Purpose Molecular profiling performed in the research setting usually does not benefit the patients that donate their tissues. Through a prospective protocol, we sought to determine the feasibility and utility of performing broad genomic testing in the research laboratory for discovery, and the utility of giving treating physicians access to research data, with the option of validating actionable alterations in the CLIA environment. Experimental design 1200 patients with advanced cancer underwent characterization of their tumors with high depth hybrid capture sequencing of 201 genes in the research setting. Tumors were also tested in the CLIA laboratory, with a standardized hotspot mutation analysis on an 11, 46 or 50 gene platform. Results 527 patients (44%) had at least one likely somatic mutation detected in an actionable gene using hotspot testing. With the 201 gene panel, 945 patients (79%) had at least one alteration in a potentially actionable gene that was undetected with the more limited CLIA panel testing. Sixty-four genomic alterations identified on the research panel were subsequently tested using an orthogonal CLIA assay. Of 16 mutations tested in the CLIA environment, 12 (75%) were confirmed. Twenty-five (52%) of 48 copy number alterations were confirmed. Nine (26.5%) of 34 patients with confirmed results received genotype-matched therapy. Seven of these patients were enrolled onto genotype-matched targeted therapy trials. Conclusion Expanded cancer gene sequencing identifies more actionable genomic alterations. The option of CLIA validating research results can provide alternative targets for personalized cancer therapy.


Soybean has 20 chromosome pairs that are derived from at least two rounds of genomewide duplication or polyploidy events although, cytogenetically, soybean behaves like a diploid and has disomic inheritance for most loci. Genetically anchored genomic clones were used as probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to determine the level of postpolyploid chromosomal rearrangements and to integrate the genetic and physical maps to (1) assign linkage groups to specific chromosomes, (2) assess chromosomal structure, and (3) determine the distribution of recombination along the length of a chromosome. FISH mapping of seven putatively gene-rich BACs from linkage group L (chromosome 19) revealed that most of the genetic map correlates to the highly euchromatic long arm and that there is extensive homeology with another chromosome pair, although colinearity of some loci does appear to be disrupted. Moreover, mapping of BACs containing high-copy sequences revealed sequestration of high-copy repeats to the pericentromeric regions of this chromosome. Taken together, these data present a model of chromosome structure in a highly duplicated but diploidized eukaryote, soybean.


As deep layered neural networks enables reinforcement learning in huge action-state spaces, the exploration– exploitation tradeoff becomes more serious. Several heuristics have been proposed to deal with the tradeoff, utilizing noises. The probabilistic methods have difficulty in parameter tuning, and they amplify the problem of huge dispersion in performance of deep reinforcement learning algorithms. We propose a deterministic action selection algorithm based on a cognitive satisficing value function (RS) inspired by how humans explore under uncertainty. We define a method to enable optimal (minimal) exploration, utilizing the relationship between the aspiration level and the potential exploration distribution. The resulting algorithm exhibits an optimal performance in multi-armed bandit problems, and it opens the possibility for a new class of reinforcement learning algorithms.


Thermal paints, as a kind of temperature sensor, provided a non-intrusive method for surface temperature measurement. Based on chromaticity theory, the system described in this paper realized thermal paints temperature intelligent interpretation with digital image processing and database technology. The system overcome the effects of subjective interpretation, environment light and human color discrimination ability and made the analysis more accurate and consistent than manual interpretation. The digital image acquisition system was described in detail. Cubic spline interpolation algorithm was adopted to process the data in the L*a*b* color space. The system had been applied to measure the surface temperature of aero-engine combustor. The results showed that the system can greatly improve the accuracy of temperature-recognition.


Interactions between humans and wildlife are frequent in India, requiring stakeholders to devise mitigation strategies that benefit both humans and wildlife. Success of such initiatives can be impacted by stakeholders' perceptions of species and related issues, which may be unduly influenced by the media. This paper explores media representation of Human-Leopard Interactions (HLI) in India, focusing on detecting agenda-setting and framing in articles, and whether these differ with the level of association with HLI. To accomplish this, we coded articles (n=291) from three media-distribution levels with increasing detachment to HLI events: local news, Indian national news, and international news, and compared the types of agenda-setting and framing found across the three. Overall, international media had the most negative portrayal of leopards and HLI, while national had the most balanced. Local and international media included 'man-eater' framing in the majority of their stories; whereas stories of leopards as victims were most prominent in local news, and victim framing was most frequent in national. These results suggest that agenda-setting and framing may vary with association with HLI. Despite differences between sources, our findings suggest that all media distributions focused primarily on stories of leopards causing trouble (e.g., attacks and incursions), or in ways viewed as troublesome (e.g. incursions) with few stories of leopards as victims or informational pieces. The largely negative depiction, and differences in representation between geographic locations, could hinder mitigation strategies and policy through presenting stakeholders with incomplete information.


There is a small body of literature on the interactions between lithium and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), but little data documenting the differences between these agents in their impact on serum lithium levels. We present the case of a 46-year-old male who sustained a five-fold increase in his serum lithium level after switching from fosinopril to lisinopril, with a peak serum lithium level of 3.4 meq/l. There was also an increase in serum creatinine from 1.1 on fosinopril to 1.4 after switching to lisinopril. The patient was hospitalized, and intravenously hydrated with 0.5 normal saline, with a reduction of the serum lithium level to 0.7 meq/l by 72 h after admission. The hospital course was marked by two episodes of bradycardia, but was otherwise uneventful, and the patient was discharged without any neurological sequelae. This case demonstrates that ACEIs may have differential effects on renal function, and the potential for significant alterations in lithium clearance that may not be clinically evident for several weeks. Lithium-treated patients who have a change in ACEI, especially those who are older or have below average renal function, must have diligent monitoring for the first 4-6 weeks after switching to detect potentially serious changes in serum lithium levels.


This paper describes a cyber-forensics course that integrates important public policy and legal issues as well as relevant forensic techniques. Cyber-forensics refers to the amalgam of multi-disciplinary activities involved in the identification, gathering, handling, custody, use and security of electronic files and records, involving expertise from the forensic domain, and which produces evidence useful in the proof of facts for both commercial and legal activities. The legal and regulatory environment in which electronic discovery takes place is of critical importance to cyber-forensics experts because the legal process imposes both constraints and opportunities for the effective use of evidence gathered through cyber-forensic techniques. This paper discusses different pedagogies that can be used (including project teams, research and writing assignments, student presentations, case analyses, class activities and participation and examinations), evaluation methods, problem-based learning approaches and critical thinking analysis. A survey and evaluation is provided of the growing body of applicable print and online materials that can be utilized. Target populations for such a course includes students with majors, minors or supporting elective coursework in law, information sciences, information technology, computer science, computer engineering, financial fraud, security and information assurance, forensic aspects of cyber security, privacy, and electronic commerce.


In the whole design process of a reflectarray antenna, the part that demands more CPU time is that related with the optimization of the patches dimensions. For real reflectarrays with thousands of elements where the design of the antenna involves optimization of the dimensions of each element until the phase requirements for polarization and frequency band are fulfilled, one may have to analyze hundreds of thousands of problems of electromagnetic scattering by periodic arrays of patches embedded in a grounded multilayered substrate. Therefore, a fast and accurate electromagnetic numerical tool is needed for the solution of these problems. The Method of Moments in the spectral domain (MoM-SD) has proven to be one of these tools since it makes it possible to analyze multilayered periodic problems with both efficiency and accuracy. When applying the MoM-SD to the electromagnetic analysis of periodic multilayered problems, two different strategies have been used. The first one is based on the use of mathematically complex multilayered Green?s functions (MGF), and reduces the analysis of the periodic structure to the summation of double infinite series which may be slowly convergent. The second strategy is based on the generalized (or multi-mode) scattering matrix (GSM) approach, and reduces the multilayered problem to a set of simpler two media problems which are connected by means of a cascading process. The strategy based on MGF is mathematically cumbersome, but it makes it possible to provide stop criteria and acceleration procedures for the double series that have to be summed. The strategy based on the GSM is easy from the mathematical point of view, and makes it possible to separate a complicated problem into a set of much simpler problems. The two strategies will be compared in the conference, and the pros and cons of each strategy will be presented in the context of the design of reflectarray antennas.


Abstract The miscibility of chitosan (CS) and poly(ethyleneglycol) (PEG) blends in buffer solution (CH3COOH and CH3COONa) has been investigated by viscosity, density and refractive index studies. Various interaction parameters such as polysolvent and blend-solvent interaction parameters and heat of mixing have been calculated using viscosity and density data. The results indicated the existence of positive interactions in the blend polymer solution and that they are miscible in buffer solution in 90/10 and 80/20 composition ranges. The study also revealed that variation of temperature does not affect the miscibility of chitosan and PEG blends in the buffer solution significantly. The presence of hydrogen bonding in the blends in the solid state has also been indicated by FTIR studies. Thermal behavior was studied using DSC instrument. The result obtained reveal that Chitosan forms a miscible blend with PEG in 90/10 and 80/20 composition ranges.


