The ability of cells to form separate apical and basolateral domains of their plasma membranes is an important aspect of epithelial integrity, and loss of epithelial polarity results in the acquisition of mesenchymal characteristics which contribute to tumorigenesis. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which occurs during certain stages of development, frequently occurs during tumour development in epithelia. When epithelial cells become mesenchymal as a result of EMT, they acquire the ability to migrate. In this context it is important to identify regulators of epithelial polarity and cell migration in order to prevent tumorigenesis. We have focused on the role of the structurally related pleckstrin homology domain leucine-rich repeat protein phosphatases (PHLPP1 and PHLPP2) in epithelial polarity. These proteins regulate the intracellular trafficking of the adherens junction protein E-cadherin, thereby controlling its recruitment to cell-cell contacts as well as its lateral targeting in a three-dimensional environment (paper I). Interestingly, while both proteins regulate this process, only PHLPP1 depletion resulted in increased adenocarcinoma cell migration. Cell migration is an important aspect of embryonic development, wound healing and immune responses. It also plays a role in pathological processes that include cancer, vascular disease, osteoporosis, chronic inflammatory diseases and mental retardation. This therefore explains the interest in understanding the mechanisms that regulate the cell's ability to move. Intracellular transport of a variety of cell-surface receptors is known to be important for cell migration, and special focus has been given to the integrins. Integrins are extracellular matrix receptors that undergo endocytosis and recycling, and this transport is thought to contribute to the ability of cells to detach and re-attach. Suprisingly, we observed that in addition to be recycled, integrins were also degraded in lysosomes, and that this requires their prior ubiquitination (paper II). Only fibronectin-bound integrins were ubiquitinated and sorted into multivesicular endosomes (MVEs), and this step required the endosomal complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery. We propose that this trafficking route exists in order to prevent endosomal accumulation of ligand-bound integrins that might otherwise form non-productive adhesion sites. Upon ESCRT depletion, integrins accumulate intracellularly together with the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase Src at enlarged early endosomes. This results in the inability of Src to regulate myosin light chain kinase, MLCK, localized at the cell periphery, which thereby cannot phosphorylate the myosin regulatory light chain MRLC. These signaling pathways govern Golgi orientation, focal adhesion turnover and cell spreading, as well as cell migration (paper III). Cell migration is also regulated by phosphoinositides as has been demonstrated for PtdIns(4,5)P2 and PtdIns(3,4,5)P3. We identified a role for a recently discovered phosphoinositide, PtdIns5P, in the regulation of fibroblast migration, which is synthesized by the kinases VPS34 and PIKfyve and the phosphatase MTMR3. Importantly, we observed that cells with reduced PtdIns5P levels were unable to orient their Golgi apparatus or their actin cytoskeleton during directed cell migration, suggesting that PtdIns5P may regulate proteins involved in actin-myosin contractility. These findings contribute to our understanding of the regulation of epithelial polarity as well as fibroblast cell migration by the identification of novel players that control important players in these biological processes. By identifying novel regulators of epithelial polarity and cell migration, our studies have provided a framework for further studies of EMT and tumorigenesis


In the Middle English Breton lay, Sir Orfeo (c. 1340), the Underworld transforms from its classical prototype of an ominous realm of shadows into the marvellous Otherworld. In this paper, I examine the Orfeo poet's rewriting of Greco-Roman Orpheus tradition with a focus on the poet's reception of the classical Underworld so as to explicate how frequently the poet makes use of romance elements to relocate the Underworld / Otherworld in a context blended with Celtic folklore and chivalric conventions. I argue that the Orfeo poet refashions the classical Underworld and formulates a world full of natural and artistic spectacle. More importantly, far from being a world of mournful shadows and the symbol of forever loss, the Otherworld in Sir Orfeo is a domain of light and hope where mortals encounter adventures, undergo trials, and return to the corporeal world in bliss and good faith.


The ADA recommends that people with diabetes (PWD) consume a high-quality diet to achieve diabetes treatment goals, however, food insecurity may prevent consumption of a high-quality diet. Cross-sectional, national data from 2,351 participants aged ≥20 years with self-reported diabetes that completed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys between 2013-2018 were analyzed. Diet quality was assessed using quartiles of the 2015 Healthy Eating Index. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR, 95% CI) were calculated from logistic regression models to determine the association between individual food insecurity/diet quality and A1c, blood pressure (BP) , and cholesterol control (ABCs) while controlling for sociodemographics, health care utilization, smoking, diabetes, BP, and cholesterol medication use, and BMI. Overall, 17.6% of PWD were food insecure/low diet quality; 14.2% were food insecure/high diet quality; 33.1% were food secure/low diet quality; and 35.2% were food secure/high diet quality. PWD who were food insecure/low diet quality were younger, non-Hispanic black race or Hispanic ethnicity, and uninsured vs. those who were food secure/high diet quality (all p<0.001) . In comparison with PWD with full food security/high diet quality, those with food insecurity/low diet quality were significantly more likely to have A1c ≥7.0% (aOR=1.84, 1.23-2.76) , A1c ≥8.0% (aOR=1.76, 1.02-3.02) , low HDL (aOR=1.70, 1.24-2.33) , and high triglycerides (aOR=3.13, 1.71-5.71) ; food insecurity/high diet quality was significantly associated with A1c ≥7.0% (aOR=1.69, 1.14-2.51) , A1c ≥8.0% (aOR=1.83,1.12-2.98) and high triglycerides (aOR=2.44, 1.15-5.16) ; and food security/low diet quality with A1c≥7% (aOR=1.55, 1.07-2.24) . Both food insecurity and low diet quality are associated with both poor glycemic and lipid management. Screening for and interventions that address food insecurity and diet quality may help support PWD in their diabetes management.

 S.Casagrande: None. K.M.Bullard: None. K.R.Siegel: None. J.M.Lawrence: None.

 National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (GS-10F-0381L)


Although nanonetworking is in its infancy, a wide range of appealing application areas especially in human healthcare field draws the attention of both the medical and scientific communities. Many neurological diseases like paralysis are caused by the interruption of spike propagation due to the malfunctioning neurons in the signaling pathway where the spikes are carried. In this paper, we propose a neuron specific statistical multiplexing scheme to substitute a faulty sensory neural pathway with a neighboring functional one. Since the spikes are stereotyped events and they have no addressing information, we developed an addressing scheme utilizing the spikes themselves. The performance achieved by the proposed technique is analyzed in terms of the percentage of the spikes transmitted under various scenarios. We also compared the results obtained with the previously proposed TDMA based multiplexing schemes. The proposed statistical multiplexing based technique has lower implementation complexity than the previously introduced TDMA based techniques. Additionally, we evaluated the performance of the proposed technique when a priority mechanism is employed. The concept of multiplexing spikes to substitute a faulty neural pathway with a functional pathway reveals new opportunities in neuronal communication and may pave the way to the real healthcare applications of nanonetworking in the near future.


Our study is about the brand Oatly, an alternative for milk- and dairy. Oatly is a brand that claims to have environment friendly and healthy products, and can therefore be connected to an ethical brand. In this study we examines what attitudes there is towards Oatly with their consumers. Which values the consumers relate to Oatly and if they use Oatly in their identity. Oatly is an ethical brand in comparison to milk- and dairy, but in our work we have seen that they are not ethical altogether, nevertheless that's how they are perceived as, among consumers. In order to get to the attitudes, values and building of identity we chose to perform semi-structured interviews. Our selection was strategically based on young adults age 20-30, and they were or had been consumers of Oatly. The interviews followed a standardized manual with 36 questions and went on for 10-30 minutes, with a majority of 20 minutes. To analyze our result we chose to use marketing communication, with a focus on the term brand attitude. We used 3 steps of brand attitude and also The Rossiter-Percy Grid model. We used brand personality as well. To get to the ethical and the identity we used Social identity Theory and Consumer Culture Theory (CCT). The result we got is founded in positive attitudes towards Oatly. They are connected with attributes as modern and youthful. Appreciated with Oatly are their values, design and business model. The attitudes are thought based on feeling rather than actual knowledge. Which makes it possible to tell that the important thing for the people we interviewed is how the brand is associated not the actual facts about it. Oatly is seen as healthy because it is vegan, seen as ethical because they grow their oats in Sweden. To tell if the people we interviewed use Oatly in building their identity was found out to be a rather complicated question. What we learned was that Oatly can be used in building an identity but as a part of other ethical consumption.


