AIM
The overall aim of the study is to develop a module for the structure, staffing, job responsibilities, training and workflow for the hospital Infection Control Department.

DESIGN
An exploratory research design in two phases. Phase 1: Hospital based exploratory survey design. Phase 2: Delphi technique with Focus Group Discussion.

METHOD
Data will be collected through interviewing Infection Control Nurses (ICNs) or infection control in-charge using Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework (IPCAF) released by World Health Organization (WHO) in the first phase and Delphi technique in the second phase to determine the problems and solutions for the concerns pertaining to the ICNs. The study is funded by Indian Council of Medical Research from 15 October 2019 for 3 years duration.

DISCUSSION
Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) affects the care quality of millions of people around the globe. Many researchers have explored the evidence for causes and measures to contain infection. However, there are hardly few researches from the perspective to structure, staffing pattern and factors affecting ICNs. As staffing is considered as a vital component in infection prevention, there is a necessity for optimization to reduce the global burden related to HAI.

IMPACT
This protocol on Structure, staffing, and factors affecting ICN will provide insight into developing strategy, policy or educational module for the ICNs across the country.

TRIAL REGISTRATION
The trial is registered with Central Trial Registry of India (CTRI) with reference ID: CTRI/2020/07/026286.


This article jointly analyses a behavioural and a cultural concept to explain household debt portfolio choice. The behavioural approach explores the role of time preferences on household debt maturity in a theoretical model and a numerical analysis. We derive a positive relationship between the long-term discount factor δ and the optimal maturity of household loans. The cultural approach examines whether national culture is a reasonable predictor for household debt maturity. We show that culture is an important factor for households' borrowing decisions and has even more predictive power than time preferences. Countries with higher scores on the Hofstede dimension of long-term orientation tend to have shorter household debt maturity. Time preferences incur a primarily mediating role, because the effect of national culture on the borrowing decision is reduced, as the long-term discount factor δ increases.


Energy from the oceans has the potential to make major contributions towards renewable energy targets being adopted by European Governments over the next 10-15 years. To transform this from a possibility into a reality within the time frames requires numerous support frameworks to be implemented which assist research and demonstration programmes and stimulated the sharing of knowledge and resource information between all relevant parties. The EC funded Co-ordinated Action on Ocean Energy puts into place funding and a platform to enables device developers, wave and tidal energy researchers and standards agencies to share knowledge and information which will facilitate the transition of wave and tidal energy from an energy research technology to one approaching commercial competitiveness within the medium-term time frame, 2010-2015.


Detecting vital signs by using a contactless camera-based approach can provide several advantages over traditional clinical methods, such as lower financial costs, reduced visit times, increased comfort, and enhanced safety for healthcare professionals. Specifically, Eulerian Video Magnification (EVM) or Remote Photoplethysmography (rPPG) methods can be utilised to remotely estimate heart rate and respiratory rate biomarkers. In this paper two contactless camera-based health monitoring architectures are developed using EVM and rPPG, respectively; to this end, two different CNNs, (Mediapipe's BlazeFace and FaceMesh) are used to extract suitable regions of interest from incoming video frames. These two methods are implemented and deployed on four off-the-shelf edge devices as well as on a PC and evaluated in terms of latency (in each stage of the application's pipeline), throughput (FPS), power consumption (Watt), efficiency (throughput/Watt), and value (throughput/cost). This work provides important insights about the computational costs and bottlenecks of each method on each hardware platform, as well as which platform to use depending on the target metric. One of our insights shows that the Jetson Xavier NX platform is the best platform in terms of throughput and efficiency, while Raspberry Pi 4 8 GB is the best platform in terms of value.


Larval experience affects early post-metamorphic performance of a range of marine invertebrates, and even brief events during the larval stage can be important. One of the important larval stresses for organisms living in urban coastal environments is exposure to toxicants. Larvae may pass through patches of toxicants in their dispersal stage with the potential to affect their post- metamorphic performance. However, most studies on embryonic or larval tolerance to pollutants end at, or before, metamorphosis, have little follow-up and almost all are done under laboratory condi- tions. In this study, we tested whether short-term larval exposure to copper has short- and long-term carry-over effects in the encrusting bryozoan Watersipora subtorquata by following settlement and metamorphosis in the laboratory, then transplanting colonies into the field, in 2 seasons and at 2 sites in SE Australia. Cu at 100 µg l -1 accelerated larval attachment in winter and summer, but inhibited metamorphosis. When transplanted to the field, juveniles survived and grew well, and effects on sur- vival and growth did not appear until several weeks or months after settlement. Larval exposure to Cu reduced survival of colonies to about 2/3 that of control colonies in summer and at 1 site, reduced survival to about 20% that of controls in winter. The fall in survivorship occurred abruptly after 3 to 5 wk in summer and 14 wk in winter. The surviving colonies grew more slowly than the controls. In general, there was little temporal variation in Cu effects, but there was spatial variation in effects on survival and growth of colonies within and between sites.


The mixed matrix membranes were prepared from crosslinked PVA embedded with zeolite 4A that was grafted with PHEMA. The PHEMA was grafted onto the zeolite surface by first, attaching the vinyl-silane onto the zeolite surface and subsequently polymerizing HEMA monomer via the free-radical polymerization. The FT-IR spectroscopy confirmed the successful grafting of PHEMA on the zeolite. The grafting percentage determined by thermalgravimetry analysis (TG) was found to increase with the amount of HEMA monomer. The membrane swelling in water and pure acetone revealed the decreasing trend with increased the zeolite loading. Examined by DSC, the amount of non-freezing bound water decreased with increasing the zeolite in the membranes.


Traditional approaches to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) prevalent at many African universities are dominated by face-to-face workshops that take academic staff away from their normal duties. Staff often find it difficult to implement what they learn in such events once they are back in their normal teaching environment. This is exacerbated by several obstacles to staff participation identified in literature on CPD. These include lack of time, resistance to moving away from traditional teaching practices, and that innovative teaching practices are often not a requirement for appointment or for career progression in Higher Education Institutions (Inamorato dos Santos et al. 2019). One possible strategy to alleviate some of these challenges is to provide short, online tutorials that engage participants in authentic learning tasks that can be done individually or collaboratively in their own time, while they are in the workplace. // From 2019 to 2021, OER Africa delivered a series of CPD pilot activities at African universities to introduce more innovative approaches to, through the design and delivery of modular and flexible 'learning pathways' (LPs) available at https://bit.ly/2NVj3P5. The LPs discussed in the paper focus on finding and adapting Open Educational Resources, and Open Access Publishing; each consists of several learning activities designed to be accessible on a variety of digital devices. Pilots were implemented via introductory video conferencing, and participants then worked through an online learning pathway over two weeks. Thereafter, an online feedback session was held and data was collected via pre- and post-activity surveys. Findings indicate that the LPs were well-received, showing statistically significant change between baseline and endline tests, suggesting that learning did indeed occur. There was also self-reported evidence for participants using the content of the LPs with their own colleagues and designing better courses for their students. This paper summarizes the development of the LPs and the findings from the pilot evaluation, and discusses implications for CPD policies and processes at HEIs in Africa.


In a botanical sense, an herb is a plant that does not produce a woody stem and dies back to the ground each winter to a perennial root system. In the garden sense, herbs are plants that serve as a major source of seasonings in food preparation. In an even broader sense, herbs include plants that are also useful for scents in cosmetics or for medicinal purposes. Some of them are woody and outstep the definition of a herbaceous plant. For American pioneers, herbs were the major source of seasonings for foods. They were also used for curing illnesses, storing with linens, strewing on floors, covering the bad taste of meats before refrigeration was devised, dyeing homespun fabrics, and as fragrances. With the advent of the supermarket, growing herbs in the garden declined because a wide range of dried herbs became available in stores. Now, however, with an increase in the popularity of ethnic foods, combined with a realization that fresh herbs have more distinctive tastes than some dried herbs, more gardeners are growing at least a few herbs for fresh use, drying or freezing. Increasing interest in herbal medicine also has helped make herb growing more popular. In addition, some herbs are ornamental (Figure 1).


(Journal, February 1984, 144, 203—8)in managing opiate withdrawal. In the light of their results, it may be useful considering a further study combining electro stimulation (ES) and methadone withdrawal (MW). The use of MW would avoid the severe initial withdrawal effects noted in the ES group. The use of ES in the latter phases of the MW (say the last 10 days) might avoid the prolonged withdrawal effects noted in the MW group (but not in the ES group). The original groups used in the study could serve as comparisons. It may not be a question of either/or but both. E. P. LARIUN Rampton Hospital, Retford, Nottinghamshire


Area of the Study This study is aimed to discuss the impact of employee engagement on the organizational commitment of the Sri Lankan non-academics in the state universities. Problem of the Study As an interesting research area, there are different finds of the impact of employee engagement on the organizational commitment. However, it is difficult to find the empirical findings of these two phenomenons among the non-academics in the state universities. Therefore the problem of the study is: Does employee engagement of non-academics in the state universities affect their organizational commitment? Method of the study 317 non-academics in the Sri Lankan state universities were selected randomly as the sample of the study and structured questionnaire was used to measure the employee engagement and organizational commitment of the sample respondents. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were basically used statistical analysis of the study. Findings of the Study The major finding of the study is that there is a positive and significant relationship and impact of employee engagement and organizational commitment of the non-academics in the state universities. However, there is weak and no relationship was found between the employee engagement (both job engagement and organizational engagement) with the continuance commitment. Conclusion of the Study The administrations of the state universities have to consider the employee engagement as an important human behavior and they have to pay their attention to enrich the employee engagement. Keywords: Employee Engagement, Organizational Commitment, Non-academics, State Universities