ABSTRACT The protein kinase activity of the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is required for the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) via the process of nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). However, to date, the only target shown to be functionally relevant for the enzymatic role of DNA-PK in NHEJ is the large catalytic subunit DNA-PKcs itself. In vitro, autophosphorylation of DNA-PKcs induces kinase inactivation and dissociation of DNA-PKcs from the DNA end-binding component Ku70/Ku80. Phosphorylation within the two previously identified clusters of phosphorylation sites does not mediate inactivation of the assembled complex and only partially regulates kinase disassembly, suggesting that additional autophosphorylation sites may be important for DNA-PK function. Here, we show that DNA-PKcs contains a highly conserved amino acid (threonine 3950) in a region similar to the activation loop or t-loop found in the protein kinase domain of members of the typical eukaryotic protein kinase family. We demonstrate that threonine 3950 is an in vitro autophosphorylation site and that this residue, as well as other previously identified sites in the ABCDE cluster, is phosphorylated in vivo in irradiated cells. Moreover, we show that mutation of threonine 3950 to the phosphomimic aspartic acid abrogates V(D)J recombination and leads to radiation sensitivity. Together, these data suggest that threonine 3950 is a functionally important, DNA damage-inducible phosphorylation site and that phosphorylation of this site regulates the activity of DNA-PKcs.


Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology can be utilized to monitor tagged product movements and directions for the purpose of inventory management. It is important for RFID gate to identify the several RFID readings such as movement type and direction as well as the static tags (tags that accidentally read by the reader). In this study, random forest (RF) method is utilized to detect the movement type and direction of RFID passive tags. The input features are derived from received signal strength (RSS) and timestamp of tags. The result showed that machine learning models successfully distinguish direction and movement type of tag. In addition, proposed model based on random forest generated accuracy as much as 98.39% and was significantly superior to the other models considered.


Morphologic polarity is necessary for chemotaxis of mammalian cells. As a probe of intracellular signals responsible for this asymmetry, the pleckstrin homology domain of the AKT protein kinase (or protein kinase B), tagged with the green fluorescent protein (PHAKT-GFP), was expressed in neutrophils. Upon exposure of cells to chemoattractant, PHAKT-GFP is recruited selectively to membrane at the cell's leading edge, indicating an internal signaling gradient that is much steeper than that of the chemoattractant. Translocation of PHAKT-GFP is inhibited by toxin-B from Clostridium difficile, indicating that it requires activity of one or more Rho guanosine triphosphatases.


(Background) Histological grading, especially the Gleason Score (GS), is considered to be of value in determining the prognosis of patients with prostate cancer. However, subjective histological grading is characterized by low reproducibility. On the other hand, estimate of Mean Nuclear Volume (MNV), which was developed by Gunderson and Jensen based on a sterological technique, is a very easy method with high reproducibility. Furthermore, it had been reported that MNV provides accurate prognosis of bladder cancer. In this study we compared MNV with two histological grading methods in determining the survival of prostate cancer. (Method) A retrospective, prognostic study of 49 patients with prostate cancer diagnosed by Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TUR-P) or Needle punch biopsy between Jan. 1983 and Jul. 1994 was performed. Unbiased estimates of MNV were cmpared with age at the time of diagnosis, clinical stage, histological grading according to, the general rules for clinical and pathological studies on prostatic cancer of the Japanese Urological Association (J. U. A. ) and GS on the prognostic value. (Results) Although age at the time of diagnosis, J. U. A. classification and GS had no value as prognostic criteria, clinical stage (p =0.0018) and MNV (p =0.0087) correlated significantly with survival of prostate cancer. (Conclusion) Results of this study indicate that estimates of MNV and clinical stage are prognostically superior to age at the time of diagnosis and morphologic grading of malignancy, such as J. U. A. classification and GS, in prostate cancer.


The design and measurements of a fabricated novel digitally programmable wideband power amplifier (PA) are presented. The PA is made suitable for use in all communication standards, including GSM, 3G, LTE and Femto-cells, offering a bandwidth of several octaves covering presently 300MHz to 3.5GHz. It meets power, efficiency and linearity specifications. The amplifier showed excellent performances. The uniquely linear and high power SONY GaAs J-PHEMT process along with novel output-stage multiple cascode topology structure are discussed. This enabled a distinctive larger output impedance and power and low voltage operation. The output stage offered 15-20dB of gain without a driver. The circuit requires only little output or input matching for gain or impedance, depending on the application. In order to obtain higher gain and optimal application specific performance, a driver stage was added on the same die. A digitally programmable tuning chip was incorporated to the solution to optimize the performance for large bandwidths exceeding 40%. For smaller bandwidths no digital tuning was required. Digital pre-distortion algorithm was tested for better linearization. To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first comprehensive plug-and-play solution for multi-band and multi-mode handset transmitters with the single chip one PA.


The present research examined whether teaching children with autism to pass tasks that assess mental state understanding had any positive effects on communication. Two aspects of communication previously shown to be deficient in children with autism were considered. These are conversational ability, in particular the ability to expand on conversation, and the use of mental state terms in speech. Results showed that no discernible improvement was seen on either measure of communication following mental state teaching. Discussion centers on real versus superficial changes in understanding mental states as a result of teaching.


This is a practical handbook for scientists, analysts, and students working on the definition and implementation of policy changes that contribute to real economic and social agriculture-based development, with a special focus on commodity systems. The objective is to promote efficient and sustainable agrifood systems that broadly benefit society. The method presented here relies on the participation of actors in directing the evolution of agrifood systems, including both identifying problems as well as elaborating policies and implementing decisions through concrete actions. There are two linked components: consensus-building between actors to define actions and to implement changes, and participative research based on commodity-chain analysis methods. The first part of the book shows how to promote a dialogue and the consensus-building process among the various actors of a commodity system. It is based on the output of a thorough analysis of the systems situation, conducted in a participatory way. This analytical approach is detailed in the second part of the book with reference tables, examples and hints for data collection, analysis and interpretation.


Neutron capture cross sections are one of the fundamental nuclear data in the study of the s (slow) process of nucleosynthesis. More interestingly, the competition between the capture and the decay rates in some unstable nuclei determines the local isotopic abundance pattern. Since decay rates are often sensible to temperature and electron density, the study of the nuclear properties of these nuclei can provide valuable constraints to the physical magnitudes of the nucleosynthesis stellar environment. Here we report on the capture cross section measurement of two thallium isotopes, 204Tl and 205Tl performed by the time-of-flight technique at the n TOF facility at CERN. At some particular stellar s-process environments, the decay of both nuclei is strongly enhanced, and determines decisively the abundance of two s-only isotopes of lead, 204Pb and 205Pb. The latter, as a long-lived radioactive nucleus, has potential use as a chronometer of the last s-process events that contributed to final solar isotopic abundances.


In this paper, we critically examine the potential of assessment components in physical education teacher education (PETE) to either reinforce or challenge PETE students' conceptions of what a physical education (PE) teacher needs to know to teach this school subject. To understand the mechanisms that may contribute to the difficulty of challenging these taken-for-granted beliefs (doxa) within PETE, we draw on the theories and concepts of Pierre Bourdieu. Two different kinds of empirical material are analysed: one consists of 62 essays, written by PETE students before starting their degree programme, dealing with their conceptions of PE teachers' competencies, while the second consists of course booklets and assessment components used within one PETE programme. The study shows that implicit prerequisites and conditions in assessment components are very similar to the conceptions of competencies in PETE students' statements. The study also shows that taken-for-granted beliefs may be challenged, but at the same time, we argue, the use of socially critical perspectives in PE practice may also (in the name of the doxa) stigmatise those who are not physically active in their leisure time as well as those who do not look fit and sporty, and thus does not challenge the way power and social superiority or inferiority appear in PE.


Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is increasing in incidence and is still associated with a high rate of mortality. Only a minority of patients are diagnosed in the early stage. Radical surgery is the only potential curative procedure. However, radicality is reached in 20% of patients operated on. Despite the multidisciplinary approach in resectable tumors, early tumor recurrences are common. Options on how to select optimal candidates for resection remain limited. Nevertheless, accumulating evidence shows an important role of circulating non-coding plasma and serum microRNAs (miRNAs), which physiologically regulate the function of a target protein. miRNAs also play a crucial role in carcinogenesis. In PDAC patients, the expression levels of certain miRNAs vary and may modulate the function of oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. As they can be detected in a patient's blood, they have the potential to become promising non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Moreover, they may also serve as markers of chemoresistance. Thus, miRNAs could be useful for early and accurate diagnosis, prognostic stratification, and individual treatment planning. In this review, we summarize the latest findings on miRNAs in PDAC patients, focusing on their potential use in the early stage of the disease.