SIR,-After reading Dr. Selby's memorandum on surgical emphysema complicating artificial -pneumothora-x in the' Journal of October 22nd'Icame'tothe,conclusion that in'this case he had erred as to the underlying cause. In my experience even very small pleural pockets give considerably higher negative initial manometric readings than those cited in this case, none having been less than -6 on inspiration in inductions which I have performed and witnessed. Indeed, one of the highest negative initial pressures I have encountered (-17, -10) occurred in a case with a pocket which gave pressures of -3, +3 on the introduction of only 100 c.cm. of air. Most authorities with extensive experience of artificial pneumothorax give -5 or -6 as the danger-point below which one cannot be certain that the needle is in the pleural space. The needle in Dr. Selby's case was probably in the lung, the discrepancy between initial and final manometric readings being 'explained by the patient's respirations becoming deeper as he became accustomed to the presence of the needle. This would also account for his failure to re-enter the pleural pocket, which, if present, would certainly have given very high positive pressures. I agree with Dr. Selby that multiple skin punctures are not a satisfactory method of treatment, and, for those doing pneumothorax work who may not have seen the reference, I will mention v4hat seems a rational. form of treatment, described by C. C. Browning (Amer. Rev. Tutberctulosis, April, 1932). The case there reported followed four unsuccessful a'ttemptsat induction of pneumothorax, and the treatment adopted consisted of cutting down on the needle tracks and lightly packing the one which was found to be leaking, with completely satisfactory results. Incidentally, though Ino details are given, the above case also suggests penetration of the lung.I am, etc.,


The polymerisation of styrene in the presence of cumyl dithiobenzoate (RAFT agent) was studied. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy was used to determine the time-dependence of the concentrations of the intermediate radical species, as a function of temperature and relative initial amounts of reactants. The intermediate radical concentration was found to be much lower than predicted by the studies of Barner-Kowollik et al.[Barner-Kowollik, C.; Quinn, J. F.; Morsley, D. R.; Davis, T. P. J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem. 2001, 39, 1353], but consistent with that observed by Hawthorne et al.[Hawthorne, D. G.; Moad, G.; Rizzardo, E.; Thang, S. H. Macromolecules 1999, 32, 5457] and Kwak et al.[Kwak, Y.; Goto, A.; Tsujii, Y.; Murata, Y.; Komatsu, K.; Fukuda, T. Macromolecules 2002, 35, 3026] Several observations that are not consistent with the current RAFT model were made. Intermediate radical signals were observed long after a significant amount of initiator remained and an extra signal appeared in the ESR spectrum at longer reaction times.


Haze is an atmospheric phenomenon that significantly degrades the visibility of outdoor scenes. This is mainly due to the atmosphere particles that absorb and scatter the light. This paper introduces a novel single image approach that enhances the visibility of such degraded images. Our method is a fusion-based strategy that derives from two original hazy image inputs by applying a white balance and a contrast enhancing procedure. To blend effectively the information of the derived inputs to preserve the regions with good visibility, we filter their important features by computing three measures (weight maps): luminance, chromaticity, and saliency. To minimize artifacts introduced by the weight maps, our approach is designed in a multiscale fashion, using a Laplacian pyramid representation. We are the first to demonstrate the utility and effectiveness of a fusion-based technique for dehazing based on a single degraded image. The method performs in a perpixel fashion, which is straightforward to implement. The experimental results demonstrate that the method yields results comparative to and even better than the more complex state-of-the-art techniques, having the advantage of being appropriate for real-time applications.


Studies of the size, composition, and structure of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the F and G prototypes of herpes simplex virus (HSV) subtypes 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) showed the following. (i) As previously reported by Goodheart et al. HSV-1 and HSV-2 DNA have a buoyant density of 1.726 and 1.728 g/cm3, corresponding to 67 and 69 guanine i cytosine moles per cent, respectively. The difference in guanine plus cytosine content of the DNA species was confirmed by the finding of a 1 C difference in Tm. (ii) The DNA from purified virus on cocentrifugation with T4 DNA in neutral sucrose density gradients sedimented at 55S, corresponding to 99 ± 5 million daltons in molecular weight. HSV-1 and HSV-2 DNA could not be differentiated with respect to size. (iii) Cosedimentation of alkali-denatured DNA from purified virus with T4 DNA on alkaline sucrose density gradients consistently yielded several bands of single-stranded HSV DNA ranging from fragments 7 x 106 daltons to intact strands 48 X 106 daltons in molecular weight.


One of the sources of air pollutants are carried by most humans is cigarette smoke. Effects of smoking are numerous and dangerous to the health of both active smokers (actors) as well as passive smokers. The habit of smoking by the community of long standing. Smokers are generally carried out by people who are reaching adulthood from various circles, one of which is the student. Cigarette smoke is a pollutant for humans and the surrounding environment. Many diseases have been shown to arise from smoking, either directly or indirectly. This study aimed to: identify the level of dependence of Lancang Kuning University students Pekanbaru to smoking. This research was conducted at the campus of the University of Lancang Kuning. Data were obtained from filling the questionnaire will be processed in the following way Fargerstorm Tolerance Questionnaire Br J Addict. The number of respondents as many as 30 students obtained the degree of dependence on cigarettes ranging from mild, moderate and height / weight. Several factors are thought to affect, among other things such as limited money (still depending on shipment parent), time to smoke limited (for lectures and practicum) and there is an effort to save money. In this study, the students obtained the degree of dependence on cigarettes: lightweight (6.67%), moderate (70%) and high (23.33%).


The subject of this study is Viking-Late Norse settlement (c. AD800-1200) in the North Atlantic, focusing on Orkney and on longhouse complexes constructed on mounds. For the first time these mound settlements are investigated as a group and as deliberately constructed mounds. Settlement mounds in Orkney are also closely associated with nearly 40 Skaill ON skali ('hall') place-names, which place-names linked the sites with the social and economic networks of Orkney's peripatetic leaders. This association is examined more closely. The analysis also demonstrates that constructing settlements on mounds required particular building techniques, which relied heavily on the use of midden-type material. Those techniques are examined using new and freshly analysed material from published and grey literature-published excavations and surveys of sites from the Viking-Late Norse period in Orkney and elsewhere. Three core data-sets were established to provide the evidential basis: the first, also drawing on site-visits, looking broadly at mound landscapes and skali-areas in Orkney; the second at the building techniques and materials used on settlement mounds; and the third, also requiring site-visits, at all the skali place-name sites. The possible origins of settlement mound living in the settlers' Scandinavian homelands are investigated, then the extent to which mound living was also followed in Shetland, Caithness and the Western Isles, and finally in previously unoccupied lands, using Iceland as a case study. The mound-sites, their archaeology, mound architecture, place-names and landscape setting are also analysed in a new theoretical framework to reach fresh understandings of Viking-Late Norse settlement in Orkney. The analysis thus considers the wider cultural significance of constructing and living on settlement mounds, and what that communicated about Viking-Late Norse society. The thesis argues that Viking-Late Norse groups chose prominently-placed sites for their visual dominance and commanding views, but also that the rebuilding of mound structures in one spot, and building out and up of the mound itself using midden material, set strong cultural messages about stability, continuity and association with the surrounding landscape. The mounds were complex features of culturally meaningful architecture.


: The interaction of trypsin with an acid polysaccharide, heparin, at pH 4.2 and 8.0 is studied. Heparin is found to destabilize the enzyme under condition of both autolytic denaturation (pH 8.0) and thermoinactivation (pH 4.2). Data on trypsin inactivation kinetics suggest that the stage of forming molecular complexes with different contents of trypsin and heparin precedes the stage of the enzyme denaturation. Maximal trypsin inactivation rate takes place under equimolar enzyme:heparin ration.


We investigate the impact of access to convenience stores and competition between convenience store chains on medical care use and expenditures in Taiwan; the country with the highest density of convenience stores in the world. Our study makes use of insurance claims from 0.85 million individuals enrolled in Taiwan's national health insurance program from 2002-2012 and administrative data on convenience store chain sales. While we find that both greater store accessibility and higher levels of inter-brand competition reduce the use and cost of outpatient medical services and prescription drugs, healthcare utilization is more responsive to changes in competition. Since convenience stores in Taiwan are typically the healthier option for ready-to-eat food, we postulate that the decline in medical care utilization is driven by a reduction in convenience store prices and increase in service quality relative to other food outlets. This is supported by findings from survey data indicating that convenience store competition is associated with greater consumption of more healthy foods, lower consumption of less healthy foods, and decreases in obesity rates. While the effects we find are precisely estimated, they are small in magnitude, with the increase in convenience store competition experienced by Taiwan over a 10-year period reducing medical expenditures on outpatient services and on prescription drugs by around one half of one percent.


Fish biological sounds reflect abundant information of its living state. It is important to systematically conduct research on the fish acoustic features. This paper designs program code based on Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to deal with the sounds in frequency domain. By applying the program to analyze the sounds of piranha, oyster toadfish etc., the feature of main frequency is obtained and the sound features of different fishes are compared. This paper further designs the sound detection experiment about the acoustic spread distance; analyzes the sound decibel value varying trend according to the result. The different features among the fishes illustrate the sound difference. Acoustic spread detection experiment provides the fish behavior control feasible distance in the taming system design.


Elemental powder mixtures of Fe and Si were mechanically alloyed with a ball-mill. Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to characterise the microstructural changes of these mixtures which are induced by high-energy ball-milling. Mössbauer spectra are discussed in terms of two main spectral components (corresponding to FeSi alloy and α-Fe) and the time dependence of the alloy formation follows a Johnson-Mehl type law. Calorimetry measurements show that the formed alloy is stable up to 800°C as no crystallisation or phase transformation peaks are observed. From X-ray diffraction, a crystallite size of 9 nm is obtained. Magnetic measurements at low temperature were carried out on the final alloy and the saturation magnetic moment at 4.2K is 0.44 μB/Fe.


Abstract. Physically-based droughts can be defined as a water deficit in at least one component of the land surface hydrological cycle. The reliance of different activity domains (water supply, irrigation, hydropower, etc.) on specific components of this cycle requires drought monitoring to be based on indices related to meteorological, agricultural, and hydrological droughts. This paper describes a high-resolution retrospective analysis of such droughts in France over the last fifty years, based on the Safran-Isba-Modcou (SIM) hydrometeorological suite. The high-resolution 1958–2008 Safran atmospheric reanalysis was used to force the Isba land surface scheme and the hydrogeological model Modcou. Meteorological droughts are characterized with the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) at time scales varying from 1 to 24 months. Similar standardizing methods were applied to soil moisture and streamflow for identifying multiscale agricultural droughts – through the Standardized Soil Wetness Index (SSWI) – and multiscale hydrological droughts, through the Standardized Flow Index (SFI). Based on a common threshold level for all indices, drought event statistics over the 50-yr period – number of events, duration, severity and magnitude – have been derived locally in order to highlight regional differences at multiple time scales and at multiple levels of the hydrological cycle (precipitation, soil moisture, streamflow). Results show a substantial variety of temporal drought patterns over the country that are highly dependent on both the variable and time scale considered. Independent spatio-temporal drought events have then been identified and described by combining local characteristics with the evolution of area under drought. Summary statistics have finally been used to compare past severe drought events, from multi-year precipitation deficits (1989–1990) to short hot and dry periods (2003). Results show that the ranking of drought events depends highly on both the time scale and the variable considered. This multilevel and multiscale drought climatology will serve as a basis for assessing the impacts of climate change on droughts in France.


