Intestinal immune homeostasis is dependent upon tightly regulated and dynamic host interactions with the commensal microbiota. Immunoglobulin A (IgA) produced by mucosal B cells dictates the composition of commensal bacteria residing within the intestine. While emerging evidence suggests the majority of IgA is produced innately and may be polyreactive, mucosal-dwelling species can also elicit IgA via T cell–dependent mechanisms. However, the mechanisms that modulate the magnitude and quality of T cell–dependent IgA responses remain incompletely understood. Here we demonstrate that group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) regulate steady state interactions between T follicular helper cells (TfH) and B cells to limit mucosal IgA responses. ILC3 used conserved migratory cues to establish residence within the interfollicular regions of the intestinal draining lymph nodes, where they act to limit TfH responses and B cell class switching through antigen presentation. The absence of ILC3-intrinsic antigen presentation resulted in increased and selective IgA coating of bacteria residing within the colonic mucosa. Together these findings implicate lymph node resident, antigen-presenting ILC3 as a critical regulatory checkpoint in the generation of T cell–dependent colonic IgA and suggest ILC3 act to maintain tissue homeostasis and mutualism with the mucosal-dwelling commensal microbiota.


Kanglemeisu A (C50H63O19B.CH3OH) is the product of an actinomyces species from a soil sample gathered in China Kanglemeisu A belongs to the triclinic system, space group P1, unit cell: a = 12.760(3), b = 10.287(2), c = 9.926(2) A, alpha = 88.39(2), beta = 78.64(2), gamma = 89.14(2). RANTAN direct method is used to solve the structure. The final discrepancy factor is R = 0.0689, after atom coordinates and temperature factors have been refined with full matrix least squares. The structure skeleton consists of four parts, the naphthalene nucleus connected to the 5-membered ring, a 17-membered ring connected to C2, a dimethyl butane diacid extended out from C20, beta-D-3,4-OO' methylenedigitoxose passing through an oxygen bridge O6 and linked to C27 of ansa ring.


1.1 Cutaneous sarcoidosis Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatosis disease of unknown etiology, characterized pathologically by noncaseating granulomas in involved tissues1,2. It mainly involves the lungs but may also be associated with systemic manifestations3. The disease most commonly affects the lungs, lymph nodes, liver, spleen, phalangeal bones, parotid glands, eyes, and skin4. Skin involvement rarely causes significant morbidity or mortality. However, it can adversely affaect a patient's quality of life by causing cosmetic impairment 5.


The high-throughput 3D visualisation of biological specimens is essential for studying diseases and developmental disorders. It requires imaging methods that deliver high-contrast, high-resolution volumetric information at short sample preparation and acquisition times. Here we show that X-ray phase-contrast tomography using a single grating can provide a powerful alternative to commonly employed techniques, such as high-resolution episcopic microscopy (HREM). We present the phase tomography of a mouse embryo in paraffin obtained with an X-ray single-grating interferometer at I13-2 Beamline at Diamond Light Source and discuss the results in comparison with HREM measurements. The excellent contrast and quantitative density information achieved non-destructively and without staining using a simple, robust setup make X-ray single-grating interferometry an optimum candidate for high-throughput imaging of biological specimens as an alternative for existing methods like HREM.


Continuous Collision Detection (CCD) between deforming triangle mesh elements in 3D is significant in many computer and graphics applications, such as virtual surgery, simulation and animation. Although CCD is more accurate than discrete methods, its application is limited mainly due to its time-consuming nature. To accelerate computation, we present an efficient CCD method to perform both inter-object and intra-object collision queries of triangle mesh models. Given a model set of different poses as training data, our method uses Statistic Analysis (SA) to make regression on a deformation subspace and also on collision detection conditions in a pre-processing stage, under a uniform framework. A data-driven training process selects a set of "key points" and produces a credible subspace representation, from which a plug-in type of collision culling certificate can be then obtained by regression process. At runtime, our certificate can be easily added to the classic BVH traversal procedure, as a sufficient condition of collision free cases, providing efficient culling in overlapping test and reducing hierarchy updates frequency. In the end, we describe performance and quality of our method using different experiments.


Biorepositories are valuable resources to the cancer research community and arguably invaluable if they include detailed longitudinal health information such as personal risk factors, disease progression, and treatment outcomes. However, manual review of patient records is comparatively inefficient (expensive, time-intensive, and less reliable) than data extraction from the electronic health record (EHR). Using Research Data Network funds granted from the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), PathLink is being developed as an institution-wide biorepository linked to Vanderbilt9s EHR data warehouses, the Synthetic and Research Derivatives, and utilizing pathological specimens that exist or would otherwise be discarded, without duplicating existing biorepositories and other core resources. We are cataloging samples from clinical and research collections and creating a sustainable and prospective link to structured health information. PathLink will de-identify samples on-demand, permitting translational investigators real-time sample access while also preserving tissue for future clinical assays. The EHR derivatives already include fundamental review features and standardized data extraction mechanisms that can be easily leveraged for tissue-based research projects. Projects proposing a de-identified research approach can also be crosslinked to our germline genetic biobank of >200,000 subjects and will have lower barriers to access through a streamlined regulatory mechanism. Proof-of-concept studies underway include the banking of tissues with molecular genetic pathology testing (n = 3642), a large subset already annotated with SNaPshot tumor mutation profiling. Macrodissected tumor cells were collected from cases accessioned from 2010 to 2013 and stored as a tumor lysate reserve (B-tubes) pending successful completion of clinical assays. After extraction and quality testing of genomic material, PathLink was seeded with the transfer of these remnant samples to the biorepository. Pilot studies suggest that more than 75% of B-tubes will contain sufficient genomic material of high quality for targeted gene sequencing (>250ng, n = 120). We will digitally scan corresponding tissue sections and create tissue microarrays from cases with adequate tissue. In conclusion, PathLink is a new concept in biobanking, minimizing time and cost, and enabling more efficient translation of tissue-based discoveries from bench to clinical care and back again. A unique feature is that much of the collection is a virtual catalog of partner biorepositories, and most of the sample processing is executed by existing core facilities, minimizing overhead while also increasing interdepartmental collaboration. By July 2015, we expect to have catalogued at least 300,000 pathological specimens and have 3,000 tumor DNA samples ready for distribution to approved translational projects. Citation Format: Jennifer M. Giltnane, Jana Shirey-Rice, Jodell Linder, Erica Bowton, James Cowan, Xiaoming Wang, Jon Scherdin, Melissa Basford, Kimberly Dahlman, Joseph Roland, Kerry Wiles, Cynthia Vnencak-Jones, Kay Washington, Jill Pulley. PathLink: Leveraging clinical informatics to empower translational pathology by connecting biospecimens to outcomes. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 222. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-222


This study is aiming to assess the level of asthma control and its association with clinical and demographic variables among children and adolescents with asthma. One hundred and thirty-two asthmatic children from the Primary Healthcare units of the Ministry of Health in Ramallah and Hebron participated in this cross-sectional study. An asthma control test was used to measure the patient's asthma control. Self-practice and knowledge test was used to measure children's parents' knowledge about the asthma action plan, putative risk factors, peak flow meter, environmental factors, and cigarette smoking in the home. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS 25 for windows. The result of our study indicated that 47 patients (35.6%) had controlled asthma and 85 patients (64.3%) had uncontrolled asthma. The asthma knowledge of parents was fairly good with a mean score of 6.9 ± 1.9. Univariate analysis revealed a significantly higher score of asthma knowledge for parents of controlled asthma children (7.3 vs. 6.6, t = 2; p < 0.05) than for parents of uncontrolled asthma. More parents in the controlled asthma group reported that their child tried to avoid triggers most of the time (83% vs. 64%) compared with the uncontrolled asthma control group ( p < 0.05). Four variables were identified as remaining significant and associated with uncontrolled asthma: hospitalization for asthma (OR = 3.13; CI: 2.42–3.53, p < 0.05), use of systemic steroids (OR = 2.14; CI: 1.71–2.83, p < 0.05), exposure to smoke (OR = 2.31; CI: 1.65–2.77, p < 0.05), and asthma knowledge (OR = 0.39; CI: 0.09–0.77, p < 0.05). We found no significant associations with other demographic or clinical variables. More than half of the participants in this study had suboptimal asthma control during the study. More comprehensive parental/child asthma education and provision of affordable asthma care services may help improve asthma control among the children and adolescents in West Bank.


Android has always been about connectivity and providing great browsing experience. Web-based content can be embedded into the Android application using WebView. It is a User Interface component that displays webpages. It can either display a remote webpage or can also load static HTML data. This encompasses the functionality of a browser that can be integrated to application. WebView provides a number of APIs which enables the applications to interact with the web content inside WebView. In the current paper Cross site request forgery or XSRF attack specific to android WebView is investigated. In XSRF attack the trusts of a web application in its authenticated users is exploited by letting the attacker make arbitrary HTTP requests on behalf of a victim user. When the user is logged into the trusted site through the WebView the site authenticates the WebView and not application. The application can launch attacks on the behalf of user with the APIs of Webview exploiting user credentials resulting in Cross site request forgery. Attacks can also be launched by setting cookies as HTTP headers and making malicious HTTP Request on behalf of victim.


