development of kindling. In addition, a lasting enhancement of the NMDA receptor function has been suggested to play a significant role in the chronic hyperexcitability occurring in the hippocampus after kindling epileptogenesis. We have investigated whether hippocampal kindling induces changes in the NMDA receptor at the molecular level by assessing the expression of mRNAs of the different spliced variants at the N‐terminal (exon 5) and C‐terminal (exon 21) position of the NMDA receptor 1 (NR1) gene by means of the reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. Alternative splicing at exon 5 confers different sensitivity of the NMDA receptor to polyamines while exon 21 encodes a 37‐amino acid insert containing the major phosphorylation sites for protein kinase C. One week after the acquisition of stage 5 of kindling in rats (generalized tonic‐clonic seizures), the relative abundance of the two alternatively spliced forms at the C‐terminal domain, respectively containing (+) or lacking (−) exon 21, was reversed compared to controls (implanted with electrodes but not stimulated) in the dorsal hippocampus ipsilateral and contralateral to the electrical stimulation. The exon 21+/exon 21− mRNA ratio for controls was 1.3 ± 0.04 (mean ± SE); for ipsilaterally kindled rats it was 0.64 ± 0.05 (P < 0.05), and for contralaterally kindled rats it was 0.48 ± 0.07 (P < 0.01). Similar bilateral effects were observed in the ventral hippocampus (temporal pole). No changes were found 4 weeks after stage 5 seizures and 1 week after the induction of a single afterdischarge. No significant alterations were induced by kindling in the relative abundance of the spliced variants containing or lacking exon 5. Our findings show selective changes in alternative splicing of the NR1 gene after repeated application of an epileptogenic stimulus. This may generate receptors with different functional properties, which may contribute to the increased sensitivity for the induction of generalized seizures during kindling.


BACKGROUND
Mammographic density and circulating sex hormones are two well-confirmed predictors of breast cancer risk. Whether mammographic density reflects levels of endogenous sex hormones is unclear. We examined whether these predictors are independently associated with breast cancer risk in a prospective study.

METHODS
We conducted a nested case-control study within the Nurses' Health Study cohort of 253 case subjects with breast cancer and 520 control subjects. All participants were postmenopausal women who were not using postmenopausal hormones at the time of both blood collection and mammography. Plasma levels of estradiol, free estradiol, testosterone, and free testosterone were evaluated. Mammographic density was assessed by use of computer-assisted analysis of mammograms. Logistic regression models that were adjusted for matching variables and potential confounders were used to calculate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). All statistical tests were two-sided.

RESULTS
Levels of circulating sex steroids and mammographic density were both statistically significantly and independently associated with breast cancer risk. The relative risk of breast cancer associated with mammographic density (RR for highest quartile compared with lowest quartile = 3.8, 95% CI = 2.2 to 6.6; P(trend)<.001) changed little when the analysis was adjusted for circulating estradiol (RR = 3.9, 95% CI = 2.2 to 6.9; P(trend)<.001) or circulating testosterone (RR = 4.1, 95% CI = 2.3 to 7.2; P(trend)<.001). Circulating levels of estradiol (RR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.4 to 4.0) and of testosterone (RR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.2 to 3.1) were both associated with breast cancer risk, before and after adjustment for mammographic density. In a joint analysis of mammographic density and plasma testosterone, the risk of breast cancer was highest in the highest tertiles of both relative to the lowest tertiles of both (RR = 6.0, 95% CI = 2.6 to 14.0). A similar pattern was observed in the joint analysis of estradiol and mammographic density (RR = 4.1, 95% CI = 1.7 to 9.8).

CONCLUSIONS
Circulating sex steroid levels and mammographic density appear strongly and independently associated with the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.


Phospholipases A 2 (PLA 2 ) are enzymes that specifically hydrolyze the sn-2 fatty acid acyl bond of phospholipids, producing a free fatty acid and a lyso-phospholipid. We report the cloning and expression of a secretory phospholipase A 2 (sPLA 2 ) from Mesobuthus tamulus , Indian red scorpion. The nucleotide sequence codes for a 167 residue enzyme. The open reading frame codes for a 31 amino acid signal peptide followed by a mature portion of the protein. The primary structure shows the calcium binding motif, catalytic residues, 8 highly-conserved cysteines and C-terminal extension which classify it as a group III PLA 2 . The entire transcript was expressed in Escherichia coli and was purified by metal affinity chromatography under denaturing conditions. The protein was refolded by serial dilutions in the refolding buffer to its active form. Hemolytic assays indicate that the protein adopts a functional conformation. The functional requisites such as optimum pH of 8 and calcium dependency are shown. This report provides a simple but robust methodology for recombinant expression of toxic proteins.