Throughout the long nineteenth century and beyond, outside representations of the Arctic on stage have circulated a stereotypical image of the region. The two most long-standing emblems are ice and indigenous culture, and as commodity, the Arctic is identified as mystical, authentic, natural and pre-modern. These images are circulated in popular, cultural events like theatre performances, panoramic displays, music hall shows, and musical comedy but their presence in a popular cultural context also contributes to destabilise the signifiers. At the best, theatre productions about the Arctic may produce a kind of history from below, including a cautious critique of the colonial project and the ideal of heroic masculinity. Their radical potential should not be overstated, however, since the historical meanings of the stereotypes even when they are being debunked. At least on stage, conventional images of the Arctic continue to dominate.


This study tested the feasibility of using 3‐D laser imaging to measure the bulk density of iron meteorites. 3‐D laser imaging is a technique in which a 3‐D model of an object is built after aligning and merging individual detailed images of its surface. Assuming that the mass of the object is known, the volume of the model is calculated by software and an estimate of bulk density can be obtained by dividing mass by volume. The 3‐D laser imaging technique was used to determine the density of 46 fragments from 11 different iron meteorites. The technique proved to be robust and was applied successfully to study samples ranging close to four orders of magnitude in mass (8 g to 156 kg) and exhibiting a variety of surface textures (e.g., cracks, regmaglypts), reflectivities (e.g., polished surfaces, fusion crust, rust), and morphologies (e.g., sharp angular edges, shrapnel tendrils). Three metrics were considered to estimate the error associated with density measurements: the range accuracy of the laser camera, image alignment error, and inter‐operator variability during model building. Inter‐operator variability was the largest source of error and was highest when assembling models of samples which either lacked distinctive features or were very complex in shape. Excluding two anomalous Zagora samples where silicate inclusions might have lowered density, the densities measured using 3‐D laser imaging ranged from 6.98 to 7.93 g cm−3, consistent with previous studies. There is overlap between bulk density and iron meteorite class, and therefore bulk density cannot be used in isolation as a classification criterion. It is a good indicator, however, of weathering effects and of the potential presence of low‐density inclusions.


The innate immune response is an organism's first line of defense against disease, be it bacterial, viral, or fungal infection, and it is an integral part of the evolutionary survival of any species. A well-studied model of innate immunity is the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, which has advanced our understanding of many immune signaling pathways that are homologous to mammals. D. melanogaster immune defense responds in a sexually dimorphic manner to infection with various pathogens, including infection with the fungus Beauveria bassiana. Specifically, females die much faster after initial infection compared to males, but the underlying genetic causes responsible are unknown. I examined potential genetic causes of the observed sexual dimorphism by testing for the presence or absence of sexual dimorphism in response to sprayed doses of B. bassiana in various fly strains, with mutations in Toll and IMD signaling pathways. I hypothesized that genes involved in the Toll pathway are responsible for the sexual dimorphism. The results of the experiment showed that mutations in either the Toll or IMD pathways both eliminated the sexual dimorphism. The data suggests that both pathways play important roles in the innate immune response to fungal infection in Drosophila, and that both pathways are required for sexual dimorphism in immune response.


Using a wide range of professional genres such as research papers, business reports, performance commentaries, guidebooks and legal documents, this study focuses on the discourse of professional writing, employing analytic paradigms from systemic-functional linguistics, pragmatics, text analysis, sociology and anthropological linguistics. Kenneth Kong argues that while professions use different sets of practices, their use of language displays many universals. This is demonstrated through the analysis of data from a broad cross-section of professional settings such as medicine, law, business, mass media and engineering. This examination of professional discourse, and its important role in society, will be of interest to researchers in applied linguistics, to professionals who want to understand the role of language in their work, and to teachers of English for specific purposes.


Exposure to terrestrial radioactivity depends primarily on geological conditions and soil types. Phosphate, nitrogen and potassium fertilizers, which are used predominantly in order to increase crops in agriculture, provide basic nutrients to plants. Radionuclides in phosphate fertilizer belonging to 232 Th and 238 U from phosphate rocks series as well as radioisotope of potassium ( 40 K) are the major contributors of outdoor terrestrial natural radiation. The plants take some fractions of radioactivity and radionuclides enter the food chain in this way. Trakya sub-region, located in northwestern Turkey, constitutes one of the significant agricultural centers, 65% of this area is used for agricultural purposes. This is the region which uses the most fertilizer per unit area, with an average of 145 kg per hectare and approximately 20% of the fertilizer consumed in Turkey is used in the region. The main objective of this study is to evaluate Trakya Sub-region from the point of potential environmental effects of radionuclides which may be caused by phosphate fertilizers used in agricultural areas. For this purpose, it is aimed to determine the priority areas for the monitoring studies by analyzing the results of the use of temporal and spatial fertilizers and the studies performed in the region. Keywords: Radioactivity, chemical fertilizers, Trakya Sub-region, soil


The incidence of leukemia is higher in Down syndrome children than that in the general population, while the risk of solid tumors is significantly reduced in Down syndrome. Recent studies utilizing mouse models have shown that distinct mecha‐ nisms caused by the elevated dosage of multiple genes is implicated in the protection from tumor progression depending on the type of solid neoplasm. In contrast, increased incidence of mutation in the several specific genes is reported as a cause of the onset of leukemias. Especially, acquired mutations in the GATA1 gene are associated with leukemogenesis of megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL) and transient myeloproliferative disorder (TMD) related to Down syndrome. The mutations are clustered in the region corresponding to the N-terminal domain of GATA1 and result in the production of the short form of GATA1 (GATA1-S), which utilizes Met84 as an alternative translation initiation codon. Efforts producing mouse models of Down TMD and AMKL have been undertaken, as these models seem to provide important insights into the pathogenesis of multistep leukemogenesis. Concomitantly, the function of GATA1 has been examined extensively, and the analyses present a prototype for the study of lineage-restricted transcription factors that play an essential role for the differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis of erythroid cells, megakar‐ yocytes, mast cells, and eosinophils. In this chapter, we will summarize recent progress in the studies of leukemias that occur in Down syndrome, especially in relation to GATA1 mutations.


Objective To evaluate if a closed-medication delivery system (CMDS) is effective in reducing the rate of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. CLABSI is a common problem in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Rates of CLABSI are highest among VLBW infants (birth weight ⩽1500 g) requiring central lines for prolonged total parenteral nutrition. Methods In 2004, a performance improvement team focused on reducing the incidence of nosocomial infection in the NICU. Infection control measures, such as hand hygience compliance, sterile central line insertion and central line tubing care practices were standardised and monitored regularly. In 2006, the use of a CMDS was adopted. The incidence of CLABSI in VLBW infants 18 months before and after the adoption of CMDS was compared. The CLABSI rate was calculated using the National Healthcare System Network method of reporting (# CLABSI ÷ central line days × 1000). Results Baseline CLABSI before CMDS was 3.39/1000. Central line days was not different before and after intervention, 10 019 versus 10 977. Use of CMDS was associated with 59% reduction in total number of CLABSI (34 cases pre-CDMS down to 14 cases post-CMDS) and a decline in infection rate to 1.28 per 1000 (see fig). Conclusion The use of a closed system in delivering medications is associated with a decreased incidence of CLABSI in VLBW infants.


When high elastic modulus rolls are applied to cold rolling, roll flattening becomes smaller than with conventional steel rolls. This factor reduces the rolling load by decreasing the contact length between the roll and the sheet being rolled. Conversely, the smaller roll flattening radius increases the contact angle between the roll and the sheet, which reduces the thickness of the lubricating oil film carried into the roll bite. This factor increases the rolling load by increasing the friction coefficient in the contact area. The influence of the roll material on rolling load appears as the sum of these two factors. However, few studies have attempted to separate and evaluate their effects. To clarify the effect of the roll material on rolling load, a series of experimental cold sheet rolling tests was conducted with cemented carbide rolls and conventional steel rolls. The experimental results showed that the difference of the rolling load between cemented carbide rolls and conventional steel rolls varied with rolling conditions. To investigate the lubricant behavior in rolling, a numerical analysis of the oil film thickness was carried out. Based on the experimental results and the calculated oil film thickness, the effect of the roll material on rolling load was discussed.


