Uniform interpolation and the dual task of forgetting restrict the ontology to a specified subset of concept and role names. This makes them useful tools for ontology analysis, ontology evolution and information hiding. Most previous research focused on uniform interpolation of TBoxes. However, especially for applications in privacy and information hiding, it is essential that uniform interpolation methods can deal with ABoxes as well. We present the first method that can compute uniform interpolants of any ALC ontology with ABoxes. ABoxes bring their own challenges when computing uniform interpolants, possibly requiring disjunctive statements or nominals in the resulting ABox. Our method can compute representations of uniform interpolants in ALCO. An evaluation on realistic ontologies shows that these uniform interpolants can be practically computed, and can often even be presented in pure ALC.


The fate of particulate matter in the ocean is determined in large part by its size and settling rate. Disaggregation, caused by turbulence-induced shear, acts to fracture or erode large particles into slower-settling sub-aggregates and primary particles. The strength and breakup response of organic marine aggregates (i.e. marine snow particles consisting of phytoplankton) is poorly understood, limiting our ability to accurately predict marine particle transport effects on the global carbon cycle. A study was conducted to enable the investigation of disaggregation effects on these organic marine particle aggregates. Due to the fragile nature of the Phytoplankton cells and their resulting aggregates, test facilities that do not rely on external sampling or pumps are required. A novel rolling aggregation tank was developed that can both aggregate phytoplankton cells under varying hydrodynamic conditions and then expose them to calibrated shear forces using laminar oscillating flow. The theory behind the operation of this tank is presented along with the necessary operating conditions to create stable regions within the tank where particle settling effects are minimal but shear is still representative of values expected in the open ocean. Phytoplankton was cultured in the laboratory to create simulated marine snow particles in the open ocean for disaggregation experiments. The procedure to calculate and track the shear-history of each aggregate is described and how the data generated from this facility will be used to quantify disaggregation parameters relevant for population balance modeling is discussed.


We have investigated the role of phorbol esters on different biological effects induced by insulin in muscle, such as activation of system A transport activity, glucose utilization and insulin receptor function. System A transport activity was measured by monitoring the uptake of the system A-specific analogue alpha-(methyl)aminoisobutyric acid (MeAIB), by intact rat extensor digitorum longus muscle. The addition of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA, 0.5 microM) for 60 or 180 min did not modify basal MeAIB uptake by muscle, suggesting that insulin signalling required to stimulate MeAIB transport does not involve protein kinase C activation. However, TPA added 30 min before insulin (100 nM) markedly inhibited insulin-stimulated MeAIB uptake. The addition of polymyxin B (0.1 mM) or H-7 (1 mM), protein kinase C inhibitors, alone or in combination with TPA leads to impairment of insulin-stimulated MeAIB uptake. This paradoxical pattern is incompatible with a unique action of Polymyxin B or H-7 on protein kinase C activity. Therefore these agents are not suitable tools with which to investigate whether a certain insulin effect is mediated by protein kinase C. TPA did not cause a generalized inhibition of insulin action. Thus both TPA and insulin increased 3-O-methylglucose uptake by muscle, and their effects were not additive. Furthermore, TPA did not modify insulin-stimulated lactate production by muscle. In keeping with this selective modification of insulin action, treatment of muscles with TPA did not modify insulin receptor binding or kinase activities. In conclusion, phorbol esters do not mimic insulin action on system A transport activity; however, they markedly inhibit insulin-stimulated amino acid transport, with no modification of insulin receptor function in rat skeletal muscle. It is suggested that protein kinase C activation causes a selective post-receptor modification on the biochemical pathway by which insulin activates system A amino acid transport in muscle.


This monograph was written as a result of joint research work done by colleagues from the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ljubljana and from the Faculty of Teacher Education at the University of Rijeka. It was created within the framework of the research project "Teachers' professional development: status, personality and transversal competencies". The text is focused on the professional development of teachers from the perspective of needs that teachers identify for the quality performance of their work, and from the perspective of how they assess their competencies in different areas of professional activity. The authors were especially interested in teacher competences for developing the students' (so-called) transversal competencies. They are becoming a necessity in the modern world and are one of the fundamental goals we want to reach with education (for example, developing metacognitive skills, critical thinking, accepting differences in inclusive environments). Special attention is given to analysing the reputation of the teaching profession in the society from the perspective of teachers themselves. The results are presented comparatively for Slovenia and Croatia, which brings us interesting insights and brings forward new questions. The two countries are geographically close and have a similar system of upbringing and education. On the other hand, the differences in culture and in social values, as well as in the amount of financial resources the countries intend for education, point to numerous differences.


Acid-base titrations of cowpea chlorotic mottle virus and its protein suggest that when the virus changes from the compact pH 6.o, 88 S form to the ' swollen' pH 7"o, 78 S form a series of changes in the dissociation constants of several amino acid residues is initiated. One such change probably occurs slowly and involves several basic amino acids and this is used to explain the hysteresis observed between acidic and basic titrations. Homoconjugate hydrogen-bonded carboxylic acid groups are probably involved in the swelling process and at least one of these on each sub-unit is detected by displacement of its single associated proton with magnesium. If magnesium is present, the hysteresis between acidic and basic titrations is not found. These observations are discussed in terms of the reversible configurational change undergone by the virus. Electrophoretic data suggest that the ratio of basic to acidic amino acids is greater on the surfaces of the protein subunits buried in the capsid rather than on the surface exposed externally on the capsid.


Pawn is an alternative for people who experience economic problems but do not want to lose their valuable possessions. The pawn can be done in the pawnshop as well as other financial institutions that provide pawn services. In Islam, the pawn is known as Ar-Rahn, which is to hold one of the borrower's assets from the loan he received. In a sharia pawnshop, the auction system applies to customers, if the customer is unable to pay his debt after maturity. The sale of liens after maturity is legal. That, according to the purpose of the understanding of the nature of the pawning itself, that is, as a trustee of a debt to be fulfilled. If the debtor is unable to pay the debt, the pawned goods can be sold to pay the debt, by representing the seller to a fair and trusted person. Auction according to sharia must also be able to be accounted for in Islamic law, which is free from the elements of gharar, maisir, usury and bathil.


Cholecystectomy is the most commonly performed operation worldwide. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the gold standard treatment of gall stones today. Over the decades the complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy has decreased but gall bladder perforation and bile spillage is still a significant problem. The lost gall stones can lead to abscess formation both intra-abdominal and intraparietal. Rarely the port sites may harbor malignancy, which is the most feared of all complications. So gall bladder perforation and bile or gall stone spillage should be properly documented.


An isocratic reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic method with UV absorbance detection was developed for quantification of clozapine in rat serum.This method involves a single solvent extraction step with ethylacetate. Celecoxib served as the Internal standard. The analytes were separated by HPLC using C18 Wakosil II RS (SGE) analytical column (5 μm particle size; 250'4.6 mm ID). Mobile phase comprised of methanol-water-triethylamine (75:25:0.5, v/v/v). The eluent was monitored at 254 nm by UV absorbance detection. Retention times of clozapine and celecoxib were 10.5 and 7.9 min, respectively. The mean absolute recovery value was about 75.8 to 79.9 %, while the intra day and inter day coefficient of variation values were in the range of 2.1 to 5.7 %.The calibration was linear over a concentration range of 100-4000 ng/ml. Accuracy ranged from 96.8 to 99.7 %.The method was used to study the pharmacokinetics of clozapine after an intravenous bolus (10 mg/kg) and oral (20 mg/kg) administration of clozapine solution to rats.


BACKGROUND
Healthcare workers are habitually in direct contact with patients, possible carriers of infectious diseases and with potentially infectious biological materials; therefore, the implementation of standard precautions and good working practices represent an intervention strongly recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and required by Italian law, for the prevention of professional cut wounds. The study focused on assessing the exposure frequency and factors related to biological injuries among healthcare workers in a teaching hospital in Palermo, Italy.

METHODS
We performed a 14-years retrospective descriptive analysis on blood and body fluids exposures in healthcare workers, documented by questionnaires administered at the time of injury and by data collected during the follow-up period. The questionnaire included questions concerning personal data (age, sex), job position (role, employment contract, ward), biological exposure (type of exposure, devices used and circumstance of blood and body fluids exposure), precautions adopted (personal protecting equipment, safety devices) and vaccination status.

RESULT
A total amount of 899 healthcare workers was investigated. The incidence rate per 100 beds was 10.7. Frequency of exposure to blood and body fluids among healthcare workers was 35.3% in nurses, 31.7% in physicians, 17.6% in students. The mean age of injured healthcare workers was 36 years. The most common blood and body fluids exposures were represented by needlestick injury (76.2%), splash and spill (15.0%) and sharp (8.3%). 585 out of 685 percutaneous exposures were caused by needles (syringe, peripheral venous catheter, butterfly needles, etc.) and occurred mainly to nurses (N=224, 38.3%), physicians (N=184, 31.4% of whom resident physicians=122, 20.1% and hospital doctors=62, 10.6%), students (N=96, 16.4%) and auxiliary personnel (N=77, 13.1%). No seroconversion among exposed healthcare workers was recorded in the whole survey period. Twenty-four healthcare workers (2.6%) received post-exposure prophylaxis against Hepatitis B Virus.

CONCLUSION
To our knowledge, this is the first long-term survey on blood and body fluids exposure in Southern Italy. Nurses are the most commonly affected group by biological injuries. Resident physicians and students follow the nurses probably due to a lack of training and experience about biological risk. These last two groups, however, seem to have more awareness of blood and body fluids exposures to which they are susceptible during their training cycle; in fact, they mostly use personal protective equipment compared to other healthcare workers. The blood and body fluids exposures are a preventable and a major occupational hazard in healthcare. This focus highlights the need for interventions to enhance the occupational safety of workers and students.


