ABSTRACT
Objective
To ascertain the features and characteristics of colorectal cancer in North Jordan in patients at Prince Rashid Military Teaching Hospital during 2005-2007.
Patients and Methods
Patients with large bowel cancer were reviewed. Data collected included age, gender, site of tumor, presentation, histology, extension of tumor and nodal involvement and treatment.
Results
There were 69 new cases of colorectal cancer (42 males and 27 females) admitted to the hospital during the period 2005-2007. Cancer was diagnosed preoperatively by colonoscopy in 64% of the cases. Median age of patients was 61.2 for males and 62.3 for females in 2005, 63.8 males and 56.4 for females in 2006 and 59.1 males and 55.4 for females in 2007. The most common tumor grade was moderately differentiated (69%), then poorly differentiated (17%) and then well differentiated (14%). Mean annual incidence was 23 patients/year. Nine (13 %) patients were equal or under the age of 50 years, the presenting symptoms. Descend0ing and sigmoid colon were the most common anatomical sites affected (60 out of 69 patients). The most common histopathological type was adenocarcinoma.
Conclusion
The findings of age affected were equal or less than 13% (i.e. equal or less than 50 years) indicates the need for cancer screening and prevention in Jordan. The best method to diminish the incidence of colorectal cancer today may be to increase the use of screening colonoscopy and biopsy. The changes in incidence strongly suggest that proximal and distal colonic cancers are different diseases or have a different pathogenesis or etiologies. (Rawal Med J 2010;35: ).
Key words
Colon carcinoma, polyps, colorectal cancer.
INTRODUCTION
Incidence of colorectal cancer (CA Colon) has been increasing during the last years and 5% of the population gets affected.1 It is a preventable disease as CA colon usually develops slowly from an identifiable precursor lesion, the adenoma.2 One in 17 women will develop CA colon.3 Risk factors include age, a diet rich in fat and cholesterol, inflammatory bowel disease (especially ulcerative colitis), and genetic predisposition, including hereditary polyposis and nonpolyposis syndromes. If detected early, colorectal cancer is curable by surgery. The objective of this study was to identify better the features and characteristics of CA colon in North Jordan among patients at Prince Rashid Military-Teaching Hospital in 2005-2007 period.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
The data of all patients with large bowel cancer in Prince Rashid Military-Teaching Hospital were obtained. Variables recorded included age, gender, site of tumor, presentation, histology, extension of tumor and nodal involvement, and treatment.
RESULTS
There were 69 new cases of CA colon (42 males and 27 females) admitted to the hospital during the period 2005-2007. Cancer was diagnosed preoperatively by colonoscopy in 64% of the cases. Median age incidence for colorectal carcinoma was 61.2 for ma


How does the level of democracy in a country affect the government's treatment of ethnic minorities? I find that, on average, when the largest ethnic group in a society exceeds half of the population, ethnic minorities are treated better in autocracies and full democracies than in semi-democratic countries. The intuition is that under autocracy a leader needs little popular support, and therefore a coalition of several minorities can rule. By contrast, in a semi-democracy, the leader needs the support of more people, so a coalition of small ethnic groups is insufficient; the largest group is enough and no other groups are necessary. Finally, highly democratic countries require broad support, and most ethnic groups get benefits. My model is based on the Baron-Ferejohn bargaining game and my empirical tests use the Ethnic Power Relations dataset.


Today, hybrid manufacturing technology has drawn significant interests from both academia and industry due to the capability to make products in a more efficient and productive way. Although there is no specific consensus on the definition of the term 'hybrid processes', researchers have explored a number of approaches to combine different manufacturing processes with the similar objectives of improving surface integrity, increasing material removal rate, reducing tool wear, reducing production time and extending application areas. Thus, hybrid processes open up new opportunities and applications for manufacturing various components which are not able to be produced economically by processes on their own. This review paper starts with the classification of current manufacturing processes based on processes being defined as additive, subtractive, transformative, joining and dividing. Definitions of hybrid processes from other researchers in the literature are then introduced. The major part of this paper reviews existing hybrid processes reported over the past two decades. Finally, this paper attempts to propose possible definitions of hybrid processes along with the authors' classification, followed by discussion of their developments, limitations and future research needs.


During the transportation phase of the distribution cycle, packaging systems are subjected to random dynamic compressive loads that arise from vibrations generated by the vehicle. The level and severity of these dynamic compressive loads are generally a function of the vibration levels, the stack configuration and stack weight. The container's ability to withstand these compressive loads for sufficiently long periods depends on the material's characteristics as well as the container design. The research presented herein tests the hypothesis that cumulative damage in the material under random dynamic compression will result in a reduction in the overall stiffness as well as an increase in the overall damping of the element. These are expected to be manifested, respectively, as a shift in the fundamental resonant frequency as well as an increase in the bandwidth of the frequency response function of the material at resonance when configured as a single degree of freedom system. The paper presents the results of preliminary experiments in which a number of corrugated paperboard samples were subjected to dynamic compressive loads by means of broadband random base excitation with a vibration table coupled with a guided dead-weight arrangement. The level of cumulative damage in the sample was continuously evaluated by monitoring the stiffness and overall damping of the sample which were extracted from the Frequency Response Function (FRF) of the system. This was obtained from continuous acceleration measurements of the vibration table and the guided dead weight.


Promoting ethical, responsible, and caring young people is a perennial aim of education. Schools are invited to include moral teaching in every possible curriculum, such as the core subjects and sports teams and clubs. Efforts have been done to find other teaching ways other than traditional ones such as games or role play or engaging students in moral dilemmas. Computer games have been always found as one of the most engaging learning platforms. This paper introduces AEINS, a learning environment that is designed and implemented based on the learning theories such as: Bloom's Taxonomy, Keller's ARCS model and Gagne's Nine Principles. The learning environment allows the students to interact with different moral dilemmas and see the effect of their choices on themselves and others. AEINS makes use of the Socratic Method as its predominant teaching pedagogy and employs pedagogical agents to supply the educational process. AEINS evaluation results indicated development of moral reasoning and transfer of moral virtues to its users.


Edelman, Peter J. Ph.D., Purdue University, December 2016. Interplanetary Mission Design with Applications to Guidance and Optimal Control of Aero-Assisted Trajectories. Major Professor: James M. Longuski. A method for finding optimal aerogravity-assist tours of the solar system is developed using indirect methods. Two cost functionals are used in the optimization; finding the minimum required maximum lift-to-drag ratio, with and without a convective heating-rate path constraint, and the path which provides the minimum total stagnation point convective heat load. It is found that using present or near-future thermal protection system materials will suffice for certain aerogravity-assist trajectories at Mars. Minimum heat load optimal trajectories are found for aerocapture maneuvers at Uranus and Neptune. With a large radius, and short rotational periods, atmospheric rotation must be taken into account to accurately model the system dynamics. Investigation of the 2018 Inspiration Mars free-return opportunity is conducted. A broad search over 100 years of Mars free-return trajectories is catalogued, and a Pareto front analysis is employed to find the overall best trajectories in the timespan. The geometry is explored further with the use of a time-free ephemeris to see where minimal energy transfer arcs between Earth and Mars occur, and see if the 2018 opportunity is one such transfer. It turned out that both the 2017 and 2064 candidates found from the 100year search were the closest to minimum energy, highlighting the rarity of the Inspiration Mars opportunity, and gives a motivating push to fly this mission.


We examined the effects of gut microbial catabolites of tryptophan on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Using a reporter gene assay, we show that all studied catabolites are low-potency agonists of human AhR. The efficacy of catabolites differed substantially, comprising agonists with no or low (i3-propionate, i3-acetate, i3-lactate, i3-aldehyde), medium (i3-ethanol, i3-acrylate, skatole, tryptamine), and high (indole, i3-acetamide, i3-pyruvate) efficacies. We displayed ligand-selective antagonist activities by i3-pyruvate, i3-aldehyde, indole, skatole, and tryptamine. Ligand binding assay identified low affinity (skatole, i3-pyruvate, and i3-acetamide) and very low affinity (i3-acrylate, i3-ethanol, indole) ligands of the murine AhR. Indole, skatole, tryptamine, i3-pyruvate, i3-acrylate, and i3-acetamide induced CYP1A1 mRNA in intestinal LS180 and HT-29 cells, but not in the AhR-knockout HT-29 variant. We observed a similar CYP1A1 induction pattern in primary human hepatocytes. The most AhR-active catabolites (indole, skatole, tryptamine, i3-pyruvate, i3-acrylate, i3-acetamide) elicited nuclear translocation of the AhR, followed by a formation of AhR-ARNT heterodimer and enhanced binding of the AhR to the CYP1A1 gene promoter. Collectively, we comprehensively characterized the interactions of gut microbial tryptophan catabolites with the AhR, which may expand the current understanding of their potential roles in intestinal health and disease.


It is proved that only the introduction of the concept of total innovations is able to ensure the survival of companies in global markets. The adaptation factors of the organizational business model to the perception of innovations in the company are analyzed. The evaluation system of development of enterprise's innovative potential is determined on the conceptual basis of value chain of innovations. The components of development program of innovative potential are formed using four vectors: innovative competencies, innovative capabilities, innovative resources and innovative projects.


Atomic layer deposition (ALD) at this time is much slower than conventional optical thin-film deposition techniques. A more rapid ALD process for SiO(2) has been developed than for other ALD materials. A fence post design for optical thin films has thin layers of high-index posts standing above a broad low-index ground. If a design for ALD can be predominantly composed of SiO(2) layers with thin high-index layers, the deposition times can be correspondingly shortened, and it is shown that the required performance can still be nearly that of more conventional designs with high- and low-index layers of equal thickness. This combination makes the ALD benefits of conformal coating and precise thickness control more practical for optical thin-film applications.