The Sirtuin family of histone/protein deacetylating enzymes has gained considerable interest both for their recognized importance in processes such as gene silencing and expression and in cellular metabolism. This has led to identification of these enzymes as important actors in diverse pathologies including diabetes, Alzheimer9s disease and oncology. We have developed a convenient and sensitive screening methodology to detect and measure both inhibitors and activators of sirtuin activity. Here we describe a one-step, homogeneous luminescent assay for the detection of activity for multiple sirtuin isotypes. The reagent formulation contains a pro-luminescent sirtuin peptide substrate, NAD+, ATP, thermostable luciferase, and a developer enzyme that cleaves deacetylated lysine residues. The addition of an active sirtuin enzyme source leads to a robust luminescent signal within minutes with "glow-type" characteristics lasting for several hours. Data will be presented showing characterization of the assay using a diverse assortment of established sirtuin inhibitors, followed by suitability for screening in 384-well formats and the incorporation of a control substrate to identify false positives. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4050. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4050


The text shows the phenomenon of searching for completely new forms for the use of the Eastern rite in the north-eastern territories of interwar Poland, that is, in the historical area of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Religion and religious rites became a tool in opposing political actions conducted simultaneously by the Polish state and Vatican in this ethnically and religiously diverse region. In the plans for the future, eastern Poland was supposed to form a bridgehead for the prospect missionary action in Russia after the fall of the Bolsheviks. The Congregation of Jesuits was entrusted with a task to introduce the so-called Bizantine (or Neouniate) rite, which would faithfully keep to the liturgical forms of the Russian Orthodox Church and preserve all its typical architectural forms as well as icons, iconostases, paraments, etc. The Jesuit ministry centre was installed in Albertyn near Slonim (now Belarus) in 1926, where in 1936–1937 missionaries were furnished with a complex consisting of a Latin Church and an Eastern Orthodox Church, designed by architect Tadeusz Majewski. The temples, both serviced by the Jesuits, were placed symmetrically along two sides of the court, which was to symbolise the equality of both rites in the Roman-catholic universe. The Orthodox Church followed the eastern forms and most of its elements resembled a typical Russian temple in its decor, although figures of the Jesuit saints were introduced to the iconography of some of the icons.
 From the point of view of the Polish state authorities, the Neouniate action had a harmful effect due to propagating Russian, Belarusian or Ukrainian languages in the rite, which might have sapped the strength of Polishness in the eastern borderlands of the state. Therefore, since the mid-1930s, the state authorities, with a large share of the army, promoted the creation of a "Polish Orthodox Church" with services to be celebrated in Polish. In contrast to the Neouniate action, in which the Catholic rite was to be masked under the forms as close as possible to the Russian Orthodox Church on the basis of kind of "mimicry", in the Polish Orthodox Church all the elements of religious cult had to be as far as possible from the Russian tradition and would be transformed into a "native" Polish rite. Besides, a new iconography was to be created. To this end, it was decided to build a prototypic "Polish Orthodox Church" in Grodno. Its construction began in 1938 (on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of regaining independence), but was not completed on account of the outbreak of war. As a result of competition, a design by architect Rościslaw Rumiancew was selected. It represented an unusual, modern form, quite different from typical Orthodox Churches erected in the region before the World War I. Some extravagant modifications were introduced: among others, a glass dome, several large stained-glass windows and an iconostasis built from glass bricks.


We consider differentiable maps in the framework of Abstract Differential Geometry and we prove a number of calculus-type results pertaining to the chain rule, restrictions of differentiable maps to subspaces, and the differentiability of maps to and from cartesian products of spaces. We elaborate the latter in the case of functional structure sheaves to obtain a situation similar to that of smooth manifolds. Since the -approach does not make sense here, our machinery is the existence of a number of limits in the category of differential triads


The paper reports a correlation-based method for the detection of circular objects which is capable of overcoming well-known problems arising by the use of gradient-based voting schemes. Specifically, the method is: (a) capable of detecting circular objects on the basis of both magnitude and direction of the image gradient; and (b) of dealing with three-dimensional spherical objects by considering shadows depending on the direction of light. Experimental results about the accuracy of the method and comparisons with the Hough transform and the Hausdorff matching are reported.


Scientists have known for many years that our risks of developing different diseases are due to the complex interplay of different factors: our lifestyle and environment; our personal susceptibility; and the play of chance. But, despite this longstanding awareness, a clear picture of the combined effects of different factors on the risks of different diseases in different circumstances is yet to emerge. For the comprehensive and reliable quantification of the combined effects of lifestyle, environment, genotype and other exposures, prospective studies have a number of advantages. As well as allowing effects on a wide range of different conditions to be studied, exposures can be assessed prior to disease development, which avoids recall bias and allows investigation of factors that might be affected by disease processes and treatments, or an individual's response to developing some condition. Prospective studies are also able to assess those conditions that cannot readily be investigated retrospectively and can include all cases that have high fatality rates. Cohorts to date have typically been characterised by small numbers of disease cases (which may yield unstable estimates due to random variations), incomplete or inadequate measures of potential risk factors (which may yield systematic under-estimates of disease associations) and incomplete or inadequate measures of confounding factors (which may yield over- or under-estimates). Consequently, to help assess the main causes of various chronic diseases quantitatively, there is a strategic need to establish some large blood-based prospective studies of well phenotyped individuals, with prolonged and detailed follow-up of cause-specific morbidity and mortality.


OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors associated with a short period between the initial detection of HIV-1 antibodies and AIDS diagnosis among patients from Lyons, France. DESIGN AND METHOD: Prospective hospital based cohort study of patients diagnosed with AIDS in Lyons University Hospitals from 1994 to 1997. Cox regression was used to identify the variables independently associated with a short period between the first positive HIV-1 detection test and AIDS. RESULTS: 466 patients were studied, the mean period between the detection of HIV-1 antibodies and AIDS was 48 months and did not change across calendar years. Age < 46 years (hazard ratio (HR) 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58-1.00), HIV-1 transmission by heterosexual contact (HR 1.93, 95% CI 1.49-2.51), Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.28-2.17), or Kaposi's sarcoma (HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.06-1.90) as the first AIDS defining event, and CD4+ count < 100 x 10(3)/ml (HR 1.25, 95% CI 1.02-1.55) were associated with a short time interval between detection of HIV-1 antibodies and AIDS. CONCLUSION: Educational interventions focused on heterosexuals and those aged over 45 are needed to promote the early detection of HIV infection, in the hope of reducing transmission and improving individual prognosis.


Soil moisture controls microbial activity and soil carbon cycling. Because microbial activity decreases as soils dry, decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM) is thought to decrease with increasing drought length. Yet, microbial biomass and a pool of water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC) can increase as soils dry, perhaps implying microbes may continue to break down SOM even if drought stressed. Here, we test the hypothesis that WEOC increases as soils dry because exoenzymes continue to break down litter, while their products accumulate because they cannot diffuse to microbes. To test this hypothesis, we manipulated field plots by cutting off litter inputs and by irrigating and excluding precipitation inputs to extend or shorten the length of the dry season. We expected that the longer the soils would remain dry, the more WEOC would accumulate in the presence of litter, whereas shortening the length of the dry season, or cutting off litter inputs, would reduce WEOC accumulation. Lastly, we incubated grass roots in the laboratory and measured the concentration of reducing sugars and potential hydrolytic enzyme activities, strictly to understand the mechanisms whereby exoenzymes break down litter over the dry season. As expected, extending dry season length increased WEOC concentrations by 30% above the 108 μg C/g measured in untreated plots, whereas keeping soils moist prevented WEOC from accumulating. Contrary to our hypothesis, excluding plant litter inputs actually increased WEOC concentrations by 40% above the 105 μg C/g measured in plots with plants. Reducing sugars did not accumulate in dry senesced roots in our laboratory incubation. Potential rates of reducing sugar production by hydrolytic enzymes ranged from 0.7 to 10 μmol·g-1 ·h-1 and far exceeded the rates of reducing sugar accumulation (~0.001 μmol·g-1 ·h-1 ). Our observations do not support the hypothesis that exoenzymes continue to break down litter to produce WEOC in dry soils. Instead, we develop the argument that physical processes are more likely to govern short-term WEOC dynamics via slaking of microaggregates that stabilize SOM and through WEOC redistribution when soils wet up, as well as through less understood effects of drought on the soil mineral matrix.


A subgroup of patients with personality disorders from the DSM-III-R (American Psychiatric Association 1987) "flamboyant" cluster is characterized by repetitive self-injurious behavior (SIB) apparently not motivated by suicidal intent. After describing the clinical and demographic characteristics of these patients, the clinical and preclinical evidence suggesting the involvement of endogenous opiate systems in this behavior is reviewed. Patients with personality disorders and SIB have been found to have elevated levels of plasma beta-endorphin. However, the available evidence is not sufficient to show whether this is a cause of or a consequence of SIB. Behavioral stereotypies resulting in self-injury in animals and SIB in mentally retarded patients have been shown to be abolished by opiate antagonist administration in a significant proportion of both groups. The available evidence suggests that clinical trials of oral opiate antagonist drugs should be undertaken because of the promise such drugs have in the treatment of this sometimes life-threatening disorder. Language: en


OBJECTIVE
Throughout their lives, people experience different relationship events, such as beginning or dissolving a romantic relationship. Personality traits predict the occurrence of such relationship events (i.e., selection effects), and relationship events predict changes in personality traits (i.e., socialization effects), summarized as personality-relationship transactions. So far, evidence was partly inconsistent as to how personality traits and relationship events are linked with each other. In this article, we argue that unnoticed age differences might have led to these inconsistencies. To systematically test for age differences in transactions, we conceptualize relationship events in terms of gains and losses and apply a developmental perspective on transactions.

METHODS
Using longitudinal data from three nationally representative samples (SOEP, HILDA, Understanding Society), we computed event-focused latent growth models and summarized the results meta-analytically.

RESULTS
The findings indicated some transactions. Of these, selection effects were stronger than socialization effects, and effects of gain-based events were stronger than effects of loss-based events. We observed few interactions with age.

CONCLUSION
Selection effects and, particularly, socialization effects, tend to be rare and fairly independent of age. We discuss a series of broader and narrower factors that may have an impact on the strength of transactions across adulthood.