Part I Effet of N and C-sources on Growth, of Vibrio Cholera Using the 3 strains of Vibrio cholera as test organisms, the original strain (INABA's strain), the intermediate variant strain (HIKOZIMA's strain) and the variant strain (OGAWA's strain), the author studied the effect of N- and C-sources on growth of these microorganisms, and obtained the following results. 1) The intermediate variant strain could be cultured by serial transfers on the madia containing glutamate as N-source and did not need other C-source or vitamins for its growth. While the other 2 strains, the original and the variant strains, could not be cultred successfully without the addition of yest extract into the media. Also these 2 strains could be cultured by serial transfers on the media containing peptone or casein hydrolysate instead of yeast extract, but failed to grow on the madia containing some dozen species of amino acids. 2) An acceleration effect on growth of the microorganisms was not so remarkable as in the case of other bacteria by the addition of C-sources except lactate. Although the addition of lactate showed the acceleration effect fairly well, contrarily that of glucose acted rather inhibitory on the growth. This evidence was possibly arisen from a decrease of pH of the media being caused by the oxidation of glucose. Part 2 Amino Acids Metabolism of Resting Cells Using the 3 strains of Vibrio chlera as in the preceding paper, Part I, the author studied on the oxidation and the convertion of amino acids by these microorganisms and obtained the following results. 1) All the microorganisms tested showed an accelerated O2-uptake at the expense of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, alanine and cysteine as substrate; but showed rather small O(2)-uptake at the other amino acids. 2) The optimum pH was found to be at about 7.0 on the oxidation of aspartic acid, glutamic acid and alanine. And the amino acids mentioned here were oxidized through deamination at the pH ranging 5.0 to 8.0. 3) The convertion of the amino acids from these mentioned above to the others was carried out more successfully by these microorganisms compared with the other. 4) Concerns about the fate of oysteine, it was supposed this amino acid would be undergone in the first place a deamination and a desulfhydration resulting in pyruvate. 5) Though tryptophanase activity was observed to some extent on the bacterial cells harvested from media just before test, the activity was raised adaptatively by the shaking of the resting cell suspension in the presence of tryptophane. However, this adaptation of microorganisms was inhibited with the addition of glucose.


We now communicate in ways that are very different from those available just a decade ago. The iPhone, iPad, and similar devices also enable us to observe ourselves as we perform any number of activities. These and other new devices may have an application their designers never considered.


This article is devoted to the study of spectral optimisation for inhomogeneous plates. In particular, we optimise the first eigenvalue of a vibrating plate with respect to its thickness and/or density. Our result is threefold. First, we prove existence of an optimal thickness, using fine tools hinging on topological properties of rearrangement classes. Second, in the case of a circular plate, we provide a characterisation of this optimal thickness by means of Talenti inequalities. Finally, we prove a stability result when assuming that the thickness and the density of the plate are linearly related. This proof relies on H-convergence tools applied to biharmonic operators.


This thesis proposes different methods to reduce the computational complexity as well as increasing the adaptation rate of adaptive broadband beamformers. This is performed exemplarily for the generalised sidelobe canceller (GSC) structure. The GSC is an alternative implementation of the linearly constrained minimum variance beamformer, which can utilise well-known adaptive filtering algorithms, such as the least mean square (LMS) or the recursive least squares (RLS) to perform unconstrained adaptive optimisation. A direct DFT implementation, by which broadband signals are decomposed into frequency bins and processed by independent narrowband beamforming algorithms, is thought to be computationally optimum. However, this setup fail to converge to the time domain minimum mean square error (MMSE) if signal components are not aligned to frequency bins, resulting in a large worst case error. To mitigate this problem of the so-called independent frequency bin (IFB) processor, overlap-save based GSC beamforming structures have been explored. This system address the minimisation of the time domain MMSE, with a significant reduction in computational complexity when compared to time-domain implementations, and show a better convergence behaviour than the IFB beamformer. By studying the effects that the blocking matrix has on the adaptive process for the overlap-save beamformer, several modifications are carried out to enhance both the simplicity of the algorithm as well as its convergence speed. These modifications result in the GSC beamformer utilising a significantly lower computational complexity compare to the time domain approach while offering similar convergence characteristics. In certain applications, especially in the areas of acoustics, there is a need to maintain constant resolution across a wide operating spectrum that may extend across several octaves. To attain constant beamwidth is difficult, particularly if uniformly spaced linear sensor array are employed for beamforming, since spatial resolution is reciprocally proportional to both the array aperture and the frequency. A scaled aperture arrangement is introduced for the subband based GSC beamformer to achieve near uniform resolution across a wide spectrum, whereby an octave-invariant design is achieved. This structure can also be operated in conjunction with adaptive beamforming algorithms. Frequency dependent tapering of the sensor signals is proposed in combination with the overlap-save GSC structure in order to achieve an overall frequency-invariant characteristic. An adaptive version is proposed for frequency-invariant overlap-save GSC beamformer. Broadband adaptive beamforming algorithms based on the family of least mean squares (LMS) algorithms are known to exhibit slow convergence if the input signal is correlated. To improve the convergence of the GSC when based on LMS-type algorithms, we propose the use of a broadband eigenvalue decomposition (BEVD) to decorrelate the input of the adaptive algorithm in the spatial dimension, for which an increase in convergence speed can be demonstrated over other decorrelating measures, such as the Karhunen-Loeve transform. In order to address the remaining temporal correlation after BEVD processing, this approach is combined with subband decomposition through the use of oversampled filter banks. The resulting spatially and temporally decorrelated GSC beamformer provides further enhanced convergence speed over spatial or temporal decorrelation methods on their own.


Background Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are a major burden in healthcare. The scientific literature indicates that women tend to have a higher risk of ADRs than men due to differences in pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and drug use. Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the gender related differences in ADRs between the sexes in an Italian populations during a 15 year period of observation. Material and methods Data were obtained from the Italian National Network of Pharmacovigilance and we focused our attention on ADRs in the period between 2001 and 2016. We identified the ATC (Anatomic, Therapeutic, Chemical Classification) most reported ADRs, seriousness of ADRs and sex. Results During the observation period, we collected 341 599 ADRs: woman had a higher risk of ADRs, especially after the first 2 years (55.4%). Severe ADRs were more frequent in women than in men (54% versus 46%). In contrast, the frequency of death was higher in men than in women (54% versus 46%). Major toxicity was reported for this ATC: H03AA, thyroid hormones, women 80%-men 20%; J01CA, broad-spectrum penicillins, women 57%-men 43%; J01CR associations of penicillins, including beta-lactamase inhibitors, women 57%-men 43%; J05AE, protease inhibitors, women 26%-men 74%; J05AF reverse transcriptase inhibitors nucleoside, women 33%-men 67%; J07BB, flu vaccines, women 59%-men 41%; M01AB anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic drugs acetic acid derivatives and related substances, women 61%-men 39%; M01AC anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic drugs oxicam derivatives, women 64%-men 36%; M01AE anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic drugs propionic acid derivatives, women 58%-men 42%; M01AH anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic drugs coxibs, women 72%-men 28%; N05BA anxiolytic benzodiazepine derivatives, women 61%-men 39%; N06AB antidepressants selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, women 64%-men 36%; P01BA antimalarials aminochinolines, women 58%-men 42%. Conclusion Previous data suggested that ADRs are more frequent and severe in women than in men but death mainly occurred in men. These data indicate the need to include women in clinical studies and the importance of monitoring ADRs to ensure safer drug therapy. References and/or acknowledgements Stefano Stabile, et al. Gender difference as risk factor for adverse drug reactions: data analysis in salvini hospital.pharmacologyonline.silae.it Ferioli B, et al. A gender pharmacovigilance study in Tuscany Region. No conflict of interest


The genetic basis for the hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer syndrome is germ-line inactivating mutation in the gene for the Krebs/tricarboxylic acid cycle enzyme, fumarate hydratase (FH), the enzyme that converts fumarate to malate. These individuals are predisposed to development of leiomyomas of the skin and uterus as well as highly aggressive kidney cancers. Inhibition of FH should result in significant decrease in oxidative phosphorylation necessitating that glycolysis followed by fermentation of pyruvate to lactate will be required to provide adequate ATP as well as to regenerate NAD+. Moreover, FH deficiency is known to up-regulate expression of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α by enhancing the stability of HIF transcript. This leads to activation of various HIF-regulated genes including vascular endothelial growth factor and glucose transporter GLUT1 and increased expression of several glycolytic enzymes. Because lactate dehydrogenase-A (LDH-A), also a HIF-1α target, promotes fermentative glycolysis (conversion of pyruvate to lactate), a step essential for regenerating NAD+, we asked whether FH-deficient cells would be exquisitely sensitive to LDH-A blockade. Here, we report that hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer tumors indeed overexpress LDH-A, that LDH-A inhibition results in increased apoptosis in a cell with FH deficiency and that this effect is reactive oxygen species mediated, and that LDH-A knockdown in the background of FH knockdown results in significant reduction in tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(3):626–35]


Antioxidant preparation "Aekol" containing vitamins A, E, and K3, was shown to possess antidepressant properties and to exert a prophylactic effect on behavioural (psychoemotional) disturbances induced by a chronic stress in rats: a depressive condition associated with an enhanced anxiety, elimination of individual differences in behaviour, weakening of the relationships among behavioural parameters recorded in the same animal in three different tests.