Abstract Context The illegal market of counterfeit and falsified medicines and supplements containing unlabeled pharmaceuticals is expanding worldwide. They are usually referred to by the term "performance and image enhancing drugs" (PIEDs) and are mainly steroids, stimulants, hormones, and drugs for erectile dysfunction. PIEDs are easily accessible through the online or black markets. We analyzed over 400 such medicines confiscated in Italy in the period 2017–2019, to determine their composition. Methods Confiscated products were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry, in order to ascertain their composition and to evaluate the correspondence between what was declared on the label and the actual content, or to identify unknown products. Results The most commonly found substance was anabolic steroids, found in 64% of products, with 11% containing hormone modulators, 6% stimulants, 6% sexual enhancers (mainly sildenafil) and other drugs, including thyroid hormones, melanin stimulators, and vitamins. These substances were often in mixtures. The products were often mislabeled, containing contaminants in addition to the drug declared, or consisted of a drug completely different from the one reported on the label. Fifteen percent of products had a qualitative composition completely different from that declared, while 10% of products showed cross-contamination with other drugs, mainly testosterone esters, probably due to the presence of residues of other drugs in the production line. In addition, 11% of products were not labeled, so their purported composition was unknown. Discussion PIEDs pose a threat to public health. The main risks are related to the intrinsic toxicity of the substances found, especially when taken without a therapeutic indication. Another issue is related to the mislabeling of the fake medicines, and the poor-quality standard of counterfeit product preparation, with additional risks of the presence of other toxic ingredients or microbial contamination. Conclusions The use of counterfeit products is a public health concern, as it constitutes a high risk for consumer health. It is mainly caused by the uncontrolled use of steroids, stimulants, sexual enhancers, and other medicaments, without medical indication or supervision, with variable and unknown compositions and doses, as well as other contaminants as a result of the absence of good manufacturing practices.


Why there are two distinct sexes has received little attention compared with that lavished on the value of sexual reproduction. While sex requires two parents, there is no obvious need for these to be of different sexes. Furthermore, self-incompatible gametes seemingly reduce the likelihood of finding a partner. What causes mating types and sexes to predominate in nature remains a conundrum. The uniparental inheritance (UPI) of mitochondria (in which only one sex, usually the female, passes on its mitochondria) is widespread among sexual organisms. Theoretical work suggests that the evolution of two sexes can be understood in the light of mitochondrial inheritance. However, the exact role of UPI is not clearly understood. Part I of this thesis considers the evolution of self-incompatible mating types in relation to this perspective, using probability theory and population genetics. Chapter 2 studies the impact of UPI on interactions between genes in the mitochondria and the nucleus, in an effort to elucidate the role of UPI itself. In Chapter 3, I develop a new, explicit theoretical model that challenges the prominent view that selection for UPI leads to the establishment of self-incompatible mating types and sexes. An alternative hypothesis proposes that mating types evolved as a consequence of selection for asym- metry in gamete attraction and recognition. This idea is based on the assumption that an asymmetry in gamete communication leads to more effective attraction and recognition. In Part II of this thesis, I examine this idea further. In Chapter 4, I perform an extensive literature review of mating type interactions and provide empirical support for the prediction that an asymmetry in signalling is indeed common in nature. The underlying assumptions of this hypothesis are linked to the physical constraints that gametes experi- ence during sex, and the role of polarity in cell-cell interactions. To assess the impact of these constraints rigorously, in Chapter 5 I develop a biophysical model for signaller-detector dynamics based on chemical diffusion, chemotaxis and individual cell movement that can be tested in silico and in vitro. This thesis examines the role and origins of self-incompatible mating types and sexes. The novel theo- retical methods and perspective on the empirical literature presented here place this evolutionary question in a fresh context and encourage further theoretical and empirical work.


Background Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) commonly have higher intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEPi). A breathing exercise programme strategy employing an appropriate PEEP may improve their pulmonary functional capacity, exercise tolerance and health-related quality of life. Breathing with an expiratory resistive load, which is a method of modulating spontaneous breathing against PEEPi, has not been fully studied in patients with COPD. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of changing spontaneous breathing in home-based conditions and regulating spontaneous breathing with breathing exercises in patients with COPD. Methods This was a prospective randomised trial including 64 patients with a diagnosis of stage III or IV COPD. Patients were randomised into two groups: standard treatment and standard treatment combined with breathing exercise rehabilitation. The effects of the treatments on the COPD assessment test (CAT) score, 6‐minute walk test (6MWT) results and pulmonary function were compared at 0, 6, 12 and 18 months within and between the two groups. Results All outcomes showed no significant differences between the two groups at the beginning of the study, while the 6MWT and CAT scores exhibited clinically and statistically significant improvements (p<0.001) by the end of the study. At month 18, the change in the predicted percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1%pred) differed between the two groups (p<0.05). In addition, there were statistically significant differences in the 6MWT results, CAT scores and FEV1%pred values between the baseline and month 18 (p<0.0001) in the intervention group. Conclusions Improvements in 6MWT results, pulmonary function and CAT scores are associated with a successful response to breathing against PEEPi in patients with COPD. Trial registration This trial was registered at research registry.com (identifier research registry 4816).


Six novel AECs of [Sr(o-CPA)2(H2O)4]·(o-CPA) 1, [Ba(o-CPA)2(H2O)]·H2O 2, [Sr(m-CPA)2(H2O)4]·(m-CPA) 3, [Ba(m-CPA)2(H2O)4]2·2(m-CPA)·H2O 4, [Sr(p-CPA)2(H2O)] 5 and [Ba(p-CPA)2(H2O)] 6 (o-CPA = 2-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, m-CPA = 3-chlorophenoxyacetic acid and p-CPA = 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid) were synthesized by a facile microwave-assistant reaction. The solid-state structures were well established by X-ray crystallography and routine analyses of Fourier transform infrared, elemental analysis, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and thermogravimetric analysis. The structure data reveal that complexes of 1, 3 and 4 are one-dimensional chains with a zigzag arrangement, while 2, 5 and 6 are (4, 4) rhomboid two-dimensional grid structures. It is noticed that the carboxyl group in these complexes displays multiple coordination modes of μ2-η1:η1 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6), μ3-η1:η2 (1, 2, 3 and 4), μ2-η1:η2 (2), μ3-η2:η2 (5 and 6). Interestingly, the oxygen atoms of flexible –OCH2– in phenoxy groups take part in coordination behavior with metal centers through the rotation of the C–O and C–C bonds in complexes 2, 5 and 6, while only carboxyl group coordination can be found in complexes 1, 3 and 4. FESEM images indicate that the surface appearances of complexes are totally different from ligands after coordination. All ligands and complexes were evaluated for activity as plant-growth inhibitors against Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) and barnyard grass. Compared with ligands, complexes 1, 3 and 4 exhibited better response index (RI) values of Shoot elongation against barnyard grass. Moreover, complexes 1, 3 and 4 demonstrated a higher inhibitory activity than 2, 5 and 6. It is significant to develop a new kind of environmentally-friendly herbicide based on these kinds of complexes for their low toxicity and high efficiency.


The possibility that guanidino succinic acid is the major endogenous source of endothelium-derived relaxing factor has been examined using the porcine isolated splenic artery. Administration of 100 microM NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) caused a substantial, endothelium-dependent contraction of the splenic artery that was inhibited by L-arginine (1 mM) but was unaffected by D-arginine (1 mM). L-NAME enhanced the responsiveness of the splenic artery to 5-hydroxytryptamine in endothelium-intact segments only, and the potentiating action of L-NAME was inhibited by L-arginine but not by D-arginine. Administration of 100 microM guanidino succinic acid did not relax the splenic artery and it did not inhibit or reverse contractions of the splenic artery induced by L-NAME. Administration of guanidino succinic acid, either before or after L-NAME, did not affect the potentiating action of L-NAME on the 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced contraction of the splenic artery in endothelium-intact segments. Although substance P caused an endothelium-dependent relaxation of preconstricted segments of the splenic artery, guanidino succinic acid did not relax preconstricted, endothelium-intact or endothelium-denuded segments of the artery. L-NAME inhibited the relaxation induced by substance P in endothelium-intact preparations. The findings for the effects of arginine are consistent with L-arginine being a source of endothelium-derived relaxing factor in the porcine splenic artery, while observations with guanidino succinic acid indicate that it is not a substrate for the synthesis of endothelium-derived relaxing factor in this blood vessel.


AIM: The current study elucidates knowledge, attitude, awareness, practices and readiness of university science students towards non-remunerated blood donation in a middle-income developing country.
METHOD: The present study was conducted in the Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences, University of Technology, Jamaica. The sample was 200 students registered in undergraduate degree science programmes.
RESULTS: Knowledge and awareness of blood donation were high among the sample, but the practice of blood donation was low. Two out of every 10 science undergraduate student had given blood in the past. Majority of the respondents who had given blood in the past were because of an ill family member (86%). Seventy percentages of those who had donated blood in the past were males and 19.6% had done so in less than 6 months. Of the blood donors, 78.1% of males had given blood at least six months ago compared to 86.0% of females (χ2 = 0.631, P-value = 0.5).
CONCLUSION: We recommend large cross-sectional studies in order to understand the issue from a national perspective.


