Introduction: polycystic ovary syndrome is the common cause of infertility due to anovulation, and insulin resistance, increasing high body mass Index and waist: hip ratio (WHR) are known risk factors in poor outcome of infertility treatment and also clinical response to metformin. This study was performed with aim to assess the effect of metformin on prediction of treatment outcomes of IUI in insulin – resistant and non-resistant infertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and the effect of resistant to insulin, BMI and WHR on them. Methods: This non randomized clinical trial study was performed on 74 infertile women with PCOS who were candidate for IUI referred to infertility clinic of Mirza Koochackan Hospital of Tehran between 2011 and 2012. The patients were divided in two groups of Insulin Resistance and nonresistance according to the results of GTT(Glucose Tolerance Test) and Insulin level hormone test and were divided to four groups according to BMI. All patients received metformin 500mg, three times daily, six weeks before the IUI cycle and both groups subsequently underwent treatment with drugs of ovulation induction for IUI. Data were analyzed with T-test and ANOVA test. PResults: from 74 studied women, 34 cases were insulin resistance and 37 nonresistance. Treatment with metformin caused more ovulation rate, mean follicular size, positive result of pregnancy test, clinical pregnancy and adverse effects in Insulin resistance group, but these differences were not significant (P>0.05). But, two groups showed a significant difference in BMI and WHR ratio (P=0.02). 11 cases (29.7) in resistance group and 9 (24.3) in nonresistance group become pregnant, but this difference was not significant (P>0.05). In four indexes, two groups were not statistically significant in terms of IUI results and pregnancy incidence (P=0.05). But, in over weigh patients (BMI=25-30) in both groups, more pregnancy rate was observed. Conclusion: Metformin can be administered for all PCOS patient regardless of Insulin resistant and nonresistance. Also BMI is a better predictor for the rate of response to treatment with metformin.


ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the drug utilization pattern of anti-diabetic agents with respect to glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level in a Type 2 diabetes patient with complication. Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted as per the protocol approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. The patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes mellitus with complication were identified, and those who had measured HbA1c level during previous follow ups were included in the study. All demographic, drug prescriptions, and clinical data of patients were collected and documented in a suitably designed case report form. Descriptive analyses were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Version 20. Results: Based on the study criteria, 644 patients were selected and enrolled for the study. The majority of study subjects 494 (76.7%) were male and 415 (64.4%) were belonged to the age group 45-64 years. 252 (39.1%) of the patient, had normal weight followed by 234 (36.3%) were overweight, and 142 (22.1%) patients were obese. The prescription pattern showed the majority of patients 509 (79%) patients had 1-2 anti-diabetic medication followed 133 (20.7%) patient prescribed with 3-4 anti-diabetic drug. An insulin was prescribed in 507 (63.4%) patients and among oral anti-diabetic drugs, metformin 283 (43.9%), glimepiride 140 (21.7%), and voglibose 88 (13.7%) was most commonly prescribed. Conclusion: Among all the anti-diabetic drugs, the insulin was highly preferred over oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs) to control the glycemic level, and metformin accounted for the most commonly prescribed OHAs. In the second generation of sulfonylureas class, glimepiride and glipizide were most prescribed. Keywords: Anti-diabetic agents, Diabetes mellitus, Prescription pattern.


The article emphasizes that Eidetic is one of the effective methods of forming the cognitive interests of preschool children with special educational needs (SEN). Eidetic methods include chain, acroverbal, pictographic, phonetic associations, the method of loci (based on visual associations), nonverbal associations, paradoxical verbal transformations, enlarged structuring of educational material. Their use helps to transform incomprehensible information into an achievable and understandable form to them. Due to Eidetic, various analyzers are involved in cognitive activity at the same time. The child can see and hear and touch, smell, and even taste. At the same time, children's mastery of new knowledge is based on already well-known images, so Eidetic creates a boundless play space in which children's imagination has a wide field for development. The authors note that a characteristic feature of the cognitive interest of preschool children is a selective focus on interest in phenomena, objects, and environmental processes. For students with special educational needs the subject of cognitive interest, as well as for their peers with normative development, is not the whole environment, but only some of its elements, which are personally relevant, attractive, and valuable. The cognitive interest of preschoolers can be both situational and sustainable. It occurs in the process of performing a certain action but may disappear immediately after its completion. At the same time, with systematic pedagogical support, it can become a relatively stable personal quality of a child with special educational needs.An important positive aspect of the use of Eidetic in working with preschool children with SEN is that it creates a psychological situation of success, activates the neurodynamics of brain activity. As a result, the problem areas of the central nervous system and children's deviant behavior are corrected. Eidetic performs a dual developmental and educational function. Due to its application, such mental processes of personality as attention, imagination, memory, different types of thinking are developed, and thus the mastery of educational material is activated. Thanks to the methods of Eidetic, all the child's analyzers are involved, which allows him/her to see, hear, touch, smell, taste, and perceive something new and unknown through the channels of learning about the surrounding reality available to the child with SEN.


Individual muscle fibers of 10 motor units from the tibialis posterior muscle of cat were identified by glycogen depletion techniques, characterized for histochemical type, diameter, and intramuscular locations, and analyzed by quantitative biochemical methods. Four enzymes, representing different energy-yielding pathways, were quantitatively assayed in muscle fibers belonging to motor units selected from each of the three major physiological types. All four enzymes demonstrated identical activities among fibers within a motor unit, while showing up to 11-fold differences among fibers belonging to different motor units. Moreover, fibers within a single motor unit, but of substantially different diameters, were nevertheless homogeneous in specific enzyme activities.


When choosing between candidate nest sites, a honeybee swarm reliably chooses the most valuable site and even when faced with the choice between near-equal value sites, it makes highly efficient decisions. Value-sensitive decision-making is enabled by a distributed social effort among the honeybees, and it leads to decision-making dynamics of the swarm that are remarkably robust to perturbation and adaptive to change. To explore and generalize these features to other networks, we design distributed multiagent network dynamics that exhibit a pitchfork bifurcation, ubiquitous in biological models of decision-making. Using tools of nonlinear dynamics, we show how the designed agent-based dynamics recover the high performing value-sensitive decision-making of the honeybees and rigorously connect an investigation of mechanisms of animal group decision-making to systematic, bioinspired control of multiagent network systems. We further present a distributed adaptive bifurcation control law and prove how it enhances the network decision-making performance beyond that observed in swarms.


This review highlights three morphodynamics modelling approaches, used for offshore marine aggregate extraction impact assessment. These approaches are based upon examples of (1) full process-based models; (2) idealised processbased models; and (3) conceptual models. Illustrated also is the way in which these models, applied for extractions on flat bed or sandbanks, can complement each other, towards the estimation of Coastal State Indicators (CSIs). This review leads to the conclusion that, for an optimal environment assessment, there are two main approaches: (1) either combine and couple the models, in order to simulate the full morphodynamics of the system over a long time-scale, taking into account also short-term events, or (2) use a set of existing models, knowing precisely their applicability to the CSI's and the reliability of their predictions, rather than using only the best model, available presently.


Background and purpose: Controlling inflammation is a major approach in periodontal treatments, but scaling and root planing are not always effective enough. Curcumin is anti-inflammatory and can adjust inflammatory reactions and its efficacy and immunity is proven. The present research aimed at evaluating the potential of Curcumin BCM-95 in treatment of patients with chronic periodontitis. Materials and methods: In a double blind clinical trial, the clinical parameters including, Gingival Sulcus Bleeding Index (GSBI), Loe and Silness Gingival Index (GI), Probing Pocket Depth (PPD), and Clinical Attachment Level (CAL) were recorded at the beginning of the study, at week 6, and month 4. In case group, patients with moderate chronic periodontitis who had no systemic disease with at least one periodontal pocket with 4-6mm depth in each quadrant and bleeding on probing were chosen. After scaling and root planing, the patients took 2 Curcumin oral capsules per day for 4 weeks. The patients in the control group were given placebos. Results: The effect of time was found to be significant in PPD, GI, CAL, and GSBI. Moreover, significant differences were seen between PPD average measurements before medication, at first follow up, and second follow-up (P<0.05). But, in GI, GSBI, and CAL the group effect was not significant. In other words, the reduction was seen in these parameters in both groups but they were not significant. Conclusion: The effect of Biocurcumax TM Curcumin (BCM-95) was significant in treatment of moderate chronic periodontitis in PPD between the two groups which reduced this parameter.


A simple authentication technique for use in the global mobility network (GLOMONET) is proposed. This technique is based on the concept of distributed security management, i.e., the original security manager administrates the original authentication key (long-term secret key) acquired when a user makes a contract with his home network, while a temporary security manager is generated for a roaming user in the visited network that provides roaming services. The temporary security manager will take the place of the original security manager when the roaming user stays in the service area of the visited network. In the proposed authentication protocol for the regular communication phase, the procedures of the original security manager and the temporary security manager are the same except for introducing different parameters. Furthermore, the proposed technique not only reduces the number of transmissions during the authentication phase, but it also can decrease the complexity of mobile equipment. The idea behind the proposed technique is to introduce a simple mechanism which is called "self-encryption". We also suggest that this mechanism can be easily adopted as the authentication function for the secure teleconference service.


Direct numerical simulations of the transition process from steady laminar to chaotic flow are considered in this study with the relatively new incompressible lattice Boltzmann equation. Numerically, a multiple relaxation time fully incompressible lattice Boltzmann equation is implemented in a 2D driven cavity. Spatial discretization is 2nd-order accurate, and the Kolmogorov length scale estimation based on Reynolds number ( Re ) dictates grid resolution. Initial simulations show the method to be accurate for steady laminar flows, while higher Re simulations reveal periodic flow behavior consistent with an initial Hopf bifurcation at Re 7,988. Non-repeating flow behavior is observed in the phase space trajectories above Re 13,063, and is evidence of the transition to a chaotic flow regime. Finally, flows at Reynolds numbers above the chaotic transition point are simulated and found with statistical properties in good agreement with literature.


