This study aims to explore the molecular mechanism through which rosmarinic acid up-regulates mitophagy and enhances antibacterial immunity activity of macrophages. To be specific, RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with rosmarinic acid and then infected with Staphylococcus aureus. The total mRNA and proteins of the cells were then extracted. The mRNA and protein levels of phosphatase and tensin homolog(PTEN)-induced putative kinase 1(PINK1) were detected by q-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Cell mitochondria isolation kit was employed to isolate mitochondria in macrophages. Recruitment of E3 ubiquitin ligase Parkin to mitochondria and the phosphorylation of Parkin were detected by Western blot. Co-immunoprecipitation and laser confocal microscopy were employed to observe the co-localization of PINK1 and Parkin. Mitochondrial division inhibitor 1(Mdivi-1), small interfering RNA(siRNA)-directed gene knockdown, and plate-colony counting were used to detect the levels of inflammatory cytokines and the intracellular antibacterial ability, in an attempt to confirm that rosmarinic acid promotes antibacterial immunity activity of macrophages through strengthening PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy. The results showed that rosmarinic acid up-regulated the mRNA and protein expression of PINK1, promoted the recruitment of Parkin from cytoplasm to mitochondria and the phosphorylation, and enhanced the interaction between PINK1 and Parkin and their co-localization in macrophages. Blocking mitophagy or knocking PINK1 significantly abrogated the promotion of macrophage antibacterial immune response by rosmarinic acid. In summary, rosmarinic acid enhances antibacterial immunity activity of macrophages through up-regulating PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy.


Abstract: The Eupcheon Fault, one of more than 20 identified Quaternary faults recently reported in the area around the Yangsan and Ulsan faults, SE Korean Peninsula, was discovered during the construction of a primary school in an area close to a nuclear power plant. We analysed a trench excavated across the Eupcheon Fault with the aim of understanding its movement history and kinematics. The Eupcheon Fault is a reverse fault (strike/dip: N20°E/40°SE) that records 6–7 m of displacement (3–4 m vertical separation). The fault consists of a series of branch faults, associated fault-related folds, and rotated pebbles. A previous study reported that the fault originally recorded normal slip but was reactivated during the Quaternary as a reverse fault. We identified four or five Quaternary faulting events upon the fault based on an interpretation of the trench logs including an analysis of colluvial wedges, and measurements of displacement–distance (d–x) relationships along the fault. We used a quantitative analysis of d–x relationships, commonly used for consolidated sedimentary rocks, to interpret the deformation history of the fault. From this we estimated the amount of slip in the range of 0.7–1.8 m for each of the five identified faulting events and the earthquake magnitude in the range of Mw 5.4–7.4. We propose two ideal d–x profiles for syndepositional and post-depositional faulting, and a tectonic evolution model for the area around this fault. This approach may be applicable to analyses of earthquake hazards and studies of fault evolution elsewhere.


Tremendous advancements have been realized during the past several decades in the science and practice of the field now known as violence risk assessment. Whereas in the 1970s and 1980s estimates (dichotomous predictions) of individuals' potential to act violently tended to be based on unstructured clinical judgment, new technologies, or risk assessment tools, were developed during subsequent decades to assist professionals conducting such assessments. Initial technologies available were actuarial in nature; these efforts were followed by clinically based tools developed according to the stmctured professional judgment (SP1) model with the intent of overcoming the perceived limitations of the actuarial approach. Throughout the field's metamorphosis, a steadfast theme has been impassioned commentary regarding the relative merit of actuarial and clinical approaches. Although much research has examined specific SPJ tools, to date, a comprehensive evaluation of the SPJ decision making model has not been conducted. This dissertation applied meta-analytic techniques to examine the predictive validity of the SPJ model using 113 disseminations. Results supported the utility of the SPJ model (especially when summary risk ratings were used) and indicated no distinct superiority for either the actuarial or SPJ model among the 44 samples in which direct comparisons of both approaches were made. It is concluded that both types of technologies perfonn at comparably good levels of predictive accuracy, but that additional factors are relevant when selecting an approach for clinical practice. Implications for practice and research are discussed.