In a previous paper, the authors found that impairment on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) in adolescence was predictive of bipolar disorder in young adulthood among offspring of mothers with bipolar illness. In the present study, the authors explore the contribution of maternal characteristics, beyond maternal mood disorder, to the prediction of offspring dysfunction on the WCST. Results showed that maternal bipolar disorder and maternal negativity were both predictive of impaired performance on the WCST during adolescence. The contribution of maternal negativity to offspring WCST impairment was not better explained by maternal personality disorder, mother's functional impairment, family loading for bipolar disorder, or offspring disruptive behavioral disturbance. Findings did not support a moderator model. However, support was found for a mediation model in which maternal negativity contributed to risk for offspring bipolar disorder through its negative association with apparent frontal lobe functioning, as measured by the WCST. Findings are discussed from the perspective of a vulnerability–stress model. In addition, the authors consider the possibility that maternal negativity and offspring impairment on the WCST may be reflective of a common heritable trait.The findings presented in this paper come from the doctoral dissertation of the first author, which was funded by an NIMH Intramural Research Training Award. The authors are enormously grateful to Anne Mayfield, without whom this project would not have been possible. We are deeply indebted to Ann S. Masten, W. Andrew Collins, L. Alan Sroufe, Monica Luciana, and Carrie Borchardt, who provided support and guidance throughout all stages of this project. We are also thankful to Robert Asarnow for his advice and encouragement, and to Roger E. Meyer and Daniel N. Klein for their comments on earlier drafts of this paper. In addition, we acknowledge the contributions of Gail Inoff-Germain, who administered diagnostic interviews and neuropsychological measures at adolescent follow-up; Rula B. Garside, who undertook the painstaking job of establishing interrater reliability; Erika Sundstrom, who devoted many hours to data organization and quality assurance; and Sara Avery Torvik and Patricia Kasdan, whose combined gifts of organization and warmth created a comfortable atmosphere for study participants. Finally, we thank the extraordinary research participants of the NIMH Childrearing Study, who have shown enormous bravery and dedication by sharing with us 23 years of their lives.


Availability of water in the Ganges River basin has been recognized as a critical regional issue with a significant impact on drinking water supply, irrigation, as well as on industrial development, and ecosystem services in vast areas of South Asia. In addition, water availability is also strongly linked to energy security in the region. Hence, quantification of spatial availability of water resources is necessary to bolster reliable evaluation of the sustainability of future thermal power plants in the Ganges River basin. This study focuses on the risks facing existing and planned power plants regarding water availability, applying climate change scenarios at the sub-basin and district level up to 2050. For this purpose, this study develops an integrated assessment approach to quantify the water-energy nexus in four selected sub-basins of the Ganges, namely, Chambal, Damodar, Gandak, and Yamuna. The results of simulations using Soil and Water Assessment Tools (SWAT) showed that future water availability will increase significantly in the Chambal, Damodar, and Gandak sub-basins during the wet season, and will negligibly increase in the dry season, except for the Yamuna sub-basin, which is likely to experience a decrease in available water in both wet and dry seasons under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario. Changes in the water supply-demand ratio, due to climate change, indicated that water-related risks for future power plants would reduce in the Chambal and Damodar sub-basins, as there would be sufficient water in the future. For 19 out of 23 districts in the Chambal sub-basin, climate change will have a moderate-positive to high-positive impact on reducing the water risk for power plants by 2050. In contrast, existing and future power plants in the Yamuna and Gandak sub-basins will face increasing water risks. The proposed new thermal power installations, particularly in the Gandak sub-basin, are likely to face serious water shortages, which will adversely affect the stability of their operations. These results will stimulate and guide future research work to optimize the water-energy nexus, and will inform development and planning organizations, energy planning organizations, as well as investors, concerning the spatial distribution of water risks for future power plants so that more accurate decisions can be made on the location of future power plants.


Effective joint working in mental health is a national concern as indicated by a series of governmental directives and initiatives aimed at improving practice in this area. Joint working is fundamental to the successful implementation of 'community care'. Many people, particularly the public, equate the introduction of the Community Care Act (Department of Health, 1990), with the beginning of community care as a social policy. In reality, however, community care has a much longer history in the UK involving the shift in the 1950s from providing care in the hospital to providing care in the community. Thus, one of the most obvious reasons for this concern expressed in the media and felt by the public is that 'community care' isn't working. While this is an important consideration, it is not the only explanation as to why joint working has come to occupy such a prominent position in the minds of health strategists and politicians. This paper explores our concern with joint working in mental health and proposes one way in which joint working can be effectively monitored and measured.


The ability to accurately identify facial and vocal cues of emotion is important to the development of psychosocial well-being. However, the developmental trajectory and pattern of recognition for emotions expressed in the facial versus vocal modality remain unclear. The current study aimed to expand upon the literature in this area by examining differences in the identification of high and low intensity facial versus vocal emotion expressions by participants in four separate age groups, making a novel contribution to the literature. The Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy Scale-Second Edition, a standardized test of emotion recognition that includes previously validated high and low intensity expressions in each modality was administered to a total of 40 participants, 10 in each of four age groups (preschoolers, school-aged children, early adolescents, adults). Results showed that as age increased, accuracy of recognition for both facial and vocal emotion expressions increased. Adultlike proficiency for facial emotion recognition was reached by school-aged children but did not occur for vocal affect recognition until early adolescence. Intensity differentially impacted the recognition of facial and vocal emotion expressions, with increased intensity leading to better recognition of facial, but not vocal expressions. Happy was the emotion best recognized in facial emotion expressions and angry was best recognized in vocal emotion expressions but patterns of recognition for the remaining emotions varied across the two modalities and across age groups. Overall, results indicate that recognition of vocal emotion expressions lags behind that of visual and that the intensity and emotion expressed differentially influence recognition across these two modalities.


Chickpea is the major leguminous crop in India as it is cheapest source to obtain nutrition. India is world leader in chickpea production by producing 15 times higher yield than second producer. There are many varieties of chickpea which can be improved through breeding programs, for this DNA fingerprinting is an important tool. Also DNA fingerprinting is most prominent method for protection of university and farmers released varieties from biopiracy. DNA fingerprinting includes the analysis by using molecular markers. Three different types of marker systems i.e. SSR, DAMD and SCoT were used in this study to generate fingerprint of selected genotypes. For six chickpea genotypes screening, 78 primers were used. Among them 33 primers were polymorphic and they produced 290 bands. Out of that, 103 bands were polymorphic and the amplicons size ranged from 100bp – 1107bp, by all marker systems across the genotypes. CESSR 42, CESSRDB 54, SSR 22, SSR 60, SSR 63, TA-96, GA-20, ICCM65a, SCoT 11 and URP4R markers effectively discriminate chickpea genotypes by producing unique amplicons. For the genetic diversity analysis dendrogram and similarity matrix was prepared by using software. The genetic similarity was ranged from 0.775 – 0.906 with an average 0.840, which indicates high diversity in genotypes studied. The data of genetic diversity analysis will be very useful for protection of the genotypes.


Background The clinical implication of plasma ESR1 mutations in the estrogen receptor (ER)-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients who had progressed after prior aromatase inhibitor (AI)-based therapy remains controversial. We conducted the first meta-analysis to investigate the prognostic significance and predictive role of plasma ESR1 mutations in MBC patients with prior exposure to AI therapy. Materials and methods We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for eligible studies. Meta-analysis was conducted to calculate combined hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were also performed. Results This study enrolled a total of 1,530 patients with ER-positive MBC cases from six articles, including 429 ESR1 mutation carriers (28.04%). Meta-analysis demonstrated that plasma ESR1 mutation carriers had significantly worse PFS (HR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.17–1.66; P<0.0001) and OS (HR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.36–2.01; P<0.0001) compared to wild-type ESR1. Subgroup analysis showed that plasma ESR1 mutations were associated with shorter PFS after AI-based treatment, but were not significantly predictive of outcome on fulvestrant-containing therapy (HR: 1.26, 95% CI: 0.98–1.62; P=0.077). As for different ESR1 mutations, D538G mutation implied significantly worse PFS (HR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.18–1.91; P=0.01), while Y537S mutation was not correlated with PFS (HR: 1.65, 95% CI: 0.87–1.73; P=0.134). Conclusion The meta-analysis indicated that plasma ESR1 mutation assessment may have prognostic significance and clinical value in guiding further endocrine therapy choice in ER+ MBC patients who received prior AI therapy.


The present study aims to provide a sociological overview of anabolic steroid use in Valencia (Spain), with particular attention to social factors that promote and sustain the recreational use of this drug. We consider not only the extensively documented health risks, but also the social determinants associated with its use. The lack of studies, both in the European and Valencian contexts, which describe the extension and consumption patterns of anabolic steroids among young people, has inspired us to portray the sociological characteristics of the recreational anabolic steroid user, taking the main conceptual tools of the sociologist Pierre Bourdieu as a central reference point. Following a logic of continuity, with theoretical and methodological complementarity, the bibliographical production on the issue was analyzed in two of the most academically prestigious international databases, Scopus and Sociological Abstracts, in order to suitably describe the problem and to document it as completely as possible. Next, we thought it appropriate to analyze the news generated around anabolic steroids in the written press over the last five years, using four reference newspapers: El Pais, La Vanguardia, Levante-EMV and Las Provincias; this allowed us to understand the phenomenon in greater depth by contextualizing it culturally and identifying the different social discourses which exist on the matter. The research was developed by means of qualitative methodology based on a semi-structured interview. The sample was formed by 21 men aged 20–45 from the city of Valencia and its surroundings; 16 were users of anabolic steroids and 5 were not. Subjects were initially selected from personal contacts, and afterwards by means of the snowball technique. Factors evaluated included social and demographic characteristics; occupation; lifestyle; motivations and patterns of anabolic steroid use; information availability; gym membership; illegal trade; aggression and other types of violence; cultural practices; body aesthetics; ideology; and social perception of anabolic steroid use in Valencia as compared to the rest of Spain. We concluded that young people who use and abuse anabolic steroids present similar consumption patterns to other substances of abuse. This finding emerged during the interviews, which revealed key issues such as dependence or withdrawal symptoms that consumers of anabolic steroids experience, as well as the lack of control in the measurement of doses and a low perception of risk. These results are reinforced socially by a positive perception of the stereotyped male body image of physical strength and masculinity. Anabolic steroids use has spread beyond the athletic environment, approaching use patterns related to recreational activities and other drugs of abuse; therefore studying use patterns from this perspective is important. In part, this characterization of the phenomenon is due to users' low perception of risk, the tendency to repeat consumption, and its spread without any kind of information. The sociological profile of the recreational anabolic steroid user includes the following features: low educational level, frequent family problems, some employment instability, Pantagruelian eating habits, frequent splits in romantic relationships, and regular attendance at discotheques and the beach. Regarding cultural and aesthetic practices, users like electronic music as well as rap and hip-hop, warlike films, sports cars and convertibles, tattoos, tight clothes, body hair removal, and tanning salons; they do not show any interest for reading. In some cases, they also have potentially dangerous dogs, such as dobermans or pitbulls. With regard to their political ideology, they declared themselves apolitical or directly disinterested in everything around politics. Others declared themselves conservatives and in a few cases, sympathizers to extreme right positions. Their views on the environment, unemployment and immigration are frequently expressed in a language revealing apathy, homophobia and prejudice. Finally, if we enter into the realm of collective identities, we can bluntly state that our prototypical young man feels primarily Spanish, an attribute of his identity which he proudly boasts whenever there is an occasion for it. In a parallel way, he may feel great hostility or indifference towards the Valencian language and culture, even when Valencian is his mother tongue. To sum up, it is necessary to further investigate the patterns of recreational steroid use among young Valencians, paying special attention to certain vulnerable populations and occupations, to obtain more information and studies on these substances and to design preventive interventions in contexts that have been localized as areas of risk, such as gyms, medical practitioners' offices, security companies, and other settings of socialization for the young, such as schools, clubs, sports clubs, universities, and sports and recreation centers. Another fundamental aspect is to compare and characterize with more detail the sociodemographic, ideological, and labor characteristics, as well as those related to the lifestyle, cultural practices and consumer tastes of recreational steroid users in other socioeconomic, cultural and territorial contexts.


