This paper explores the potential role of indigenous transport for increasing the adaptive capacity of selected cities in developing Asia. Indigenous transport drivers were surveyed face-to-face in Bandung, Indonesia, and in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to gain an understanding of how transport workers, specifically drivers–operators, characterize transport modes considered as indigenous and perceive their potential role in increasing the adaptive capacity of these cities. The main finding was that indigenous transport modes in the two cities in the case study had evolved to fit a niche market influenced by differing urban scales and divergent demographic and geographic characteristics. Thus, the experiences and the perceptions of transport workers on indigenous transport were highly contextualized in relation to service and route characteristics. Operating conditions for drivers were indicative of the regulatory status of indigenous transport modes in the informal landscape. This analysis contributes to an increased understanding of the role and the operation of indigenous transport modes within the transport system. The analysis also contributes policy-relevant insights to improve an understanding of the potential role of indigenous transport in climate change adaptation, as well as to increase awareness and to anticipate a shift to a more environmentally sustainable transport mode.


In most of the fields, manufacturers are continuously pushed by the market to provide turnkey solutions to the clients. This phenomenon is especially appearing in recycled water projects since the water treatment technology is very specific and complicated to operate. To understand this trend, a real case study is conducted in Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies (VWS) in Australia. This thesis analyses the main reasons for VWS to propose Product/Service System (PSS) and the tools and methods used to provide such a solution. The internal structure of the company and its supply network are studied to understand the balance and VWS trade-off between technical risk decreasing, time to market reduction, innovation development and know-how protection. The role of synergies by VWS group companies is raised as a key to achieve the proper balance. These synergies are the result of the company strategy to focus on innovation rather than on know-how protection while the PSS structure and network provide great opportunities for time to market reduction and risk decreasing with optimized communication between stakeholders.


The literature review aims to survey Swedish and foreign design solutions to meet mainly speed and accessibility requirements of roundabouts and to see if foreign experiences are relevant for Swedish conditions. Great importance has also been given to studying to what extent there are "functional categories" of roundabouts. The survey shows that lower speed and single lane in roundabouts improve traffic safety. Furthermore that there are good possibilities to control speed through design e.g. using narrow, radial entries and exits with small entry radius, entry and exit deflection to the left, design for an entry path curvature with small radius and traffic island. The survey also shows that give way regulations between vulnerable road users and motor vehicles in Sweden can be made clearer. The idea of dividing roundabouts and the entire traffic system into distinct "functional categories" is to improve traffic safety by decreasing the risk of the road user to misunderstand the situation. To create good categories of roundabouts it ought to be investigated what is needed and how it can be mediated to the road user what function category roundabout he is in. Several countries have, just as Sweden, a not very pronounced category classification of roundabouts. (A)


This dissertation studies two important problems in the field of biomass supply chain
network. In the first part of the dissertation, we study the impact of different carbon regulatory
policies such as carbon cap, carbon tax, carbon cap-and-trade and carbon offsetmechanism
on the design and management of a biofuel supply chain network under both
deterministic and stochastic settings. These mathematical models identify locations and
production capacities for biocrude production plants by exploring the trade-offs that exist
between transportations costs, facility investment costs and emissions. The model is solved
using a modified L-shaped algorithm. We used the state of Mississippi as a testing ground
for our model. A number of observations are made about the impact of each policy on the
biofuel supply chain network.
In the second part of the dissertation, we study the impact of intermodal hub disruption
on a biofuel supply chain network. We present mathematical model that designs multimodal
transportation network for a biofuel supply chain system, where intermodal hubs
are subject to site-dependent probabilistic disruptions. The disruption probabilities of intermodal
hubs are estimated by using a probabilistic model which is developed using real
world data. We further extend this model to develop a mixed integer nonlinear program
that allocates intermodal hub dynamically to cope with biomass supply fluctuations and to
hedge against natural disasters. We developed a rolling horizon based Benders decomposition
algorithm to solve this challenging NP-hard problem. Numerical experiments show
that this proposed algorithm can solve large scale problem instances to a near optimal
solution in a reasonable time. We applied the models to a case study using data from the
southeast region of U.S. Finally, a number of managerial insights are drawn into the impact
of intermodal-related risk on the supply chain performance.


Background Penetrating keratoplasty (PK) ranks among the oldest and most common kinds of human tissue transplantation. Based on the hypothesis that reported indications for PK significantly vary between global regions and over time, the present systematic review aimed to provide a thorough overview of global PK indications as reported in peer-reviewed manuscripts. Methods A literature search of PubMed and MEDLINE was conducted to retrieve articles published from January 1980 to May 2014. Indications for PK within 7 global regions were compared using a modified classification system for PK indications and analyzed via multivariate regression. Results A total of 141 publications from 37 countries were included, recording 180 865 PK cases. Postcataract surgery edema was the predominant indication in North America (28.0%) and ranked second in Europe (20.6%), Australia (21.1%), the Middle East (13.6%), Asia (15.5%), and South America (18.6%). Keratoconus was the leading indication in Europe (24.2%), Australia (33.2%), the Middle East (32.8%), Africa (32.4%), and South America (22.8%). It ranked third in North America (14.2%). Keratitis was the primary indication in Asia (32.3%). Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy was the fourth most common indication in North America (12.9%) and Europe (10.2%) and fifth in South America (3.8%). Multivariate analysis supported these results and revealed individual regional changes over time. Conclusions Systematic analysis reveals characteristic chronological and regional differences in reported global PK indications. Leading reported indications for PK between 1980 and 2014 were keratoconus (Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America), pseudophakic bullous keratopathy/aphakic bullous keratopathy (North America), and keratitis (Asia).


The aim was to investigate the predicting role of phonological awareness (PA) and rapid automatized naming (RAN) on early literacy skills (e.g., word reading [WR] and spelling [SP]) among children with mild to borderline intellectual functioning. A total of 68 children in inclusive schools in grades 1 and 2, from 12 primary schools from Makka, classified as having intellectual disabilities (ID) of unspecified origin were chosen to participate in this study. Measures of PA and RAN were correlated with measures of WR and SP in children with mild to borderline intellectual functioning. This study advanced knowledge about the predictors (PA and RAN) of early literacy skills (WR and SP) among children with mild to borderline intellectual functioning.


For efficient water clarification, flocculation is usually induced using positively charged polyelectrolytes such as synthetic polymers to rapidly separate the liquid phase from the solid one and obtain a clear filtrate. Generally, the use of polymeric flocculants over inorganic polyelectrolytes, such as poly-aluminum complexes, gives significant advantages when the water has a high concentration of suspended solids; the concentration of the polymeric flocculant is lower, the resulting sludge is more compact, and there is less coagulant left in the water after treatment. However polymeric flocculants are not always used in a rational way for optimal flocculation regarding the natural fluctuations and heterogeneity of water composition (e.g., pH, ionic composition), suspended particle concentration and corresponding physicochemical properties (e.g., sizes, shapes, surface charges). An improved understanding of the interaction mechanisms between flocculants and the suspended material is also often necessary. Since most of the flocculation mechanisms are mainly driven by electrostatic interactions, the polymer and aggregate electrostatic charges are key parameters to take into consideration. There are different manners to determine the polymers or flocs charge; the first one is considering the chemical charge amount, usually determined by potentiometric titrations . The second is considering the effective charge at the slipping plane of the diffuse layer of the flocs. This parameter is usually determined by electrophoretic measurements, and this charge is commonly referred to the zeta potential. Zeta potential is a convenient way to optimise flocculant dosage in water and wastewater treatment since the key to effective particle removal is the reduction of their zeta potential. The ability of modern methods and improvements in reliability of measuring techniques has reinvigorated the "on site" application of zeta potential and extensive characterization of water. The use of charged synthetic polymers involves different and often concomitant flocculation mechanisms. When the polymer radius of gyration is small in comparison to the particle size, flocculation is mainly promoted by local polymer adsorption and local inversion of the sign of the surface charge. Thus, oppositely charged patches are then created at the particle surfaces which can interact with oppositely charged surfaces. Depending on the flocculant dosage, complete charge neutralization can be achieved so that van der Waals forces, which are always attractive, induce particle flocculation. However, if flocculant dosage is not properly controlled, an excess of polymers will redisperse the particle suspension by charge inversion or steric stabilization. Usually, from a practical point of view, three different regimes must be considered: (1) when flocculant concentration is too low to induce rapid flocculation, (2) flocculant dosage is optimal for rapid destabilization, and (3) flocculant concentration is too high and results in particle restabilization. The floculant branching also plays here a key role since it is largely controlling the polymer interaction behavior with the particles. Moreover, the branching also induces important differences in the floc structure, compactness, and fractal dimensions, which are affecting the sedimentation rates and floc strength with regards to filtration processes. Among the aforementioned factors, there is also an important one which concerns the potential impact of the solution ionic strength due to the presence of dissolved ions, simple or multivalent electrolyte (salt) in the solution. Owing to the non linear effects of an increase (or decrease) of the solution ionic strength, salt influence is not trivial to estimate. Indeed, salt is expected to screen the electrostatic repulsive forces between the charged particles in solution and thus via short-range van der Waals interactions to promote the rate of particle flocculation. On the other hand, is it also expected by screening effects to reduce the electro-attractive interactions between the charged flocculants and the oppositely charged particles and thus strongly affect the flocculation rate and polymer efficiency as shown in figure 1. The presence of salt is also expected to play a role on the flocculant conformations by promoting, for example, gel formation, flocculant folding and collapse. In the study and examples presented here, positively charged linear chains as well as positively charged branched polymers having two branches are used as flocculants. The influence of the polyelectrolyte branching and polymer dosage on the kinetics of flocculation and changes of the electrostatic properties of well characterized micrometric particles are addressed for the sake of clarity. The polymer efficiency is evaluated by considering the flocculation rates of solutions containing well-defined negatively charged and monodisperse latex particles. The impact of the presence of salt at various concentrations is also investigated at optimal flocculation concentration dosage, and empirical kinetics constants are determined by adjusting the salt concentration. The electrokinetic properties of the particles are calculated to obtain an insight into the possible parameters governing the flocculation processes and polymer efficiency. Flocculation rates, optimal polymer dosage, and stability ratio, which are key topics in the colloid and polymer science, are compared with salt-induced particle destabilization only to elucidate the impact of the ionic strength influence on the flocculant efficiency.