Wireless sensor networks are resource-constrained self-organizing systems that are often deployed in inaccessible and inhospitable environments in order to collect data about some outside world phenomenon. For most sensor network applications, point-to-point reliability is not the main objective; instead, reliable event-of-interest delivery to the server needs to be guaranteed (possibly with a certain probability). The nature of communication in sensor networks is unpredictable and failure-prone, even more so than in regular wireless ad hoc networks. Therefore, it is essential to provide fault tolerant techniques for distributed sensor applications. Many recent studies in this area take drastically different approaches to addressing the fault tolerance issue in routing, transport and/or application layers. In this paper, we summarize and compare existing fault tolerant techniques to support sensor applications. We also discuss several interesting open research directions. keywords: sensor networks, fault management, fault detection, fault diagnosis, fault tolerance


The building and real estate industry have a significant influence on the environment, economy and the society. A number of benefits are associated with the development of sustainable or green buildings. Sustainable building or real estate construction enables an ethical, viable and practical response to resource consumption and environmental impact. It creates an economic sense on a life cycle costing basis. The current research paper aims to examine the impact of sustainable real estate development (SRED) on investment in green buildings, in the real estate sector. It is pertinent to examine that how embracing sustainability in real estate building impacts or changes value proposition for an investment i.e. how participants in the market filter and scrutinize relevant sets of information and integrate it into an existing framework of investment. For this purpose, the study adopted a quantitative approach, and applied a questionnaire survey strategy. Primary data was collected by distributing survey questionnaire among the real estate investors, in the region of Austria, Vienna, Lower Austria. The information, collected from survey was analysed by the help of statistical techniques, specifically regression analysis, factor analysis, descriptive statistics, as well as reliability test. It evaluated four benefits associated with SRED, which include higher building value (HBV), productivity gains (PG), cost savings (CS), and environmental gains (EG). Using data of 103 Austrian investors, the study finds a significant positive impact of HBV, PG, and EG on dependent variable of Investment in green buildings (IN) at 10% significance level. However, it is unable to find significant association between CS and IN. The study suggests that there is a need to enhance awareness about, and focus on the benefits of sustainable real estate development (SRED) and green buildings.


Chromosomal replication initiation requires dynamic mechanisms in higher-order nucleoprotein complexes that are constructed at the origin of replication. In Escherichia coli, DnaA molecules construct functional oligomers at the origin oriC, enabling localized unwinding of oriC and stable binding of DnaB helicases via multiple domain I molecules of oriC-bound DnaA. DnaA-bound DnaB helicases are then loaded onto the unwound region of oriC for construction of a pair of replisomes for bidirectional replication. However, mechanisms of DnaB loading to the unwound oriC remain largely elusive. In this study, we determined that His136 of DnaA domain III has an important role in loading of DnaB helicases onto the unwound oriC. DnaA H136A mutant protein was impaired in replication initiation in vivo, and in DnaB loading to the unwound oriC in vitro, whereas the protein fully sustained activities for oriC unwinding and DnaA domain I-dependent stable binding between DnaA and DnaB. Functional and structural analyses supported the idea that transient weak interactions between DnaB helicase and DnaA His136 within specific protomers of DnaA oligomers direct DnaB to a region in close proximity to single stranded DNA at unwound oriC bound to DnaA domain III of the DnaA oligomer. The aromatic moiety of His136 is basically conserved at corresponding residues of eubacterial DnaA orthologs, implying that the guidance function of DnaB is common to all eubacterial species.


The relationship between distance measures and asymptotic relative efficiency is discussed. It is shown that the ratio of the Bhattacharyya distance or J divergences of two test statistics is equivalent to asymptotic relative efficiency. Two-input systems are discussed as examples, and the performances of the polarity coincidence correlator (PCC) and the correlator are discussed in terms of the distance measures of reduced data.


Combination chemotherapy administering multiple chemo agents is widely exploited for the treatment of various cancers in the clinic. Specially for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most common malignancies, a coadministration of combinational cytostatic multikinase inhibitors and cytotoxic chemo agents has been suggested as a potential curative approach. Here, Janus microcarriers are developed for the controlled local combination chemotherapy of HCC. The Janus microcarriers are composed of a polycaprolactone (PCL) compartment and a magnetic nanoparticle‐loaded poly(lactide‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) compartment which contains hydrophobic regorafenib and hydrophilic doxorubicin, respectively. Exploiting the magnetic anisotropy, rotational motion of the Janus microcarriers is controlled with a magnetic field, which enables the active corelease of dual chemo agents. Furthermore, Janus microcarriers exhibit magnetic resonance (MR) contrast effect, supporting the successful transcatheter intra‐arterial delivery of the combination chemo agents loaded in the microcarriers to the targeted tumor. This Janus microcarrier potentially serves as a general combinational chemotherapeutic platform for the codelivery of various combinations of multichemo agents.