Engagement is enhanced by the ability to access the state of flow during a task, which is described as a full immersion experience. We report two studies on the efficacy of using physiological data collected from a wearable sensor for the automated prediction of flow. Study 1 took a two-level block design where activities were nested within its participants. A total of five participants were asked to complete 12 tasks that aligned with their interests while wearing the Empatica E4 sensor. This yielded 60 total tasks across the five participants. In a second study representing daily use of the device, a participant wore the device over the course of 10 unstructured activities over 2 weeks. The efficacy of the features derived from the first study were tested on these data. For the first study, a two-level fixed effects stepwise logistic regression procedure indicated that five features were significant predictors of flow. In total, two were related to skin temperature (median change with respect to the baseline and skewness of the temperature distribution) and three were related to acceleration (the acceleration skewness in the x and y directions and the kurtosis of acceleration in the y direction). Logistic regression and naïve Bayes models provided a strong classification performance (AUC > 0.7, between-participant cross-validation). For the second study, these same features yielded a satisfactory prediction of flow for the new participant wearing the device in an unstructured daily use setting (AUC > 0.7, leave-one-out cross-validation). The features related to acceleration and skin temperature appear to translate well for the tracking of flow in a daily use environment.


Abstract Obesity has become a widespread disease that is harmful to human health. Fat homeostasis is essentially maintained by fat accumulation and energy expenditure. Studies on brown adipose tissue (BAT) represent a promising opportunity to identify a pharmaceutical intervention against obesity through increased energy expenditure. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were thought to be critical regulators in a variety of biological processes. Recent studies have revealed that lncRNAs, including ones that are BAT-specific, conserved, and located at key protein-coding genes, function in brown adipogenesis, white adipose browning (ie, beige adipogenesis), and brown thermogenesis. In this review, we describe lncRNA properties and highlight functional lncRNAs in these biological processes, with the goal of establishing links between lncRNAs and BAT. Based on the advances of lncRNAs in the regulation of BAT, we discussed the advantages of potential lncRNA-based obesity drugs. Further BAT lncRNA-based drug development may provide new exciting approaches to defend obesity by regulation of fat homeostasis.


Measurement of new intelligences frequently relies on empirical scoring methods such as consensus based measurement (CBM). As the correctness of response options is not established on the basis of theories, but of empirical standards, these methods have been questioned in the past to indicate the true correctness. The present studies aim to systematically investigate CBM methods as well as an enlarged pool of supposed alternative methods - Consensus Analysis, HOMALS and the Nominal Response Model (NRM) - based on data for which the true scoring keys are known. For the systematic evaluation of the empirical scoring methods, two studies were conducted, one using simulated data, the other using real-world data. In the simulation studies, several characteristics of two- and five-categorical data were manipulated to investigate the influence of the independent variables sample size, number of items, ability of respondents, and difficulty of items. The methods were evaluated with dependent variables indicating the relative distance of true and reconstructed scoring keys and the correlation between true abilities and abilities based on the respective method. The results indicate that ability and difficulty are the key influencing variables for the consensus-based scoring methods. With high ability samples and low difficulty of items these methods performed well. CBM and Consensus Analysis showed only minor differences. The NRM was mainly independent of the manipulated variables, but was only observed to work when two response options were fixed by making plausible assumptions. HOMALS was not observed to provide satisfactory results in any realized data condition. The real-world data study used responses to 18 mathematics TIMSS 2011 items (N = 15,992). Consensus-based scoring methods as well as NRM with plausible fixation worked perfectly, whereas HOMALS and NRM with random fixation did not provide the correct scoring key. Moreover, dependence on the ability was supported. It is concluded that empirical scoring methods are only recommended for specific data conditions. The results support the need for more finely elaborated theories for the measurement of intelligences.


There is a noticeable influence of literature and literary techniques in the popular music songs of the countercultural period in Britain (1965-71). These dates, as noted by Jonathon Green, characterize the beginning of the UK countercultural movement of the 1960s, culminating with the 1971 trial of the OZ magazine, which Green regards as marking the end of the period (1999).

There are three main questions that this project explores. In what ways did songwriters of the era use literature as an inspiration in the compositional process? How can literary influenced songwriting techniques be used and extended in contemporary popular composition? How useful are these techniques and the extensions of these techniques in the compositional process?

This project investigates the influence of literature on the songwriters of the era by analysing relevant song examples and subsequently inventing systematic forms that songwriters today can use as a basis for composition. A portfolio of original compositions is included, which demonstrates various approaches to composition that abide by the systematic forms, which stem from the literary influence of the 1960s songwriters. This project makes a contribution to our knowledge and understanding of popular music, as the influence of literature, especially the application of literary techniques in the compositional process, is a subject that has not been researched previously in any great depth. The abundance of available literary techniques and the possibilities for the invention of techniques is an exciting prospect when applied to popular composition.

After highlighting certain issues such as the homogeneity of songwriters and poets, a brief contextual background is given concerning 1960s counterculture and popular music. A taxonomy of systematic forms is created, into which are placed literary influenced techniques used by songwriters such as Syd Barrett and John Lennon, illustrated by a number of examples. Explanations of the original compositions included in the portfolio highlight the attributes of various songwriting approaches and conclusions are drawn that look into the differing levels of constraint and artistic intuition and how these factors affect the compositional process.


Crack growth in compact specimens of type 304 stainless steel is studied at 538oC. Loading conditions include pure fatigue loading, static loading and fatigue loading with hold time. Crack growth rates are correlated with the stress intensity factor. A finite element analysis is performed to understand the crack tip field under creep-fatigue loading. It is found that fatigue loading interrupts stress relaxation around the crack tip and cause stress reinstatement, thereby accelerating crack growth compared with pure static loading. An effort is made to model crack growth rates under combined influence of creep and fatigue loading. The correlation with the stress intensity factor is found better when da/dt is used instead of da/dN. Both the linear summation rule and the dominant damage rule overestimate crack growth rates under creep-fatigue loading. A model is proposed to better correlate crack growth rates under creep-fatigue loading: 1 c f da da da dt dt dt Ψ −Ψ     =         , where Ψ is an exponent determined from damage under pure fatigue loading and pure creep loading. This model correlates crack growth rates for relatively small loads and low stress intensity factors. However, correlation becomes poor as the crack growth rate becomes large under a high level of load.


America's democratic ideals have long been the hope of the world, but our allies increasingly see us as abandoning those ideals. It's not hard to understand why. In the months before 9/11, the United States walked away from a number of international treaties including the Kyoto Accord. After the attack, the United States turned a cold shoulder to NATO's offers to assist with the invasion of Afghanistan, unilaterally terminated the ABM treaty, and actively opposed the creation of an International Criminal Court. Then came the war on Iraq, begun despite the clear refusal of the United Nations Security Council to authorize an invasion.Obsessed with our own immediate military and economic security, we now deem institutions like NATO and the UN irrelevant. We have abandoned containment for a policy of preventive attacks on potential threats. More and more, we act alone, with little regard for the needs and goals of other nations.Rogue Nation is not an argument against American dominance or the exercise of American power. It's an argument against stupidity, arrogance, and ignorance in the exercise of power. Prestowitz explores the historical roots of the unilateral impulse and shows how it now influences every important area of American foreign policy. Even now, when the need for multilateral action has never been greater, we continue to act contrary to international law, custom, and our own best interests.


The composite materials, 3Y-TZP added with TiN or/and Al2O3 particles, were fabricated by hot-pressing techniques. The effect of TiN and Al2O3 on the low temperature degradation of 3Y-TZP was investigated. It is shown that both TiN and Al2O3 can inhibit t-m transformation of 3Y-TZP and prevent the transformation from propagating into the specimen interiors when aged at a low temperature. The inhibition to the low temperature degradation of 3Y-TZP by Al2O3 is more sensitive to the aged temperature than by TiN. Compared with Al2O3, TiN is more available to inhibit t-m transformation on aged surfaces. The degradation resistance of 3Y-TZP codoped by TiN and Al2O3 is stronger than that of 3Y-TZP dispersed only by TiN or Al2O3.


Thermochromic materials have recently attracted great attention due to their controllable and rich physicochemical properties. However, until now, no studies have been reported on thermochromic materials for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications. Here we report a new lead-free hybrid semiconductor material, (C16H20N2)SbBr5 (1), which adopts the zero-dimensional (0-D) perovskite-type inorganic framework. Strikingly, the thermochromism in 1 leads to a wide tunable bandgap and superior photoelectric properties. Three distinct color-varying stages were first observed, i.e. colorless to yellow (I), yellow to red (II), and red to black brown (III). In particular, the figure-of-merits for thin-film photodetectors based on II-thermochromism were greatly improved, with the dark current lowered to one quarter and light photocurrent enhanced at least 12-fold. The photocurrent on/off switching ratio was thus improved by ∼50 times through thermochromism. As a new conceptual strategy to engineer the optical bandgap and meet specific photoelectric functions, our study paves the way for building high-performance optoelectronic devices based on thermochromic materials.


Restructuring South Africa's health care involves providing care to the majority who have so far been deprived of it without destroying the excellent tertiary health care facilities and the high standards of academic medicine that exist in the country. South Africa spends 6.4% of its gross domestic product on health, which is more than the goal—5% by the year 2000—set by the World Health Organisation. But 46% of this amount is spent on the private sector, which serves 19% of the population, as was explained by Dr Nkosazana Zuma, South Africa's health minister, in her health budget speech to the parliament on 20 October 1994. Moreover, 75% of the health budget, which was 14 billion Rand for 1994-5, is spent on hospitals and academic institutions. In effect, the amount spent on health care for most of the population is much less than the 5% recommended by the World Health Organisation.