A 3-GeV light source named Taiwan Photon Source (TPS) at National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC) is under construction, and is scheduled for commissioning in 2013/2014. An SRF module of KEKB type has been selected for the TPS as the accelerating cavity of its storage ring. The SRF valve boxes, as part of the cryogenic transfer system, stabilize the cryogenic operational conditions required for various needs of SRF operation. The SRF operation requires a large dynamic variation in the cryogenic loading that challenges appropriate sizing of the cryogenic regulation valves to minimize the pressure drop and concurrently to maintain a fine regulation of pressure. Here, we report our design considerations for an SRF valve box with emphasis on highly stabilizing the helium pressure for SRF operation with a dual-return valve scheme. The estimated fluctuations of pressure due to finite accuracy of the valve opening decrease to a tenth of what is obtained from the conventional single return-valve scheme.


The RNA helicase and ATPase UPF1 affects transcriptome homeostasis and gene expression through nonsense-mediated RNA decay, splicing, and translation in Arabidopsis. Nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD) is an RNA control mechanism that has also been implicated in the broader regulation of gene expression. Nevertheless, a role for NMD in genome regulation has not yet been fully assessed, partially because NMD inactivation is lethal in many organisms. Here, we performed an in-depth comparative analysis of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutants lacking the NMD-related proteins UPF3, UPF1, and SMG7. We found different impacts of these proteins on NMD and the Arabidopsis transcriptome, with UPF1 having the biggest effect. Transcriptome assembly in UPF1-null plants revealed genome-wide changes in alternative splicing, suggesting that UPF1 functions in splicing. The inactivation of UPF1 led to translational repression, as manifested by a global shift in mRNAs from polysomes to monosomes and the downregulation of genes involved in translation and ribosome biogenesis. Despite these global changes, NMD targets and mRNAs expressed at low levels with short half-lives were enriched in the polysomes of upf1 mutants, indicating that UPF1/NMD suppresses the translation of aberrant RNAs. Particularly striking was an increase in the translation of TIR domain-containing, nucleotide binding, leucine-rich repeat (TNL) immune receptors. The regulation of TNLs via UPF1/NMD-mediated mRNA stability and translational derepression offers a dynamic mechanism for the rapid activation of TNLs in response to pathogen attack.


In mobile communications, channel side information at transmitters can increasecapacity. For moving relays nodes, local nodes placed on buses and trams in urbanareas, the channel state information is outdated for control delays of severalmilliseconds, as in the LTE system. Prediction of the channel based on statistic is notadequate for vehicular velocities. In this thesis, prediction made with an additionalantenna, a ``predictor antenna", placed in front of the main antenna is evaluated. Thepredictor utilises that the channel of the predictor antenna is highly correlated to thechannel experienced by the main antenna somewhat later, when the main antenna hasmoved to the position previous occupied by the predictor antenna. A normalisedcorrelation of up to 0.98 could be measured between the channels of the antennasfor an antenna separation of several wavelengths, but it was found that the closeenvironment and the antenna pattern have a big impact on the correlation. Thepredictions made with the antenna are also combined with predictions based onstatistics of past measurements from the main antenna to see if a better result can beachieved. For a prediction range of 0.5 carrier wavelengths, a prediction as good as anormalised mean square error (NMSE) of -13.9 dB could be seen. This is sufficient togive a gain in the performance when using link adaptation and opportunistic multi-userscheduling, based on channel state information at transmitter. The evaluations isbased on measurements on a 20 MHz downlink channel at 2.68 GHz.


Director of the University of Brighton since 1990. His academic interests are in the history of American ideas and in higher education policy. His most recent publications are Lifelong Learning and the University (with Richard Taylor, 1998), Managing Strategy (2000), and New Directions in Professional Higher Education (with Tom Bourner and Tim Katz, 2000). Address for correspondence: University of Brighton, Mithras House, Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4AT, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1273 642 000; Fax: +44 (0)1273 642 010; E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com perspective


Increasing interest in marine hydrokinetic (MHK) energy has led to significant research regarding optimal placement of emerging technologies to maximize energy capture and minimize effects on the marine environment. Understanding the changes to the near- and far-field hydrodynamics is necessary to assess optimal placement. MHK projects will convert energy (momentum) from the system, altering water velocities and potentially water quality and sediment transport as well. Maximum site efficiency for MHK power projects must balance with the requirement of avoiding environmental harm. This study is based on previous modification to an existing flow, sediment dynamics, and water-quality code (SNL-EFDC) where a simulation of an experimental flume is used to qualify, quantify, and visualize the influence of MHK energy generation. Turbulence and device parameters are calibrated against wake data from a flume experiment out of the University of Southampton (L. Myers and A. S. Bahaj, "Near wake properties of horizontal axis marine current turbines," in Proceedings of the 8th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference, 2009, pp. 558–565) to produce verified simulations of MHK-device energy removal. To achieve a realistic velocity deficit within the wake of the device, parametric studies using the nonlinear, model-independent, parameter estimators PEST and DAKOTA were compared to determine parameter sensitivities and optimal values for various constants in the flow and turbulence closure equations. The sensitivity analyses revealed that the Smagorinski subgrid-scale horizontal momentum diffusion constant and the k-ε kinetic energy dissipation rate constant (Cε4) were the two most important parameters influencing wake profile and dissipation at 10 or more device diameters downstream as they strongly influence how the wake mixes with the bulk flow. These results verify the model, which can now be used to perform MHK-array distribution and optimization studies.


We present self-consistent, axisymmetric core-collapse supernova simulations performed with the Prometheus-Vertex code for 18 pre-supernova models in the range of 11–28 M⊙, including progenitors recently investigated by other groups. All models develop explosions, but depending on the progenitor structure, they can be divided into two classes. With a steep density decline at the Si/Si–O interface, the arrival of this interface at the shock front leads to a sudden drop of the mass-accretion rate, triggering a rapid approach to explosion. With a more gradually decreasing accretion rate, it takes longer for the neutrino heating to overcome the accretion ram pressure and explosions set in later. Early explosions are facilitated by high mass-accretion rates after bounce and correspondingly high neutrino luminosities combined with a pronounced drop of the accretion rate and ram pressure at the Si/Si–O interface. Because of rapidly shrinking neutron star radii and receding shock fronts after the passage through their maxima, our models exhibit short advection timescales, which favor the efficient growth of the standing accretion-shock instability. The latter plays a supportive role at least for the initiation of the re-expansion of the stalled shock before runaway. Taking into account the effects of turbulent pressure in the gain layer, we derive a generalized condition for the critical neutrino luminosity that captures the explosion behavior of all models very well. We validate the robustness of our findings by testing the influence of stochasticity, numerical resolution, and approximations in some aspects of the microphysics.


In the offset printing industry, ink quantity plays an important role. At the present time, ink evaluation usually depends on human naked eyes. Although the method is easily to carry out, to the same original image, the results usually differ from the practical ones. In the research, processed gray prepress digital images to be input into plate making device are considered, with image block processing theory, according to parameters such as screening lines and ink density and so on, the ink quantity of the original image on the printed sheet is figured out. Similarly, batch printed sheets ink quantity could be calculated. The experiment shows that the ink quantity reaches rather high exactitude, approaches factual ink quantity in the printing workroom with fairly high precision.


Any travel that is motivated by religion or has sacred sites amongst its destinations is religious tourism, or a faith tour. Pilgrimages to ancient sacred sites are considered by many authors as the beginning of the tourism phenomenon. Pilgrimage can be described as a form of travel that is motivated by religion, spirituality or personal issues. Pilgrimage makes up an essential part of today's tourism market. It is also one of the oldest forms of it. Faith tours can be regarded as modern pilgrimages which visit such sacred sites. The Largest number of faith tours to Turkey (conducted mostly in Anatolia) is organized by Christian groups. This paper investigates the similarities and differences between pilgrims (as tourists) and tourists (as pilgrims) and compares the modern faith tours conducted in Anatolia today with the Medieval Christian pilgrimages undertaken in Anatolia in the past. The research methodology consists of a literature review and the review of


Abstract With the press hardening technology it is possible to produce components with tailor- made material properties. The present work is based on a comprehensive thermo-mechanical material model for simulation of press hardening and similar processes. The model accounts for and predicts time dependent and time-independent phase transformations, mechanical and thermal properties as well as transformation plasticity during the complete cooling and deformation process from 900 °C to room temperature. The model predicts the microstructure evolution during the complete process as well as the final fractions. The thermal contact properties and the thermal properties in the tools have influence on the final material state. Solutions for tool heating and cooling for manufacturing of components with soft zones are studied. Based on the results from the press hardening simulations, thermal properties of special tool materials are taken into account in order to optimise the manufacturing thermal cycle.


AIM To investigate the clinical significance of routinely used glycemic parameters in a cohort of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. METHODS Pre-treatment fasting blood glucose, insulin, HbA1c and homeostasis model of risk assessment (HOMA-IR) were retrospectively evaluated in a case-control study of 224 CRC and 112 control subjects matched for sex, obesity and diabetes frequency and blood lipid profile. Furthermore, the prognostic value of routinely used glycemic parameters towards progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was prospectively evaluated. RESULTS Fasting blood glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR and HbA1c (all P < 0.0001) levels were higher in non-diabetic CRC patients compared with obesity-matched controls. All parameters were associated with increased CRC risk at ROC analysis, but no relationship with clinical-pathological variables or survival outcomes was observed for glycemia, insulinemia or HOMA-IR. Conversely, advanced CRC stage (P = 0.018) was an independent predictor of increased HbA1c levels, which were also higher in patients who had disease progression compared with those who did not (P = 0.05). Elevated HbA1c levels showed a negative prognostic value both in terms of PFS (HR = 1.24) and OS (HR = 1.36) after adjustment for major confounders, which was further confirmed in a subgroup analysis performed after exclusion of diabetic patients. CONCLUSION HbA1c might have a negative prognostic value in CRC, thus suggesting that glycemic metabolic markers should be carefully monitored in these patients, independently of overt diabetes.