Often, economic policies are directed toward outcomes that are measured as counts. Examples of economic variables that use a basic counting scale are number of children as an indicator of fertility, number of doctor visits as an indicator of health care demand, and number of days absent from work as an indicator of employee shirking. Several econometric methods are available for analyzing such data, including the Poisson and negative binomial models. They can provide useful insights that cannot be obtained from standard linear regression models. Estimation and interpretation are illustrated in two empirical examples.


Nature always stands as a golden mark to exemplify the outstanding phenomena of symbiosis. In the western world, as the people are becoming aware of the potency and side effect of synthetic drugs, there is an increasing interest in the natural product remedies with a basic approach towards the nature. Throughout the history of mankind, many infectious diseases have been treated with herbals. A number of scientific investigations have highlighted the importance and the contribution of many plant families i.e. Asteraceae, Liliaceae, Apocynaceae, Solanaceae, Caesalpinaceae, Rutaceae, Piperaceae, Sapotaceae used as medicinal plants. Medicinal plants play a vital role for the development of new drugs. The bioactive extract should be standardized on the basis of active compound. The bioactive extract should undergo safety studies. Almost, 70% modern medicines in India are derived from natural products. Medicinal plants play a central role not only as traditional medicines but also as trade commodities, meeting the demand of distant markets. India has a very small share (1.6%) of this ever-growing global market. To compete with the growing market, there is urgency to expeditiously utilize and scientifically validate more medicinally useful plants.


The fraction of absorbed photosynthetic active radiation (FAPAR) is an important input for modelling biomass increase and agricultural yield and can be calculated based on optical remote sensing data. In this study two remote sensing based approaches to derive the FAPAR for irrigated cotton in Fergana valley, Uzbekistan, are tested and compared: (i) FAPAR rescale from the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) ("percentile approach"), and (ii) an empirical regression approach based on NDVI. In the rescaling approach FAPAR was derived by relating upper and lower percentiles derived from the NDVI distribution of cotton fields from the entire study area to fixed FAPAR minima (bare soil) and maxima. NDVI was derived from multi-temporal 6.5 m RapidEye data acquired throughout 2011. For the regression approach FAPAR data was collected in situ from cotton fields during the vegetation season. The percentile approach delivered an RMSE of 0.10 whilst regression was only slightly better with an RMSE of 0.07. Hence, the percentile approach could be concluded as being a fast and easy alternative to field data demanding empirical regressions for the derivation of FAPAR on cotton fields.


Most real systems are subjected to constraints, both on the available control effort and the controlled variables. Classical linear feedback is in some cases not enough for such systems. This has motivated the development of a more complicated, nonlinear controller, called model predictive control, MPC. The idea in MPC is to repeatedly solve optimization problems on-line in order to calculate control inputs that minimize some performance measure evaluated over a future horizon.MPC has been very successful in practice, but there are still considerable gaps in the theory. Not even for linear systems does there exist a unifying stability theory, and robust synthesis is even less understood.The thesis is basically concerned with two different aspects of MPC applied to linear systems. The first part is on the design of terminal state constraints and weights for nominal systems with all states avaliable. Adding suitable terminal state weights and constraints to the original performance measure is a way to guarantee stability. However, this is at the cost of possible loss of feasibility in the optimization. The main contribution in this part is an approach to design the constraints so that feasibility is improved, compared to the prevailing method in the literature. In addition, a method to analyze the actual impact of ellipsoidal terminal state constraints is developed.The second part of the thesis is devoted to synthesis of MPC controllers for the more realistic case when there are disturbances acting on the system and there are state estimation errors. This setup gives an optimization problem that is much more complicated than in the nominal case. Typically, when disturbances are incorporated into the performance measure with minimax (worst-case) formulations, NP-hard problems can arise. The thesis contributes to the theory of robust synthesis by proposing a convex relaxation of a minimax based MPC controller. The framework that is developed turns out to be rather flexible, hence allowing various extensions.


With the development of integration of world economy, English as a main communicative language, it has already become Chinese second learning language, however due to Chinese education system and English education have differences, it leads to China's cultivation on university students' English competence lacking of practicability. In order to find out solutions and University English standard linguistic competence evaluation system in new environment, the paper according to analytic hierarchy process, in case considering practicability, professional needs, the need for exchange and improve selfcultivation as well as other influence factors, it gets China universities English standard linguistic competence evaluation main evaluation criterion proportions, that oral English ability, English reading ability and English understanding and application ability proportions are respectively 0.353,0.314 and 0.333. Thereupon, after English education environment changing, adapt to its characteristics, it gets University English standard linguistic competence evaluation indicators are oral English ability, reading ability as well as understanding and application ability. Therefore, when evaluating university English standard linguistic competence, it should focus on the three indicators to establish evaluation system.


The authors discuss a two-model multilayer neural network controller for adaptive control of mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) using sodium nitroprusside. A model with an autoregressive moving average (ARMA), representing the dynamics of the system, and a modified backpropagation training algorithm are used to design the control system to meet specified objectives of design (settling time and undershoot/overshoot) and clinical constraints. The controller is associated with a weighting-determinant unit (WDU) to determine and update the output weighting factor of the parallel two-model neural network for adequate control action and a control-signal modification unit (CMU) to comply with clinical constraints and to suppress the effect of adverse noise and to improve the WDU performance. Extensive computer simulations indicate satisfactory performance and robustness of the proposed controller in the presence of much noise, over the full range of plant parameters, uncertainties, and large variations of parameters.


Quality drinking water is of basic importance to human physiology and man's continued existence depends much on its availability. Water samples from different outlets and homes in Ado Odo - Ota Local Government, Ogun state, Nigeria were analyzed for their microbiological and physiochemical properties. Total viable count was assessed by the pour plate technique, while physiochemical evaluations was carried out using Standard Chemical Methods such as pH analysis, physical appearances, Total Dissolved Solid (TDS), as well as tests for chloride, sulphate, calcium, zinc and oxidizable substances. All the water samples were found to harbor coliforms in numbers greater than the required World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) standards for water. The total viable counts for all the water samples were generally high, exceeding the limit of 1.0 × 102 cfu/ml for water, while all the samples tested passed the physicochemical tests except the test for chloride.


In order to know whether the ICT rotary detecting table can achieve its work requests, performance and structure characteristics of ICT scanning worktable are analyzed. In view of the rotary detecting table turning motion, the method of finite element is used to do dynamic analysis. According to the structure and working features of the rotary detecting table, it is modeled. Then, in terms of the actual operating mode, the model is done the analysis of modal and transient dynamic. The deformation curve figures and dynamic response curve figures are received. By deformation analysis and stress analysis, the dynamic performance of this structure meets design requirements.


As the 'voice with a smile', the telephone operator was the human interface for a complex telecommunications infrastructure, recalling voices, conversing with customers, and carrying out requests. Such service had to combine cognitive and affective labor in a way that felt natural. Drawing on workers memoirs, training manuals, and managerial rhetoric between 1890 and 1940—an era of taylorist rationalization—the article tracks how the operator highlighted the limits of such rationalization. Rather than the mold of management, the operator required a more supple regime of self-management. This labor form initiated a shift from a prescriptive, mechanical worker to a more holistic, self-directed model. Anticipating by several decades Foucault's 'technologies of the self' and Rose's 'enterprise of the self', these theories nevertheless provide insight into this more flexible, more economic form of power. The operator thus provides a precursor for the contemporary subject who must also deftly combine cognitive and affective labor into an always-on, always-improving performance. In setting goals, auditing activity and integrating feedback, self-management proves more effective than any managerial intervention.


This paper deals with the dielectric relaxation in glycerol at different temperatures (down to 25 K) for protracted periods of time. Two relaxation maxima were observed. The peak at lower frequencies was ascribed to the relaxation alpha-process of glycerol proper; the peak at higher frequencies differed in samples from different manufacturers, so that it represents rather a relaxation peak associated with contaminants and not the true beta-process in glycerol. The alpha-process was considerably masked by the conductivity component. During a long-time exposure of glycerol to a low constant temperature, the relaxation spectrum shifts with increasing time to lower frequencies, reaching a steady position after about 20 hours.


BACKGROUND
Second-hand smoke (SHS) constitutes a significant public health threat in countries with a high smoking prevalence. However, data assessing the quality of indoor air at public venues in Pakistan are limited.

OBJECTIVES
To measure mean concentrations of PM(2.5) (particulate matter ≤2.5 microns in diameter), a sensitive indicator of SHS, in hospitality venues in Pakistan.

SETTING AND DESIGN
Data were collected discreetly from 39 indoor venues such as cafes, restaurants and shisha (water-pipe) bars from three major cities in Pakistan. Data were recorded using a portable air quality monitoring device.

RESULTS
The overall mean PM(2.5) value for the visited venues was 846 μg/m(3) (95%CI 484-1205). The mean PM(2.5) value was 101 μg/m(3) (95%CI 69-135 μg/m(3)) for non-smoking venues, 689 μg/m(3) (95%CI 241-1138) for cigarette smoking venues and 1745 μg/m(3) (95%CI 925-2565) for shisha smoking venues.

CONCLUSION
The significant levels of SHS recorded in this study, in particular from shisha smoking venues, could represent a major public health burden in Pakistan. Appropriate legislation needs to be enforced to protect the health of those exposed to the hazards of second-hand tobacco smoke.


Since movement is an important characteristic of micro-motile cells, the development of microscopic movement tracking techniques is in urgent demand. To meet this need, applications of open source software Image-J in microscopic movement tracking were illustrated with examples. Movement track reconstruction was performed in both circular and linear movement patterns. The algorithms of real time radius, VCL (curvilinear velocity), VAP (average path velocity), VSL (straight line velocity), and other descriptive parameters using original coordinate values were developed and/or explained. Microscopic movement tracking can now be conducted at low cost using Image-J. Moreover, the algorithms can be easily controlled to fit users' study purpose.