The thesis explores the effectiveness of incorporating amino terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) into several different aspects of the back-end-of-line (BEOL) process for integrated circuit (IC) fabrication . SAMs are essentially two-dimensional nanomolecular assemblies which can display large scale ordering via weak Van der Waals interactions, when deposited on a surface. In this study SAMs are considered for four main applications (i) as a pore sealant for porous dielectrics, (ii) as an adhesion promoter between copper and SiO2, (iii) as a blocker for selective area atomic layer deposition (ALD) and (iv) as a sacrificial layer in the novel electroless deposition (ELD) of cobalt. From a pore sealing perspective, in-situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies have shown that a manganese silicate layer is formed when a thin film of manganese is deposited and annealed on SAM terminated SiO2 and spin-on glass substrates. The presence of a silicate implies that the manganese can diffuse through the SAM and form a chemically stable barrier which could inhibit copper infiltration into the dielectric. In a separate study, XPS analysis of ultra-thin copper films (~0.5nm) deposited on three differently terminated SAMs suggests that amino terminated SAMs offer significant benefits in terms of both the nucleation and adhesion of copper overlayers on dielectric surfaces. A subsequent in-situ XPS study of the effects of atomic oxygen treatments of SAM terminated dielectric substrates displayed that highly controlled stepwise removal of the SAM could be routinely achieved which has significance for the understanding the oxidation cycle in the ALD growth of metal oxides on SAM terminated substrates. Finally, the role of SAMs in cobalt interconnect electroless deposition (ELD) has been characterised by hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) in order to understand the optimized process to fabricate these interconnect structures.


We present a series of oxadiazolothiazinones, selective inotropic agents on isolated cardiac tissues, devoid of chronotropy and vasorelaxant activity. Functional and binding data for the precursor of the series (compound 1) let us hypothesize LTCC blocking activity and the existence of a recognition site specific for this scaffold. We synthesized and tested 22 new derivatives: introducing a para-methoxyphenyl at C-8 led to compound 12 (EC50 = 0.022 μM), twice as potent as its para-bromo analogue (1). For 10 analogues, we extended the characterization of the biological properties by including the assessment of metabolic stability in human liver microsomes and cytochrome P450 inhibition potential. We observed that the methoxy group led to active compounds with low metabolic stability and high CYP inhibition, whereas the protective effect of bromine resulted in enhanced metabolic stability and reduced CYP inhibition. Thus, we identified two para-bromo benzothiazino-analogues as candidates for further studies.


GH plays important pleiotropic roles in development, growth, metabolism, and aging of vertebrate species. Mouse mutants with altered GH signaling have been increasingly instrumental in studying somatotropic pathophysiology. However, the pulsatile characteristics of GH secretion are difficult to study in mice because catheterization is cumbersome and long-term serial sampling is limited by small body size and blood volume. We therefore developed an approach routinely applicable to mice, which detects endogenous, physiological GH pattern from randomly obtained spot samples. We determined individual hormone concentration in large groups of mice, ranked the data by magnitude, and statistically analyzed the resulting profiles. This revealed that the nadir-to-peak distribution of plasma GH concentration in mice was similar to other mammals, and that nycthemeral and sex differences existed as well. We found handling stress to be a potent immediate downregulator of circulating GH. We showed that samples need to be taken within seconds to reflect true endogenous levels, unaffected by stress. GH receptor/Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 activation measured in the liver correlated strongly with plasma GH levels, but peak concentrations did not further increase the pathway activation. We applied this rank plot analysis to the GH-deficient and long-lived brain-specific IGF-1 receptor knockout (bIGF1RKO(+/-)) mouse mutant and found a high proportion of low GH concentrations, indicative of extended trough periods and rare peaks. Taken together, we showed that rank plot analysis is a useful method that allows straightforward studies of circadian endogenous GH levels in mice.


The beneficial effects of exercise and exercise training are well recognized and numerous. Not only does participation in regular physical activity improve physical performance (the goal of every athlete), but accumulating evidence suggests it reduces the risk of premature death from all causes. This is likely to be due to its widespread positive effects throughout the human body. For example, training-induced adaptations include, but are not limited to, heightened skeletal muscle stamina and metabolic efficiency, enhanced cardiac function, improved glucose handling, increased insulin sensitivity, reduced body weight and fat deposition, potentiated vascular endothelial function, favourable alterations in parasympathetic–sympathetic balance and decreased resting blood pressure (Vina et al. 2012). Furthermore, the benefits of exercise are not only the reward of the healthy, but can also be realized in individuals suffering from disease. Chronic physical training has been shown to evoke improvements in patients with heart failure, hypertension, pulmonary disease, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis and cancer, to name a few (Vina et al. 2012). As a result, exercise training is commonly used both to promote health and enhance athletic performance and to prevent and treat disease. Given the beneficial effects of regular physical activity in health and disease, understanding the mechanisms that prospectively limit exercise performance is critical. To this end, in this issue of Experimental Physiology, Pollak et al. (2014) have expertly examined the mechanisms that potentially contribute to the sensations of skeletal muscle fatigue and pain. Commonly, the sensation of muscle fatigue (i.e. the perception of tired and/or heavy muscles) develops during or immediately after a bout of exercise. The discernment of pain within the muscle is likewise not infrequent, especially during strenuous exercise or physical activity that promotes ischaemic muscle conditions. Each of these sensations can significantly reduce exercise performance and dampen the psychological drive to continue physical activity. As such, the generation of both fatigue and pain can considerably limit exercise tolerance (Amann & Dempsey, 2008). In an attempt to determine the mechanisms underlying the perception of fatigue and pain in humans, Pollak et al. (2014) performed a series of chemical infusions (using metabolites known to be produced during exercise) into the abductor pollicis brevis muscle of the thumb. After each infusion, subjects were asked to report and describe any non-pain or pain sensations perceived. Subjects reported no sensations of fatigue or pain when the metabolites (lactate, ATP and protons) were infused individually at concentrations approximating those generated during maximal exercise. Likewise, when the substances were administered concomitantly at concentrations found in resting conditions, no negative sensations were reported. In contrast, combined infusion of the substances at concentrations produced during moderate endurance exercise elicited significant sensations of fatigue. Elevating the combined concentrations to levels found during strenuous physical activity evoked even stronger sensations of fatigue as well as low levels of pain. Increasing the concentrations further to mimic ischaemic exercise caused no additional fatigue, but potentiated the perception of pain. What makes this experimental model interesting and impactful is that the researchers were able to evoke graded sensations of fatigue and pain simply by infusing substances normally produced during exercise independent from the performance of physical activity itself. The research clearly demonstrates, for the first time in humans, that exercise-induced metabolites can elicit sensations of fatigue and pain; not individually, but when working in combination. The findings of the highlighted study nicely translate previous work in animal models of muscle fatigue and pain to humans. It is well established that nociceptive information is transmitted primarily by group III and IV afferent neurons; neurons known to be activated by a large number of exercise-induced metabolites. In mice, a subset of these metabolites, including lactate, ATP and protons, have been shown to stimulate two different populations of group III and IV neurons innervating skeletal muscle: one responding to metabolite concentrations produced during non-painful muscle contraction (analogous to fatigue) and the other to levels generated during muscle ischaemia (analogous to pain; Light et al. 2008). Based on the findings of Pollak et al. (2014), these afferents are likely to behave in a similar manner in humans. In addition, work in animals suggests that at least three different receptor types respond to these metabolites, activating associated skeletal muscle afferent neurons when stimulated, namely the acid-sensing ion channel receptors, purinergic receptors and transient receptor potential vanilloid receptors (Light et al. 2008). Although direct evidence for the involvement of these receptors in sensing fatigue and pain in humans cannot be derived from the study of Pollak et al. (2014), their participation is probable. Interestingly, group III and IV muscle afferents are also known to contribute significantly to the regulation of the cardiorespiratory response to exercise. Activation of these afferent fibres during physical activity enhances respiration and predominately increases sympathetic output leading to augmentations in heart rate, cardiac contractility and blood pressure (Mitchell et al. 1977). Although the infusion-induced sensations of fatigue and pain did not appear to be related to changes in heart rate or respiratory rate, these variables were not measured directly in the highlighted study (Pollak et al. 2014). If the infusions did elicit changes in these variables, it would suggest that the same populations of afferents transmitting sensations of fatigue and pain are also responsible for regulating the cardiorespiratory adjustments needed to support physical activity. If the infusions had no effect on haemodynamic or


Many bacteria produce antimicrobial substances such as nonribosomally synthesized antibiotics and ribosomally synthesized proteinaceous compounds referred to as bacteriocins. Secretion of antimicrobials is generally thought to contribute to the competitiveness of the producing organism, but there are indications that these compounds in some cases may have regulatory roles too. Bacteriocins most often act on closely related species only and are thus of interest for application as targeted narrow-spectrum antimicrobials with few side effects. Although the application of bacteriocins in plant disease control is an attractive option, very little is known about the occurrence and roles of these compounds in plant pathogenic bacteria and their natural competitors occurring in the same biotopes. This study presents an overview of current knowledge of bacteriocins from plant pathogenic bacteria.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the anterior dentoalveolar and skeletal maxillary cephalometric factors involved in excessive upper incisor crown exposure (UICE) in subjects with skeletal open bite Class II (SOBCIIG) and Class III (SOBCIIIG) against an untreated control group (CG).