Background: Lipids are major cell membrane components essential for various biological functions including cell growth and division of normal and malignant tissues. Low lipid values in cancer, precancer lesion and condition may be because of lipid peroxidation as there is greater utilization of lipids including total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) for new membrane biogenesis. Cells fulfill these requirements either from circulation or by synthesis through the metabolism. Objective: The present study was aimed at elucidating alteration in serum lipid profile and blood glucose level in Oral Precancerous patients. Method: A total sample size of 90 subjects were chosen , 30 were diagnosed with leukoplakia and 30 with OSMF and compared with 30 control group. The serum triglycerides were estimated by GPO-PAPA END point Assay method; total cholesterol by CHOD-PAP and HDL cholesterol by PEG-CHOD-PAP, End point assay method with lipid clearing factors. The LDL and VLDL levels were calculated using Friedewalds equation. Result: This study showed that two parameters TC, TG of lipid profile were significantly reduced in oral Precancerous group cases as compared to age and sex matched healthy controls. There was no significant change in LDL, VLDL, HDL, FBS, and PPBS. Conclusion: Lower serum TC, TG may indicate with increased risk of precancer occurrence. It may be used as an adjunctive tool in evaluation of oral cancer and pre cancer along with other parameters of biochemical markers.


Part I describes vibration tests, in a wind tunnel, of simple airfoils and of the tail plane of an M0-1 airplane model; it also describes the air flow about this model. From these tests are drawn inferences as to the cause and cure of aerodynamic wing vibrations. Part II derives stability criteria for wing vibrations in pitch and roll, and gives design rules to obviate instability. Part III shows how to design spars to flex equally under a given wing loading and thereby economically minimize the twisting in pitch that permits cumulative flutter. Resonant flutter is not likely to ensue from turbulence of air flow along past wings and tail planes in usual flying conditions. To be flutterproof a wing must be void of reversible autorotation and not have its centroid far aft of its pitching axis, i. e., axis of pitching motion. Danger of flutter is minimized by so proportioning the wing's torsional resisting moment to the air pitching moment at high-speed angles that the torsional flexure is always small. (author).


Objective To determine if the electrical activity of the diaphragm, as measure of neural respiratory drive and breathing effort, changes over time in preterm infants transitioned from nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) to high flow nasal cannula (HFNC). Design Prospective observational study. Setting Neonatal intensive care unit. Patients Stable preterm infants transitioned from nCPAP to HFNC using a 1:1 pressure to flow ratio. Interventions The electrical activity of the diaphragm was measured by transcutaneous electromyography (dEMG) from 30 min before until 3 hours after the transition. Main outcome measures At eight time points after the transition to HFNC, diaphragmatic activity was compared with the baseline on nCPAP. Percentage change in amplitudedEMG, peakdEMG and tonicdEMG were calculated. Furthermore, changes in respiratory rate, heart rate and fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) were analysed. Results Thirty-two preterm infants (mean gestational age: 28.1±2.2 weeks, mean birth weight: 1118±368 g) were included. Compared with nCPAP, the electrical activity of the diaphragm did not change during the first 3 hours on HFNC (median (IQR) change in amplitudedEMG at t=180 min: 2.81% (−21.51–14.10)). The respiratory rate, heart rate and FiO2 remained stable during the 3-hour measurement. Conclusions Neural respiratory drive and breathing effort assessed by electrical activity of the diaphragm is similar in the first 3 hours after transitioning stable preterm infants from nCPAP to HFNC with a 1:1 pressure-to-flow ratio.


