Fine needle biopsy (FNB) with cytology has long been regarded as an excellent technique as the first choice for diagnosing adult tumours. Being an inexpensive minimally invasive technique with high accuracy and diagnostic immediacy through rapid on‐site evaluation, it is also ideal for implementation in the paediatric setting, particularly in developing countries. Furthermore, it allows complementary and advanced procedures such as flow cytometry, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), among others, which enhances the diagnostic capacity of this technique and gives it a key role in risk stratification and therapeutic decision‐making for several tumours. The advantages of FNB are optimized in the setting of a multidisciplinary team where cytologist, clinician and radiologist play leading roles. Paediatric tumours are rare and most ancillary techniques are cost‐effective but complex to be implemented in small centres with limited experience in paediatric pathology. Therefore reference centres are essential, in order to establish teams with extensive experience and expertise. Hence, any child with a suspected malignancy should be directly referred to a paediatric oncology unit. Focusing on a practical approach to the assessment of paediatric lymphadenopathies and non‐central nervous system solid tumours we review the effectiveness of FNB as applied concurrently with ancillary techniques in a multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic decisions of paediatric tumours and tumour‐like lesions.


In urban construction with the presence of tall buildings adjacent to short buildings, civil engineers have tried to connect low-rise rigid buildings to tall buildings in order to enhance the rigidity of the towers and decrease seismic response induced by earthquake excitation. From recent developments in earthquake energy dissipation systems, the application of viscous dampers for coupling of parallel and adjacent buildings to reduce earthquake effect has been considered by civil engineers, and many investigations have been conducted. In the present study an attempt has been made to evaluate the effect of connecting reinforced concrete towers to short rigid building through viscous damper devices. For this purpose, a 10-story RC tower connected to two short RC buildings by viscous damper was modeled and analyzed under Elcentro (1940) earthquake record excitation by using the finite element technique. In addition, the effect of various viscous damper damping coefficients on seismic response of the tower was evaluated by analyzing the aforementioned tower with various damper damping coefficient to the short building. The results showed improvement of seismic response of the tall building which was supported by short RC buildings through viscous damper device during earthquake. Moreover by increasing damper damping coefficient response of the tower structure the displacement was effectively reduced.


Adriamycin is an antitumor agent whose use is limited by cardiac toxicity resulting in a late congestive cardiomyopathy. The time course of the cardiac changes and whether they are due to direct effect of the drug on the myocyte is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the very early changes in subcellular structure caused by adriamycin in an isolated, perfused, working heart. Eighteen rabbit hearts were perfused with oxygenated Krebs-Ringer-bicarbonate buffer at 39 degrees C. containing either 1, 2, 4, or 8 mg. per liter of adriamycin for periods of 30 to 150 minutes; 10 controls were perfused with buffer only. Light microscopic study of sections through both ventricles revealed no differences between treated and control hearts. Electron microscopy showed a striking and distinctive central clumping of nuclear chromatin in all 18 hearts exposed to adriamycin, but in no controls; this nuclear change was more marked with increasing dose of drug, but not with longer durations of perfusion. In 15 of 18 hearts sarcomeres and mitochondria were normal, and in 15 of 18 mild cytoplasmic vacuolization was present. In contrast, of 10 control hearts nuclei in seven were normal, and three showed some focal peripheral clumping of chromatin; seven had normal sarcomeres and mitochondria, and three showed mild cytoplasmic vacuolization. Thus, exposure of the isolated rabbit heart to adriamycin results in acute and distinctive nuclear alterations, with associated mild cytoplasmic changes. To what extent these nuclear effects mediate subsequent myocyte degeneration or dysfunction remains to be determined.


New Labour' is often accused of being obsessed with style rather than substance, and with image rather ideology. The Struggle for Labour's Soul examines how the party's political thought has developed from 1945 to the present day. It explores the divisions in the Labour Party between the old left, the new left, centrists, the old right and 'New Labour'. These ideological positions are examined in the context of the key political issues of the twenty-first century including constitutional reform, markets, equality, internationalism and globalization. The book concludes with commentaries by renowned experts on the various competing traditions within the party. Featuring contributions by leading academics, journalists and politicians, this is the first major analysis of Labour's political thought for a generation.


Proactive event processing constitutes the next phase in the evolution of complex event processing. Proactive event processing makes it possible to anticipate potential issues during process execution and thereby enables proactive process management. One industry domain that can expect relevant benefits from applying proactive event processing is transportation. Transportation companies face numerous stochastic issues when managing the shipment of goods. One such issue faced in airfreight is the exact volume, weight, and number of pieces that a shipper wants to have shipped. Because of the high cost of air shipments, discrepancies between what has been booked by a shipper and the actual volume that is delivered impose costs that create problems for all participants in a shipment. One potential approach to addressing this problem is to use real-time monitoring and proactive alerting to assist air freight companies in anticipating actual delivered weights, volumes, and piece counts. In this paper we address the issue of cargo shipments by leveraging real-time monitoring data collected from an industry-standard monitoring system of a large freight forwarding company. Our evidence indicates that by using a novel proactive event-driven software engine, prediction about the weight of shipments can be developed and used in a proactive manner to assist air freight planners in making better estimates and plans for the shipment of goods. We demonstrate that through the use of this proactive approach, predictions concerning over and under-weight loads can be made days in advance of a shipment, thus enabling the air freight planner to optimize their load plans and thus maximize the revenue that they generate from shipments.


We present a data model for the initial implementation of MetPetDB, a geochemical database specific to metamorphic rock samples. The database is designed around the concept of preservation of spatial relationships, at all scales, of chemical analyses and their textural setting. Objects in the database (samples) represent physical rock samples; each sample may contain one or more subsamples with associated geochemical and image data. Samples, subsamples, geochemical data, and images are described with attributes (some required, some optional); these attributes also serve as search delimiters. All data in the database are classified as published (i.e., archived or published data), public or private. Public and published data may be freely searched and downloaded. All private data is owned; permission to view, edit, download and otherwise manipulate private data may be granted only by the data owner; all such editing operations are recorded by the database to create a data version log. The sharing of data permissions among a group of collaborators researching a common sample is done by the sample owner through the project manager. User interaction with MetPetDB is hosted by a web‐based platform based upon the Java servlet application programming interface, with the PostgreSQL relational database. The database web portal includes modules that allow the user to interact with the database: registered users may save and download public and published data, upload private data, create projects, and assign permission levels to project collaborators. An Image Viewer module provides for spatial integration of image and geochemical data. A toolkit consisting of plotting and geochemical calculation software for data analysis and a mobile application for viewing the public and published data is being developed. Future issues to address include population of the database, integration with other geochemical databases, development of the analysis toolkit, creation of data models for derivative data, and building a community‐wide user base. It is believed that this and other geochemical databases will enable more productive collaborations, generate more efficient research efforts, and foster new developments in basic research in the field of solid earth geochemistry.


Passive transfer of immunity in water buffalo calves and its effect before weaning. The objective of this study was to characterize the immune status of water buffalo calves in a commercial buffalo farm in the Northern Huetar region of Costa Rica. The data presented is for total serum protein measurements obtained between August 2010 and February 2011 in the province of Alajuela, Costa Rica. In that period of time, the farm was visited weekly and blood samples were taken by jugular venipuncture from 116 buffalo calves (60 females and 56 males) between 1 and 7 days of age. For the purpose of this study, failure of passive immunity was considered when TSP was less than 5.5 g/ dl. TSP concentration ranged from 4.2 and 9.8 g/dl, with an overall mean of 6.9 g/dl. Of all the animals evaluated, 12.9% had failure of passive transfer of immunity. When considering sex of the calves, 11.7% of females and 14.2% of males failed to obtain adequate levels of immunity, but TSP concentration showed no significant differences between female and male calves (6.9 vs. 6,8 g/dl, respectively). Buffalo male calves that had an adequate passive transfer achieved greater live weight during the second and third months of age with respect to those males which showed a failure of passive transfer of immunity.


For certain edge-constrained proximity algorithms, not every edge of the resulting graph needs to be explicitly stored. This has implications for graph compression. We examine the application and runtime performance on minimum edge-constrained algorithms for three proximity graph types: Delaunay triangulation, Gabriel graph and minimum spanning tree.
Implementation details on these algorithms are given, their performance in both large real world datasets and randomized datasets are evaluated. In addition, their compression metrics, the number of edges that are reduced from the constraint edge set, are investigated.


The fiscal difficulties of LDC's, and the important role for evasion as a part of them, are well-known. Drawing on the rich literature on tax evasion in the public finance literature, much recent research has shed light on two phenomena contributing to this problem: Fiscal corruption and evasion through illegal transactions. This note surveys some of this recent research.


This paper presents a study conducted for evaluating different interpolation schemes, similarity metrics and optimization algorithms for the purpose of volumetric medical image registration. Each technique has been implemented to be plugged in a modular system. Rotation, translation and scale error has been measured to obtain a performance evaluation for all of the combinations of the considered techniques. Several experimental tests were conducted for validation both on synthetic and real datasets providing an exhaustive overview of the various strategies used.