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Seventy pretreatment lateral cephalograms of orthodontic young adult patients (34 men, 36 women) were examined. The sample was divided into three groups according to both sagittal and vertical growth pattern and occlusion. The CG group (n  =  25) included Class I, normodivergent cases with adequate overbite, and the SOBCIIG group (n  =  25) and SOBCIIIG group (n  =  20) included skeletal Class II or III malocclusions, respectively, with hyperdivergent pattern and negative overbite. Several cephalometric measurements were considered (skeletal and dental). Analysis of variance, multivariate analysis of covariance, and Tukey HSD post hoc tests were used. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used for reducing the number of cephalometric variables related to UICE. Finally, a multiple linear regression was calculated.

RESULTS
Significant differences in UICE were found between the groups (P < .05). UICE was 3.9 mm in SOBCIIG, 2.5 mm in SOBCIIIG, and 0.4 mm in CG. PCA showed that a nondental component-including vertical maxillary height (VMH) and upper lip height (ULH)-was the only component significantly associated with UICE. The regression model had a moderate prediction capability.

CONCLUSIONS
Although the UICE was statistically different in SOBCIIG, the values were within the esthetic standards. The UICE was mainly influenced by VMH and ULH.


This paper explores the deep historical contexts for imagining natural disasters. By focusing on a foundational event in the Western disaster imaginary – the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79 – and its remediation across centuries, the paper suggests that the real-time aesthetic of the mediation of extreme nature events that now abounds in contemporary culture is profoundly embedded in processes of historical intermediality. The term remediation is used to denote a genuinely historical mechanism by which past and present (process and event) are simultaneously made visible. Empirically, the paper investigates the superimposition of temporal dimensions in recreations of the ancient disaster from the late 18th century to the present. Using the insights gained from this spectacular case study, the paper ends by arguing that a re-temporalization of historical analysis itself is needed for history to contribute to contemporary concerns with the present as a conjuncture of multiple and conflicting time scales.


From a mainframe computer version in the early 1980's to today's microcomputer format, coastal databases have been recognized as important tools for support of Corps of Engineers coastal projects. The Coastal Engineering Data Retrieval System (CEDRS) takes advantage of the microcomputer environment to provide convenient access to the voluminous oceanographic datasets. CEDRS uses a regional approach, generally following Corps of Engineers District boundaries to allow its systems to operate in the microcomputer environment using relational database techniques, and to contain a comprehensive long-term set of both hindcast and measured wind and wave data for the use of Corps coastal engineers and scientists. This presentation of the pitfalls and problems encountered in design and development of the CEDRS databases may be of benefit to other developers of this type of system.


The respect of fundamental rights is one of the cornerstones of the European Union. It is a precondition of membership and it is listed among the core values of the Union. Still, as the recent controversies between the European Commission and some Member States revealed, EU law contains no effective mechanism to compel Member States to respect fundamental rights and freedoms in general. This paper presents and examines the EU architecture of fundamental rights protection.
First, it demonstrates that the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (the "EU bill of rights") applies predominantly to EU institutions (that is, "federal" institutions); it applies to Member States only when they act as the EU's "agents" (when they implement EU law). Although this approach may appear to be illogical, it does have its clear and legitimate reasons and it is far from unprecedented. In fact, it very much resembles the first century of the United States constitutional architecture. It is to be noted that though the EU does have the means to call Member States to account in case they violate fundamental rights, this action is a "nuclear bomb" and is hardly apt for handling human rights problems; not to mention that the application of this is almost politically unattainable.
Second, it demonstrates how, in certain cases at least, the Commission "cooked from what it had" in that it used unconnected (that is, non-human-rights-related) provisions of EU law to shelter fundamental rights (e.g., the free movement principles of the internal market to protect minority rights or the prohibition of discrimination based on age to protect the independence of the judiciary). The use of the "supportive by-effects" of these economic rights is novel but not fully unprecedented. In fact, it resembles how the U.S. Congress used its commerce power to protect civil rights.
Third, it argues that although the present architecture is certainly not the best of all possible worlds and the full federalization of human rights is a tempting option, the bifurcation of the "federal bill of rights" (the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights) has a solid basis and federalization is compelling only regarding those fundamental values and rights the violation of which qualifies as a "ground of divorce." Accordingly, while the current system obviously calls for a reform, in terms of approach, this constitutional architecture has its merits in the context of what the multicolored European federation needs. On the one hand, the core of human rights protection cannot be subject to territorial variations and the violation of the nucleus of these rights cannot be justified with reference to constitutional identity. On the other hand, outside this sphere, to use the terminology of the European Court of Human Rights, European federalism demands respect for the Member States' margin of appreciation.


Objective: To study the effect of various energy conservation measures on building energy performance. Analysis: U.S Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System for green building uses energy modeling as one way to demonstrate the energy use of a building and to quantify the savings to the proposed design. A whole building energy simulation tool, Visual DOE4.0 is used to estimate the energy performance of an office building in warm and humid climate. The tool is used for recommending energy saving strategies for insulation, glazing, shading devices, lighting and controls and air conditioning equipment. Performance analysis of the building with different combinations of measures is carried out to identify the best possible strategy. Findings: It is analyzed green roof, insulated AAC wall, glazing system with low Solar Factor (SF) , shading devices, energy efficient air conditioning and efficient lighting systems & control helps in reducing the annual energy consumption of building by 20.85% compared to American Standard for Heating Refrigeration and Air conditioning Engineer's (ASHRAE) standard building. Improvement: Further investigation can be carried out with different configurations in wall, roof, shading devices, air conditioning system, using daylight sensors in the periphery and also by the use of renewable energy sources.


Abstract:This article examines Wilderson and Sexton's trending reiteration of an old Euro-imperial pessimism—a perverse "Afro-pessimism (2.0)" in which Africa disappears altogether along with most of the Black diaspora. Its fatalist representation of "slavery" is interrogated for its "Americanism" and Occidentalism besides its canonical erasure of Black resistance and Pan-African revolt for white settler state historiographies. Although their academic critique disguises itself as a "Black radical discourse," it is here interrogated vis-á-vis actual traditions of Black radical praxis which it typically disregards (e.g., C.A. Diop; Césaire; Sylvia Wynter) or distorts (e.g., Fanon; Assata; the "BLA"). The article closes with an analysis of Wilderson's simply shocking distortion of Leslie Marmon Silko's Almanac of the Dead, a novel of the liveliest maroonage.


Recent improvements in commercial silicon photodiodes and operational amplifiers permit electrical noise to be reduced to an equivalent of 0.1 fA of photocurrent when a measurement time of 400 s is used. This is equivalent to a photocurrent resulting from fewer than 800 photons/s, and it implies a dynamic range of 14 orders of magnitude for a detector circuit. We explain the circuit theory, paying particular attention to the measurement bandwidth, the causes of noise and drift, and the proper selection of circuit components. These optical radiation detectors complement the primary radiometric standards. These detectors may replace photomultiplier tubes that have been used traditionally and or that were too costly to be used.


For machine components like gears and bearings, working life calculation is one of the complex issues to deal with. This is because the mechanics of their operation is dependent on many parameters, like loading, friction and lubrication etc. Also the influence of these parameters on the component failure modes cannot be perfectly idealized. But in this regard, standards like AGMA (American Gear Manufacturers Association); ISO (International Standard Organization) and BS (British Standards) are quite useful on the basis of which theoretical working life for machine components under a specific failure mode can be predicted. In this paper with linear pitting failure mode assumptions, theoretical working life calculation has been made for a helical gear. BS-ISO 6336-2 standard is used for the gear theoretical life calculations. Furthermore, a wear debris analysis based experiment has been performed for the validation of theoretical calculation. A back to back gear testing rig has been used for the experimental validation. The experimental results show that the theoretical life calculation made on the basis of BS-ISO 6336-2 standards is fairly accurate.


Telecommunication circuits and leased lines have been in use for controlling substations for many years. These circuits have usually been engineered according to set standards however recent studies have shown that the parameters used for engineering the telecommunication circuits have various design flaws that may put these circuits. in jeopardy during a local substation fault. The existing protection scheme for SolarI wind and other relevant power generating farms are such that if they lose communication with the local Utility Transmission Station (UTS)I the UTS automatically trips a local breaker and knocks the generation plant off the grid this could mean thousands of dollars in lost revenue for the generation company hence even a minor flaw in the telecommunication circuits can have a significant impact on the substation control system. This case study reviews the challenges of designing these telecommunication circuits for control and monitoring of substations and also reviews the case study performed by Hydro Quebec on the concept of Zone of Influence. In addition this study also proposes an alternate telecommunication model that when implemented will be able to withstand all the challenges of designing a circuits for the high voltage substation.


Abstract The appropriate treatment of mentally unwell, aggressive patients has challenged psychiatry for centuries. Seclusion is practiced worldwide, but concerns remain regarding its appropriateness and lack of alternatives. Patients generally report seclusion as a negative experience, though there is a paucity of literature exploring this in detail. This investigation was a service evaluation appraising inpatients' perspective of processes occurring before (information, communication), during (review, care), and after (debrief, reflection) seclusion in a psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU). In this phenomenological study, qualitative data were gathered using a questionnaire in a structured interview. All patients had been nursed in seclusion during admission to a male PICU at South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Ten patients were interviewed over 4 months. The central theme was perceived lack of communication in the patient-professional relationship, which manifested itself as (i) violence against patients, (ii) lack of psychological support, and (iii) the need for alternatives. Such feedback from patients queries whether national guidelines are appropriate and/or being adhered to. Healthcare practitioners have a responsibility to challenge accepted practice to continually improve the standard of patient-centred care. Utilising patient perspectives can be a powerful driver of change towards more humane treatment of vulnerable patients.