We discuss contrasting approaches to cladistic character definition and thus to cladistic data matrix compilation. The conventional approach considers character states as alternate forms of the "same thing" (the character). A review of the challenges to this convention is presented, and their implications evaluated. We argue that the recognition of structures which are alternate forms is a vital stage of primary homology assessment and is equivalent to the conceptualization of a transformational homology. Such a view complies with the demand that characters are independent and that character states are hierarchically related. We identify one justifiable solution to the inapplicable data coding problem (coding for organisms which have red tails, blue tails or no tails), and show that alternative approaches to character definition support spurious solutions which deny the relation of structures which are "the same but different". We propose that the term character can be defined, in a cladistic context, as the descriptive label referring to a transformational homology evidenced by the similarity criterion.


Chemical vapor deposition of (111) 3C-SiC on (110) Si substrate was carried out, and the effect of the substrate off-axis introduced on (110) Si substrate for suppressing the twin formation in 3C-SiC hetero-epitaxial layers was investigated. From the growth on hemispherically polished (110) Si substrate, it was found that the off-axis toward the [001] Si axis had a noble effect for suppressing the twin formation, while the off-axis toward the [110] Si axis was ineffective. The growth of single 3C-SiC crystal containing few double positioning boundaries, which are related with the twin formation, was demonstrated on the (110) Si substrate 3° off-axis toward the [001] Si axis. Transmission electron microscopic observation revealed that double positioning boundaries on the (110) Si substrate off-axis toward the [001] Si axis were nearly eliminated within the initial a few hundreds nano meter in thickness.


This three-part report on the characterization of odour annoyance draws a balance of the past endeavour to objectify the determination of an existing or an expected, however subjectively experienced annoyance caused by odorants in ambient air. The main subject will be technical prescriptions such as standards and guidelines (e.g. VDI Guidelines), but administrative regulations are also dealt with such as ordinances on air pollution prevention in various countries. Part 1 reports on the present German guidelines on methods to determine individual odour parameters; Part 2 deals with the main topic of this contribution, which is the evidence of correlations between individual parameters and odour annoyance reactions. Part 3 explains the approach of the administration of three European countries to solve the pertinent problems on the basis of existing knowledge and well-known gaps regarding these correlations


The antibacterial potentials of Cassia occidentalis leaf extracts were investigated against eleven Grampositive and four Gram-negative bacterial isolates. The n-hexane and dichloromethane fractions of the plant extract exhibited appreciable antibacterial action against nine out of the fifteen bacterial isolates tested at a concentration of 20 mg/ml. The zones of inhibition exhibited by n-hexane fraction ranged between 16 and 27 mm while that of dichloromethane fraction ranged between 15 and 28 mm. On the other hand, the zones of inhibition observed for the standard antibiotic, streptomycin ranged between 13 and 30 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentrations exhibited by n-hexane and dichloromethane fractions against the susceptible test isolates ranged between 0.157 and 1.25 mg/ml, respectively. Overall, the two fractions compared favourably with the standard antibiotic, streptomycin used in this study. The phytochemical analysis of the extract revealed the presence of tannins, Saponins, anthraquinones and flavonoids.


Abstract The high efficiency of industrial wet scrubbers is the result of a simultaneous formation of dust particle collectors. Collectors can be understood as droplets of atomised liquid, bubbles formed in the conditions of intensive barbotage, liquid surface and wet surfaces. All collectors are formed during the operation of a circulating unit. The efficiency of dust collection process also depends on the ability of dust particles to be absorbed by collectors. The study provides an experimental analysis of the effect of the increasing concentration of a dust collection liquid in the conditions of full liquid recirculation on the efficiency of dust collection process in the examined types of collectors.


A conservative regime for distal digit amputations allowing healing under vaseline gauze has much to recommend it, being simple and allowing rapid healing with few complications. Secondary distal amputations for gangrene and sepsis also heal rapidly if left open. A consecutive series of 55 amputations treated in this way is described.


This study covered 40 patients (22 females and 18 males) suffering from post-burn hand deformities admitted to Assiut University Hospital and Luxor International Hospital (Egypt) from June 2004 to May 2006. Their ages ranged between 4 and 45 yr (mean, 24.5 yr). They presented a variety of post-burn hand deformities, e.g. dorsal hand contracture (14 cases), volar contracture (10 cases), first web space contracture (3 cases), post-burn syndactyly (2 cases), wrist deformity (3 cases), skin and tendon affection (2 cases), and complex deformity (6 cases). All the patients underwent a variety of surgical procedures specific to the individual post-burn hand deformity. Post-operative splinting of the hand for 10 days was performed in patients with skin graft to prevent recontracture. The post-operative physiotherapy programme started in the second week in order to achieve good functional results. The follow-up period ranged from 6 to 20 months. The results were satisfactory in most of the cases as regards the quality of coverage, which was achieved in the majority of cases. In one case there was partial loss of the skin graft, which healed by secondary intention; full range of motion was achieved in most patients, but not those with joint affections. On the basis of our results, we can conclude that the management of post-burn hand deformities depends on several factors. Initial treatment of the burned hand is of great importance for the prevention of secondary deformities. In secondary burn management the first step is the release of the contracture, which should be complete and include all contracted structures. The second step is the proper selection of methods of coverage for resultant defects, using either skin grafts or flaps depending on the presence of exposed tendons, nerves, or joints. The third step in order to obtain a very good function is the activation of an intensive physiotherapy programme immediately after the operation.


BGP speakers in Internet Exchange Points exchange routes with a large number of peers. To reduce the burden of maintaining many sessions, IXPs implement and administrate BGP route servers. Route servers announce to their clients the paths of multiple peers by using a single eBGP session. Route servers, however, are restricted to propagating a single path per NLRI per eBGP session. This constraint affects the path diversity received by clients, which could use paths that they would not have chosen, had they known all possible paths. To overcome this limitation, we propose in this draft the extension of ADD-PATH to eBGP peers in the context of route servers.


Applications of radiation in medicine is based on the radiation ability of destroing the tumor cells and creating the images of internal organs. This two features play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases by radiation. In medicine X-ray and radionuclides being sources of gamma rays as Tc, I, or Tl are used for the diagnosis of diseases, as beta particles uses for the treatment of diseases. In nuclear medicine radioactive isotopes are built into pharmaceuticals and create radiopharmaceuticals. Radiopharmaceutical administered to patient gathers in examined organ and gives information on functional and anatomical status of the organ. Radiation workers prepare radiopharmaceuticals, transport it, implement, take diagnostic images and survey the therapy. Their radiological protection is very important. Efficient radiation protection can be achieved by factors of time (reduce the time spent close to radioactive source to minimum), distance (keep maximal distance to radioactive source), and shielding (sufficient amount of protective material placed between the source and body) concepts are the basis.


Savers, including pension savers, convert savings into assets: homes,government bonds and shares.The conversion of savings is for the very long term. Once monies are turned into assets, the reverse process of turning assets into cash cannot be achieved by all savers together. Unavoidably some must stay with the cash flow and value risks of these assets. Savers can swap with other savers, but collectively cannot get out of the risks.The short term attempts to do so lead to financial,economic and fiscal crises. Governments need to take measures to mitigate these risks. The pricing of risks is based on cash flows and future values. The latter is based on "perceived risks". It is always imprecise as it cannot predict what will happen, but it is based on what might happen. This leads to problems trying to asses the values of pension funds in meeting future commitments. To bridge the gap between short term savers preferences for cash and long term commitments to asset classes a number of possible solutions are provided, like pension dividend, economic easing,foreign home buying scheme, and Eurozone government bond yield management scheme.


Low frequency power oscillations may be triggered by many events in the system. Most oscillations are damped by the system, but undamped oscillations can lead to system collapse. Oscillations develop as a result of rotor acceleration/deceleration following a change in active power transfer from a generator. Like the operations limits, the monitoring of power system oscillating modes is a relevant aspect of power system operation and control. Unprevented low-frequency power swings can be cause of cascading outages that can rapidly extend effect on wide region. On this regard, a Wide Area Monitoring, Protection and Control Systems (WAMPCS) help in detecting such phenomena and assess power system dynamics security. The monitoring of power system electromechanical oscillations is very important in the frame of modern power system management and control. In first part, this paper compares the different technique for identification of power system oscillations. Second part analyzes possible identification some power system dynamics behaviors Using Wide Area Monitoring Systems (WAMS) based on Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) and wavelet technique. Keywords—Power system oscillations, Modal analysis, Prony, Wavelet, PMU, Wide Area Monitoring System.


The majority of the microbial activity in humans is in the form of biofilms, i.e., an exopolysaccharide-enclosed bacterial mass. Unlike planktonic cells and the cells on the surface of the biofilm, the biofilm-embedded cells are more resistant to the effects of the antibiotics and the host cellular defense mechanisms. A combination of biofilm growth and inherent resistance prevents effective antibiotic treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections including those in patients with cystic fibrosis. Antibiotic resistance has led to an increasing interest in alternative modalities of treatment. Thus, phages that multiply in situ and in the presence of susceptible hosts can be used as natural, self-limiting, and profoundly penetrating antibacterial agents. The objective of this study is to identify active phages against a collection of P. aeruginosa isolates (PCOR strains) including the prototype PAO1 and the isogenic constitutively alginate-producing PDO300 strains. These PCOR strains were tested against six phages (P105, P134, P140, P168, P175B, and P182). The analysis shows 69 % of the PCOR isolates are sensitive and the rest are resistant to all six phages. These phages were then tested for their ability to inhibit biofilm formation using a modified biofilm assay. The analysis demonstrated that the sensitive strains showed increased resistance, but none of the susceptible strains from the initial screening were resistant. Using the minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) assay for biofilm formation, the biofilm eradication ability of the phages was tested. The data showed that a higher volume of phage was required to eradicate preformed biofilms than the amount required to prevent colonization of planktonic cells. This data supports the idea of phage therapy more as a prophylactic treatment.