We propose a very simple preprocessing algorithm for semidefinite programming. Our algorithm inspects the constraints of the problem, deletes redundant rows and columns in the constraints, and reduces the size of the variable matrix. It often detects infeasibility. Our algorithm does not rely on any optimization solver: the only subroutine it needs is Cholesky factorization, hence it can be implemented with a few lines of code in machine precision. We present computational results on a set of problems arising mostly from polynomial optimization.


We study distinctive properties of normal and malfunction electrocardiogram (ECG) peaks in the wavelet domain and based on this study we propose novel classification features for ECG signals. We analyze different combinations of the proposed wavelet domain and time domain features using multidimensional clustering and dimensionality reduction techniques. The results indicate encouraging accuracy rates.


The synthesis of globin mRNA in cultured murine erythroleukemic cells transformed by the Rauscher leukemia virus and in the spleen of mice with Rauscher erythroleukemia was studied. The content of globin RNA sequence was estimated by cDNA hybridization with increasing amounts of cytoplasmic and poly (A)-containing RNA Globin RNA was found in the spleen of mice with Rauscher erythroleukemia, its content in cytoplasmic RNA and poly (A)-containing RNA being 0.02% and 0.4%, respectively. By contrast, no globin RNA sequences were found in transformed cultured murine erythroleukemic cells, which can be a cause of altered hemoglobin synthesis in these cells.


In the past decade, social capital has been explored internationally in the disaster and social work literature, particularly in terms of historical oppression and limited economic resources of disadvantaged communities. Social capital in the United States, however, has had less integration. Using a qualitative grounded theory approach, we examine the different types of social capital (bonding, bridging, and linking) through a social work lens. We examine how social capital operated in the lives of 40 families following Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana. We attempt to understand how residents utilized their social capital to survive the storm, relocate, and rebuild their lives and communities. Results indicate residents, especially those with low incomes, relied on, built upon, and collapsed all levels of social capital for individual, family, and community survival. Participants described a process through which close ties (bonding) were important for immediate support, but bridging and linking social capital offered pathways to longer term survival and wider neighborhood and community revitalization. This paper also discusses how social capital inclusion in social work can strengthen or hinder individual and community development following a catastrophic event.


ABSTRACT Preclinical animal studies precede the majority of clinical trials. While the clinical definitions of sepsis and recommended treatments are regularly updated, a systematic review of preclinical models of sepsis has not been done and clear modeling guidelines are lacking. To address this deficit, a Wiggers-Bernard Conference on preclinical sepsis modeling was held in Vienna in May, 2017. The goal of the conference was to identify limitations of preclinical sepsis models and to propose a set of guidelines, defined as the "Minimum Quality Threshold in Preclinical Sepsis Studies" (MQTiPSS), to enhance translational value of these models. A total of 31 experts from 13 countries participated and were divided into six thematic Working Groups: Study Design, Humane modeling, Infection types, Organ failure/dysfunction, Fluid resuscitation, and Antimicrobial therapy endpoints. As basis for the MQTiPSS discussions, the participants conducted a literature review of the 260 most highly cited scientific articles on sepsis models (2002–2013). Overall, the participants reached consensus on 29 points; 20 at "recommendation" and nine at "consideration" strength. This Executive Summary provides a synopsis of the MQTiPSS consensus. We believe that these recommendations and considerations will serve to bring a level of standardization to preclinical models of sepsis and ultimately improve translation of preclinical findings. These guideline points are proposed as "best practices" for animal models of sepsis that should be implemented. To encourage its wide dissemination, this article is freely accessible on the Intensive Care Medicine Experimental and Infection journal websites. In order to encourage its wide dissemination, this article is freely accessible in Shock, Infection, and Intensive Care Medicine Experimental.


A study was conducted to determine the effect of gibberellins on sprouting of cuttings and subsequent quality of bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides DC). The study was conducted under a 40% shade net with light/shading as a gradient. Treatments consisted of gibberellins (Progibb 40%) applied at various rates as follows: 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4%, arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and effected on 18 February, 2008. Treatments were applied until run-off and the experiment was harvested for analysis three months after transplanting. Total polyphenols were determined using Folin Ciocalteau method, total tannins were determined using the Vanillin HCL method and total antioxidants were determined using the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay. The results of this study showed favourable response of bush tea growth to increased rates of gibberellin application. For growth parameters such as plant height, number of branches, leaf area and fresh biomass, best results were recorded at 3 and 4% gibberellin application rates. Chemical attributes in the form of total polyphenols, and total antioxidants tended to decline with increasing gibberellin application rate. However, tannin content peaked at 2% gibberellin application rate. Overall, gibberellin application improved bush tea growth and chemical attributes.


UNLABELLED: Identifying the genetic causes of male infertility is very important, considering they account for 30-50% of reproductive problems among couples. Genetic abnormalities, among which Y chromosome microdeletions are found, are commonly detected in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (0-4.3%). Most of these patients are eligible for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and this genetic defect can be inherited by male children. OBJECTIVE: Determining the prevalence of microdeletions in the Y chromosome in a group of Mexican patients presenting azoospermia and oligospermia, under treatment in the Infertility Clinics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 52 infertile men (cases): 36 with non-obstructive azoospermia, and 16 with oligospermia; and 50 men (controls) whose fertility had been validated. The genomic DNA of each individual was obtained from his EDTA and heparin treated blood, and the corresponding karyotype determined. The karyotype was analyzed using G banding techniques. Eighteen markers (STS) corresponding to the chromosome Y long arm (AZFa, b, c, and d zones) were amplified in each DNA sample in all cases--azoospermic, oligospermic and controls--using the PCR method. RESULTS: No chromosomal alterations were detected in the patients, and no Y chromosome microdeletions were detected in control cases. Five azoospermic patients (13.9%) presented microdeletions corresponding to the AZFb, c, and d zones, while no microdeletions were found in oligospermic patients. The frequency of microdeletions found in this study is very similar to that reported for other populations. CONCLUSIONS: This research not only reports the frequency of microdeletions in the Y chromosome in our population, but also contributes to the integration of a DNA bank for patients with idiopathic male infertility, which will be of great use in the search for the causes of this affection.


To obtain the maximum Q (quality factor) from a given inductor structure, the designer must employ his whole bag of design tools. When that inductor operates at several megahertz or more, the bag must often be turned inside out. This paper provides design techniques necessary to maximize inductor Q, with particular emphasis on higher frequency applications. Loss analysis (l/Q) calculations for magnetic core loss and winding losses are discussed. Such practical information as capacitive loss constants and actual measured wire diameters needed for loss calculations are included. How to use the calculations to determine the optimum wire type and size is shown. Optimization examples included are based on actual inductors using IEC 14/8 mm pot cores. The design of a particular ferrite pot core inductor operating in the 15-40-MHz range is outlined. Here the relationship between achieving a given inductance and maximizing Q is explored. Also discussed are special considerations of winding lead placement and hardware effects.


The usage of positive relevance feedback in fusion-based retrieval was previously shown to be very useful. Yet, in many retrieval use-cases, no actual relevance feedback may be available. With the absence of relevance data, pseudo-relevance feedback models have been suggested as an alternative. Encouraged by the previous success of using positive relevance feedback in fusion-based retrieval, in this work, we study the usage of pseudo-relevance feedback in this setting as well. We build on top of an existing approach that was originally designed for utilizing positive relevance feedback and adapt it to pseudo-relevance feedback. To this end, we propose a novel approach for estimating document (pseudo) relevance labels. Our labeling approach is better tailored to the fusion-based retrieval setting and provides favorable retrieval quality results.


One of the challenges in the automation of vehicles takes place in the car park. Automatic vehicles must be able to localize itself accurately and build a map of the car park in real time. This capability will be able to extend the range of possible applications including the tracking of car park lots availability, automatic navigation and automatic parking to name a few. In this project, we took on the task of localizing an automatic vehicle and building a map of the car park in real time. This project takes place within the car park of INRIA Rhone-Alpes on the CyCab vehicle with a Sick laser range scanner. A key feature is that it works only with laser scanners to retrieve the position and orientations of vehicles in the car park. With the detected vehicles as landmarks, CyCab performs a localization of itself and build a map of the car park at the same time. This problem is commonly known in the literature as Simultaneous Localization and Mapping(SLAM). The detection of vehicles is based on the work of a previous DEA student (Lorieux) and extensions were proposed to increase the reliability of vehicle detection. The SLAM algorithm chosen is the FastSLAM algorithm. The FastSLAM algorithm is adapted within this context. However, FastSLAM only gives a set of hypotheses. Hence, a map construction method is proposed to merge the different hypotheses together to form one single final map. Experiments with real data were conducted and it is able to perform the tasks required. The experiments also revealed weaknesses in the system and possible approaches and directions for further research is suggested.