This is the last in a series of articles reporting on health care in South Africa

Dr Zuma said in her speech that the cornerstone on which the future health care system will be built would be a district health system offering a package of primary health care provided by a district health authority. She clarified that primary health care was not synonymous with preventive health care and that the proposed system would achieve a balance between promotion, prevention, rehabilitation, and curative services. She also outlined definite goals that the government was committed to achieve: these focused on the control of infectious diseases, an obvious priority for any developing country (box).

Finding the money for primary health care is difficult. Much of it will have to come from the academic institutions. Dr Zuma said that the government and the deans of the academic institutions had agreed to cut their expenditure …


Bone is a highly dynamic tissue that is constantly adapting to micro-changes to facilitate movement. When the balance between bone building and resorption shifts more towards bone resorption, the result is reduced bone density and mineralization, as seen in osteoporosis or osteopenia. Current treatment strategies aimed to improve bone homeostasis and turnover are lacking in efficacy, resulting in the search for new preventative and nutraceutical treatment options. The myokine irisin, since its discovery in 2012, has been shown to play an important role in many tissues including muscle, adipose, and bone. Evidence indicate that irisin is associated with increased bone formation and decreased bone resorption, leading to reduced risk of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women. In addition, low serum irisin levels have been found in individuals with osteoporosis and osteopenia. Irisin targets key signaling proteins, promoting osteoblastogenesis and reducing osteoclastogenesis. The present review summarizes the existing evidence regarding the effects of irisin on bone homeostasis.


Based on the ion beam sputtering deposition technology, we adopted the reactive sputtering deposition method to accomplish the coating on the glass substrata with ZnO thin films. We used the four-factor and three-level L9(34) orthogonal experiment to obtain the best technological parameters of deposited ZnO thin films: discharge voltage 3.5KV, oxygen current capacity 8SCCM, the coil current 8A, the distance between target and substrata 140mm. The purity of the deposited ZnO thin film is 85.77%, and it has the good crystallization in orientation. The experimental results show that research and development of the ion beam sputtering source is advanced and has a good application value, and the ion beam sputtering deposition technology can be used to deposit the preferred orientation thin films with good performance. The findings have provided the experimental result and the beneficial reference for the ion beam sputtering deposition research.


Radio frequency identification (RFID) is considered a technology of the future, but RFID chips have long established themselves in our everyday lives. RFID systems combine the physical world of a product with the virtual world of digital data. Projects based on RFID far transcend simply replacing the bar code, and in fact represent a new all-encompassing structural concept. The RFID market is faced with the conflicting demands for cheap solutions on the one hand and guaranteed high-level security, which is predicated on additional investment, on the other. The retail trade is playing a decisive part in the broad-based roll-out of RFID projects. Beyond deployment in the retail market, though, RFID will soon be considered an indispensable part of the entire value chain in all sectors of the economy.


This review provides an in-depth update on the impact of heat stress on cerebrovascular functioning. The regulation of cerebral temperature, blood flow, and metabolism are discussed. We further provide an overview of vascular permeability, the neurocognitive changes, and the key clinical implications and pathologies known to confound cerebral functioning during hyperthermia. A reduction in cerebral blood flow (CBF), derived primarily from a respiratory-induced alkalosis, underscores the cerebrovascular changes to hyperthermia. Arterial pressures may also become compromised because of reduced peripheral resistance secondary to skin vasodilatation. Therefore, when hyperthermia is combined with conditions that increase cardiovascular strain, for example, orthostasis or dehydration, the inability to preserve cerebral perfusion pressure further reduces CBF. A reduced cerebral perfusion pressure is in turn the primary mechanism for impaired tolerance to orthostatic challenges. Any reduction in CBF attenuates the brain's convective heat loss, while the hyperthermic-induced increase in metabolic rate increases the cerebral heat gain. This paradoxical uncoupling of CBF to metabolism increases brain temperature, and potentiates a condition whereby cerebral oxygenation may be compromised. With levels of experimentally viable passive hyperthermia (up to 39.5-40.0 °C core temperature), the associated reduction in CBF (∼ 30%) and increase in cerebral metabolic demand (∼ 10%) is likely compensated by increases in cerebral oxygen extraction. However, severe increases in whole-body and brain temperature may increase blood-brain barrier permeability, potentially leading to cerebral vasogenic edema. The cerebrovascular challenges associated with hyperthermia are of paramount importance for populations with compromised thermoregulatory control--for example, spinal cord injury, elderly, and those with preexisting cardiovascular diseases.


The diagnostic value of extracellular occurring DNA (eoDNA) is limited by our lack of understanding its biological function. eoDNA exists in a number of forms, namely vesicle bound DNA, histone/DNA complexes or nucleosomes and virtosomes. These forms of DNA can also be categorized under the terms circulating DNA, cell free DNA, free DNA and extracellular DNA. The DNA can be released by means of form-specific mechanisms and seem to be governed by cell cycle phases and apoptosis. Active release is supported by evidence of energy dependant release mechanisms and various immunologicaland messenger functions. Sequencing has shown that eoDNA sequences present in the nucleome reflects traits and distribution of genome sequences and are regulated by ways of release and/or clearance. eoDNA enables the horizontal transfer of gene sequences from one cell to another, over various distances. The ability of eoDNA to partake in horizontal gene transfer makes it an important facet in the field of epigenetic variation. Clinical implementation of eoDNA diagnostics requires that all of the subgroups of eoDNA be properly investigated. It is suggested that eoDNA is the result of the metabolic fraction of DNA that is released by the cell. Various observations indicate that eoDNA may also be incorporated into the genome of a cell, from where it may affect cell function. Therefore horizontal gene transfer in higher organisms is a real possibility. In this study, variations and increases in eoDNA levels over time correlate with stressors that are subjected to 143B human osteosarcoma cells. It seems viable to assume that a stressor is met by a change in the molecular machinery of a cell, required to neutralise the onset of metabolic instability. This may be done by amplification of necessary cistrons, producing metabolic DNA, that may then be observed after its release as eoDNA. The presence of hydrolysing enzymes gives an updated real time picture of the state of eoDNA. The eogenics hypothesis emanating from this study, suggests that amplification and horizontal transfer of cistrons affect tissue and organ function over long periods of time, in order for an organism to evolve one or more a specialized genomes.


Review of Foundations of Community Journalism , edited by Bill Reader and John A. Hatcher. Los Angeles: Sage Publications, 2012, 283 pp. ISBN: 9781412974660 (pbk) This publication adds to a growing body of scholarly work currently being undertaken in the subfield of journalism and mass communication studies known as community media or alternative media. At first glance, the book appears to present a largely American perspective in its coverage of community journalism, but further reading assures one that the editors have fostered an approach that has universal relevance. The term community journalism is broadly defined as 'journalism at the community level'. While the origins of community journalism in the United States is strongly linked to small-town newspapers, the practice has expanded in the 21st century as the notion of community itself has evolved from its link to geographical ties towards the emergence of global communities linked by ethnicity, religion, culture and interests. This deterritorialisation of community newspapers is demonstrated in the Pacific through the work of Tongan-born publisher Kalafi Moala, who prints weekly editions of  Taimi 'o Tonga  for distribution to diaspora Tongan communities in New Zealand, Australia and the United States. With the changing conception of community journalism, it has become necessary to study this subfield within broader theoretical approaches, as the editors of this volume reflect in the book's preface, 'to prepare the next generation of scholars for a media environment in which community journalism no longer operates in the shadow of "big J" journalism.' At the end of each chapter the volume includes reflective contributions from scholars and practitioners who bring valuable insights towards enabling a greater theoretical understanding of the field.


Introduction Increasing antibiotic resistance limits treatment for gonorrhoea. We examined the extent to which a hypothetical point-of-care (POC) test reporting antibiotic susceptibility profiles could delay emergence of resistance and prolong effectiveness of existing antibiotics. Methods We developed a deterministic compartmental model describing gonorrhoea transmission in a risk-stratified single-sex population with three different antibiotics available to treat infections. Probabilities of resistance emergence on treatment and fitness costs associated with resistance were based on characteristics of fluoroquinolones, azithromycin, and ceftriaxone, as inferred from a previous phylogenomic analysis. We compared strategies in which a POC test was used to guide therapy in varying proportions of cases against the current empiric approach (dual treatment with azithromycin plus ceftriaxone). Results Based on current estimates of gonoccoal susceptibility patterns in the United States, the model indicated that continued empiric dual antibiotic treatment without POC testing resulted in >5% of isolates being resistant to both azithromycin and ceftriaxone within 15 years. When POC testing was used in 10% of identified cases, this time was delayed by 4 years, while time to reach a 1% prevalence of triply-resistant strains was delayed by 5 years. With POC testing in >55% of identified cases, it took over 100 years for dual and triple resistance to exceed 1%, and with POC testing in ≥75% of cases, strains resistant to azithromycin and/or ceftriaxone did not persist in the population. Results were sensitive to assumptions about fitness costs and test sensitivity only when POC test deployment was relatively low (<25%). Conclusion Rapid diagnostics that indicate antibiotic susceptibility have the potential to extend the usefulness of existing antibiotics for treatment of gonorrhoea. More broadly, integration of evidence on fitness costs associated with resistance can enhance strategies for rational antibiotic selection and further delay emergence of resistance.


A visible-light-responsive TiO2-xNx photocatalyst was prepared by a very simple method. Ammonia solution was used as nitrogen resource in this paper. The TiO2-xNx photocatalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), UV-Vis diffuse reflection spectra (DRS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The ethylene was selected as a target pollutant under visible light excitation to evaluate the activity of this photocatalyst. The new prepared TiO2-xNx photocatalyst with strong photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation was demonstrated in the experiment.


INTRODUCTION
Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality. Interest in developing countries smoking prevalence has been growing since 1999.