This study investigated the impact of a polyphenol-rich seaweed extract on postprandial glycaemia in healthy adults, and, as a secondary outcome, the influence of ethnicity on these outcomes. Thirty-eight volunteers (26 non-Asian, 12 Asian) aged 19 to 56 years participated in this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised cross-over trial. Participants each consumed a low (500 mg), and high (2000 mg) dose of the polyphenol-rich brown seaweed (Fucus vesiculosus) extract, as well as a cellulose placebo (2000 mg), 30 min prior to 50 g of available carbohydrate from white bread. Postprandial blood glucose and plasma insulin concentrations were measured over two hours (fasting, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min) from a finger prick blood sample. Data were analysed using a repeated measures analysis of variance. Compared with the placebo, neither dose had a lowering effect on postprandial glucose or insulin responses. However, individuals of an Asian background experienced consistently elevated plasma insulin responses, assessed using an incremental area under the curve, compared with non-Asian participants, irrespective of supplement (p = 0.016). These results suggest an increased risk of insulin resistance among Asian populations, compared with non-Asian, and that measurement of blood glucose levels alone may be insufficient to diagnose diabetes risk in this population.


Jaeger 70 cultivar is an interspecific hybrid of Vitis linececumii x Vitis rupestris, with an interesting past. It was created by Hermann Jaeger of Neosho, MO, who is most notable for saving the French wine industry by developing phylloxera resistant rootstocks in the mid-1800s. Traditionally the Jaeger 70 variety has been grafted to French wine grape cultivars to impart disease resistance and cold hardiness while retaining desirable wine characteristics. One interesting characteristic of Jaeger 70 is that it is a female-only plant, allowing for many interesting areas of study. Vitis interspecific hybrid Vignoles, is a cold hardy cultivar of largely unknown parentage which produces high quality sweet fruity wines. Vignoles, however, produces compact clusters that are susceptible to bunch rot. In comparison, Jaeger 70 produces a moderately compact berry cluster which is highly resistant to bunch rot. The purpose of this study was to screen 508 progenies for hybrid confirmation of an F1 interspecific hybridization of Jaeger 70 x Vignoles using SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat) markers enabling rapid creation of a mapping population. This study successfully identified 12 SSR markers for the testing of Jaeger 70, Vignoles and their offspring for hybrid confirmation. Out of the 508 possible Jaeger 70 x Vignoles progeny, 346 plants (68.1%) were determined to be true hybrids. Hybrid confirmation using SSR saves time, money, labor and materials due to not needing to maintain plants until maturity (3 to 5 years). Developing a mapping population is an important first step in a breeding program.


The aim of the present study was to isolate and study about the antibacterial activity of astaxanthin from Shrimp of the species Metapenaeus dobsoni. Astaxanthin a carotenoid present in marine yeast and crustaceans posses a wide range of pharmacological activity. Shrimp was collected from Cochin, Kerala during the month of August 2012. The samples were collected and transported to the laboratory under iced conditions. The yield of dried shell was determined by weighing after dried at 50°C in oven for 24 h. Samples were stored at two temperatures, of 25°C and -20°C until use. The material was thawed in running water before use and homogenized in a laboratory mixer.The antibacterial activity was studied on several organisms like Bacillus Subtilis, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeroginosa. The extract showed excellent antibacterial activity than the standard chloramphenicol. Among this pseudomonas aeroginasa showed maximum inhibition.


ABSTRACT Poor retention in HIV care is associated with poor clinical outcomes and mortality. Previous studies of predictors of poor retention have been conducted with a wide variety of populations, using different measures of retention, and occasionally have conflicting results. We studied demographic and psychosocial factors associated with inter-visit interval length in a setting of universal health care and modern cART. Patients attending ≥2 appointments with an HIV specialist at the Toronto General Hospital Immunodeficiency Clinic from 2004 to 2013 were studied. A sub-analysis included psychosocial measures from annual questionnaires for Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study (OCS) participants. Median inter-visit interval and constancy (percentage of 4-month intervals with ≥1 visit) were calculated by patient. Multivariable generalized estimating equation models identified factors associated with inter-visit interval length and intervals ≥12 months. 1591 patients were included. 615 patients completed an OCS questionnaire and were more likely to be older white MSM from Canada with a viral load (VL) <50 copies/ml. The median (IQR) of patients' median inter-visit intervals was 3.15 (2.78, 3.84) months and median (IQR) constancy was 90% (71%, 100%). Two percent of inter-visit intervals were ≥12 months and 25% of patients had ≥1 interval ≥12 months. Longer inter-visit intervals were associated with younger age, white race, earlier calendar year, longer duration of HIV, VL < 50 copies/mL and higher CD4 counts. Patients who were younger, white, had injection drug use as a risk factor, had a longer duration of HIV, and had VL ≥50 copies/mL were more likely to have an inter-visit interval ≥12 months. In the OCS sub-analysis including psychosocial variables, lower levels of depression were associated with longer inter-visit intervals. Retention at this tertiary care centre was high. Efforts to maximize attendance should focus on younger patients and those with substance abuse issues.


The dissertation explores corruption in Romania during its transition from communism to democracy as well as the EU's efforts to curtail it and their consequences. It applies a theoretical framework that draws insight from three literatures: those relating to rent-seeking and corruption, the EU accession process and path-dependence. The dissertation demonstrates that corrupt practices in post-communist Romania are embedded in clientelistic structures originating in communist-era patron-client relations.
The dissertation examines the incentives and opportunities that underpin corruption and the mechanisms for curbing it in three distinct periods: post-transition, pre-EU and post- EU accession. In that process, the author identifies and analyzes the range of endogenous and exogenous factors that gave an impetus to anticorruption reforms.
The findings reveal that neither democratization nor marketization was able to undermine the persistent treatment of the state as the propertied possession of the political elite. The EU largely misunderstood corruption in Romania and underestimated the resourcefulness of a domestic elite determined to defend its privileges even after EU accession, while misconstruing the nature of the transition in Romania.
The dissertation highlights the importance of a better understanding of corruption in post-communist countries, and demonstrates the constraints and impact of EU Commission policies on the evolving Romanian polity. Parsimonious assumptions fail to encompass a path –dependent understanding of corruptive patterns. At the same time the dissertation brings to light the impact of multilevel governance on deep-seated patterns of political behavior. Without the efforts of the EU, corruption would reign unchecked, yet even with the powerful incentives and sanctions wielded by the EU Commission, corrupt practices remain embedded in Romania.


Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) aminopeptidases ERAP1 and ERAP2 (ERAPs) are crucial enzymes shaping the major histocompatibility complex I (MHC I) immunopeptidome. In the ER, these enzymes cooperate in trimming the N-terminal residues from precursors peptides, so as to generate optimal-length antigens to fit into the MHC class I groove. Alteration or loss of ERAPs function significantly modify the repertoire of antigens presented by MHC I molecules, severely affecting the activation of both NK and CD8+ T cells. It is, therefore, conceivable that variations affecting the presentation of pathogen-derived antigens might result in an inadequate immune response and onset of disease. After the first evidence showing that ERAP1-deficient mice are not able to control Toxoplasma gondii infection, a number of studies have demonstrated that ERAPs are control factors for several infectious organisms. In this review we describe how susceptibility, development, and progression of some infectious diseases may be affected by different ERAPs variants, whose mechanism of action could be exploited for the setting of specific therapeutic approaches.


Abstract: A high efficiency and nondissipative charging strategy for the fast battery charger is presented. The proposed charging strategy provides a charging method and an apparatus for rapidly charging the assembled batteries. The charging method has the advantages of high charging efficiency, rapid transient response and short charging time. Experimental verification is performed on 12V/4.5AH nonspillable sealed-lead assembled batteries.