This article argues that student-centred research culminating in student publications and presentations delivered in an authentic learning environment may be used to enhance the learning of biomedical science subjects, particularly those that are traditionally taught in formal lecture and tutorial style. The author discusses the pedagogical value of student presentations to peers, and professional and community groups for the teaching and learning of pharmacology within the School of Biomedical Science. The author asserts that the authentic-leaning project has created opportunities for science students to develop their overall ability to communicate and disseminate knowledge resulting in a statistically significant improvement in the standard of student literature reviews. Additional outcomes include better-informed, more confident students who have the ability to perform authentic, meaningful research and are equipped with important industry-related skills.


In Mechanics, material properties are most often regarded as being given, and based on this, many technical solutions are usually conceived and constructed. However, nowadays manufacturing processes have advanced to the point that metamaterials having selected properties can be designed and fabricated. Three-dimensional printing, electrospinning, self-assembly, and many other advanced manufacturing techniques are raising a number of scientific questions which must be addressed if the potential of these new technologies is to be fully realized. In this work, we report on the status of modeling and analysis of metamaterials exhibiting a rich and varied macroscopic response conferred by complex microstructures and particularly focus on strongly interacting inextensible or nearly inextensible fibers. The principal aim is to furnish a framework in which the mechanics of 3D rapid prototyping of microstructured lattices and fabrics can be clearly understood and exploited. Moreover, several-related open questions will be identified and discussed, and some methodological considerations of general interest are provided.


had had upper abdominal operations, we found that demand reduced quite quickly over the first 24 hours in an apparently exponential manner.' Thus overdose can be expected on occasions with Dr Church's technique despite precautions, and indeed in two of his patients the antidote naloxone had to be given. There is, however, a more fundamental objection to such a system. Only the patient can know when pain relief is sufficient and balance side effects against further requirements. Self-regulation may be because of excessive sedation or nausea, or because relief is then limited by the drug's analgesic potential. Rather than use an onlooker to try to balance such factors at short intervals, it seems more logical to allow the patient himself to initiate each incremental dose, imposing restraints which ensure that the effect of each dose is tested by the patient before another can be obtained. In our experience with such a system, no patients made demands anywhere near the maximum possible-an indication of feedback control. Furthermore, none showed signs of overdose such as respiratory depression or excessive drowsiness. This is in accord with our results from a large group of mothers in labour. It would seem therefore that patients do not voluntarily overdose themselves; it is only when a drug is administered on a preselected basis that this is likely to occur. Although the average dose of pethidine used by our patients (8 1 mg/kg/24 h) is close to that of Dr Church's group (7-2 mg/kg/24 h), the variation in individual dosage was very substantial, ranging from 2 9 to 23 0 mg/kg/24 h. This wide individual variation was also reported by Professor M Holmdahl, speaking at the Royal Society of Medicine (6 April 1979), who also measured blood levels of pethidine in postoperative patients using the Cardiff apparatus. He found wide variations in the blood levels which afforded pain relief as well as differences similar to ours in the levels of demand. As in so many fields of medical practice, maximum effectiveness must be balanced by considerations of safety. At present intramuscular administration of drugs provides inadequate pain relief in some patients, but this must inevitably be so if the level of supervision is inadequate. Continuous intravenous infusions obviously improve pain relief but need considerable supervision to make them safe. Close supervision involves mainly consulting the patient frequently-which is a pretty close approximation to self-demand without the built-in feedback safety. The apparent cheapness of the infusion has to be set against the expense of greater supervision. The apparent expense of a sophisticated apparatus must be set against less supervision and could soon be substantially reduced by mass production and developments in microelectronic technology. MICHAEL ROSEN M D VICKERS


This paper investigates the development of a physical multi-robot system, where a group of intelligent robots work cooperatively to transport an object to a goal location and orientation in an unknown dynamic environment. Multi-agent technology and machine learning are integrated into the same physical platform to provide innovative capabilities for carrying out the task. First, a new multi-agent architecture is developed. Second, two methods that facilitate optimized machine learning, Reinforcement learning (RL) and genetic algorithms (GA), are integrated into the decision-making agent in the architecture. An arbitrator is incorporated into a probabilistic switching scheme for selecting the optimal strategy in a given state of the task. Finally, the robot force/motion control and local modeling are integrated into the architecture to implement a physical multi-robot system. Simulation and experimental studies are carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of the system.


Abstract We study the sound generation mechanism of initially subsonic viscous vortex reconnection at vortex Reynolds number $Re~(\equiv \text {circulation}/\text {kinematic viscosity})=1500$ through decomposition of Lighthill's acoustic source term. The Laplacian of the kinetic energy, flexion product, enstrophy and deviation from the isentropic condition provide the dominant contributions to the acoustic source term. The overall (all time) extrema of the total source term and its dominant hydrodynamic components scale linearly with the reference Mach number $M_o$; the deviation from the isentropic condition shows a quadratic scaling. The significant sound arising from the flexion product occurs due to the coiling and uncoiling of the twisted vortex filaments wrapping around the bridges, when a rapid strain is induced on the filaments by the repulsion of the bridges. The spatial distributions of the various acoustic source terms reveal the importance of mutual cancellations among most of the terms; this also highlights the importance of symmetry breaking in the sound generation during reconnection. Compressibility acts to delay the start of the sequence of reconnection events, as long as shocklets, if formed, are sufficiently weak to not affect the reconnection. The delayed onset has direct ramifications for the sound generation by enhancing the velocity of the entrained jet between the vortices and increasing the spatial gradients of the acoustic source terms. Consistent with the near-field pressure, the overall maximum instantaneous sound pressure level in the far field has a quadratic dependence on $M_o$. Thus, reconnection becomes an even more dominant sound-generating event at higher $M_o$.


The mononuclear rearrangement of heterocycles (MRH) reaction of the Z-phenylhydrazone of 3-benzoyl-5-phenyl-1,2,4-oxadiazole into 4-benzoylamino-2,5-diphenyl-1,2,3-triazole derives a sizable rate enhancement in the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [BMIM][BF4] ionic liquid as compared to the hexafluorophosphate-based [BMIM][PF6] and conventional organic solvents. However, the origin of the rate difference between [BMIM][BF4] and [BMIM][PF6] has proven difficult to rationalize as no experimental trend relates the physical properties of the solvents, e.g., polarity and viscosity, to the rates of reaction. QM/MM calculations in combination with free-energy perturbation theory and Monte Carlo sampling have been carried out for the MRH reaction to elucidate the disparities in rates when using ionic liquids, methanol, and acetonitrile. Activation barriers and solute-solvent interactions have been computed for both an uncatalyzed and a specific base-catalyzed mechanism. Energetic and structural analyses determined that favorable π+-π interactions between the BMIM cation, the substrate phenyl rings, and the bicyclic quasi-aromatic 10π oxadiazole/triazole transition state region imposed a preordered geometric arrangement that enhanced the rate of reaction. An ionic liquid clathrate formation enforced a coplanar orientation of the phenyl rings that maximized the electronic effects exerted on the reaction route. In addition, site-specific electrostatic stabilization between the ions and the MRH substrate was more prevalent in [BMIM][BF4] as compared to [BMIM][PF6].


Two new cell surface antigens specific for the erythroid lineage were defined with cytotoxic IgM monoclonal antibodies (McAb) (EP-1; EP-2) that were produced using BFU-E-derived colonies as immunogens. These two antigens are expressed on in vivo and in vitro derived adult and fetal erythroblasts, but not on erythrocytes. They are not detectable on resting lymphocytes, concanavalin-A (Con-A) activated lymphoblasts, granulocytes, and monocytes or granulocytic cells or macrophages present in peripheral blood or harvested from CFU-GM cultures. Cell line and tissue distributions distinguish McAb EP-1 and EP-2 from all previously described monoclonal antibodies. McAb EP-1 (for erythropoietic antigen-1) inhibits the formation of BFU-E and CFU-E, but not CFU-GM, colonies in complement-dependent cytotoxicity assays. By cell sorting analysis, about 90% of erythroid progenitors (CFU-E, BFU-E) were recovered in the antigen-positive fraction. Seven percent of the cells in this fraction were progenitors (versus 0.1% in the negative fraction). The expression of EP-1 antigen is greatly enhanced in K562 cells, using inducers of hemoglobin synthesis. McAb EP-2 fails to inhibit BFU-E and CFU-E colony formation in complement-dependent cytotoxicity assays. EP-2 antigen is predominantly expressed on in vitro derived immature erythroblasts, and it is weakly expressed on mature erythroblasts. The findings with McAb EP-1 provide evidence that erythroid progenitors (BFU-E and CFU-E) express determinants that fail to be expressed on other progenitor cells and hence appear to be unique to the erythroid lineage. McAb EP-1 and EP-2 are potentially useful for studies of erythroid differentiation and progenitor cell isolation.


The world that we perceive is an illusion created within the boundaries of our mind, and there instead exists another world beyond our human perceptions, which is made from the transcendent energies of the dark and the light and can only be seen through the powers of our imagination. Our human world is not a replication of that world, but merely an enhanced representation, and is a classic example of Plato's "Shadow on the Wall". Objects possess no color, but are instead structures of the transcendent energies of the dark and the light, whereas the perception of color is purely a characteristic of the human mind. Analyses of the color of objects, human color perception, holographs, virtual reality and dozens of other human visual attributes all justify the existence of another world beyond our human perceptions. Animals have their own unique perceptual view of the universe based upon their own unique visual apparatus. Human beings have two bodies, the physical and the metaphysical, and falsely conclude that their own unique and human perceptual view of the world is the one and only, real and true world. The real one and only, true world exists independently from, and above and beyond the physical world of both the animals and human beings. The human metaphysical body and its inner self, the human soul, can exist outside of the human physical body and accordingly, outside of the human perceived physical world.