The rotary blade is usually used as a soil-gashing tool to improve degenerated grassland in Chinese arid and semi-arid zones by breaking hardened soil layer without overturning soil. This kind of rotary blades has one sharpened side-edge only. When operating, this sharp edge can penetrate into soil to break the hardened layer. A mathematical model was developed to optimize the geometry of the blade with the goal of minimizing the torque. Experiments were conducted in a soil bin to verify the model and optimize design. Variables in this study included five different sliding cutting angles of the side-edge and three different section shapes of the blade. The Soil bin soil had similar soil textures with the grassland soil to be investigated, but there were no roots and other crop residues in the bin soil. The blade was operated at a constant speed of 0.6m/s, rotational speed of 300rpm and depth of 200mm. A torque sensor was used to measure the torque of the driving shaft. The results of mathematical model and experiment indicated that the torque requirements were significantly affected by the cutting angle of the side-edge and section shape. Test results indicated that the blade with sliding cutting angles from 46°to 51°had the lowest torque requirements. Different section shapes of blades requested significantly different torques, and optimal shape was determined.


Let $\mathfrak{n}$ be a maximal nilpotent subalgebra of a simple complex Lie
algebra with root system $\Phi$. A subset $D$ of the set $\Phi^+$ of positive
roots is called a rook placement if it consists of roots with pairwise
non-positive scalar products. To each rook placement $D$ and each map $\xi$
from $D$ to the set $\mathbb{C}^{\times}$ of nonzero complex numbers one can
naturally assign the coadjoint orbit $\Omega_{D,\xi}$ in the dual space
$\mathfrak{n}^*$. By definition, $\Omega_{D,\xi}$ is the orbit of $f_{D,\xi}$,
where $f_{D,\xi}$ is the sum of root covectors $e_{\alpha}^*$ multiplied by
$\xi(\alpha)$, $\alpha\in D$. (In fact, almost all coadjoint orbits studied at
the moment have such a form for certain $D$ and $\xi$.) It follows from the
results of Andr\`e that if $\xi_1$ and $\xi_2$ are distinct maps from $D$ to
$\mathbb{C}^{\times}$ then $\Omega_{D,\xi_1}$ and $\Omega_{D,\xi_2}$ do not
coincide for classical root systems $\Phi$. We prove that this is true if
$\Phi$ is of type $G_2$, or if $\Phi$ is of type $F_4$ and $D$ is orthogonal.


ABSTRACT This small-scale design-based study describes a cyclical model of professional learning between three stakeholders in initial teacher education (ITE) namely: university-based educators (UEs), student teachers (STs) and co-operating teachers (CTs). This model promotes the development of digital learning leaders through an innovative mentoring process. This process started with university-based educators (UEs) mentoring their student teachers (STs) in the pedagogical use of Virtual Reality (VR) and the creation of re-usable learning objects (RLOs). STs were supported and encouraged to cascade this learning to their placement schools as digital learning leaders connecting the innovative practice from the university directly to their classroom practice. Through bi-directional reverse-mentoring the STs and CTs supported each other technically (with the VR) and pedagogical (through the links to the curriculum) to create additional subject-specific RLOs which the STs were able to demonstrate to the UEs on their return to university. Thus, providing the final link in the cycle of learning leaders across the triad of partners in ITE.


Neither the law of war nor the criminal law, alone or in combination, provides an adequate legal structure for responding to the most serious threats posed by Al Qaeda and similar groups. After identifying the limits of the criminal law and the law of war for these purposes, this article outlines a comprehensive proposal for counterterrorism prosecution and detention policy. Appended to the article is the draft Counterterrorism Detention, Treatment and Release Act. The legislation proposed: 1) defines the category of persons to be subject to detention; 2) delineates procedures for identifying individuals falling within that category; 3) provides a system for the appeal and periodic review of detention determinations; 4) prescribes standards of detention; and, 5) specifies criteria for and conditions of release. It contains provisions for application of the Act in the territorial U.S. and abroad, in theaters of hostilities, and otherwise. The draft legislation provides the requisite legal foundation and procedural framework for protection of national security while upholding constitutional principles, complying with the law of war, and safeguarding against erroneous detention. It is applicable equally to the disposition of the detainees currently at Guantanamo as to other instances of counterterrorism detention, elsewhere or in the future. The legislation proposed thus provides a mechanism for resolving the quandaries of Guantanamo in a principled manner, without the creation of ad hoc rules for special cases.