The aim of this research is to explore the natural flora of Kashmir for novel plant products for their possible applications in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the current study, Moringa oleifera L. was selected for its possible memory-enhancing potential. Extracts of various parts of the plant were screened for anti-acetylcholinesterase, antioxidant and metal chelating activities. The data obtained clearly establish that impure fraction (MSC) obtained from methanolic shoot extract by silica-gel chromatography showed significant anti-AChE (IC50; 77.58 µg/ml), antioxidant (IC50; 1.26 µg/ml) and metal chelating potential (80%). Factions MSC1 (pure compound) and MSC2 obtained from MSC by thin layer chromatography (TLC) separation showed significant action against AChE activity with IC50 values of 64.53 and 120.38 µg/ml, respectively. Methanolic leave extract has also shown significant anti-AChE activity (IC50; 77.32 µg/ml) with weaker antioxidant potential (IC50; 127.27 µg/ml). We conclude that methanolic shoot extracts of the plant with high anti-acetylcholiesterase and antioxidant activities may have AD therapeutic potential.

 Key words: Moringa oleifera L., Alzheimer's disease, anti-acetylcholinesterase, antioxidant activity.


The combined efforts of a clinician and a pathologist produced as exhaustive treatise packed with concentrated information on spondylitis ankylopoietica, also known as morbus Strumpell-Marie-Bechterew. Ott introduces the first part of the volume with the historical development of the clinical concept of this disease, its terminology, and the description of its classical appearance, whereby he equips the reader with the necessary knowledge and curiosity to absorb the contents of the volume with great interest. The examination of the patient, the characteristics of the onset and progress of the disease, the radiological findings— especially the changes on the sacroiliac joint—and the statistical data are worked out in the minutest details. With the exception of the increased sedimentation rate, the laboratory methods are considered insignificant in their diagnostic value. The disease is clearly differentiated from other degenerative, inflammatory, and metabolic diseases of the spine. Inheritance and infections as etiological factors are subjected


Background/Aims Capsule endoscopy (CE) is a noninvasive test for diagnosing small bowel disorders. However, several studies reported that the CE-based visualization is suboptimal. This study, the first to use two CEs simultaneously, aimed at evaluating the diagnostic ability of dual CE. Methods Dual CE procedures were prospectively conducted. All patients completed bowel cleansing 2 hours before examination. Subsequently, they simultaneously swallowed two capsules: MiroCam (IntroMedic, Seoul, Korea) and PillCam SB3 (Medtronic, Minneapolis, USA). We assessed the completeness and feasibility of small bowel examination and the detection rate of duodenal papilla and diagnostic yield. Results Twenty consecutive patients who underwent complete small bowel examination with dual CE were enrolled in the study. The mean time of small bowel passage was 245 ± 99 min. Dual CE examination increased the duodenal papilla detection rate to up to 75% (versus PillCam SB3 alone (P = 0.031) and MiroCam alone (P = 0.063)) and overall diagnostic yield to up to 70% (P = 0.063) in comparison to single CE. Adverse events or electrical interference during data transmission between the two capsule endoscopes were not detected. Conclusions In this study, we found that dual CE enhances diagnostic accuracy and could increase the diagnostic power of existing CE systems using simply applicable methods. This trial is registered with KCT0002541.


Cotton producers in the U.S. Mid-South often plant in cool, wet conditions to lengthen the growing season and maximize yield potential. Although multiple studies have been conducted to determine optimum planting windows and seeding rates, few studies have evaluated the interaction of these parameters. To make a replant decision, the yield potential of the current stand versus the yield potential of the replant must be estimated. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of plant population and planting date on lint yield and fiber quality. Field experiments were conducted in 10 site-years from 2016 to 2018 in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Missouri. Treatments included five seeding rates (10.5, 6.75, 3, 1.5, and 0.75 seeds m-1) and multiple planting dates (typically early May, mid-May, and early June). Although yields were lowest at later planting dates and low populations, results suggested a uniform population of 74,000 plants ha-1 will not warrant a replant at any date, and uniform populations as low as 49,000 plants ha-1 planted after 5 May also will not warrant replanting. Fiber quality was impacted by environment and planting date, with micronaire decreasing and length, strength, and uniformity increasing as planting date was delayed. These data will assist with replant decisions by providing estimates of the current stand relative to the yield potential of a successful (or unsuccessful) replant. Furthermore, results suggest producers could reduce seeding rates at later planting dates without reducing yield potential.


This paper identifies an "innovation gap" in the (in)efficient relation between innovation structures and production systems in SME-based economies and, by elucidating an implicit aspect of key theoretical contributions from Lundvall and Cooke, among others, sets the basis for a policy focus that may help reducing those margins of inefficiency. In this work, we identify three interdependent drivers of innovation: the "critical mass" of firms in a specific geographical location; the formation of "organizations" devoted to the creation and diffusion of knowledge and innovations; the ignition of "learning processes" within the production system that help catalyse significant innovations within the local economy. We suggest that the importance of processes of codified knowledge flows needs to be complemented by interactive flows of tacit knowledge that help overcoming the "innovation gap" that often exists between firms and knowledge institutions. Since this gap represents the inefficiency of the innovation structures, we suggest that it should be targeted by policy-makers and business associations as a central issue for innovation promotion through actions that intensify interactions and learning processes through bottom-up initiatives. These elements are analysed in a furniture cluster in the Basque Country and are highlighted on the basis of successful micro-territorial experiences.


Pancreatic cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in North America. Gemcitabine improves the quality of life of patients but fails to significantly reduce mortality. Our laboratory has demonstrated previously that the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase inhibitor wortmannin promotes gemcitabine antitumor activity (S. S. W. Ng et al., Clin. Cancer Res., 7: 3269-3275, 2001). The present study examined the effects of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor OSI-774 ("Tarceva") alone and in combination with wortmannin and/or gemcitabine on downstream signaling molecules, as well as apoptosis in primary pancreatic cancer xenografts implanted orthotopically in severely combined immunodeficient mice. Tumors established from two pancreatic cancer patients [Ontario Cancer Institute Pancreas number (OCIP#) 2 and OCIP#7] were treated with various combinations of the above three drugs and harvested for analyses of the following: the levels of phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated forms of EGFR, protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) and extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), and the extent of apoptosis using immunofluorescence image analysis and TUNEL assay, respectively. OSI-774 alone significantly inhibited phosphorylation of EGFR in both of the primary xenografts. Phosphorylation of pERK decreased in OCIP#2, but not in OCIP#7. No significant effects on pPKB because of OSI-774 were observed in either tumor type. The extent of apoptosis was significantly increased by 2-fold in OCIP#2 tumors treated with gemcitabine and wortmannin in combination; an additional 2-fold increase in apoptosis was evident in the presence of OSI-774. Although wortmannin failed to enhance gemcitabine-induced apoptosis in OCIP#7 tumors, the extent of apoptosis was significantly increased with the inclusion of OSI-774 in the combination. Taken together, these findings support the use of OSI-774 plus a phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase inhibitor in combination with gemcitabine in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.


Renal involvement is not frequent in Behçet's syndrome (BS) and consists of occasional reports of patients having glomerulonephritis, IgA nephropathy and renal amyloidosis. We present the successful outcome of a renal transplantation in a patient who had end stage renal failure secondary to glomerulonephritis. To our knowledge, this is the first patient with BS to receive an organ transplantation. The detailed history of this patient at the time of the diagnosis of glomerulonephritis was the subject of a case report in 1991. In brief, she was 21 years old when she developed recurrent oral and genital ulcers, bilateral uveitis, erythema nodosum, folliculitis, and intermittent arthritis of the knees. Two years later, she was referred to our centre for further evaluation of eye symptoms. She had no active mucocutaneous lesions at that time, the pathergy reaction was positive and she carried HLA B5. It was decided to prescribe only local drops for her mild eye involvement. Three months later she experienced two ocular episodes resulting in a sharp decline of visual acuity and azathioprine 2.5 mg/kg/day was prescribed. Two weeks later she was admitted to the hospital because of microscopic haematuria. She was ANA negative, the anti-DNA and serum complement levels were within normal range. Her glomerular filtration rate was 67 ml/min. An open renal biopsy showed diVuse proliferative glomerulonephritis and weak focal segmental positivity of IgA and IgM. She was treated with three boluses of 1 g methylprednisone and was discharged prescribed azathioprine 150 mg/day, aspirin 300 mg/day and prednisone 30 mg/day. She was well except for occasional mucocutaneous symptoms and a mild transient neurological episode during the next four years. However her renal function deteriorated progressively despite uninterrupted treatment with azathioprine and changing doses of prednisone and she was put on regular haemodialysis twice a week. In the 14th month of haemodialysis, she received a kidney from her mother. The graft function started immediately and she was prescribed maintenance immunosuppression with azathioprine, cyclosporin A and methylprednisolone. An acute interstitial type rejection on the 11th day of transplantation was treated successfully with pulsed corticosteroids. Now 40 months after transplantation, she has normal renal function and is free of any symptoms of BS except for occasional oral ulcers. We had some hesitation in performing a renal transplantation in our patient initially because of the lack of any previous experience and particularly because of our concern for the heightened inflammatory response of BS patients to simple penetrating trauma that is best characterised by the pathergy reaction. This reaction, however, is not only limited to the skin and development of aneurysms after vascular punctures and episodes of synovitis after arthrocentesis have been observed. 7 Furthermore, postoperative complications leading to a poor outcome such as occlusions of grafts/anastomoses after the surgical treatment of aneurysms or perivalvular leakage and suture breakdown after aortic valve replacement have been reported in BS patients. As these complications are probably related to the pathergy phenomenon reaction, you would also reasonably expect problems after an organ transplantation, an operation with arterial and venous anastomoses. On the other hand, we had previously shown that despite the increased inflammation, wound healing after full thickness skin punch biopsies is not changed in BS. We have not experienced any of the feared complications after the transplantation procedure in this instance. One reason for this favourable outcome might be that our patient was female. It is known that BS runs a milder disease course in women compared with men. Additionally, the rather intensive immunosuppressive/anti-inflammatory posttransplant drug use might also have contributed to the diminished disease activity of our patient as well as to the prevention of a reaction at the site of transplantation. Whatever it might be related to, the outcome in our patient suggests that BS patients can undergo renal transplantation with a satisfactory outcome.