Fibroepithelial stromal polyps are site-specific mesenchymal lesions that typically occur in women of reproductive age group and present more commonly in vagina than cervix or vulva. These polyps usually do not grow larger than 5 cm in diameter and are most commonly identified during routine gynecological examination. Although benign, sometimes their clinical features may overlap with those of malignant neoplasms so histopathological examination of the polyp is often necessary to make a definitive diagnosis.


Subband adaptive filters have been proposed to avoid the drawbacks of slow convergence and high computational complexity associated with time domain adaptive filters. However, subband processing causes signal degradations due to aliasing effects and amplitude distortions. This problem is unavoidable due to further filtering operations in subbands. In this letter, the problems of aliasing effect and amplitude distortion are studied. Prototype filters which are optimized with respect to those properties are designed and their performances are compared. Moreover, the effect of the number of subbands, the oversampling factors and the length of the prototype filter are also studied. Using the multicriteria formulation, all Pareto optimums are sought via the nonlinear programming technique. We find that the prototype filter designed via the Kaiser window provides the best overall performance among the methods we studied. Also, there is a critical oversampling factor beyond which the improvement of performance is diminishing. Finally, if the length of the prototype filter increases with the number of subbands, an increase in the number of subbands will not deteriorate the performance.


Phased retirement systems are considered to contribute to the policy objective of longer working careers. There are a wide range of instruments that enable the gradual transition between work and retirement such as the change of job content or a working time reduction. The impact of these systems on the effective retirement age is however still under investigation. In this chapter we present the Belgian career break system, a system that provides financial incentives for 50+ workers to reduce their working time by one fifth or by half. In order to assess the performance of the system against the objectives criteria like the coverage of the scheme, its costs and direct and indirect effects are considered. Besides the Belgian scheme the Dutch life-course scheme and some other types of phased retirement schemes are briefly described. We find that in general working time reduction is a valuable tool for experienced employees in order to keep them active. It is however clear that the policy implementation especially in case of the Belgian career break scheme needs to be reinforced in order to improve the results in terms of coverage (biased profile of participants) and in terms of increasing the effective retirement age of persons participating to the scheme.


SIR,-Your able correspondents have raised the questions of the when and by whom auscultatory percussion was discovered. As a little contribution to these inquiries perhaps you will kindly permit me to remind your readers that I gave a description of auscultatory percussion in my little book on " Physical Diagnosis," published in London in 1870, my account of this method of clinical examination being based upon my experience of its use in practice and in the teaching of medical students, and upon the description of auscultatory percussion given by Drs. Cammann and Clark, physicians of the United States of America, in the New York Journal of Medicine, and upon the account of their method given in the fifth edition of the late Sir William Aitken's admirable textbook on The Science and Practice of Medicime. Cammann and Clark declared that auscultatory percussion required two skilled persons to bring out the result, one to strike and one to auscultate. I found that the process might be managed by one person alone, and that the method had some demonstrative advantage, especially in the differentiation of the cardiac and hepatic boundaries.I am, etc, Birmingham, May 30th. JAMES SAWYER.


Background: The aim of this study was to construct a recombinant vector of human sperm specific VDAC3 gene for production of VDAC3 antibody, which is potential as male contraception vaccine. Methods: Target fragment sequence of VDAC3 gene was obtained through amplification of human sperm VDAC3 cDNA with primers covering exon 5 to exon 8. Its PCR product in size of 435 bp was cloned to the pET101/D-TOPO expression vector (5753 bp). E. coli bacteria were transformed with this vector. Cloning of VDAC3 fragment gene to the vector was confirmed by the using of XbaI restriction enzyme and PCR colony method with primers covering exons 5-8 of the human VDAC3 gene. Results: Alignment analysis of amplified fragment covering exon 5 to exon 8 of VDAC3 gene showed 94% homology to human VDAC3 gene from databank. After cloning to the expression vector and transformation to E. coli competent cells, twelve colonies could grow in culture media. Gel electrophoresis of sliced VDAC3 recombinant vector showed a single band in the size of 6181 bp in 8 colonies. After application of PCR colony and amplicon sequencing, the result showed a single band in the size of 435 bp and fragment sequence with 94% identity to human VDAC3 gene. Conclusion: The construction of human sperm specific VDAC3 gene recombinant vector was established in this study. In the future, this recombinant vector will be used to produce VDAC3 antibody for the development of a male contraception vaccine. (Med J Indones. 2012;21:61-5) Keywords: Contraception, recombinant vector, sperm, VDAC3


Research was supported in part by a Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.


Acute hydrops of the gall bladder has been reported in Kawasaki syndrome (KS) (Mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome/MCLS) as a major component of abdominal crises. We report 2 cases of KS where hydrops of the gall bladder was not associated with abdominal pain and was diagnosed by ultrasonography. In additional, one of these cases had ischemia involving the penoscrotal region secondary to vascular involvement.


Internet video is rapidly becoming the main mode of communication across the world. Education institutions can benefit tremendously by adopting smart ways of using Internet video. Old media, impacts on our thinking, but we should not perceive the interactive Internet video as linear TV, but rather explore it´s many potentials and rethink the video paradigm. In this article, we identify different Internet video set ups and approaches and discuss their usefulness in relation to objectives and target groups. We like to contribute both to the conceptual understanding of Internet video in educational contexts and to suggest useful designs for teacher practitioners based on our own development of education and technology in this area. Our discussion is focused around a suggested typology of educational videos and different narratives. The categorisations are not mutually exclusive; however we find this structure useful in order to highlight major features and distinctions of Internet video


Abstract In this study, we examined the cellular infectivity and ultrastructural changes due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the various cells of bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF) from intubated patients of different age groups (≥60 years and <60 years) and with common comorbidities such as diabetes, liver and kidney diseases, and malignancies. BALF of 79 patients (38 cases >60 and 41 cases <60 years) were studied by light microscopy, immunofluorescence, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy to evaluate the ultrastructural changes in the ciliated epithelium, type II pneumocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and anucleated granulocytes. This study demonstrated relatively a greater infection and better preservation of subcellular structures in these cells from BALF of younger patients (<60 years compared with the older patients (≥60 years). The different cells of BALF from the patients without comorbidities showed higher viral load compared with the patients with comorbidities. Diabetic patients showed maximum ultrastructural damage in BALF cells in the comorbid group. This study highlights the comparative effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the different airway and inflammatory cells of BALF at the subcellular levels among older and younger patients and in patients with comorbid conditions.


Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to shed light on organizational perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of engaging older volunteers, and on how they might best capitalize on the availability of older volunteers in different countries and sectors. Design/methodology/approach - The paper draws from 74 case studies of voluntary organizations carried out in eight European countries, conducted mainly between spring 2009 and autumn 2010. On-site interviews adopting common guidelines were carried out with organizational representatives. Findings - From the organizational perspectives, some disadvantages of engaging older volunteers are: difficulties matching older volunteers to tasks; problems relating to health and declining capacities; the need for special training efforts. Examples of perceived advantages are: considerable knowledge, skills, experience, reliability and strong commitment of older volunteers. In spite of the very different contexts, objectives and notions of "performance", cost-benefit assessments of older volunteers do not differ greatly from those generally held by employers about older employees. Countries differ considerably in the recognition of older volunteer potential. Practical implications - Organizational policies and initiatives to capitalize on the availability of older volunteers are examined in the paper. Country and sector-related reflections show how different and changing are the environments for volunteering. Policy makers need to recognise these when implementing active ageing policies. Voluntary organizations should raise their awareness of the need for innovation in volunteer management, especially relating to older people. Originality/value - There has been much research about the experiences of older volunteers and how they benefit from the operations of civil society organizations. The perceptions of the organizations have, however, been neglected and these are explored in this paper.


Day length is a key environmental cue regulating the timing of major developmental transitions in plants. For example, in perennial plants such as the long-lived trees of the boreal forest, exposure to short days (SD) leads to the termination of meristem activity and bud set (referred to as growth cessation). The mechanism underlying SD–mediated induction of growth cessation is poorly understood. Here we show that the AIL1-AIL4 (AINTEGUMENTALIKE) transcription factors of the AP2 family are the downstream targets of the SD signal in the regulation of growth cessation response in hybrid aspen trees. AIL1 is expressed in the shoot apical meristem and leaf primordia, and exposure to SD signal downregulates AIL1 expression. Downregulation of AIL gene expression by SDs is altered in transgenic hybrid aspen plants that are defective in SD perception and/or response, e.g. PHYA or FT overexpressors. Importantly, SD–mediated regulation of growth cessation response is also affected by overexpression or downregulation of AIL gene expression. AIL1 protein can interact with the promoter of the key cell cycle genes, e.g. CYCD3.2, and downregulation of the expression of D-type cyclins after SD treatment is prevented by AIL1 overexpression. These data reveal that execution of SD–mediated growth cessation response requires the downregulation of AIL gene expression. Thus, while early acting components like PHYA and the CO/FT regulon are conserved in day-length regulation of flowering time and growth cessation between annual and perennial plants, signaling pathways downstream of SD perception diverge, with AIL transcription factors being novel targets of the CO/FT regulon connecting the perception of SD signal to the regulation of meristem activity.