Impacts of air pollution on plant anatomy in urban areas were studied using two different tree species, namely birch tree (Betula papyrifera) and sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua), at two globally different locations with different air pollution levels. Wuhan City in China is considered as a commercial center for central China while Union City in USA is located close to New York City, one of the mega cities in the world. Stomatal density measurements were used to record the response rate of the two different tree species to different levels of air pollution. We found significantly higher stomatal densities for samples collected in China regardless of the tree species while the air pollution levels in China was worse compared to the ones in USA. Our observation suggests that the studied tree species likely have developed metabolic resilience mechanisms to cope with the chronic high level of air pollution exposure.


Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) can be used to
control a wide variety of technologies including packet switching
(e.g., MPLS), time division (e.g., Synchronous Optical Network /
Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SONET/SDH) and Optical Transport
Network (OTN)), wavelength (lambdas), and spatial switching (e.g.,
incoming port or fiber to outgoing port or fiber). In some of these
technologies, network elements and links may impose additional routing
constraints such as asymmetric switch connectivity, non- local label
assignment, and label range limitations on links. This document
describes Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) routing protocol extensions
to support these kinds of constraints under the control of GMPLS.


The preparation and characterization of ZnO-Pr6O11-Co3O4-TiO2 (ZPCT) based varistor materials with different doping levels of TiO2 and Pr6O11 were investigated. The results reveal that: (1) TiO2 is an important additive, acting as an inhibitor of ZnO grain growth. The doping of appropriate amount of TiO2 can significantly improve the nonlinear properties and decreases the leakage current of the varistors, achieving a relatively high nonlinear exponent and low leakage current with 1.0 mol% TiO2 doped. (2) The oxide of Pr6O11 microstructurally plays the role of inhibition in grain growth. The doping of appropriate amount of Pr6O11 can improve the nonlinear property, and decrease the leakage currents of the varistors, acquiring the optimum results with 1.5 mol% Pr6O11 doped.


The control mechanisms and information content of melanin‐based colourations are still debated among evolutionary biologists. Recent hypotheses contend that molecules involved in melanogenesis alter other physiological processes, thereby generating covariation between melanin‐based colouration and other phenotypic attributes. Interestingly, several molecules such as agouti and glutathione that trigger the production of reddish‐brown pheomelanin have an inhibitory effect on the production of black/grey eumelanin, whereas other hormones, such as melanocortins, have the opposite effect. We therefore propose the hypothesis that phenotypic traits positively correlated with the degree of eumelanin‐based colouration may be negatively correlated with the degree of pheomelanin‐based colouration, or vice versa. Given the role played by the melanocortin system and glutathione on melanogenesis and resistance to oxidative stress, we examined the prediction that resistance to oxidative stress is positively correlated with the degree of black colouration but negatively with the degree of reddish colouration. Using the barn owl (Tyto alba) as a model organism, we swapped eggs between randomly chosen nests to allocate genotypes randomly among environments and then we measured resistance to oxidative stress using the KRL assay in nestlings raised by foster parents. As predicted, the degree of black and reddish pigmentations was positively and negatively correlated, respectively, with resistance to oxidative stress. Our results reveal that eumelanin‐ and pheomelanin‐based colourations can be redundant signals of resistance to oxidative stress.


Establishment and characteristics of a baby hamster kidney cell line (BHK 0-853) persistently infected with a subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) strain of measles virus (Lec strain) is described. The persistent infection was easily and repeatedly established and no special conditions were required. There was a predictable fluctuation in expression of virus intracellular and membrane antigens which varied from greater than 90% to less than 1% of the cells demonstrating these antigens during the first 6 or 7 passages. Thereafter, fluctuation of antigen and infectious virus expression continued in an unpredictable fashion.


This paper investigates the effect of Bubbling and AlCuP on primary Si size in Al-18%Si alloy. Bubbling process and AlCuP treatment are effective for refining primary Si in hypereutectic Al-Si alloy. Both the bubble and AlCuP can be used as nucleation sites of primary Si. Many nucleation sites can make the size of primary Si decreased. So, this experiment suggests that the mix using of bubbling process and AlCuP treatment are more effective for nucleation site of primary Si. For deciding the optimum treatment order, the experiments are processed 3 kinds of order with varying stirring time and holding temperature; 1)AlCuP treatment and then bubbling process, 2)simultaneously using of bubbling process and AlCuP treatment, 3)bubbling process and then AlCuP treatment.


Few studies have investigated the risk of gastric cancer (GC) in ulcerative colitis (UC), with inconsistent results. This study assessed GC risk in patients with newly diagnosed UC.

 Using claims data of the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) from January 2006 to December 2015, we identified incident UC patients. UC was defined using the International Classification of Diseases-10 codes and UC-specific prescriptions. Age and sex-matched non-UC individuals during the same period were randomly selected as controls from the NHI database. Hazard ratios (HRs), adjusted for covariates, were calculated using multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression.

 From 2006 to 2015, 30,546 patients diagnosed with UC and 88,829 matched non-UC individuals were included. GC developed in 77 (0.25%) UC and 383 (0.43%) non-UC individuals. The HR for GC in UC patients was 0.60 (95%CI: 0.47–0.77) compared to non-UC individuals. When stratified according to age and sex, the HR for late-onset UC (≥40 years) was 0.63 (95%CI: 0.49–0.80) compared to non-UC for the same age, and the HR of male UC patients was 0.55 (95%CI: 0.33– 0.89), compared to non-UC men. Among UC patients, the HR for age ≥40 years was 23.37 (95%CI: 6.38–85.64).

 UC patients had a decreased GC risk compared to non-UC individuals. In particular, UC patients aged ≥40 years and male UC patients had a decreased risk of GC compared to non-UC individuals. However, among UC patients, late-onset UC (≥40 years) had a higher risk of GC than early-onset UC.


Scalar-tensor theories of gravity modify General Relativity by introducing a scalar field that couples non-minimally to the metric tensor, while satisfying the weak-equivalence principle. These theories are interesting because they have the potential to simultaneously suppress modifications to Einstein's theory on Solar System scales, while introducing large deviations in the strong field of neutron stars. Scalar-tensor theories can be classified through the choice of conformal factor, a scalar that regulates the coupling between matter and the metric in the Einstein frame. The class defined by a Gaussian conformal factor with negative exponent has been studied the most because it leads to spontaneous scalarization (i.e. the sudden activation of the scalar field in neutron stars), which consequently leads to large deviations from General Relativity in the strong field. This class, however, has recently been shown to be in conflict with Solar System observations when accounting for the cosmological evolution of the scalar field. We study whether this remains the case when the exponent of the conformal factor is positive, as well as in another class of theories defined by a hyperbolic conformal factor. We find that in both of these scalar-tensor theories, Solar System tests are passed only in a very small subset of parameter space, for a large set of initial conditions compatible with Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. However, while we find that it is possible for neutron stars to scalarize, one must carefully select the coupling parameter to do so, and even then, the scalar charge is typically two orders of magnitude smaller than in the negative exponent case. Our study suggests that future work on scalar-tensor gravity, for example in the context of tests of General Relativity with gravitational waves from neutron star binaries, should be carried out within the positive coupling parameter class.


Vaccination is one of the most effective methods available to prevent infectious diseases. Mucosa, which are exposed to heavy loads of commensal and pathogenic microorganisms, are one of the first areas where infections are established, and therefore have frontline status in immunity, making mucosa ideal sites for vaccine application. Moreover, vaccination through the mucosal immune system could induce effective systemic immune responses together with mucosal immunity in contrast to parenteral vaccination, which is a poor inducer of effective immunity at mucosal surfaces. Among mucosal vaccines, oral mucosal vaccines have the advantages of ease and low cost of vaccine administration. The oral mucosal immune system, however, is generally recognized as poorly immunogenic due to the frequent induction of tolerance against orally-introduced antigens. Consequently, a prerequisite for successful mucosal vaccination is that the orally introduced antigen should be transported across the mucosal surface into the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). In particular, M cells are responsible for antigen uptake into MALT, and the rapid and effective transcytotic activity of M cells makes them an attractive target for mucosal vaccine delivery, although simple transport of the antigen into M cells does not guarantee the induction of specific immune responses. Consequently, development of mucosal vaccine adjuvants based on an understanding of the biology of M cells has attracted much research interest. Here, we review the characteristics of the oral mucosal immune system and delineate strategies to design effective oral mucosal vaccines with an emphasis on mucosal vaccine adjuvants.


In this correspondence paper, the wavelet transform, which is an important tool in signal and image processing, has been generalized by coalescing wavelet transform and fractional random transform. The new transform, i.e., fractional random wavelet transform (FrRnWT) inherits the excellent mathematical properties of wavelet transform and fractional random transform. Possible applications of the proposed transform are in biometrics, image compression, image transmission, transient signal processing, etc. In this correspondence paper, biometrics is chosen as the primary application; and hence, a new technique is proposed for securing fingerprints during communication and transmission over insecure channel.


UVA method has developed starting from the principle "measuring the entire activity of an enterprise with a single unit measure", announced by Georges Perrin at the beginning of the '50's. The followed aim is that the method would be simple and, respectively, would avoid the global costs treating. As consequence, a minute analysis is needed for every unit of the process. Also, a fundamental principle is imposed: the costs of these activities will generally remain established in relative values at least for the period when major changes in technology do not occur.


Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy of a new formulation of methylcellulose, preservative-free 0.5% hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), for the treatment of dry eye. In the clinical part of our study, two groups of dry-eye patients, those with Sjogren's syndrome (SS) and those without (non-SS), were treated topically with 0.5% HPMC and evaluated for symptoms, ocular surface vital staining, tear breakup time (BUT), and tear evaporation rate from the ocular surface at 40% ambient humidity (TEROS40). In the in vitro part of the study, rose bengal uptake was measured in human conjunctival epithelial cells, which were cultured and incubated with or without 0.5% HPMC. Although symptoms improved in both groups, rose bengal and fluorescein staining and BUT improved significantly only in the SS group. TEROS40 increased for 30 min after instillation of 0.5% HPMC, but not after the use of 0.1% sodium hyaluronate or salinebased artificial tears. Rose bengal uptake by cultured conjunctival epithelial cells was blocked by 0.5% HPMC. These findings suggest that 0.5% HPMC provides long coverage of and protection for the ocular surface. Patients with severe dry eye, such as in SS, are good candidates for this treatment.


Recent work in reinforcement learning has focused on several characteristics of learned policies that go beyond maximizing reward. These properties include fairness, explainability, generalization, and robustness. In this paper, we define interventional robustness (IR), a measure of how much variability is introduced into learned policies by incidental aspects of the training procedure, such as the order of training data or the particular exploratory actions taken by agents. A training procedure has high IR when the agents it produces take very similar actions under intervention, despite variation in these incidental aspects of the training procedure. We develop an intuitive, quantitative measure of IR and calculate it for eight algorithms in three Atari environments across dozens of interventions and states. From these experiments, we find that IR varies with the amount of training and type of algorithm and that high performance does not imply high IR, as one might expect.


Mechanistic and kinetic studies of the heterogeneous oxidation of elemental mercury (Hg(0)) vapor by HCl gas over a RuO2/rutile TiO2 catalyst were conducted. It was found that under reaction conditions, chemically adsorbed HCl was dissociated on the catalyst surface, and the formation of a Ru–H bond was observed by in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The active chlorine species on the surface generated from HCl was found to be responsible for the Hg(0) oxidation. The intensity of the Ru–H IR signal could be used as an indicator of the available surface chlorine. Based on the in situ FTIR and performance results, Hg(0) oxidation over the RuO2/TiO2 catalyst was proposed to follow an Eley–Rideal followed by Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism where HCl is an adsorbed species and reacts with gas-phase Hg(0) to form HgCl(ad), then HgCl(ad) reacts with another Cl(ad) to form HgCl2(ad). A steady-state kinetic study was conducted to determine an intrinsic reaction kinetic expression for Hg(0) oxidation over the catalyst under HCl, NH3 and SO2 gases for the first time. The kinetic expression could reasonably predict the Hg(0) oxidation performance under the competitive adsorption of NH3 and SO2 gases.


The article presents five fifteenth- to sixteenth-century Pali inscriptions from Sukhodaya, Thailand. Three of them are engraved in the Khom alphabet on large square stone slabs, with considerable attention to format; they seem to be unique in Thai epigraphy. Two of these carry extracts from the Abhidhamma; the third gives a syllabary followed by the recollection formulas of the Three Gems. The other two epigraphs are written not on stone slabs but are inscribed on small gold leaves; they contain the heart formulas of the books of the Tipi?aka and the qualities of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sa?gha. The exact find-spots and functions of the slabs and gold leaves are not known. I suggest that they are the products of widespread and enduring Buddhist cultures of inscription, installation, and consecration, as well as of customs of condensation and abbreviation that have have been intrinsic to Thai liturgical and manuscript practices up to the present.


The introduction of new, high resolution hyperspectral sensors has led to growing interest in the development of techniques to utilise data from these instruments for mapping the shallow marine environment. The increased spectral resolution of the hyperspectral sensors allows the use of the unique spectral signatures of the individual habitat components to identify these components within the image. Hyperspectral data also allows for the mapping of habitats in shallow areas that are inaccessible to other methods such as hydro-acoustic mapping. The coastal waters surrounding Rottnest Island, Western Australia, provide a unique opportunity to apply hyperspectral imaging techniques in a temperate environment because of the oligotrophic conditions maintained by the Leeuwin Current. The shallow marine benthic habitats of Rottnest Island Reserve have been mapped to a depth of ~15 m, using spectral signatures contained in a library created from in-situ measurements of the dominant habitat components. Three lines of HyMap hyperspectral data flown for the Rottnest Island Reserve in April 2004 were corrected for sunglint, atmospheric effects and the influence of the water column using the Modular Inversion and Processing System which requires no inputs from parameters measured in the field. A decision tree based classification scheme which utilises a range of spectral similarity measures was used to map the different habitat components identified in the bottom reflectance image and the results were validated in the field using SCUBA divers. The shallow subtidal habitats found around Rottnest Island are generally dominated by either bare sand, reef with large macroalgae, such as Ecklonia radiata and Sargassum spp., or a number of different seagrass species. These new hyperspectral imaging techniques provide a platform for the mapping of shallow marine benthic habitats over a broad area, at a scale that is relevant to marine planners and managers.


Models of reference-dependent preferences propose that individuals evaluate outcomes as gains or losses relative to a neutral reference point. We test for reference dependence in a large dataset of marathon finishing times (n = 9,524,071). Models of reference-dependent preferences such as prospect theory predict bunching of finishing times at reference points. We provide visual and statistical evidence that round numbers (e.g., a four-hour marathon) serve as reference points in this environment and as a result produce significant bunching of performance at these round numbers. Bunching is driven by planning and adjustments in effort provision near the finish line and cannot be explained by explicit rewards (e.g., qualifying for the Boston Marathon), peer effects, or institutional features (e.g., pacesetters). We calibrate a simple model of prospect theory as well as other models of reference dependence and show that the basic qualitative shape of the empirical distribution of finishing times is consistent with parameters that have previously been estimated in the laboratory.


There is an increasing concern about Candida glabrata due to its high isolation frequency in candidiasis recently and notorious drug resistance to fluconazole. Drug combination is one effective approach to counteract drug resistance. This study aimed to test whether a combination of fluconazole and tacrolimus (FK506) had a synergistic effect on C. glabrata, and to seek the potential mechanisms underlying the synergistic effects. In vitro effects of fluconazole and FK506 against C. glabrata with different susceptibilities were investigated by a chequerboard method and a time-kill curve method. The mechanistic studies against the resistant C. glabrata were performed from two aspects: quantification of expression levels of fluconazole resistance genes (ERG11, CDR1, PDH1 and SNQ2) by real-time quantitative PCR and functional assays of drug efflux pumps. The addition of FK506 resulted in a decrease in the MIC of fluconazole from 32 to 8 µg ml(-1) against the dose-dependent susceptible C. glabrata, and from 256 to 16 µg ml(-1) against the resistant C. glabrata, respectively. The synergy was further confirmed by the time-kill assay. The expression levels of the ERG11 and SNQ2 genes were significantly downregulated after exposure to the drug combination, whereas that of the CDR1 gene was significantly upregulated, and no significant change in expression of PDH1 gene was observed. Flow cytometric assays showed that FK506 reduced the efflux of fluconazole. Tacrolimus enhanced the susceptibility of fluconazole against resistant C. glabrata by reducing the expression levels of the ERG11 and SNQ2 genes and inhibiting fluconazole efflux.


Breath analysis is a young field of research with its roots in antiquity. Antoine Lavoisier discovered carbon dioxide in exhaled breath during the period 1777–1783, Wilhelm (Vilém) Petters discovered acetone in breath in 1857 and Johannes Müller reported the first quantitative measurements of acetone in 1898. A recent review reported 1765 volatile compounds appearing in exhaled breath, skin emanations, urine, saliva, human breast milk, blood and feces. For a large number of compounds, real-time analysis of exhaled breath or skin emanations has been performed, e.g., during exertion of effort on a stationary bicycle or during sleep. Volatile compounds in exhaled breath, which record historical exposure, are called the 'exposome'. Changes in biogenic volatile organic compound concentrations can be used to mirror metabolic or (patho)physiological processes in the whole body or blood concentrations of drugs (e.g. propofol) in clinical settings—even during artificial ventilation or during surgery. Also compounds released by bacterial strains like Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Streptococcus pneumonia could be very interesting. Methyl methacrylate (CAS 80–62–6), for example, was observed in the headspace of Streptococcus pneumonia in concentrations up to 1420 ppb. Fecal volatiles have been implicated in differentiating certain infectious bowel diseases such as Clostridium difficile, Campylobacter, Salmonella and Cholera. They have also been used to differentiate other non-infectious conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. In addition, alterations in urine volatiles have been used to detect urinary tract infections, bladder, prostate and other cancers. Peroxidation of lipids and other biomolecules by reactive oxygen species produce volatile compounds like ethane and 1-pentane. Noninvasive detection and therapeutic monitoring of oxidative stress would be highly desirable in autoimmunological, neurological, inflammatory diseases and cancer, but also during surgery and in intensive care units. The investigation of cell cultures opens up new possibilities for elucidation of the biochemical background of volatile compounds. In future studies, combined investigations of a particular compound with regard to human matrices such as breath, urine, saliva and cell culture investigations will lead to novel scientific progress in the field.


Scientific literature, across different disciplines, has indicated a significant impact of the concept of masculinity in the lives of men, including psychological well-being. Although many quantitative studies have constructed different perspectives around the subject
matter, qualitative studies have only started to investigate the phenomenon. The present phenomenological research investigated the experience of masculinity by men from a contextualist epistemological viewpoint. The participants were 7 men of ages 29 to 59. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in order to produce analysable
transcripts of the men's experience. The transcript data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Six Master themes emerged that illustrated the contexts within which the experience of masculinity might have been experienced: Being Masculine, The Self Towards Superiority, What is Masculinity, The
Emotional World, Other Men and The Other Gender. These themes represent interpretations of the men's experience addressing structural, functional, developmental, personal and interpersonal aspects of experienced masculinity. Of particular interest was the pervasiveness of the concept of power throughout the Master themes and through many of their Constituent themes. Illustrative accounts are quoted in order to illuminate how the men experienced masculinity to be impacting their lives. It is also argued that the new and rich understandings gained from this study might help Counselling Psychologists to better help their clients address masculinity related issues and to accept and define their own way of being men.