Panelists discussed home-price behavior and expectations, the potential of buy-to-rent programs, and credit availability. The panelists generally had the view that a housing bubble is not occurring. Differences across geographic markets can make generalizations about national trends difficult. The high end of the housing market has recovered quickly, while credit contraction has caused difficulty for lower-end buyers. The majority of the panel projected a housing price growth rate between 6% and 8% for 2014. A more-diverse population with a potentially lower home ownership rate highlights the necessity of expanding the shrinking credit box. The panel was split over whether the single-family buy-to rent is a just a trade that will end when the rally in home prices stalls or whether it is a new business here to stay. There was little consensus on whether credit availability will improve or decline given the prospect of Fed tapering, moving to the Qualified Mortgage (QM), and changes in Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) leadership.


Increasing breastfeeding rates is an important public health issue and a key priority for tackling health inequalities, particularly for women in low socioeconomic status (SES) groups who are less likely to initiate and continue breastfeeding. Despite much attention on factors influencing mothers' decision-making about breastfeeding, less attention has been directed to the role fathers' play. Drawing on a wider qualitative study of factors influencing infant feeding choices in an area of low breastfeeding rates in the UK, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 fathers of babies who were formula or breastfed. This paper explores the role of fathers in decision-making around infant feeding, and highlights the gendered influences and attitudes on participation in decision-making. Fathers reported little active engagement in decision-making and findings highlight how feeding choices are often framed as mothers' responsibility. Regard for women's governance over their own bodies, together with notions of infant care-giving as primarily a female activity featured prominently in fathers' rationalisations. However, while some fathers do conform to traditional gender norms, when analysed closely accounts suggest a more complex set of gender roles where some fathers are keen to become active participants in decision-making and breastfeeding support, but often lack the knowledge of how to do so. The net outcome is that the gendered nature of decision-making positions mothers as responsible for breastfeeding success, and without support, renders them vulnerable to early breastfeeding cessation. Interventions to promote and support breastfeeding should proactively encourage the inclusion of fathers.


A procedure is presented for quantification of Ethyl Carbamate at low μg/L levels in distilled spirits. A 100 μL large volume injection was used followed by orthogonal 2-dimensional GC-MS with heartcutting. The direct large volume injection ensured suffi cient availability of analyte without an initial sample preparation step, and the 2D step allowed clean elution of ethyl carbamate and it's labelled internal standard and compensated for the diffi cult detection of low mass non-specifi c ions in a complex matrix. The 2D separation was achieved using the new GERSTEL μFlowManager based on metal ferrules for simple connection of the orthogonal columns. The principle and apparatus required for both large volume injection and 2D separation will be described together with results from actual samples.


Composite scores are useful in providing insights and trends about complex and multidimensional quality of care processes. However, missing data in subcomponents may hinder the overall reliability of a composite measure. In this study, strategies for handling missing data in Paediatric Admission Quality of Care (PAQC) score, an ordinal composite outcome, were explored through a simulation study. Specifically, the implications of the conventional method employed in addressing missing PAQC score subcomponents, consisting of scoring missing PAQC score components with a zero, and a multiple imputation (MI)-based strategy, were assessed. The latent normal joint modelling MI approach was used for the latter. Across simulation scenarios, MI of missing PAQC score elements at item level produced minimally biased estimates compared to the conventional method. Moreover, regression coefficients were more prone to bias compared to standards errors. Magnitude of bias was dependent on the proportion of missingness and the missing data generating mechanism. Therefore, incomplete composite outcome subcomponents should be handled carefully to alleviate potential for biased estimates and misleading inferences. Further research on other strategies of imputing at the component and composite outcome level and imputing compatibly with the substantive model in this setting, is needed.


Abstract Diffusion chronometry on zoned crystals allows constraining duration of magmatic evolution and storage of crystals once temperatures are precisely known. However, non-isothermal diffusion is common in natural samples, and thus timescales may not be determined with confidence while assuming isothermal conditions. The "non-isothermal diffusion incremental step (NIDIS) model" (Petrone et al. 2016) is proposed for such cases for a non-isothermal diffusive analysis. We conducted diffusion experiments with stepwise temperature changes to analyze and test the model, evaluated the associated errors and improved the accuracy by suggesting an alternative algorithm to model diffusion times. We used Cl and F (≤0.4 wt%) as the diffusing elements in nominally anhydrous (H2O ≤ 0.3 wt%) phonolitic melt with composition of Montana Blanca (Tenerife, Spain) in an experimental setup that successively generates multiple diffusive interfaces for different temperatures by adding glass blocks of different Cl and F concentrations. This compound set of two diffusion interfaces represents distinct compositional zones that diffusively interact at different temperatures, which can be taken as an equivalent to non-isothermal diffusion in zoned magmatic crystals. The starting temperature ranged from 975 to 1150 °C, and each set of experiments included a temperature change of 85–150 °C and a total duration of 8–12 h. The experiments were carried out in an internally heated pressure vessel equipped with a rapid quench device at 1 kbar pressure. Cl and F concentration profiles were obtained from the quenched samples by electron microprobe analysis. Although the estimated diffusion times from the NIDIS-model matched well with true experimental values, the errors on estimated timescales, due to errors in curve-fitting and uncertainty in temperature, were ±10–62% (1σ). The errors are much larger at 61–288% (1σ) when the uncertainty in diffusivity parameters is included. We discuss the efficiency and limitations of the model, assess the contribution from different sources of error, and their extent of propagation. A simpler alternative algorithm is proposed that reduces errors on the estimates of diffusion time to 10–32% (1σ) and 60–75% (1σ), with and without including uncertainty in diffusivity parameters, respectively. Using this new algorithm, we recalculated the individual diffusion times for the clinopyroxene crystals analyzed by Petrone et al. (2016) and obtained a significantly reduced error of 26–40% compared to the original error of 61–100%. We also analyzed a sanidine megacryst from Taapaca volcano (N. Chile) as a test case for non-isothermal modeling and obtained diffusion times of 1.5–9.4 ky, which is significantly different from isothermal analyses including a previous study on similar sample. In this analysis, the error estimated by our new method is reduced by 63–70%.


such as antibody/antigen systems, blocking and stabilization, and enzyme detection substrates be evaluated to produce the most robust assay possible. While the choice of antibody or antigen is often the primary consideration, the choice of substrate also has a substantial effect on performance and deserves equal attention for optimal selection. This article examines several key areas that can influence your choice of colorimetric substrate including substrate kinetics, stop reagent, dynamic range, and assay timing. The terms "sensitivity" and "detection limit" are defined here and used to illustrate how these key parameters affect assay performance. Our goal is to provide the assay developer with the tools necessary to make an informed selection of tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) substrate by understanding its impact on assay performance.


Photoconversion properties are demonstrated for a device based on a small dye molecule, absorbing light in the near-IR region, mixed with two organic charge transport materials and together forming a dye-sensitized organic bulk heterojunction. The organic dye molecule, phthalocyanine (1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octabutoxy-29H,31H-phthalocyanine), mixed with a blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl)-propyl-1-phenyl-(6,6)C-61 (PCBM), shows a photoconversion spectrum extended more than 150 nm toward longer wavelengths, as compared to a device without such dye sensitization. In the dye-sensitized region of the photoconversion spectrum the maximum infernal quantum efficiency was estimated to 40%. With higher dye concentrations the internal quantum efficiency decreases. Transient laser spectroscopy measurements show that after excitation of the dye there is an electron transfer from the dye to PCBM and a subsequent hole transfer from the dye to P3HT, which results in a long-lived (P3HT(+)/dye/PCBM-) charge-separated state.


MODELING COST OF INTERRUPTION (COI) TO MANAGE UNWANTED INTERRUPTIONS FOR MOBILE DEVICE Sina Zulkernain Marquette University, 2011 Unwanted and untimely interruptions have been a major cause in the loss of productivity in recent years. It has been found that they are mostly detrimental to the immediate task at hand. Multiple approaches have been proposed to address the problem of interruption by calculating cost of it. The Cost Of Interruption (COI) gives a measure of the probabilistic value of harmfulness of an inopportune interruption. Bayesian Inference stands as the premier model so far to calculate this COI. However, Bayesianbased models suffer from not being able to model context accurately in situations where a priori, conditional probabilities and uncertainties exist while utilizing context information. Hence, this thesis introduces the Dempster-Shafer Theory of Evidence to model COI. Along the way, it identifies specific contexts that are necessary to take into account. Simulation results and performance evaluation suggest that this is a very good approach to decision making. The thesis also discusses an illustrative example of a mobile interruption management application where the Dempster-Shafer theory is used to get a better measurement of whether or not to interrupt.


Humans possess the capacity to employ prior knowledge in the service of our ability to remember; thus, memory is oftentimes superior for information that is semantically congruent with our prior knowledge. This congruency benefit grows during development, but little is understood about neurodevelopmental differences that underlie this growth. Here, we sought to explore the brain mechanisms underlying these phenomena. To this end, we examined the neural substrates of semantically congruent vs. incongruent item-context associations in 116 children and 25 young adults who performed encoding and retrieval tasks during functional MRI data collection. Participants encoded item-context pairs by judging whether an item belonged in a scene. Episodic memory was then tested with a source memory task. Consistent with prior work, source memory accuracy improved with age, and was greater for congruent than incongruent pairs; further, this congruency benefit was greater in adults than children. Age-related differences were observed across univariate, functional connectivity, and multivariate analyses, particularly in lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC). In sum, our results revealed two general age differences. First, left ventrolateral/rostrolateral PFC exhibited age-related increases in univariate activity, as well as greater functional connectivity with temporal regions during the processing of congruency. Second, right rostrolateral PFC activation was associated with successfully encoded congruent associations in adults, but not children. Finally, multivariate analyses provided evidence for stronger veridical memory in adults than children in right ventrolateral PFC. These effects in right lateral PFC were significantly correlated with memory performance, implicating them in the process of remembering congruent associations. These results connect brain regions associated with top-down control in the congruency benefit and age-related improvements therein.