Occupational personality types of Arts and Science freshmen were comparedemploying the six General Occupational Themes of the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory in a multiple-discriminant analysis. Subjects were 202 male and 158 female freshmen registered in either Arts or Science faculties at the University of Ottawa. Univariate analyses of variance between groups on all Themes indicated significant mean differences. Chi-square analyses determined eachdiscriminant-function to be significant in its differentiating power. Discriminant-and classification-function coefficients were established for each Theme, makingpossible correct classification of each individual with a greater degree of accuracy than could be expected by chance. The .01 level of probability was applied in all instances where significance was tested. Findings suggested that male Arts, male Science, female Arts, and female Science freshmen were distinctly different from each other in terms of personality types, and that indiscriminate counselling may overlook important differences.


Member States of the European Union are obliged to ensure access to universal postal services for all citizens. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of direct subsidies and compensation funds as basic methods of financing universal postal services in the scope of incurred net cost on the example of selected postal operators in Europe and to indicate the results of application of such solutions. The scope of the study includes an evaluation of the direct subsidy mechanism applicable in Europe on the example of Belgium. A characterization of the legal framework of operation of the compensation fund and an analysis of the impact of the adopted financing mechanisms on the achieved level of profitability of the entity obliged to provide universal postal services in Poland were made. The thesis of the current study is that the mechanism of compensation for provision of universal postal services by means of a compensation fund on the Polish example is defective and ineffective from the point of view of market regulation and the designated postal operator. The study concludes by stating that the preferred form of net cost financing should be a full budget subsidy and that it is unjustified to charge the full value of the net cost as additional commitment to the operator. The research methods used include analysis of scientific literature, collection, comparison, classification and generalization of data and expert evaluation.


Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), imprinted for uracil and 5-fl uorouracil, were used in the development of electrochemical sensors for selective and sensitive analysis of uracil and 5-fl uorouracil in aqueous and blood plasma samples. The same MIP motif prepared from melamine and chloranil precursors was used for both analytes as a coating material for modifi cation of a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) by a drop-coating method using dimethylformamide casting solution. This revealed the imprinting versatility of the imprinted polymer, where binding events for both analytes in aqueous environments were transduced into their respective differential pulse, cathodic stripping voltammetric signals with high sensitivity and without any false positive results owing to nonspecifi c sorptions, interferences and cross-reactivities. The limits of detection (3 σ ) for uracil and 5-fl uorouracil were found to be as low as 0.34 and 0.26 ng mL −1 , respectively, which enable substantial sensitivity in the diagnosis of uracil-disorders and fl uoropyrimidine toxicity in patients.


A scalable shared buffer switch architecture for asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) with O(/spl radic/N) complexity for memory bandwidth requirement and maximum crosspoint switch size, and O(N) scalability for buffer memory size is proposed. Access time to buffer memories has been reduced by virtue of parallel access. The switch architecture features multiple buffer memories between the input and output side crosspoint switches. The new switch architecture is better than the standard shared buffer approach as it eliminates the use of input and output time division multiplexing and makes it possible to meet buffer memory access time limitations for larger switches. At the same time, the proposed switch architecture is able to keep the crosspoint switches from growing as O(N/sup 2/) as is the case in the pure multibuffer architecture. The proposed architecture offers a good compromise between the simple shared buffer and shared multibuffer architectures Architectural and implementation details are discussed and a quantitative comparison between the buffer architectures given. Implementation of an 8/spl times/8 switch in 1.0 /spl mu/m CMOS technology is described.


In April and May 2002, Oxford Archaeology North (OAN) undertook an archaeological building investigation for the station building of Blackburn Railway Station, Lancashire (SD 685 279). This work was carried out on behalf of the Lancashire Constabulary, and in advance of a conversion of the building to a deployment station. The station building is Grade II Listed.
The building investigation involved a rapid search of the pertinent available sources for information pertaining specifically to the station building and its construction. The fabric survey was undertaken to RCHM(E) level III-type standards, and involved the production of first and second floor plans and cross-sections for the station building, based on the existing architect's plans supplied by the client. A general and detailed oblique photographic survey was also undertaken. As part of the Listed Building Consent the building investigation will be followed by an archaeological watching brief to be undertaken during the dismantling of the staircase. The results of the watching brief will be presented as a separate report.
The documentary study established that the earliest station buildings, erected on the site in 1847, had been entirely replaced by a new station in 1885-88. The station building is of this period, and the fabric survey identified that it survived largely intact, with few major alterations. Whilst essentially functional in its construction, many of the internal features were ornate; these included moulded jambs to sash windows and doors, and cornices to the false ceilings on the second floor.


Contrary to the predictions of conventional economic theory, firms often benefit by increasing consumer transaction costs. Firms do so by, for example, obscuring contract terms in a variety of ways, such as providing them after the contract is agreed to, enclosing them with other more interesting information, using small print, and omitting important terms from the written contract, such as fees for arbitration. Firms also take advantage of predictable consumer behaviors, such as the tendency of consumers not to seek rebates, to overload when provided with too much information, and to ignore dull information when overshadowed by vivid information. Using the approach of behavioral law and economics, the article provides examples of practices that inflate consumer transaction costs, explains why firms benefit from such practices, and describes the conditions giving rise to the practices. The piece also explains why inflated transaction costs are objectionable and explores the law's response to the problem of increased transaction costs. Finally, the article argues that law-makers should adopt a norm barring the unnecessary inflation of transaction costs and describes tests that law-makers can employ to implement such a norm.


Community ecology involves studying the interdependence of species with each other and their environment to predict their geographical distribution and abundance. Modern species distribution analyses characterise species-environment dependency well, but offer only crude approximations of species interdependency. Typically, the dependency between focal species and other species is characterised using other species' point occurrences as spatial covariates to constrain the focal species' predicted range. This implicitly assumes that the strength of interdependency is homogeneous across space, which is not generally supported by analyses of species interactions. This discrepancy has an important bearing on the accuracy of inferences about habitat suitability for species. We introduce a framework that integrates principles from consumer–resource analyses, resource selection theory and species distribution modelling to enhance quantitative prediction of species geographical distributions. We show how to apply the framework using a case study of lynx and snowshoe hare interactions with each other and their environment. The analysis shows how the framework offers a spatially refined understanding of species distribution that is sensitive to nuances in biophysical attributes of the environment that determine the location and strength of species interactions.


The Kizildag (Hatay) ophiolite is one of the best preserved Neotethyan oceanic lithospheric remnants in southern Turkey. It is represented by, from bottom to top, mantle tectonites, ultramafic to mafic cumulates, isotropic gabbros, sheeted dike complex, plagiogranites and extrusives (low-K tholeiites and boninites). The ultramafic to mafic cumulate rocks are composed of dunite, wehrlite, olivine gabbro, olivine gabbronorite and gabbro. The crystallization order of cumulus phases, and the presence of highly magnesian olivines and pyroxenes as well as highly calcic plagioclases in the cumulates, indicate a subduction-related tectonic environment and suggest derivation from an island arc tholeiitic magma. The isotropic gabbros are represented by gabbro, diorite and quartz diorite with granular, ophitic to micrographic textures. The sheeted dikes are characterized by diabase and microdiorite with ophitic to intersertal textures. The boninitic volcanics (so-called sakalavites) are basaltic in composition and exhibit hypocrystalline porphyric to hyalopilitic textures. All these rocks are tholeiitic in composition. New geochemical data presented in this paper from the isotropic gabbros, sheeted dikes and sakalavites suggest that there are two main types of parental basic magmas that form the crustal rocks of the Kizildag (Hatay) ophiolite. These are (i) IAT series comprising the Group I isotropic gabbros and sheeted dikes; (ii) Low-Ti boninitic series characterized by the Group II isotropic gabbros, sheeted dikes and sakalavites. The spatial and temporal relations of the IAT and boninitic magma types in the Kizildag ophiolite indicate that different magma sources were contemporaneously active in a fore-arc tectonic setting of the southern branch of Neotethys during the Late Cretaceous.