The Internet of Things is the biggest challenge and opportunity for the Internet today. An application of the IoT is a home automation system. The idea consists of IP-enabled embedded devices connected to the Internet using IPv6. The IETF added to this idea by defining 6LoWPAN as a technique to apply IPv6 to IEEE 802.15.4, a low-power wireless network standard. The existing home automation wireless technologies and products in the market do not meet the requirements of low power, resilience, IP-based, security and friendly use. With the goal of advance in this direction Thread is a simplified, IPv6-based mesh networking protocol developed for efficient communication between devices around the home. It connects to the internet and provides simple yet robust interface to the cloud. Thread stack is royalty-free but closed-documentation (payment). With the aim to make broadly available this to developers sharing their know-how, Nest released an open-source implementation of Thread protocol named OpenThread on May 2016 to make the technology used in its products available and accelerate the development of new devices for the connected home.The objective of the present study is to analyze this brand new coming technology, focusing on the released implementation and make some tests in a real platform describing where possible the routing details. The goal of the implementation phase is to have a working bench ready to test and validate some of the Thread functionalities specially the routing parameters and changes of topology. The implementation phase has been done using a hardware testbed. We address the configuration of the test scenario on both hardware and software levels. This allow us to develop some tests such as the basic connectivity between devices, checking the visibility of the nodes and the revision of the routing tables. Finally, through different captures, we will analyze the behavior after some changes of scenario. Performing these tests was very complex due to the lack of information that prevent us of making more advanced tests, especially those related to the routing and comparison with other protocols. Instead, we were able to perform some basic tests such as check connectivity, see routing tables, etc. With the current OpenThread implemented functionalities the next step could be study more thoroughly the part of the routing, as well as study upper layers such as commissioning roles in a Border Router, allowing to interact from outside the Thread network.


The flux and cross section of high energy neutrinos is an active area of research. Due to the expected low flux and cross section, interactions are rare and direct detection is ruled out. Large detector volumes with detection signals that can be observed from far away represent a reasonable and economical way to combat this problem. A currently popular detection strategy is to use a large, dense medium – such as ice – for the detector volume and radio antennas as the detectors. These radio antennas are sensitive to Cherenkov radiation produced via the Askaryan effect when a neutrino interacts in the detector volume. To determine the absolute amplitude of radio frequency (RF) emissions from high energy physics processes observed by Antarctic detectors, the bulk attenuation and surface reflection properties of Antarctic ice must be estimated. Neutrino experiments that intend to use polar ice as the detector volume must consider the depth-dependent attenuation length of the ice. Airborne experiments, such as the balloon-borne ANtarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA), additionally need to consider the effects of the ice-air transition for both refracted signals produced by neutrino collisions in ice and reflected signals generated by cosmic ray-induced extensive air showers (EAS). Combining radar depth sounding (RDS) data for the estimation of attenuation length with radar scatterometer measurements for the estimation of surface roughness, we seek to create Antarctica-wide attenuation models. Though models and estimates for attenuation and reflection are motivated by ANITA analysis, the methods and results should have general use for the treatment of radio frequency signals interacting with ice and similar media.


Purpose: This paper tries to investigate the rejuvenation of the children's section of public libraries in Kermanshah province (Iran) to increase the attraction of the users. Design/methodology/approach: The present study is a survey and has been conducted using cause and effect approach. A structured questionnaire was selected which validity and reliability were confirmed. The population included 3557 who were in the range of 6 to 13 years in the library of the studied area. The sample was 347 and using simple random method. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics including frequency, frequency percent, mean, variance, skewness, elongation and inferential statistics including simple linear regression. Findings: With regard to the descriptive findings of the study, the mean scores of "attracting users", "feeling of safe" and security", "environmental trim", "environmental factors" and "service sector" variables of the studied libraries are medium and upward, which means that the score of most respondents to the questionnaire is higher than the average. Moreover, the average of the living space of the surveyed libraries is moderate and it showed that the score of most respondents to the questionnaires is less than the mean. Results: The results of this study showed that there is a direct and significant relationship between feeling of security, library trimming, environmental factors and living and services spaces by attracting users of the library. The results of the study also indicated that the studied libraries are in a moderate situation and are far from the ideal rejuvenation library.


This study was performed in the College of Veterinary Medicine at AL-Anbar university, in order to determine the breeding season of Arabian sand gazelles (Reem gazelles) (Gazella subgutturosa). Thirteen healthy Reem gazelles (3 males and 10 females), in the age (2.5 -5) year, were purchased from Iraqi Natural Protected in Iraq. The seasonal estrus signs observed in the November 2010.The hormonal program began out of season on April 2011, all gazelles were non-pregnant. 10 female gazelles were divided into two groups: control group and treated group (5 for each group). Treated group were given intra-vaginal sponges (progestagen 60 mg), sponges removed after 11 days, subsequent by I/M injection of PMSG (Folligon, 400 IU). Treated females show elevated values of (Estradiol, FSH, and LH), after application of hormonal program. Gestation periods are fixed to range between (152-165) days .All births were recorded in October 2011, the newborn kids were alive, healthy, suckling milk normally 30 minutes post-parturition, and no congenital anomalies were detected. Two cases record twins and others show single births. Concluded that the Arabian sand gazelles (Reem gazelles) (Gazella subgutturosa) in Iraq was a seasonal animal, and the main breeding season in November.


In August 2010 the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE, summarising the results of the World Values 2005 survey, released them under the headline 'Religion is a women's issue'. Is atheism and secularity then, by contrast, an issue for men? It is tempting to answer the question positively when one looks at the names of the new atheist bestselling authors, or the names in the index lists in the back pages of books with reference to atheism, as well as the names of the researchers into atheism and secularity: they tend to be male much more often than female. In this paper I will examine the ways in which both religiosity and non-religiosity and atheism are gendered phenomena. I also look at feminists' views on religion by pointing out in which ways they intersect with the opinions of the new atheist texts. Because both (second wave) feminists and atheists consider religion from a relatively narrow point of view, I'll bring out the ways in which the contemporary study of religion defines, sees and studies religion and religiousness, while it takes the concept of gender seriously. I also discuss the seemingly indisputable fact which the statistics point to; namely that women tend to be more religious than men and men tend to be more often atheist than women (my examples are mostly from the Finnish context). I also present some models of explanation which scholars have applied to these problems.


The only alternative explanation to a bias would be that thromboembolic episodes produced in oral contraceptive users were more severe than those produced by pregnancy or the puerperium or in those who are suffering from so-called idiopathic thromboembolism. In the earlier paper' we showed that when patients who were pregnant were excluded the proportions in each category of severity for oral contraceptives and non-oral contraceptive users were similar, and supported the assumption that there was no overreporting or recording by general practitioners of thromboembolic disorders in patients on oral contraceptives compared with those not using oral contraceptives. We would stress that the estimates in our earlier study, and also in the present study by Drs. Vessey and Doll, are both based on relatively small numbers of patients in any one category. We feel that most of the difference in these two estimates is attributable to the increased admission rates for women on oral contraceptives, compared with those who are not using them, when they get a thromboembolic episode. The differences in the College study are certainly not due to any increased severity in these episodes in oral contraceptive users compared with non-oral contraceptive users.-We are, etc.,


Technology lawyers, intellectual property (IP) lawyers, or even any corporate lawyer with technology clients must understand standard essential patents (SEPs) and how their licensing works to effectively counsel their clients. Whether the client's technology is adopted into a voluntary standard or not may be the most important factor in determining whether the company succeeds or is left behind in the market. Yet even though understanding SEPs is critical to a technology or IP practice, voluntary standards and specifically SEPs are generally not taught in law school.

This article aims to address this deficiency and create more practice-ready law school graduates. The article is a Teaching Guide to a plug and play module designed to easily allow professors to insert teaching about SEPs into their IP or other commercial courses. It is particularly designed for professors who are unfamiliar with (or even intimidated by) the technical subject matter of SEPs. The Teaching Guide unlocks a number of helpful resources, available at the Penn Program on Regulation website (direct link on page 4). The resources together encompass a complete plan for the professor, using the recent seminal case of Microsoft v. Motorola - where licensing some SEPs went horribly wrong - to illustrate themes. Besides the Teaching Guide, the resources include a business school-style Case Study for students to read on the Microsoft case, recorded video interviews with the lead counsel for each party, the federal court judge for the case and his clerk, and other supporting materials. The Teaching Guide provides contextual background for the professor to explain SEPs and particularly this case, suggests a class discussion outline, lists discussion points and proposed "answers," includes prompts to spark public policy debates, and offers an extensive resources library for further study, including cases as well as articles. It even helps the professor accommodate longer or shorter sessions, calibrate to more or less outgoing classes, and adapt the module for use in many different kinds of classes, including IP classes, but also classes in remedies, contracts, federal courts and licensing, among others. By offering guidance but much flexibility, the Teaching Guide aspires to make incorporating this critical SEP subject matter into the law school curriculum straightforward and accessible.


As part of an integrated study of the regulation of carbon fixation in the offshore Mississippi River plume, we measured the rates of 15 N-labeled ammonium and nitrate uptake in the surface plume waters from offshore to nearshore along the plume axis towards the Mississippi Delta. Concentrations of nitrate in the plume ranged from 0.19 to 2.5 µM with the highest concentrations primarily in the shoreward stations, while ammonium ranged from 0.17 to 0.44 µM, showing little spatial variability. Rates of ammonium uptake ranged from 16.5 to 260 nM h -1 , and showed a strong trend of increasing values from offshore towards the Mississippi Delta. In contrast, nitrate uptake rates ranged from 3.2 to 25 nM h -1 . The high rates of ammonium uptake in the presence of low ammo- nium concentrations and elevated nitrate was made possible by elevated rates of ammonium re- generation that exceeded ammonium uptake by 1.7 to 5.7-fold in the plume. The plume exhibited relatively low f-ratios and also contained elevated levels of Synechococcus as determined by flow cytometry and high levels of form IA (α -cyanobacterial) rbcL transcripts. These data suggest that a major portion of the carbon fixation observed in the offshore Mississippi River plume represents recycled production supported by high rates of ammonium regeneration.