Increasing productivity and production effort of catcing fisheries which variety fishing gear that operation need some method to plan and development it, where in this case the research done at PPP Klidang Lor Batang.
The main of this research is to take prority of fishing gear that have good performance looking it from biology, technical, society, and economy point of view, also to analyze the invest decent looking it from financial and economic point of view.
The methods of this research is survey. In this research have four (4) population of purse seine, one hundred and seventy six (176) for prawe, one hundred and seventy seven (177) for cantrang, two hundred and fourty four (244) for gill net where is operation at PPP Klidang Lor Batang. Method to take the sample is stratified random sampling (Gay, 1976). This researh has duly attended two month at Mei until Juny 2003. Analized of research data had done by determination cost benefit analysis and cost benefit analysis.
Result from this research is a priority for fishing gear unit effort that have good performance at PPP Klidang Lor are purse seine (1), prawe (2), cantrang (3) and gill net (4) which that looking from the determination analysis, more analyzed with cost benefit analysis known that purse seine value of NPV 18% = Rp 155.084.477; IRR = 26.06%; Net B/C = 1.43; prawe value of NPV 18% = Rp 75.093.794; IRR = 22.03%; Net B/C = 1.26; cantrang value of NPV 18% = Rp 27.267.006; IRR = 24.06%; Net B/C = 1.34; gill net value of NPV 18% = Rp 24.036.707; IRR = 20.00%; Net B/C = 1.19;. This conclusion result of this research is priority of fishing gear it had good performance are purse seine (1), prawe (2), cantrang (3) and gill net (4), which are decented to be invested.


The exponential escalation of disaster loss in our country has led to the awareness that disaster risks are presumably increasing. In the past few years, numerous hazards have been reported in India which has caused severe casualties, infrastructural, agricultural and economic damages. Over the years, researchers have scrutinized social media data for disaster management as it has the advantage of being available in real time and stays relevant in hazard response. But, the authenticity of social media data has been questioned particularly in a disaster management scenario where false information cannot be afforded. Collection of credible disaster statistics during or after a hazard occurrence is a demanding task. Web documents such as a news report are credible when compared to social media data and hence, the proposed work aims in developing a web crawler which is a software that's capable of indexing legitimate news websites from the world wide web which contains news articles related to hazards. The articles are extracted by incorporating the technique of data scraping which includes the use of a developed hazard ontology. The ontology contains hazard relevant keywords at multiple granularities. The developed crawler is able to prioritise websites based on its contents which makes the data collection more accurate. The collected data is  analyzed and structured as it may assist in administering hazard emergencies during a hazard, preparedness before a hazard occurrence and other post disaster activities efficiently. The proposed work also focuses on local media as it may provide news reports from regional locations which might not be reported in the mainstream media.  News articles are written in natural languages and hence structuring them into a statistical form involves natural language processing methodologies. The proposed work mainly focuses on semantic information extraction from news articles to extract statistical data related to the hazard, its impacts and loss.  News illustrations often include less newsworthy content such as advertisements and past studies of the hazard location. Hence, a supervised learning based text classification is performed to classify newsworthy content from the articles and approximately 70% accuracy has been achieved.


This article describes a culturally and linguistically relevant, physician-led smoking cessation intervention that was delivered to the Chinese American community in New York City. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 115 participants (94% male) at a clinical site of a community health centre. The smoking intervention program included pharmacological treatments and brief cessation counselling, education and support by the physician and the health educator. Process data included the drop-out rate, number of visits completed and use of pharmacotherapy. Outcome data included self-reported and biochemically verified (expired carbon monoxide) smoking status at week 12. In the process evaluation, valuable information about the components of interventions that worked well and challenges participants faced during their quit attempts was gathered from participants, doctors and the health educator. Sixteen participants (13.9%) successfully quit smoking. Chinese male smokers face many daunting challenges that prevent them from regularly attending a smoking cessation program. Despite these challenges, they appeared to benefit from brief interventions, although the cessation rate was modest at best. This information should be incorporated into future design of smoking cessation programs to address required behavioural change in this population.


Two pathways exist for cleavage of the carbon-phosphorus (C-P) bond of phosphonates, the C-P lyase and the phosphonatase pathways. It was previously demonstrated that Escherichia coli carries genes (named phn) only for the C-P lyase pathway and that Enterobacter aerogenes carries genes for both pathways (K.-S. Lee, W. W. Metcalf, and B. L. Wanner, J. Bacteriol. 174:2501-2510, 1992). In contrast, here it is shown that Salmonella typhimurium LT2 carries genes only for the phosphonatase pathway. Genes for the S. typhimurium phosphonatase pathway were cloned by complementation of E. coli delta phn mutants. Genes for these pathways were proven not to be homologous and to lie in different chromosomal regions. The S. typhimurium phn locus lies near 10 min; the E. coli phn locus lies near 93 min. The S. typhimurium phn gene cluster is about 7.2 kb in length and, on the basis of gene fusion analysis, appears to consist of two (or more) genes or operons that are divergently transcribed. Like that of the E. coli phn locus, the expression of the S. typhimurium phn locus is activated under conditions of Pi limitation and is subject to Pho regulon control. This was shown both by complementation of the appropriate E. coli mutants and by the construction of S. typhimurium mutants with lesions in the phoB and pst loci, which are required for activation and inhibition of Pho regulon gene expression, respectively. Complementation studies indicate that the S. typhimurium phn locus probably includes genes both for phosphonate transport and for catalysis of C-P bond cleavage.


This paper proposed a theoretical framework based on prospect theory to explain the determinants of housing satisfaction among relocated residents. We test the two most important elements of prospect theory, namely, reference point dependence and loss aversion. For reference point dependence, we investigate the presence of both internal and external reference points; for loss aversion, we test its effect directly by comparing coefficients in loss and gain domains and indirectly by verifying the presence of the endowment effect. Our study area is Xiamen, China, where the recent urbanization frenzy provides a natural experiment setting to reliably test our hypotheses. Our empirical findings provide convincing evidence to support the four hypotheses developed from prospect theory, indicating that prospect theory is a working theory to better understand the motivations and concerns of relocated residents. Policy recommendations are subsequently derived to reduce social conflicts and disharmony caused by urban redevelopment and relocations.


Two experiments examined the effect of differing levels of emotional arousal on learning and memory for words in matching and mismatching contexts. In Experiment 1, experienced skydivers learned words either in the air or on the ground and recalled them in the same context or in the other context. Experiment 2 replicated the stimuli and design of the first experiment except that participants were shown a skydiving video in lieu of skydiving. Recall was poor in air-learning conditions with actual skydiving, but when lists were learned on land, recall was higher in the matching context than in the mismatching context. In the skydiving video experiment, recall was higher in matching learn-recall contexts regardless of the situation in which learning occurred. We propose that under extremely emotionally arousing circumstances, environmental and/or mood cues are unlikely to become encoded or linked to newly acquired information and thus cannot serve as cues to retrieval. Results can be applied to understanding variations in context-dependent memory in occupations (e.g., police, military special operations, and Special Weapons and Tactics teams) in which the worker experiences considerable emotional stress while learning or recalling new information.


Importance
Ultra-widefield (UWF) imaging improves the ability to identify peripheral diabetic retinopathy (DR) lesions compared with standard imaging. Whether detection of predominantly peripheral lesions (PPLs) better predicts rates of disease worsening over time is unknown.

Objective
To determine whether PPLs identified on UWF imaging are associated with increased disease worsening beyond the risk associated with baseline Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scale (DRSS) score.

Design, Setting, and Participants
This cohort study was a prospective, multicenter, longitudinal observational study conducted at 37 US and Canadian sites with 388 participants enrolled between February and December 2015. At baseline and annually through 4 years, 200° UWF-color images were obtained and graded for DRSS at a reading center. Baseline UWF-color and UWF-fluorescein angiography (FA) images were evaluated for the presence of PPL. Data were analyzed from May 2020 to June 2022.

Interventions
Treatment of DR or diabetic macular edema was at investigator discretion.

Main Outcomes and Measures
Predominantly peripheral lesions were defined as DR lesions with a greater extent outside vs inside the 7 standard ETDRS fields. Primary outcome was disease worsening defined as worsening 2 steps or more on the DRSS or receipt of DR treatment. Analyses were adjusted for baseline DRSS score and correlation between 2 study eyes of the same participant.

Results
Data for 544 study eyes with nonproliferative DR (NPDR) were analyzed (182 [50%] female participants; median age, 62 years; 68% White). The 4-year disease worsening rates were 45% for eyes with baseline mild NPDR, 40% for moderate NPDR, 26% for moderately severe NPDR, and 43% for severe NPDR. Disease worsening was not associated with color PPL at baseline (present vs absent: 38% vs 43%; HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.57-1.08; P = .13) but was associated with FA PPL at baseline (present vs absent: 50% vs 31%; HR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.25-2.36; P < .001).

Conclusions and Relevance
Although no association was identified with color PPL, presence of FA PPL was associated with greater risk of disease worsening over 4 years, independent of baseline DRSS score. These results suggest that use of UWF-FA to evaluate retinas peripheral to standard ETDRS fields may improve the ability to predict disease worsening in NPDR eyes. These findings support use of UWF-FA for future DR staging systems and clinical care to more accurately determine prognosis in NPDR eyes.


The present research study aims to discover the effects of IT adoption in micro-enterprises in the Latino community in the United States. While the majority of the IT adoption literature considers large organizations, this study relies on Sen's Capability Approach and an adaptation of Action Research to support the adoption of IT by micro-enterprises. This "IT therapy" process enables IT to be used by micro-entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. Following an analysis of four Latin American micro-enterprises, this paper presents the most predominant outcomes. An assessment is made of the IT solutions implemented in the participating micro-enterprises. This paper contributes with a better understanding of how IT adoption can enable micro-enterprises in ethnic communities to grow. This has implications for governmental and non-governmental agencies supporting technology implementations in local communities. Future research based on the research findings should investigate communities of local enterprises at underserved areas as they adopt technology.