Lesson plan is one of the most effective means of teaching - learning process, and it's also one of the undeniable ways to improve the quality of education. Through lesson plan, teachers correctly present concepts and materials in the class; and students, subsequently, would better understand these concepts. This study aimed to assess the quality of lesson plan among faculty members at Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical sciences in 2013. In this cross-sectional study, 81 lesson plans provided on the college website were evaluated. The data was collected using self-made checklist used in previous research, and was analyzed in descriptive statistics level with SPSS software version 13; in general, 19.8% of lesson plans were ranked in weak, 8.77% in average, and 5.2% in good conditions, respectively; the most components have been considered in the lesson plan were in order the method of teaching, timing of content presentation, assessment method, student's tasks and assignments, outline and resources. Moreover, most defects were related to behavioral purpose, behavioral purposes scope, teaching aid, adequate preparing for students, partial purpose, and class management policy by the teacher. As far the importance of lesson plans, holding workshops for education, promotion the codification level, and adequate supervision on teachers, therefore, can provide in order their knowledge for codification and qualification of lesson plans.


Transfer of mtDNA in the nuclear genome is usually regarded as a continued and dynamic process of forming numt-pseudogenes or numt-insertions. They can be regarded not only as a neutral polymorphism, but may be involved in oncogenesis, aging and genetic diseases. Experimental identification of numt-insertions arising de novo is limited due to the presence of numerous homology mtDNA constitutively existing in the nuclear genomes of eukaryotes. It is known that the chick nuclear DNA (nDNA) constitutively contains 12 numt-pseudogenes. We attempted to experimentally detect the formation of numt-insertions de novo in the nDNA of chick embryos (Gallus gallus) from the eggs exposed to X-rays. Free mtDNAs were removed from preparations of nDNA of liver embryos through double gel electrophoresis. Numt-inserts in nDNA of control and survival embryos (from irradiated eggs) were revealed by PCR using 11 pairs of primers flanking the region of mtDNA of about 300-400 bp. PCR analysis with nDNA of control group showed no presence of homology mtDNA amplified with selected primers. PCR assays of nDNA of eight embryos from irradiated eggs showed that nDNA of two embryos contained new sites of mtDNA. PCR amplification of 3 loci of mtDNA is stably detected in nDNA from one embryo and 4 loci of mtDNA in nDNA from another embryo. Sequencing of PCR amplicons synthesized on templates of these nDNA showed that their sequences are identical to mtDNA and accurately cover the sites of several genes and the site of mtDNA D-loop. Thus, the experimental results indicate that ionizing radiation can induce integration of mtDNA fragments in the nuclear genome, apparently, through the mechanism of nonhomologous end-joining repair of double-strand breaks of nDNA.


The purpose of this study was to estimate economic lost due to severe underweight amongunderfve children in various cities/regencies outside Java and Bali Islands. A bundle of secondarydata, namely: nutritional status of underfve children from 2007 Riskesdas, demographic data,GDRP (Gross Domestic Regional Product), and poverty level are gathered and analyzed toelaborate the study objectives. All of 314 cities/regencies at outside of Java and Bali Island weretreated as sample of this study. Data processing and analysis were conducted in Bogor, from Mayto July 2010. The study show that the higher poverty level, the higher the prevalence of severeunderweight. On the other hand, the higher the GDRP per capita the lower the prevalence ofsevere underweight. The study showed that economic lost due to severe among underfve childrenin outside Java and Bali Islands was ranged from 0,1% GDRP to 0,45% GDRP (r = 5%) andwas ranged from 0,11% GDRP to 0,51% GDRP (r = 10%). The highest economic lost due tosevere underweight was found in District of Mimika, Papua, and the lowest was Tomohon City,North Sulawesi.


Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) and transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO) are the leading causes of transfusion-related morbidity and mortality. These adverse events are characterized by acute pulmonary edema within 6 hours of a blood transfusion and have historically been difficult to study due to underrecognition and nonspecific diagnostic criteria. However, in the past decade, in vivo models and clinical studies utilizing active surveillance have advanced our understanding of their epidemiology and pathogenesis. With the adoption of mitigation strategies and patient blood management, the incidence of TRALI and TACO has decreased. Continued research to prevent and treat these severe cardiopulmonary events is focused on both the blood component and the transfusion recipient.


This thesis is a study of the application of monoclonal leukocyte antibodies to cutaneous lympho-histiocytic disorders in the dog. Monoclonal antibodies have been widely applied to studies in mam and rodents, but until recently the utilization of monoclonal antibodies in the dog has been restricted to a very small number of markers. In the past few years, some antibodies directed against human leukocyte antigens and antibodies raised against internal peptide sequences in human and murine leukocytes have been shown to cross-react with canine tissue. In addition, monoclonal leukocyte antibodies specifically raised against canine leukocyte antigens have been produced and assigned to Clusters of Differentiation corresponding to the human classification. Some anti-human and anti-mouse monoclonal antibodies, as well as a number of canine monoclonal antibodies, have been utilised for flow cytometric analysis. In Section I, Chapter 1, the literature on leukocyte surface markers and the immune system in general is reviewed and in Chapter 2 the materials and methods are detailed. Investigations on normal canine cells are described in Section n. A total of twenty monoclonal leukocyte antibodies, 15 anti-canine and 5 anti-canine leukocyte antibodies, were available for use on canine tissue. Seven of the anti-canine markers were unsuitable in the Glasgow University Veterinary School immunohistochemistry system and were excluded from further studies. The remaining 13 monoclonal leukocyte markers were verified on normal canine tissue and a normal staining pattern was identified for each marker as reported in Chapter 3. These markers constituted Panel 1. Three of these markers (THY-1, CD4 and CD8?) together with two additional B-cell markers (CVS31 and CVS32) constituted Panel 2 which was used in flow cytometry as described in Chapter 4. A range of normal values was established for all five markers. The anti-canine antibodies were new antibodies presented in the Canine Leukocyte Antigen Workshop 1993, while the anti-human antibodies were known to cross-react with other animal species, but no data were available in the dog. The two panels of monoclonal antibodies were subsequently utilised for immunohistologic staining of paraneoplastic and neoplastic disorders (Section III), chronic cutaneous inflammation (Section IV) and an immunodeficiency disorder (Section V). Chapter 5 describes the application of leukocyte antibodies to samples from 19 dogs, mainly collies, affected by histiocytic dermatoses. A variety of these cutaneous disorders has been described in the dog as well as in man. Lesions can range from granulomatous inflammation, with predominantly a mixed cell population, to neoplasms, with a monocyte/macrophage lineage. In the dog, as in mem, these diseases are described as rare with the exception being cutaneous histioc3rtoma which is a common neoplasm of young dogs. Lesions from the 19 dogs available for this study were classified into three distinct groups on the basis of their different histological and immunohistological features. Samples from six dogs were classified as granulomatous inflammation. The infiltrate was composed of a variety of cells, the majority of which were positive for T- or B-cell markers, but macrophages and granulocytes staining positively for MAC387 and lysozyme were also present. No further immunophenotyping was carried out on these cells because CD4 and CD8alpha antibodies were effective only on ciyostat sections. Lesions from eight dogs, characterised by vasculopathy, vasculitis and a perivascular infiltrate were classified as lymphomatoid granulomatosis. Immunohistologically, the majority of the cells stained positively for CD3. Macrophages and granulocytes positive for MAC387 and lysozyme and B-cells, mainly positive for CD79a, were also found. Samples from five dogs were classified as histiocytosis on the basis of an infiltrate composed of mostly histiocytes with only a few lymphocytes and granulocytes. The lack of more specific macrophage/monocyte markers precluded the identification of a significant proportion of the large round cells present as part of the infiltrate of these histiocytic disorders. Lymphoma (Chapter 6) is one of the most common neoplasms in the dog; clinical signs and therapy have been widely discussed throughout the years. In comparison to studies of human lymphoma, few immunohistologic studies have been carried out to immunophenotype lymphomas in the dog. In this thesis, samples from 35 dogs with lymphoma and one dog with leukaemia were stained with leukocyte markers. The solid tumours were examples of either cutaneous (non-epitheliotropic and intraepithelial) or multicentric lymphoma. AU cases of epitheliotropic lymphoma/mycosis fungoides were positive for T-cell markers with the majority of the cells being CD8alpha+. The majority of the non- epitheliotropic lymphomas was also positive for T-cell markers, but CD4 was the main phenotype. Loss of CDS and CD45RA antigen was noted in all cutaneous lymphoma. Only one of the cutaneous, non-epitheliotropic lymphomas, was positive for B-cell markers. These findings confirmed that the majority of cutaneous lymphomas, in the dog, are of T-lineage as in man.


Abstract : Response modes typically were investigated as possible influences on posttest errors. Such investigation occurred in the present study; but, in addition, response-mode influences on performance during learning were also considered. One result of this latter consideration was that promising procedures were developed for predicting learning outcomes (posttest errors) from the way Ss respond to the learning task. These may aid the study of variables other than response modes. College-student Ss studied a psychology program individually under laboratory conditions; 7 Ss were randomly assigned to a think-answers condition and 7 Ss to a write-answers condition. Each of the 14 Ss completed 670 items in the condition to which he was initially assigned. After an immediate posttest, and one lesson, response-mode conditions were reversed and remained reversed while 13 of the Ss completed the next 474 program frames. The times each question and each answer were in view were recorded separately and automatically for each S. While writing their answers Ss persisted longer on difficult, but relatively unambiguous, instructional items (U = 1, p = 0.001). Such persistence was greater for Ss whose posttest errors were fewer than the median (U = 9, p = 0.027). Persistence on difficult items decreased when Ss who had been writing were changed to the think-answers condition and became greater for those Ss who had been thinking answers when they began to write (U = 1, p = 0.001). (Author)


In the past the House of Lords has generally, and arguably for good reasons, been ignored in discussions of the making and scrutiny of welfare. However, it has always played some role in this field, particularly in the scrutiny and passage of legislation, and since the removal of the bulk of hereditary Peers in 1999, some writers have argued that the House has become more assertive. This article examines the attitudes of Peers, including a comparison with the views of Members of Parliament, and draws a number of conclusions about the role of the upper House in relation to social policy.