Nutritional assessment and support of patients have evolved into well-accepted medical practices in the last ten years. Enteral and intravenous (IV) feeding procedures are a routine component of the medical treatment of a large number of patients, both in and out of hospitals. Clinicians today also possess the technical means to nourish a group of patients that previously could not be supported: unconscious patients incapable of taking food orally. With advanced techniques of nutritional support, however, come questions about the propriety of their administration to particular patients. Just as many choices about medical care are influenced by moral beliefs and legal considerations, so are decisions to deliver or withhold nutrition. This article discusses ethical and legal issues raised in these situations and analyzes a case in which the choice of whether to feed the patient depends heavily on the application of two moral principles—beneficence and autonomy. Feeding unconscious patients can


There is a growing need for safety analysis of chemical processes. Risk analysis techniques capable of evaluating dangerous transient conditions together with the reliability of the protective systems need to be devised. Analyses a flash separator used for the raw separation of a naphtha stream into its volatile and liquid constituents from the point of view of its safe operation by the use of the DYLAM methodology. Details a newly developed dynamic simulator of the transient behaviour of the separation operation. This simulator, coupled with the DYLAM algorithm, depicts at any moment the behaviour of the process stream in the drum and highlights the time thresholds which, if exceeded, may result in an accident owing to an uncontrolled evolution of the operation.


Abstract Determination of polyp types requires tissue biopsy during colonoscopy and then histopathological examination of the microscopic images which tremendously time-consuming and costly. The first aim of this study was to design a computer-aided diagnosis system to classify polyp types using colonoscopy images (optical biopsy) without the need for tissue biopsy. For this purpose, two different approaches were designed based on conventional machine learning (ML) and deep learning. Firstly, classification was performed using random forest approach by means of the features obtained from the histogram of gradients descriptor. Secondly, simple convolutional neural networks (CNN) based architecture was built to train with the colonoscopy images containing colon polyps. The performances of these approaches on two (adenoma & serrated vs. hyperplastic) or three (adenoma vs. hyperplastic vs. serrated) category classifications were investigated. Furthermore, the effect of imaging modality on the classification was also examined using white-light and narrow band imaging systems. The performance of these approaches was compared with the results obtained by 3 novice and 4 expert doctors. Two-category classification results showed that conventional ML approach achieved significantly better than the simple CNN based approach did in both narrow band and white-light imaging modalities. The accuracy reached almost 95% for white-light imaging. This performance surpassed the correct classification rate of all 7 doctors. Additionally, the second task (three-category) results indicated that the simple CNN architecture outperformed both conventional ML based approaches and the doctors. This study shows the feasibility of using conventional machine learning or deep learning based approaches in automatic classification of colon types on colonoscopy images.


This study atte mpted to assess the habits and awareness of people towards physical exercise, its challenges and opportunities in the process of preventing selected NCDs. To conduct this, the researchers delimited to Debre Berhan and Showa Robit towns in different respective population groups and offices. The total sample sizes were 3200 and a minimum of 900 sample respondents were taken by 10% rule among this 743 for questionnaire and 157 for interview respondents. Each office has been selected by stratified sampling based on purposively expected availability of information and participants categorized according to their demographic placement such as sex, age, education and habit of involvement then followed by simple random sampling techniques. The data collection tools employed questionnaires, interview with focus group discussion and document were analyzed in triangulation manner. The reason why the researchers chooses these methods to get valuable and reliable data for numerous barriers of physical exercise, prevention disease (NCDs) in the case of Debre Birhan and Showa Robit town. Then the questionnaires were administered and the data was collected, tailored, analyzed and logical conclusion and recommendation was reported.