Through economic booms and slumps, the supply of housing has failed to keep pace with demand. The political solution to this problem has consistently focused on the supply side of the equation. The speed of the economic downturn in 2007/8 left many developers with extant planning permissions for residential developments across the country. The Government believes that if it can persuade developers to 'get Britain building' this will provide a Keynesian kick to the economy and go some way to addressing the supply and demand mismatch. But as moribund economic conditions continue, it is clear that sites are not being developed in significant numbers; they are "stalled". But why are they stalled, how many dwellings do they represent, where are they and what sort of housing schemes are involved? Organisations such as the Local Government Association and the Campaign for the Protection for Rural England have argued that the supply of housing sites is adequate with planning permission for over 400,000 housing plots unimplemented. The typical opposing view from the House Building Federation is that "Too many sites are now 'under water' due to charges levied on them by central and local government.


The aim of the study was to prove the rationale for antiviral therapy combined with surgical procedures for treatment of severe oral leukoplakia. Complex clinical and laboratory evaluation and treatment was performed in 56 patients divided in 2 groups. Control group was presented by 13 patients receiving dental treatment, local and systemic keratoplastic formulations. Main group involved 43 patients in which conventional treatment protocol was completed by antiviral therapy and surgical procedures. Leukoplakia diagnosis was based on clinical findings, histological and immunohistochemical studies as well as optic coherent tomography data. The obtained results evidently prove the necessity for including antiviral therapy and surgical procedures in treatment scheme of severe oral leukoplakia.


We performed a comprehensive comparative study of functional traits in coexisting alien and native woody species in order to examine the strategies related to resource use and dispersion underlying alien success in mountain Chaco woodlands of central Argentina. Our approach integrated seemingly contrasting pieces of evidence in the region. We specifically assessed whether (i) the 'functional acquisitive trend' previously observed along a broad environmental gradient accounts for woody alien naturalization when considering a single mesic ecosystem; or (ii) more than one trait syndrome is important among alien species, which would be more in line with the context-dependent nature of biological invasions at a local scale. Fifteen vegetative and regenerative traits were measured on the most common 14 native and 11 alien woody species.We compared the attributes of (i) native and alien species and (ii) between native species and two contrasting groups of alien species identified in the previous analysis. The overall trait comparison (i) showed that, in terms of vegetative attributes, woody alien species tend to be on average more acquisitive than native species. However, (ii) two contrasting syndromes were revealed among alien species: a group of seven deciduous species with acquisitive attributes; and a group of four evergreen species showing markedly more conservative attributes than the first group. The functional attributes of 'conservative aliens' completely overlapped with the range observed for native species, except for an exclusive dispersal phenology and a stronger tendency to clonal spread. Acquisitive aliens, in turn, proved to be beyond the range of attributes of native species, at the acquisitive extreme, as they did in previous comparisons. Despite their importance, general trends in plant functional attributes across regions and ecosystems can sometimes obscure trends at more local scales that are nevertheless important for the understanding and management of particular systems. Our study concurs with previous general trends when looking at the overall comparison between native and alien species, but unveils contrasting functional strategies among alien species when examining their attributes more closely, even within the same ecosystem.


This paper presents the outcome of a study conducted for measuring the forecasting accuracy with varying volume of wind speed data and increase in variables in the forecasting models. It is found that the forecasting accuracy depends on the volume of historical data and number of variables used to develop the model. Also the forecasting accuracy affected by forecasting horizon too. Wind speed and temperature data are found to be most effective in improving forecasting accuracy. The Transfer Function ARIMA model is developed using the historical data from July-2007 to July-2012. Initially only one year data is used to test the model and later model is tested using two, three, four and five years data. It is found that, as the volume of data increases, the forecasting accuracy also increases accordingly. In addition to this temperature data is also included in developing the forecasting model. It is observed that accuracy increases remarkably. The wind site selected for study is located at Basaveshwara Engineering College, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India. Wind and temperature data are measured using 50m-wind mast with interval of 10min between each data. The forecasting also done for the site located at Agricultural University at Bijapur, Karnataka, India for verification of the results. The proposed models can be used by utilities for planning, maintenance scheduling and load management of wind farms.


Serine hydrolases play crucial biological roles and are important therapeutic targets in many clinical applications. Activity‐based protein profiling of serine hydrolases by using fluorophosphonate probes, pioneered by Cravatt and co‐workers, has been a powerful tool for interrogating serine hydrolases in various biological systems. Herein, we present new phenyl phosphonate probes with an azide handle for click chemistry that offer remarkable improvements over the classical fluorophosphonate serine hydrolase activity‐based probes including ease of preparation, excellent cell permeability, and distinct reactivity profiles, as controlled by the phenolate leaving group. Thus, these new activity‐based serine hydrolase probes are valuable tools to further interrogate this important class of enzymes.


Severe antitrypsin (AT) deficiency due to polymerization of the Z variant is the commonest genetic cause of emphysema. There is variability in the development and progression of emphysema even in Z-AT homozygotes. We postulated that episodes of pulmonary inflammation could induce polymerization of Z-AT protein thereby further reducing the anti-proteinase protection. 8 Transgenic mice for human Z-AT (Z-mice) and M-AT (M-mice) received 10µg of intrapulmonary LPS. BALF and lung homogenates (LH) were assessed for lung injury and inflammation and AT conformations at day 1, d3 and d7. Z-mice had more lung injury than M-mice; Wet:dry lung ratio was higher in Z- than M-mice, d1, 6.5±0.42 vs. 4.5±0.24, p=0.001; d3, 7.1±0.51 vs. 5.7±0.29, p=0.03. Z-mice had more pulmonary PMNs d1, BALF 71±3x104cells (mean(SEM)) vs. 52±4, p=0.004; LH intracellular neutrophil elastase (NE), Z- vs. M-mice, median(IQR): d1, 418(490-391)ng/mg vs. 261(285-220), p<0.001. Z-mice had a higher concentration of 8-isoprostane (8-IP) and free NE in BALF compared with M-mice; 8-IP (Z vs. M), d1, 141±29ng/ml vs. 83±19; d3, 211±27 vs. 108±21, p<0.001; BALF, free NE, d1 (Z vs. M), median(IQR) 346(436-316)ng/ml vs. 213(245-113), p=0.001. ELISA and immunoblot revealed that LPS instillation in Z-AT mice led to the development of oxidized-polymers of Z-AT, which further reduces the anti-elastase protection and nullifies the anti-inflammatory effect of AT. This data suggests a molecular mechanism whereby infective exacerbations could further inactivate Z-AT and contribute to the faster decline in lung function in Pi ZZ individuals. This may explain some of the heterogeneity of the lung disease in these individuals.


AS REPORTED in the press, the 1994 congressional elections had broad implications for the future of public policy in the United States. Republicans gained a majority in both houses of Congress, taking control of the House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years. In all, the Republicans gained 52 seats in the House and eight seats in the Senate. The purpose of this article is to examine the implications of the 1994 elections for the future direction of health care policy. Using the results of three Election Day surveys of voters, we will look at two key questions: What role did the health care issue play in voters' choice of candidates? What do voters want the new Congress to do about health care policy? In addition, we will examine the views of California voters on Proposition 186, a proposal to adopt a statewide single-payer system. Data and Methods


Soil respiration (RS, Soil CO2 efflux) is the second largest carbon (C) flux in global terrestrial ecosystems, and thus, plays an important role in global and regional C cycling; moreover, it acts as a feedback mechanism between C cycling and global climate change. RS is highly responsive to temperature and moisture, factors that are closely related to climate warming and changes in precipitation regimes. Here, we examined the direct and interactive effects of climate change drivers on RS of Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc. seedlings in a multifactor climate change experiment involving atmospheric temperature warming (+3 °C) and precipitation manipulations (−30% and +30%). Our results indicated that atmospheric temperature warming induced significant changes in RS (p < 0.05), enhancing RS by an average of 54.6% and 59.7% in the control and elevated precipitation plots, respectively, whereas atmospheric temperature warming reduced RS by 19.4% in plots subjected to lower rates of precipitation. However, the warming effect on RS was influenced by soil moisture. On the basis of these findings, we suggest that atmospheric temperature warming significantly influenced RS, but the warming effect on RS may be weakened by warming-induced soil drying in water-limited environments.


Abstract. Variability in water isotopes has been captured in numerous archives and used to infer past climate changes. Here we examine water isotope variability over the course of the Holocene using the water-isotope enabled, coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model, GISS ModelE-R. Eight Holocene time slices, ~1000 years apart are simulated and driven by estimated changes in orbital configuration, greenhouse gases, and ice sheet extent. We find that simulated water isotope archives match well with those seen in ice cores, ocean sediment cores, and speleothems. The climate changes associated with the water isotope changes, however, are more complex than simple modern spatial slope interpretations might suggest. In particular, water isotope variability in Asian speleothems is linked to alterations in landward water vapor transport, not local precipitation, and ice sheet changes over North America lead to the masking of temperature signals in Summit, Greenland. Salinity-seawater isotope variability is complicated by inter-ocean basin exchanges of water vapor. Water isotopes do reflect variability in the hydrology, but are better interpreted in terms of regional hydrological cycle changes rather than as indicators of local climate.


Diastolic heart failure, or heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. There are no current therapies effective in improving outcomes for these patients. The aim of this article is to review the literature and examine the role of coenzyme Q10 in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction related to mitochondrial synthesis of adenosine triphosphate and reactive oxygen species production. The study results reflect that myocardial energetics alters in diastolic heart failure and that there is defective energy metabolism and increased oxidative stress. Studies are emerging to evaluate coenzyme Q10 , particularly ubiquinol, as a supplemental treatment for heart-failure patients. In diastolic heart-failure patients, clinicians are beginning to use supplemental therapies to improve patient outcomes, and one promising complementary treatment to improve left ventricular diastolic function is ubiquinol. Additional studies are needed using large-scale randomized models to confirm if ubiquinol would be beneficial. Since ubiquinol is an antioxidant and is required for adenosine triphosphate production, clinicians and health scientists should be aware of the potential role of this supplement in the treatment of diastolic heart failure.