The Middle Eocene Red Beds known as typical facies of Gercus Formation in north and northeastern Iraq. In the field they cropout as red succession of claystone, lensoidal sandstones and conglomerates. Tectonically the beds are exposed in the folded area of the Zagros Fold-Thrust belt of northeastern Iraq. The whole formation consists of major low stands system tract within stratigraphic record of Tertiary which belongs to 2nd order sea level change. This major lowstand system tract is divided into two depositional sequences named upper and lower sequences which are modulated within 3rd order sea level change. About 90% of its thickness is deposited in the lower sequence, and 10% in the upper one. The lower sequence bounded by SB1 and SB2 from the bottom to the top respectively. It is comprised of SMST, TST and HST. Only the LST of the upper sequence is represented in the Gercus Formation, while the other systems tracts are possibly included in the carbonate of Pila Spi Formation. The SMST consists of alternation of red claystone and marl which are locate at the top of Khurmala Formation. The TST (middle part of Gercus Formation) is composed of grey marl and laminated marly limestone. The HST consists of alternation of red claystone, laminated sandstone and calcareous shale. The LST consists of 1-4m of rounded and sorted conglomerate located at the upper part of Gercus Formation. This system tract is underlain by an erosional unconformity. The inferred depositional environment is most possibly braided delta plain which is prevailed by fresh water influx and flooding by marine water. This is shown in the field by mud cracks, marl marine sediments and laminated sandstone which deposited in upper flow regime. ــــــــــــــــ


In recent years, it has become increasingly apparent that data is playing an ever more important role in companies and the need for IT (Information Technology) applications to support people in their activities is growing. The requirements for data-driven projects for the automation and augmentation of processes and tasks are significantly higher than for standard IT projects. An essential requirement is to learn from company data and to use it for new applications. The composition of the project team plays an essential role. It is necessary to recognize which roles and competences are required for the implementation of the project and to recognize how these may change during the project. In the following, due to the interdisciplinary nature of data science projects, new competences and roles for project execution will be identified and discussed. Possible risks that can arise from unstructured project planning and from role and competence planning will be identified. The differences compared to standard projects are highlighted and the challenges compared to them are examined. To support project planning, the use of tools can be helpful. The requirements a tool or method should fulfil in order to add value for a broad spectrum of enterprises are addressed. Exemplary criteria in this context are neutrality, branch independence and free availability of the method. In addition, the usability and areas of application of such tools are discussed.


Rosebay rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum L.) is an evergreen ericaceous shrub that plays a dynamic role in the southern Appalachian forests. Commonly located on mesic sites, this understory shrub forms dense thickets that greatly reduce the amount of light available to herbaceous and woody plants found on the forest floor. Past research has shown that silvicultural methods can be used to eradicate R. maximum, however it is unclear which of these methods is most efficient and what effects other than stem mortality may occur. In this study, treatments involving prescribed fire, mechanical cutting, and herbicide applications were applied to R. maximum dominated forests in southwestern Virginia to determine what effect seven different silvicultural treatments had on 1) controlling of R. maximum as a forest weed 2) fuel loading inside of a R. maximum thicket, and 3) canopy tree seedling regeneration. Mechanical cutting treatments were successful in reducing R. maximum basal area per acre; however stump sprouting and increased fuel loading occurred. Herbicide applications were successful in controlling only the smallest diameter class of R. maximum stems. Prescribed fire reduced litter layers and caused delayed mortality on R. maximum stems three years following treatment. Hemispherical photographs taken within each plot showed that silvicultural treatments that successfully increased the amount of light entering each plot were influential in seedling establishment three years following treatments. Results from this study can be used to further perfect silvicultural applications that alleviate R. maximum cover on the forest landscape.


The flared horn is modeled according to Webster's equation. A change of variables transforms the equation into the form of the one‐dimensional Schrodinger wave equation. The Schrodinger form facilitates specification of arbitrary axisymmetric wavefronts for the acoustic disturbance within the horn. To provide a physically motivated choice of wavefront shape, Poisson's equation is solved inside the horn subject to the boundary condition that the normal component of the potential gradient is zero at the boundary of the horn. Since the disturbance within the horn must satisfy the wave equation, the velocity potential satisfies Poisson's equation when viscous effects and losses are ignored. Physical data from brass instrument bells are used to model musical horns using the Poisson solution, and results are compared to those obtained by traditional models which assume spherical wavefronts. Results are also compared to acoustic measurements.


What are the performance benefits of investing in human resources in a low-cost labor environment where returns to such investment are widely perceived as negligible? This paper presents a matched pair case study on the performance effect of human resource management systems at two garment factories manufacturing for export in India. They make the same product for the same buyer with the same local pool of labor. One factory views its workforce as a variable cost to be minimized, limits training, prefers strict hierarchy and job definitions. It relies on a range of factors including the offer of overtime and a lack of available alternatives to workers for retention. The other factory, which is located almost next door and pays the same basic wage, focuses on skills development, opportunities for promotion and encouraging employee participation. Employee turnover at the first factory is almost three times greater than that of the second, its absenteeism one third higher, while its product quality is 2.6 times lower and its production efficiency over 28 percent lower. This study demonstrates that even in a low-wage environment, HRM and work organization have a tangible and independent impact on performance.


This chapter provides an overview of health literacy measurement initiatives with a focus on the European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU) - describing where measuring population health literacy started, where it currently is, and providing an outlook to the upcoming European HL survey. In the first part of the chapter, the methodology and the main results of the initial HLS-EU study from 2011 will be introduced. In the second part the worldwide impact of the HLS-EU study will be mapped. Many publications and studies used the HLS-EU instruments in the original or few in an adapted way to measure comprehensive health literacy - in many different settings and in diverse countries. Finally, the chapter ends with an outlook to the M-POHL and HLS19 initiatives of WHO-Europe which are intended to advance HLS-EU as well as the measurement of population and organizational health literacy in a more coordinated, standardized, and institutionalized manner.


The views expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank. The ERD Policy Brief Series is based on papers or notes prepared by ADB staff and their resource persons. The series is designed to provide concise nontechnical accounts of policy issues of topical interest to ADB management, Board of Directors, and staff. Though prepared primarily for internal readership within the ADB, the series may be accessed by interested external readers. Feedback is welcome via e-mail (email@example.com).


Although gender has become an established research topic in tourism studies over the last decades, the role of religion in relation to women participating in tourism has been less explored. Moreover, gender has been mainly discussed from a Western perspective, while other viewpoints have received little attention. By focusing on women participating in the tourism industry in Zanzibar we make a contribution to both voids in tourism studies. This article provides an account of how Zanzibari women working in tourism are confronted with particular constraints brought about by the Islamization of Swahili culture. Moreover, it is argued that whereas women find themselves bound up by particular Islamic norms and values, they are able through the enactment of their environments to challenge, negotiate, and resist these. In so doing they create the freedom to make their own choices, which, as will be shown, reach beyond their labor position. The research findings are discussed in terms of the concept of enactment as proposed by Weick in 1995 and explore the ability of women to participate in the construction of their own environment. The article concludes by arguing that women enact their environments in diverse ways, and how these environments are understood by them as either constraining or enabling them in taking over agency over their lives.


In Singapore, roughly 20% of the energy consumed by households is used for water heating and almost all the energy consumed by conventional electric water heaters. One of the significant potential energy saving opportunities lies in using energy-efficient water heating appliances. Recently, there has been a move towards energy-saving design and the use of natural refrigerants over fluorocarbons. Unlike conventional electric storage water heaters, which use electricity to heat water directly, heat pump storage water heaters use electricity only to operate a pump that circulates refrigerants around the system. This refrigerant collects heat from the surrounding atmosphere and transfers it to the water. CO2 heat pumps have low global warming potential when compared to other refrigerants based heat pumps, has zero ozone depletion potential, inexpensive, non-flammable, generate high temperature. In this project, a comparative analysis of three different water heater types has been presented based on real-time usage and living-lab conditions under the tropical climate of Singapore. These three types are:
 1. Electrical heater storage type
 2. Hybrid heat pump with auxiliary electrical heating water heater
 3. CO2 heat pump water heater without auxiliary heating
 Study found significant energy saving using CO2 heat pump compared to other water heating system and also better for environment.


After the 1918 flu pandemic, the world is again facing a similar situation. However, the advancement in medical science has made it possible to identify that the novel infectious agent is from the coronavirus family. Rapid genome sequencing by various groups helped in identifying the structure and function of the virus, its immunogenicity in diverse populations, and potential preventive measures. Coronavirus attacks the respiratory system, causing pneumonia and lymphopenia in infected individuals. Viral components like spike and nucleocapsid proteins trigger an immune response in the host to eliminate the virus. These viral antigens can be either recognized by the B cells or presented by MHC complexes to the T cells, resulting in antibody production, increased cytokine secretion, and cytolytic activity in the acute phase of infection. Genetic polymorphism in MHC enables it to present some of the T cell epitopes very well over the other MHC alleles. The association of MHC alleles and its downregulated expression has been correlated with disease severity against influenza and coronaviruses. Studies have reported that infected individuals can, after recovery, induce strong protective responses by generating a memory T-cell pool against SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. These memory T cells were not persistent in the long term and, upon reactivation, caused local damage due to cross-reactivity. So far, the reports suggest that SARS-CoV-2, which is highly contagious, shows related symptoms in three different stages and develops an exhaustive T-cell pool at higher loads of viral infection. As there are no specific treatments available for this novel coronavirus, numerous small molecular drugs that are being used for the treatment of diseases like SARS, MERS, HIV, ebola, malaria, and tuberculosis are being given to COVID-19 patients, and clinical trials for many such drugs have already begun. A classical immunotherapy of convalescent plasma transfusion from recovered patients has also been initiated for the neutralization of viremia in terminally ill COVID-19 patients. Due to the limitations of plasma transfusion, researchers are now focusing on developing neutralizing antibodies against virus particles along with immuno-modulation of cytokines like IL-6, Type I interferons (IFNs), and TNF-α that could help in combating the infection. This review highlights the similarities of the coronaviruses that caused SARS and MERS to the novel SARS-CoV-2 in relation to their pathogenicity and immunogenicity and also focuses on various treatment strategies that could be employed for curing COVID-19.