A new and efficient differential global surface impedance (DGSI) model has been developed for the analysis of periodic structures. The proposed rigorous model makes use of the equivalence principle to relate the surface electric current and the tangential electric field on the boundary of the object made of a general medium. This approach not only enables one to limit the discretization to the surface of the object located in one unit cell of the periodic structure but also eliminates the need for equivalent surface magnetic current in applying the equivalence principle. These advantages result in a great reduction in the need for computational resources and time. The use of an efficient periodic Green's function by employing the complex images technique combined with the proposed DGSI model has increased the numerical efficiency of the proposed method. A number of dielectric periodic structures made of an array of cylinders with circular or square cross sections have been analyzed by this method. Accuracy of the proposed method as well as its numerical efficiency have been demonstrated by comparing its results with other methods in the literature employing surface and volume integral equations.


The Bioshale project, involving 13 partners throughout Europe, is co-funded by the European Commission under the FP6 program. The main objective of this project (which started in October 2004) is to identify and develop innovative biotechnological processes for ''eco-efficient'' exploitation of metal-rich, black shale ores. Three extensive deposits have been selected for R&D actions. These are: (i) a site (in Talvivaara, Finland) that, at the outset of the project, had not been exploited; (ii) a deposit (in Lubin, Poland) that is currently being actively mined, and (iii) a third site (in Mansfeld, Germany) where the ore had been actively mined in the past, but which is no longer exploited. The black shale ores contain base (e.g. copper and nickel), precious (principally silver) and PGM metals, but also high contents of organic matter that potentially handicap metal recovery by conventional techniques. The main technical aspects of the work plan can be summarized as: (i) evaluation of the geological resources and selection of metal-bearing components; (ii) selection of biological consortia to be tested; (iii) assessment of bioprocessing routes, including hydrometallurgical processing; (iv) techno-economic evaluation of new processes from mining to metal recovery including social, and (v) assessing the environmental impacts of biotechnological compared to conventional processing of the ores. An overview of the main results obtained to date are presented, with special emphasis on the development of bioleaching technologies for metal recovery that can be applied to multielement concentrates and black shale ores.


This paper aims to exploit approximate computing units in image processing systems and artificial neural networks. For this purpose, a general design methodology is introduced, and approximation-oriented architectures are developed for different applications. This paper proposes a method to compromise power/area efficiency of circuit-level design with accuracy supervision of system-level design. The proposed method selects approximate computational units that minimize the total computation cost, yet maintaining the ultimate performance. This is accomplished by formulating a linear programming problem, which can be solved by conventional linear programming solvers. Approximate computing units, such as multipliers, neurons, and convolution kernels, which are proposed by this paper, are suitable for power/area reduction through accuracy scaling. The formulation is demonstrated on applications in image processing, digital filters, and artificial neural networks. This way, the proposed technique and architectures are tested with different approximate computing units, as well as system-level requirement metrics, such as PSNR and classification performance.


The evaluation of the tensile strength and determination of the tensile stress-strain curve using indirect tests becomes approximate hence there is a necessity for exploring direct tensile strength measurement. This investigation is part of ongoing research on the development of direct tensile strength measurement. In this paper direct tensile strength test has been proposed and the results obtained have been compared with compressive strength and flexural strength. It has been found that results obtained are well comparable and relationships are similar to that proposed in earlier findings.


The effect of the continuous process of globalization on management functions like marketing and sales, production, or R&D is well researched. But the forces of globalization are also effective for management support functions. A good example is managerial accounting with its distinct standards and methods in different economies. Managerial, as well as financial accounting, are pretty different in German-speaking countries, compared to the United States. This may be surprising because the goals – giving the public a true and fair view, and supporting managerial decisions – are the same everywhere. Recently, a convergence between these systems can be observed in business practice, triggered by the development of ERP systems, by regulatory requirements, and by changes in management thinking. Our paper aims (1) to explain the deeper economic, legal and cultural reasons for the national differences in the design of accounting systems, and (2) to uncover the driving forces behind the recent development of convergence. In addition to summarizing the relevant literature, we draw from experience in implementing and assessing managerial accounting systems both in German-speaking countries and in North America.


Quantum Optics
The quantum properties of light are well studied and have been extensively used to reveal some of the fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics. Efforts now are under way to leverage the "quantum advantage" offered by quantum entanglement for practical applications such as enhanced imaging, sensing, and communications. A viable quantum technology, however, will require a shift from the optical bench to a miniaturized on-chip platform. Holtfrerich et al. show that the quantum properties of optically entangled images are preserved as they are transmitted to distant plasmonic structures, where they convert to nanometer-scale electronic excitations before being converted back to light.

Optica 3 , 985 (2016).


From the perspective of forest resources change, this article uses comparative analysis and panel data regression to study the woodland use efficiency including forest resources quantity and quality change. The results show that although the forest coverage and forest stock volume per hectare show an overall upward trend, there are different change laws between the two; there are also differences in the influencing factors between forest coverage and forest stock volume per hectare (population density, rainfall and project having significant effect on forest coverage; population density, economic density and institution having significant effect on forest stock per hectare). Finally the recommendations are put forth for improving the woodland resources use efficiency: it is necessary to improve both the forest quantity and forest quality, focus on demand and supply, and pay equal attention to project promotion and property rights system reform.


The growth of television, and in particular television news, has created a challenge in preserving and providing access to the resulting material. At the same time, technology has opened many opportunities to capture this information and make it more widely available. In some ways, it is a race of technology against the speed of content creation. In this paper, we describe a very successful archival project that records, indexes, archives and makes available the totality of the programming of the U.S. based C-SPAN television network, a nonprofit network that telecasts the entirety of the U.S. congressional proceedings, hearings, presidential speeches and other public policy events. As such, it is an archive of unedited primary source events. The use of evolving technology over 25 years has made this archive possible and it exists free on the Internet for world-wide access.


Industrial applications often require two or more variable-speed electric drives, which have to be controlled independently. Over the past decade research efforts have been made to reduce the number of power electronic devices required in multi-motor drive systems in order to reduce the complexity and hence cost of the drive. One such drive system comprises n three-phase motors supplied by a (2n+1)-leg voltage source inverter (VSI). In such a configuration one inverter leg is common for all machines. While the complexity of the converter and its associated control electronics are reduced, the common inverter leg imposes certain restrictions that make such drives unsuitable for general purpose applications. Moreover, even when there is a niche application to which a particular reduced switch count drive system is well suited, the problems arise in actual implementation. The paper examines in detail behavior of these drive systems for a couple of configurations, using detailed inverter models in simulations. It is argued that (2n+1)-leg VSI supplied n-motor drives are especially sensitive to the inverter dead-time effect. Using both experimental and simulation results, the paper shows that the non-ideal nature of the inverter causes poor performance of the drive in open-loop V/f mode of operation. The solution to the problem is found by using closed-loop current control and it is shown, using experimental results, that such an operating mode fully alleviates the problems caused by the dead-time effect.


Aim: Our aim was to investigate the changes in thyroid volume, thyroid hormone and autoantibody levels after 2 years in newly diagnosed euthyroid women with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and women with HT treated with levothyroxine (L-T4). Material and Method: We enrolled 60 women with HT (mean age 39.6± 10.8 years) in this study. 27 patients were newly diagnosed and euthyroid (euthyroid group) and L-T4 group (n=33) consisted of women with HT treated with levothyroxine. Thyroid ultrasonography was performed and free T3 (fT3), free T4 (fT4), TSH, anti-thyroglobulin autoantibody (antiTG) and anti-thyroid peroxidase autoantibody (anti-TPO) levels were measured. Thyroid volume was calculated with ellipsoid formula: (Volume (ml) = Length (cm) x Width(cm) x Thickness (cm) x 1/6 Л). Results: Median thyroid volume increased in all subjects (8.6 (1.8-46) vs 10.8 (3.9-54.5) ml, p=0.008). While serum fT3 levels decreased (2.9± 0.5 vs 2.5± 0.3 pg/ml, p 0.05). The change in thyroid volume was negatively associated with thyroid volume at basal (r= -0.290, p=0.027) and TSH (r=-0.271, p=0.039) and positively correlated with fT3 (r= 0.356, p= 0.006). While thyroid volume increased in euthyroid group (9.8 (6.6-35.1) vs 12.5 (6.9-54.5) ml, p=0.006), there was not a change in L-T4 group (7.5 vs 8.3 ml, p=0.428). Discussion: Thyroid volume increased in euthyroid women with HT, however did not change in patients treated with levothyroxine in two years. While thyroid autoantibodies did not change in two groups, hypothyroidism developed in 7.4% of euthyroid subjects.