The ability to predict and control the influence of process parameters during silicon etching is vital for the success of most MEMS devices. In the case of deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) of silicon substrates, experimental results indicate that etch performance as well as surface morphology and post-etch mechanical behavior have a strong dependence on processing parameters. In order to understand the influence of these parameters, a set of experiments was designed and performed to fully characterize the sensitivity of surface morphology and mechanical behavior of silicon samples produced with different DRIE operating conditions. The designed experiment involved a matrix of 55 silicon wafers with radius hub flexure (RHF) specimens which were etched 10 min under varying DRIE processing conditions. Data collected by interferometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), profilometry, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), was used to determine the response of etching performance to operating conditions. The data collected for fracture strength was analyzed and modeled by finite element computation. The data was then fitted to response surfaces to model the dependence of response variables on dry processing conditions.


Using two waves of longitudinal data, we utilized the family stress model of economic hardship to test whether family socioeconomic status is related to adolescent adjustment (substance use and academic achievement) through parental knowledge and adolescent self-regulation (behavioral self-control and delay discounting). Participants included 220 adolescent (55% male, X ¯ age = 13 years at Wave 1, X ¯ age = 15 years at Wave 2) and primary caregiver dyads. Results of Structural Equation Modeling revealed significant three-path mediation effects such that low family socioeconomic status at Wave 1 is associated with low parental knowledge at Wave 1, which in turn was related to low academic performance and high substance use at Wave 2 mediated through low adolescent behavioral self-control at Wave 2. The results illustrate how parental knowledge, influenced by family economic status, may play an important role in the development of adolescent behavioral self-control and adjustment.


Purpose of review The Brugada syndrome has been investigated in depth since its description in 1992 both on a clinical and on a basic research level. Since the discovery of the first genetic defect in 1998, several genes have been subsequently identified. However, to date all these genes together explain only 30% of the cases, indicating that there is still an important amount of work to be done to totally unravel the genetic basis of this lethal disease. In the present study, we will focus on recent achievements in the genetic basis of this disease. Recent findings In 2009, several additional genetic mutations have been associated with the disease. Additionally, a common variant has been described as a genetic modulator of Brugada syndrome among carriers of a SCN5A mutation. Summary The number of scientific publications dealing with the syndrome has continued to increase substantially in recent years. New polymorphisms, mutations and genes associated with the disease have been described. However, despite the advances, knowledge of the genetic determinants of the Brugada syndrome remains limited.


Robust and accurate visual localization is a fundamental capability for numerous applications, such as autonomous driving, mobile robotics, or augmented reality. It remains, however, a challenging task, particularly for large-scale environments and in presence of significant appearance changes. State-of-the-art methods not only struggle with such scenarios, but are often too resource intensive for certain real-time applications. In this paper we propose HF-Net, a hierarchical localization approach based on a monolithic CNN that simultaneously predicts local features and global descriptors for accurate 6-DoF localization. We exploit the coarse-to-fine localization paradigm: we first perform a global retrieval to obtain location hypotheses and only later match local features within those candidate places. This hierarchical approach incurs significant runtime savings and makes our system suitable for real-time operation. By leveraging learned descriptors, our method achieves remarkable localization robustness across large variations of appearance and sets a new state-of-the-art on two challenging benchmarks for large-scale localization.


Trichlorethylene in Midwifery SIR,-I have read Dr. D. R. Cairns's letter (June 23, p. 885) with interest. His experience with trichlorethylene in midwifery is similar to mine. However, I think that some caution should be exercised, and it is my practice not to use trichlorethylene in patients who have been on a very low protein diet. This is, of course, to avoid the possibility of liver damage. When labour has been difficult and prolonged I think that extra care should be used to give only small amounts of the drug in order to ensure that the tone of the uterus does not suffer. I see no reason why an inhaler such as Freedman's should not be used by midwives providing they have received adequate instruction; but I would suggest that Clover's or Hewitt's modification will give better results in the hands of the practitioner. In my letter in the Jouirnal of March 24 (p. 422) I described my. experiences using Hewitt's wide-bore inhaler. The great advantage is, of course, that it allows for fine adiustment of the concentration of vapours one desires to use. Differences in individuals in their response to anaesthetics are too well known to need description.-I am, etc., Eastcote, Middlesex. D. C. DEVITT.


This note describes a simple, rapid, qualitative test which can be applied to solutions of drilling or chips for the identification of chromium-molybdenum steel. The test is based on the orange-red compound which is formed when thiocyanate and inequivalent molybdenum react. This test is much more reliable than the potassium ethylxanthate test which has been recommended for a like purpose. A list of the apparatus and reagents which are required, and a description of the procedure follows.


No symptom causes more concern in parents than fever. It prompts innumerable telephone calls and office visits and interventions ranging from intensive procedures and radiological studies to antibiotics. It is appropriate that a book dedicated to the "science" of temperature be written from a pediatric standpoint. Fever in Pediatric Practice covers a broad range of aspects of temperature regulation and dysregulation. The history of fever, from its place in the Bible and ancient civilizations, forms a framework to discuss some of the myths about fever, both old and new. A theme throughout the book is that elevated temperature in response to endogenous pyrogens is an adaptive process that is helpful, not harmful. Most aspects of temperature regulation are discussed in some depth, including hyperthermic diseases such as heat stroke and various causes of hypothermia and its treatment. Useful topics include the pathogenesis of fever, with up-to-date information on temperature regulation,


Moving towards the realization of ultra-compact diagnostic systems, we demonstrate the design, realization and characterization of rolled-up nanomembrane-based chemical sensing elements operating at room temperature. The tube-shaped devices with a final diameter of ∼15 μm rely on a fabrication process which combines top-down and bottom-up approaches and is compatible with standard processing technologies. Arrays of sensors are created in parallel on-a-chip, consequently, the integration of such elements into lab-in-a-tube devices as sensing units certainly seems feasible. The sensing properties of the devices are created by the selective incorporation of thin organic active layers in the inner wall of the microtubes. While the sensitivity towards volatile organic compounds is observed to be similar to previously reported sensors, indicating that the integration of the organic layer is efficiently achieved, the occupied footprint area of the tube-shaped devices is at least one order of magnitude smaller than its planar counterpart. This particular feature makes this procedure an attractive pathway to condense sensing elements for ultra-compact devices.


We present an original method to generate optical pulse trains with random time-interval values from incoherent broadband sources. More precisely, our technique relies on the remarkable properties of a line made of cascaded self-phase modulation-based optical regenerators. Depending on the regenerator parameters, various regimes with noticeably different physical behaviors can be reported.


Microcirculation plays a crucial role in mucosal physiological function as well as repair of gastric mucosal damage. Endothelial cell damage is known to disturb microcirculation and suppress angiogenesis. Therefore, the direct effect of Helicobacter pylori on endothelial cells in vitro was investigated with H. pylori water extract. The effect of H. pylori water extract on cell proliferation and apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was evaluated. The ratio of BrdU-positive HUVECs in both cagA/vacA-positive and -negative H. pylori water extract-treated groups was significantly lower at 24 h than that in the control group, but Escherichia coli water extract did not affect the proliferation of these endothelial cells. Apoptosis was induced by H. pylori water extracts after incubation for 24 h in a cagA/vacA-independent manner. In the mitochondrial permeability transition assay, tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester was accumulated in mitochondria of HUVECs. Western blot analysis showed no difference in the level of total p53 protein in H. pylori water extract-treated and non-treated cells, but the level of phosphorylated p53 protein was increased in the treated cells at 15 and 60 min after addition of the extract. Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR products for p21 and Bax were elevated in the H. pylori water extract-treated cells. p21 levels began to increase 0.5-1 h after addition of the extract, whereas Bax increased in the period 0.5-2 h. H. pylori induced a disturbance of cell proliferation and apoptosis in the vascular endothelial cells which may contribute to gastric mucosal injury and to delayed healing of gastric lesions.


Molecular quantum mechanics (MQM) investigations have been performed for elucidation of fundamental principles of the photo-induced water oxidation in oxygen evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PSII). To this end, as a first theoretical step, broken symmetry (BS) quantum mechanics (QM) and QM(BS)/molecular mechanics (MM) calculations have been conducted for elucidation of geometrical, electronic and spin structures of the CaMn4Ox (X = 5, 6) cluster in the five steps Si (i = 0∼4) of the Kok cycle for water oxidation. The QM and QM/MM calculations have provided full optimised geometries of short-lived key intermediates and transition state structure for the O-O bond formation in the native solar-energy conversion. The interplay between theory and experiment have clearly indicated that the CaMn4O5 cluster in OEC of PSII exhibits typical physicochemical properties of strong correlation electron system (SCES) confined with effective protein field. Our QM and QM/MM computational results for key intermediates and transition structure for the O-O bond formation in the Kok cycle are now plentiful for derivation of fundamental principles (FP) for understanding of photo-induced water oxidation in OEC of PSII. We summarize twenty nine fundamental principles (FPs) in systematic manner by QM and QM/MM calculations for understanding of water oxidation in Oxygen Evolving Complex(OEC) of Photosystem II(PSII). One of our final aims is theoretical design of the next-generation artificial photosystem materials composed of abundant metal ions. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT


Speech to text model is automatic speech recognition model which converts the spoken words into the corresponding text of that word.The objective of this system is to take input from the user in audio format and convert it into the words, which would be designed for the application of ATVM machine. The model for speech to text is created by using the neural networks to train the dataset of various recordings related to train ticket and then it was tested.Therefore, this model provides a better way to book a train ticket in a easy way by means of speech to text. Keywords: speech, text, NLP, technology, KNN Cite this Article: Gauri Dhammpal Suryawanshi, Dhanshree Sanjay Thakare, Jyoti Krishnat Yadav, Vrushali Pankaj Thakur. Speech to Text Using NLP. Recent Trends in Parallel Computing. 2020; 7(2): 4–8p.