Repair of DNA damage is essential for the maintenance of the integrity and transmission of the genome in development and reproduction. Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures which protect the ends of (linear) eukaryotic chromosomes. Telomere dysfunction results in loss of this protection and the telomeres being recognised as DNA damage by the cellular DNA Damage Repair and Response (DDR) machinery, leading to senescence or cell death. Telomeric homeostasis is thus tightly controlled and many specific and non-specific proteins are involved in its regulation. Among these, DNA damage and Repair proteins contribute both to the recognition of telomere dysfunction and more surprisingly, are directly implicated in telomere homeostasis itself. Plants offer a great opportunity to study these mechanisms due to the fact that many key DNA repair and recombination proteins are non-essential in plants, in contrast to vertebrates. In the following text, after a brief summary of the current state of knowledge on telomere-specific proteins in plants, we review the DDR processes and the related proteins implicated in plant telomere stability. We focus specifically on telomere signalling and on recombination events induced by unprotected telomeres, at the origin of genome rearrangements and instability when telomere function is affected.


With a particulate enzyme preparation from Phaseolus aureus hypocotyls, UDP-alpha-d-[U-(14)C]galactose served as a precursor for a number of products. One of these products was characterized as a beta-(1-->4)-linked galactan. The ADP-, GDP-, TDP- and CDP- derivatives of alpha-d-galactose did not serve as biosynthetic precursors for any products insoluble in 70% ethanol, nor as substrates for a sugar nucleotide 4-epimerase which is present in the particulate enzyme preparation. The (14)C-labelled beta-(1-->4)-galactan is alkali-insoluble and was characterized by analysis of partial acetolysis products. The labelling pattern of the [(14)C]oligosaccharides derived from acetolysis indicates that (1) only slightly more than two [(14)C]galactose moieties are added to the growing polysaccharide chain on average, and (2) these additions take place at the reducing end of the polysaccharide chain. The radioactive beta-(1-->4)-linked galactan chain represented 8.5% of the radioactivity initially added, and 20% of the water- and butanol-insoluble products derived from UDP-alpha-d-[(14)C]galactose. Total hydrolysis of the alkali-insoluble fraction of Phaseolus aureus hypocotyl yielded d-glucose and d-mannose in a 5:1 ratio but no detectable quantities of d-galactose. A trace quantity of a radioactive disaccharide, identified as (1-->3)-linked galactobiose, was isolated from the partial acetolysate of the alkali-insoluble [(14)C]polysaccharide material. Also isolated from this partial acetolysate was a C-1 derivative of [(14)C]galactose, which could not be identified. An alkali-soluble galactose-containing polysaccharide was also synthesized in this enzymic reaction, and represented 20% of the water- and butanol-insoluble products derived from UDP-alpha-d-[(14)C]galactose. The spectrum of radioactive oligosaccharides produced by partial acetolysis of this alkali-soluble polysaccharide material was different from that obtained from the alkali-insoluble polysaccharide, indicating a different structure.


Ascidians are rich source of bioactive agents which could be used for novel antimicrobial drugs. The present investigation inspects the antibacterial potential of ascidian, Polyclinum madrasensis collected from Mandapam, the Palk Bay region, Southeast coast of India. The crude extracts were tested for inhibition of bacterial growth against human pathogens.  Antibacterial assay was carried out by agar well diffusion method. The maximum inhibition zone (12.0±0.5 mm) was observed against the Staphylococcus aureus in crude methanol extract. The consequent zone of 6.5±0.1 mm was observed against S. aureus in ethanol extract and minimum inhibition zone (3.2±0.5 mm) was noticed with Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Molecular weight of tissue protein was determined through sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacryalamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and active metabolites were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The protein bands were at 36.5, 20.5, and 10.5 kDa, in SDS-PAGE and O-H stretch carboxylic acid compounds identified at the peak 3533.59 cm -1 . It could be concluded from the present study that crude extract of the ascidian, P. madrasensis has potential antimicrobial effect against human pathogens. Keywards: Polyclinum madrasensis, bioactive compounds, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacryalamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). African Journal of Biotechnology , Vol 13(48) 4471-4475


Computer networks are becoming more complex and diverse. Increasingly, an end-to-end connection will traverse several links with orders of magnitude differences in characteristics such as bandwidth, latency, error rate, jitter, and monetary cost. At the same time, most applications assume a level of network characteristics below which they either provide no service, or service at a cost higher than the user is willing to pay. Conductor is an adaptation framework that moves the responsibility for network complexity out of the application and into the network. Conductor allows an application's use of the network to be tailored to the needs of the user in a manner that is transparent to the application. Conductor allows adaptation to be distributed to the points in the network where it is required. Further, Conductor allows arbitrary adaptations without compromising reliability. Finally, Conductor requires minimal changes to existing systems. All of these characteristics are incorporated into a single, integrated framework. Conductor has been shown to be effective in important classes of problems in mobile computing, where network complexity is most prevalent today. This paper describes the Conductor architecture and presents experimental results indicating that transparent, distributed adaptation can significantly improve the user's experience in complex networks.


The photophysical investigation of two amino-alkyl receptor-based probes, 1 and 2, appended with two different rhodamine derivatives but differing in their receptor constituents revealed their selective absorption and fluorescence signalling responses to Fe(III) among all metal ions investigated. Although the output channels in the complexation-induced signalling patterns of these probes are in proximity to each other, the spectroscopic signatures of Fe(III)-complexation spiro-ring opening of the individual rhodamine derivatives and associated kinetic measurements revealed a preferential coordination affinity of the rhodamine 6G (Rho-6G) component over the rhodamine-B (Rho-B) segment. The Fe(III)-selective signalling response was observed to be higher in flexible DETA(bis(2-aminoethyl)amine) receptor-incorporated probe 1 than in 2, which incorporates a rigid ethylenediamine receptor. The ratio of the fluorescence of the two wavelength output channels arising from the two different signalling subunits in the architectures of these probes enhances their sensitivity levels in Fe(III) ion detection. The utility of the Fe(III)-complexation-induced orange fluorescence output of 1 was demonstrated in the detection and localization of bio-accumulated Fe(III) ions in root tissues of Grevillea pteridifolia plant species.


Objective: Patients′ understanding and perceptions of antibiotic use and resistance are crucial for the public health. This study aimed to explore the awareness of antibiotic utilization in 12 aspects among Bahraini patients attending health centers and community pharmacies and to find the associations of their awareness. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey study with questionnaire interviews was conducted in Bahraini patients attending five health centers or four community pharmacies during January - June 2013. All data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a Chi-squared test was performed with a significance level set at 0.05. Results: A total of 306 patients (156 in health centers and 150 in community pharmacies) participated in the study. Female respondents (57.2%) were nearly equal to the male. Most were adults aged 16-29 (47.7%) and educated at the university or school levels (88.2%). The majority were aware of the use for colds and relevant resistance, including 10 other aspects. Approximately 35% misconceived the medicine intake in terms of concomitant use with milk, daily doses, stopping time and reusability. Patients′ education was associated with six aspects of awareness, that is, decision on antibiotic prescribing, drug administration, treatment duration, drug resistance, reusability, and perceived side-effects (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: Bahraini patients are mostly aware of 12 antibiotic aspects despite some misconceptions. The public awareness and their expectations warrant further studies on a large scale to understand their self-medication and demand for antibiotic prescriptions.


We study the problem of robust performance of quantum systems under structured uncertainties. A specific feature of closed (Hamiltonian) quantum systems is that their poles lie on the imaginary axis and that neither a coherent controller nor physically relevant structured uncertainties can alter this situation. This changes for open systems where decoherence ensures asymptotic stability and creates a unique landscape of pure performance robustness, with the distinctive feature that closed-loop stability is secured by the underlying physics and needs not be enforced. This stability, however, is often detrimental to quantum-enhanced performance, and additive perturbations of the Hamiltonian give rise to dynamic generators that are nonlinear in the perturbed parameters, invalidating classical paradigms to assess robustness to structured perturbations such as singular value analysis. This problem is addressed using a fixed-point iteration approach to determine a maximum perturbation strength δmax that ensures that the transfer function remains bounded, ║Tδ║ < δ−1 for δ < δmax.


A method for simulating heat recovery systems using AirModel in implementations of the ASHRAE simplified energy analysis procedure was developed in this paper. AirModel, a simulation tool used to simulate the energy consumption of building heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, was developed by the Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) at Texas A&M University (TAMU) in the 1990's. This program is capable of simulating single duct reheat systems and dual duct systems with economizer cycles. However, in certain buildings, energy savings techniques such as heat recovery systems are implemented but AirModel does not have a specific input to simulate this system. Presented in this paper is a method to simulate a heat recovery system using AirModel. An example of this methodology was used to simulate the HVAC system with a heat recovery system for the Biophysics and Biochemistry building on the TAMU campus.


Primary pure cell seminoma of the mediastinum is a rare and potentially fatal lesion. Encroachment or invasion of adjacent structures is common, as are distant metastases. We present an unusual case of mediastinal seminoma with directly intracavitary invasion into the right atrium and extension to the left atrium. A 22-year-old male with right side chest pain, progressive cough, dyspnea, fever and right arm swelling lasting about a month is presented. Chest radiography on admission revealed a large mass in the anterior mediastinum. A cardiac ultrasonographic examination showed right atrial compression by the mass, with invasion of the right atrium wall. We also found polyp-like (about 2.5 cm in diameter) masses in left atrium near the area of the right pulmonary veins and a circumferential pericardial effusion. Percutaneous needle biopsy revealed mediastinal seminoma. To our knowledge, no similar case has been previously reported.