Abstract Melatonin has an important role in the regulation of human sleep circadian rhythms. Sleep disturbances commonly exist in schizophrenia (SCZ) patients. To begin its performance, melatonin must interact to its receptor. In the present study, Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) of melatonin receptor gene 1 B (MTN1B) with SCZ development in Iranian population were investigated. The current case-control study was performed on 92 SCZ patients and 92 healthy control (HC) subjects. NESTED-PCR and ARMS-PCR modified methods (combination) and ARMSPCR method were used on the genotype. The impact of MTN1B rs3781637 (T/C) and rs10830963(C/G) polymorphism variants on the risk SCZ in the sample of Iranian population was investigated. The findings showed significant association between MTN1B rs10830963(C/G) variant and SCZ (OR=2.78, 95%CI=1.25-6.25, P=0.012, GG vs. CC, OR=1.66, 95%CI=1.09-2.51, P=0.021 G vs. C, OR=3.85 95%CI=.89-8.33, P<0.0001, GG vs. CC+CG). There was no association between MTN1B rs3781637 (T/C) and SCZ risk. In addition, haplotype analysis revealed that TG and CC haplotype of rs3781637 (T/C) and rs10830963 (C/G) polymorphisms were associated with SCZ risk (P=0.039) and protective (P<0.0001) effects, respectively. The findings revealed that MTN1B rs10830963 (C/G) polymorphism was associated with the risk of SCZ; while another SNP rs3781637 (T/C) MTN1B gene did not show any risk/protection association with SCZ. Further studies with larger sample sizes and different ethnicities are required to approve the results.


Abstract Identification of associations between site properties and weed species abundance led to the generation of hypotheses as to why weed populations occur where they do, or do not, in agricultural fields. The objective of this research was to use a multivariate statistical technique, canonical correlation analysis, to identify the associations. Two continuous Zea mays production fields under center-pivot irrigation in the central Platte River Valley of Nebraska were grid-sampled between 1994 and 1997 for nine site properties and six to seven weed species. Weed species were identified and counted just prior to postemergence weed control in two adjacent quadrats (1 by 0.38 m) at each grid sampling point. These quadrats represented untreated weed populations emerging between crop rows and treated populations that survived preemergence herbicide banded within the crop row. Canonical correlation analysis identified one to five significant correlations between linear combinations of site properties and weed species abundance depending on field site, years, and between- vs. on-crop row weed populations. The first pair of linear combinations consistently described an association that separated weed species across a gradient of topography and soil type. The second pair of linear combinations described associations between weed species and soil fertility. In all cases, it was hypothesized that management practices strongly interacted with site properties to create the observed associations with weed populations. Other hypothesized mechanisms for weed patchiness include patchiness in available soil moisture that would influence weed seed germination, emergence, and seedling growth. Additional variation in plant-available preemergence herbicide concentration across the field site would vary weed control efficacy. Another mechanism would be variation in soil fertility that affects the growth, reproduction, and competitive ability of both the crop and the weed. Nomenclature: Abutilon theophrasti Medicus ABUTH, velvetleaf; Amaranthus spp., pigweed; Apocynum cannabinum L. APCCA, hemp dogbane; Helianthus annuus L. HELAN, common sunflower; Physalis subglabrata Mack. et Bush. PHYSU, smooth groundcherry; Setaria spp., foxtail; Solanum ptycanthum Dun. ex DC. SOLPT, eastern black nightshade; Strophostyles leiosperma (T. et G.) Piper, smoothseed wildbean; Zea mays L., corn.


Urge incontinence, also referred to as overactive bladder (OAB)-wet, is the involuntary loss of urine accompanied by or immediately preceded by a sensation of urgency. It has a reported overall prevalence of 16.0% in men and 16.9% in women. Currently, the mainstay of management for symptomatic urgency and OAB-wet is medical therapy.