Regarding the necessity of integral regional developmental policies, analyzing development levels in addition to ranking them based on standardized indices, is regarded as the core of any urban planning. Balanced spatial distribution of facilities not only means to dedicating equal cultural spaces but it conceptualizes, in an extended view, the full ability of using unseen potentials in deprived areas. Therefore, it is a significant subject to include deprive diminishing plans for decreasing social inequalities in order to limit their diverse economic and political consequences. In fact, getting a precise insight of different regions due to their different characteristics is considered as the base of a designing a true methodology to gain sustainable development. Application of quantitative criteria for ranking purposes in residential areas results in identifying more suitable locations to live in one hand and is also considered as criteria for construction of plans for decreasing inequalities on the other hand. This papers tries to rank cities located at Kerman province Iran using PROMETHEE methodology as a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) approach. Results showed that Kerman and Faharoj are ranked as the first and the last developed cities respectively. Factor analysis results (variance coefficient= 0.55) clarified that the difference seen in accessibility levels to facilities is backed to accessibility levels to tools on which stand some developmental signs.


Ruthenium(II) complexes feature prominently in the development of agents for photoactivated chemotherapy; however, the excited-state mechanisms by which photochemical ligand release operates remain unclear. We report here a systematic experimental and computational study of a series of complexes [Ru(bpy)2(N∧N)]2+ (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridyl; N∧N = bpy (1), 6-methyl-2,2′-bipyridyl (2), 6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridyl (3), 1-benzyl-4-(pyrid-2-yl)-1,2,3-triazole (4), 1-benzyl-4-(6-methylpyrid-2-yl)-1,2,3-triazole (5), 1,1′-dibenzyl-4,4′-bi-1,2,3-triazolyl (6)), in which we probe the contribution to the promotion of photochemical N∧N ligand release of the introduction of sterically encumbering methyl substituents and the electronic effect of replacement of pyridine by 1,2,3-triazole donors in the N∧N ligand. Complexes 2 to 6 all release the ligand N∧N on irradiation in acetonitrile solution to yield cis-[Ru(bpy)2(NCMe)2]2+, with resultant photorelease quantum yields that at first seem counter-intuitive and span a broad range. The data show that incorporation of a single sterically encumbering methyl substituent on the N∧N ligand (2 and 5) leads to a significantly enhanced rate of triplet metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (3MLCT) state deactivation but with little promotion of photoreactivity, whereas replacement of pyridine by triazole donors (4 and 6) leads to a similar rate of 3MLCT deactivation but with much greater photochemical reactivity. The data reported here, discussed in conjunction with previously reported data on related complexes, suggest that monomethylation in 2 and 5 sterically inhibits the formation of a 3MCcis state but promotes the population of 3MCtrans states which rapidly deactivate 3MLCT states and are prone to mediating ground-state recovery. On the other hand, increased photochemical reactivity in 4 and 6 seems to stem from the accessibility of 3MCcis states. The data provide important insights into the excited-state mechanism of photochemical ligand release by Ru(II) tris-bidentate complexes.


The Belo Monte hydroelectric dam on the Xingu River has the third largest generating capacity of any hydroelectric dam in the world. We conducted surveys of crocodilians (Caiman crocodilus, Paleosuchus trigonatus) by boat in the Xingu River at the site of the dam prior to (2013-2015), and after filling (2016-2017). While the number of C. crocodilus sighted decreased with increasing water level, there was no difference in numbers prior to, and after reservoir filling. The number of P. trigonatus was unaffected by both water level prior to and after reservoir filling. Reservoir filling had little effect on the number of crocodilians using the forest around the Xingu River reservoir. Most crocodilians seen in forest surveys were P. trigonatus, both before and after reservoir filling, but C. crocodilus was recorded occasionally in the forest. It seems that most Amazonian crocodilians are sufficiently generalist to adapt to the new conditions created by the construction of dams, at least in the short-term. However, there may be long-term collateral effects on crocodilian populations from dams, due to as deforestation and improved access for hunters.


FULL PRESCRIBING INFORMATION: CONTENTS* WARNING—FETAL TOXICITY 1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE 2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION 2.1 Adult Hypertension 2.2 Pediatric Hypertension (6 to 16 years of age) 3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS 4 CONTRAINDICATIONS 5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS 5.1 Fetal Toxicity 5.2 Morbidity in Infants 5.3 Hypotension in Volumeor Salt-Depleted Patients 5.4 Impaired Renal Function 5.5 Sprue-like enteropathy 5.6 Electrolyte Imbalances 6 ADVERSE REACTIONS 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience 6.2 Post-Marketing Experience 7 DRUG INTERACTIONS 8 USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS 8.1 Pregnancy 8.3 Nursing Mothers 8.4 Pediatric Use 8.5 Geriatric Use 8.6 Hepatic Impairment 8.7 Renal Impairment 8.8 Black Patients 10 OVERDOSAGE 11 DESCRIPTION 12 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY 12.1 Mechanism of Action 12.2 Pharmacodynamics 12.3 Pharmacokinetics 13 NONCLINICAL TOXICOLOGY 13.1 Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility 13.2 Animal Toxicology and/or Pharmacology 14 CLINICAL STUDIES 14.1 Adult Hypertension 14.2 Pediatric Hypertension 16 HOW SUPPLIED/STORAGE AND HANDLING 17 PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION


The genus Holopothrips represents the main Neotropical group of thrips associated with plant galls, and several of the 36 currently described species are known to induce or invade galls of other organisms. The existence of several Holopothrips specimens in collections that do not belong to any of the already described species, allied to the absence of basic biological information for several species, such as host plants and habit, shows that the current knowledge on the genus is severely lacking. Here we start addressing these problems, by describing 24 new species: H. acrioris, H. atlanticus, H. bicolor, H. brevicapitatum, H. cardosoi, H. curiosus, H. flavisetis, H. graziae, H. inconspicuus, H. infestans, H. irregularis, H. johanseni, H. kaminskii, H. longihamus, H. longisetus, H. magnus, H. maiae, H. nigrisetis, H. nigrum, H. punctatus, H. reticulatus, H. singularis, H. spermathecus, H. varicolor. This study also includes information on galls for several species; an updated and illustrated key to species; and comments on the morphological diversity of the group. With that, we hope to lay the taxonomic and morphological bases for future studies in this group, focusing on its diversity, ecology and phylogenetic relationships.


The growth-associated protein GAP-43 is a major protein kinase C substrate of growth cones and developing nerve terminals. In the growth cone, it accumulates near the plasma membrane, where it associates with the cortical cytoskeleton and membranes. The role of GAP-43 in neurite outgrowth is not yet clear, but recent findings suggest that it may be a crucial competence factor in this process. To define the role of GAP- 43 in growth cone activity, we have analyzed neurite outgrowth and growth cone activity in primary sensory neurons depleted of GAP-43 by a specific antisense oligonucleotide procedure. Under optimal culture conditions, but in the absence of GAP-43, growth cones adhered poorly, displayed highly dynamic but unstable lamellar extensions, and were strikingly devoid of local f-actin concentrations. Upon stimulation, they failed to produce NGF-induced spreading or insulin-like growth factor-1-induced branching, whereas growth factor-induced phosphotyrosine immunoreactivity and acceleration of neurite elongation were not impaired. Unlike their GAP-43-expressing counterparts, they readily retracted when exposed to inhibitory central nervous system myelin-derived liposomes. Frequency and extent of induced retraction were attenuated by NGF. Our results indicate that GAP-43 can promote f- actin accumulation, evoked morphogenic activity, and resistance to retraction of the growth cone, suggesting that it may promote regulated neurite outgrowth during development and regeneration.


ABSTRACT Relationships with parents have been identified as a major factor in shaping adolescents' well-being and cognitive development. Compared to adolescents in native families, immigrant children face multiple stressors associated with international migration that may cause the relationship with their parents to be more conflictive or emotionally distant. In this paper, we compare the levels of mother–child conflict and emotional intimacy among Latino immigrant and Spanish native families living in Spain. Our analysis shows that Latino adolescents do not describe the relationship with their mothers as more conflictive than natives do. However, they report more emotional distance with their mothers than native adolescents. This differential with natives cannot be fully attributed to migration-related factors like physical separation from parents due to staggered family migration, to the lower life satisfaction of Latino mothers' in their new destination or to an acculturation gap between mother and child. However, the fact that immigrant mothers spend less time doing activities with their children, probably due to their harder working conditions, explains part of the differential in emotional intimacy with native families. Finally, our analyses clearly establish an equally negative relationship between conflict and emotional intimacy for both native and Latino immigrant families.


Nano- sized of 2,2'-((1E, 1E')-(1, 2 phenylen bis (azanylylidene)) bis (methanylylidene)) bis (4-bromo phenolato) Zn (II) Schiff base complex was quickly synthesized in mild condition by ultrasonic irradiation. The Zn (II) complex was characterized by FT-IR, 1HNMR, FESEM as well as electronic and fluorescence property measurements. Based on the results of these analyses, the geometry of Zinc (II) Schiff base complex suggested a square-planar geometry. Antimicrobial activities of the ligand and Zinc (II) complexes were also investigated. The electronic and fluorescence bands of nano complex show a shift in comparison to the bulk sample analogue, duo to the reduction of particle size in nano scale. In continuation of our study, ZnSe/ZnO nano sized with 30 nm in average sizes was prepared, by reflux condensation method, using this complex as a new precursor.