Field-sequential color (FSC) is a high optical throughput technique for future green liquid crystal displays (LCDs). However, the FSC-LCD faces a lethal issue, color breakup (CBU) which degrades image clarity and prevents high level LCD-TV productions. We proposed the "180 Hz Stencil Field-Sequential-Color" method to redistribute intensities of the three primary color field-images to suppress CBU. By applying local color-backlight-dimming technology to FSC-LCDs, a low resolution colorful backlight panel combined with a high resolution color filter-less LC panel generated a "green-based multi-color" field-image which showed the most image luminance in the first field. Therefore, residual red and blue field-image intensities were reduced and effectively suppressed CBU when compared to field-rate increasing methods. In addition, to further implement hardware, the number of backlight divisions of 32×24 and a proper Gaussian point spread function profile were optimized via simulations while considering CBU reduction and image fidelity. Using optimized hardware parameters, the CBU phenomenon was suppressed by 50% of traditional RGB driving in simulation and was demonstrated on a 120 Hz 46-inch MVA LCD-TV.


The paper provides a critical review of the archaeozoological information from Ghanaian sites published up to now and summarizes the new faunal analysis of several Gonja and Asante sites. The data suggest the persistence of the use of the various wild animal resources available and limited reliance on domestic animals since late prehistoric times up to today, although certain resources such as molluscs, insects etc. may have limited or no visibility. Intensive utilisation of edible wild resources may be prevalent in African woodlands.


Dermoid cysts arising from the head and neck region are rare, slow-growing, and well-circumscribed neoplasms. Symptoms are non-specific and usually related to the size and the location of the lesion. A dermoid cyst of the epiglottis is extremely rare. To the best of our knowledge, only one case has been previously reported in the English literature. In this study, a case of a dermoid cyst arising from the epiglottis was presented as an extremely rare clinical condition. The characteristics, differential diagnosis, and treatment of the disease are summarized.


In 2005 the St.Helens Education Action Zone decided to seek funding to provide a group of specially selected schools with an innovative and topical project to mark the Sixtieth Anniversary of the ending of World War Two.
The Home Front had been part of the National Curriculum History Programme and it was decided to aim the project at KS 2 children. The aim of the research was to create a book and a suite of performances which would support understanding and bring to life how local people lived in this period.
The first stages involved a consortium of creative artists discussing the format of the presentation alongside thirty individuals from Age Concern from Mansion house in Windle.
Karen Jaundrill-Scott and Geoff Bennett presented with a play that would look at various aspects of the period. A group of graduating students from Edge Hill University from the Drama Department assisted with the research and became part of the presentation. The research was transferred into a book outlining the project to act as a further resource for schools.

This approach was an exploration to capture the success of how children could learn from direct hands-on experience and how well they could assimilate and interpret this learning alongside a written narrative. The book outlining the project was produced and continues to be a resource for schools.


This study investigates how the auditory system integrates spatial information across frequency. In experiment one, discrimination thresholds for interaural time differences (ITDs) were measured as a function of both reference ITD and center frequency (CF) of noises with bandwidth of one ERB. In addition, discrimination thresholds were also measured as a function of CF for different values of interaural coherence (IC) typical of sounds in realistic acoustic environments. For both high ICs and small reference ITDs, discrimination thresholds were lowest for CFs between 700 and 1000 Hz. For smaller ICs and larger reference ITDs, this dominance region shifted towards lower CFs. A conceptual localization model was developed that used the variance of the ITD thresholds to optimally weight the contribution of the individual frequency bands before spectral integration. In experiment two the model was tested by asking listeners to align a broadband noise signal with an ITD that was fixed across frequency onto a broadband noise target with different ITDs in individual 1 ERB-wide subbands. The results were consistent with both the model predictions and the shift of dominance range observed in experiment one.


Multiparticle tracking with scanning confocal and multiphoton fluorescence imaging is increasingly important for elucidating biological function, as in the transport of intracellular cargo-carrying vesicles. We demonstrate a simple rapid-sampling stochastic scanning multifocal multiphoton microscopy (SS-MMM) fluorescence imaging technique that enables multiparticle tracking without specialized hardware at rates 1,000 times greater than conventional single point raster scanning. Stochastic scanning of a diffractive optic generated 10x10 hexagonal array of foci with a white noise driven galvanometer yields a scan pattern that is random yet space-filling. SS-MMM creates a more uniformly sampled image with fewer spatio-temporal artifacts than obtained by conventional or multibeam raster scanning. SS-MMM is verified by simulation and experimentally demonstrated by tracking microsphere diffusion in solution.


OBJECTIVES
Endothelial cell-derived microparticles (EMPs) are directly indicative of endothelial cell activation or apoptosis, and may also reflect endothelial inflammation, increased coagulation, and vascular tone. The aim of this study is to investigate whether EMPs would be able to evaluate system involvement and be a new indicators of disease activity in Behçet's disease (BD).

METHODS
Thirty-nine consecutive BD patients (who fulfilled the modified 1990 International Study Group on Behçet's disease or the 2006 International Criteria for Behçet's Disease) and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. The plasma levels of EMPs were measured by flow cytometry utilising specific labels for endothelial MPs (CD31+ and CD42b-).

RESULTS
The levels of circulating EMPs (CD31+ and CD42b-) were significantly elevated in the case group compared with the healthy control group (p =0.000). Moreover, BD patients plasma EMPs were positively correlated with BD current activity form (r=0.802, p =0.000). Vascular and gastrointestinal involvement in BD patients were significantly increased (p=0.004 and p=0.011, respectively) with respect to patients without vascular and gastrointestinal EMPs.

CONCLUSIONS
Levels of circulating EMPs are elevated in BD patients and correlate with the disease activity; the elevated EMPs may be a potential indicator to predict disease activity of BD. The plasma level of EMPs was increased, which indicated the increased risk of vascular and digestive tract involvement in BD.


An important eld in computational science and engineering is the simulation of the coupled problem of uid ow interacting with a moving structure. A common notation for this is uid-structure interaction (FSI) problems, which include both aeroelasticity and hydroelasticity. Such multi-physics systems have received renewed attention as a result of the increase in length of slender structures e.g. suspension bridges and ooshore risers, as well as increased simulation capabilities due to faster computers and new numerical methods. Herein we give an overview of results obtained within Fluid-Structure Interaction-Structural Design (FSI-SD) a project that is co-funded under the EC-ESPRIT IV/HPCN Simulation and Design (project number 20111). Our main ambition with the present paper is to disseminate the developed computational framework and give insight into some of the numerical challenges involved in addressing FSI-problems related to slender structures. We show that the improved simulation tool developed herein makes it possible to perform realistic numerical prediction of critical utter speed for wind induced vibrations of aerodynamic bridges.


The construction of a heterostructure (HS) is an effective strategy to modulate the desired properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials and to extend their applications. In this paper, based on the density functional theory, we predict a metal-free type-II HS formed by h-BN and C2N single layers. The h-BN/C2N HS possesses a smaller bandgap than individual h-BN and C2N single layers, and it exhibits excellent visible light absorption. Importantly, its band edge positions satisfy the requirements for spontaneous water-splitting. With the assistance of the built-in electric field across the HS and the band offset, the photoinduced carriers can be readily spatially separated. Free energy calculations indicate the high catalytic activity for water oxidation and reduction reactions. The performance can be further enhanced by strain, which modulates the bandgap and the band edge positions of the HS. The band alignment may undergo a transition from type-I to type-II under strain, offering an effective switch for the reaction. The appropriate bandgap, suitable band edge positions, and effective carrier separation make the h-BN/C2N HS a promising candidate for use as a photocatalyst in water-splitting.


Membrane manufacturing system was operated using dry/wet phase inversion process. A sample of hollow fiber membrane was prepared using (17% wt PVC) polyvinyl chloride as membrane material and N, N Dimethylacetamide (DMAC) as solvent in the first run and the second run was made using (DMAC/Acetone) of ratio 3.4 w/w. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to predict the structure and dimensions of hollow fiber membranes prepared. The ultrafiltration experiments were performed using soluble polymeric solute poly ethylene glycol (PEG) of molecular weight (20000 Dalton) 800 ppm solution 25 °C temperature and 1 bar pressure. The experimental results show that pure water permeation increased from 25.7 to 32.2 (L/m2.h.bar) by adding acetone to the dope solution, while rejection decreased from 91.8 to 63.2%.


The study was designed to examine expressions for menstruation (e.g., shark week) in English and Swedish from a linguistic perspective, and thus provide linguistic insight into how people think of, perceive, and talk about menstruation. This article presents a systematic examination of expressions using linguistic analytical frameworks, such as semantic domains, euphemisms and dysphemisms, and conceptual metaphors to identify how menstruation is categorized and construed. It shows that the forms of menstrual linguistic expressions perpetuate dominant discourses of shame and negativity, but also that the creativity and humor displayed by expressions are used as a part of menstrual activism to challenge negative discourse.


Phased, secondary siRNAs (phasiRNAs) represent a class of small RNAs in plants generated via distinct biogenesis pathways, predominantly dependent on the activity of 22 nt miRNAs. Most 22 nt miRNAs are processed by DCL1 from miRNA precursors containing an asymmetric bulge, yielding a 22/21 nt miRNA/miRNA* duplex. Here we show that miR1510, a soybean miRNA capable of triggering phasiRNA production from numerous NB-LRRs, previously described as 21 nt in its mature form, primarily accumulates as a 22 nt isoform via monouridylation. We demonstrate that in Arabidopsis, this uridylation is performed by HESO1. Biochemical experiments showed that the 3' terminus of miR1510 is only partially 2'-O-methylated, because of the terminal mispairing in the miR1510/miR1510* duplex that inhibits HEN1 activity in soybean. miR1510 emerged in the Phaseoleae ~41 to 42 MYA with a conserved precursor structure yielding a 22 nt monouridylated form, yet a variant in mung bean is processed directly in a 22 nt mature form. This analysis of miR1510 yields two observations: (1) plants can utilize post-processing modification to generate abundant 22 nt miRNA isoforms to more efficiently regulate target mRNA abundances; (2) comparative analysis demonstrates an example of selective optimization of precursor processing of a young plant miRNA.