Objectives Recently, necroptosis has attracted increasing attention in arthritis research; however, it remains unclear whether its regulation is involved in osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis. Since receptor-interacting protein kinase-3 (RIP3) plays a pivotal role in necroptosis and its dysregulation is involved in various pathological processes, we investigated the role of the RIP3 axis in OA pathogenesis. Methods Experimental OA was induced in wild-type or Rip3 knockout mice by surgery to destabilise the medial meniscus (DMM) or the intra-articular injection of adenovirus carrying a target gene (Ad-Rip3 and Ad-Trim24 shRNA). RIP3 expression was examined in OA cartilage from human patients; Trim24, a negative regulator of RIP3, was identified by microarray and in silico analysis. Connectivity map (CMap) and in silico binding approaches were used to identify RIP3 inhibitors and to examine their direct regulation of RIP3 activation in OA pathogenesis. Results RIP3 expression was markedly higher in damaged cartilage from patients with OA than in undamaged cartilage. In the mouse model, adenoviral RIP3 overexpression accelerated cartilage disruption, whereas Rip3 depletion reduced DMM-induced OA pathogenesis. Additionally, TRIM24 knockdown upregulated RIP3 expression; its downregulation promoted OA pathogenesis in knee joint tissues. The CMap approach and in silico binding assay identified AZ-628 as a potent RIP3 inhibitor and demonstrated that it abolished RIP3-mediated OA pathogenesis by inhibiting RIP3 kinase activity. Conclusions TRIM24-RIP3 axis perturbation promotes OA chronicity by activating RIP3 kinase, suggesting that the therapeutic manipulation of this pathway could provide new avenues for treating OA.


In the present research, features of autobiographical memory (content, point of view and time) were examined with respect to adolescent, early adult and elderly groups. 240 volunteers composed of 80 adolescents, 80 early adults and 80 elderly people participated in the research. An autobiographical memory test (4 positive and 4 negative adjectives) depending on cued-recall technique was applied to the subjects and the data were analysed descriptively. Consequently, the elderly recalled more memories related to positive words from social admiration category than the other groups. On the other hand, with respect to negative words, while adolescents recalled the most memories from friend controversy category, early adults recalled related to family and private relationships and the elderly people prefered remembering negative memories related to both family & private relationships and diseases categories. When the point of view of the memories was examined, for the positive words early adults used field point of view mostly, the elderly used observer point of view; for the negative words the elderly utilized field point of view, adolescents utilized observer point of view mostly. The given result can be explained by "wisdom tendency" in the elderly people. When the time of memories was examined, for both positive and negative words adolescents told their memories concerning the last five years mostly; the elderly told their memories relating to before the last five years mostly. Furthermore, when the words used in the research were considered in terms of semantics while the evaluations of all the groups for the positive words were higher than those for the negative words, the elderly evaluated the negative words more positive, so they showed a "positivity effect."


Abstract Avian poxvirus (genus Avipoxvirus, family Poxviridae) is an enveloped double-stranded DNA virus that may be transmitted to birds by arthropod vectors or mucosal membrane contact with infectious particles. We characterized the infection in Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna; n = 5 birds, n = 9 lesions) by conducting diagnostic tests on skin lesions that were visually similar to avian poxvirus lesions in other bird species. Skin lesions were single or multiple, dry and firm, pink to yellow, with scabs on the surface, and located at the base of the bill, wings, or legs. Microscopically, the lesions were characterized by epidermal hyperplasia and necrosis with ballooning degeneration, and intracytoplasmic inclusions (Bollinger bodies) in keratinocytes. The 4b core gene sequence of avian poxvirus was detected by PCR in samples prepared from lesions. Nucleotide sequences were 75–94% similar to the sequences of other published avian poxvirus sequences. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the Anna's Hummingbird poxvirus sequence was distinguished as a unique subclade showing similarities with sequences isolated from Ostrich (Struthio camelus), Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), falcons (Falco spp.), Black-browed Albatross (Diomedea melanophris), Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) and White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla). To our knowledge this is the first published report of definitive laboratory diagnosis of avian poxvirus in a hummingbird. Our results advance the science of disease ecology in hummingbirds, providing management information for banders, wildlife rehabilitators, and avian biologists.


Large and growing data resources on the spatial and temporal diversity and distribution of the more than 400 carbon-bearing mineral species reveal patterns of mineral evolution and ecology. Recent advances in analytical and visualization techniques leverage these data and are propelling mineralogy from a largely descriptive field into one of prediction within complex, integrated, multidimensional systems. These discoveries include: (1) systematic changes in the character of carbon minerals and their networks of coexisting species through deep time; (2) improved statistical predictions of the number and types of carbon minerals that occur on Earth but are yet to be discovered and described; and (3) a range of proposed and ongoing studies related to the quantification of network structures and trends, relation of mineral "natural kinds" to their genetic environments, prediction of the location of mineral species across the globe, examination of the tectonic drivers of mineralization through deep time, quantification of preservational and sampling bias in the mineralogical record, and characterization of feedback relationships between minerals and geochemical environments with microbial populations. These aspects of Earth's carbon mineralogy underscore the complex co-evolution of the geosphere and biosphere and highlight the possibility for scientific discovery in Earth and planetary systems.


We report on controlling the optoelectronic properties of self-assembled intercalating compound of graphene oxide (GO) and HCl doped polyaniline (PANI). Optical emission and X-ray diffraction studies revealed a secondary doping phenomenon of PANI with –OH and –COOH groups of GO, which essentially arbitrate the intercalation. A control on the polarity and the magnitude of the photoresponse (PR) is harnessed by manipulating the weight ratios of PANI to GO (viz., 1:1.5 and 1:2.2 are abbreviated as PG1.5 and PG2.2, respectively), where ±PR = 100(RDark – RUV-Vis)/RDark and R corresponds to the resistance of the device in dark or UV-Vis illumination. To be precise, the PR from GO, PANI, PG1.5, and PG2.2 are +34%, −111%, −51%, and +58%, respectively.


Micro-structural change caused by the corresponding change in creep properties of Cu-8.5at.%Al alloy was studied. It was found that a micro-structural observations reveal the formation of different types of defect features during creep of the investigated alloy at intermediate temperatures between 0.46-0.72Tm, where Tm is the absolute melting point. SEM was used to characterize the studied alloy by quantitative micro-analysis. It allowed the observer to defect the micro-structural features such as dislocation that were generated from deformation and could move interagranularly by glide and climb. Clearly, the development of this microstructure could be attributed to the grain refining effect of the Al indicating the role of the applied stress at this alloy. The results show that the creep rupture strength of Cu-8.5at.%Al alloy in the power law creep damage mechanism. This due to the constraint introduced on the matrix creep flow by the Al phase rather than the devolvement of high threshold stress values. While the increase in the length of Al filaments and reduction in interfilament spacing with increasing draw ratio increase the constraint on the creep flow of the matrix, they also enhance the creep damage caused by the diffusion mechanisms because of the easy diffusion paths along the Al filaments and the reduction in the matrix grain size.


John Emsley has written an entertaining book entitled The elements of murder: a history of poison. He is a chemist who spent many years as a researcher and lecturer at London University before becoming a popular science writer. This enjoyable book is devoted to the poisonous elements found in the periodic table. His description of the chemicals is encompassing and will interest chemists, physicians, and knowledgeable readers of murder mysteries. He even provides an example of how a novel written by Agatha Christie helped in diagnosing a case of poisoning and saving a child's life.

For each chemical, Emsley describes its abundance in the human body, its use in medicine and other products throughout history, and the mechanism and symptoms of its toxicity. The dangerous nature of these chemicals is illuminated by historical case studies of poisoning, and in some instances, current chemical knowledge is employed to reevaluate the evidence and provide new conclusions regarding the guilt or innocence of the accused. The book contains interesting commentary and hypotheses on the lives and deaths of such famous figures as Rasputin, Mozart, and King George III. These are certain to catch the reader's eye. Even the case studies provided on unknown individuals are so detailed that the reader comes to care for these people as well, though most are long dead. The book contains other interesting facts, such as that 10% of individuals have mercury levels above the recommended nutritional guidelines, making them unsuitable as food for cannibals. Somehow one can draw some comfort from that statement.

Yet there are some weaknesses in the book. The introductory chapter lists an extensive history of alchemists, and although this lends credibility to the author's research, it is dry reading, and the selected elements are profiled more extensively later in the book. Not to worry, though. The reader becomes engrossed by the second chapter as it delves into details on mercury. Another concern is the limited reference list and citations, which require the reader to rely on Emsley's knowledge and that of the individuals cited for their help in the manuscript. Pertinent citations for the facts and case studies would have enabled the reader to pursue selected areas further. For example, on what basis does he conclude that Rasputin was not killed by potassium cyanide as his stomach had insufficient acid content to convert this to hydrogen cyanide? Emsley would have no way of knowing the acid content of Rasputin's stomach.