Robust measurements of network dynamics are increasingly important to the design and operation of large internetworks like the Internet. However, administrative diversity makes it impractical to monitor every link on an end-to-end path. At the same time, it is difficult to determine the performance characteristics of individual links from end-to-end measurements of unicast traffic. In this paper, we introduce the use of end-to-end measurements of multicast traffic to infer network-internal characteristics. The bandwidth efficiency of multicast traffic makes it suitable for large-scale measurements of both end-to-end and internal network dynamics. We develop a maximum-likelihood estimator for loss rates on internal links based on losses observed by multicast receivers. It exploits the inherent correlation between such observations to infer the performance of paths between branch points in the tree spanning a multicast source and its receivers. We derive its rate of convergence as the number of measurements increases, and we establish robustness with respect to certain generalizations of the underlying model. We validate these techniques through simulation and discuss possible extensions and applications of this work


The type 1 receptor (PTH1R) for parathyroid hormone (PTH) and parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) is a G protein-coupled receptor that is highly expressed in bone and kidney and mediates in these tissues the PTH-dependent regulation of mineral ion homeostasis. The PTH1R also mediates the paracrine actions of PTHrP, which play a particularly vital role in the process of endochondral bone formation. These important functions, the likely involvement of the PTH1R in certain genetic diseases affecting skeletal development and calcium homeostasis, and the potential utility of PTH in treating osteoporosis have been the driving force behind intense investigations of both the receptor and its peptide ligands. Recent lines of work have led to the identification of constitutively active PTH1Rs in patients with Jansen's metaphyseal chondrodysplasia, the demonstration of inverse agonism by certain ligand analogs, and the discovery of the PTH-2 receptor subtype that responds to PTH but not PTHrP. As reviewed herein, a detailed exploration of the receptor-ligand interaction process is currently being pursued through the use of site-directed mutagenesis and photoaffinity cross-linking methods; ultimately, such work could enable the development of novel PTH receptor ligands that have therapeutic value in treating diseases such as osteoporosis and certain forms of hypercalcemia.


Dengue is an important systemic viral infection that is caused by the dengue virus. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) from dengue NS1 positive samples, collected randomly during dengue epidemic from October 2016 to October 2017 at Chugtai Lab, was extracted for nucleic acid. Both the detection and serotyping of dengue samples were performed using real-time PCR on Rotor Gene Q. From the 70 NS1 positive samples, 57 (81.4%) samples were confirmed to be positive for dengue virus RNA, while the remaining 13 (18.6%) were negative. Serotype 1 (DEN-1) was verified among all samples by in-house assay and using commercial kit FTD (Fast Track Diagnostics) dengue differentiation; it was concluded that our in-house assay is in 100% concordance with commercial kit. Serotype 2 (DEN-2) and serotype 3 (DEN-3) have been documented in Pakistan since 1994. But recent detection of serotype 1 in Pakistan is indicative of more severe dengue haemorrhagic fever in future due to reinfection.


The information and communication technology revolution has changed the manner in which business is conducted and e-governance is no exception. The computerization in relation to the government process may, if implemented in one go, result in failure. E-governance software consists of different processes, termed modules. Researchers are now attempting to prioritize these modules in relation to e-governance implementation. A major issue has arisen for the planners in relation to the priorities involved for these modules with regards to the IT implementation as no clear cut formula exists for the solution to this problem. This paper examines different implementation issues with respect to e-governance in a typical University education system. Two multi-criteria decision making methods (MCDM) viz. analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) are used in the paper. The novelty of the paper lies in its integration of the AHP and TOPSIS methods in relation to the priorities to be adopted in relation to IT implementation.


The migration of glial chains along the nerve entails directional and coordinated movement. Despite its importance in the formation of the nervous system, this process remains poorly understood, because of the difficulty of manipulating identified cells. Using confocal time-lapse and cell ablation in the whole animal, we provide direct evidence for a discrete number of Drosophila peripheral glial cells acting as pioneers and guiding the rest of the migratory chain. These cells are in direct contact with several follower cells through a very long and stable cytoplasmic extension. The presence of pioneer cells and homotypic interactions at the tip of the chain allows coordinated movement and the formation of a continuous sheath around the nerve. These in vivo data open novel perspectives for understanding the cellular bases of vertebrate glial migration in physiological and pathological conditions.


Minimum vision standards for employees are used in manufacturing,1 transport industries,2 3 and the emergency4 and armed servicesi.5 Traditionally, these standards have applied to colour vision, visual acuity and refractive error, with the later addition of visual fields for driving.6 Vision standards are often historic and differ between countries, and their validity may be questioned as technological advances obviate some visual tasks.7 Furthermore, entry standards applied to uncorrected acuity are being bypassed by advances in refractive surgery. This is of special significance in the armed services, where operational constraints must be taken into account. Our understanding of the interplay between visual demands at work and the effects of refractive surgery is evolving. Vision standards and official policies on refractive surgery should be understood in relation to the work environment, by both surgeons and patients. Performance-based and parametric tests are helping to define vision standards in a variety of occupations. Surgical correction of refractive errors can in many cases allow previously ineligible candidates to pursue their chosen occupation.

Visual standards are commonly based on concepts of public safety, selection for training and competition. The public safety angle invokes a balance between the individual's right to work and the right of society to expect a safe level of health—for example, in its public transport workers. Selection reduces the cost of training by precluding unsuitable individuals who, if selected, would go on to fail. High standards of performance permit the competitive selection of highly able personnel.

Organisations frequently have separate vision standards for entry and retention, accommodating personnel whose vision has changed since joining. In accordance with modern precepts of equality of opportunity (eg Disability Discrimination Act 2005), exclusion requires justification based on evidence,8 and if organisations lean too far towards very high standards …


Many species of Neotropical frogs have evolved to deposit their tadpoles in small water bodies inside plant structures called phytotelmata. These pools are small enough to exclude large predators but have limited nutrients and high desiccation risk. Here, we explore phytotelm use by three common Neotropical species: Osteocephalus oophagus, an arboreal frog that periodically feeds eggs to its tadpoles; Dendrobates tinctorius, a tadpole-transporting poison frog with cannibalistic tadpoles; and Allobates femoralis, a terrestrial tadpole-transporting poison frog with omnivorous tadpoles. We found that D. tinctorius occupies pools across the chemical and vertical gradient, whereas A. femoralis and O. oophagus appear to have narrower niches that are restricted primarily by pool height, water capacity, alkalinity, and salinity. Dendrobates tinctorius tadpoles are particularly flexible, and can survive in a wide range of chemical, physical, and biological conditions, whereas O. oophagus seems to prefer small, clear pools and A. femoralis occupies medium-sized pools with abundant leaf litter and low salinity. Together, these results show the possible niche partitioning of phytotelmata among frogs, and provide insight into stressors and resilience of phytotelm breeders.


This study demonstrates a decision-support framework for planning Green Infrastructure (GI) systems that maximize urban ecosystem services in Camden, NJ. Seven key ecosystem services are evaluated (urban agriculture expansion, combined sewer overflow reduction, heat island reduction, flooding reduction, capacity building/green jobs expansion, fitness expansion, and stress reduction), to produce a normalized value for each service for each drainage sub-basin within the city. Gaps in ecosystem services are then mapped and utilized to geographically prioritize different kinds of multifunctional GI. Conceptual designs are developed for four site typologies: parks, schools, vacant lots, and brownfield sites. For one demonstration site, additional analysis is presented on urban engagement, life cycle cost reduction, and new sources of funding. What results is an integrated, long-term vision where multifunctional GI systems can be readily customized to meet multiple needs within urban communities. This study provides a portable and replicable framework for leveraging the regulatory requirement to manage stormwater to meet broader urban revitalization goals, all through a decentralized network of green infrastructure assets.


In order to find a low-cost solution for the future MCM-D packaging, a multitiling approach through the incorporation of several tiles on a large carrier substrate was studied. The multitiling format provides simultaneous processing of several small silicon wafers on a carrier glass with a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) comparable to that of silicon. The wafers (tiles) are attached to the carrier glass (pallet) using a low modulus adhesive that can be released at an elevated temperature (/spl sim/450/spl deg/C). The objective of this study is to develop materials and processes for a 12-in/spl times/12-in (300-mm/spl times/300-mm) large area substrate that can be scalable up to a 600-mm/spl times/600-mm format. The fabrication process begins with a carrier CTE matched Borofloat glass on which silicon wafers are attached using a low modulus adhesive. This composite structure is exposed to high temperature thin-film processes that are required for the MCM-D manufacturing. The warpage of these structures is a critical factor that determines the processability of the thin films in a manufacturing environment. Specimen warpage was obtained using the shadow moire technique. Warpage measurement was performed (i) on as-received glasses, (ii) glasses after polishing, and (iii) pallet assembly after tiling was completed. Although polishing reduced the overall warpage of the as-received pallets, the warpage of the tile and pallet assembly was increased after the adhesive was cured at 150/spl deg/C. This paper discusses the warpage issues associated with various stages of processing of the proposed large area MCM-D structures.


Image Quality: You can place digital photos or logo art in your poster file by selecting the Insert, Picture command, or by using standard copy & paste. For best results, all graphic elements should be at least 150-200 pixels per inch in their final printed size. For instance, a 1600 x 1200 pixel photo will usually look fine up to 8"-10" wide on your printed poster. To preview the print quality of images, select a magnification of 100% when previewing your poster. This will give you a good idea of what it will look like in print. If you are laying out a large poster and using halfscale dimensions, be sure to preview your graphics at 200% to see them at their final printed size. Please note that graphics from websites (such as the logo on your hospital's or university's home page) will only be 72dpi and not suitable for printing.


We demonstrate 2.33-mum-wavelength InP-based distributed feedback (DFB) lasers with InAs-In0.53Ga0.47 multiple-quantum wells as the active region. The maximum output power is 20 mW at 25degC and the maximum operating temperature is as high as 95degC. Stable single-mode operation with a sidemode suppression ratio of 30 dB is obtained, and the emission wavelength of the laser is finely controlled from 2.335 to 2.348 mum by adjusting the injection current and the operating temperature. The current-tuning and temperature-tuning rates of the DFB wavelength are +0.007 nm/mA and +0.148 nm/K, respectively.