The emission of toxic compounds by increasing anthropogenic activities affects human health and the environment. Heavy road traffic and mining activities are the major anthropogenic activities contributing to the presence of metals in the environment. The release of palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), and rhodium (Rh) into the environment increases the levels of contamination in soils, road sediments, airborne particles, and plants. These Pd, Pt, and Rh in road dusts can be soluble and enter aquatic environment posing a risk to environment and human health. The aim of this study is to determine the levels of Pd, Pt, and Rh with spectroscopy and voltammetric methods. Potential interferences by other metal ions (Na(I), Fe(III), Ni(II), Co(II)) in voltammetric methods have also been investigated in this study. At all the sampling sites very low concentrations of Pd, Pt, and Rh were found at levels that range from 0.48 ± 0.05 to 5.44 ± 0.11 ng/g (dry weight (d.wt)) for Pd(II), with 17.28 ± 3.12 to 81.44 ± 3.07 pg/g (d.wt) for Pt(II), and 14.34 ± 3.08 to 53.35 ± 4.07 pg/g (d.wt) for Rh(III). The instrumental limit of detection for Pd, Pt, and Rh for Inductively Coupled Plasma Quadrupole-based Mass Spectrometry (ICP-QMS) analysis was found to be 3 × 10−6 µg/g, 3 × 10−6 µg/g and 1 × 10−6 µg/g, respectively. In the case of voltammetric analysis the instrumental limit of detection for Pd(II), Pt(II), and Rh(III) for differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry was found to be 7 × 10−8 µg/g, 6 × 10−8 µg/g, and 2 × 10−7 µg/g, respectively. For the sensor application, good precision was obtained due to consistently reproduced the measurements with a reproducibility of 6.31% for Pt(II), 7.58% for Pd(II), and 5.37% for Rh(III) (n = 10). The reproducibility for ICP-QMS analysis were 1.58% for Pd(II), 1.12% for Pt(II), and 1.37% for Rh(III) (n = 5). In the case of repeatability for differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry (DPAdSV) and ICP-QMS, good standard deviations of 0.01 for Pd(II); 0.02 for Pt(II), 0.009 for Rh(III) and 0.011 for Pd, 0.019 for Pt and 0.013 for Rh, respectively.


The fluid flow over a Savonius wind turbine rotor has been analyzed by using a multi-physics simulation program. The analysis accounts for fully flow simulation, the effect of rotation on flowfield in, around and far behind the turbine rotor. The aim of this investigation is to study the evolution of fluid contours and the velocity circulation. The flow distribution at various rotor tip speed ratios was studied at an air velocity of 10 m/s. Results obtained from the investigation have been discussed and analyzed.


We have successfully demonstrated that the stress distribution of a metal substrate can be directly displayed by coating SrAl2O4:Eu (SAO), a representative of strong mechanoluminescent materials, on the surface of test objects. An aluminum plate with SAO sensing film had been applied to experimental analysis of stress concentrations, and a numerical calculation via a finite element method confirmed that the observed real time mechanoluminescence images displayed the stress distribution. As a result, visualization of stress distribution on metal surface has been realized by ML images using SAO sensing film, and this novel visualization technique can be applied for viewing the stress concentration in various fields such as modeling, manufacturing and demonstration of an industrial product.


This study uses two waves (2004–2005 and 2011–2012) of the nationally representative Indian Human Development Survey to conduct a systematic decompositional analysis of the demographic and socio-economic factors contributing to undernutrition among children under five in India. The analytic method combines three types of decomposition: Blinder-Oaxaca, non-linear, and unconditional quantile. Child undernutrition is measured by z-scores for height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-height (WHZ), weight-for-age (WAZ), and for the Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF). Although our results show modest improvements on some measures, undernutrition among India's young children remains widespread. The improvements we do identify are partly attributable to changes in household wealth and maternal characteristics like body mass index and education.


The paper explores the assertion about multi-faceted tools of impact used by large corporations that aim to limit the subjectivity of consumers. It is based on the concept of "deep capture" (Hanson & Yosifon, 2003). Deep capture suggests that the consumers have only the idea of their own subjectivity, and that human behaviour is largely dependent on external situational factors rather than the individuals' dispositions. In this context, the present authors analyse the role of large corporations in shaping the image of LGBT people in Poland. Noteworthy is the consideration to build and strengthen the belief that LGBT people are a group which suffers discrimination, to which anyone should make gestures of support throughout consumer decisions. An overview of the actions of business entities for LGBT groups in Poland allows us state that these actions cannot be called large-scale. The actions of Polish companies can be recognised as not very intense or committed. Western transnational corporations have vast experience in actions for LGBT people, but this is not necessarily the case in Poland.


Performance of gearbox drive system has a great impact on the working life of the whole drive mechanism, especially in wind power generation systems. Using the power split differencial drive system, the objective function of speed up Gearbox optimal design is built adopting the nonlinear constrant minimum function Fmincon from Matlab, the constraints are settled and the relevant parameters of the gearbox with the minimum volume while satisfying the transmission ratio are finally obtained. Then the optimised results is verified with single factor method. The results show that the overall volume of the gearbox is reduced by 9.13% after optimization.


Author(s): DuPrez, Kevin Thomas | Advisor(s): Fan, Li | Abstract: The XPB helicase is a critical factor for transcription and nucleotide excision repair (NER). As the largest subunit of the TFIIH general transcription factor complex, it establishes multiple interactions with other proteins to maintain TFIIH assembly and promotes pre-incision complex (PIC) formation during NER. XPB utilizes ATP hydrolyzing and unidirectional 3'-5' helicase activities in concert with the 5'-3' helicase XPD subunit of TFIIH during NER to open the DNA helix around bulky lesions for subsequent removal by downstream NER factors. Structure solutions of XPB have suggested a unique "rotation and push" mechanism adopted by this unconventional Superfamily 2 (SF2) helicase to mediate DNA unwinding by ATP-driven conformational changes in its domain orientations from an inactive open to the active closed form. The objective of this dissertation is to obtain "molecular snapshots" of XPB domain rotation induced by ATP binding and hydrolysis through a multi-disciplinary approach including X-ray crystallography and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Our SAXS data obtained for a homologous archaeal XPB protein from Archaeoglobus fulgidus (AfXPB) in the absence and presence of an ATP non-hydrolyzable analog confirmed the conversion from the open conformation observed previously in crystals to the closed conformation previously proposed for ATP-bound XPB helicase. Furthermore, the crystallographic results obtained for a homologous archaeal XPB protein from Sulfolobus tokodaii (StXPB) reveal intermediate stages of the XPB domain rotation from the open to closed form. In addition, the structural and functional investigation of the interactions of XPB with the archaeal Bax1 endonuclease revealed that the XPB C-terminal helicase domain 2 (HD2) and Thumb (ThM) domains exclusively interact with Bax1, potentially explaining the observed stimulatory effects on XPB DNA-dependent ATPase activity. Our investigation suggests the XPB N-terminal HD1 and damage recognition domain (DRD) disrupt Bax1 dimerization, likely acting as a control mechanism to switch Bax1 from a proposed homodimeric Holliday junction resolvase to heterodimeric NER endonuclease. Homology modeling with DNA suggests how the XPB:Bax1 heterodimer recognizes, unwinds, and cleaves kinked DNA in a concerted mechanism. The archaeal complex will provide a structural framework for investigating eukaryotic XPB's interactions with various repair factors during NER.


In-situ photopolymerization of liquid crystalline (LC) monomers has proven to be a valuable technique for the formation of well-ordered polymer networks. Their anisotropic properties led to a variety of applications in optics, electronics and mechanics. The use of light to initiate polymerization enables lithographic patterning. In addition the LC behavior enables formation of complex morphologies on molecular level. Controlling the director profile of an LC network film in transversal direction gives geometrical morphing upon minor changes in order parameter. Examples of suited profiles of molecular orientation are twisted or splayed director configurations tied up in the network configuration. Reversible order parameter changes can be induced by light using the photo-activated trans-cis isomerization of a copolymerized azobenzene monomer. This is demonstrated in photoresponsive cilia inkjet printed on a substrate. The cilia possess a splayed molecular organization and show well-controlled bending when addressed by light. We demonstrate a patterned film with alternating helicoidal and perpendicular-uniaxial molecular orientation. When applied as coating on glass, photo-activation in this case leads to a dynamically switching surface topology


E-ESSENCE or Electronic Emotional and Social Support for Special Educational Needs Leaners Community in Higher Education aim to provide emotional and social support for Special Educational Needs (SEN) learners in higher education institutions (HEIs) via an online platform. In this study, E-ESSENCE is demonstrated using the Model of Technology Supported Learning for SEN Learners in Malaysian HEIs. Thus, the purpose of this article is to discuss the effect on emotional and social supports for SEN learners in Malaysian using E-ESSENCE. Findings shows that E-ESSENCE is among the most used technology- supported learning and it is also complementing the development of the SEN community. Hence, it is indirectly enhancing the SEN learners' positive self-development within the HEIs community. The use of E- ESSENCE should be encouraged yet monitored to maximise its impact among SEN learners in the HEIs community. Future research is warranted to focus on how E-ESSENCE can be further developed and enhance.