OBJECTIVES
To estimate the prevalence of current cigarette smoking and associated factors among school-age adolescents in Kafue, Zambia.

METHODS
A cross sectional study was conducted using standard Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) methodology. Frequencies and odds ratios were obtained to assess the association between selected factors and current cigarette smoking.

RESULTS
Data on current smoking were available for 1872 adolescents, of whom 891 (47.6%) were males and 981 females. Overall 154 (8.2%) adolescents were current cigarette smokers, while 93 (10.4%) males and 61 (6.2%) females were current smokers (p <0.001). The majority of the smokers usually smoked at their own home or at a friend's house. Having some pocket money, having friends or parents who are smokers, and being exposed to pro-tobacco advertisements at social gatherings were associated with being a current cigarette smoker.

CONCLUSIONS
The traditional factors associated with smoking among adolescents elsewhere are also associated with smoking among adolescents in Kafue, Zambia. Public health interventions aimed to reduce adolescent smoking should be designed with these identified associations in mind.


Background: There is increasing awareness of the need for more targeted models of care for Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA). Young people with cancer have distinct clinical and psychosocial needs, which relate to variation in treatment settings (adult vs paediatric), treatment protocols and complexities with disease biology. In addition, issues relate to developmental and psychosocial maturity may interfere with treatment compliance, education, vocation, career and finances. However, AYA cancer has only recently been recognised as cancer sub-speciality, there are limited opportunities for education, and health professionals may not have the skills and experience in working with cancer patients in this age group. The aim of this study was to identify the learning needs of health professionals regarding AYA cancer, self-rated confidence, and changes over time. Methods: We undertook a survey of educational needs of health professionals in 2013 at the commencement of the Queensland Youth Cancer Service. The survey was used to develop the education program for the state. The interprofessional education program was delivered using a variety of formats, covering a range of topics. The second survey was completed in 2017. Results were compared to identify changes in educational needs and self-rated confidence in providing AYA cancer care. Results: 122 participants completed the first survey and 73 the second. The most prominent educational needs in 2013 were palliative care and biomedical topics such as adolescent growth and development, specific AYA cancers and treatment. The second survey identified palliative care education remained important, however there was a shift towards need for psychosocial and practical education on topics including fertility, sexuality, and managing late effects. There were no improvements in self-rated confidence in providing cancer care to AYA. Conclusion: To provide high-quality healthcare to AYAs with cancer, health professionals require ongoing and consistent opportunities for education and training.


In 2005, the Lebanese-Swedish filmmaker Josef Fares, who had attained recognition in Sweden through the immigrant comedies Jalla! Jalla! (2000) and Kopps (2003), presented his third feature film and first drama, Zozo, inspired by Fares's own migration to Sweden. Set in 1987 Beirut, Zozo portrays a ten-year boy who loses his parents during the Lebanese Civil War and who journeys to reunite with his grandparents already settled in Sweden. In Sweden, Zozo is forced to learn the host country's language quickly and to understand the unwritten rules of his new culture. Like his grandparents, he will probably always have an accent and be recognizably the "other." The film became Sweden's national submission to the 78 th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film and its nomination not only raised questions on what Sweden and Swedishness mean in a contemporary global world, but it also reexamined the problems of nationality, location, identity, and historical memory in a borderless Europe. In this essay I argue that Zozo is an illustration of accented film, which means the film is neither Swedish nor Lebanese, but a combination of both. Influenced by his deterritorialization from Lebanon and his current life in Sweden, the cinematographic stylistic choices of Josef Fares exhibit a "double consciousness" - multiple cultural identities at once. To further understand the Lebanese and Swedish elements in the film, I analyze how elements such as chronotopes (time-space), border crossing, epistolarity,


This paper discusses the importance of providing early internship experiences to undergraduate business students to enable more effective practical skill growth prior to graduation.  The authors describe the Emerging Ethical Leaders program at the University of Pittsburgh's David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership, which provides sophomore and junior business students an early exposure internship opportunity. This early exposure internship pairs business students with local businesses and organizations that have established partnerships with the University of Pittsburgh and David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership.  The internship opportunities often involve non-profits and small businesses, allowing business students the opportunity to apply their business acumen to organizations that may not have the staff or the time to complete certain business-focused projects. By working with non-profit organizations and small businesses, students gain exposure to organizations with a socially responsible mission and gain important ethical leadership skills. The goal of internship program is to provide students a way to engage with diverse sectors and become more prepared for competitive internships in the summer following their junior year. When applying for jobs, students are able to report on two effective and diverse internship experiences, enabling them to be a stronger job candidate. This paper describes the Emerging Ethical Leadership model and provides a case-study example of effective early internship experiences. The authors also build an assessment model that captures the impact of the early internship experience from the employer's perspective.  This assessment model is based off of findings from an analysis of internship experiences indicating a need to integrate employer feedback into the design of internship programs at the University of Pittsburgh.


Conversational Agents (CA's) are computer agents used in applications to converse with humans using natural language dialogues. They are widely used in different fields like industry, education, marketing, health, and other services. Goal Oriented Conversational Agents (GO-CAs) are agents having a deep strategic purpose which enables them to direct conversations to achieve a certain goal using a specific domain. Typically (CA's) are programmed to have a set of rules that guide the conversation with the user. One technique used to script CA's is through pattern matching algorithms. Such algorithms are used to match the user's dialogue and instigate the conversation through writing a series of scripts that contains the rules and patterns relevant to the domain. Throughout the conversation, values can be extracted from the user's dialogue which allows the CA to respond with the correct answer. CA's have been mainly developed for the English language and very limited work has been carried out in Arabic. This is mainly due to the complexity of the language and the lack of resources supporting the Arabic language. This paper proposes a new CA architecture based on a pattern matching algorithm for the development of a goal orientated Arabic Conversational Agents (ACA). The ACA incorporates a new scripting language and knowledge engineering is used to construct the domain. A prototype ACA was developed and the Iraqi passport system was used as a domain to evaluate the new ACA. The ACA was tested and evaluated by experts within the Iraq Consulate with encouraging results and received positive feedback.


OAS, or "option-adjusted spread," a commonly quoted statistic in the mortgage-backed securities market, is a mathematical construct used to ensure that a mortgage's estimated equivalent martingale mode price is equal to is quoted market price. Absent any OAS adjustment, common risk-neutral mortgage pricing models fail to accurately predict mortgage market prices. As such. OAS is a particular approach to error correction. Pitfalls arise in the interpretation and use of OAS in portfolio management. A common but flawed interpretation holds that OAS measures the expected risk premium compensation for bearing prepayment risk. Our interpretation suggests that the existence of OAS is symptomatic of a misspecified prepayment model; OAS is not an estimate of an expected risk premium. The analysis shows that prepayment model error - a mean zero random innovation in prepayments - is also not a source of OAS, nor is OAS an estimate of the expected compensation for bearing the risk of prepayment model error.


The understanding of the genetics of plant-defense mechanisms, which are triggered by microbial beneficial antagonists of plant pathogens during an infection process, represents a new challenge for modern Plant Pathology. This study evaluated the differential expression of plant-defense related genes during a three-way interaction plant - antagonist - pathogen in the model system tomato - Trichoderma – the oomycete Phytophthora nicotianae. Thirty-day-old tomato seedlings were treated at the root system with a suspension of germinated conidia of two selected strains of T. asperellum and T. atroviride and then inoculated with zoospores of P. nicotianae. The defense mechanisms activated by tomato plants upon the simultaneous colonization of the root system by Trichoderma spp. and P. nicotianae were evaluated by analysing the expression of genes involved in the main plant defense pathways, namely salicylic acid (i.e.: pathogenesis-related proteins - PR1b1 and PR-P2-encoding genes), jasmonic acid (i.e.: lipoxygenases enzymes - TomLoxC and TomLoxA-encoding genes) and the tomato plant defensin protein (i.e.: SlyDF2-encoding gene) strongly involved in the tomato-Phytophthora infection process.It was shown that during the three-way interaction, in the P. nicotianae-inoculated seedlings the PR1b1-encoding gene was up-regulated exclusively in the treatment with T. atroviride strain, while PR-P2- and SlyDF2-encoding genes were up-regulated by both T. asperellum and T. atroviride strains, supporting the hypothesis that Trichoderma can strongly elicit the expression of these plant defense mechanisms on tomato plants. Conversely, both lipoxygenase encoding-genes (i.e.: TomLoxC and TomLoxA) resulted normally expressed in all treatments.In conclusion, this study provided a contribution to understand the attitude of Trichoderma to trigger plant-defense mechanisms during P. nicotianae infections on tomato.


While differences in witness narratives due to different interviewers may have implications for their credibility in court, this study considers how investigative interviews by different parties to the proceedings, as well as the gender and nationality of interviewers, can influence the testimony of witnesses in court who share comparable traumatic experiences. The foundation of the analysis was answers given to judges, prosecutors, civil party lawyers and defence lawyers in the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) located in Phnom Penh. Transcribed testimonies of 24 victim witnesses and civil parties which were translated from Khmer into English were analysed using a computer-based text analysis program, the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC). Results showed that when answering questions by females, witnesses used significantly more cognitive process words. When interviewed by international rather than by Cambodian parties to the proceeding witness accounts were composed of significantly more verbal expressions of affective processes and of perceptual processes. Furthermore, witnesses used most cognitive and affective process words during the interview by civil party lawyers and defence lawyers. These results may be due to a prior supportive relationship between civil parties and their lawyers and due to a more interrogative question style by the defence lawyers, who attempt to undermine the credibility of the interviewed witnesses. Data shows that LIWC analysis is an appropriate method to examine witness accounts and, therefore, contributes to a better understanding of the complex relationship between testimony in events under litigation and credibility.