Evaluation of balance control ability would become important in the rehabilitation training. In this paper, in order to make clear usefulness and limitation of a traditional simple inverted pendulum model in balance prediction in sit-to-stand movements, the traditional simple model was compared to an inertia (rotational radius) variable inverted pendulum model including multiple-joint influence in the balance predictions. The predictions were tested upon experimentation with six healthy subjects. The evaluation showed that the multiple-joint influence model is more accurate in predicting balance under demanding sit-to-stand conditions. On the other hand, the evaluation also showed that the traditionally used simple inverted pendulum model is still reliable in predicting balance during sit-to-stand movement under non-demanding (normal) condition. Especially, the simple model was shown to be effective for sit-to-stand movements with low center of mass velocity at the seat-off. Moreover, almost all trajectories under the normal condition seemed to follow the same control strategy, in which the subjects used extra energy than the minimum one necessary for standing up. This suggests that the safety considerations come first than the energy efficiency considerations during a sit to stand, since the most energy efficient trajectory is close to the backward fall boundary.


It was recently proposed that cosmic rays are first accelerated at the redshift of z ≈ 20 by supernova remnants of first stars without the large scale magnetic field. In this study, we investigate the large scale magnetic field generation by the first cosmic rays. We show that even though the current and charge neutralities are initially satisfied, the current neutrality is eventually violated if there is an inhomogeneity, so that the magnetic field is generated. In addition, we propose a new driving mechanism for the Biermann battery in an inhomogeneous plasma with streaming cosmic rays. We demonstrate the new generation mechanisms of the magnetic field by conducting three-fluid plasma simulations and particle in cell simulation. We propose that the first cosmic rays generate the magnetic field with a large scale at the redshift of z ≈ 20.


The identity of heath-leaved cypress is controversial. In this study nucleotide sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA were used to identify heath-leaved cypress (Chamaecy- paris 'Ericoides') species. Sixteen individuals were sampled representing the fi ve species of Chamaecyparis, 'Ericoides', and four other genera of Cupressaceae (Cupressus, Fokienia, Juniperus, and Thuja). The results placed 'Ericoides' unequivocally to Chamaecyparis thyoides, supporting a conclusion derived from wood anatomy. This study supports the usefulness and integrity of using molecular data to identify the genetic affi nity of cultivars that are morphologically different from the parent species.


This case study and analysis explores the brief, 17-month tenure of Sam Olens as President of Kennesaw State University, including his controversial appointment, leadership mis-steps, and eventual resignation. The political and social contexts of his tenure, which coincided with political turmoil in the wake of the 2016 election and a subsequent resurgence in progressive activism throughout the country, are considered as contributing factors to his downfall. Likewise, his status as an outsider to higher education at the time of his appointment, his visibility as an outspoken conservative, and his employment being the perceived benefit of political corruption are all noted as a contributing elements to his inability to earn the confidence of the faculty and student body of Kennesaw State University, along with his divisive, misguided, and ill-conceived actions while in his executive position. The role of institutional context in regards to the recent histories of Kennesaw State University, the University System of Georgia, and the state of shared governance in American higher education as a whole are respectively explored in how they set the stage for Olens' tumultuous and temporary reign at Kennesaw State. A set of recommended courses of action are presented as counterfactual alternatives to the events as they actually occurred, based on higher education leadership literature.


Medical education is challenging, but for some students it can be very stressful. Studies suggest that stress during medical education can have a negative impact on students' mental health and that burnout is frequent among medical school students. The aim of this study was to measure burnout among students of medicine/dentistry (M/D) at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, in relation to their perception of stress, so as to enable planning preventative activities for students at risk. The data were collected in a cross-sectional study, carried out in spring 2008 among the total population of MID students of 1St, 3rd, 4th and 6th year, using a self-administered online questionnaire. Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) instrument was used. Separate burnout scores were calculated for the exhaustion and disengagement dimensions of burnout, and related to students'perception of stress. Multiple linear regression method was carried out to adjust the association estimates for several potential confounders (gender, study program, relationship status, and grade). The overall response rate was 47.2%, and a total of 476 students participated. Students scored higher on exhaustion than on disengagement dimension--the mean value of burnout scores on the exhaustion dimension scale was -1.68, while it was -4.58 on the disengagement dimension scale. The results showed a statistically significant difference between high and low risk-for-stress groups of students in both burnout dimensions (average value of burnout scores on the exhaustion scale: high risk-for-stress group -3.69, low risk-for-stress group 0.19, p<0.001; average value of burnout scores on the disengagement scale: high risk-for-stress group -5.57, low risk-for-stress group -3.65, p<0.001). After adjustment for potential confounders differences on both burnout subscales remained almost unchanged. Results confirmed our hypothesis that M/D students of Ljubljana Faculty of Medicine who frequently experience stress (especially those with poor coping mechanisms), exhibit higher degree of burnout.