This paper focuses on the Restatement's treatment of an insurer's duty to settle and the duty of an insurer to act in good faith in handling liability claims. The duty to settle is framed as an objective "duty to the insured to make reasonable settlement decisions." At the same time, however, a separate claim is retained for an insurer's "bad faith" breach of its duties (including the duty to settle). Further, a subjective element is adopted for the bad faith standard. To be liable for "bad faith," an insurer must act "without a reasonable basis for its conduct" and must also act with "knowledge of its obligation to perform or in reckless disregard of whether it had an obligation to perform." This use of the objective and subjective standards creates a new paradigm, one that distinguishes between the duty to settle and "bad faith" conduct and applies different standards for liability. This paper begins with a general description of the standards and the case law in support of them. It then turns to some implications of the new paradigm, both in terms of the damages available to insureds and the application of the standards to insurer conduct at the margins of reasonableness.


Early Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology is characterized by synaptic changes induced by degradation products of amyloid precursor protein (APP). The exact mechanisms of such modulation are unknown. Here, we report that nanomolar concentrations of intraaxonal oligomeric (o)Aβ42, but not oAβ40 or extracellular oAβ42, acutely inhibited synaptic transmission at the squid giant synapse. Further characterization of this phenotype demonstrated that presynaptic calcium currents were unaffected. However, electron microscopy experiments revealed diminished docked synaptic vesicles in oAβ42-microinjected terminals, without affecting clathrin-coated vesicles. The molecular events of this modulation involved casein kinase 2 and the synaptic vesicle rapid endocytosis pathway. These findings open the possibility of a new therapeutic target aimed at ameliorating synaptic dysfunction in AD.


Background: Despite technological advances in the neonatal intensive care unit, not all infants survive. Limited research has focused on infants' symptoms and suffering at end of life (EOL) from multiple perspectives. Purpose: To compare retrospective parent report and electronic medical record (EMR) documentation of symptoms and to examine associations with parent perceptions of infants suffering at EOL. Methods/Search Strategy: Bereaved parents of 40 infants (40 mothers and 27 fathers) retrospectively reported on their perceptions of infant symptoms and suffering during the last week of life. EMRs were also reviewed. Findings/Results: Parents were asked about their observations of 23 symptoms. Within the 27 parental dyads, mothers reported 6.15 symptoms (standard deviation = 3.75), which was not significantly different from fathers' report of 5.67 symptoms (standard deviation = 5.11). Respiratory distress, agitation, and pain were most common according to mothers and EMR, whereas respiratory distress, agitation, and lethargy were most common according to fathers. Few differences were found between mothers, fathers, and EMRs. However, missing data (range: 0%-20%) indicated that some parents had challenges assessing symptoms. Parents reported that the worst symptom was respiratory distress. In addition, parents reported moderate infant suffering, which was correlated with the total number of symptoms. Implications for Practice: Parents demonstrate awareness of their infant's symptoms at EOL, and these observations should be valued as they closely parallel EMR documentation. However, some parents did have difficulty reporting symptoms, highlighting the importance of education. Implications for Research: Future larger sample research should prospectively examine parent perceptions of infant symptom burden, suffering, and associations with other infant and parent outcomes (eg, decision making and grief).


In many forensic psychiatric hospitals, patients' mental health is monitored at regular intervals. Typically, clinicians score patients using a Likert scale on multiple criteria including hostility. Having an overview of patients' scores benefits staff members in at least three ways. First, the scores may help adjust treatment to the individual patient; second, the change in scores over time allows an assessment of treatment effectiveness; third, the scores may warn staff that particular patients are at high risk of turning violent, either before or after release. Practical importance notwithstanding, current practices for the analysis of mental health scores are suboptimal: evaluations from different clinicians are averaged (as if the Likert scale were linear and the clinicians identical), and patients are analyzed in isolation (as if they were independent). Uncertainty estimates of the resulting score are often ignored. Here we outline a quantitative program for the analysis of mental health scores using cultural consensus theory (CCT; Anders & Batchelder, 2015). CCT models take into account the ordinal nature of the Likert scale, the individual differences among clinicians, and the possible commonalities between patients. In a simulation, we compare the predictive performance of the CCT model to the current practice of aggregating raw observations and, as an alternative, against often-used machine learning toolboxes. In addition, we outline the substantive conclusions afforded by the application of the CCT model. We end with recommendations for clinical practitioners who wish to apply CCT in their own work.


This advance now makes possible the practical use of computer vision in civil drones or aircraft, replacing human pilots. The question that naturally arises is then to provide a way to certify those types of systems at a given level of safety. The aim of the article is, firstly, to understand the gap between today's computer vision systems and the current certification standards; secondly, to identify the key activities that must be fulfilled in order to make computer-vision systems certifiable and, thirdly, to explore some recent works related to these key activities.


Plaintiffs — 30 members of the United States Senate and 171 members of the United States House of Representatives — bring claims arising directly under the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which states that "no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under [the United States], shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State." Plaintiffs allege that Defendant has accepted benefits from foreign governments that qualify as "Emolument[s]" without first seeking and obtaining "the Consent of the Congress," as the Constitution requires. They therefore allege that the Defendant has injured them by eliminating their constitutional power to vote on whether to grant consent to proposed emoluments before those emoluments are accepted. This brief, on behalf of 16 scholars of federal jurisdiction, Article III standing, and constitutional law as amici curiae, argues that Plaintiffs' claims fall squarely within the Supreme Court and D.C. Circuit's case law recognizing that legislators have standing to sue when they have been denied an opportunity to cast a specific vote to which the Constitution entitles them. The brief also explains why — unlike the Plaintiffs in Raines v. Byrd and other cases in which legislative standing has been denied — there are no available legislative means to redress the Plaintiffs' alleged injuries.


Power consumption is a critical issue for many applications running on autonomous battery operated devices. In the context of low power communications, the use of Forward Error Correction (FEC) schemes shall therefore not only be considered as a way to improve communication robustness but also as a way to reduce transmit power. The benefits of this approach can be assessed by analyzing the tradeoff between the additional performance gained and the power consumption overhead resulting from extra computations.In this paper, a selection method is described to size the parameters of a low power Reed-Solomon (RS) code. The rationale highlights the influence of code parameters on computational complexity and performance of the code. An efficient set of code parameters can be deduced from this analysis to reduce the global power consumption of the system. Among the RS codes considered, the shortened RS(40,32,4) code over GF(28) is selected for further implementation analysis. Several design improvements are investigated step by step, and the relative power savings achieved with each enhancement are quantified. These results tend to illustrate the improvements that can be reached with only little design efforts.


The factor VIII/von Willebrand factor protein was radiolabeled after modification by galactose oxidase and reduction with tritiated potassium borohydride. This mild efficient method for labeling resulted in retention of over 90% of the biologic activities of the factor VIII/von Willebrand factor protein. Binding of this protein to platelets was found to be specific, and binding sites could be saturated in the presence of ristocetin. However, binding was highly dependent on ristocetin concentration, as the number of human factor VIII/von Willebrand factor molecules bound per platelet was a function of the ristocetin concentration. At a ristocetin concentration of 0.55 mg/ml, each platelet binds approximately 11,000 factor VIII/von Willebrand factor molecules per platelet. Scatchard analysis of the concentration-dependent binding sites yielded a hyperbolic plot that appeared to be related to the existence of two classes of binding sites. The higher affinity class had a Kd of 3.7 x 10(-10) M 3500 sites/platelet, while the lower affinity class had a Kd of 2.35 x 10(-9) M and a capacity of 7500 sites/platelet. As with ristocetin-induced platelet agglutination, the carbohydrate content plays a significant role in the binding of the factor VIII/von Willebrand factor protein to the platelet.


arman Haddad Professor andrews Psychology 101 14 October XXXX Patterns of Gender-Related differences in Online Communication: an annotated Bibliography Bruckman, a. S. (1993). Gender swapping on the internet. Proceedings of INET '93. Retrieved from http://www.cc .gatech.edu/elc/papers/bruckman/gender-swapping -bruckman.pdf in this brief analysis, Bruckman investigates the perceptions of males and females in electronic environments. She argues that females (or those posing as females) receive an inordinate amount of unwanted sexual attention and offers of assistance from males. She also suggests that females (and sexually unthreatening males) are welcomed more willingly than dominant males into virtual communities. She concludes that behavior in electronic forums is an exaggerated reflection of gender stereotypes in real-life communication. the article is interesting and accessible, but it is quite old, and it relies almost entirely on quotations from four anonymous forum participants. Crowston, C., & Kammerer, e. (1998). Communicative style and gender differences in computer-mediated communications. in B. ebo (ed.), Cyberghetto or cybertopia? Race, class, and gender on the Internet (pp. 185-203). Westport, Ct: Praeger. In APA style, each entry begins at the left margin; subsequent lines indent 1⁄2".


This study addresses the challenges raised by the growing reliance on cloud computing. It starts by investigating the issues at stake and explores how the EU is addressing the identified concerns. The study then examines the legal aspects in relation to the right to data protection, the issues of jurisdiction, responsibility and regulation of data transfers to third countries. These questions have been neglected in EU policies and strategies, despite very strong implications on EU data sovereignty and the protection of citizens' rights.


Defects due to growth fluctuations in broad-area semiconductor lasers induce pinning and frequency shifts of spatial laser solitons. The effects of defects on the interaction of two solitons are considered in lasers with frequency-selective feedback both theoretically and experimentally. We demonstrate frequency and phase synchronization of paired laser solitons as their detuning is varied. In both theory and experiment the locking behavior is well described by the Adler model for the synchronization of coupled oscillators.