Since its establishment in the beginning of the twentieth century, the inhabitants of the ethnically and religiously diverse Nigerian city of Jos have inhabited very different places and travelled along opposite trails – patterns that in recent years, with an escalation of violence, have gained new dimensions. By bringing people's movements into focus, this article highlights how movement comes in different ways to mediate between people and a city in flux. Brought to light is how movement in several different modalities – fast, slow, in total arrest; clothed in Christian or Muslim attires; by car, on foot, or on horseback; assertive or explorative, in triumph as well as in fear – by mediating between people and the city, brings forth a metaphysical landscape that otherwise is hard to get hold of. In this vein, movement as a medium has become a form of 'social envisioning' – a tool for understanding and foretelling the city.


As part of an industrial process in the forestry industry, pre-cut segments of debarked logs are conditioned by placing the wood segments in a warm water shower. For wood which is initially cold (or sometimes frozen) and has a relatively high moisture content, the conditioning process results in a net increase in temperature and change in moisture content. As a porous media, wood has a fairly complex structure due to the orientation and sizes of the cells which make up the fibers. In addition, the moisture content of the recently debarked log segments is relatively high, the moisture being almost completely composed of liquid water trapped by capillary forces. Simplistic models which assume a constant moisture content have previously been used to predict conditioning time. However, as is often the case in reality, the complexity of the problem is such that more accurate modelling is desired. To learn more about the conditioning process, preliminary experiments were conducted using a data logger and an array of fifteen thermocouples placed radially at three points on a log segment which was then put through a full conditioning cycle. Theoretical model equations are presented, which take into account both the liquid and vapour components of the water, and spatial averaging is used to create a system of nonlinear partial differential equations. The problem is then simplified through some basic assumptions to pose a set of coupled differential equations for energy and moisture transport in one spatial dimension. A finite difference numerical method is used to solve the initial boundary value problem for the coupled system of nonlinear partial differential equations, and some numerical results are compared to experimental data for the one dimensional problem. Limitations of the model are identified and discussed.


The appalling political breakdown which has occurred in Algeria is almost universally identified with the descent into violence since 1992, itself widely attributed, directly or indirectly, to the rise of the Islamist movement since 1989. In explicit opposition to this view, this paper argues that the breakdown of the Algerian polity occurred well before 1989 and consisted essentially in the rupture between the state and the people which took place in the 1980s and was first made manifest in the dramatic riots of October 1988. The central feature of this rupture as popularly experienced has been the problem of what Algerians call 'la hogra' (al-hagra), the systematic and contemptuous violation of their rights through constant abuse of power and arbitrary rule. Popular support for the Islamist movement after 1989 was a conjunctural mode of expression of a pre-existing social demand for good government which was not itself premised on adherence to contemporary Islamist doctrines, but on values rooted in Algeria's long-standing political traditions. The persistent refusal of the Algerian authorities since the 1980s to respect these traditions or to recognise and accommodate this demand has ensured that the strategy which the regime has followed in resisting the Islamist movement since 1992 has precluded a proper reconstruction of the Algerian polity.


The article is devoted to the development of adult education, its andragogic principles and the impact on the quality of continuous pedagogical education. It examines mechanisms for improving the quality of lifelong teacher education through the updating of content, the development and implementation of innovative learning technologies in line with new European educational guidelines and concepts, taking into account national educational traditions. The article examines the specificity of andragogic processes, world experience in adult education, and discusses the basic concepts of andragogy. The author analyzes the importance of the development of andragogy as a science, which allows to formulate and realize the main goals of adult education in the context of the human life path. It is noted that adult education today is based on continuing education, self-education and self-development. The importance of preparing future teachers for adult learning is emphasized in the article, the importance of a logically designed program and principles that aim to provide practice-oriented learning and an integral part of the quality of learning.
Andragogic theory of adult learning is based on the fact that the purpose of the modern approach to education is to promote the development and enrichment of the whole personality, the manifestation of its identity,
30 Педагогічна освіта: теорія і практика. Психологія. Педагогіка
Pedagogical Education: Theory and Practice. Psychology. Pedagogy
actualization and abilities. It brings together knowledge about the specificities of adult learning, taking into account their age, educational and living needs, real opportunities, individual characteristics and experience, psyche and physiology. Andragogic science studies the content, forms, methods and means of organizing adult learning in order to facilitate it, meet the educational needs, increase the operational efficiency of the education received while solving life problems, achieve individual goals, self-realization of personality. A number of functions are entrusted with adult education, including: social - use of social experience and involvement in solving contemporary problems of society; adaptive - regulation of relationships in a rapidly changing external environment; information - access to the necessary information, its search, selection, systematization, reproduction, use; compensation - compensation for the disadvantages of previous levels of education and ensuring a balance of self-competence and current requirements for the profession; developmental - mastering new methods of action.
An andragogic approach to learning is a set of ideas that take into account the features of a purposeful process of stimulating, educating, training and improving an adult during vocational training and retraining, which integrates the experience of individual, creative, personally oriented approaches.
The subject of the modern andragogy is the following basic principles:
1. The priority of self-study. Independent activity of learners is the main type of educational work for adult learners. Independent activity means the independent organization of the process of learning by students.
2. The principle of joint activity that ensures the unity of activities of learners with those who are learning, regarding the planning, implementation, evaluation and correction of the learning process.
3. The principle of relying on the experience of the learner, according to which the experience of the learner is used as one of the learning sources.
4. Individualization of learning. According to this principle, each student, together with other cadets, creates an individualized training program that is focused on specific educational needs and learning goals and takes into account the experience, level of training, psychophysiological and cognitive characteristics the learner.
5. Systematic training. This principle implies compliance with the objectives, content, forms, methods, learning tools and evaluation of its results.
6. The context of training is aimed at defining specific, vital for the learner, goals, oriented to fulfill their social roles or to improve the personality, taking into account the conditions of professional, social and everyday activities.
7. The principle of actualization of learning outcomes. Provides immediate application of the knowledge, skills, and qualities acquired by the adult learner.
8. The principle of electivity of learning. It means giving the learner some freedom to choose goals, content, forms, methods, sources, means, terms, place of study, evaluation of learning outcomes.
9. The principle of development of educational needs. According to this principle, first, the learning outcomes are assessed by revealing the real degree of learning material and determining the amount of knowledge, without which it is impossible to achieve the goal of learning; secondly, the learning process is directed at the formation of new educational needs in the learners, which are specified after the achievement of a specific learning objective.
10. The principle of mindfulness of learning. It means awareness, comprehension of the subject of learning all the parameters of the learning process and their actions to organize its process


AIM
Health technology assessment (HTA) is a tool to help the decision-making process. The aim is to describe methods and processes used in the reimbursement decision making for drug-eluting stents (DES) in four different settings.

METHODS
DES as a technology under study was selected according to different criteria, all of them agreed by a working group. A survey of key informants was designed.

RESULTS
DES was evaluated following well-structured HTA processes. Nonetheless, scope for improvement was observed in relation to the data considered for the final decision, the transparency and inclusiveness of the process as well as in the methods employed.

CONCLUSION
An attempt to describe the HTA processes of a well-known medical device.


We have performed a comprehensive characterization of global molecular changes for a model organism Pyrococcus furiosus using transcriptomic (DNA microarray), proteomic, and metabolomic analysis as it undergoes a cold adaptation response from its optimal 95 to 72 degrees C. Metabolic profiling on the same set of samples shows the down-regulation of many metabolites. However, some metabolites are found to be strongly up-regulated. An approach using accurate mass, isotopic pattern, database searching, and retention time is used to putatively identify several metabolites of interest. Many of the up-regulated metabolites are part of an alternative polyamine biosynthesis pathway previously established in a thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus. Arginine, agmatine, spermidine, and branched polyamines N4-aminopropylspermidine and N4-( N-acetylaminopropyl)spermidine were unambiguously identified based on their accurate mass, isotopic pattern, and matching of MS/MS data acquired under identical conditions for the natural metabolite and a high purity standard. Both DNA microarray and semiquantitative proteomic analysis using a label-free spectral counting approach indicate the down-regulation of a large majority of genes with diverse predicted functions related to growth such as transcription, amino acid biosynthesis, and translation. Some genes are, however, found to be up-regulated through the measurement of their relative mRNA and protein levels. The complimentary information obtained by the various "omics" techniques is used to catalogue and correlate the overall molecular changes.


Background : Stroke can lead into long-term disabilities which may affect stroke survivors' quality of life (QOL). The importance of stroke survivors' QOL is still getting little attention. Objective : To know stroke survivors' QOL and the risk factors associate with, i.e.:sociodemographic, activity daily living, cognitive, and depression. Methodology : This cross-sectional study was conducted in April-October 2014 at neurology clinic Dr.Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta. Subjects' criteria were minimal four weeks after the first stroke incident and came with their primary caregiver. Subjects were interviewed about their sociodemographic condition and were given WHOQOL-BREF, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaires. Meanwhile, their caregiver was interviewed with Barthel Index (BI) questionnaire. Bivariate chi-square and logistic regression analysis was done. Results : There were 64 subjects analyzed. QOL domain affected the most is physical, while the least is environment. Bivariate analysis found not working after stroke and higher BDI score associate with lower WHOQOL-BREF physical (r=9.286, p<0.01 and r=5.361, p<0.05) and psychological (r=3.935, p<0.05 and r=14.527, p<0.001) domain. No risk factor associates with WHOQOL-BREF social relationship domain. Higher BDI score associates with lower WHOQOL-BREF environment domain (r=5.861, p<0.05). Regression analysis shows older age (p<0,05) and not working after stroke (p<0,01) are risk factors for lower WHOQOL-BREF physical domain, while higher BDI score is risk factor for lower WHOQOL-BREF psychological (p<0,01) and environment (p<0,05) domain. Conclusions : Older age and not working after stroke incident are risk factors for physical domain of QOL. Depression is risk factor for psychological and environment domain of QOL.