ABSTRACT Colonization of livestock with bacteria resistant to antibiotics is considered a risk for the entry of drug-resistant pathogens into the food chain. For this reason, there is a need for novel concepts to address the eradication of drug-resistant commensals on farms. In the present report, we evaluated the decontamination measures taken on a farm contaminated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Enterobacteriaceae expressing extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL-E). The decontamination process preceded the conversion from piglet breeding to gilt production. Microbiological surveillance showed that the decontamination measures eliminated the MRSA and ESBL-E strains that were detected on the farm before the complete removal of pigs, cleaning and disinfection of the stable, and construction of an additional stable meeting high-quality standards. After pig production was restarted, ESBL-E remained undetectable over 12 months, but MRSA was recovered from pigs and the environment within the first 2 days. However, spa (Staphylococcus aureus protein A gene) typing revealed acquisition of an MRSA strain (type t034) that had not been detected before decontamination. Interestingly, we observed that a farmworker who had been colonized with the prior MRSA strain (t2011) acquired the new strain (t034) after 2 months. In summary, this report demonstrates that decontamination protocols similar to those used here can lead to successful elimination of contaminating MRSA and ESBL-E in pigs and the stable environment. Nevertheless, decontamination protocols do not prevent the acquisition of new MRSA strains.


Cooperative caching, in which multiple nodes share and coordinate cached data, is widely used to improve Web performance in wired networks. However, resource constraints and node mobility have limited the application of these techniques in ad hoc networks. We propose caching techniques that use the underlying routing protocols to overcome these constraints and further improve performance.


Introduction Among several biomarkers of sarcoidosis activity chitotriosidase (CTO) has been found to be useful. Some subjects have a 24-base pair duplication in the CTO gene (CHIT1) that results in the production of inactive enzyme which might interfere with the validity of the marker. Aims The study was conducted 1) to confirm previous observations of increased CTO activity in patients with sarcoidosis and 2) to evaluate influence of CHIT1 polymorphism on CTO activity. Methods The study comprises 47 patients with newly diagnosed active sarcoidosis (27 females, 20 males, average age 42,3 years). CTO activity was determined in serum and BAL using a standard fluorimetric method. CHIT1 genotyping was done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results A normal CHIT1 genotype (NN) was present in 61,7% of the subjects, 34.0% were heterozygotes for defected allele (ND) and 4,3% were homozygotes (DD). The mean serum CTO value was 736 nmol/mL/h (± 583) and was increased in 93,6% of patients. The mean BAL CTO value was 9,01 nmol/mL/h (± 12.8). There was a correlation between serum and BAL CTO activities (r 0,710, p There was no significant difference between NN and ND subjects in serum CTO activity (855 ± 657 nmol/mL/h, 612 ± 348 nmol/mL/h, p 0,331), but a significant difference in BAL CTO activity (12,24 ± 15,02 nmol/mL/h, 4,31 ± 5,07 nmol/mL/h, p=0,001). There was no CTO activity in mutation homozygotes. Conclusions The results confirm previous observations that the CTO activity is increased in patients with sarcoidosis. Unexpectedly, there was no significant difference in serum CTO activity between CHIT1 normal homozygotes and heterozygotes which warrants further study.


The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family of cytokines are important regulators of angiogenesis that have emerged as important targets for the treatment of obesity. While serum VEGF levels rise during obesity, recent studies using genetic models provide conflicting evidence as to whether VEGF prevents or accelerates metabolic dysfunction during obesity. In the present study, we sought to identify the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) neutralization on parameters of glucose metabolism and insulin action in a dietary mouse model of obesity. Within only 72 h of administration of the VEGF-A neutralizing monoclonal antibody B.20-4.1, we observed almost complete reversal of high fat diet induced insulin resistance principally due to improved insulin sensitivity in the liver and in adipose tissue. These effects were independent of changes in whole body adiposity or insulin signalling. These findings show an important and unexpected role for VEGF in liver insulin resistance opening up a potentially novel therapeutic avenue for obesity related metabolic disease.


Background: Compliance with preoperative guidelines such as medications and body washes are actions a patient can participate in so as to improve outcomes and decrease the risk of adverse events after total joint arthroplasty. The aim of this study was to assess our patients' compliance with preoperative instructions and guidelines. Proper preoperative compliance might lead to better outcomes in patient safety, care, and overall clinical outcomes of total joint arthroplasty.
Methods: In a prospective observational study, we analyzed patient compliance to a protocolized preoperative regimen that included preoperative warfarin, celecoxib, mupirocin, chlorhexidine body washes, surgical site shaving, and surgical site marking. Consecutive patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty were included. Patients filled out a questionnaire the day of surgery indicating their compliance with the preoperative guidelines. Statistical analysis was completed to calculate confidence intervals of overall compliance and any difference in compliance based on age or gender.
Results: Compliance rates overall were: warfarin 87%, celecoxib 87%, mupirocin 84%, chlorhexidine 98%, shaving 91% and site marking 99%. Based on age sub-group analysis, there was no significant difference in compliance based on age or gender, and compliance did not fall below 82% in any category.
Discussion: The currently used protocol of patient preoperative preparation achieves rates of compliance equivalent if not better to other studies. The lowest overall percentage of compliance was 84% in the mupirocin category. Therefore, the current regimen, while not perfect, is not inferior to other methods of improving patient compliance, and leaves a blueprint for other total joint arthroplasty surgeons to build off.