Modular neck (MN) implants can restore the anatomy, especially in deformed hips such as sequelae of development dysplasia. Early designs for MN implants had problems with neck fractures and adverse local tissue, so their use was restricted to limited indications. Results of the latest generation of MN prostheses seem to demonstrate that these problems have been at least mitigated. Given the results of the studies presented in this review, surgeons might consider MN total hip arthroplasty (THA) for a narrower patient selection when a complex reconstruction is required. Long MN THA should be avoided in case of body mass index > 30, and should be used with extreme caution in association with high offset femoral necks with long or extra-long heads. Cr-Co necks should be abandoned, in favour of a titanium alloy connection. Restoring the correct anatomic femoral offset remains a challenge in THA surgeries. MN implants have been introduced to try to solve this problem. The MN design allows surgeons to choose the appropriate degree and length of the neck for desired stability and range of motion. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2021;6:751-758. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.6.200064


Abstract Deep quasi-geostrophic theory applies to large-scale flow whose vertical depth scale is comparable to the potential temperature scale height. The appropriate expression for the potential vorticity equation is derived from the general formulation due to Ertel. It is further shown that the potential temperature field on a lower boundary acts as a surface charge of potential vorticity. Deep equivalent barotropic Rossby waves in the presence of a mean zonal wind exhibit an enhanced beta effect but a reduced phase speed. This behavior, analogous to that displayed in shallow water theory, arises due to the inclusion of compressibility effects in the deep theory. These results help clarify the applicability of shallow water theory to barotropic atmospheric flows. A conceptual model of the role of a surface charge of potential vorticity gradient in generating a change in the relative vorticity of a fluid parcel is described.


In the last decade an extensive debate on the topic of end of life decisions has developed in western countries, obtaining a worldwide media relevance. Philosophers, theologians, legal experts and doctors, focus their attention on the three thorny issues of the topic: forgoing treatments, euthanasia and assisted suicide. A thorough and respectful discussion on these issues should include all stakeholders - above all palliative care physicians - and should be encouraged in order to understand the views in favor or against the three practices, checking the different moral positions, and analyzing the cultural, social and legal aspects in the background on one hand, and, on the other, their impact on the health care systems. At present, in the fields of communications and politics, the debate related to the topic of these end of life practices is characterized by a confusion of terms and meanings. As an outcome, the term "euthanasia" is misused as a "container" including forgoing treatments, euthanasia and assisted suicide, while palliative sedation is wrongly considered as a procedure to cause death. This confusing approach does not permit to understand the real issues at the stake, keeping the debate at the tabloid level. Conversely, sharing the precise meaning of the words is the only way to provide tools to make rational, autonomous and responsible decisions, allowing individual informed choices in compliance with the principle of autonomy. This article is not aimed to take a moral stand in favor or against forgoing treatments, euthanasia and assisted suicide. Through an analysis based on scientific criteria, the authors firstly review the definitions of these three practices, examining the concepts enclosed in each term; secondly, they offer a glance on the legal approach to end of life issues in western countries; lastly, they investigate the relationship between these practices and palliative care culture in light of the medical societies official statements. The authors chosen to examine the topic of forgoing treatments, euthanasia and assisted suicide from a scientific point of view, because the clinical approach, taking into account the biological context of disease related to the human and social domains, seems to be able to better gather all the aspects of end of life practices, providing useful information to deal with them also in a philosophical or juridical perspective.


Malaria control programs face difficult resource allocation decisions. Of particular concern for countries aiming for malaria elimination, the regular movement of individuals to and from endemic areas undermines local interventions by reintroducing infections and sustaining local transmission. Quantifying this movement of malaria parasites around a country has become a priority for national control programs, but remains methodologically challenging, particularly in areas with highly mobile populations. Here, we combined multiple data sources to measure the geographical spread of malaria parasites, including epidemiological surveillance data, travel surveys, parasite genetic data, and anonymized mobile phone data. We collected parasite genetic barcodes and travel surveys from 2,090 patients residing in 176 unions in southeast Bangladesh. We developed a genetic mixing index to quantify the likelihood of samples being local or imported. We then inferred the direction and intensity of parasite flow between locations using an epidemiological model, and estimated the proportion of imported cases assuming mobility patterns parameterized using the travel survey and mobile phone calling data. Our results show that each data source provided related but different information about the patterns of geographic spread of parasites. We identify a consistent north/south separation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts region in Bangladesh, and found that in addition to imported infections from forested regions, frequent mixing also occurs in low transmission but highly populated areas in the southwest. Thus, unlike risk maps generated from incidence alone, our maps provide evidence that elimination programs must address ongoing movement of parasites around the lower transmission areas in the southwest.


SQL/MDR is a metadata registry query language used to consistently exchange and share the data between distributed metadata registries. It is an extension of the international SQL and is familiar to most database builders and administrators. It provides many advantages such as simplicity of query language, ease of use, an independent description for distributed querying, low cost for adding new systems, simplicity of exchanging mechanism, and so on. The goal of this paper is to evaluate and show its merits quantitatively. To achieve this goal, we define simulation models to compare with an existing approach and then describe the evaluation results. In the quantitative evaluation results, the good points of SQL/MDR can be identified and known.


The importance of fiscal policy for the inflationary process in Germany in the early 1920s has long been recognised, and at the same time the room for reform has been viewed as very limited. This paper will address this question anew by away of counterfactual analysis. Taking the railways - which contributed significantly to the Reich budget deficit - as an example, various areas of possible reform will be discussed on the basis of contemporary sources, including parliamentary debates. It will be argued that although the traditional opinion about the limits of political reform are confirmed, the economic room for manoeuvre was significantly greater than is often assumed.


This volume's title, Women of Color in Higher Education: Turbulent Past, Promising Future, suggests women of color have endured a tumultuous past, given their historical experience with discrimination as a result of both racism and sexism in the United States. Collectively identified as African American, Asian/Pacific American, Hispanic/Latina, and Native American women in the United States, women of color share membership in marginalized groups and they experience varied forms of discrimination in their efforts to fully and equally participate in society (Lloyd-Jones, 2011). Discussions of these injustices and their effects are included in chapters throughout the volume. The chapters feature relevant experiences specific to women faculty and administrators of color in higher education. These include examinations of the progress of women of color in academia, as demonstrated by their increased (but still underrepresented) presence in senior-level administrative and faculty positions, and suggestions for a more inclusive academic environment for women of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. The compilation of chapters in fact, provides conceptual, empirical, and reflective knowledge implicitly revealing the "present" status of women of color in predominantly White institutions of higher education. Many of the contributors provide implications and recommendations for a "promising future" in their chapters.


Abstract. Rises in surface and lower troposphere air temperatures through the 21st century are projected to be especially pronounced over the Arctic Ocean during the cold season. This Arctic amplification is largely driven by loss of the sea ice cover, allowing for strong heat transfers from the ocean to the atmosphere. Consistent with observed reductions in sea ice extent, fields from both the NCEP/NCAR and JRA-25 reanalyses point to emergence of surface-based Arctic amplification in the last decade.


Aim: In this study, it was aimed to investigate and compare the postoperative effects of leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) and advanced platelet-rich fibrin (A-PRF) in terms of pain, swelling, and trismus after mandibular third molar surgery. Subjects and Methods: The study included a total of 27 patients with bilateral impacted mandibular third molar, which surgically operated at different times. Patients were evaluated in two randomly separated groups. For the first and second group, A-PRF and L-PRF were applied into the tooth socket, respectively. The outcome variables were pain, swelling, the number of analgesics taken, and trismus. These variables were also assessed based on first, second, third, and seventh days following the operation. Statistical Analysis Used: The data were collected and analyzed with unpaired Student's t-test and Mann–Whitney U test. Results: The study was conducted with 27 patients, consisting of 15 females and 12 males between ages of 18–26. The visual analog scale pain scores of the L-PRF group during first (P < 0.05), second, and third days and total values (P < 0.01); the number of analgesics on days 2 (P < 0.01) and 3; and their total values (P < 0.05) were significantly higher than the A-PRF group. There was no significant difference between swelling, trismus, and the duration of operation (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the use of A-PRF after mandibular third molar extraction significantly reduces postoperative pain and the patients need to take analgesics of A-PRF group compared to L-PRF group.


I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.


The production of immunoglobulin antivenoms has evolved over the past 50 years, resulting in a choice of source animals and highly purified, target-specific immunoglobulin fragments (IgG, Fab2, and Fab). Differences in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of these fragments may affect clinical efficacy. For example, both local and systemic recurrences (worsening after initial improvement) with intact or fragmented immunoglobulin antivenoms have been observed. Local recurrence may result in greater tissue injury, and coagulopathic recurrence may result in the risk of hemorrhage. The latter is of particular concern because coagulopathic recurrence usually occurs after patient discharge. Similar phenomena of symptom recurrence have been observed with ovine, digoxin-specific Fab, and with Fab2 and IgG antivenoms from a variety of source animals as well. Recurrence of venom effects in Fab-treated patients appears to be the result of a pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mismatch between the antivenom and target venom components. That is, tissue penetration and venom neutralization is incomplete, and clearance of unbound antivenom (antivenom that has not bound its venom target) is significantly faster than the clearance of some venom components, allowing signs and symptoms of envenomation to recur. Understanding the relative kinetics and dynamics of immunoglobulins and their targets may allow the physician to anticipate their clinical implications and may suggest modifications of the drug or dose to produce better clinical results.