Abstract Although the public perception of landscape aesthetics should be considered in environmental management, previous studies of riverscapes have given insufficient attention to rivers in woodland areas. In such woodland areas it is desirable to know how the unmanaged river channels are regarded aesthetically, and whether the presence of coarse woody debris affects the perception of riverscape aesthetics. This study used carefully selected photographs of type sites representing different types of woodland channel, together with some channels affected by urbanization, all in south-central England. After an initial pilot study, a data set was obtained from a total of 199 largely student responses to a set of 20 photographic slides in three groups of geography undergraduates, psychology undergraduates and research students and staff. In addition to analysis of these responses, the slides were rated by two independent operators according to their natural character, and the content of each of the 20 photographs was analysed quantitatively so that a regression analysis could relate the quantitative variables established for each photograph to the reaction of the respondents. The most natural woodland channels containing debris are not the most highly rated, and, according to the regression equations, the assessment of channel colour, reflecting water quality and the percentage of channelized bank are the two best single predictors of overall scenic aesthetic preference. In woodland areas, the general preference is for channels which do not have in-channel debris, but the advantages of retaining such debris should be considered in channel management strategies and an improvement in the public appreciation of the significance of such debris in woodland river channels could preferably be made.


Both competitions are open to all ACP & APP members, as this is a Joint Prize. However, we want to encourage others to enter. Therefore, anyone who is not an ACP or APP member can pay an entry fee of £40, which entitles them to APP membership for 1 year, with access to both Journals. USA, European or International practitioners can enter via entry fee. Groups entries are via membership/entry fee. Trainees can enter. (All existing ACP/APP members do not need to pay any entry fee). Entries should be submitted at any time to the Prize Chair (email@example.com). Award of prize winners will be announced at the Annual Phil Richardson Memorial Research Lecture.


Background: Standard treatment for subungual melanoma is wide local excision including digit amputation in order to obtain safety margins. Level of amputation has been discussed in order to achieve appropriate oncological results along with preservation of limb function wherein local excision of subungual melanoma in situ without amputation is an option. Methods: We report two cases of subungual melanoma in situ treated by using a conservative approach. Both cases were treated with local excision with the resected tumor defect covered with an artificial dermis, Matriderm?. One case was of a 65-year-old male with a left thumb subungual melanoma in situ and another of a 41-year-old female with the same type of melanoma in the left hallux. Full-thickness skin graft was used for reconstruction after 7 weeks from the first surgery in the latter, and in the former case re-epithelization occurred within 90 days after surgery. To date, no clinical signs of recurrence have been found, and finger/toe functions were completely preserved with a minimized scar and little graft bed sensitivity. Follow-up time is two years and ten months for the left thumb case, and one year and six months for the left hallux subungual melanoma in situ. Conclusion: We present two cases of subungual melanoma in situ treated with digit sparing surgery including excision of the periosteum followed by the use of an artificial dermal template to guarantee coverage of the tumor bed defect, providing good functional and cosmetic outcome.


The second Transatlantic Early Career Investigator (ECI) G Protein-Coupled Receptor (GPCR) Symposium was an online scientific meeting geared at young GPCR investigators, with the primary goal of expanding opportunities for sharing research and networking among trainees in North America and Europe. Here, we discuss the format of our meeting, its impact, and the challenges and opportunities facing meetings like it in the future.