Emsley's description of lead provides an excellent example of the book's strengths and weaknesses. He provides many details regarding the use of lead by the early Romans in everything from lead pipes to paint. Particularly enlightening is his contextual description of the use of lead acetate as a sweetener. Provided are known sources of lead at the time of the Roman Empire (1–400 CE), with a table to compare sources of exposure then with those present during the British Empire (1700–1960 CE). Emsley hypothesizes that lead could have been a factor in the decline of both empires yet doesn't explain inconsistencies in this theory, such as the observed decrease in Roman fertility compared with an increase in the British reproductive rate. Throughout the book are scattered unclear or circular statements that should have been corrected in the editing process. For example, he concludes in the last sentence relating to the British Empire that "lead cannot be blamed" for its rapid decline yet states that "some future historian will conclude . . . that lead was the reason."

Even with these lapses, the book is enjoyable. Included is a letter written in 1786 by Benjamin Franklin stating that the dangers of lead have been known for at least 60 years yet "you will observe with Concern how long a useful Truth may be known, and exist, before it is generally receiv'd and practis'd on." All medical practitioners, scientists, and historians will find kinship with this statement. Lest we begin to feel superior to the ancient Romans, Emsley provides an extensive discussion on the harm we have done to ourselves by using lead as a gasoline additive. It is this exploration of each element's use throughout history and the case studies that provide such interesting context in the book.

This book is highly entertaining, inspiring one to seek out other books by Emsley and wonder how he would view new cases. There is a recent report of a man who was given elemental mercury by his mother-in-law and suffered from nausea, lethargy, and tremor until resolution of these symptoms following cessation of this consumption (1). Although elemental mercury generally isn't absorbed by the gut and the author of the case study does not offer any dark motive, one cannot help but wonder what Emsley would make of the case of a flight engineer from Singapore and his mother-in-law's ministrations.


The presence of yeast neutrophil inclusions was observed and discussed several times in other reports; moreover some works demonstrated how Toxic Granulation Neutrophils (TGNs) are especially helpful in predicting acute bacterial infection, while the development of candidaemia-related TGNs was rarely described and in-depth. We describe two occasional findings of neutrophil inclusions and marked TGNs respectively due to Candida tropicalis and Candida guillermondi on peripheral blood smear. We proved how the microscopic observation of marked toxic granulations can afford to suspect a systemic microbial infection without the potential to discriminate between bacterial or fungal infections.


Most stimulating — for this Anglophone historian, at least — has been the reintegration of religious history into mainstream social and political history generally, and also the heightened sense of an international movement embracing an entire continent and beyond. We no longer make artificial distinctions between the Reformations of the Atlantic Isles and those on the mainland; we can see more clearly what is local and what is part of an international phenomenon; and we can also appreciate the artificiality of considering Protestantism in isolation from reform movements in both the Pre-Reformation Western Church and Post-Tridentine Roman Catholicism. I commend the advantages of emancipating religious history from specific religious commitment. I also discuss the effect of the breaking down of barriers to travel and research in the wake of the 1989–90 revolutions in the recovery of our sense of the importance of Reformations in Eastern Europe, and also highlight our realization that a heritage of Southern European dissent shaped the heterodoxy that dissolved Reformation certainties.


Carbon-nanotube-based vacuum gauges have been developed and characterized, which primarily utilize the thermal conductivity principle. The vacuum gauges, comprising 5- to 10-mu m-long single-walled nanotubes contacted on either end with Au/Cr electrodes, have been shown to operate at low power (nanowatts to microwatts) and exhibit a wide dynamic range from 760 to 10-6 torr. Pressure sensitivity was found to increase rapidly as the bias power was increased. In addition, by etching part of the thermal SiO 2 beneath the tubes and minimizing heat conduction through the substrate, pressure sensitivity was extended toward higher vacuums. Results are compared to a conventional thin-film meander resistor, which was fabricated and whose pressure response was also measured for comparative purposes.


In demand to the industrial needs to produce Cu-Al alloys with controlled chemical compositions. The present research focuses on the production of Cu-Al alloys with different aluminum additions of 1.9, 3.6, 5.8 and 7.7 wt. % by stir casting method in argon atmosphere. Then, homogenized treatment was done for these alloys at 850 oC in different periods of soaking time of 2, 4, and 6 hrs to determine the best conditions for increasing the mechanical properties. This is carried out in the α phase region. The microstructure of the samples is analyzed by using Optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with (EDS). The results showed the mechanical properties of copper were increased with increasing in Aluminum content. The microstructure of the castings consist of the dendiritic structure, columinar grains and segregation. The results showed that after homogenization, the microstructure changed to fine grains, elimination of the columnar segregation and the clusters disappeared. The XRD results show that the phases are α (Cu-rich) phase as highest peaks and the small amount of CuAl2 phase. The best Aluminum content value was 7.7 wt % and the soaking time 4 hrs were given the high hardness 204 Hv and the highest ultimate tensile stress value of 383.8 Mpa


Trolley dilemmas are widely used to elicit moral intuitions. Most people do not think it would be morally right to push a heavy man from a bridge, thereby killing him, in order to avoid the death of several other people. Here we empirically tested a prediction by Unger (1996) who claims that adding more options to this scenario would shift people's intuition from the normally preferred option of doing nothing to the utilitarian option of killing the heavy man. While not finding significant results with Unger's original materials, an experiment with adapted materials confirmed the assumption that pushing one person is more likely to be preferred to not intervening if certain additional options are provided. Moreover, we found that moral intuitions are transferred from several-option cases to twooption cases (and the other way around). We discuss some possible psychological explanations for and normative implications of these findings.


Strict privacy regimes, requests to use local data centres and outright bans to transfer data abroad are a few examples of policies imposed recently that restrict data from crossing national or regional borders. This paper is the first one to propose a comprehensive taxonomy of these restrictions, which has a bearing on international trade law.
Restrictions on cross-border data flows may affect countries' legal commitments under various trade agreements, including the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). This taxonomy can be the basis of further legal and economic research to assess the legitimacy and necessity of these under international trade law.


A prospective study of mortality in 3,113 diabetics was carried out in Edinburgh over a period of eight years; 1,272 patients (41 %) died. Death rates for females equalled those for males and, in relation to the general population, there was a considerable excess mortality which was greater for females. Statistical analysis indicated that the important mortality risk-factors are age, duration of diabetes of greater than ten years and treatment. The risk of oral therapy or insulin were approximately equally greater than that of diet therapy and probably reflected severity of disease. Using international coding for diagnosis, 27 % of deaths were classified as directly due to diabetes and 49 % to vascular disease. Reclassifying the terminal cause of death left only 26 patients (2 %) recorded with diabetes as the direct cause of death. Three hundred and thirty five males (66 %) and 561 females (73 %) died of vascular disease. There was a predominance of myocardial infarction in males and cerebrovascular disease in females. These percentages were a little lower when post-mortem information was available. These results provide additional evidence that diabetes reduces life expectancy by inducing premature vascular disease and that the effect is greater in women than in men.


Recombination of deltaRec to psiJalpha will delete the TCR delta gene, which is thought to play an important role in the bifurcation of the TCR alphabeta versus TCR gammadelta differentiation lineages. We recently detected a DNA-binding protein in human thymocytes, the so-called PJA-BP, which recognizes the psiJalpha gene segment and might be one of the factors involved in the regulation of preferential deltaRec-psiJalpha rearrangements. We now investigate PJA-BP expression and its correlation with TCR delta gene deletion in thymocytes. Our electrophoretic mobility shift assay experiments showed that the PJA-BP is evolutionary conserved in human, murine and simian thymocytes. Using a large series of human hematopoietic malignancies (n = 30), we conclude that PJA-BP expression is thymocyte specific and seems to be restricted to thymocytes committed to the TCR alphabeta lineage. Analysis of seven well-defined human thymocyte subpopulations showed that preferential deltaRec-psiJalpha rearrangements as well as PJA-BP expression can be detected from the immature CD34-/CD1+/CD3-/CD4+/CD8alpha+beta- thymocyte differentiation stage onwards. These experiments indicate that expression of PJA-BP in human thymocytes starts simultaneously with preferential deltaRec-psiJalpha rearrangements, which supports our hypothesis that PJA-BP is one of the factors involved in the preferential recombination of deltaRec to psiJalpha.


Enterprise 4.0 is already referred to as the next stage of the evolution of global business and the global economy. This wave is achieved by technology enablers often referred as digital transformation (DT). Social media represent a subset of these technologies which contribute to organizational transformation. However, the adoption of social media does not imply such a transformation; changes in the organization's culture and behavior are also needed. While the technology enablers allow the production, sharing, and management of information and knowledge within the organization they also require the updating of the supporting information systems (IS). Thus, using technologies in organizations requires an exercise in understanding how to demonstrate their usefulness in relation to the creation, access, and sharing of contents and IS improvements in a safe way. To this end, this chapter envisages a new context of labor faced within DT of organizations, largely boosted by the organizational adoption of social media, and which the authors propose to be implemented through the m_CSDIT framework.


The nucleobases, namely the purines adenine and guanine and the pyrimidines cytosine, thymine and uracil are the key monomers of the information polymers DNA and RNA. All the nucleobases were recently detected in the analysis of certain meteorites known as carbonaceous chondrites. The concentration of the nucleobases found in meteorites is smaller than the amino acids concentration. However, the nucleobases were successfully synthesized abiotically by UV irradiation of interstellar ice analogues at 10 K. Consequently, it is possible that the purines and pyrimidines may be present in the interstellar medium or in other space environments and may be detectable by the new orbiting telescopes which indeed are able to cover not only the mid-infrared spectral range but also the far-infrared. The present work supplies the reference spectra of the five nucleobases used by the terrestrial biochemistry in the mid-infrared and in the far-infrared with the purpose to facilitate the search and identification of these astrobiological and astrochemical relevant molecules in space. The mid-infrared spectra of all nucleobases were recorded at three different temperatures from -180°C to nearly ambient temperature and at + 250°C. Furthermore, the molar extinction coefficients (ε) of all mid- and far-infrared bands were determined as well as the integrated molar absorptivities (ψ). With the reported infrared spectra together with the ε and ψ values, it will be possible to identify qualitatively the nucleobases and estimate their relative abundance in space.