An experiment was conducted for 56 days to assess the sensory evaluation of  breast meat sample and tibia bone mineralization of broiler chicken fed graded level of toasted sesame seed meal. One hundred and eighty arbor acre chicks were divided into five dietary treatments. Each treatment was replicated thrice with twelve birds per replicate. The toasted sesame seed was included in broiler ration at a graded levels of 0(T ), 25 (T ), 50 (T ), 75 (T ) and 100% (T ) respectively. Data were 1 2 3 4 5 collected on sensory evaluation and tibia bone retention of broiler chicken fed graded level of toasted sesame seed meal. Sensory score for breast muscles revealed that significant difference (P<0.05) were observed in aroma colour Flavour tenderness and overall acceptability except juiciness. Meat of birds from T (0%SSM) 1 and T (25%SSM) had the highest score for colour (7.11 and 7.11) and overall 2 acceptability (6.34 and 6.22) while the least score (5.84 and 5.17) was obtained from birds on T (100%SSM) respectively. While the evaluation of thigh meat showed 5 significant difference (P<0.05) in aroma colour and tenderness among all sensory variables measured. Significant difference (P<0.05) were  observed on all parameters investigated on tibia bone mineralization. Highest values of all parameters evaluated were recorded for birds in T (0%SSM) and T (25% SSM) 1 2 except phosphorus content which had highest value on T (25% SSM) while the least 2 value was recorded from bird on T (100% SSM). Conclusively the inclusion of 5 sesame seed meal in broiler ration was found to be beneficial at 25%.Keywords: Toasted sesame seed, sensory evaluation, breast meat, tibia


Abstract. In the past decades satellite imagery has been used successfully for weather forecasting, geographical and geological applications. Low resolution satellite images are sufficient for these sorts of applications. But the technological developments in the field of satellite imaging provide high resolution sensors which expands its field of application. Thus the High Resolution Satellite Imagery (HRSI) proved to be a suitable alternative to aerial photogrammetric data to provide a new data source for object detection. Since the traffic rates in developing countries are enormously increasing, vehicle detection from satellite data will be a better choice for automating such systems. In this work, a novel technique for vehicle detection from the images obtained from high resolution sensors is proposed. Though we are using high resolution images, vehicles are seen only as tiny spots, difficult to distinguish from the background. But we are able to obtain a detection rate not less than 0.9. Thereafter we classify the detected vehicles into cars and trucks and find the count of them.


Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for about 85–90% of lung cancer cases, which represents the leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. The majority of lung cancer patients doesn't respond well to conventional chemo-/radio-therapeutic regimens and have a poor prognosis. The recent introduction of targeted therapy and immunotherapy gives new hopes to NSCLC patients, but their outcome/prognosis is far from satisfactory. The translation initiation EIF4F complex has been shown to play important roles in cancer progression, but its functional role and therapeutic effect in lung cancers especially NSCLC remain largely unknown. In this current review, we summarize recent findings regarding the role of EIF4F complex in NSCLC progression and targeted therapy potentials. We also discuss the unanswered questions and future directions in this field.


Because German literary criticism tends to be strongly historicist in character, modern and postmodern German narrative has remained relatively unexplored by poststructuralist critics. In the eight individual analyses of twentieth-century German texts that make up this book, Patrick O'Neill deviates from the theoretical mainstream. O'Neill applies the principles of structuralist and poststructuralist narratology to a selection of narratives from both modernist and postmodernist German authors: Mann, Kafka, and Hesse, and Canetti, Grass, Johnson, Handke, and Bernhard. O'Neill's approach rests on three assumptions: first, that all stories are stories told in particular ways; second, that these particular ways of telling stories are interesting objects of study in and for themselves; and third, that modern German fiction includes a number of narratives that allow us to indulge that interest in ways that are themselves compelling. The relationship of story and discourse is central to Acts of Narrative; in particular, each of the texts under analysis continually foregrounds the active role of the reader, which O'Neill sees as an inescapable feature of modern and postmodern narrative as a semiotic structure. The volume might be described as an exercise in semiotic narratology, exploring a variety of aspects of the semiotics of narrative as a discursive system. Acts of Narrative provides a fresh and challenging approach to German literary texts that will interest both those whose concern is narrative theory and critical practice and those who study modern and postmodern German or comparative literature.