Current practices of drug dissolution testing require that the experimental conditions, such as medium and its volume and apparatus and its associated stirrer rotation speed, be established for each test product to achieve certain 'expected' dissolution characteristics or results. In reality, however, the purpose of dissolution testing should be to determine potentially unknown dissolution results reflective of a test product based on its formulation and/or manufacturing attributes. For appropriate testing, in particular for comparative purposes, the experimental conditions must be the same or consistent from product to product i.e. product independent. This article describes a newly developed spindle, known as crescent-shaped, which can easily be installed in the vessel-based dissolution apparatuses (basket and paddle) to provide a product-independent dissolution testing approach for improved drug dissolution assessments. The new spindle provides an improved stirring and mixing environment, leading to better characterization of pharmaceutical products. The use of the crescent-shaped spindles offers additional significant advantages over the current practices, such as: (1) allows analyses using a single method, compared to hundreds as currently required, for both immediate and extended-released products having the same or different active ingredients; (2) provides improved dissolution characteristics of products by avoiding false slow release properties for fast release type products; (3) simplifies testing by avoiding the necessity of developing separate QC and bio-relevant dissolution methods; (4) provides a rugged testing environment free from common sensitivities, in particular to de-aeration and vibration effects. Considering that the new design provides significant advantages, the spindle may be considered for inclusion in the Ph. Eur., as an option, in the general chapter on dissolution testing.


Partial 16S rDNA from Vibrio collection type strains and recent isolates of Vibrio-related strains were sequenced and compared with previously published sequences. A 24-base DNA oligonucleotide (VaV3) was designed and used as a specific probe for detection and identification of Vibrio anguillarum. Its specificity was tested against collection type strains and environmental isolates and no cross-reaction was found. The probe detected 8 of the 10 V. anguillarum serovars. It was applied to screen different Vibrio-related strains isolated from marine hatcheries and fish farms. The detection limit in DNA-DNA slot blot hybridization was 150 pg.


ABSTRACT The relationship between companion animal ownership and wellbeing has received an increasing amount of scientific attention over the last few decades. Although the general assumption is that individuals benefit from the presence of companion animals (termed the "pet-effect"), recent evidence suggests that the nature of this association is diverse and complex and that many of the studies performed so far are subject to methodological constraints. This study therefore aimed to investigate the pet-effect in the natural setting of pet-owners' daily life. Using the Experience Sampling Method (a signal contingent ecological assessment technique), 55 dog or cat owners reported for five consecutive days, at ten random time-points each day, in the moment whether a pet was present and to what extent they interacted with it. In addition, at each measurement moment they reported on their current positive and negative affect, using 11 mood-related adjectives derived from the Positive And Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Multilevel regression analyses showed that negative affect was relatively lower at moments when the companion animal was present (vs. absent) (B = –0.09, p = 0.02, 95%CI = –0.16; –0.02). In addition, the level of interaction with a companion animal was positively associated with positive affect (B = 0.04, p < 0.001, 95%CI = 0.01; 0.07). These results are in line with the pet-effect hypothesis in suggesting that the presence of and interaction with companion animals is associated with aspects of emotional wellbeing. More specifically, the presence of a companion animal may buffer against negative feelings, while interacting with a companion animal may generate positive feelings. This differential effect on positive versus negative affect also shows that the pet-effect is not an unequivocal effect. Different aspects of the human–animal relationship may influence different aspects of wellbeing.


Background
The use of adaptive optics (AO) system in ophthalmic clinic and basic studies has increased in recent years.However, there are few reports on the stability of ocular aberrations after correction.

Objective
This study was to analyze the stability of aberration after correction by observing the repeatability of ocular aberration measurements.

Methods
Forty-one postgraduate school students and volunteers who meet the conditions were included from February to April 2014.The Zernike aberration coefficients including astigmatism (Z2-2, Z22), defocus (Z20), trefoil (Z33, Z3-3), coma (Z3-1, Z31), spherical aberration (Z40) and the value of root mean square (RMS) including 3rd-order to 7th-order aberrations, total higher-order aberrations (HOAs) and total ocular aberrations (TOAs) were measured by using AO system.The repeatability and stability of these data after corrected with AO system were analyzed.The repeatability was evaluated by ANOVA, within-subject standard deviation (Sw), repeatability (r) and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). The stability was evaluated by the nonparametric Friedman's rank test.

Results
AO system showed excellent repeatability on Z2-2, Z22, Z20 and TOA RMS (ICC>0.9), good repeatability on Z31, Z33, Z3-3, Z40, 3rd-order RMS, 4th-order RMS, HOA RMS (ICC>0.75), poor repeatability on Z3-1, 5th-order RMS, 6th-order RMS, 7th-order RMS (ICC<0.75). Repeatability (2.77 Sw) values ranged from 0.009 mm (7th-order RMS) to 0.163 mm (Z31). After low-order ocular aberrations were corrected, It was founded that Z2-2, Z22 reached stable state at the 4th second; Z20 was stable at the 6th second; Z3-3and Z33 reached stable state at the 4th second and third second, separately; Z31 was stable from 3rd-second to 9th-second, Z3-3 was stable at the 4th-second.Z40 and HOA RMS were stable at the third second and fifth second, respectively.The Z2-2, Z20, Z22, Z3-3, Z3-1, Z33, Z40 and HOA RMS were significantly different among different time points before and after low-order aberrations correction (all at P<0.05). Z2-2, Z22, Z20 reached stable state at the 4th-second, 3rd-second and 5th-second, respectively; Z3-3, Z33reached stable state at the 2nd-second and 3rd-second, respectively; Z3-1and Z40 reached stable state at the 2nd-second; HOA RMS reached stable state at the 5th-second.

Conclusions
After correcting the human ocular aberration, different aberrations can reach stable state at different time.The time of Z20, Z22, Z3-3, Z3-1, Z40 reaching stable state after 2nd-order to 5th-order ocular aberrations correction was earlier than those of lower-order aberrations correction.

Key words:
Adaptive optics; Wavefront aberration; Repeatability; Correction; Stability


Abstract. The Numerical Spectral Model (NSM) extends from the ground into the thermosphere and incorporates Hines' Doppler Spread Parameterization for small-scale gravity waves (GWs). In the present version of the model we account for a tropospheric heat source in the zonal mean (m=0), which reproduces qualitatively the observed zonal jets near the tropopause and the accompanying reversal in the latitudinal temperature variations. In the study presented here, we discuss the planetary waves (PWs) that are solely generated internally, i.e. without the explicit excitation sources related to tropospheric convection or topography. Our analysis shows that PWs are not produced when the zonally averaged heat source into the atmosphere is artificially suppressed, and that the PWs are generally weaker when the tropospheric source is not applied. Instabilities associated with the zonal mean temperature, pressure and wind fields, which still need to be explored, are exciting PWs that have amplitudes in the mesosphere comparable to those observed. Three classes of PWs are generated in the NSM. (1) Rossby type PWs, which slowly propagate westward relative to the mean zonal flow, are carried by the winds so that they appear (from the ground) to propagate, respectively, eastward and westward in the winter and summer hemispheres below 80km. Depending on the zonal wave number and magnitudes of the zonal winds, and under the influence of the equatorial oscillations, these PWs typically have periods between 2 and 20 days. Their horizontal wind amplitudes can exceed 40 m/s in the lower mesosphere. (2) Rossby-gravity waves, which propagate westward at low latitudes and have periods around 2 days for zonal wave numbers m=2 to 4. (3) Eastward propagating equatorial Kelvin waves, which are generated in the upper mesosphere with periods between 1 and 3 days depending on m. A survey of the PWs reveals that the largest wind amplitudes tend to occur below 80km in the winter hemisphere; but above that altitude the amplitudes are larger in the summer hemisphere where the winds can approach 50m/s. This pattern in the seasonal variations also appears in the baroclinity of the zonal mean (m=0). The nonmigrating tides in the mesosphere are significantly larger for the model with the tropospheric heat source, in which PWs are apparently generated by the instabilities that arise around the tropopause.


The main aim of this study is to investigate the technical and economic feasibility of the pulse electrocoagulation (PE) process on the treatment of oilfield alkali/surfactant/polymer flooding produced water. By using an Fe electrode, the performance of the PE process was analyzed in terms of operating parameters such as pulse duty cycle, current density, pulse frequency, electrode distance, and reaction time with removal efficiencies, some of which are presented in figures and others are given in tables due to the numbers of parameters. Under the optimal conditions of a pulse duty cycle of 0.3, current density of 35 mA/cm 2 , pulse frequency of 3.0 kHz, electrode distance of 1.0 cm, and reaction time of 40 min, the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), oils and greases, turbidity, total suspended solids, and polyacrylamide reach 98.3, 99.0, 98.8, 98.1 and 94.3%, respectively, with an energy consumption of 0.19 kWh/kg COD removed and an electrode consumption of 3.1 kg Fe/kg COD removed . The quality of the final effluent could satisfy the requirement of the national discharge standard. Compared with the traditional direct current method, the PE process could save 76% of the energy. Moreover, the treatment performance of PE is much better than traditional chemical coagulation treatment using polymeric ferric sulfate.