There is a wide debate on which knowledge and skills can equip future urban planners with suitable tools to tackle with the societal and environmental challenges of massive urbanisation. This is urgent especially in fast changing societies like the Chinese one. One consolidated strand of research within urban studies has traditionally looked at the integrated topic of rural fringe management and urban food planning in order to achieve more sustainable urban development outcomes. As in other parts of the world, this would require discipline-related knowledge and skills, such as country-related ones. Thus, by establishing conceptually the nexus between sustainability and rural fringe development in the particular context of China, the main aim of the paper will be to unfold the pedagogic implications of this relationship. This will be achieved by reflecting on a series of heterogeneous but interwoven experiences employed in a foreign University located in China: the development of a new "Rural planning" module and the implementation of action-research activities, in form of international workshops, mainly located in the countryside of Suzhou in the Jiangsu Province. The paper will show in the conclusion the achievements and limitations of these teaching experiences, in this particular field of study, exploring the enabling factors in urban studies education for the sustainable development/management of the urban fringe of China.


An innovative new technology, optical mapping, is used to infer the genome map of the location of short sequence patterns called restriction sites. The technology, developed by David Schwartz, allows the visualization of the maps of randomly located single molecules around a million base pairs in length. The genome map is constructed from overlapping these shorter maps. The mathematical and computational challenges come from modeling the measurement errors and from the process of map assembly.


For the data stream characteristics of continuous, unbounded and real-time, continuous queries over data streams are generally based on windows. Windows placed on data streams are maintained by operators themselves for a query in most DSMSs. However, some operators can't maintain the windows properly, and a lot of redundancy and inconsistency may be incurred because the tuples are heavily copied and operators interfere with each other. In this paper, we thoroughly discuss the query processing mechanism based on windows and analyze the window semantics in a query sentence, then propose a query processing approach MullayerQuery that extract stream window and operator windows from the query window. A strategy and some algorithms are given to keep the consistency among windows in a query. The experiments show that MullayerQuery runs effectively and efficiently.


With the latest performance enhancement of mobile facilities typically such as notebook size PCs, mobile telephones, etc., down-sizing and performance enhancement of the semiconductor devices for general use have been accelerated, resulting in demands for semiconductor device assembly in increasingly higher densities. In the high density assembly of high performance semiconductor devices, the bonding wire method using lead frames hitherto widely applied is being substituted with the flip chip method wherein a chip is directly connected to a substrate by forming bumps on the chip. This paper introduces a newly developed bump forming method, the micro-ball bumping technology, and describes advantages of the developed method compared with alternative technologies such as plating and printing methods.


Darier's disease (DD) is an autosomal dominantly inherited skin disorder characterized by loss of adhesion between epidermal cells (acantholysis) and abnormal keratinization. Recently, we identified ATP2A2 encoding the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)ATPase isoform 2 as the defective gene in DD. Now we report a spectrum of ATP2A2 mutations in 19 families and six sporadic cases with DD and investigate genotype-phenotype correlations. All 21 exons and flanking intron boundaries were amplified and screened for mutations by conformation-sensitive gel electrophoresis and direct sequencing. We identified 24 novel mutations that are scattered throughout the ATP2A2 gene. Two families shared an identical mutation on a common disease-associated haplotype, suggesting inheritance from a common ancestor. The majority of the mutations (54%; 13/24) led to a premature termination codon which further supports the proposal that haploin-sufficiency is a common molecular mechanism for DD. Thirty-eight per cent of mutations (9/24) result in non-conservative amino acid substitutions at highly conserved positions. Two mutations predict mutated polypeptides lacking or carrying additional amino acids. Marked inter- and intrafamilial phenotypic variability of the disease was observed. These results illustrate the considerable diversity of ATP2A2 mutations causing DD and suggest that additional factors are important contributors to the clinical phenotype.


This is a case study in the microsociology of knowledge conducted in the London-based News Division of the British Broadcasting Corporation during 1972-3. The data was gathered by fieldwork in Broadcasting House and Television Centre.
 The study falls into two parts. The first, after a review of relevant literature, presents a detailed account of those dimensions of the organisational milieu necessary for an understanding of broadcast news production. These are: the hierarchical control structure which determines policy for news coverage; the everyday production routines which structure "news" as an organisational product; the system of advanced planning through which news stories are identified. This section also locates the legitimising role played by the BBC's editorial philosophy and power structure, and considers implications of the broadcaster's conventional distinction between "news" and "current affairs".
 The second part of the study develops the idea of news producers as constituting and epistemic community whose work skills, organisational location, and occupational knowledge give them a distinctive cognitive orientation. Newsmen's characterisation of their thought and practice as "professional" is analysed as a mode of conferring authority upon the production process, and the product "news". It is then argued that newsmen's primary framework of reference is the organisation within which they assert their complete autonomy from the audience, while at the same time asserting their unique capacity to determine its needs for news. Next, "impartiality" is analysed as a distinctive corporate conceptions drawn from a model of the political consensus represented by the major Parliamentary political parties, and is presented as illus-trating the BBC's accommodation to the realities of State power. Newsmen's claim to be accurate is next considered. It is shown how they support their claim by pointing to empiricist methods of authentication. The specific character of these is demonstrated by showing how news production is heavily condition-ed by the temporal imperatives of the daily news cycle. The study then concludes after considering newsmen's time-conscious-ness; their professionalism in this context is analysed as being in control of the pace of often unpredictable work.


Recent particulate regulations for gasoline passenger cars have prompted the utilization of Gasoline Particulate Filters (GPF's) to mitigate particulate emissions. This study overviews a comprehensive experimental methodology for examination of essential GPF parameters: spatial exothermic temperature rise, particulate trapping efficiency, and the pressure rise versus particulate loading. A GDI vehicle equipped with a subfloor catalytically washcoated GPF downstream of the three-way catalyst was operated on a chassis dynamometer for data collection. Accelerated soot accumulation procedures were developed to expedite the testing while avoiding passive particulate regeneration based on both particulate concentration and size distributions. Soot concentrations pre and post GPF were used to measure the soot trapping efficiency and total soot accumulation. Fuel-cut coast events, common in real-world driving, were utilized to initiate worst case GPF regenerations, namely regenerations which produce maximum temperature rise due to the limited exhaust flow through the GPF. CO2 measurements simultaneously measured before and after the GPF were examined to calculate the quantity of soot burned during each regeneration event. Thermocouples located inside the GPF were implemented to obtain the spatially disparate, transient temperature traces and analyzed to obtain insights on the soot distribution inside the GPF. The maximum exothermic temperature rise within the GPF was tracked for different soot loadings and regeneration temperatures to ensure GPF substrate and catalytic washcoat health. Most initial soot loadings required multiple 'fuel-cut coast' regenerations for complete soot oxidation of all trapped particulate mass.
 Additionally, externally supplied oxygen was utilized to obtain complete GPF regeneration in a single event. This purpose built system created O2 availability while maintaining constant GPF temperatures, similar to actively commanding lean A/F ratios during vehicle operation. Emissions measurements indicated that this system successfully regenerated all GPF soot. However, due to magnitude disparity between exhaust flow and total exothermic heat released, the thermocouples inside the GPF recorded only minimal exothermic temperature rises, providing confidence that lean active regeneration strategies pose little threat to GPF health.


The presence of people in an urban area throughout the day -- often called 'urban vitality' -- is one of the qualities world-class cities aspire to the most, yet it is one of the hardest to achieve. Back in the 1970s, Jane Jacobs theorized urban vitality and found that there are four conditions required for the promotion of life in cities: diversity of land use, small block sizes, the mix of economic activities, and concentration of people. To build proxies for those four conditions and ultimately test Jane Jacobs's theory at scale, researchers have had to collect both private and public data from a variety of sources, and that took decades. Here we propose the use of one single source of data, which happens to be publicly available: Sentinel-2 satellite imagery. In particular, since the first two conditions (diversity of land use and small block sizes) are visible to the naked eye from satellite imagery, we tested whether we could automatically extract them with a state-of-the-art deep-learning framework and whether, in the end, the extracted features could predict vitality. In six Italian cities for which we had call data records, we found that our framework is able to explain on average 55% of the variance in urban vitality extracted from those records.


We measure the central values (within Re/8) of the Ca II triplet line indices CaT* and CaT and the Paschen index PaT at 8600 Å for a 93% complete sample of 75 nearby early-type galaxies with BT < 12 mag and Vgal < 2490 km s-1. We find that the values of CaT* are constant to within 5% over the range of central velocity dispersions 100 km s-1 ≤ σ ≤ 340 km s-1, while the PaT (and CaT) values are mildly anticorrelated with σ. Using simple and composite stellar population models, we show the following: (1) The measured CaT* and CaT are lower than expected from simple stellar population (SSP) models with Salpeter initial mass functions (IMFs) and with metallicities and ages derived from optical Lick (Fe, Mg, and Hβ) indices. Uncertainties in the calibration, the fitting functions, and the SSP modeling taken separately cannot explain the discrepancy. On average, the observed PaT values are within the range allowed by the models and the large uncertainties in the fitting functions. (2) The steepening of the IMF at low masses required to lower the CaT* and CaT indices to the observed values is incompatible with the measured FeH index at 9916 Å and the dynamical mass-to-light ratios of elliptical galaxies. (3) Composite stellar populations with a low-metallicity component reduce the disagreement, but rather artificial metallicity distributions are needed. Another explanation may be that calcium is indeed underabundant in elliptical galaxies.