This paper proposes an advanced decision system, called Virtual Dynamic Store (VDS), for supporting retail store management. The VDS architecture supports the decision processes within retail stores by providing users with three main functionalities: store layout analysis, item and shelf management, and store monitoring and control by real-time simulation (or remote control by on-line simulation). As additional functionality, not related to the decision process within a retail store, the VDS architecture could also be used as a virtual web shop for e-commerce. To provide evidence on the relevance of the VDS, the architecture is tested within a real store by proposing four different application examples that show the potential of the VDS as an advanced decision support system.


Purpose: The field trauma triage for injured patients is essential for trauma care system. In this study, agreement of patient evaluation between by prehospital EMS personnel and by hospital staffs and the appropriateness of prehospital triage were evaluated. Methods: This observational study was conducted from September to October 2012 for 5 weeks. During this period, EMT evaluated patient's severity according to guideline for field triage and recorded. Same guideline was applied in 26 hospitals for patients with EMS use. Kappa statistics were used to measure agreement for each item of guideline. Finally, over-triage and under-triage rate of EMT were calculated. Results: During study period, total 3,106 patients were transferred to 26 hospital emergency departments with EMS use. Kappa statistics for "vital signs" items were 0.45 for mentality lower than V and 0.44 for systolic blood pressure lower than 90 mmHg as a moderate agreement. In "anatomy of injury" items Kappa statistics were very low. In "mechanism of injury" items Kappa statistics were 0.28 for high-rise fall down and 0.27 for high energy traffic accident but in other items Kappa statistics were very low. 362 patients (12.0%) were over-triaged and 281 patients (9.3%) were under-triaged. Conclusion: Field triage can be applied but need to evaluate and modify in order to become accurate and sensitive for decision of transportation. [ J Trauma Inj 2014; 27: 126-32 ]


Closer and Closer is the ideal first introduction to real analysis for upper-level undergraduate mathematics majors. The text takes students on a guided journey through the often challenging world of analysis, providing them with the tools to solve rigorous problems with ease. The author achieves this with a student-friendly writing style, an active learning approach, and rich examples and problem sets, along with a unique two-part format. Core Chapters open the text and introduce the most important tools used in analysis. The Excursions then round out and complement Core chapters, allowing students to explore new problems on their own. This two part approach provides a flexible, interactive introduction to relevant concepts and allows students to truly understand and retain key material presented throughout the text. Closer and Closer offers an unparalleled introduction to the foundations of this important area of mathematics.


A PTH-related peptide (PTHRP) has been identified and its cDNA cloned from tumors associated with the syndrome of humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy. The PTHRP and PTH genes appear to represent members of a gene family. Whereas the PTH gene is expressed exclusively in the parathyroids, the PTHRP gene appears to be widely expressed, but little is known concerning the regulation of its expression in any site. We studied the regulation of PTHRP gene expression in a human carcinoid cell line (NCI-H727) which has neuroendocrine features and also produces calcitonin, calcitonin gene-related peptide, and chromogranin-A. We found that the synthetic glucocorticoid triamcinolone produced time- and dose-dependent decreases in steady state PTHRP and calcitonin mRNA levels in NCI-H727 cells. This effect was blocked by the competitive glucocorticoid inhibitor RU-486. Messenger RNA stability and transcription run-off experiments revealed that triamcinolone decreased PTHRP and calcitonin expression by repressing the transcription rates of both genes.