This comprehensive history of Tunisia covers an essential period in the country's development, from the Arab conquest of the seventh century to the Jasmine Revolution and the fall of Ben Ali's regime in 2010. Tunisia since the Arab Conquest describes the evolution of the Tunisian state, its place in the Mediterranean basin and its contacts with the civilizations of that region. Beginning with the Arab conquest of AD 648-669, Dr. Jacob Abadi analyses the crucial events that shaped the country's history in the dynastic age. He then goes on to discuss the impact of the Ottoman conquest and the impact of the European competition in the Mediterranean on the development of the Tunisian state. Abadi provides a thorough coverage of the French conquest, and the French Protectorate and their impact on the country's development. He discusses Franco - Tunisian relations in a vivid manner, and explores the impact of the first and second World Wars on the country. Abadi then examines the Tunisian nationalist movement and the country's struggle for independence, assessing the impact of the main personalities who played a role in that movement. Tunisia's relations with France and the methods by which the country obtained its independence are discussed in great detail. The narrative continues with an analysis of the political, social, economic and cultural developments in Tunisia since its independence, including an in-depth analysis of the country's achievements and failures under the regimes of Habib Bourguiba and Ben Ali. Based on primary and secondary sources in Arabic, French, Italian, Hebrew and English this book will provide the reader with a comprehensive history of the country in one volume. It is essential reading for students and academics who wish to understand the formative years of the Tunisian state as well as the political developments, which took place after its independence.


We have used a unique polymorphic 3' transduction to show that a human L1, or LINE-1 (long interspersed nucleotide element-1), retrotransposition event most likely occurred in the maternal primary oocyte during meiosis I. We characterized a truncated L1 retrotransposon with a 3' transduction that was inserted, in a Dutch male patient, into the X-linked gene CYBB, thereby causing chronic granulomatous disease. We used the unique flanking sequence to localize the precursor L1 locus, LRE3, to chromosome 2q24.1. In a cell culture assay, the retrotransposition frequency of LRE3 is greater than that for any other element that has been tested to date. The patient's mother had two LRE3 alleles that differed slightly in the 3'-flanking genomic DNA. The patient had a single LRE3 allele that was identical to one of the maternal alleles; however, the patient's insertion matched the maternal LRE3 allele that he did not inherit. Other data indicate that there is only a small chance that the father (unavailable for analysis) carries the precursor LRE3 allele. In addition, paternal origin of the insertion would have required that an LRE3 mRNA transcribed before meiosis II be carried separately from its precursor LRE3 allele in the fertilizing sperm. Since the mother carries a potential precursor allele and the insertion was on the patient's maternal X chromosome, it is highly likely that the insertion originated during maternal meiosis I.


A minimal realisation scheme for a class of multiple time-delay transfer function matrices with distinct poles is presented. Also, a simple minimal realisation method is developed for a specific two-input-two-output multiple time-delay system whose poles can be repeated. In addition, a state-space discretisation technique developed for a multivariable system with a single time delay is extended to a multivariable system with multiple time delays. Finally, it should be mentioned that the proposed approach is restricted to systems where multiple time delays arise only in the input and output, and not in the state. Illustrative examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.


In this paper, we report a layer-by-layer (LbL) molecular imprinting strategy for constructing molecular recognition sites at the surface of colloidal silica particles by glutaraldehyde (GA)-mediated covalent assembly of gelatin protein in aqueous media. Accompanying the repeated coating of gelatin at the amine-capped silica particles, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) templates were synchronously imprinted into the formed gelatin shells by the charge-transfer interaction between the electron-deficient aromatic rings of TNT and the electron-rich amino groups of gelatin chains. The effective molecular recognition sites generated at the protein interlayers of gelatin shells of monodisperse silica@gelatin particles, and the rebinding TNT capacities changed nonlinearly with the layer number of imprinted gelatin. Three layers of imprinted gelatin produced the largest imprinting factor of approximately 3.0, which is explained by the covalent assembly mechanism. The imprinting protocol is applicable to a broad range of biomaterials (such as proteins, enzymes, chitosan and biopolymers) for imprinting various molecules in aqueous media. Therefore, these results reported here will open a new window of interest in the exploration of novel molecular recognition systems for application in chemosensors, selective separation, and drug screening and release.


PURPOSE
Morphologic and immunohistochemical studies of familial breast cancers have identified specific characteristics associated with BRCA1 mutation-associated tumors when compared with BRCA2 and non-BRCA1/2 tumors, but have not identified differences between BRCA2 and non-BRCA1/2 tumors. Because BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes participate in the DNA repair pathway, we have performed an immunohistochemical study with markers related to this pathway to establish the profile of the three groups.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
We have studied two tissue microarrays that include 103 familial and 104 sporadic breast tumors, with a panel of DNA repair markers including ATM, CHEK2, RAD51, RAD50, XRCC3, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen.