Computational notebooks aim to support collaborative data analysis by combining code, visualizations, and text in a single easily shared document. Yet, as notebooks evolve and grow they often become difficult to navigate or understand, discouraging sharing and reuse. We present the design and evaluation of a Jupyter Notebook extension providing facilities for annotated cell folding. Through a lab study and multi-week deployment we find cell folding aids notebook navigation and comprehension, not only by the original author, but also by collaborators viewing the notebook in a meeting or revising it on their own. However, in some cases cell folding encouraged collaborators to overlook folded sections or spend longer reviewing a notebook before editing it. These findings extend our understanding of code folding's trade-offs to a new medium and demonstrate its benefits for everyday collaboration. We conclude by discussing how dynamic reorganization can support sharing and reuse of computational notebooks.


The separation between training and deployment of machine learning models implies that not all scenarios encountered in deployment can be anticipated during training, and therefore relying solely on advancements in training has its limits. Out-of-distribution (OOD) detection is an important area that stress-tests a model's ability to handle unseen situations: Do models know when they don't know? Existing OOD detection methods either incur extra training steps, additional data or make nontrivial modifications to the trained network. In contrast, in this work, we propose an extremely simple, post-hoc, on-the-fly activation shaping method, ASH, where a large portion (e.g. 90%) of a sample's activation at a late layer is removed, and the rest (e.g. 10%) simplified or lightly adjusted. The shaping is applied at inference time, and does not require any statistics calculated from training data. Experiments show that such a simple treatment enhances in-distribution and out-of-distribution distinction so as to allow state-of-the-art OOD detection on ImageNet, and does not noticeably deteriorate the in-distribution accuracy. Video, animation and code can be found at: https://andrijazz.github.io/ash


In the vicinity of a through silicon via (TSV) used in 3D chip integration, the effect of dedicated strain engineering to enhance the carrier mobility in the channel of metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) is superposed by a strain caused by cooling down from high process temperatures to room temperature. This additional strain influences the transistor characteristics, and consequently the product performance. The measurement of strain with high spatial resolution requires TEM-based methods. In this paper, convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) is used for strain measurement. The strain state is significantly changed during the preparation of the TEM lamellae. The exact sample geometry and accurate materials parameters were used in FE modelling and strain simulation based on a physical model. The strain in silicon at several distances from the TSV were determined experimentally using TEM-CBED and compared with numerical simulations. High-quality sample preparation is crucial for reliable and reproducible TEM-based strain data, i.e., it is a necessary precondition for strain release correction based on FE modelling and simulation.


evaluate clinical of the combination of and (ketofol) versus alone when each as sedative agents for METHODS: 100 patients who underwent colonoscopy in two years, were randomly assigned to PN and PK groups. 50 patients in group PN received propofol and normal saline and 50 patients in group PK received propofol and ketamine for deep sedation. All patients were premedicated with 0.02-0.03 mg/kg of midazolam. Immediately after the procedure, the endoscopist was asked to rate tolerability for the patient, discomfort during insertion and satisfaction. As well, a blinded member of the research team evaluated the patient satisfaction, procedural pain, recovery time and recovery score. The primary outcome was the successfully completed colonoscopic procedure. The secondary outcome variables were patient tolerance, discomfort during insertion, patient and endoscopist satisfaction, recovery time and recovery score, hemodynamic parameters, as well as adverse events during and immediately after procedure. RESULTS: All endoscopies were completely successfully. Mean total dose of midazolam in group PK and PN was 0.027±0.005 mg/kg and 0.026±0.005 mg/kg, respectively (p=0.469). Mean total dose of propofol in group PK and PN was 7.28±3.03 mg/kg/ h and 8.02±2.99 mg/kg/h, respectively (p=0.451). Mean total dose of ketamine in group PK was 1.49±0.61 mg/kg/h. There were no significant differences in the patient and endoscopist satisfaction, procedural pain and recovery time, but the recovery score at 30 min post-procedure in group PK was significantly lower than group PN (p=0.025). Tolerability of the patient and comfort during insertion in group PN were statistically significantly lower than the patients in group PK. Overall and sedation-related adverse event rate in group PN were also significantly higher than in group PK. However, these adverse events were transient and easily treated with no sequelae. CONCLUSION: Deep sedation in both regimens provided effective and safe for colonoscopy. No serious adverse events were observed. However, the combination of propofol and ketamine (ketofol) used as sedative agents for deep sedation had significantly higher efficacy than the propofol alone.


Biopolymer coated porous hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds were prepared for tissue engineering trough freeze drying method and impregnation. in this study, to mimic the mineral and organic component of natural bone, synthetic hydroxapatite (HA) scaffolds coated by polymer were prepared. Highly porous Hap scaffolds, fabricated by synthetic HA impregnation method on polyurethane foam, were coated with polymer coating solution, consisting of chitosan, Gelatin, and bilayered chitosan-gelatin prepared by aging and impregnating technique. For the purpose of comparison, The bare scaffolds without polymer coating layer were investigated. The Bare scaffolds were highly porous and interconnected with a pore size of around 150 µm–714 µm, has porosity at around 67,7% -85,7%, and has mechanical strength at around 0.06 Mpa - 0.071 Mpa, which is suitable for osteoblast cell Proliferation. Chitosan coated porous HA scaffold and gelatin coated porous HA scaffold had mechanical strength at around 0.81-0.85 Mpa, and 1.32-1.34 Mpa, respectively, with weight ratio of biopolymer and Hap was around 18%-22%. To compare these results, the coating on the bare scaffold with gelatin and chitosan had been conducted. Based on the result of FTIR, it could be concluded that coating procedure applied on porous hydroxy apatite (HA) coated by gelatin, chitosan coated HA scaffold, and bilayered Gelatin-chitosan coated porous HA scaffold, confirming that for allsampleshad no significant chemical effect on the coating structure. The compressive strength of bilayered Gelatin-chitosan coated HA scaffold had middle values between the rest, at around 1,06-1.2 Mpa for the samples at the same weight ratio of biopolymer: HA (around 18% - 22%). These results also confirming that coating by gelatin on porous hydroxyapatite was highest compresive strength and can be applied to improve mechanical properties of porous hydroxyapatite bare scaffold


Certain peripheral vertigos undoubtedly do not raise from neuro-sensorial structures but rather of the secretory structures and can be called "endolymphatic". They deserve to be individualized because concerning different pathogenic mechanisms and certainly are relevant for a specific treatment. We hope that in the next years new investigation tools will allow to explore in a noninvasive way the endolymphatic contents and dysfunctions of these structures.


The aim of this paper is to analyse how the economic literature has examined the relationships arising among education, democracy, and growth. First, we present a brief survey of the three strands of research which have analysed in a separated way, the relationship between education and growth, democracy and growth, and education and democracy. Second, we present a sketch of the model by Bourguignon and Verdier (2000), as an example of a promising field of research which aims to study in a simultaneous way, the relationship among education, growth, and democracy.


The lower to middle Miocene Chenar granitoid stock, a part of Central Iranian volcanic belt, is intruded into Eocene volcano-sedimentary complex in northwestern Kerman in south Central Iran. The Chenar granitoid stock consists mainly of coarse to medium grain granodiorite and monzogranite with subordinate tonalite and syenogranite. Alkali granites as aplitic veins and quartz dioritic dykes frequently cut through the granitoid stock. Enclaves of various types and sizes (andesitic and microgranular mafic, few meters to several centimeters wide) also occur near the margin. The granitoid rocks represent convergent margin magmas enriched in large ionic lithophile elements (LILE) such as Rb, Ba, K, Ce and depleted in high field strength elements (HFSE) such as Y, Nb and Zr. The REE patterns have relatively smooth LREE enriched chondrite normalized REE profiles with (La/Yb)n between 4.28 to 14.66. A lack of Eu anomalies along with a continuous increase in the slope of LREE profile from tonalite to syenogranite exhibit a relatively low fractionated chondrite normalized pattern [(La/Yb)n] and also involvement of plagioclase in the melting processes. Small negative Eu anomaly in alkali granite is an indication of more differentiated rock type [(La/Yb)n=42.78] in Chenar granitoid stock. Geochemical data, various trace element discriminant diagrams, common igneous microgranitoid enclaves, and ocean ridge granite normalized multi-element diagrams indicate that the Chenar granitoid stock has characteristics of metaluminous to slightly peraluminous, calc-alkaline, I-type granite of a volcanic arc settings and is formed in an active continental margin environment. In this model, a NE-dipping subduction zone of Neotethys could have accounted for the arc volcanism of the Central Iran where felsic, Andean-type magmatic arc volcanics and plutonics were formed. As a result of subduction mafic arc magmas with significant fluids were produced following the dehydration of oceanic crust and partial melting of mantle wedge which in turn provoke partial melting of considerably metasomatised and enriched subcontinental lithosphere, leading to generation of siliceous magma. Its low-pressure crystal fractionation gave rise to generation of hydrous calc-alkaline magmas, represented in part by Chenar granitoid stock.


Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the ways in which "non-collaborative co-creation" can affect brand equity as perceived by independent observers. It reports a study of the different effects on that perception attributable to non-collaborative co-creation that takes the form of either "brand play" or "brand attack" and is executed either by established artists or mainstream consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

A 2 × 2 between-subjects experiment (brand play versus brand attack; consumer versus artist) measured observers' perception of brand equity before and after exposure to purpose-designed co-created treatments.

Findings

Non-collaborative co-creation has a negative effect on observers' perceptions of brand equity and brand attack, causing a stronger dilution of brand equity than brand play. Artists either mitigate the dilution or have a positive effect on those perceptions.

Research limitations/implications

Future research could usefully investigate the relative susceptibility of brands to non-collaborative co-creation, the effects on brands of higher complexity than those in our experiment, exposed in higher-involvement media, and the effects of more diverse forms of co-creation.

Practical implications

Brand managers must recognise that co-creation carries considerable risks for brand equity. They should closely monitor and track the first signs of non-collaborative co-creation in progress. It could be beneficial to recruit artists as co-creators of controlled brand play.

Originality/value

This study offers a more complete insight into the effect of non-collaborative co-creation on observers' perceptions of brand equity than so far offered by the existing literature. It connects the fields of brand management and the arts by investigating the role and impact of artists as collaborative or non-collaborative co-creators of brand equity.


The 2006 Report of New York State's Matrimonial Commission to Chief Judge Kaye (commonly know as the Miller Commission Report) recommended that New York begin to incorporate alternative dispute resolution into the State's fragmented and adversarial divorce system. This Comment argues that it should have more strongly recommended that divorce lawyers be mandated to discuss alternative dispute resolution, particularly mediation, with parent-clients before filing suit. The Comment begins by describing the advice given to a parent client in the movie Kramer vs. Kramer and argues that that advice constitutes zealous advocacy as famously described by Henry Lord Brougham in Queen Caroline's Case. While the advice given the parent client in Kramer v. Kramer is consistent with current notions of professional responsibility for lawyers, it does not serve the best interests of children in that it did not incorporate advice about the general importance of reducing conflict between parents to the best interests of children or discuss methods for doing so. The Comment contrasts zealous advocacy as portrayed in Kramer v. Kramer with problem solving advocacy as described by Lincoln, Gandhi and the Bounds of Advocacy of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. It argues that empirical research has demonstrated that judicial and legislative mandates that lawyers discuss alternative dispute resolution with clients are in the best interests of children, promote problem solving advocacy, and are generally appreciated by divorcing parent clients. Finally, this Comment briefly explores whether divorce lawyers should have a mandatory ethical responsibility to children of parents, and concludes that for the present, that duty should be aspirational only.


Attitudes to suicide differ between societies, and also change with time. 104 items of ancient art that show suicide have been examined and catalogued. These icons, the most distinctive of which are discussed here, confirm the view suggested by literary sources that in the Graeco-Roman world self-killing was preferably seen as a deliberate, resolute, and heroic act.


Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are DNA-based antimicrobial web-like structures whose release is predominantly mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS); their purpose is to combat infections. However, unbalanced NET production and clearance is involved in tissue injury, circulation of auto-antibodies and development of several chronic diseases. Currently, there is lack of agreement regarding the high-throughput methods available for NET investigation. This study, therefore, aimed to develop and optimize a high-content analysis (HCA) approach, which can be applied for the assay of NET production and for the screening of compounds involved in the modulation of NET release. A suitable paraformaldehyde fixation protocol was established to enable HCA of neutrophils and NETs. Bespoke and in-built bioinformatics algorithms were validated by comparison with standard low-throughput approaches for application in HCA of NETs. Subsequently, the optimized protocol was applied to high-content screening (HCS) of a pharmaceutically derived compound library to identify modulators of NETosis. Of 56 compounds assessed, 8 were identified from HCS for further characterization of their effects on NET formation as being either inducers, inhibitors or biphasic modulators. The effects of these compounds on naïve neutrophils were evaluated by using specific assays for the induction of ROS and NET production, while their modulatory activity was validated in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-stimulated neutrophils. Results indicated the involvement of glutathione reductase, Src family kinases, molecular-target-of-Rapamycin, and mitogen-activated-protein-kinase pathways in NET release. The compounds and pathways identified may provide targets for novel therapeutic approaches for treating NET-associated pathologies.


Spatial evolutionary game theory explains how cooperative traits can survive the intense competition in biological systems. If the spatial distribution allows cooperators to interact with each other frequently, the benefits of cooperation will outweigh the losses due to exploitation by selfish organisms. However, for a cooperative behavior to get established in a system, it needs to be found initially in a sufficiently large cluster to allow a high frequency of intracooperator interactions. Since mutations are rare events, this poses the question of how cooperation can arise in a biological system in the first place. We present a simple model which captures two concepts from genetics that can explain how evolution overcomes the emergence problem. The first concept is, often in nature, a gene may not express its phenotype except under specific environmental conditions, rendering it to be a "silent" gene. The second key idea is that a neutral gene, one that does not harm or improve an organism's survival chances, can still spread through a population if it is physically near to another gene that is positively selected. Through these two ideas, our model offers a possible solution to the fundamental problem of emergence of cooperation in biological systems.


Various real-world multiobjective optimization problems are dynamic, requiring evolutionary algorithms (EAs) to be able to rapidly track the moving Pareto front of an optimization problem once an environmental change occurs. To this end, several methods have been developed to predict the new location of the moving Pareto set (PS) so that the population can be reinitialized around the predicted location. In this paper, we present a multidirectional prediction strategy to enhance the performance of EAs in solving a dynamic multiobjective optimization problem (DMOP). To more accurately predict the moving location of the PS, the population is clustered into a number of representative groups by a proposed classification strategy, where the number of clusters is adapted according to the intensity of the environmental change. To examine the performance of the developed algorithm, the proposed prediction strategy is compared with four state-of-the-art prediction methods under the framework of particle swarm optimization as well as five popular EAs for dynamic multiobjective optimization. Our experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can effectively tackle DMOPs.


We analyzed the clinical and pathological features of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients treated with cabozantinib stratified by body mass index (BMI). We retrospectively collected data from 16 worldwide centers involved in the treatment of RCC. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier curves. Cox proportional models were used at univariate and multivariate analyses. We collected data from 224 patients with advanced RCC receiving cabozantinib as second- (113, 5%) or third-line (111, 5%) therapy. The median PFS was significantly higher in patients with BMI ≥ 25 (9.9 vs. 7.6 months, p < 0.001). The median OS was higher in the BMI ≥ 25 subgroup (30.7 vs. 11.0 months, p = 0.003). As third-line therapy, both median PFS (9.2 months vs. 3.9 months, p = 0.029) and OS (39.4 months vs. 11.5 months, p = 0.039) were longer in patients with BMI ≥ 25. BMI was a significant predictor for both PFS and OS at multivariate analysis. We showed that a BMI ≥ 25 correlates with longer survival in patients receiving cabozantinib. BMI can be easily assessed and should be included in current prognostic criteria for advanced RCC.


A phenomenological study was carried out on laminated carbon fibre-reinforced polymer composites subjected to constant amplitude fatigue loading. Visualization of damage progression was performed using a high-resolution Skyscan micro-computed tomography unit which provided detailed information on propagation of initially occurring cracks throughout fatigue life at specific intervals. Quantitative analysis of image sequences of virtual cross-sections throughout the three orthogonal planes of the sample resulted in defining fatigue crack growth rates, da/dn for each plane, which was interpreted in terms of the three damage modes: opening (mode I), in-plane shear (mode II) and out-of-plane shear (mode III). By applying linear elastic fracture mechanics laws, strain energy release rates were calculated and then used in a cohesive zone model formulation to define model parameters. Considering a bi-linear triangular cohesive zone model curve, maximum traction and maximum separation were calculated for each of the three damage modes, differentiating between modes II and III in a novel manner.


This study spatially estimated degraded lands in Indonesia that have limited functions for food production, carbon storage, and conservation of biodiversity and native vegetation and examined their suitability to grow biodiesel species (Calophyllum inophyllum, Pongamia pinnata, and Reutealis trisperma) and biomass species (Calliandra calothyrsus and Gliricidia sepium). Results showed ~3.5 million ha of degraded lands potentially suitable for these species in Indonesia. With the all-five-species scenario, these lands had the potential to produce 1105 PJ year−1 of biomass and 3 PJ year−1 of biodiesel. With the biodiesel-only-species scenario, these lands showed the potential to produce 10 PJ year−1 of biodiesel. Despite this energy potential, however, the land sizes were too small to support economies of scale for biofuel production. The study findings contribute to identifying lands with limited functions, modeling the growth of biofuel species on regional lands, and estimating carbon stocks of restored degraded lands in Indonesia.


The quantitative correlation between strength, ductility and precipitate microstructures in the vicinity of grain boundaries with precipitate free zones (PFZ) was evaluated for Al-Zn-Mg(-Ag, Cu) alloys using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), three-dimensional atom probe (3DAP) and tensile test. In the Al-Zn-Mg ternary and Cu-added alloys aged at 433K, larger widths of PFZ were observed by TEM and resulted in lower elongations to fracture, independent of the size of grain boundary precipitates. On the other hand, the elongation of the Ag-added alloy was higher, if compared at the same levels of proof stress, due to the much smaller width of PFZ. This strongly suggests that PFZ is harmful to fracture of the investigated alloys. From a 3DAP analysis, furthermore, it was revealed that Ag and Cu atoms are incorporated in the nanoclusters from the initial stage of aging. In this work, the elongation was well correlated to the width of PFZ, size of grain boundary precipitates and the level of proof stress, enabling to predict ductility of the alloys from known microstructural factors.