Mixtures of alkyl chlorosilane and silicon tetrachloride were used as condensation agents for the preparation of poly(1,4-benzamide). Both high yield of polyamide and soluble side products were obtained. This method may be used to regulate the surface structure and the particle size of silicon dioxide side product if a minimum amount of trimethyl chlorosilane was added to silicon tetrachloride catalyst.


Conventional techniques for estimating the elasticity of substitution between capital and labour in the production process typically focus on factor-demand equations. An implicit assumption in this approach is normally that the markup is stationary. But that may not be true. This paper considers a new approach that models the markup as an unobserved variable. Using the factor-demand equations for capital and labour, technical progress can also be estimated as a stochastic process, rather than just imposing a time trend. The resulting estimates of the whole-economy markup for the UK economy suggest that it has fallen over the past 30 years, and this result appears to withstand a variety of robustness checks. The estimated elasticity is somewhat lower than most previous estimates. This implies that conventional techniques may be misleading.


Stroke will affect around 60,000 people in 2009 with up to 40000 of those losing the ability to drive. This loss of independence and mobility can have a severe impact on
their quality of life and emotional well being.
Traditional methods of stroke rehabilitation are often therapist intensive or boring and repetitive. Robotic and semi-robotic devices for stroke rehabilitation are in their
infancy with very few devices readily available in clinics and even less available in homes. The method of driver retraining relies on the therapist taking the patient "back
on the road", an often hair-raising and potentially dangerous task.
A fully developed force feedback steering wheel and driving simulator for stroke patients has great potential for reducing therapist contact hours and increasing the
effectiveness of driver retraining.
The project aims to design, construct and test a force feedback steering wheel that is :-
· suitable for use as a tool in the assessment and retraining of stroke patients
· simple enough for both clinical and in-home use.
· able to provide sufficient torque for passive resistance, active resistance, and active assistance
· able to record user inputs as an aid to assessment and progress of driving ability
Both the mechanical and electronic systems have been constructed. Torque is provided by a 100W 24V permanent magnet DC motor, connected to the steering shaft
by a toothed belt with a gear ratio of 8.4:1. The motor is controlled via a PIC micro embedded microcontroller running custom written software while power amplification
is handled by a 1 KW H-bridge motor control.
In general, the testing and evaluation of the device has been promising, this is especially so in the overall feel of the device and the ability to control or vary the feel.
Importantly the device has been successfully interfaced to the PC and is able to interact with a simple game environment. While some problems have been encountered a number of strategies have been devised to overcome these problems


Anaerobic biodigestion is an appropriate alternative for the treatment of swine wastewater due to its biogas generation properties and the possibility of its application as a source of energy for heating or electricity. However, digestate can still contain high levels of turbidity, organic carbon and nutrients and must be correctly managed as a biofertilizer, or treated to avoid any impact on the environment. Considering this, electrocoagulation (EC) shows promise as a technology because of its ease of handling and high efficiency in effluent remediation. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of EC in a batch system in the treatment of swine wastewater digestate. The wastewater used in the treatment was sampled from a 10 m3 biodigestor effluent (digestate) located at Concordia, Santa Catarina, Brazil. A batch-scale experiment was carried out to evaluate the following two variables: electrode distance (ED) and voltage applied (V). The removal efficiency levels (%) for the best operational condition (2 cm, 5 V) after 30 min were: 97 %, 98 %, 77 % and 10 % for color, turbidity, total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN), respectively. The EC batch system produced efficient results, underlining its promise as an alternative to be applied in the treatment of digestate.


Purpose: To develop and evaluate a template matching algorithm for direct detection of a lungtumor trajectory in the raw projections acquired from a cone beam CT.Method and Materials: A planning respiration‐correlated CT (pRCCT) was used to construct digitally‐reconstructed radiographic(DRR) templates for registration with raw projection data of a free‐breathing cone beam CT (FB‐CBCT). The pRCCT and FB‐CBCT were first registered to obtain the approximate mean 3D position of the tumor. This position was applied as a shift to the planning isocenter in the pRCCT. Next, 72 DRRs were generated at 5 degree angular increments around this shifted position, for each phase in the pRCCT. The appropriate phase DRR template for registration was selected using the measured phase of the FB‐CBCT projection. This phase was measured by tracking the diaphragm apex position in the projections. Two template matching algorithms were compared: normalized cross correlation and a block normalized cross correlation. A dynamic phantom was induced to move reproducibly 2cm during planning and 3cm during online CBCTimaging. The phantom was imaged at isocenter and with a 1cm translational shift from isocenter. Results: The tumor excursion measured with the normalized cross correlation method was 28.7 mm, and 28.5 mm with the block normalized cross correlation. The error in detecting the daily standard deviation of tumor position was 0.1mm for both methods. The mean absolute difference in detected tumor position was 1.07 mm, with a 95% confidence value of 2.43 mm. Block normalized cross correlation reduced the maximum error in tumor position detection slightly, in relation to normalized cross correlation. Conclusion: Direct detection of the tumor position from cone beam CT projections is feasible with template matching, provided that appropriate and accurate templates are used. Conflict of Interest: Supported in part by NIH R01 CA116249 and Elekta, Inc.


The Department of Energy, the Department of Defense's Defense Logistics Agency, and the Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration have funded learning demonstrations and early market deployments to provide insight into applications of hydrogen technologies on the road, in the warehouse, and as stationary power. NREL's analyses validate the technology in real-world applications, reveal the status of the technology, and facilitate the development of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, manufacturing, and operations. This paper presents the maintenance, safety, and operation data of fuel cells in multiple applications with the reported incidents, near misses, and frequencies. NREL has analyzed records of more than 225,000 kilograms of hydrogen that have been dispensed through more than 108,000 hydrogen fills with an excellent safety record.


In recent years, 3D seismic has become an essential tool for the interpretation of subsurface stratigraphy and depositional systems. Seismic stratigraphy in conjunction with seismic geomorphology, calibrated by borehole data, has elevated the degree to which seismic data can facilitate geological interpretation. 3D seismic data has enabled interpreters to visualize details of complex depositional systems, which can be incorporated into borehole planning for exploration as well as development needs to improve risk management significantly. Common techniques for geological visualization include (1) imaging stratigraphic horizons, (2) time slicing and flattened time slicing, (3) interval attribute analysis, (4) voxbody interpretation and mapping, (5) 3D perspective rendering and (6) opacity rendering. One of the key benefits of modern 3D seismic interpretation is that stratigraphic horizons can be interpreted and horizon attributes (such as reflection amplitude, dip magnitude, dip azimuth, and curvature) can then be imaged directly in 2D or 3D space. Techniques such as variable illumination can enhance geomorphological interpretations, and, when integrated with stratigraphic analyses, can yield insights regarding distribution of source, seal, and reservoir facies. Stratigraphic intervals bracketing sections of geological interest can be evaluated for amplitude and frequency content and can contribute to geological interpretations. Time slices and flattened time slices (also referred to as horizon slices) can bring to light map patterns and geological features that other techniques might overlook. Voxel picking can further bring out features of geological interest. This method involves auto-picking of connected voxels of similar seismic character, a technique that can illuminate discrete depositional elements in three dimensions. Similarly, opacity rendering, which makes opaque only those voxels that lie within a certain range of seismic values, can further bring out features of stratigraphic interest. Examples of fluvial, shallow marine, and deep marine depositional environments are shown. A variety of visualization techniques are applied to these examples in an effort to illustrate the variety of interpretation techniques available to the geoscientist. These examples will highlight the integration of seismic stratigraphic and seismic geomorphological analyses essential for maximum benefit to be derived from geological analyses of 3D seismic data.


Multi-valued decision diagrams (MDDs) are a generalization of binary decision diagrams (BDDs). They often allow efficient representation of functions with multi-valued input variables similar to BDDs in the binary case. Therefore they are suitable for several applications in synthesis and verification of integrated circuits. MDD sizes counted in number of nodes vary from linear to exponential dependent on the variable ordering used. In all these applications, minimization of MDDs is crucial. In many cases, multi-valued variables are composed by a certain number of binary variables, and so the multi-valued inputs arise by grouping binary variables. The selection of these groups, that is, the decision which variables to merge, has enormous impact on MDD sizes. Techniques for finding variable groupings before starting MDD minimization have been proposed recently. In this paper we present a new method that uses re-encoding, i.e. dynamic variable grouping. We don't choose one fixed variable grouping before minimizing MDDs, but allow to change the binary variables to be considered together during the minimization process. This is possible since MDDs are simulated on top of BDDs. By this, the underlying binary variables remain accessible throughout the minimization process. This technique is described in detail and we also show experimental results that demonstrate the efficiency of our approach.


A method based on stochastic dynamic programming is developed to derive efficiency frontiers for the trade-off between the long-run average social benefits and price variation. The method is used to quantify the importance of price variation per se as a criterion in U.S. wheat storage policy. The results suggest that a single criterion of maximum expected social benefits, calculated by the traditional surplus measures, is satisfactory because price variation is incidentally reduced enough that further reductions can be attained only a considerable opportunity cost.