THE APPEARANCE of fatty degeneration in the livers of depancreatized dogs is evidence of a metabolic defect presumably related to the metabolism and utilization of fats. The utilization of fats for energy begins with phosphorylation and transformation to phospholipids. 1 Therefore, it seemed reasonable to ascertain the rate of phospholipid formation in depancreatized dogs maintained on insulin in order to clarify the nature of their metabolic defect. The content of a recently injected isotope in a large organic complex, expressed as a function of time, constitutes a measure of the rate of synthesis of the large organic complex. In this paper a study of phospholipid formation is described in which the incorporation of radioactive phosphorus into the molecule is used as an indicator of the rate of formation of the phospholipid. Our findings suggest that in the absence of the pancreas in the dog phosphorylation of fat is unable to


Background—Preclinical research findings suggest that exposure to stress and concomitant hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation during early development can have permanent and potentially deleterious effects. A history of early-life abuse or neglect appears to increase risk for mood and anxiety disorders. Abnormal HPA response to stress challenge has been reported in adult patients with Major Depressive Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Methods—Plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol reactivity to the Trier Social Stress Test were examined in healthy adults (N=50) without current psychopathology. Subjects with a selfreported history of moderate to severe childhood maltreatment (MAL; n=23) as measured by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire were compared with subjects without such a history (CTL; n=27). Results—Compared with CTLs, MAL subjects exhibited significantly lower cortisol and ACTH baseline-to-peak deltas. A significant group effect was seen in the (repeated measures) cortisol response to the stress challenge, reflecting lower concentrations among MAL subjects. A significant group × time effect characterized the relatively blunted ACTH response of the MAL group. Emotional Neglect (=−.34, p=.02) and Sexual Abuse (=+.31, p=.03) strongly predicted maximal cortisol release. Conclusions—In adults without diagnosable psychopathology, childhood maltreatment is associated with diminished HPA axis response to a psychosocial stressor. Possible explanations for the finding are discussed.


1. An acoustic doppler velocimeter (ADV) was used to collect velocity data in three dimensions in front of and in the wakes of selected boulders in a riffle, where macroinvertebrates were also sampled. 2. Shear stress was calculated from the covariance of downstream and vertical velocity fluctuations. 3. Velocities, shear stress and turbulence measured at three points above the bed in the front and wake regions of riffle boulders were consistent with predicted patterns of flow around isolated roughness elements. There was a significant difference in mean velocities, but not near-bed velocities between front and wake regions. At 5 mm above the bed, velocities in both front and wake regions were greatly reduced, relative to the mean velocity (at 0.4 x total depth). Flows at the bed were directed upstream as part of the vortex formed at the front of the boulder and as part of the recirculation occurring in the wake. 4. Shear stress was highest in the vertical plane in the wake of the boulders. Turbulence intensity and turbulent kinetic energy were greatest in the wake region, in both the down-stream and cross-stream directions. However, these results were not statistically significant. Large standard errors associated with measurements within wakes indicated that wake flows are highly variable. Further research is needed to determine the most appropriate methods of analysing differences associated with such variable flow regimes. 5. The benthic macroinvertebrate fauna was significantly richer and more abundant in the wakes than at the front of boulders. Classification and ordination revealed the presence of distinct front and wake benthic communities. These differences could not be attributed to velocity differences within the benthic microhabitat, because near-bed velocities were greatly reduced in both the front and wake regions. The fauna may be responding to the highly variable turbulent regime of the wake and associated effects, such as increased deposition of particulate organic matter and exchange of dissolved gases. 6. Despite the complex flow patterns inherent in natural streamflow, a large roughness element (boulder) appears to predominate in determining microflows within in its immediate surroundings. The design of some benthic sampling programs (e.g. for biomonitoring) may need to incorporate hydraulic microhabitat considerations. 7. The fine-scale field measurements obtained with the ADV indicate that experimental determination of the role of turbulence in the ecology of stream benthos is now both possible and desirable.


The development of hierarchical metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) incorporating interconnected micro- and mesopores has been of considerable interest in gas separation, energy storage and catalysis due to the efficient mass transfer kinetics through mesopores. Here, we report the preparation of graphene/ZIF-8 nanocomposites with tunable hierarchical porosity and surface areas, wherein the distribution of micro- and mesopores along with the particle size of ZIF-8 crystals was controlled by simply varying the annealing temperature of graphene oxide sheets. These nanocomposites showed superior CO2 uptake capacities up to 17 mmol g−1 at 303 K, 35 bar to ZIF-8 due to the synergistic effect of the graphitic surface and ZIF-8 crystals, thus offering a new direction to further improve the gas uptake capacity of MOFs, while simultaneously achieving fast mass transfer of gas molecules into the adsorbent through mesopores. Furthermore, the presence of graphitic templates (20 wt%) introduced electrical conductivity up to 64 S m−1 into an insulating MOF such as ZIF-8. Importantly, we still observed an electrical conductivity of 2 S m−1 with graphene loadings as low as 2.5 wt%. This present approach not only provides a new direction for the effective and facile synthesis of hierarchical porous materials but also paves the way for the introduction of electrical/thermal conductivity into insulating MOF structures.


Can competitive interactions be inferred from the analysis of community functional diversity patterns? Originally, at the scale of a community, competitive interactions were supposed to generate trait overdispersion patterns due to limiting similarity process. More recently, by highlighting the importance of competitive hierarchies, it has been shown that when only one resource limits species coexistence, competition can also lead to patterns of trait clustering. However, these two expectations (overdispersion and clustering) ignore potential multi-species indirect competitive interactions, and especially intransitive competition. Indeed, little is yet known about intransitive competition and its influence on community's functional diversity.

Here I propose a brief appraisal of empirical evidence for intransitive competition in nature, and an overview of the current understanding of this mechanism and its properties. I then demonstrate with a theoretical model that intransitive competitive interactions can actually generate random-like functional diversity patterns.

The variety of diversity patterns (overdispersion, clustering, randomness) that can emerge from diverse types of competitive interactions makes it difficult to identify the presence of competition in nature, potentially leading to an underestimation of its importance as a structuring force. New methodologies able to capture both simple and complex competition mechanisms are thus urgently needed.


Solution coating of organohalide lead perovskites offers great potential for achieving low‐cost manufacturing of large‐area flexible optoelectronics. However, the rapid coating speed needed for industrial‐scale production poses challenges to the control of crystal packing. Herein, this study reports using solution shearing to confine crystal nucleation and growth in large‐area printed MAPbI3 thin films. Near single‐crystalline perovskite microarrays are demonstrated with a high degree of controlled macroscopic alignment and crystal orientation, which exhibit significant improvements in optical and optoelectronic properties comparing with their random counterparts, spherulitic, and nanograined films. In particular, photodetectors based on the confined films showing intense anisotropy in charge transport are fabricated, and the device exhibits significantly improved performance in all aspects by one more orders of magnitude relative to their random counterparts. It is anticipated that perovskite films with controlled crystal packing may find applications in high‐performance, large‐area printed optoelectronics, and solar cells.


A time domain technique based on numerical inversion of Laplace transform is extended and applied to transient analysis of pulses reflected from a Lorentz half space both for TE and TM cases. Its correctness and effectiveness are validated by comparing our results with those published in the literature. With this technique, the TM case when the incident angle is equal to 450 does not need to be processed separately and can be treated as a general case for any incident angle. This technique brings good accuracy in both late and early time, a simple algorithm, short calculation time, small required memory size and readily controlled error.


OBJECTIVES
To assess the effects of turmeric (Curcuma longa) extract on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptomology in otherwise healthy adults.

DESIGN
Partially blinded, randomized, two-dose, pilot study.

SUBJECTS
Five hundred (500) volunteers were screened for IBS using the Rome II criteria. Two hundred and seven (207) suitable volunteers were randomized.

INTERVENTIONS
One or two tablets of a standardized turmeric extract taken daily for 8 weeks.

OUTCOMES MEASURES
IBS prevalence, symptom-related quality of life (IBSQOL) and self-reported effectiveness.

RESULTS
IBS prevalence decreased significantly in both groups between screening and baseline (41% and 57%), with a further significant drop of 53% and 60% between baseline and after treatment, in the one- and two-tablet groups respectively (p < 0.001). A post-study analysis revealed abdominal pain/discomfort score reduced significantly by 22% and 25% in the one- and two-tablet group respectively, the difference tending toward significance (p = 0.071). There were significant improvements in all bar one of the IBSQOL scales of between 5% and 36% in both groups, approximately two thirds of all subjects reported an improvement in symptoms after treatment, and there was a favorable shift in self-reported bowel pattern. There were no significant differences between groups.

CONCLUSIONS
Turmeric may help reduce IBS symptomology. Placebo controlled trials are now warranted to confirm these findings.


This study was conducted to determine seasonal prevalence of ectoparasites of ruminants in Tehsil Nikayal, District Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Surveys were carried out from July 2015 to December 2015. A total of 200 animals were selected randomly observed for prevalence of ectoparasites. Ectoparasites were collected from parts including inside the ears, on tail, undersides the neck and belly sides and stored in 70% ethyl alcohol. The highest prevalence of ectoparasites was 7.5% during the month of July followed by 6% during August, 6% September, 4.5% October, 1.5% November and 0.5% during December. The results showed that ectoparasites were more prevalent during summer months than winter months. It is concluded that integrated control measures with sustainable veterinary services should be planned to reduce ectoparasite numbers and impact on the productivity and health status of ruminants.