Two infants with lethargy, vomiting, convulsions, coma and marked metabolic acidosis were found to have very high concentrations of methylmalonic acid in their serum and urine. In vitro studies of fibroblasts demonstrated that the infants had different variants of methylmalonic acidemia.Vitamin B(12) was given in two different forms at 1 month of age and at 12 months of age. Each trial continued for 4 months but neither infant showed a clinical or biochemical response.In both infants hyperglycinemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia developed during acute metabolic crises only. Hypoglycemia was found in patient 2. Hyperammonemia was severe in patient 2 during acute crises but never appeared in patient 1. When clinically well, both infants continued to excrete abnormal amounts of methylmalonic acid in the urine and both had persistent compensated metabolic acidosis.Marked hyperuricemia developed in patient 1 at 18 months of age and led to progressive renal failure. Allopurinol therapy was necessary to keep the uric acid concentration within the normal range. Renal function returned to normal, as indicated by a marked increase in the renal clearance of creatinine and uric acid.Patient 1 is physically and mentally retarded, and has moderate hypotonia, hepatomegaly and persistent vomiting. Patient 2 has developed normally.The urine concentrations of methylmalonic acid in the four parents were normal.


The link between inflammation and cancer has long been reported and inflammation is thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of many cancers, including prostate cancer (PrCa). Over the last 5 years, genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) have reported numerous susceptibility loci that predispose individuals to many different traits. The present study aims to ascertain if there are common genetic risk profiles that might predispose individuals to both PrCa and the autoimmune inflammatory condition, rheumatoid arthritis. These results could have potential public heath impact in terms of screening and chemoprevention.


Three bladder cell lines (EJ138, RT112/84 and T24/83) were used to examine the expression of E-cadherin, desmoglein, their associated proteins and their role in cell-cell dissociation and invasion using hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF). Both immunocytochemistry and Western blotting revealed that RT112/84 cells expressed high levels of E-cadherin, alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenins. However, there was no expression of E-cadherin and very low levels of alpha- and beta-catenin expression detected in both EJ138 and T24/83 cells. In contrast, all three cell lines were found to express desmoglein, desmoplakin and c-Met. An in vitro invasion assay showed that both EJ138 and T24/83 cells were highly invasive, however, RT112/84 cells were found to have very limited invasion. Invasion of RT112/84 cells was significantly increased by inclusion of either antibody to E-cadherin or motogen (HGF/SF) in the culture medium. This did not appear to be the case for EJ138 and T24/83 cells. Using immunoprecipitation, HGF/SF induced tyrosine phosphorylation of beta-catenin but not desmoplakin. It is concluded that E-cadherin plays a stronger role than desmosomal cadherin in the control of the in vitro invasion of bladder cancer cells. Activation of beta-catenin and subsequent dysfunction of E-cadherin may be a key mechanism in the induction of invasion by the motogen, HGF/SF.


Summary 1.Sera from ragweed-sensitive individuals (two untreated and six treated) were examined by radioimmunoelectrophoresis to detect and identify the serum components possessing the binding activity for a purified fraction of ragweed (ragweed-binding antibodies). The method utilizes the fixation of I 131 -labeled ragweed antigen on the arcs formed by electrophoresed human antibody components and rabbit anti-human serum. 2.The ragweed-binding activity was detected in the γ-globulin of all the sera and in the β 2A -globulin of all but one serum. Two sera showed the activity also in the β 2M -globulin. In fact, all the sera contained the activity in the β 2A - or in the β 2M -globulin in addition to the activity in the γ-globulin. (One serum contained the activity in all three globulins, γ, β 2A and β 2M .) Such a high incidence of the β 2A or β 2M -antibody in sera of sensitive individuals suggests the association of the reaginic activity with these antibodies. 3.The ragweed-precipitating antibodies were detected in the γ 2 -globulin region of some sera including one from an untreated individual. The precipitating antibodies, when present in large amounts, interfered with the identification of antibody components. A modified technique, applicable to such precipitating systems, was described.


IZA DP No. 15513 AUGUST 2022 The Relation between Skills and Job Security: Identifying the Contractual Return to Skills* The last decades have shown that the traditional steady job with a permanent contract is on the decline. While permanent contracts and the insider position that they bring are highly valued by workers, research on the returns to human capital have predominantly focused on wages as subject of that return. This study uses PIAAC data from 29 countries to estimate how skills relate to the odds of obtaining a permanent contract, versus alternative contractual arrangements for employees. Our pooled analysis shows that skills substantially relate to having a permanent contract across the full sample. Numeracy skills contribute more than literacy skills; a difference that is largely driven by sorting to occupations and industries. We further identify substantial heterogeneities across countries, in which either no skills, only numeracy skills or only literacy skills significantly predict permanent employment at the country level, but never both. Moreover, this "contractual return to skills" differs substantially from the traditional wage return to skills across countries. We find suggestive evidence that these differences relate to demand factors and labour market institutions. JEL Classification: I21, J24


Stickers are popularly used in messaging apps such as Hike to visually express a nuanced range of thoughts and utterances to convey exaggerated emotions. However, discovering the right sticker from a large and ever expanding pool of stickers while chatting can be cumbersome. In this paper, we describe a system for recommending stickers in real time as the user is typing based on the context of the conversation. We decompose the sticker recommendation (SR) problem into two steps. First, we predict the message that the user is likely to send in the chat. Second, we substitute the predicted message with an appropriate sticker. Majority of Hike's messages are in the form of text which is transliterated from users' native language to the Roman script. This leads to numerous orthographic variations of the same message and makes accurate message prediction challenging. To address this issue, we learn dense representations of chat messages employing character level convolution network in an unsupervised manner. We use them to cluster the messages that have the same meaning. In the subsequent steps, we predict the message cluster instead of the message. Our approach does not depend on human labelled data (except for validation), leading to fully automatic updation and tuning pipeline for the underlying models. We also propose a novel hybrid message prediction model, which can run with low latency on low-end phones that have severe computational limitations. Our described system has been deployed for more than 6 months and is being used by millions of users along with hundreds of thousands of expressive stickers.


Researches to study internal stress/strain behaviors in industrial superconducting composites have been started at TAKUMI of J-PARC, as soon as the completion of TAKUMI construction. Preliminary results obtained from strains measurements during tensile deformation of Nb3Sn strands and YBa2Cu3O7 tapes, strains measurements during heating of Nb3Sn strands and residual strains measurements in a Nb3Sn Cable-In-Conduit Conductors are briefly described. The results can demonstrate possibilities of neutron engineering diffraction to solve problems in industrial superconducting composites by using J-PARC high flux neutron beam, even the volume fractions of superconducting phases in the composites are small and the superconducting phases locate inside the real components.


The dynamic motion of tethered undersea kites (TUSK) is studied using numerical simu- lations. TUSK systems consist of a rigid winged-shaped kite moving in an ocean current. The kite is connected by tethers to a platform on the ocean surface or anchored to the seabed. Hydrodynamic forces generated by the kite are transmitted through the tethers to a generator on the platform to produce electricity. TUSK systems are being considered as an alternative to marine turbines since the kite can move at a high-speed, thereby increasing power production compared to conventional marine turbines. The two-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations are solved on a regular structured grid to resolve the ocean current flow, and a fictitious domain-immersed boundary method is used for the rigid kite. A projection method along with open multiprocessing (OpenMP) is employed to solve the flow equations. The reel-out and reel-in velocities of the two tethers are adjusted to control the kite angle of attack and the resultant hydrodynamic forces. A baseline simulation, where a high net power output was achieved during successive kite power and retraction phases, is examined in detail. The effects of different key design parameters in TUSK systems, such as the ratio of tether to current velocity, kite weight, current velocity, and the tether to kite chord length ratio, are then further studied. System power output, vorticity flow fields, tether tensions, and hydrodynamic coefficients for the kite are determined. The power output results are shown to be in good agreement with the established theoretical results for a kite moving in two dimensions. [DOI:


Chromophobe carcinoma is seen mainly in the fifth decade and accounts for 5% of renal tumors. It originates at the level of type B intercalated cells of the collecting duct. There are two subtypes of chromophobe cell carcinoma: the clear type (70%) and eosinophilic type. The variant with eosinophilic cells must be differentiated from oncocytoma. The latter is characterized by a central fibrous stellate scar. Chromophobe carcinoma and oncocytoma may even coexist in the syndrome of Birt-Hogg-Dube. Some tumors called hybrid share architectural and cytological features of these two tumors. The prognosis of chromophobe carcinoma is favorable. It is most often limited to the kidney and is of lower nuclear grade. It would therefore seem permissible in cases where a frozen section would show a chromophobe tumor, to limit the intervention to partial nephrectomy if technically feasible. Keywords: Chromophobe; Oncocytoma; Central stellate scar African Journal of Urology (2013) 19, 39–43


In this article, we present a type of media disorder which we call 'junk news bubbles' and which derives from the effort invested by online platforms and their users to identify and circulate contents with rising popularity. Such emphasis on trending matters, we claim, can have two detrimental effects on public debates: first, it shortens the amount of time available to discuss each matter and second, it increases the ephemeral concentration of media attention. We provide a formal description of the dynamic of junk news bubbles, through a mathematical exploration of the famous 'public arenas model' developed by Hilgartner and Bosk in 1988. Our objective is to describe the dynamics of the junk news bubbles as precisely as possible to facilitate its further investigation with empirical data.