RESULTS
We found more frequent expression of CHEK2 in BRCA1 and BRCA2 tumors than in non-BRCA1/2 and sporadic tumors. We found absence of nuclear expression and presence of cytoplasmic expression of RAD51 in BRCA2 tumors that differentiate them from other familial tumors. We validated these results with a new series of patient cases. The final study with 253 familial patient cases (74 BRCA1, 71 BRCA2, 108 non-BRCA1/2), and 288 sporadic patient cases, has allowed us to confirm our preliminary results. Because BRCA2 tumors present a specific immunohistochemical profile for RAD51 and CHEK2 markers that is different from non-BRCA1/2 tumors, we have built a multivariate model with these markers that distinguish both tumors with an estimated probability of at least 76%.

CONCLUSION
Our results suggest that BRCA2 tumors demonstrate more cytoplasmic and less nuclear RAD51 staining, and increased CHEK2 staining. This pattern may distinguish BRCA2 from familial non-BRCA1/2 tumors.


The dimensioning of wireless communication protocols for networked control involves a non-trivial trade-off between reliability and delay. Due to the lossy nature of wireless communications, there is a risk that sensor messages will be dropped. The end-to-end reliability can be improved by retransmitting dropped messages, but this comes at the expense of additional delays. In this work, we determine the number of retransmissions that strikes the optimal balance between communication reliability and delay, in the sense that it achieves the minimal expected linear-quadratic loss of the closed-loop system. An important feature of our setup is that it accounts for the random delays and possible losses that occur when unreliable communication is combatted with retransmissions. The resulting controller dynamically switches among a set of infinite-horizon linear-quadratic regulators, and is simple to implement. Numerical simulations are carried out to highlight the trade-off between reliability and delay.


A current-mode biquad filter employing dual-x second generation current conveyor as active element is presented. The proposed circuit has one input and three outputs and can simultaneously realize low-pass, band-pass and high-pass responses. The biquad employs three DXCCIIs, three triode MOSFETs and two grounded capasitors. It avails tunability via control voltages with aid of triode MOSFETs. PSPICE simulation results verify to theory. The circuit proposed provides to the IC designer new possibilities to realize IF blocks in ICs for several communication systems such as GSM and radio receivers.


This study used a mixed design of the Indonesian National Standard 03-28472002. Were performed in the laboratory using artificial coarse aggregate maximum size is the size of the coarse aggregate artificial 10-40 mm. The sample used for the maximum size of coarse aggregate artificial amounted to 30 samples. The results of the overall test that the clay ex. Bengalon have a fairly high abrasion value is 60.08% in aggregate categories that can not be used as coarse aggregate for concrete structural class II and quality of K-125, K-175 and K-225 with abrasion condition (27-40%) , a very high absorption values ranged 20.223% that control water demand in the concrete mix is relatively difficult, and low yields an average compressive strength of 28 days produced by the method SNI 03-28472002 for coarse aggregate maximum ukaran 10-40 mm ie 10 097 MPa compressive strength of the targeted (f'cr) = 25.7 MPa.


Introduction 1.1. The Working Party The Working Party was convened in late 1985 by the Engineering Group of the Geological Society. The Treasurer of the Working Party, and also at that time Chairman of the Engineering Group, was Dr Roy Taylor of Durham University, who sadly died in the Autumn of 1987 when the Working Party was preparing for the public discussion of its first draft. This took place at the Geological Society, London on 8 March 1988. Dr Taylor was replaced on the Committee by Mr John Charman and it is due to his hard work that the financial and technical work continued. A particular debt of gratitude is owed to both members. Tropical residual soils differ from transported soils which are principally derived from coastal, alluvial, wind blown or glacial processes. In the tropics, residual soils probably form the largest group with which the engineer has to deal. Being formed in situ these soils have particular characteristics which distinguish them from material deposited from a fluid medium such as wind or water. Much has been written on the various tropical residual soils, in pedological, geological, geographical and engineering literature. However, from the engineering point of view, there is considerable confusion as to what defines a residual soil, how it is formed and what its properties are. It is reasonable to conclude that there is at present a considerable gap between scientific and engineering knowledge. Many engineers mistakenly call all red tropical residual soils 'laterite', whereas the original scientific