Environmental Restoration is the product of a ground-breaking conference on ecological restoration, held in January 1988 at the University of California, Berkeley. It offers an overview from the nation's leading experts of the most current techniques of restoration, including examples of the complex and subtle biological interactions we must understand to ensure success.Chapters cover restoration of agricultural lands, barrens, coastal ecosystems, prairies, and range lands. Additional sections address temperate forests and watersheds, mined lands, soil bioengineering, urban issues including waste treatment and solid, toxic, and radioactive waste management. The book also covers restoration of aquatic systems, includes chapters on strategic planning and land acquisition, and provides examples of successful projects.


Recent years have witnessed major changes in the organisation of and rationale for children's services in all advanced liberal societies. However, the changes in England are, perhaps, the most ambitious. Increasingly the emphasis is upon the importance of intervening early before problems & needs reach crisis proportions & insuring that information about children
and parents is shared amongst all agencies & professionals so that children do not fall through the 'net'. No longer is the central focus simply concerned with children in serious danger or at risk of significant harm but
in trying to fulfill every child's potential & targeting services in such a way that children's welfare will be both safeguarded & promoted. This paper will analyse the changes currently taking place in England, the assumptions
underpinning them & the implications these have for the changing relationships between children, parents, professionals and the state. Particular
attention will be given to the changing role of social work & how different ideas about the notion of 'risk' can be seen to play a significant role in providing both the legitimating rationales & technologies for implementation in the new policy & practice landscapes.


The Hague Evidence Convention addresses a particular kind of jurisdictional conflict: the conflict between one nation's issuance of extraterritorial discovery orders and another nation's right to govern discovery activity taking place within its territory. The particular mechanisms that the Convention establishes for use in cross-border discovery proceedings, and the compromises between civil-law and common-law procedures for evidence gathering that it embodies, were effected with that system goal in mind. In Aerospatiale, the Supreme Court considered the scope of the Convention's application, addressing the interaction of Convention procedures and pre-existing federal rules on evidence gathering. As portions of the decision make clear, the Court was well aware of the international system needs served by the Convention. In establishing the test to be applied by lower courts in future cases concerning the Convention's applicability, however, the Court articulated it in a way that left no room for system concerns. Disregarding the interests in sovereignty voiced by the petitioner and echoed by a number of states party to the Convention, the Court crafted a test that considers only sovereign interests in the particular litigation. The paper begins by analyzing the Court's decision and identifying the means by which it de-emphasized interests in sovereignty. It then turns to lower-court decisions over the past fifteen years, examining certain trends that have developed as a result of the Aerospatiale approach and arguing that these trends have resulted in insufficient consideration of system needs. It concludes by examining post-Aerospatiale discovery practice in the context of today's international litigation environment.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
White matter lesions on MR images obtained from patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) have been reported to appear shortly after symptom onset, and their resolution has been claimed to parallel recovery. To elucidate the temporal evolution of these lesions and to associate the changes on MR images to the patients' clinical condition, we performed serial MR imaging on patients with ADEM.

METHODS
Several consecutive T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery scans were obtained from four previously healthy adult patients with ADEM within the first days after the onset of symptoms and again during the recovery period. MR imaging was done first on a weekly to biweekly basis and later at 1- to 2-month intervals for up to 8 months.

RESULTS
MR scans of three of these patients did not show any specific abnormalities until several weeks after the onset of the disease. As the lesions later appeared, their number increased during the recovery period.

CONCLUSION
MR imaging performed during the first days after the onset of the disease may not reveal any pathologic findings. The appearance of the ADEM-associated MR imaging changes may be associated with recovery rather than decline. It remains to be studied whether the new MR imaging techniques reveal the lesions associated with ADEM faster than the conventional T2-weighted imaging.


Increasing interest in forage legumes as green manures in crop rotations has emphasized the need for information on harvest and tillage management of modern cultivars. Our objectives were to: 1) determine the effects of four seeding year harvest managements on sweetclover [Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.], red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) herbage and root dry matter (DM) and N yields, and on DM yield and N recovery by a subsequent sudangrass [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] crop, and 2) determine the effect of moldboard or chisel plowing on DM yield and N uptake by sudangrass grown following incorporation of alfalfa residues. Two separate experiments were conducted on a fine-silty over sandy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludolls. With a hay harvest management (three or four harvests), legumes had similar total season herbage N yields (261 kg ha⁻¹), and root DM (1.4 Mg ha⁻¹) and N yields (30 kg ha⁻¹), and total plant N yields (325 kg ha⁻¹). Unharvested sweetclover had greater fall whole plant N yields (348 kg ha⁻¹) than alfalfa (195 kg ha⁻¹) and greater root DM (5.1 Mg ha⁻¹) and N yields (175 kg ha⁻¹) than alfalfa or red clover (average root DM and N yields of 1.9 Mg ha⁻¹ and 48 kg ha⁻¹, respectively). Nitrogen incorporation (272 kg ha⁻¹) was greater when legume herbage was accumulated in situ than when herbage was removed and only fall regrowth and/or crowns and roots incorporated (86 kg ha⁻¹). Legume species selection within harvest management had little effect on sudangrass DM yield or N uptake. Tillage method had no consistent effect on sudangrass, DM yield, or N uptake. Since fallowing resulted in sudangrass yields similar to those from the best legume treatments, it might be considered as an alternative to legume production for diverted cropland on some soils.


: This work describes a split gastrocnemius musculotendinous surgical transfer procedure that may be used to correct an equinosupinatus deformity. The procedure was used to realign the foot of a patient whose deformity was iatrogenically induced by an improperly placed gluteal injection. The injection caused symptoms consistent with a sciatic nerve lesion, with resulting denervation, multiple leg atrophy, ensuing muscle imbalance, and equinosupinatus deformity. Correction was obtained by passing the medial portion of the gastrocnemius tendon and muscle deep to the lateral portion, around the lateral border of the fibula, and into the third cuneiform bone. This, along with a Dwyer calcaneal osteotomy and multiple digital procedures, brought the foot to a more corrected position and enabled the patient to walk asymptomatically.


The Thixoforming process is a new method for manufacturing complicated and net shape component through which high strength materials can be formed more easily. The high mechanical, geometric and surface quality of components produced through Thixoforming can justify the removal of additional production processes such as machining steps and the need for reinforcing inserts. In this study Al alloy 6063 which has low extrude ability has been thixoformed by the extrusion process. In this research the effect of Thixoforming with one step, three step induction heating regimes for the temperature range (540 to 580°C) at same die material and same ram speed were investigated. It was found that the mean value of Rockwell hardness of Al- 6063 alloy at 545°C was found 9 HRC and at 560°C was 8 HRC. Also the mean value of Brinell hardness of Al- 6063 alloy at 545°C was found 88 HBW and at 560°C was 82 HBW.


More than 80 known or suspected autoimmune disorders—such as Crohn disease, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis—affect 5–8% of the U.S. population, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The underlying causes of these disorders remain largely unknown, but one agent suspected to play a role is trichloroethylene (TCE), a solvent widely used in industrial and household applications. Researchers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Center for Environmental Assessment and the Medical University of South Carolina searched the scientific literature for studies linking TCE with selected immunologic connections, including immunosuppression, hypersensitivity, and autoimmune-related effects [EHP 117:696–702; Cooper et al.]. On the basis of their review, the authors concluded that the evidence to date in mice and humans supports an etiologic role of TCE in autoimmune disorders.

Substantial evidence from mechanistic, clinical, and epidemiologic studies indicates that exposure to TCE and/or its metabolites (including chloral hydrate, trichloracetic acid, trichloracetaldehyde hydrate, and dichloracetyl chloride) could influence the incidence of autoimmune disorders. Research on autoimmune mouse models, including the MRL+/+ lupus mouse, has provided strong and consistent support for a role of TCE; this has included studies of exposures at environmentally relevant concentrations through multiple routes (inhalational, dermal, and oral). Studies of humans with high occupational or environmental exposures have also shown links between TCE and inflammatory immune responses, systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), and a severe generalized hypersensitivity skin disorder.

However, the authors also point out major gaps in our knowledge of TCE's effects on the immune system. In particular, data pertaining to measures of immunosuppression in humans are very limited, and potential effects of age or sex on susceptibility to autoimmune-related effects of TCE exposures, as well as effects of variation in exposure dose, timing, and duration, have yet to be established.

Because individual autoimmune diseases are relatively rare, it is difficult to assemble enough cases to conduct adequately powered epidemiologic research. However, the authors assert that the findings of recent experimental and observational studies of TCE provide a strong rationale for developing multisite collaborations to address the potential influence of TCE and other solvents on the incidence of autoimmune disorders. Such research would be facilitated by the establishment of state and national autoimmune disease registries.


In the Arctic, global warming is particularly pro- nounced so that we need to monitor its development contin- uously. On the other hand, the vast and hostile conditions make in situ observation difficult, so that available satellite observations should be exploited in the best possible way to extract geophysical information. Here, we give a r ´´ of the sea ice remote sensing efforts of the European Union's (EU) project DAMOCLES (Developing Arctic Modeling and Observing Capabilities for Long-term Environmental Stud- ies). In order to better understand the seasonal variation of the microwave emission of sea ice observed from space, the monthly variations of the microwave emissivity of first-year and multi-year sea ice have been derived for the frequen- cies of the microwave imagers like AMSR-E (Advanced Mi- crowave Scanning Radiometer on EOS) and sounding fre- quencies of AMSU (Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit), and have been used to develop an optimal estimation method to retrieve sea ice and atmospheric parameters simultane- ously. In addition, a sea ice microwave emissivity model has been used together with a thermodynamic model to establish relations between the emissivities from 6 GHz to 50 GHz. At the latter frequency, the emissivity is needed for assimilation into atmospheric circulation models, but is more difficult to observe directly. The size of the snow grains on top of the sea ice influences both its albedo and the microwave emission. A method to determine the effective size of the snow grains from observations in the visible range (MODIS) is developed and demonstrated in an application on the Ross ice shelf. The bidirectional reflectivity distribution function (BRDF) of snow, which is an essential input parameter to the retrieval, has been measured in situ on Svalbard during the DAMO- CLES campaign, and a BRDF model assuming aspherical particles is developed. Sea ice drift and deformation is de- rived from satellite observations with the scatterometer AS- CAT (62.5 km grid spacing), with visible AVHRR observa- tions (20 km), with the synthetic aperture radar sensor ASAR (10 km), and a multi-sensor product (62.5 km) with improved angular resolution (Continuous Maximum Cross Correlation, CMCC method) is presented. CMCC is also used to derive the sea ice deformation, important for formation of sea ice leads (diverging deformation) and pressure ridges (converg- ing). The indirect determination of sea ice thickness from al- timeter freeboard data requires knowledge of the ice density and snow load on sea ice. The relation between freeboard and ice thickness is investigated based on the airborne Sever expeditions conducted between 1928 and 1993.