This study was done to improve the Icelandic and Tanzanian traceability systems by developing an IT based traceability system. From the point of view of marketing fish products on the European Union (EU) market, the relevant EU regulations and standards were reviewed in order to get an overview on what regulations on traceability the factories in Iceland and Tanzania aiming at exporting fish products to the EU are faced with. A field study was carried out in Icelandic and Tanzanian fish processing factories to study the current traceability systems. The traceability systems from reception of raw material to the point the product is dispatched were followed and studied, including how the information is recorded and registered in each link. Information relevant to the traceability of products in the factory was then analysed for the purpose of designing a digitised traceability system. The results are the designs of traceability systems for the factory in Tanzania, Bahari Food Ltd., and the factory in Iceland, Tros Ltd. The design will be used in the implementation stage, which involves writing the programs for the systems which will be in the second phase. It was concluded that it is high time for Tanzania and the developing world to have an IT based traceability system as they provide information which will make the fishing industry meet, not only market and regulatory demands, but also produce products in the most efficient way.


The three-dimensional (3D) finite element model of shape memory alloy (SMA) joint system under a clamped-clamped support was established. Using the coupled thermal-mechanical transient state analysis, stress distributions of models under the different loads (internal pressure, temperature) were investigated. And the temperature field, thermal strain field, stress and creep of the joint system were obtained. The results show, 1) for the non-coat SMA joint system, the interface in middle region of the joint's internal wall is the dangerous region. In this region, the joint's adhesion failures easily occur and the crack easily initiate. The joint's coat can improve the fatigue life of joint system. 2) There are higher levels of radial temperature gradient, temperature strain and temperature stress between the internal and external walls of the joint. The creep strain in the internal-external walls of the joint is the main reason for adhesion failure in middle interfaces between the joint and the pipe.


North America's largest oilfield was discovered in 1968 at Prudhoe Bay; it contained over ten billion barrels of recoverable oil about 3000 m beneath the Arctic Coastal Plain. Its development changed Alaska's economy for ever, and included building the oil pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. The haul road alongside the pipeline is still the only road across northern Alaska, and was named the Dalton Highway when it was opened to public access. It crosses the wilderness of the Brooks Range (⇓Fig. 1), and allows completion of a north–south traverse of Alaska, across a broad range of geology and geomorphology; it was the destination for a Geologists' Association field trip in 1999, when these notes were compiled.

Fig. 1.
A truck on the Dalton Highway across soliflucted slopes north of the Atigun Pass over the Brooks Range.

The two great mountain ranges of Alaska, the Alaska Range in the south and the Brooks Range in the north (⇓Fig. 2), are accumulations of accreted terranes on the convergent plate margins of the Pacific and Arctic Oceans respectively, and both developed major icecaps during the Pleistocene; large glaciers are still fed by Pacific-derived rainfalls on the Alaska Range, but there is none today on the drier Brooks. The intervening Yukon valley and the Arctic Coastal Plain are cold deserts in the mountain rain shadows; they are classic periglacial environments (⇓Ferrians 1994). Their total lack of glaciation throughout the Pleistocene is perhaps most famed for the consequent survival of many rich placer gold deposits, notably in the Klondike valley, just over the border in Canada (⇓Waltham 1995).

Fig. 2.
Major geomorphological features across Alaska.

Permanently frozen ground develops where all the groundwater freezes due to the cooling effect of the air. Continuous permafrost occurs where the mean annual air temperature is lower than about …


Summary: DNA sequence databases use compression such as gzip to reduce the required storage space and network transmission time. We describe Nucleotide Archival Format (NAF) - a new file format for lossless reference-free compression of FASTA and FASTQ-formatted nucleotide sequences. NAF compression ratio is comparable to the best DNA compressors, while providing dramatically faster decompression. We compared our format with DNA compressors: DELIMINATE and MFCompress, and with general purpose compressors: gzip, bzip2, xz, brotli, and zstd. Availability and implementation NAF compressor and decompressor, as well as format specification are available at https://github.com/KirillKryukov/naf. Format specification is in public domain. Compressor and decompressor are open source under the zlib/libpng license, free for nearly any use. Contact firstname.lastname@example.com


This study was aimed to construct the standard product for detecting the aml1/eto fusion gene by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RQ-RT-PCR), monitoring minimal residual disease (MRD) in the patents with AML-M2. Having obtained the aml1/eto fusion gene from the patients by the RT-PCR with a pair of specific primers, the RNA standard product as 10'° copies was gained after amplifying and transcribing in vitro and was used for detecting bone marrow and peripheral blood samples from 37 patients. The results indicated that the standard product constructed above displayed a standard curve which showed a linear correlation of the Ct with the log of the RNA concentration of each standard dilution. The average relative levels of aml1/eto fusion gene in the patients at diagnosis and the patients in relapse were higher than those in patients ongoing complete remission (CR) (p<0.05). The relative level of aml1/eto fusion gene of the follow-up patients was higher at diagnosis, and lower in patients ongoing CR, then went up again at relapse. The patients whose relative level of aml1/eto fusion gene in CR decreased by 2 log even lower than at diagnosis had a lower risk of relapse. If the relative level of aml1/eto fusion gene kept increasing, the patients had a poor prognosis. It is concluded that RQ-RT-PCR is a sensitive, specific, reliable and reproducible methed for monitoring aml1/eto fusion gene. Application of RQ-RT-PCR to detect aml1/eto fusion gene for monitoring MRD in AML-M2 is helpful to assess the response of therapy and estimate the risk of relapse, RQ-RT-PCR may become an important method to decide the time for intensified therapy and prolong CR for patients.


In the previous issue of Maintenance the authors showed that analysis of the Smoothed Pseudo Wigner Ville Distribution (SPWVD) can provide an interpretation of compressor valve vibration response and thus form a basis for valve fault diagnosis. The procedure is far from being routine, however, and is not without its difficulties. In this paper, a technique is presented for compressing SPWVD results, using a pattern similarity analysis, and hence deriving diagnostic parameters by means of which valve faults may be more readily assessed and diagnosed. Also important is the ability to correlate valve faults to deterioration in compressor performance. A 'trained' neural network method for accomplishing this has been developed.


The adoption of beam-centric radio communication schemes calls for efficient methods of beamforming with multi-element antennas. We present a delay generation method that employs a shared and centralized cascade of Gires-Tournois etalons for element-by-element radio frequency beamsteering at remote radio heads, thus adding no complexity at the antenna site. We experimentally demonstrate beamsteering of up to 32° in combination with a 2 × 5 phased-array antenna operated at a radio carrier frequency of 3.5 GHz and transmitting 64-ary quadrature amplitude modulated, orthogonal frequency division modulated radio signals. The radio transmission performance over mobile optical fronthaul and free-space radio propagation is evaluated through offline error vector magnitude estimation and real-time transmission of high-definition video traffic. We further show carrier phase switching at 2 kHz using direct emission frequency modulation of the involved optical light sources, proving the proposed concept to support the fast tracking of mobile users.


Id4 is a member of Id proteins which belong to a transcription factor family called "basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH)"proteins. bHLH family members contain a DNA binding domain and a helix-loop-helix domain that enables dimerisation between bHLH proteins. Id proteins are not capable of DNA binding due to absence of basic (DNA binding) domain. Therefore Id-bHLH heterodimerisation results in inhibition of bHLH activity which drives cellular differentiation. Id4 plays an important role in proliferating cells maintaining neural stem cell pool and controlling the timing of differentiation as well as apoptosis in the mouse. TALEN-mediated knockout of Id4 in zebrafish resulted in a reduction of Sox2 expression a marker for neural stem cells suggesting a reduction of the stem cell pool. In addition, premature GFAP expression a marker of astrocytes suggests that reduction of thestem cells pool is in part due to premature glial differentiation. HuC expression marking neurons was not changed however at 24 hpf. The observed phenotype was similar to that exhibited in mutants of the notch signalling pathwaysuggesting that Id4 could be a downstream target of notch. Indeed, Id4 expression was elevated in mind bomb mutants and embryos treated with DAPM an inhibitor of the notch signalling pathway suggesting that notch negatively regulates Id4 expression.


This manual is for use by owners, managers, and engineers involved with the design, rehabilitation, and maintenance of surfacing for low-volume road networks. The considerations and constraints associated with the design process are discussed. These include drainage, geometrics, traffic, materials, surface characteristics, and shoulders. Design procedures especially for low-volume roads are given for both paved and aggregate surfaces. Paved surfaces include surface treatments, asphalt concrete, and portland cement concrete.Methods of maintaining and rehabilitating low-volume roads are also presented because of the importance of protecting the large investment in existing low-volume roads. Finally, a discussion of pavement management practices and the basics of pavement evaluation and performance is given so low-volume road agencies can begin to develop these useful tools.