ATM and p53 are critical regulators of the cellular DNA damage response and function as potent tumor suppressors. In cells undergoing ionizing radiation, ATM is activated by double-strand DNA breaks and phosphorylates the NH2 terminus of p53 at serine residue 18. We have previously generated mice bearing an amino acid substitution at this position (p53S18A) and documented a role for p53 phosphorylation in DNA damage–induced apoptosis. In this present study, we have crossed Eμmyc transgenic mice with our p53S18A mice to explore a role for ATM-p53 signaling in response to oncogene-induced tumorigenesis. Similar to DNA damage induced by ionizing radiation, expression of c-Myc in pre–B cells induces p53 serine18 phosphorylation and Puma expression to promote apoptosis. Eμmyc transgenic mice develop B-cell lymphoma more rapidly when heterozygous or homozygous for p53S18A alleles. However, Eμmyc-induced tumorigenesis in p53S18A mice is slower than that observed in Eμmyc mice deficient for either p53 or ATM, indicating that both p53-induced apoptosis and p53-induced growth arrest contribute to the suppression of B-cell lymphoma formation in Eμmyc mice. These findings further reveal that oncogene expression and DNA damage activate the same ATM-p53 signaling cascade in vivo to regulate apoptosis and tumorigenesis. Mol Cancer Res; 8(2); 216–22


This paper presents the background, methods and products used to face-mount photographs and digital prints. Possible issues with the various face-mounting methods are also discussed. Mounting photographic and digital images in a contemporary manner that will stand the test of time is one of the challenges for the contemporary photographer and gallery. Since the 1980s an increasingly popular mounting methods is face-mounting the image to acrylic. The reasons are based on presentation requirements and the desire to provide a frameless but quality aesthetic appearance. Two forms of face-mounting are pressure-sensitive adhesive films and the use of a silicone-based gel to adhere the image to clear polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) – acrylic – a patented process known as Diasec®. These methods and the materials used in them will be explained. The papers used, printing process and the display environment are all considered when deciding which form of face-mounting is best suited for the photographs or prints. The presentation of a face-mounted print is restricted only by the size of the photographic paper and of the acrylic sheet used. Prints can be produced as wide as 2.2 metres, with even larger lengths. With such large formats, the structural stability of a photograph is an important consideration. Finally, questions regarding the longevity, transportation, cleaning and hanging of the finished works are discussed.


This paper provides a method for deriving prov-ably correct controllers for Hybrid Dynamical Systems with Context-Free discrete dynamics, nonlinear continuous dynamics, and nonlinear state partitioning. The proposed method models the system using a Context-Free Motion Grammar and specifies correct performance using a Regular language representation such as Linear Temporal Logic. The initial model is progressively rewritten via a calculus of symbolic transformation rules until it satisfies the desired specification.


In this paper we present highly uniform SiC epitaxy in a horizontal hot-wall CVD reactor with wafer rotation. Epilayers with excellent thickness uniformity of better than 1% and doping uniformity better than 5% are obtained on 3-in, 4° off-axis substrates. The same growth conditions for uniform epitaxy also generate smooth surface morphology for the 4° epiwafers. Well controlled doping for both n- and p-type epilayers is obtained. Abrupt interface transition between n- and pdoped layers in a wide doping range is demonstrated. Tight process control for both thickness and doping is evidenced by the data collected from the epi operations. The average deviation from target is 2.5% for thickness and 6% for doping. PiN diodes fabricated on a standard 3-in, 4° epiwafer have shown impressive performance. More than half of the 1 mm2 devices block 1 kV (2.3 MV/cm) with a low leakage current of 1 μA.


The safety of our day-to-day life depends crucially on the correct functioning of embedded software systems which control the functioning of more and more technical devices. Many of these software systems are time-critical. Hence, computations performed need not only to be correct, but must also be issued in a timely fashion. Worst case execution time (WCET) analysis is concerned with computing tight upper bounds for the execution time of a system in order to provide formal guarantees for the proper timing behaviour of a system. Central for this is to compute safe and tight bounds for loops and recursion depths. In this paper, we highlight the TuBound approach to this challenge at whose heart is a constraint logic based approach for loop analysis.


The development of experiential learning methodologies is gaining attention, due to its contributions to enhancing education quality. It focuses on developing competencies, and build-up added values, such as creative and critical thinking skills, with the aim of improving the quality of learning. The interdisciplinary mechatronics field accommodates a coherent interactive concurrent design process that facilitates innovation and develops the desired skills by adopting experiential learning approaches. This educational learning process is motivated by implementation, assessment, and reflections. This requires synergizing cognition, perception, and behavior with experience sharing and evaluation. Furthermore, it is supported by knowledge accumulation. The learning process with active student's engagement (participation and investigation) is integrated with experimental systems that are developed to facilitate experiential learning supported by properly designed lectures, laboratory experiments, and integrated with course projects. This paper aims to enhance education, learning quality, and contribute to the learning process, while stimulating creative and critical thinking skills. The paper has adopted a student-centered learning approach and focuses on developing training tools to improve the hands-on experience and integrate it with project-based learning. The developed experimental systems have their learning indicators where students acquire knowledge and learn the target skills through involvement in the process. This is inspired by collaborative knowledge sharing, brainstorming, and interactive discussions. The learning outcomes from lectures and laboratory experiments are synergized with the project-based learning approach to yield the desired promising results and exhibit the value of learning. The effectiveness of the developed experimental systems along with the adopted project-based learning approach is demonstrated and evaluated during laboratory sessions supporting different courses at Sanyo-Onoda City University, Yamaguchi, Japan, and at the American University in Cairo.


BACKGROUND
Infantile proximal spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a common autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder. Approximately 90% - 95% cases of SMA result from homozygous deletion of survival motor neuron gene 1 (SMN1) and 5% cases are caused by compound heterozygous mutation (a SMN1 deletion on one allele and a subtle mutation on the other allele).

METHODS
In this research, two unrelated patients were clinically diagnosed according to the criteria of proximal SMA. Genetic diagnosis was performed to detect the homozygous deletion of exon 7 of SMN1 by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and genomic sequencing. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) analysis was carried out to measure copy numbers of SMN1, SMN2 and neuronal apoptosis inhibitor protein (NAIP) in the patients. Further sequencing of SMN1 allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) and SMN1 clones were also performed to analyze the point mutation of SMN1 gene. Additionally, the pedigree analysis of these two families was carried out to identify the transmission of the mutation.

RESULTS
The inconsistent results using PCR-RFLP and genomic sequencing showed homozygous deletion of exon 7 of SMN1 and heterozygous deletion accompanied with a suspicious mutation in SMN1 gene, respectively. MLPA analysis of these two cases exhibited one SMN1 copy deletion. One identical c.863G > T (p.Arg288Met) mutation was found in two cases by sequencing the SMN1 clones, which confirmed that both cases were SMA compound heterozygotes. One case showed partial conversion to form hybrid SMN (SMN2 I7/SMN1 E8) identified by clones sequencing and another case carrying 3 SMN2 implied complete conversion from SMN1 to SMN2.

CONCLUSION
p.Arg288Met is more a disease-causing mutation than a polymorphism variation, and children with this mutation may have more severe phenotypes.


[1] In short-period seismograms of earthquakes, we often observe the broadening of apparent duration of P and/or S waves and the excitation of the transverse component especially for P waves as travel distance increases. Such phenomena are well explained by scattering caused by random velocity fluctuation in the lithosphere. The Markov approximation is known as one of the powerful stochastic methods for the direct synthesis of wave envelopes. We extend the method to synthesize vector wave envelopes on the free surface of a random medium since seismic observation is usually done on the ground surface. We evaluate the mean square (MS) envelope on the free surface by multiplying the amplification factor on the free surface to the angular spectrum in an infinite random medium. We synthesize MS envelopes for the vertical incidence of an impulsive plane P or S wavelet into a 3-D random medium characterized by a Gaussian autocorrelation function with typical parameters of the lithosphere. As a result, the vertical and horizontal component MS envelopes show different amplification rates on the free surface; however, we may say that "a factor of 4" is a good approximation for the amplification rate for both components. Finally, we numerically confirm the validity of our direct envelope syntheses by the comparison with finite difference simulations of waves in 2-D random media. The Markov approximation is accurate when the wavelength is shorter than the correlation distance and the fractional fluctuation is much smaller than the ratio of the correlation distance to the propagation distance.


In order to maintain the viability of probiotic, the used of prebiotic is important. Aloe vera has been hypothesized to be a prebiotic potential for probiotic. Due to low viability of encapsulated cells, Aloe vera gel was used to be part of enacapsulating matrices for probioctic, Lactobacillus acidophilus. As a result, optimization of Aloe vera gel with sodium alginate was carried out in order to determine the maximum encapsulation yield. Face centered composite design-response surface methodology (FCCD-RSM) was employed to optimize the sodium alginate concentration and Aloe vera gel (prebiotic) composition during microencapsulation process in performing a better encapsulation yield for L. acidophilus. The encapsulation yield (EY) of encapsulated L. acidophilus was investigated with respect to two variables which were sodium alginate (X1) and Aloe vera gel (X2). Result obtained with polynomial regression model used in this study showed highly significant (0.0013) with R2 value was 0.9138. Aloe vera gel was showed highly significant (p<;0.05) effect to the encapsulation yield. The optimum Aloe vera gel and sodium alginate were obtained at 1.12% (v/v) and 1.28% (w/v), respectively. Based on the verification process, the experimental and predicted results were showed not significant difference (p<; 0.05).


We consider the problem of learning a binary classifier from $n$ different data sources, among which at most an $\eta$ fraction are adversarial. The overhead is defined as the ratio between the sample complexity of learning in this setting and that of learning the same hypothesis class on a single data distribution. We present an algorithm that achieves an $O(\eta n + \ln n)$ overhead, which is proved to be worst-case optimal. We also discuss the potential challenges to the design of a computationally efficient learning algorithm with a small overhead.