Optical photobleaching experiments and molecular dynamics computer simulations were used to investigate changes in segmental mobility during tensile creep deformation of polymer glasses. Experiments were performed on lightly cross-linked PMMA, and the simulations utilized a coarse-grained model. For both single-step and multistep creep deformations, the experiments and simulations show remarkably similar trends, with changes of mobility during deformation exceeding a factor of 100. Both experiment and simulation show a strong correlation between strain rate and mobility in single-step creep. However, in multistep creep, the correlation between strain rate and mobility is broken in both experiment and simulation; this emphasizes that no simple mechanical variable is likely to exhibit a simple relationship with molecular mobility universally. Both simulations and experiments show many features that are inconsistent with the Eyring model.


The legal-ethical dynamism in Islamic law which allows it to respond to the challenges of modernity is said to reside in the institution of ijtihād (independent legal thinking and hermeneutics). However, jurists like Mohsen Kadivar and Ayatollah Faḍlalla have argued that the "traditional ijtihād" paradigm has reached its limits of flexibility as it allows for only minor adaptations and lacks a rigorous methodology because of its reliance on vague and highly subjective juridical devices such as public welfare (maṣlaḥa), imperative necessity (ḍarūra), emergency (iḍtirār), need (ḥāja), averting difficulty ('usr) and distress (ḥaraj), hardship (mashaqqa), and harm (ḍarar) without interrogating the fundamentals (uṣūl) of ijtihād. In contrast, in the "foundational ijtihād" model theology, ethics, intellect, epistemology, linguistics, hermeneutics, modern sciences, history, cosmology, anthropology, and the sources of Islamic legal theory (uṣūl al-fiqh) interact with one another to obtain resolutions that are just and non-discriminatory.


From the Publisher:
Cyberspace, the cyborg and cyberpunk have given feminists new imaginative possibilities for thinking about embodiment and identity in relation to technology. This is the first anthology of the key essays on these potent metaphors. Divided into three sections (Technology, Embodiment and Cyberspace; Cybersubjects: Cyborgs and Cyberpunks; Cyborg Futures), the book addresses different aspects of the human-technology interface. The extensive introduction surveys the ways cyborg and cyberspace metaphors have been used in relation to current critical theory and indicates the context for the specific essays. This is an invaluable guide for students studying any aspects of contemporary theory and culture.


In the context of the present medicinal advancement, the research has been carried out to synthesize and improvise some Indole derivatives having pharmacological activity through inclusion complex formation with β-cyclodextrin. The thermodynamic stability of the inclusion complexes are determined by studying different parameters such as free energy change and stability constant. The compounds and their inclusion complexes are characterized on the basis of physical and spectral analysis (UV,FT-IR,1HNMR). The biological screening was done against three bacterial strains i.e E.Coli, S.aureus and P. Vulgaris in order to explore their vital antimicrobial activities. The antioxidant activities are also studied. Both the antibacterial and antioxidant activities are noticeably enhanced after encapsulation into the cavity of β-cyclodextrin.


: The authors analyze the materials from departments of emergency and advisory aid (sanitary aviation) over the past 20 years. Emergency care was rendered to cardiosurgical patients with cardiac and pericardial traumatic injuries in the surgical department of central district hospitals. They consider the reasons for a consultant's call, diagnostic aspects and board surgeon's organizational policy. The organizational policy in rendering cardiovascular patients an emergency surgical care consists in compulsory surgical interventions at the site of an accident. Patients with early postoperative complications should be evacuated to specialized departments. When the complications can occur in the absence of adequate management in the postoperative period in the central district hospitals the patients should be also evacuated to the specialized departments. Improving the qualification of a general surgeon is a basis for successful surgical aid rendered to patients with cardiac injuries.


The devastating effect congestion has on the quality of service delivery and overall network performance demands an utmost attention. This certainly calls for taking some expedient measures to deal with congestion so as to salvage the network from total collapse. In this paper, an adaptive guard channel allocation scheme with buffer to handle resource assignment in mobile network is presented. The scheme uses a dynamic reservation system that adapts to network characteristics for efficient allocation. The available channels are divided into two: open channel and reserved channel. The open channels are used by both new and handoff calls when channels are available while only handoff calls are allowed to use the guard channel when there are no idle channels at the open. The input traffic rate determines the threshold of the guard channel. A simulation program written in Java programming language evaluates the performance of the scheme based on blocking/dropping probabilities of both calls. Results of the evaluation is described using descriptive statistics such as bar charts. The proposed scheme would reduce congestion and improve quality of service delivery in mobile network.Keywords: Guard Channel, Quality of Service, Handoff Call, New Call, Buffer, Blocking Probability


Abstract—Albuminuria increases the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with essential hypertension and diabetic subjects. The heritability (h2) of albuminuria in multiplex hypertensive families is unknown. We calculated the familial aggregation of urine albumin:creatinine ratio (ACR) and performed a genome-wide scan to assess for loci contributing to ACR in participants enrolled in the Hyper tension G enetic E pidemiology N etwork (HyperGEN). To perform the genome scan, we analyzed genotype results from 2589 individuals from 805 families in the Family Blood Pressure Program. ACR and covariates were available in 1727 individuals (mean age, 57.1 years). Estimates of h2 were obtained by using variance component methodology as implemented in the SOLAR software package. Linkage was tested between 387 markers spanning the genome at an average interval of 9.32 cM, using SOLAR multipoint analysis. The h2 of log urine ACR was 0.49 (P <1×10−7) after controlling for significant main and interactive effects of age, gender, race, body mass index, blood pressure, and use of ACE inhibitors or angiotensin-2 receptor blockers. The genome-wide scan revealed a maximum LOD score of 2.73 on chromosome 19 (robust corrected LOD, 2.40; P =0.0009) at marker D19S591 and a LOD score of 2.0 on chromosome 12 (robust corrected LOD, 1.75; P =0.005) at marker PAH. These analyses demonstrate the marked heritability of urine ACR in families enriched for the presence of members with essential hypertension. They suggest that a gene(s) associated with urinary ACR may be present on human chromosomes 19 and 12.


Attempting to trace the intellectual history of any political movement is, at best,problematic. Humans construct political movements and the intellectual, philosophical underpinnings of those movements, and, in general, it is not one person who is doing the creating, but rather a multitude of people are involved; the circumstance of how politics is created is a web, which makes it difficult for researchers to trace the historical roots of movements. Nazi Germany has been the focus of numerous research projects to understand the intellectual roots of Nazism and the how and why they were successful in gaining and consolidating power. In line with popular theories in Sociology and History, earlier researchers have traced the intellectual roots of the Nazis in order to situate Nazi Germany as anti-modern, which by extension would situate their crimes against humanityand fascism in the same camp. In particular, Romanticism has been the movement that some historians have cited as a possible root for Nazism. The primary goal of this paper will be to disrupt the historical continuation argument, deconstruct the main parts of each of the camps, and provide support for the appropriation argument. This goal is designed to connect to the much larger debate of the state of anti-modern/modern of Nazism, and aid in showing Nazism as a modern movement. It is through researching and analyzingthe how and why the Nazis appropriated Romanticism that allows academics to study the influences from the past in the development of National Socialism, while accounting for the frame that the Nazis used to read the Romantics and the purpose for the way that Romantic literature was framed within Nazi-Germany.


Cloud service providers and cloud consumers are tightened together via cloud services that are managed under certain constraints and must be abided by cloud consumers. These rules and regulations are referred to as policies that govern the whole process of accessing, storing and sharing data over cloud. Many publications have dealt with various ranges of policies in cloud computing but there is no in-depth exploration of studies that brings a consolidation of factors and requirements involved in cloud policies. Changes and additions in of cloud policies may lead a better success to govern the system in better ways. In this paper, we aim to conduct a systematic review to address these contexts. From the review, we identified seven major classes of policies; they are investigated more than other minor policies. We also found some policies that are relevant to other policies that may carry new policies towards the betterment of cloud computing paradigm.


We report on the influence of doping on the band-edge abruptness of InAs/GaSb p-n and p-i-n tunnel diodes. Understanding and fabrication of a well-defined and sharp band edge is mandatory for tunnel FET operation. InAs/GaSb nanowire junctions were selectively grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates using template assisted selective epitaxy (TASE) [1]. The junctions were analyzed by scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) showing an abrupt interface. Current-voltage measurements and conductance slope (S) analysis [2] were conducted at various temperatures. We find that (S) of tunnel diodes exhibits a temperature dependence due to trapping and de-trapping of carriers at the junction and, importantly, that high doping of p-n junctions results in steeper slopes compared to p-i-n diodes. This finding suggests that electronic states from doping impurities play a minor role in S degradation. The presence of doping independent traps at the hetero-interface still results in > 60mV/dec steepness which needs continuous investigations for subthermal device operation of tunnel FETs.