Introduction Potato is globally the fourth important food crop after rice, wheat, and maize and is cultivated in several countries worldwide like Iran. Weeds are the most important restriction factor for crop development in agricultural systems and the absence of weed control lead to crop yield reduction between 10 to 100 percent and this reduction could be a serious threat for a growing world population to be considered. Rimsulfuron is a sulfonylurea herbicide for control of weeds in potato, corn, wheat, barley and canola. It can be used as pre or post emergence in potato. These herbicide act through inhibition of enzyme acetolactate synthase (ALS), which catalyzes key reactions in the biosynthesis of basic branched-chain amino acids that are essential components of the growth process in plant cell division such as valine, leucine, and isoleucine
Materials and methods In order to study rimsulfuron (Titus 25% DF) effect on weed biomass as a postemergence herbicide, a field experiment was carried out in the farm located 3 km out the city of Ardabil during 2014. The factorial experiment was performed based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Potato cultivar was Agria (common cultivar in Ardabil). The first factor was rimsulfuron doses with six levels (5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 gr a.i. / ha), and the second factor was time of application based on different potato growth stages, (Potato emergence, stoloning and tuber bulking). Also two treatment (with and without weeding) were considered as control. Tubers were hand sown on 22th May in rows 75 cm apart and 20 cm in the rows at 10 cm depth. Rimsulfuron was applied by backpack sprayer fitted with 8001 flat fan nozzles. Three weeks after treatment, weed sampling was carried out by a quadrate sized 0.375 m2. Tubers were harvested from two center rows to determine total tuber yield per hectare. Two models fitted to the data were three parameter logistic and three parameter sigmoid.
Data were analyzed using SAS 9.1 and MSTAT-C. Analysis of variance was used to test the significance of variance sources, and Duncan's Multiple range test (P ≤ 0.05) was used to compare the differences among treatments.
Results and Discussion Results showed that the maximum reduction percent of redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), field bind weed (Convolvulus arvensis L.), lambsquarter (Chenopodium album L.), total weed biomass and density achieved by 40 and 50 gr a.i. / ha application. So that 40 and 50 gr a.i. /ha of rimsulfuron compared to control reduced weed density up to 49.47and 55.38 % and biomass up to 89.97 and 94.63 %, respectively. Also results showed that 40 and 50 gr a.i. /ha of rimsulfuron compared to control reduced biomass of redroot pigweed 89.91 and 95.50 %, Field bind weed 84.28 and 94.79 % and lambsquarter 92.75 and 96.87 percent respectively. That there was not statistically significant difference between 40 and 50 gr a.i. /ha of rimsulfuron.
Among rimsulfuron application times, potato emergence stage reduced total weed density and biomass 36.45 and 68.04 %, respectively which is compared to control (weedy). Rimsulfuron application at potato emergence stage reduced biomass of redroot pigweed and lambsquarter 62.51 and 71.08 percent respectively. However it had no significant effect on biomass of Field bind weed.
The results showed that potato tuber yield was 46.31 and 45.96 ton/ ha while rimsulfuron applied 40 and 50 gr a.i. / ha. Among rimsulfuron application times, potato emergence stage had total tuber yield 47.58 ton/ha.
Conclusion Results showed that the maximum reduction percentage in weed density and biomass was observed for treatments in which were used 40 and 50 gr a.i. / ha application. Application of rimsulfuron at potato emergence reduced weed density and biomass and increased total tuber yield. Itproves the effectiveness of the rimsulfuron for potato emergence without damage. Furthermore the effective dose of rimsulfuron for 50 percent reduction in biomass of redroot pigweed, field bind weed and lambsquarter were 14.36, 12.26 and 10.17 g a.i. /ha, respectively. The results also showed that rimsulfuron application 40 and 50 gr a.i. /ha increased total tuber yield by 19.90 and 20.51% respectively. Application of 40 and 50 gr a.i. / ha at potato emergence stage produced maximum total tuber yield per hectare. The result of this study showed that 40 and 50 gr a.i. /ha rimsulfuron application at potato emergence assessed as the best treatment to control weed and increase total yield.


We report an Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array 0.88 mm (Band 7) continuum detection of the accretion disk around SR 12 c, an ∼11 M Jup planetary-mass companion (PMC) orbiting its host binary at 980 au. This is the first submillimeter detection of a circumplanetary disk around a wide PMC. The disk has a flux density of 127 ± 14 μJy and is not resolved by the ∼0.″1 beam, so the dust disk radius is likely less than 5 au and can be much smaller if the dust continuum is optically thick. If, however, the dust emission is optically thin, then the SR 12 c disk has a comparable dust mass to the circumplanetary disk around PDS 70 c but is about five times lower than that of the ∼12 M Jup free-floating OTS 44. This suggests that disks around bound and unbound planetary-mass objects can span a wide range of masses. The gas mass estimated with an accretion rate of 10−11 M ☉ yr−1 implies a gas-to-dust ratio higher than 100. If cloud absorption is not significant, a nondetection of 12CO(3–2) implies a compact gas disk around SR 12 c. Future sensitive observations may detect more PMC disks at 0.88 mm flux densities of ≲100 μJy.


&NA; Genetic variants contribute to normal variation of iron‐related traits and may also cause clinical syndromes of iron deficiency or excess. Iron overload and deficiency can adversely affect human health. For example, elevated iron storage is associated with increased diabetes risk, although mechanisms are still being investigated. We conducted the first genome‐wide association study of serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin saturation, and ferritin in a Hispanic/Latino cohort, the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (>12 000 participants) and also assessed the generalization of previously known loci to this population. We then evaluated whether iron‐associated variants were associated with diabetes and glycemic traits. We found evidence for a novel association between TIBC and a variant near the gene for protein phosphatase 1, regulatory subunit 3B (PPP1R3B; rs4841132, &bgr; = −0.116, P = 7.44 × 10−8). The effect strengthened when iron deficient individuals were excluded (&bgr; = −0.121, P = 4.78 × 10−9). Ten of sixteen variants previously associated with iron traits generalized to HCHS/SOL, including variants at the transferrin (TF), hemochromatosis (HFE), fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2)/myelin regulatory factor (MYRF), transmembrane protease, serine 6 (TMPRSS6), transferrin receptor (TFR2), N‐acetyltransferase 2 (arylamine N‐acetyltransferase) (NAT2), ABO blood group (ABO), and GRB2 associated binding protein 3 (GAB3) loci. In examining iron variant associations with glucose homeostasis, an iron‐raising variant of TMPRSS6 was associated with lower HbA1c levels (P = 8.66 × 10−10). This association was attenuated upon adjustment for iron measures. In contrast, the iron‐raising allele of PPP1R3B was associated with higher levels of fasting glucose (P = 7.70 × 10−7) and fasting insulin (P = 4.79 × 10−6), but these associations were not attenuated upon adjustment for TIBC—so iron is not likely a mediator. These results provide new genetic information on iron traits and their connection with glucose homeostasis.


Abstract The 1996 Farm Act and the 1994 Crop Insurance Reform Act are recent examples of policy changes that have increased risks for U.S. farmers. New products are emerging to help farmers manage risks. This article examines some of the policy changes, farmer responses, and new risk-sharing products. The focus turns to the new revenue insurance products and their potential in the South. While there are reasons to believe revenue insurance should be attractive in the South, any revenue products that use existing crop insurance rates will face difficulties since poor actuarial performance in the South has resulted in relatively high rates.


Activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) is one of three principle endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response proteins and becomes activated when ER homeostasis is perturbed. ATF6 functions to increase ER capacity by stimulating transcription of ER-resident chaperone genes such as GRP78. Using an antibody that recognizes active ATF6α-p50, we found that active ATF6α was detected in insulinoma cells and rodent islets even under basal conditions and the levels were further increased by ER stress. To examine the function of ATF6α-p50, we depleted endogenous ATF6α-p50 levels using small interfering RNA in insulinoma cells. Knockdown of endogenous ATF6α-p50 levels by ∼60% resulted in a reduction in the steady-state levels of GRP78 mRNA and protein levels in nonstressed cells. Furthermore, ATF6α knockdown resulted in an apoptotic phenotype. We hypothesized that removal of the ATF6α branch of the unfolded protein response (UPR) would result in ER stress. However, neither the PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), nor the inositol requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) pathways of the UPR were significantly activated in ATF6α knockdown cells, although these cells were more sensitive to ER stress-inducing compounds. Interestingly, phosphorylation of JNK, p38, and c-Jun were elevated in ATF6α knockdown cells and inhibition of JNK or p38 kinases prevented apoptosis. These results suggest that ATF6α may have a role in maintaining β-cell survival even in the absence of ER stress.


Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers in the world, and remains the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Glutathione peroxidase 7 (GPX7) is a member of GPX family which is downregulated in some cancer types. In this study, we investigated the expression, regulation, and molecular function of GPX7 in gastric cancer using 2D and 3D in vitro models and de-identified human tissue samples. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR, immunofluorescence, Western blot, 3D organotypic cultures, and pyrosequencing assays were used. We detected downregulation of GPX7 in all 7 gastric cancer cell lines that we tested and in approximately half (22/45) of human gastric cancer samples, as compared to histologically normal gastric tissues. Quantitative bisulfite pyrosequencing methylation analysis demonstrated DNA hypermethylation (> 10% methylation level) of GPX7 promoter in all 7 gastric cancer cell lines and in 56% (25/45) of gastric cancer samples, as compared to only 13% (6/45) in normal samples (p < 0.0001). Treatment of AGS and SNU1 cells with 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine led to a significant demethylation of GPX7 promoter and restored the expression of GPX7. In vitro assays showed that reconstitution of GPX7 significantly suppressed gastric cancer cell growth in both 2D and 3D organotypic cell culture models. This growth suppression was associated with inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of cell death. We detected significant upregulation of p27 and cleaved PARP and downregulation of Cyclin D1 upon reconstitution of GPX7. Taken together, we conclude that epigenetic silencing of GPX7 could play an important role in gastric tumorigenesis and progression.