Beta‐catenin has a number of roles in early development including involvement in cell adhesion, cell signaling, and developmental fate specification. This study investigates the mechanisms that regulate embryonic compaction, the first cell adhesion event in early mammalian development. Mammalian embryos can be induced to compact at an earlier developmental stage than normal by treatment with agonists that activate protein kinase C (PKC), and this treatment is used to identify and analyze the minimum essential changes required for embryonic compaction. It was predicted that: (1) since activation of PKC can induce compaction prematurely in mouse embryos, phosphorylation of the protein components of the adherens complex would occur during induced compaction and that these components would be required for the cell adhesive event; (2) these same proteins should be phosphorylated during compaction in normal development; (3) new, highly‐specific inhibitors of PKC activity would inhibit compaction during normal development and induced compaction; and (4) some PKC isotypes would become localized to the junctional membranes during the process of compaction. In agreement with these predictionst, β‐catenin became phosphorylated on serine/threonine residues both during induced compaction and normal development. Inhibitors to PKC, but not inhibitors to other kinases, blocked compaction. Furthermore, the alpha isotype of PKC is recruited to the membranes of the apposing blastomeres both during induced compaction and during normal development immediately before compaction begins and before β‐catenin becomes part of the detergent‐resistant cytoskeleton at the junction. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 54:135–144, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


This paper focuses on dynamic financial modelling of recurring cash flow items in PPP projects in operating stage and on risks associated with the volatility of these cash flows. As we concentrate on so-called government-pays schemes, only cash-outflows are considered, such as operating costs, repairs and maintenance expenses, and administration costs, whereas the revenue side is considered to be not at risk. We show different approaches to modelling the uncertainty of recurring operating expenses and explain how to interpret the results. Our analysis is based on the mathematical framework of stochastic processes, which, in finance, are particularly used to describe price series evolutions in capital markets. We apply them to generate variable trajectories of operating costs and integrate them into a stochastic simulation of the financial model.


Studies of student understanding of simple electric dc circuits have shown that many of them find it very difficult to apply qualitative reasoning to explain the observed phenomena. It has been suggested that these difficulties may be due to their failure to construct models of microscopic processes that lead to these phenomena. Indeed, in the traditional courses, such models have generally not been emphasized. In the present study, we compared the performance of different groups of university students in answering a questionnaire designed to probe their understanding of the relationship between macroscopic phenomena of transients in a dc circuit and the microscopic processes that can explain these phenomena. One group studied from a traditional text, the second group used a recently developed text that emphasizes models of microscopic processes. We also conducted detailed interviews with some of the students. From an analysis of the performance of these two groups, and also from a comparison with a previous study on Israeli high school students, we found that most of the students whose instructional experiences included an emphasis on the development of models of microscopic processes developed a better understanding of the transient phenomena studied. They applied qualitative considerations in their analyses and were able to develop coherent models to describe their observations. Overall, they demonstrated a superior understanding of the physical phenomena.


Graphs and networks play an important role in modeling and analyzing complex interconnected systems such as transportation networks, integrated circuits, power grids, citation graphs, and biological and artificial neural networks. Graph clustering algorithms can be used to detect groups of strongly connected vertices and to derive coarse-grained models. We define transfer operators such as the Koopman operator and the Perron-Frobenius operator on graphs, study their spectral properties, introduce Galerkin projections of these operators, and illustrate how reduced representations can be estimated from data. In particular, we show that spectral clustering of undirected graphs can be interpreted in terms of eigenfunctions of the Koopman operator and propose novel clustering algorithms for directed graphs based on generalized transfer operators. We demonstrate the efficacy of the resulting algorithms on several benchmark problems and provide different interpretations of clusters.


AbstractThis paper presents the main features, advantages and an evaluation of applications of an 'Ecotube' technology for combustion improvement and emission reduction. The sensitivity of the Ecotube locations in a combustion chamber and the injection angle of jets on the Ecotube have been analysed numerically. A municipal solid waste incinerator and a coal fired boiler are the focus of this work. A definition of the heat release distribution ratio is proposed to identify the heat release inside the upper furnace of boilers or incinerators. Results show that an Ecotube system allows a far more uniform heat release, lower CO and NOx emissions, and a more uniform temperature distribution, thus a longer life of the furnace chamber. Additionally, the combustion reaction zone occupies as high as 45% of the whole combustion chamber using an Ecotube system, ∼40% higher than a conventional multijet mixing system.


Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) has been regarded as an infective-inflammatory disease, which affects mainly lungs. More recently, a multi-organ involvement has been highlighted, with different pathways of injury. A hemoglobinopathy, hypoxia and cell iron overload might have a possible additional role. Scientific literature has pointed out two potential pathophysiological mechanisms: i) severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV- 2) interaction with hemoglobin molecule, through CD147, CD26 and other receptors located on erythrocyte and/or blood cell precursors; ii) hepcidin-mimetic action of a viral spike protein, inducing ferroportin blockage. In this translational medicinebased narrative review, the following pathologic metabolic pathways, deriving from hemoglobin denaturation and iron metabolism dysregulation, are highlighted: i) decrease of functioning hemoglobin quote; ii) iron overload in cell/tissue (hyperferritinemia); iii) release of free toxic circulating heme; iv) hypoxemia and systemic hypoxia; v) reduction of nitric oxide; vi) coagulation activation; vii) ferroptosis with oxidative stress and lipoperoxidation; viii) mitochondrial degeneration and apoptosis. A few clinical syndromes may follow, such as pulmonary edema based on arterial vasoconstriction and altered alveolo-capillary barrier, sideroblastic-like anemia, endotheliitis, vasospastic acrosyndrome, and arterio- venous thromboembolism. We speculated that in COVID-19, beyond the classical pulmonary immune-inflammation view, the occurrence of an oxygen-deprived blood disease, with iron metabolism dysregulation, should be taken in consideration. A more comprehensive diagnostic/therapeutic approach to COVID-19 is proposed, including potential adjuvant interventions aimed at improving hemoglobin dysfunction, iron over-deposit and generalized hypoxic state.


A cancer vaccine consisting of a recombinant adenoviral vector encoding the tumor-associated antigen (TAA) human MUC-1 (hMUC-1) linked to the extracellular domain (ecd) of the co-stimulatory molecule CD40 ligand (CD40L) and an adenovirus signal sequence that encodes a secretory signal peptide (Ad-sig) with potential immunostimulating and antineoplastic activities. Due to the presence of the secretory signal peptide expressed by Ad-sig in the vaccine construct, transfected cells may secrete a fusion protein composed of hMUC-1 and the CD40L ecd. The CD40L moiety part of the fusion protein binds to CD40 receptors on dendritic cells (DCs). Subsequently, DCs may be activated and migrate, T-cells may expand, and a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response against tumor cells that overexpress hMUC-1 may follow. MUC-1 is a hypoglycosylated TAA overexpressed by epithelial cancer cells.


Water resource problems, one of the most important environmental and socio-economic issues, have been a common concern worldwide in recent years. Water resource risks are attracting more and more attention from the international community and national governments. Given the current situations of water resources and the water environment, and the characteristics of water resources management and information statistics of China, this paper establishes an index system for water risk assessment in river basins of China based on the index system of water risk assessment proposed by the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) and German Investment and Development Co., Ltd (DEG). The new system is more suitable for Chinese national conditions and endorses the international assessment index. A variety of factors are considered to determine the critical values of classification for each index, and the indexes are graded by means of 5-grade and 5-score scales; the weights and calculation methods of some indexes are adjusted, with the remaining indexes adopting the method of WWF. The Weighted Comprehensive Index Summation Process is adopted to calculate the integrated assessment score of the river basin. The method is applied to the Haihe River basin in China. The assessment shows that the method can accurately reflect the water risk level of different river basins. Finally, the paper discusses the continuing problems in water risk assessment and points out the research required to provide a reference for further study in this field.


Strong EMI (Electro-Magnetic Interference) brings the problem of packet error and following retransmission. Especially in motion control area, the widely used Real-Time Ethernet SERCOS III will be seriously affected by EMI from the motor and other power electronic devices. This paper focus on the behaviors of synchronization mechanism of SERCOS III in a strong EMI environment. Strong EMI affect the precondition of SERCOS III's synchronization mechanism, and the precision of synchronization is highly affected. A Timed Petri Net model of the former mechanism in packet error environment is created and simulated in the Timed Petri Net simulation software CPN TOOLS. The simulation results indicate that the synchronization error is up to about 0.5 to 45 times of retransmission cycle time. This error is unacceptable in motion control area. Then, the paper provides an improved synchronization mechanism, and similar simulation is run. Simulation results indicate that synchronization error is eliminated by the improved mechanism.


Worldwide, large quantities of solid waste are generated by construction and demolition (C&D) activities and the car industry. At the same time, the availability of landfill space is diminishing, and most industrialized nations are actively promoting recycling procedures to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. Governments have also set up regulatory bodies to provide standards and protocols for these procedures. Environmental benefits and reduced concrete production costs are some of the advantages of using recycled materials. Given these worldwide trends, it is essential to consider recycling some of the solid waste from the construction industry and used tires from the car industry to supplement natural aggregates in the production of concrete for the construction industry. This papers discusses the on-going research at La Trobe University on the use of recycled aggregates such as crushed concrete, crushed brick and rubber chips in the production of concrete. The effects of partial or total replacement of normal-weight aggregates with recycled aggregates on the strength of concrete were investigated. Different types and proportions of aggregate replacements were studied to establish which protocols provided the best options. It was found that concrete mixes produced with recycled aggregates produced acceptable concrete with reduced production costs.