In my first editorial,1 I made a brief analysis of the construction of the Dental Press Journal of Orthodontics (DPJO). In contrast to the poetic and emotional vein of that first text,1 fruit of the profound gratitude to those that appointed me captain of this ship, I will use this opportunity to describe, to our readers and other collaborators (publishers, authors and reviewers), some of the adjustments to be made in this journal. These changes begin in this issue and will be completed in the next (17.3), or maybe will never cease, depending on sea winds and our disquiet. The role of the editor is to chart the course of the journal and to steer the helm so that the prow is kept in the direction of the route defined by our predecessors. The main scope of such effort was to reduce the navigating time between manuscript submission and effective publication, as stated at the end of that previous editorial.1 The high incoming of manuscripts is the main reason why DPJO takes a mean of three years to complete the whole process. Our objective is to reach, by the end of 2012, a maximum time of eighteen months and reduce it further until we manage to navigate this route in six to twelve months. Unfortunately, to achieve these goals, some "not so sympathetic" measures should be taken. The acceptance rate for manuscripts submitted in 2009 was 60%; it went down to 50% in 2010, and corresponded to only 1/3 (34%) of all submissions in 2011 (Fig 1). Although no rigid goal has been defined, the level of rejection of manuscripts submitted in 2012 is expected to be close to 75%. The second measure is to increase the number of manuscripts published in each issue of the journal. For that, the number of studies published online will increase, a measure that has started to be delineated in 2010. The perspective for this year is to publish six online articles for each issue. The new layout of the journal, starting with the current number, will also favor the inclusion of four more manuscripts in each journal issue. These measures, in association with the reduction of articles size, now limited to 3500 words, will lead to more objective manuscripts in which the main information receives intense focus. Therefore, our readers will have more information in each issue and authors will enjoy the pleasure of seeing their production sailing away into the world sooner. Submissions will also be adjusted. We are conducting a minor restructuring of the board of reviewers to increase the number of foreign collaborators and to meet the requirements of international indexing databases. Moreover, the Dental Press Journal of Orthodontics will soon accept only submissions in English. The purpose of this decision is to make it easier to prepare the journal layout. However, the print version in Portuguese will continue being delivered to all subscribers; for now, only the English version will remain available online via SciELO. For a mature journal, the changes suggested actually amount to almost nothing in light of such a well conceived and consolidated enterprise. Only a few changes at the helm to prioritize the movement to where the prow is directed. Modest adjustments to make our cartography more precise and to optimize time and space so that we achieve the aim of consolidating the "necessity" so acclaimed by Pompey and that have been part of our lives since before Christ. Enjoy your reading!


99m Tc-MIBI; 18 F-FDG PET/CT; 99m Tc-MDP Abstract Nuclear medicine imaging modalities have been reported to be useful in the diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma (PC). However, false negative findings of bone metastasis from PC have been rarely reported. Here, we describe a patient undergoing nuclear medicine examinations since he had persistent high calcium and parathyroid hormone levels after resection of parathyroid tumor. 99mTc-Sestamibi (99mTc-MIBI) whole body scintigraphy (WBS) and 99m Tc-methylene diphosphonate ( 99m Tc-MDP) WBS were both negative. 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ( 18 FDG-PET/CT) scan demonstrated osteolytic lesion in the fourth lumbar vertebrae (L 4 ) on CT image with no obvious 18F-FDG accumulation on PET image. CT-guided fine needle aspiration and pathalogical examinations confirmed bone metastasis from PC.


Adaptively optimizing experiments can significantly reduce the number of trials needed to characterize neural responses using parametric statistical models. However, the potential for these methods has been limited to date by severe computational challenges: choosing the stimulus which will provide the most information about the (typically high-dimensional) model parameters requires evaluating a high-dimensional integration and optimization in near-real time. Here we present a fast algorithm for choosing the optimal (most informative) stimulus based on a Fisher approximation of the Shannon information and specialized numerical linear algebra techniques. This algorithm requires only low-rank matrix manipulations and a one-dimensional linesearch to choose the stimulus and is therefore efficient even for high-dimensional stimulus and parameter spaces; for example, we require just 15 milliseconds on a desktop computer to optimize a 100-dimensional stimulus. Our algorithm therefore makes real-time adaptive experimental design feasible. Simulation results show that model parameters can be estimated much more efficiently using these adaptive techniques than by using random (nonadaptive) stimuli. Finally, we generalize the algorithm to efficiently handle both fast adaptation due to spike-history effects and slow, non-systematic drifts in the model parameters.


My recent editorial regarding dermabrasion was intended to provide an overview of the procedure and briefly discuss its current applications. Although one might presume that dermabrasion of tattoos would routinely lead to scarring, Clabaugh1,2showed in his study of dermabrasion of 250 tattoos that good-to-excellent results were found in 85% of cases. Only four cases of scarring were observed. These results have been corroborated by the clinical experience of clinicians who have performed hundreds of these procedures (J. Yarborough, MD, and W. Clabaugh, MD, oral communication, November 1994). With the technique of superficial dermabrasion, no attempt is made to mechanically remove all pigment from the dermis. After performing shallow planing, most of the pigment exits the skin through transepidermal elimination and as well by engulfment by phagocytes. Dermabrasion does allow excellent direct visualization of anatomic depth. Pinpoint capillary bleeding, the landmark of the papillary dermis, is not visible after


Aortic coarctation, first described by Morgagni during an autopsy of a monk in 1760, is characterised by a circumscript narrowing in the region of the ligamentum arteriosum, at the level of the distal aortic arch/descending aorta, just at the origin of the left subclavian artery, in particular when diagnosed in adulthood. The natural history of aortic coarctation was dismal until 1944 when Crafoord and Nylin performed the first resection with end-to-end anastomosis in a human being.1 Natural survival of patients with unoperated aortic coarctation was 35 years on average and mortality at the age of 46 years was 75%. Premature morbidity and death in patient with unrepaired aortic coarctation are common owing to congestive heart failure (25.5%), rupture of the aorta (21%), endocarditis (18%) or intracranial haemorrhage (11.5%).2 This dismal prognosis of unoperated patients reflects the systemic nature of this congenital defect, in particular of the proximal, diseased aorta: cystic changes of the aortic media, bicuspid aortic valve in up to 75% of patients, serial left ventricular inflow and outflow tract obstruction (Shone complex), intracranial aneurysms, systemic hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy.

The different surgical techniques aim to remove the narrowed segment and to establish unobstructed continuity between the distal aortic arch and the descending aorta in order to relieve arterial hypertension in the upper limbs and to improve blood flow to the lower limbs. Advances in interventional cardiology revolutionised treatment of aortic coarctation: balloon dilatation with or without deployment of a stent has gained popularity and has become the preferred method to treat children and adults with primary coarctation and recoarctation if the morphology is amenable to an interventional approach.3

Late sequelae after aortic coarctation repair include recoarctation, …


Problem statement: The disturbance in power system is unavoidable situation. It causes in power system oscillation. Approach: This study applied the Static Var Compensator (SVC) to damp power system oscillation. The optimal control design is applied to derive the control strategy of SVC. The simulation results are tested on a Single Machine Infinite bus. The proposed method is equipped in sample system with disturbance. The generator rotor angle curve of the system without and with a SVC is plotted and compared. Results: It was found that the system without a SVC has high variation whereas that of the system with a SVC has much smaller variation. Conclusion: From the simulation results, the SVC can damp power system oscillation.


This study deals with the nervus vagus of Mugil cephalus. The microscopic observations showed that, the nervus vagus arises from the brain by one root which leaves the cranial cavity through the jugular foramen.The intracranial dorsal vagal ramus arises from the vagal root and enters its own ganglion. It anastomoses with the posterior lateral line nerve.The vagus nerve divides into three branchial trunks and a truncus visceralis.Each branchial vagal trunk has an epibranchial ganglion. Distal to the ganglion each trunk branches into rami pharyngeus, anterior and posterior pretrematic and a posttrematic. The first branchial vagal trunk anastomoses with the vagal sympathetic ganglion.The nervus vagus carries general somatic sensory fibres to the skin, general viscerosensory fibres to the pharyngeal epithelium, special viscerosensory fibres to the gill rackers and the taste buds and visceromotor fibres to the levators and the adductor arcuales branchiales and the obliquus ventrales muscles of the second, third and fourth holobranchs and transversus dorsalis and ventralis muscles.In addition it also carries vegetative fibres (parasympathetic) for the blood vessels and the muscles of the gill filaments.


Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, the War on Terror has been the impetus and justification for asserting expansive presidential powers. Under the auspices of the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) and Article II of the U.S. Constitution, the Bush administration has detained American citizens as enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay, instituted military tribunals, and used extraordinary rendition to transfer detainees to countries that employ harsher interrogation techniques than the United States. In addition to those new programs, the administration also instituted a widespread, secret eavesdropping program (which the administration calls the "terrorist surveillance program"), under which the National Security Agency (NSA) intercepts communications between individuals on American soil and individuals abroad, without judicial approval. This recent revelation poses important questions about the desirability and legality of a perhaps unprecedented expansion in presidential power. This article examines the NSA surveillance program. Part I discusses the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978, which sets forth the legal framework for electronic surveillance in the United States pertaining to foreign intelligence. Part II presents the publicly known aspects of the terrorist surveillance program and the administration's arguments for the program's legality. Part III presents arguments from academics and government officials that the administration's program violates FISA and the U.S. Constitution. Finally, Part IV makes suggestions for reform and concludes that any changes should be made by Congress, not by presidential directive.


This book contains the proceedings of the Eighth EUROGRAPHICS Workshop on Virtual Environments. The event was held in Barcelona from May 30 to May 31, 2002. The workshop brought together scientists, developers, and users from all over the world to present and discuss the latest scientific advances in the field of Virtual Environments.60 papers were submitted for reviewing and 22 were selected to be presented at the workshop. Most of the top research institutions working in the area submitted papers and presented their latest results. The presentations were complemented by two keynote talks from Marc Mine (Walt Disney Imagineering - VR Studio) and Eric Badique (European Commission - IST program).The research presented at this workshop can be classified into the following aspects of Virtual Environments (VEs): Input and Output Devices, Interaction and Navigation, Evaluation, Collaboration, Systems, and Applications. Devices focus mainly on hardware issues to interface with a simulation, whereas Interaction and Navigation techniques investigate how the raw input is best interpreted so that the user can easily achieve his/her goals. Evaluations provide data about the usability of Virtual Environments, and the importance of objective and reproducible studies can only be stressed. Virtual Environments are often used to communicate and to co-operate and this focus is evident in the research on Collaboration. The area of Systems discusses the various tradeoffs in building complete solutions and last, but not least, applications report on the transfer of research results into the real world. However, the reader should note that many contributions cross these boundaries, which reflects the multidisciplinary nature of Virtual Environments.