An interferometric method that was used to measure the electro-optic s(11) coefficient of nitrobenzene is presented. The method uses a Mach-Zehnder interferometer arrangement that produces a finite fringe interferogram. A nitrobenzene Kerr cell is placed in one arm of the interferometer and a pulsed high voltage is applied to the two rectangular electrodes. The voltage application causes the fringe image to shift in time, and this fringe shift is measured by a streak camera that streaks the fringe image across a slit. The streak start time is chosen before the application of the voltage pulse and ends after the voltage pulse has been applied. Thus continuous observation of the event is possible. By accurately measuring the fringe shifts the electro-optic s(11) coefficient can be determined. The experimental arrangement is described, and the results obtained are discussed.


Aims: To examine relationships between childhood maltreatment and alcohol-related problems among U.S. Navy recruits. Methods: An anonymous sample of 5697 Navy recruits completed a survey regarding their alcohol consumption, alcohol problems (binge drinking, drinking until drunk, alcohol dependence, alcohol-related arrests), and experiences of childhood physical and sexual abuse. Results: Most of the recruits used alcohol, and a substantial proportion reported histories of childhood maltreatment. Recruits who had been victimized as children were more likely to use alcohol. Furthermore, among drinkers, those who had been abused were more likely to exhibit alcohol problems than were non-abused drinkers. Conclusion: Substantial numbers of personnel with alcohol-related problems may be using alcohol to self-medicate due to a history of childhood abuse. Attention to the association between alcohol abuse and childhood maltreatment might help improve the efficacy of military alcohol reduction programs.


Range anxiety, the persistent worry about not having enough battery power to complete a trip, remains one of the major obstacles to widespread electric-vehicle adoption. As cities look to attract more users to adopt electric vehicles, the emergence of wireless in-motion car charging technology presents itself as a solution to range anxiety. For a limited budget, cities could face the decision problem of where to install these wireless charging units. With a heavy price tag, an installation without a careful study can lead to inefficient use of limited resources. In this work, we model the installation of wireless charging units as an integer programming problem. We use our basic formulation as a building block for different realistic scenarios, carry out experiments using real geospatial data, and compare our results to different heuristics.


Scientific knowledge in the field of ecology is increasingly enriched by data acquired by the general public participating in citizen science (CS) programs. Yet, doubts remain about the reliability of such data, in particular when acquired by schoolchildren. We built upon an ongoing CS program, Oak Bodyguards, to assess the ability of schoolchildren to accurately estimate the strength of biotic interactions in terrestrial ecosystems. We used standardized protocols to estimate attack rates on artificial caterpillars and insect herbivory on oak leaves. We compared estimates made by schoolchildren with estimates made by professional scientists who had been trained in predation and herbivory assessments (henceforth, trained scientists), and trained scientists' estimates with those made by professional scientists with or without expertise (untrained) in predation or herbivory assessment. Compared with trained scientists, both schoolchildren and untrained professional scientists overestimated attack rates, but assessments made by the latter were more consistent. Schoolchildren tended to overestimate insect herbivory, as did untrained professional scientists. Raw data acquired by schoolchildren participating in CS programs therefore require several quality checks by trained professional scientists before being used. However, such data are of no less value than data collected by untrained professional scientists. CS with schoolchildren can be a valuable tool for carrying out ecological research, provided that the data itself is acquired by professional scientists from material collected by citizens.


This study shows the effects of deionized (DI) rinse and oxide HF wet etch processes on silicon substrate during a photolithography process. We found a fail at the wafer center after DI rinse step, called Si pits, during the fabrication of a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device. We tried to find out the mechanism of the Si pits by using the silicon wafer on CMOS fabrication and analyzing the effects of the friction charge induced by the DI rinsing. The key parameters of this experiment were revolution per minute (rpm) and time. An incubation time of above 10 sec was observed for the formation of Si pits and the rinsing time was more effective than rpm on the formation of the Si pits. The formation mechanism of the Si pits and optimized rinsing process parameters were investigated by measuring the charging level using a plasma density monitor. The DI rinse could affect the oxide substrate by a friction charging phenomenon on the photolithography process. Si pits were found to be formed on the micro structural defective site on the Si substrate under acceleration by developed and accumulated charges during DI rinsing. The optimum process conditions of DI rinse time and rpm could be established through a systematic study of various rinsing conditions.


There is compelling evidence for subsurface water oceans among the three outer Galilean satellites and evidence for an internal magma ocean in the innermost moon, Io. Tidal forces from Jupiter periodically deform these bodies, causing heating and deformation that, if measured, can probe their interior structures. In addition to Jupiter‐raised tides, each moon also raises tides on the others. We investigate moon‐moon tides for the first time in the Galilean moons and show that they can cause significant heating through the excitation of high‐frequency resonant tidal waves in their subsurface oceans. The heating occurs both in the crust and ocean and can exceed that of other tidal sources and radiogenic decay if the ocean is inviscid enough. The resulting tidal deformation can be used to constrain subsurface ocean thickness. Our understanding of the thermal‐orbital evolution and habitability of the Jovian system may be fundamentally altered as a result.


Population ageing presents major challenges to the welfare system across the European Union. Consequently, emphasizing delayed retirement age and extended working lives abound in political discussions. Researchers have recognized numerous problems, which make the extended working life a challenging political task. One of these problems are citizens' negative attitudes toward delayed retirement and extended working life. In this paper, we approach this "attitude problem" from the perspective of discursive social psychology and analyze the variation in the way aspirations to extend working lives are evaluated by older workers. The data analyzed in the study consists of interviews where participants between 50 and 65 years of age comment on the political goal to extend working lives. The article sheds light on the "attitude problem" by turning the attention from underlying individual preferences to discursive resources used to undermine the political goal and the situational functions these evaluative practices have.


Cash flow deficit situations and working capital control are major challenges for many companies, especially those whose suppliers and clients have strong bargaining power. This study aims to describe the application of the Six Sigma methodology for solving these problems in a large German food can manufacturing company.,This paper follows the qualitative methodology of case study research. During different define, measure, analyse, improve and control process phases, the problem and critical aspects are identified to improve the quality of the payment process and improvements are suggested and implemented.,The results provide evidence of how Six Sigma can be useful in administrative–financial processes that are carried out within a company. This result is particularly interesting because it is about processes that have not applied Six Sigma methodology. For the company studied, this methodology has balanced its cash flow and this meant large amounts of savings, especially in bank interest to avoid having to ask for bank credits.,This case can be extrapolated to other companies, regardless of the company size, that present similar symptoms of cash deficit, especially if their bargaining power with suppliers and customers is low.


UNLABELLED
background and objectives: Spontaneous vertebral artery dissection (sVAD) is a rare condition and can potentially cause a stroke, particularly in young to middle-aged people.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
The clinical manifestations, medical imaging characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of 16 patients with sVAD were analyzed.

RESULTS
None of the 16 patients had a history of head or neck trauma. The most common clinical manifestation was headache with symptoms of posterior-circulation ischemia (63%). Diagnosis of VAD was definitive in one patient at autopsy, and in the remaining it was established by magnetic resonance angiography, computer tomography angiography, or digital subtraction angiography. Treatment modalities included: thrombolysis with urokinase (1), antiplatelet therapy (6), and endovascular stenting (9). There was one death and the remaining 15 patients were followed up for 3-48 months and did not have recurrence of cerebral events.

CONCLUSIONS
Rapid and accurate diagnosis of sVAD and proper treatment are crucial for good outcomes. This study shows that antiplatelet therapy and endovascular treatment are effective treatments for sVAD.


Regulated urine concentration takes place in the renal collecting duct upon arginine vasopressin (AVP) stimulation, where subapical vesicles containing aquaporin-2 (AQP2) are inserted into the apical membrane instantly increasing water reabsorption and urine concentration. The reabsorped water exits via basolateral AQP3 and AQP4. Upon long-term stimulation with AVP or during thirst, expression levels of both AQP2 and AQP3 are increased; however, there is so far no evidence for short-term AVP regulation of AQP3 or AQP4. To facilitate the increase in transepithelial water transport, AQP3 may be short-term regulated via changes in protein-protein interactions, incorporation into lipid rafts, and/or changes in steady-state turnover, which could result in changes in the diffusion behavior of AQP3. Thus we measured AQP3 diffusion coefficients upon stimulation with the AVP mimic forskolin to reveal if AQP3 could be short-term regulated by AVP. k-Space image correlation spectroscopy (kICS) analysis of time-lapse image sequences of basolateral enhanced green fluorescent protein-tagged AQP3 (AQP3-EGFP) revealed that the forskolin-mediated elevation of cAMP increased the diffusion coefficient by 58% from 0.0147 ± 0.0082 μm(2)/s (control) to 0.0232 ± 0.0085 μm(2)/s (forskolin, P < 0.05). Quantum dot-conjugated antibody labeling also revealed a significant increase in AQP3 diffusion upon forskolin treatment by 44% [0.0104 ± 0.0040 μm(2)/s (control) vs. 0.0150 ± 0.0016 μm(2)/s (forskolin, P < 0.05)]. Immunoelectron microscopy showed no obvious difference in AQP3-EGFP expression levels or localization in the plasma membrane upon forskolin stimulation. Thus AQP3-EGFP diffusion is altered upon increased cAMP, which may correspond to basolateral adaptations in response to the increased apical water readsorption.