Antileishmanial chemotherapy is hampered by the location of the parasite within the phagolysosome of the macrophage, which restricts the bioavailability of many potentially useful antileishmanial drugs. In this study, the possibility of using antileishmanial drugs targeted to the infected macrophages by means of a chemical linkage to a neutral mannose-substituted poly-L-lysine carrier molecule was explored. The study was performed in an in vitro model with Leishmania donovani-infected murine macrophages. The antileishmanial activities of various synthetic constructs were compared with those of the free drugs and the pentavalent antimonial Pentostam, which was used as the positive control. The 50% effective dose of allopurinol riboside linked to the mannosylated poly-L-lysine was below 7.5 x 10(-6) M, while it was up to 3 x 10(-4) M for the free drug, indicating that the drug bound to the polymer was 50 times more active than the free drug. Control experiments with other constructs (e.g., allopurinol riboside linked to the mannose-free polymer) confirmed that the enhancement of activity was indeed achieved by means of the mannose homing device.


Web searchers often use a Web search engine to find a way or means to achieve his/her goal. For example, a user intending to solve his/her sleeping problem, the query "sleeping pills" may be used. However, there may be another solution to achieve the same goal, such as "have a cup of hot milk" or "stroll before bedtime." The problem is that the user may not be aware that these solutions exist. Thus, he/she will probably choose to take a sleeping pill without considering these solutions. In this study, we define and tackle the alternative action mining problem. In particular, we attempt to develop a method for mining alternative actions for a given query. We define alternative actions as actions which share the same goal and define the alternative action mining problem as similar in the search result diversification. To tackle the problem, we propose leveraging a community Q&A (cQA) corpus for mining alternative actions. We propose a method to compute how well two actions can be alternative actions by using a question-answer structure in a cQA corpus. Our method builds a question-action bipartite graph and recursively computes how well two actions can be alternative actions. We conducted experiments to investigate the effectiveness of our method using two newly built test collections, each containing 50 queries. The experimental results indicated that our proposed method outperformed the query suggestion methods provided by the commercial search engines in terms of D#-nDCG.


Abstract Objective: The Self-Assessment of Psoriasis Symptoms – Clinical Trials (SAPS-CT) and SAPS – Real World (SAPS-RW) were simultaneously created to assess the experience of plaque psoriasis in two unique contexts. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative research was conducted in four phases namely concept elicitation, questionnaire construction, content evaluation and psychometric evaluation. Results: Following concept elicitation, 18 concepts were selected to inform questionnaire construction of the SAPS-CT and SAPS-RW. To accommodate each context of use, the SAPS-CT asks respondents to rate the target symptom 'at its worst' in the 24 h prior to assessment, while the SAPS-RW asks respondents to rate the target symptom "on average" in the 7 days prior to assessment. Cognitive debriefing confirmed that patients could comprehend and provide meaningful responses to both versions and, after minor modifications, resulted in 11-item questionnaires administered in an observational study (N = 200). Results from the observational study informed further item reduction (SAPS-RW to six items and SAPS-CT to nine items) and demonstrated that scores from each were reliable (Cronbach's α > 0.90, test–retest intraclass correlation coefficient >0.70), construct valid and able to differentiate among clinically distinct groups. Conclusion: The SAPS-CT and SAPS-RW are content-valid PRO questionnaires capable of producing psychometrically sound scores when administered chronic to plaque psoriasis patients.


The Hungarian borders have been at the centre of political and social discourse since the 20th century. Subjectto whichever government dominated at a given time, border policies strengthened and disappeared frequently.During the summer and autumn of 2015, a fence was constructed in effort to discourage migration at the southern borders of Hungary. Building on collective social memory which links Hungary's southern borders with divisionary actions, the government organised a campaign effective in convincing voters that more aggressive border control measures should be enacted. Opposition parties had no effective tools to counter the government's actions; thus, popular support for the government increased significantly. This paper examines how the attention and resources concentrated on the southern borders do not directly correspond to purported objectives. In fact, this paper argues that the issues related to securing the southern border of Hungary are merely used as political resources to achieve domestic political- and power-related goals. Taking into account specific international trends of border research, this work aims to illustrate how the border itself (more concisely, the policy of strengthening the southern border) became a political resource, through the remarkably efficient communications campaign of the ruling Hungarian government party.


Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin are ordered home by dispatch vessel to bring the news of their latest victory to the government. But Maturin is a marked man for the havoc he has wrought in the French intelligence network in the New World, and the attention of two privateers soon becomes menacing. The chase that follows through the fogs and shallows of the Grand Banks is as tense, and as unexpected in its culmination, as anything Patrick O'Brian has written.


A retrospective study of 400 consecutive case records was made to establish the clinical significance of the low lying placenta found on ultrasound. Diagnostic accuracy is discussed. 30% of the patients had a low lying placenta on early scan. Of these, 73% had a follow up scan. There was a progressive drop in the incidence of low lying placentae through pregnancy until at term, in this study, there was no placenta previa. It is considered that a repeat scan is necessary to exclude placenta previa, but not until 34 weeks gestation. Amongst the patients with early low lying placentae the incidence of antepartum haemorrhage of indeterminate type was significantly high (P less than 0.001). A careful surveillance of these patients is therefore required. Dynamic placental migration may be the cause of this bleeding. Further study is necessary to determine the effect of early placental position on subsequent fetal development.


Aims To explore the study of the relationship between the level of gut flora in childhood obese people and normal healthy people based on the analysis of machine learning. Materials and Methods The stools of 54 normal weight, 53 overweight, and 59 obese children from May 2021 to May 2022 were selected. And DNA was extracted, and primers specific for the four bacteria were designed according to the specificity of the four bacteria to the 16 S rDNA gene sequences of the bacteria to be tested, and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR reactions were performed to compare whether there was any difference in the number of the four bacteria between the three groups. Results. The results of agarose gel electrophoresis showed that the PCR amplification products of all four target bacteria showed clear bands at the corresponding positions, and no nonspecific bands appeared. When compared with the marker, the size matched with the target fragment, indicating good primer specificity. The comparison between normal body recombinant, super recombinant, and obese groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05) for rectal eubacteria, polymorphic anaplasma, bifidobacteria spp., and lactobacilli. The median number of bifidobacteria in the three groups was significantly higher than the median number of rectal eubacteria, polymorphomycetes, and lactobacilli. The difference in comparison was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Stratified analysis of children's age revealed that normal body composition of Lactobacillus decreased with increasing age, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion An increase in rectal eubacteria and a decrease in polymorphomycetes, bifidobacteria spp., and lactobacilli may be associated with the development of obesity. The numbers of rectal eubacteria, polymorphic methanobacteria, bifidobacteria spp., and lactobacilli in the intestine of normal weight and obese children were less affected by sex and age.


The objective of this study was to analyze the factors influencing the profit of pig farms in rural communities in Minahasa Regency, North Sulawesi based on output sales orientation for breeding stock and combination of breeding-fattening models. The research was conducted from July to December 2016, using survey method with multistage random sampling technique. The selected locations were three Districts of Sonder, Tombulu and Kakas based on the largest population of pigs involving randomly one hundred respondents. The variables were included profit, prices of corn, concentrate, bran, medicine, vitamin, animal housing depreciation, the number of piglets, farm experience and output sales orientation. Data were analyzed on the basis of unit output price Cobb-Douglas Profit Function using multiple linear regressions. Research showed that input prices of production factor and number of piglets were influenced profit (P<0.01). Partially, the input prices of corn, concentrate, bran, medicine, vitamins, output sales orientation, and the number of piglets influenced profit(P<0.01). Average profits of farm were IDR 942,823.70/month for breeding models and IDR 3,679,833.85/month for combination of breeding-fattening models, with average numbers of sows were 2.25 heads


: The present paper reports on a 55 year-old patient who had been suffering from progressive essential iris atrophy in her left eye since the age of 24. Ten years later she developed partial secondary angel-closure glaucoma that failed to respond to repeated surgical treatment. Twenty years after onset of the disease, pigmented nodules appeared on the left iris, leading to the diagnosis of Cogan-Reese syndrome. Finally, 30 years after onset of the disease, the blind and painful eye was enucleated. The typical histologic findings in Cogan-Reese syndrome were confirmed by light and electron microscopy.


The sea urchin embryo nuclei which retained their ability to maintain the DNA synthesis in an in vitro system were isolated. The DNA synthesis isolated nuclei was shown to be an ATP-dependent process which is inhibited by low concentrations of actinomycin D, a polymerase alpha araCTP inhibitor. The newly synthesized DNA is represented by short fragments of about 4S. After addition of Ca2+, Mg2+-dependent DNAase to sea urchin embryo nuclei, the synthesis of short DNA fragments is enhanced. This stimulating effect of Ca2+, Mg2+-dependent DNAase is ATP-dependent and is observed only within a narrow range of enzyme concentrations (of the order of 1-5 units of DNAase activity per ml of incubation sample). The increase in the enzyme concentration to 10 or more units of activity results in the depression of DNA synthesis. It is concluded that DNA replication in sea urchin embryo nuclei depends on the presence of active DNAases as well as on the number of accessible initiation sites of DNA replication.


Aim: We aimed to compare serum levels of the inflammatory mediators of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) and Asymmetric-Dimethyl-Arginine (ADMA) in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) and their coexistence called Overlap Syndrome (OVS). Also, we planned to investigate the changes of these mediators with the treatment of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in OSAS and OVS patients. Methods: CRP, TNF-α, ADMA levels were analyzed by ELISA method with the blood samples taken from patients with COPD (N=25), OVS (N=25) and moderate-severe stage OSAS (N=25) in the morning after polysomnography application and second blood samples taken from OSAS and OVS patients who underwent regular CPAP treatment throughout 3-6 weeks. Results: In comparison of three groups prior to CPAP treatment, ADMA levels in OSAS group were significantly lower than in COPD group (p=0.009), but CRP (p=0.478) and TNF-α (p=0.137) were similar among groups. On the basis of before-after CPAP treatment comparison, CRP levels in both OSAS and OVS groups decreased significantly (p=0.02, p=0.04), whereas TNF-α (p=0.980, p=0.144) and ADMA (p=0.321, p=0.282) levels did not display any statistical significant differences. Conclusion: In OVS group, no significant difference was established in inflammatory mediators when compared to COPD and OSAS groups. After effective CPAP treatment, decrease in serum-CRP level in OVS and OSAS groups showed that CPAP is an effective treatment method for systemic inflammation. Nevertheless, further investigations examining the differences in ADMA, CRP and TNF-α level in patients with COPD, OSAS and OVS are required.


Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells (OGCs) of the pancreas (UCOGCP) is a rare pancreatic tumor originated from pancreatic ductal epithelium. It is considered as a variant subtype of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), accounting for less than 1% of pancreatic malignant neoplasms (1,2). Most UCOGCPs are found to have a large tumor upon detection, which are frequently unresectable. Even treated with surgical removal, UCOGCP has a tendency of early recurrence. Hereby we report a case of a large UCOGCP with recurrence shortly after surgical excision.


Abstract : The U.S. military's increasing reliance on commercial and military communications satellites to enable widely-dispersed, mobile forces to communicate makes these space assets increasingly vulnerable to attack by adversaries. Attacks on these satellites could cause military communications to become unavailable at critical moments during a conflict. This research dissected a typical satellite communications system in order to provide an understanding of the possible attacker entry points into the system, to determine the vulnerabilities associated with each of these access points, and to analyze the possible impacts of these vulnerabilities to U.S. military operations. By understanding these vulnerabilities of U.S. communications satellite systems, methods can be developed to mitigate these threats and protect future systems. This research concluded that the satellite antenna is the most vulnerable component of the satellite communications system's space segment. The antenna makes the satellite vulnerable to intentional attacks such as: RF jamming, spoofing, meaconing, and deliberate physical attack. The most vulnerable Earth segment component was found to be the Earth station network, which incorporates both Earth station and NOC vulnerabilities. Earth segment vulnerabilities include RF jamming, deliberate physical attack, and Internet connection vulnerabilities. The most vulnerable user segment components were found to be the SSPs and PoPs. SSPs are subject to the vulnerabilities of the services offered, the vulnerabilities of Internet connectivity, and the vulnerabilities associated with operating the VSAT central hub. PoPs are susceptible to the vulnerabilities of the PoP routers, the vulnerabilities of Internet and Intranet connectivity, and the vulnerabilities associated with cellular network access.


The formidable and multivariate coal-mining conditions during the production often lead to various improper damage and inactivation of guide foot. Wear is the most severe problem. We do the research on optimization design of the materials by plasma cladding technic to improve the wear resistance: The Cr28MnV ferrous alloy overlay was deposited on the surface of 45# tempered steel backing. The martensitic structure with high strength, high hardness, and high abradability evenly distributed alloy carbide can be gained after cooling the overlay. The combined backing has a good obdurability which can satisfy the requirement of coal mine complex conditions after modifying treatment.


Hypertension is the leading chronic disease risk factor in the world and is especially important in patients with CKD, nearly 90% of whom have hypertension. Recently, in the Systolic BP Intervention Trial (SPRINT), intensive lowering of clinic systolic BP to a target <120 mm Hg, compared with a standard BP target of <140 mm Hg, reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. However, because BP was measured unobserved using an automated device, some investigators have questioned the ability to translate SPRINT results into routine clinical practice, in which measurement of BP is typically less standardized. In this review, we discuss the BP measurement techniques used in major observational studies and clinical trials that form the evidence base for our current approach to treating hypertension, evaluate the effect of measurement technique on BP readings, and explore how ambulatory BP data from the SPRINT trial may inform this discussion. We conclude by arguing for implementation of guideline-recommended BP measurement techniques in routine clinical practice.


Drug abuse is the Universal Problem and Nepal is not the exception. Different study and report have reported high prevalence of HIV/AIDS among the IDUs in Nepal. According to the estimated data, there are eighty thousands drug addicts in Nepal and 50 % of them inject drugs through syringe. In Morang district, there are 1316 reported IDUs and 5000 to 7000 estimated IDUs. To assess the risk talking behavior among IDUs with respect to needle syringe exchange and unprotected sex.Cross sectional study design was applied to study the risk talking behavior among IDUs users in eastern region of Nepal. A non-probability, snowballing sampling technique was adopted. SPSS and Epi-Info was used to analyze the data of the study. Majority of injecting drug users in eastern region were from the age group 21-30 years (62.7 %), unmarried (64.9 %) and living in nuclear family (80 %). Despite of the fact that most of the IDUs were unmarried most of them were sexually active (72.7 %). The study revealed that condom use during sexual intercourse was high(87.5%)the consistent and regular use was low(57.5%). Sharing of syringe and reuse of needle was high among the IDUsi.e.40 % of the respondent. In general the study had revealed that the harm reduction approaches among IDUs were low.The findings suggest that the majority of injecting drug users in eastern region were from the age group 21-30 years, unmarried and living in nuclear family. The study had further highlight that unsafe sex, sharing of syringe and needle and improper cleaning of needle and syringes before sharing is indication of unsafe behavior practices by IDUs. Finally, the study highlighted statistically significant relationship between HIV/AIDS knowledge and uses of condom during sexual intercourse and high rate of syringe sharing among married respondents.


Studies of close-in planets orbiting M dwarfs have suggested that the M-dwarf radius valley may be well explained by distinct formation timescales between enveloped terrestrials and rocky planets that form at late times in a gas-depleted environment. This scenario is at odds with the picture that close-in rocky planets form with a primordial gaseous envelope that is subsequently stripped away by some thermally driven mass-loss process. These two physical scenarios make unique predictions of the rocky/enveloped transition's dependence on orbital separation such that studying the compositions of planets within the M-dwarf radius valley may be able to establish the dominant physics. Here, we present the discovery of one such keystone planet: the ultra-short-period planet TOI-1634 b (P = 0.989 days, F=121F⊕ , rp=1.790−0.081+0.080 R ⊕) orbiting a nearby M2 dwarf (K s = 8.7, R s = 0.450 R ⊙, M s = 0.502 M ⊙) and whose size and orbital period sit within the M-dwarf radius valley. We confirm the TESS-discovered planet candidate using extensive ground-based follow-up campaigns, including a set of 32 precise radial velocity measurements from HARPS-N. We measure a planetary mass of 4.91−0.70+0.68 M ⊕, which makes TOI-1634 b inconsistent with an Earth-like composition at 5.9σ and thus requires either an extended gaseous envelope, a large volatile-rich layer, or a rocky composition that is not dominated by iron and silicates to explain its mass and radius. The discovery that the bulk composition of TOI-1634 b is inconsistent with that of Earth supports the gas-depleted formation mechanism to explain the emergence of the radius valley around M dwarfs with Ms≲0.5 M ⊙.


System Dynamics for Engineering Students: Concepts and Applications discusses the basic concepts of engineering system dynamics. Engineering system dynamics focus on deriving mathematical models based on simplified physical representations of actual systems, such as mechanical, electrical, fluid, or thermal, and on solving the mathematical models. The resulting solution is utilized in design or analysis before producing and testing the actual system. The book discusses the main aspects of a system dynamics course for engineering students; mechanical, electrical, and fluid and thermal system modeling; the Laplace transform technique; and the transfer function approach. It also covers the state space modeling and solution approach; modeling system dynamics in the frequency domain using the sinusoidal (harmonic) transfer function; and coupled-field dynamic systems. The book is designed to be a one-semester system-dynamics text for upper-level undergraduate students with an emphasis on mechanical, aerospace, or electrical engineering. It is also useful for understanding the design and development of micro- and macro-scale structures, electric and fluidic systems with an introduction to transduction, and numerous simulations using MATLAB and SIMULINK. * The first textbook to include a chapter on the important area of coupled-field systems * Provides a more balanced treatment of mechanical and electrical systems, making it appealing to both engineering specialties


Abstract:Decentralised policymaking in China is often cited as a key success factor in economic reform and authoritarian resilience. Although the existing literature presents policy diffusion as a technocratic process where socially optimal policies diffuse, many examples exist where the reverse is true or where the central government sanctioned local innovation but the policy diffuses to other places regardless. The author contends that policy diffusion in authoritarian regimes should be understood as a political process, where local officials serve as policy entrepreneurs, rather than a technocratic one. Subnational officials do not respond uniformly to either incentives from the central government or local pressure, but rather adopt experimental policies as a strategy learned from other successful officials. Policy experimentation has emerged as a strategy for officials desiring either career advancement or security, resulting in an S-shaped curve of policy diffusion characteristic of a learning process whereby a few initially innovate but others quickly adopt the experiment once viewed as successful.


Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) are a fascinating class of materials that have gained considerable interest in recent years. Their favourable biocompatibility, combined with unique chemical and mechanical properties, has attracted scientists from various disciplines. A significant hurdle in their deployment in biomedical applications is their hydrophobicity in their pristine form. This review surveys and discusses existing non-covalent methods of functionalising CNMs with biocompatible dispersants to facilitate their incorporation into aqueous solutions. Different types of dispersants will be examined and compared as well as the factors affecting their efficiency. This work seeks to provide a compilation of the various methods employed in producing biocompatible CNM dispersions.


Polymer composites are increasingly being used in high-end and military applications, mainly due to their excellent tailorability to specific loading scenarios and strength/stiffness to weight ratios. The overall purpose of the ongoing research at the University of Southampton is to develop an enhanced understanding of the behaviour of fibre reinforced polymer composites when subjected to a range of loading scenarios. The measurements lecture reviews progress in using the thermoelastic stress analysis technique as a tool that enables a better understanding of the behaviour of polymer composite single skin and sandwich structures.