Background: Recently, immune therapy has shown notable efficacy in melanoma, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), among others, indicating that the targeting of immune checkpoints may be a promising treatment for malignant tumors. The human Poliovirus Receptor (CD155), an immune checkpoint, has been found to be overexpressed on the membranes of various tumor cells including colorectal and ovarian carcinoma. Examining PVR's expression in NSCLC could shine light on PVR's potential role and its possible correlation to the prognosis and outcomes for NSCLC patients. Material and Methods: Gene expression data for lung cancer cell lines and tumor tissues was derived from the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE [www.broadinstitute.org/ccle]) and the TCGA database (www.cbioportal.org), respectively. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on a Ventana Benchmark XT platform using an anti-PVR antibody (Cell Signaling #D3G7H at a 1:100 dilution). IHC staining was evaluated for a NSCLC Cell Line Tissue MicroArray (TMA) and a NSCLC patient cohort TMA. The H-score system was used to generate a semi-quantitative score, ranging from 0 to 300, that evaluates the intensity and prevalence of the staining on tumor cells. Patient data was analysed to uncover correlations between outcome and PVR expression in the NSCLC TMA cohort. Western blot analysis was performed to confirm antibody specificity and PVR expression levels in three NSCLC cell lines. Results: Analysis of mRNA expression data from CCLE and TCGA databases identified that PVR is highly expressed in lung cancer. Three lung cancer cell lines were chosen based on mRNA expression for this study: NCI-H211 (high), NCI-H1650 (moderate) and NCI-H187 (negative). Cell line data revealed that PVR demonstrated higher expression levels in lung cancer than other immune checkpoints, such as PD-L1, PD-L2, and Gal-9 among others. In addition, PVR expression was not correlated with other negative immune checkpoints including PD-L1 and Gal-9. Western blot analysis confirmed that the Cell Signaling antibody was specific to the PVR protein in NSCLC cell lines. IHC staining of NSCLC cell lines revealed that non-squamous NSCLC cell lines express higher levels of PVR than do squamous cell cell lines (p Conclusions: PVR protein expression could potentially serve as a new immune checkpoint biomarker in lung cancer. This study demonstrates that high PVR protein levels predict poorer outcomes in lung cancer patients; suggesting that PVR may be an important target for future immune therapy. Citation Format: Camilla Koczara, Hui Yu, Kim Ellison, Christopher Rivard, Leslie Rozeboom, Daniel Chan, Kenichi Suda, Kristine Brovsky, Rafal Dziadziuszko, Fred Hirsch. Expression of human poliovirus receptor, an immune checkpoint biomarker in lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2626. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2626


Climate change is set to have far-reaching ecological and economic consequences for the African continent and globally. Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to climate change, not only as a consequence of resource and technology constraints to adapt to climate change, but also due to a greater reliance on the productive capacity of land and natural systems. Fisheries play a critical role in contributing to food security in many African states, as well as in supporting livelihoods through economic activity in the capture, processing and trade of fish products. Although agriculture has received significant attention in the climate change discourse, particularly related to adaptation and food security in Africa, there has been insufficient focus given to the critical role of fisheries as an economic activity and source of nutrition in many African states. African countries are among the most vulnerable to climate change impacts on fisheries. It is important for fisheries dependent African states to ensure that the issue of climate change impacts on marine and freshwater systems and fisheries communities are integrated into their national adaptation plans. Fisheries should also be given due recognition in regional and continental policymaking on African adaptation to climate change. Adaptation efforts on the continent should recognize that ecological systems that are weakened by habitat destruction, overfishing and illegal fishing will be less resilient in the face of climate change. Dealing with these pressing governance challenges, together with the emerging climate-related threats, forms a crucial part of the continent's response.


The railway station at Ahmad Yani airport in Semarang is a work of architecture discipline. The goal is to get the design of the airport train station in Semarang. With the railway station at Ahmad Yani Airport Semarang is to facilitate passengers who want to continue their journey, either from plane to train or vice versa. It is also expected that with this railway station can reduce congestion that occurred in Semarang, people outside Semarang who want to pick up his family at the airport do not have to come all the way to Ahmad Yani airport, because passengers domiciled outside the Semarang can Use a train to get to their respective areas. By using the accessibility method, it is expected that this station can facilitate the passengers who want to use rail transportation modes or who want to change the mode of transportation. Of course, the selection of the site has also been through several analyzes. The chosen site is also very precise because it is on the south side of the Ahmad Yani airport and is on the railway line. And also on the east side of the tread is the main road to get to the airport. So, on the highway is access to the station. The shape, layout and location of the station building also prioritizes the accessibility of its users. The facilities provided are also designed to facilitate passengers such as the addition of escalators, travellators, ramps, guiding blocks, bridges, etc. The concept used indirectly can provide convenience and comfortable of the passengers who want to change the mode of transportation. Keywords: Railway Station, Airport Station, Intermodal Transportation integration, Accessibility, convenience, comfortable


BACKGROUND/AIMS
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether Helicobacter pylori causes or triggers recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) through cytokine gene polymorphism and/or cobalamin deficiency.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Thirty-six patients with RAS and 130 patients without RAS were genotyped for IL-1β (-511C/T) and IL-6 (-174G/C) and evaluated for H. pylori infection and serum cobalamin level.

RESULTS
The patient groups according to RAS had similar rates of H. pylori gastritis and interleukin genotypes/alleles, and there was a non-significant difference between serum cobalamin levels (p>0.05). RAS patients with H. pylori gastritis showed a higher frequency (51.9%) of GC IL-6 genotype than RAS patients without H. pylori gastritis (11.1%) (p=0.036). Non-GG genotype and C allele were increased in patients without RAS and with H. pylori gastritis (p<0.05). Patients with H. pylori gastritis showed a lower value of serum cobalamin without statistical significance, although this difference was more prominent in RAS patients (p=0.07).

CONCLUSION
The carriage of the C allele of IL-6 may lead a susceptibility to chronic gastric inflammation after contamination with H. pylori. If H. pylori infection is justified as a predisposing factor for RAS and its severity by further studies, we can speculate that subjects with genetic susceptibility to this infection may benefit from H. pylori eradication treatment with respect to RAS.


This thesis is an investigation into self-definition during two contrasting periods in
Egypt's past. It consists of five chapters, plus a conclusion. Chapter I introduces the
thesis, putting the topic into its historiographical background, and gives it a theoretical
framework. The thesis then falls into two sections, which mirror each other, using the
same types of source material. First, the New Kingdom (1550-1070 BCE) is
investigated, and then the Coptic period (fourth to ninth centuries CE).
Chapter2 assesses New Kingdom textual sources, in particular letters. Statements of
self made by different members of the literate society are examined. The
inconsistencies within the source material are highlighted, as is a high degree of
conformity. In Chapter 3, New Kingdom Memphis is investigated. The impact of
official ideologies on the Memphite population is assessed, as witnessed by the temple
complexes, a royal palace, the harbour areas, a residential location( Kom el Rabi'a) and
the pyramid fields.
In Chapter 4, it is seen that a variety of foci could be appealed to by a literate Egyptian
seeking to define her/himself in Coptic Egypt. As in Chapter 2, letters are the focus of
study, revealing a range of opinions. Chapter 5 tests the rigid self-definition seen in the
writings of the Christian hierarchy against the urban site of Coptic Thebes. An analysis
is made of the intensive occupation which occurred in the floodplain and the
surrounding desert. In conclusion, a comparison is drawn between New Kingdom and
Coptic Egypt, and the validity of ideological statements concerning self-definition is
considered.


In this paper we describe a new, multi-graph approach for development of a comprehensive set of complexity management techniques for interactive graph visualization tools. This framework facilitates efficient implementation of management of multiple associated graphs with navigation links and nesting of graphs as well as ghosting, folding and hiding of unwanted graph elements. The theoretical analyses show that the involved data structures and operations on them are quite efficient, and an implementation in a graph drawing tool has proven to be successful. r 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


Lung cancer was a rare disease in the latter part of the 19th century, but grew into a full-scale epidemic in the 20th century, becoming the most common cause of cancer related death worldwide. Current cancer chemotherapy, involves the administration of cytotoxic drugs that kill all cells exhibiting a high rate of proliferation and regeneration, which is a characteristic of cancer cells, but also non-cancerous cells, such as hair follicles, bone marrow and gastrointestinal tract cells. Therefore, the systemic delivery of chemotherapy leads to adverse effects, such as chemotherapy induced alopecia (CIA) and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), which can range from life-altering to life-threatening. Moreover, the economic impact of current cancer chemotherapy is unsustainable and, thus, an alternative therapy for lung cancer need to be investigated. Towards this goal, resveratrol loaded polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) formulated into nanocomposite microparticles (NCMPs) using L-leucine and chitosan were developed for the pulmonary delivery via dry powder inhalation. Resveratrol was loaded into NPs of poly(glycerol adipate-co-ω-pentadecalactone) (PGA-co-PDL) with sizes ranging between 220-230 nm, which are ideal for uptake into cells. The 5%- and 10% resveratrol-loaded NPs (5% RNP and 10% RNP) had a high encapsulation efficiency of 39 ± 0.12 and 70 ± 0.89% and a drug loading of 78 ± 0.24 µg and 70 ± 0.89 µg (w/w), respectively. The PGA-co-PDL blank NPs (BNP) at 1 mg/mL showed good cytocompatibility in Calu 3 cells with a cell viability of 87.5±4.7% after 24-hour exposure. Meanwhile, the 5% RNP and 10% RNP decreased the IC50 of resveratrol in Calu 3 cells after 24 hours from 213 ± 63 µM to 47 ± 30 µM and 48 ± 12 µM, respectively. This is a reduction in IC50 of up to 78%. The PGA-co-PDL NPs were spray-dried in NCMPs with mass median aerodynamic xxvi diameters (MMADs) between 3.1-4 µm, which is within the ideal range of 1-5 µm for particles to be able to deposit in the deep regions of the lung. Furthermore, the NCMPs showed a slow release profile, with only 25% of resveratrol being released over 24 hours. Lastly, a novel polymer was synthesised which possessed an alkyne that can allow for the attachment of various ligands, including a fluorescent probe to visualise uptake of the NPs. Overall, the obtained results demonstrate that these NPs/NCMPs show promise as pulmonary drug delivery systems for lung cancer.