BACKGROUND
While effective therapies for preventing or slowing cognitive decline in at-risk populations remain elusive, evidence suggests mind-body interventions may hold promise.

OBJECTIVES
In this study, we assessed the effects of Kirtan Kriya meditation (KK) and music listening (ML) on cognitive outcomes in adults experiencing subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a strong predictor of Alzheimer's disease.

METHODS
Sixty participants with SCD were randomized to a KK or ML program and asked to practice 12 minutes/day for 3 months, then at their discretion for the ensuing 3 months. At baseline, 3 months, and 6 months we measured memory and cognitive functioning [Memory Functioning Questionnaire (MFQ), Trail-making Test (TMT-A/B), and Digit-Symbol Substitution Test (DSST)].

RESULTS
The 6-month study was completed by 53 participants (88%). Participants performed an average of 93% (91% KK, 94% ML) of sessions in the first 3 months, and 71% (68% KK, 74% ML) during the 3-month, practice-optional, follow-up period. Both groups showed marked and significant improvements at 3 months in memory and cognitive performance (MFQ, DSST, TMT-A/B; p's≤0.04). At 6 months, overall gains were maintained or improved (p's≤0.006), with effect sizes ranging from medium (DSST, ML group) to large (DSST, KK group; TMT-A/B, MFQ). Changes were unrelated to treatment expectancies and did not differ by age, gender, baseline cognition scores, or other factors.

CONCLUSIONS
Findings of this preliminary randomized controlled trial suggest practice of meditation or ML can significantly enhance both subjective memory function and objective cognitive performance in adults with SCD, and may offer promise for improving outcomes in this population.


The aim of the present study is to map spatial patterns related to noise pollution and the acoustic environment -in a broader context- in the urban area of Athens, Greece. The primary goal of this thesis is to present a comprehensive approach that combines elements of two basic methodologies related to acoustic environment studies: a) noise mapping and b) the soundscape approach. The main inputs are environmental noise measurements and perceptual sound source-related observations. The results feature three noise pollution maps (LAeq,30 sec, L10, and L90 indices) and three sound source maps which reflect the way in which the human ear perceives the presence of sounds. Additionally, the question of whether the spatial distribution of sound source dominance can be explained by the dispersion of environmental noise levels was examined using geographically weighted regressions (GWR). The GWR models showed that sound source-related observations are explained to a significant extent by all three indicators. Four important findings emerge from the analysis. Firstly, areas with high levels of noise pollution are characterized by high to moderate presence of technological and absence of anthropic and natural sounds. Secondly, regions, where there is a simultaneous presence of all sound sources, are characterized by moderate to low noise levels. Thirdly, the absence of technological sounds is observed in quiet areas. Finally, areas featuring a moderate presence of technological and natural sounds are mostly urban green spaces built-in proximity to the main road network.


The zero-energy building, also known as Net-Zero Energy Building (NZEB), is based on the concept of an energy-efficient building that balances its total energy using solutions that aim to mitigate CO2 emissions and reduce energy use in the constructions. Energy consumption in residential and commercial buildings increased between 20% and 40% in developed countries and exceeded the industry and transportation sectors. Due to climate change, by 2050 buildings can consume 20% more energy, with energy performance being the critical element in achieving climate goals and improving energy security. The objective of this paper is to maximize the thermal comfort in an NZEB through the evolutionary algorithm PSO (Particle Swarm Optimization), a technique inspired by the collective intelligence of the animals. For this, different constructive parameters were inserted in a geometric model to identify combinations that offer greater comfort. For the optimization problem of this work, the design parameters were: block type, concrete thickness used in the solid slab, mortar type, window size, door size, and cover type. From the geometric model, an IDF file was generated for the parameterization and subsequent energy simulation of the scenarios created by the PSO in the EnergyPlus software. The exchange of materials and parameter values of the model reached lower hours of discomfort per year in comparison to results obtained in the literature. 1Ph.D. candidate in Computational Modeling, UFJF, firstname.lastname@example.com. 2Ph.D. candidate in Computational Modeling, UFJF, email@example.com. 3Ph.D. candidate in Computational Modeling, UFJF, email@example.com. 4Mechanical Engineer, UnB, firstname.lastname@example.com. 5Professor, UFJF, email@example.com. 6Professor, UFJF, firstname.lastname@example.com. Revista Mundi, Engenharia e Gestão, Paranaguá, PR, v. 5, n. 2, p. 224-01, 224-14, 2020 DOI: 10.21575/25254782rmetg2020vol5n21157 1


Author(s): Gao, Manjing | Advisor(s): Mahutga, Matthew C. | Abstract: Empirical findings on the negative association between women's political representation and corruption are mixed and there is no consensus on why such association exists. Some argue that women's risk aversion characteristic leads female legislators to engage in corruption less to avoid the risks of being caught. Others suggest that female legislators actively mobile against corruption to protect women's interests. Using the panel data for up to 162 countries from 2002-2015, I first find that after controlling for the time-invariant country-specific heterogeneity, women's political representation is negatively associated with corruption. Then, using mediation analysis, I find that social spending mediates the suppressing effect of women's political representation and corruption, thus provide evidence for the women's interest mechanism.


B161 Hsp90 is a widely-expressed molecular chaperone that functions in the maturation and stabilization of cellular proteins. Complexed together with other co-chaperone proteins, Hsp90 catalyzes the conformational changes of client proteins via its ATPase activity. The activity of Hsp90 maintains a variety of client proteins in their active conformation and plays an important role in the regulation of several key oncogenic signaling proteins. Mutant and over-expressed oncoproteins that drive malignant progression are particularly dependent on Hsp90 chaperone activity. In tumor cells inhibition of Hsp90 results in degradation of these proteins followed by cell death making Hsp90 a target of substantial interest for cancer therapy. The prototypic natural product drug, 17-AAG, has shown promise in early trials but is limited by poor pharmaceutic properties and hepatotoxicitiy. Here we describe BIIB021, a novel synthetic inhibitor of Hsp90. BIIB021 binds competitively with geldanamycin in the ATP binding pocket of Hsp90. In a flow cytometric assay designed to detect HER-2 protein levels treatment of MCF-7 cells with BIIB021 induced HER-2 degradation with an EC50 of 32nM. Western blot analysis after treatment of MCF7 cells with BIIB021 demonstrated the degradation of key client proteins including HER-2, Akt, and Raf-1 in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. As shown with other Hsp90 inhibitors the upregulation of expression of heat shock proteins Hsp70 and Hsp27 was also observed. In tumor cell growth assays treatment with BIIB021 led to growth inhibition and cell death at nanomolar concentrations. BIIB021 was tested two models that express high levels of the HER-2 oncoprotein, the BT474 breast and N87 gastric human tumor xenograft models. Oral administration of BIIB021 led to the degradation of the Hsp90 client protein HER2 and the potent inhibition of tumor growth in these models. BIIB021 also showed anti-tumor activity in the CWR22 prostate tumor model that expresses another Hsp90 client protein, the androgen receptor (AR). BIIB021 is a promising new Hsp90 inhibitor designed to be given orally and has potent preclinical anti-tumor activity. BIIB021 is currently undergoing Phase I clinical trials.


Via extensive numerical simulations, we study the fluidisation process of dense amorphous materials subjected to an external shear stress, using a three-dimensional colloidal glass model. In order to disentangle possible boundary effects from finite size effects in the process of fluidisation, we implement a novel geometry-constrained protocol with periodic boundary conditions. We show that this protocol is well controlled and that the longtime fluidisation dynamics is, to a great extent, independent of the details of the protocol parameters. Our protocol, therefore, provides an ideal tool to investigate the bulk dynamics prior to yielding and to study finite size effects regarding the fluidisation process. Our study reveals the existence of precursors to fluidisation observed as a peak in the strain-rate fluctuations, that allows for a robust definition of a fluidisation time. Although the exponents in the power-law creep dynamics seem not to depend significantly on the system size, we reveal strong finite size effects for the onset of fluidisation.


In this paper, low-cost alternatives to full digital beamforming, namely, antenna selection and hybrid beamforming, are proposed for simultaneous wireless information and power transfer in a multi-group multicasting scenario. The joint problem can be outlined as the design of beamformer weight vectors and power splitting ratios in order to satisfy both signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio and harvested power constraints at each user with minimum transmission power. We first develop an efficient algorithm for antenna selection by converting the original mixed integer programming problem into a continuous one and adapting feasible point pursuit-successive convex approximation. Second, a new hybrid beamforming structure is presented for multi-group multicasting. Both continuous and discrete-phase hybrid beamformers are considered in this content. Two algorithms for continuous-phase case are developed by employing two competing techniques. In addition, a special two-bit discrete-phase hybrid beamformer design is considered for practical systems. The integer constraints are converted into linear equality and inequalities for this specific structure and an efficient algorithm is designed. The proposed algorithms are compared for different scenarios revealing some interesting characteristics of each technique.


This paper presents an introduction to category theory with an emphasis on those aspects relevant to the analysis of the model theory of linear logic. With this in mind, we focus on the basic definitions of category theory and categorical logic. An analysis of cartesian and cartesian closed categories and their relation to intuitionistic logic is followed by a consideration of symmetric monoidal closed, linearly distributive and ∗-autonomous categories and their relation to multiplicative linear logic. We examine nonsymmetric monoidal categories, and consider them as models of noncommutative linear logic. We introduce traced monoidal categories, and discuss their relation to the geometry of interaction. The necessary aspects of the theory of monads is introduced in order to describe the categorical modelling of the exponentials. We conclude by briefly describing the notion of full completeness, a strong form of categorical completeness, which originated in the categorical model theory of linear logic. No knowledge of category theory is assumed, but we do assume knowledge of linear logic sequent calculus and the standard models of linear logic, and modest familiarity with typed lambda calculus.