HPV16 L2E7 is a fusion protein used for therapeutical vaccine targeting HPV virus. To increase its expression in Escherichia coli, we optimized the codon usage of HPV16 l2e7 gene based on its codon usage bias. The optimized gene of HPV16 sl2e7 was cloned into three different vectors: p GEX-5X-1, p QE30, ET41 a, and expressed in JM109, JM109(DE3) and BL21(DE3) lines separately. A high expression line was selected with p ET41 a vector in BL21(DE3) cells. After optimization of the growth condition, including inoculation amount, IPTG concentration, induction time and temperature, the expression level of HPV16 L2E7 was increased from less than 10% to about 28% of total protein. HPV16 L2E7 protein was then purified from 15 L culture by means of SP Sepharose Fast Flow, Q Sepharose Fast Flow and Superdex 200 pg. After renaturing, HPV16 L2E7 protein with ≥95% purity was achieved, which was confirmed via SDS-PAGE gel and Western blotting. The combined use of purified HPV16 L2E7 and Cp G helper has shown clear inhibition of tumor growth in mice injected with tumor cells, with six out of eight mice shown no sign of tumor. This study lays a solid foundation for a new pipeline of large-scale vaccine production.


Introduction: Alloantibodies are commonly used in kidney transplantation for donor/recipient immunematching aswell as amarker of organ rejection after transplantation. In a broader context, anti-HLA antibodies development is associated with humoral response and B cells differentiation to long-lived memory cells. Recently studies on operational tolerance pointed to characteristic B cell phenotype andmolecular signature. Thus, immunemarkers of antiHLA antibodies development could point to early humoral immunity activation and may be beneficial for personalized risk stratification. Materials and Methods: Low-risk kidney transplant recipients (n=53) were followed-up to 24months after transplantation for alloantibodies development and organ rejection. Every three months anti-HLA antibodies, lymphocytes B phenotype, and cytokines were assessed. Memory B lymphocytes phenotype was recognized as CD27+ cells, both IgM positive and negative. In contrary naïve B cells were identified as CD27and CD5+ B lymphocytes. Th1/ Th2 and BAFF serum levels were measured with Luminex solid phase assay. Results and Discussion: For the 34 recipients, alloantibodies were not present after transplantation, while for 19 others DSA antibodies were confirmed. The higher rate was observed 20 months after transplantation. AntiHLA antibodies development was proceeded by increased in BAFF and INFgamma levels, as well as memory B lymphocytes numbers. It was found, that alloantibodies development was correlated with a number of memory B cells, Rs=0,96 (Spearman rank correlation). Conclusion: LymphocytesB phenotypemonitoring after kidney transplantation is useful for alloantibodies development and may serve as an additional marker of humoral immunity activation. These could be also beneficial for individual risk stratification and tailored immunosuppression protocol development after kidney transplantation. National Centre for Research andDevelopment, Poland (No. STRATEGMED1/ 233368/1/NCBR/2014). National Science Centre, Poland (No. NN402420738 and NN402 562440). 303.6


The progressive myoclonus epilepsies, featuring the triad of myoclonus, seizures, and ataxia, comprise a large group of inherited neurodegenerative diseases that remain poorly understood and refractory to treatment. The Cystatin B gene is mutated in one of the most common forms of progressive myoclonus epilepsy, Unverricht–Lundborg disease (EPM1). Cystatin B knockout in a mouse model of EPM1 triggers progressive degeneration of cerebellar granule neurons. Here, we report impaired redox homeostasis as a key mechanism by which Cystatin B deficiency triggers neurodegeneration. Oxidative stress induces the expression of Cystatin B in cerebellar granule neurons, and EPM1 patient-linked mutation of the Cystatin B gene promoter impairs oxidative stress induction of Cystatin B transcription. Importantly, Cystatin B knockout or knockdown sensitizes cerebellar granule neurons to oxidative stress-induced cell death. The Cystatin B deficiency-induced predisposition to oxidative stress in neurons is mediated by the lysosomal protease Cathepsin B. We uncover evidence of oxidative damage, reflected by depletion of antioxidants and increased lipid peroxidation, in the cerebellum of Cystatin B knock-out mice in vivo. Collectively, our findings define a pathophysiological mechanism in EPM1, whereby Cystatin B deficiency couples oxidative stress to neuronal death and degeneration, and may thus provide the basis for novel treatment approaches for the progressive myoclonus epilepsies.


The work which comprises this thesis is concerned with natural and synthetic substances which influence the Ca2+ -sensitivity of the intracellular systems in chemically-skinned cardiac muscle. Preparations skinned with Triton-X100 retain only traces of membrane structure while the contractile proteins remain functional. This form of treatment is ideal for investigating factors which influence the Ca2+-sensitivity of the contractile proteins. Selectively-(saponin-) skinned trabeculae retain the intracellular membranes associated with the s. r. and mitochondria, while the surface membrane is rendered permeable to the bathing solution. This type of preparation has been used to investigate interventions which influence the functioning of the s. r. In chapter 3 the experimental protocol employed to study the functioning of the s. r. is described. This involved producing trains of caffeine contractures in selectively-treated preparations. Between exposures to caffeine, the muscle was 'Ca2+-loaded' in a solution with a [Ca2+] subthreshold for tension production. The contracture amplitude increased as the duration of Ca2+-loading or the [Ca2+] of the Ca2+-loading solution was increased. Such trains of contractures proved reproducible over prolonged periods of time. Using this method, it was possible to study the effects of various substances which influence the functioning of the s. r. under strictly controlled Ca2+-loading conditions. However, adequate interpretation of these results requires an understanding caffeine's action on the s. r. The reported effects of caffeine on a variety of preparations are discussed during the introduction of this chapter. Following this, a method is described which allows a direct assessment of the ability of the s. r. to effect relaxation in saponin-skinned preparations. The action of caffeine on net s. r. Ca2+-accumulation was studied using this method. The results suggest that millimolar concentrations of caffeine render the s. r. incapable of net Ca2+-accumulation under these experimental conditions. This led to the suggestion that the s. r. is unlikely to contribute significantly to the relaxation of the caffeine contracture in selectively-skinned trabeculae. The possible involvement of the mitochondria in the caffeine-induced response was also studied. However, a mitochondrial contribution was excluded as the caffeine contractures were unaffected by addition of azide or changing the [Na] of the bathing solutions. Chapter 4 addresses the possibility that enzymes which influence the intracellular levels of cAMP may persist following saponin treatment. This could potentially influence the results presented in the following chapters as many of the substances studied are known to affect phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity and other cellular systems which alter the levels of cyclic nucleotides in intact cells. The Effects of PDE inhibition, and stimulation of adenylate cyclase were studied. In addition, an attempt was made to characterise the response of the s. r. and contractile proteins to exogenous cAMP. Caffeine-induced contractures were potentiated in the presence of cAMP. This finding is consistent with previous studies in a variety of preparations. However, the contractile proteins were unaffected by exogenous cAMP unless the duration of skinning was reduced to an unacceptable level. Addition of forskolin toxin potentiated the caffeine contracture. This introduced the possibility that (i) cAMP production may continue following saponin-skinning and (ii) interventions which influence the adenylate cyclase activity may potentiate the caffeine response via a cAMP mediated mechanism. The results presented in the following chapters were interpreted with reference to these findings. Chapter 5 is a comparative study of the effects of caffeine and sulmazole on the contractile proteins and s. r. Both substances induce s. r. Ca2+-release and increase myofilament Ca2+-sensitivity. The contribution of increased Ca2+-sensitivity to transient sulmazole and caffeine contractures was assessed. The opposing effects of sulmazole and caffeine on Cmax were also studied. In chapter 6, the intracellular actions of ORG30029 (N-hydroxy-5,6-dimethoxy-benzo[b]thiophene -2-carboximidamide) were investigated. Chapter 7 considers the effects of various natural and synthetic modulators of Ca2+-sensitivity on the development of rigor tension. Chapter 8 investigates the effect of taurine on s. r. Ca2+-accumulation and myofilament Ca2+-sensitivity. Taurine was found to produce a small increase in Ca2+-sensitivity but a marked increase in the ability of the s. r to accumulate Ca2+. An attempt was made to correlate the intracellular actions of taurine described in this chapter with the reported effects of the amino acid on intact cardiac preparations. The possible physiological role of taurine in the heart is discussed.


This project examined New Zealand engineering lifelines activity, its level of integration in road controlling authority management practices, and its relationship to the resilience of roading networks to natural hazards. It examined and compared lifelines practice at three levels – international, New Zealand regions and individual road controlling authorities. Relative risk exposures arising from natural hazards and their impacts on regions were assessed at a qualitative level, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive lifelines approach throughout much of the country. The project found there were many gaps in practice and that it was difficult to align the effectiveness of expenditure with measures of increased resilience. These gaps present opportunities for improvement, which are described with recommended actions. These include further development of asset management plans, establishing resilience measures, better use of technology for associating hazard events with infrastructural assets, more comprehensive risk management practice and a more proactive approach to funding risk-based investment. (a)


This work aims to simplify multi-dimensional femtosecond transient absorption microscopy (TAM) data into decay associated amplitude maps (DAAMs) that describe the spatial distributions of dynamical processes occurring on various characteristic timescales. Application of this method to TAM data obtained from a model methyl-ammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3) perovskite thin film allows us to simplify the data set comprising 68 time-resolved images into four DAAMs. These maps offer a simple means to visualize the complex electronic excited-state dynamics in this system by separating distinct dynamical processes evolving on characteristic timescales into individual spatial images. This approach provides new insight into subtle aspects of ultrafast relaxation dynamics associated with excitons and charge carriers in the perovskite thin film, which have recently been found to coexist at spatially distinct locations.