We present a compact all-fiber zone plate lens directly ablated on the surface of a mode-expanded hybrid fiber end by using a high precision femtosecond laser processing technique. To achieve a sufficiently large beam size and focusing efficiency, a segment of a coreless silica fiber having a 200-mum diameter was adapted. Focusing properties of the zone plate lens were experimentally investigated and compared with numerical simulations.


Sustainable and practical personal mobility solutions for campus environments have traditionally revolved around the use of bicycles, or provision of pedestrian facilities. However many campus environments also experience traffic congestion, parking difficulties and pollution from fossil-fuelled vehicles. It appears that pedal power alone has not been sufficient to supplant the use of petrol and diesel vehicles to date, and therefore it is opportune to investigate both the reasons behind the continual use of environmentally unfriendly transport, and consider potential solutions. This paper presents the results from a year-long study into electric bicycle effectiveness for a large tropical campus, identifying barriers to bicycle use that can be overcome through the availability of public use electric bicycles.


A biosimilar is a high quality biological medicine shown to be in essence the same as an original product. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) paved the way in the regulatory arena by creating a safeguarding framework for the development of biosimilars. Biosimilar is thus a regulatory term that alludes to the evidence‐based studies required to demonstrate such very high similarity. They are therefore not innovative products but the pathway laid down by the EMA for their approval represented a new paradigm. This has brought some confusion and has cast doubts among healthcare professionals about the scientific evidence behind their authorization. Many papers have been published to clarify the concept, and to reassure those professionals, but misconceptions frequently still arise. Unfortunately, this prevents biosimilars from deploying their full therapeutic added value. This paper is intended to approach those misconceptions from a new angle, by explaining what a biosimilar is not…and why. A biosimilar is neither a generic, nor an original product. It is not a biobetter or a 'stand‐alone'. Therefore, it should not be managed as such therapeutically, commercially or from a healthcare policy viewpoint. The EMA's criteria were acknowledged by other agencies, but a significant regulatory gap with a vast majority of regulatory bodies still remains. This leaves room for the so‐called non‐original biologics (NOB), i.e. non‐biosimilar biologics, to be launched in many regions. Raising awareness of what a biosimilar is and what it is not, will generate trust in biosimilars among healthcare professionals and will ultimately benefit patients


A case study is presented of 6.5 h of simultaneous colocated stratospheric Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) measurements of ozone concentration and Rayleigh‐Mie Doppler (RD) lidar measurements of horizontal wind velocity from the Observatoire de Haute Provence (OHP), France (44°N, 6°E). The RD lidar observations reveal a distinct gravity wave motion at ∼12–18 km, while the DIAL data show laminated ozone structures in the same height range. We combine these data to show that advection due to the gravity wave cannot produce the large ozone lamina at ∼14km.


In order to investigate the structural evolution of natural flake graphite with different particle sizes during the intercalation and exfoliation process, we used three natural graphites, 35, 50 and 80 mesh, as the raw material and investigated the characteristics of the three chemically prepared graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) of H2SO4 and the three corresponding residue GICs (RGICs). Expanded graphites (EGs) were prepared by rapidly heating the RGICs to 1000 °C in a muffle. The Results show that with decreasing the raw graphite particle size, the oxidizing reaction degree of GIC increases, but the intercalating reaction degree decreases. For RGICs, the relative ratio of RGIC phase in a sample decreases with decreasing the raw material particle size. In addition, decreasing the raw graphite particle size decreases the expanded volume of EG.


How do approaching elections affect the security policy states conduct? We build on classic political economy arguments and theorize that one problem likely faced by democratic policy makers near elections is that of time inconsistency. The time-inconsistency problem arises when the costs and benefits of policy are not realized at the same time. We develop an application of the argument to the case of allied troop contributions to Operation Enduring Freedom and the International Security Assistance Force mission in Afghanistan. In that case, we argue that the expectation should be one of fewer troops committed close to elections. The exogenous timing of elections allows us to identify the effects of approaching elections on troop levels. Our finding of significantly lower troop contributions near elections is arguably the first identified effect of electoral proximity on security policy.


(Adaptive Control Constrains (ACC) as applied to machine tool systems refers to the regulation of the cutting process characteristics such as spindle power, cutting force etc., by varying the only changeable process parameters which are feedrate and cutting speed. Even a simple ACC system, as in this case, in which the cutting force is regulated by changing the feedrate, is quite complex. Experiments with this simple system, implemented on a computerized numerical control (CNC) lathej have shown that the CNC/ACC system can become unstable due to changes in depth-of-cut or spindle speed. This paper presents stability analysis of the above CNC/ACC system, thus making it possible to select appropriate gains which will maintain the system stable. Also, experimental results, which describe the stability region of such a system, will be provided.~\


Arundo donax linn, as a perennial energy crop, has promising application prospect. In the present study, Fourier transform Raman (FT Raman) spectroscopy was applied to determine the structural information of materials, milled wood lignin (MWL), and alkaline lignins (AL, under different treated time) from A. donax stem nondestructively. The results indicated that, extractable compounds in A. donax had negative contribution to the Raman spectra without rising new Raman peaks. FT Raman spectrum of MWL indicated that MWL from A. donax was HGS type lignins. Compared with the spectra of MWL from wood materials, the peak at 1173 cm(-1) was much higher in intensity for the MWL from A. donax stem, which may be assigned to hydroxycinnamic acid by analyzing the standard. With respect to FT Raman spectra of ALs, the relatively highest intensity of 1173 cm(-1) was found in alkaline lignin (AL2), which was treated for 40 min by alkaline. Moreover, the peak of coniferaldehyde/sinapaldehyde (1630 cm(-1)) was lowest in intensity while the band attributed to coniferyl alcohol/sinapyl alcohol (1660 cm(-1)) was almost disappeared in AL2. It could be inferred that AL2 demonstrated a highest content of phenolic acid, which may improve its potential application, such as for antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the results obtained by FT Raman spectra were verified by two dimensional heteronuclear singlequantum coherence nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. Above all, FT Raman spectroscopy provided alternative safe, rapid, accurate, and nondestructive technology for lignin structure determination.


Drugmakers have been buzzing about the stimulator of interferon genes, or STING, protein because of its potential to boost the activity of immunotherapy cancer drugs. To date, compounds designed to target STING have been effective only when they're injected directly into tumors. Scientists at GlaxoSmithKline now report a diamidobenzimidazole molecule (shown) that activates STING and fights tumors in mice when given via intravenous injection (Nature 2018, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0705-y). The researchers, led by Joshi Ramanjulu, initially identified an amidobenzimidazole compound that bound to STING. STING forms a homodimer, made of two identical proteins. When the GSK researchers examined the crystal structure of the two interacting, they found two molecules of the amidobenzimidazole bound to the STING homodimer in proximity. Inspired by this symmetrical structure, they covalently linked two of the compounds with a four-carbon chain, creating a diamidobenzimidazole. This molecule bound to STING 1,000 times...


211At is a promising therapeutic radionuclide because of the nearly optimal biological effectiveness of emitted α-particles. Unbound 211At accumulates in the thyroid gland and in other vital normal tissues. However, few studies have been performed that assess the 211At-induced normal-tissue damage in vivo. Knowledge about the extent and quality of resulting responses in various organs offers a new venue for reducing risks and side effects and increasing the overall well-being of the patient during and after therapy. Methods: Female BALB/c nude mice were injected intravenously with 0.064–42 kBq of 211At or mock-treated, and the kidneys, liver, lungs, and spleen were excised 24 h after injection. A transcriptional gene expression analysis was performed in triplicate using RNA microarray technology. Biological processes associated with regulated transcripts were grouped into 8 main categories with 31 subcategories according to gene ontology terms for comparison of regulatory profiles. Results: A substantial decrease in the total number of regulated transcripts was observed between 0.64 and 1.8 kBq of 211At for all investigated tissues. Few genes were differentially regulated in each tissue at all absorbed doses. In all tissues, most of these genes showed a nonmonotonous dependence on absorbed dose. However, the direction of regulation generally remained uniform for a given gene. Few known radiation-associated genes were regulated on the transcriptional level, and their expression profile generally appeared to be dose-independent and tissue-specific. The regulatory profiles of categorized biological processes were tissue-specific and reflected the shift in regulatory intensity between 0.64 and 1.8 kBq of 211At. The profiles revealed strongly regulated and nonregulated subcategories. Conclusion: The strong regulatory change observed between 0.64 and 1.8 kBq is hypothesized to result not only from low-dose effects in each tissue but also from physiologic responses to ionizing radiation-induced damage to, for example, the 211At-accumulating thyroid gland. The presented results demonstrate the complexity of responses to radionuclides in vivo and highlight the need for further research to also consider physiology in ionizing radiation-induced responses.