The game of cricket is played according to a set of laws, but even more important than these is a consciousness of unwritten principles of conduct that is expected to inspire the cricketer. It is argued that the maturity of ethical guidance available to information professionals can be assessed by examining the same two elements. Some examples of codes of ethical conduct for information professionals from Western European countries are examined for suggestions as to whether they either seek to prescribe lines of conduct, or to encourage ethical reflection and well-considered decisions by individual professionals. An approach to developing systems of guidance on professional ethics based on codes of ethics, but incorporating case study material and the codes of other relevant associations, is suggested.


Following adoption of section 206(4)‐7 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and Rule 38a‐1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (hereinafter "CCO Rule"), Chief Compliance Officers affiliated with investment advisers, mutual funds, and hedge funds have reason to worry that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") might turn its attention toward their companies. The SEC is funded to take action; its budget for enforcement has increased exponentially in recent years, and the agency's own statistics show that it has been busy: in fiscal year 2004, the SEC brought 639 enforcement actions, many of which pertained to market‐timing, directed brokerage, and "soft‐dollar" issues. In addition, the SEC recently has signaled that it is conducting mini‐sweeps into whether brokerage commissions on index funds were used improperly for research, and mutual funds affiliated with securities lending agents are being compensated appropriately. hat happens if your company becomes the subject of an SEC investigation? This article will set forth some practical steps a chief compliance officer ("CCO") should consider in the event that her company receives notice that it is under SEC scrutiny. These steps apply whether the CCO is independent of the company's legal department, or functions as in‐house counsel.


The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between language learning strategies of secondary school students and the concept of academic self. The study was carried out with 522 students enrolled in an Anatolian high school in the central district of Ankara. In the study, Personal and Academic Self-Concept  Inventory (PASCI), which was developed by Fleming and Whalen (1984), and the Turkish version of Strategy Inventory of Language Learning (SILL), which was developed by Oxford (1990) and adapted into Turkish by Cesur & Fer (2007), were used. Canonical correlation analysis was used in the study. As a result of the study, it was concluded that the scores obtained in certain sub-dimensions of language learning strategies were predicted by the scores obtained in some of the academic self-concept sub-dimensions; however, the effect of the scores concerning some sub-dimensions remained at low levels. In the study, the relationship between the strategies in the language learning strategies sub-dimension and the academic self-concept sub-dimensions was explained through two canonical variables for the 9th, 10th, and 11th Grades. Based on this result, it could be argued that the increase in scores obtained from academic self-concept led to an increase in scores obtained from language learning strategies. In addition, it was concluded that the best predictors in explaining memory strategies were academic and verbal skills; post-cognitive strategies had low power to predict language learning strategies; and, social anxiety and family acceptance dimensions had low powers in predicting academic self-concept perception.


The traditional method of liquefying coal operates at extreme conditions consisting of hydrogen pressures of over 2000 pounds per square inch and temperatures of over 450°C. The elevated hydrogen pressure is necessary to hydrogenate the reaction mixture and liquefy the coal molecules. As a result, the processing equipment is very expensive and safety is a major concern. The coal liquefaction process invented at West Virginia University does not use hydrogen overpressure and operates below 500 pounds per square inch. The WVU process has produced 4500 pounds of cleaned de-ashed coal extract referred to as centrate. The centrate was processed into coal tar binder pitch by Koppers Inc. and finally into electrodes for the steel industry by GrafTech International Ltd. The electrodes were tested and passed all of the commercialization tests. Quantex, a Canadian company, licensed the technology from the university in 2007 with the intention of commercializing the process. However, the process had several deficiencies to overcome before it could be economically viable and move towards commercialization.
 The centrifuge system removes ash and other solid materials from the mixture after the coal has been liquefied. In the process existing in 2007, the centrifuge residue, or tails, contains only 20% by weight of the ash material with the remaining 80% consisting of valuable products or unreacted coal. Without first increasing the efficiency of ash removal from the coal either before or after the liquefaction reaction, the process cannot be economically viable and is unable to be commercialized. Another drawback of the original process is the reaction and centrifuge systems were not designed or operated to produce reliable mass balance results.
 The reaction system was redesigned and constructed incorporating the previously redesigned centrifugation system to produce clean, de-ashed centrate and other products from the raw materials. A vacuum distillation system was designed and constructed that produces quality pitches and condensed liquid volatiles from the clean, de-ashed centrate produced from coal in the previous reaction step. The coking system was designed and constructed to process the coal derived pitches into commercial grade coke and additional condensed volatiles. Each of the three operating systems produces reliable and repeatable mass closure results for individual experiments. All of the products can be collected and samples taken for further analytical analysis. A complete mass balance analysis for the overall process was performed from the raw material through the products produced. The end products were subjected to and passed testing for commercial standards. The potential for commercialization has been enhanced by this research and the technology now can be properly analyzed.


Protein shortage in the nonindustrialized countries is a serious threat to the health and well-being of much of the world's population. Rice, corn, wheat, and legumes do not supply enough protein to meet human requirements, especially those of preschool children, pregnant and nursing mothers, and adults doing heavy work. It is critically important to find ways of increasing the world food supply and of raising the quality of protein in the basic diets of populous developing countries.This book addresses itself to the many-faceted nature of the protein problem and focuses on the potential usefulness of amino acid fortification as one step towards its solution. It is based on the first international symposium to be held on amino acid fortification of protein foods--organized by the M.I.T. Department of Nutrition and Food Science for The Joint Malnutrition Panels of the United States-Japan Cooperative Medical Science Program. The many contributions are from leading medical nutritionists, agriculturalists, economists, food scientists and chemists from the Far, Near, and Middle East, Latin America, Europe and the United States.The book's first two parts discuss the background of the world protein problem and describe alternate ways in which future protein needs might be met. Part Three reviews the evidence from experimental studies with laboratory and farm animals and in man that deficient proteins can be improved by selective fortification with synthetic essential amino acids. Chapters in Part Four consider the difficulties of--and attempts to find guidelines for--evaluating the effectiveness of nutrition intervention measures in human populations. Part Five deals with the world status of the microbiological and chemical synthesis of essential amino acids, while considering also the technical feasibility and commercial aspects of their use in fortifying foods. Alternate strategies for meeting the protein needs of individual countries are considered in Part Six. The final section of the book contains a statement by the United Nations Advisory Group which summarizes current knowledge of the effectiveness of amino acid fortification and provides specific guidelines for evaluating its practical use.


Tuna regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) have long suffered from the domination of distant water fishing nations (DWFNs) in decision-making processes. The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) is no exception. In recent years, coastal states of the Indian Ocean (IO) have tried to change this dynamic - led by countries like the Maldives, Kenya, South Africa, and Australia - to deliver greater benefits to the region, including East Africa. These countries are gathered under the informal group of G16 and have increasingly improved their involvement in the IOTC. Here, we ask how the rise of the G16 benefited coastal States through participation and collective understanding in the Indian Ocean. To do this, we analyzed proposals submitted by the G16 for conservation and management measures and the participant lists of the Commission meetings in the past ten years. Our results show that, individually and collectively, the G16 has played a significant role in shaping the IOTC's rules. The coastal States have established a good representation, with only a handful of Members absent in some years. Unveiling the efforts of coastal countries is essential to guide further capacity building in the region in terms of negotiations. We also call for international oversight of the actions of DWFNs, such as the EU, whose efforts often differ markedly from their claims of being sustainability champions. The G16's work is essential to keep the coastal States of the Indian Ocean in the driver's seat for managing Indian Ocean fisheries to benefit future generations.


BACKGROUND
Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) exhibited enhanced antitumor activity when combined with docetaxel or pertuzumab in preclinical studies. This phase Ib/IIa study assessed the feasibility of T-DM1 + docetaxel in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and T-DM1 + docetaxel ± pertuzumab in patients with HER2-positive locally advanced breast cancer (LABC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Phase Ib (part 1) explored dose escalation, with T-DM1 + docetaxel administered for greater than or equal to six cycles in patients with MBC. Phase Ib (part 2) began with the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) identified in part 1. Patients with LABC were administered less than or equal to six cycles of T-DM1 + docetaxel or T-DM1 + docetaxel + pertuzumab. Phase IIa explored the MTDs identified in phase Ib.

RESULTS
Administered with T-DM1 (3.6 mg/kg), the docetaxel MTD was 60 mg/m(2) in MBC. In LABC, the MTD was 100 mg/m(2) docetaxel in combination with T-DM1 (3.6 mg/kg), given with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). Administered with T-DM1 (3.6 mg/kg) + pertuzumab (840 mg, cycle 1; 420 mg, subsequent cycles), the docetaxel MTD in LABC was 75 mg/m(2) with G-CSF support. Neutropenia was the most common grade 3-4 adverse event (AE; MBC, 72% and LABC, 29%). In total, 48% (12/25) of MBC patients and 47% (34/73) of LABC patients experienced AEs requiring dose modification. In MBC (median prior systemic agents = 5), the objective response rate was 80.0% (20/25; 95% confidence interval [CI] 59.3-93.2) and the median progression-free survival was 13.8 months (range, 1.6-33.5). The pathologic complete response (ypT0/is, ypN0) rate in LABC was 60.3% (44/73; 95% CI 48.1-71.5). Pharmacokinetic analyses indicated a low risk of drug-drug interaction between T-DM1 and docetaxel.

CONCLUSIONS
T-DM1 combined with docetaxel ± pertuzumab appeared efficacious in MBC or LABC; however, nearly half of patients experienced AEs requiring dose reductions with these T-DM1 combinations.

CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER
NCT00934856.