Aquafeed ingredients are global commodities used in livestock, poultry and companion animal feeds. Cost and availability are ditated less by demand from the aquafeed sector than by demand from other animal feed sectors and global production of grains and oilseeds. The exceptions are fishmeal and fish oil; use patterns have shifted over the past two decades resulting in nearly exclusive use of these products in aquafeeds. Supplies of fishmeal and oil are finite, making it necessary for the aquafeed sector to seek alternative ingredients from plant sources whose global production is sufficient to supply the needs of aquafeeds for the foreseeable future. Significant progress has been made over the past decade in reducing levels of fishmeal in commercial feeds for farmed fish. Despite these advances, the quantity of fishmeal used by the aquafeed sector has increased as aquaculture production has expanded. Thus, further reduction in percentages of fishmeal in aquafeeds will be necessary. For some species of farmed fish, continued reduction in fishmeal and fish oil levels is likely; complete replacement of fishmeal has been achieved in research studies. However, complete replacement of fishmeal in feeds for marine species is more difficult and will require further research efforts to attain.


The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the poor ability of body temperature to reliably identify SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals, an observation that has been made before in the context of other infectious diseases. While acute infection does not always cause fever, it does reliably drive host transcriptional responses as the body responds at the site of infection. These transcriptional changes can occur both in cells that are directly harboring replicating pathogens and in cells elsewhere that receive a molecular signal that infection is occurring. Here, we identify a core set of approximately 70 human genes that are together upregulated in cultured human cells infected by a broad array of viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens. We have named these "core response" genes. In theory, transcripts from these genes could serve as biomarkers of infection in the human body, in a way that is agnostic to the specific pathogen causing infection. As such, we perform human studies to show that these infection-induced human transcripts can be measured in the saliva of people harboring different types of infections. The number of these transcripts in saliva can correctly classify infection status (whether a person harbors an infection) 91% of the time. Furthermore, in the case of SARS-CoV-2 specifically, the number of core response transcripts in saliva correctly identifies infectious individuals even when enrollees, themselves, are asymptomatic and do not know they are infected.IMPORTANCEThere are a variety of clinical and laboratory criteria available to clinicians in controlled healthcare settings to help them identify whether an infectious disease is present. However, in situations such as a new epidemic caused by an unknown infectious agent, in health screening contexts performed within communities and outside of healthcare facilities or in battlefield or potential biowarfare situations, this gets more difficult. Pathogen-agnostic methods for rapid screening and triage of large numbers of people for infection status are needed, in particular methods that might work on an easily accessible biospecimen like saliva. Here, we identify a small, core set of approximately 70 human genes whose transcripts serve as saliva-based biomarkers of infection in the human body, in a way that is agnostic to the specific pathogen causing infection.


As a unique mode of soil erosion, loess cavities often act as the critical factor to the stability of the highway slopes of unsaturated loess. In this paper, the unsaturated loess slope stabilities are comparatively studied in different cases through the developed program of the strength reduction FEM, such as loess cavities in different position, single- & twin cavities, occurrence and loss of matric suction etc. The work done in this paper revealed the mechanism how the tunneling and the matric suction have effect on the stability of unsaturated loess slope to some extent. The results not only indicate that the loess cavities favor to maintain the stability of slope with the cavities located near the slope's crest, while the loess cavities reduce the stability of slope with the cavities located near the slope's toe, but also disclose that the safety factor of the unsaturated loess slope increases and the potential sliding surface move downward with considering the matric suction and vice versa. In addition, the twin cavities near the slope's toe have the obvious negative effects on slope's stability.


Antimicrobial resistance, genotype, and virulence gene content of Escherichia coli isolated from bovine clinical mastitis in Tehran Province, Iran, were studied. Two hundred seven (207) milk samples from individual cows presenting mastitis symptoms collected from different dairy farms were used to determine the presence of specific genes of E. coli responsible for this pathology. Multiplex PCR was used to differentiate E. coli isolates into different phylogenetic groups/subgroups and to detect their virulence and involved resistance genes. All the isolated strains were tested for the susceptibility to 21 antimicrobial agents. The results showed that E. coli was detected in 42 (20.3%) samples and 69% of them belonged to the phylogenetic groups A and B1. The phylogenetic subgroup A1 (31%) and subgroup B1 (28.6%) demonstrated the highest prevalence of virulence genes (f17c-A, and eae (n = 6), f17b-A, and f17d-A (n = 5), afaD-8, afaE-8, aucD, and bfpA (n = 4), clpG and VT (n = 2), and LT and ST genes (n = 1)). The highest antimicrobial resistance was observed for tetracycline (45.2%) followed by streptomycin (26.2%). The antimicrobial resistance genes tetB (31%), tetA (28.6%), and aadA (26.2%) were the most prevalent. Moreover, integron class 1 and 2 were found in 24 (57.1%) and 8 (19%) of the E. coli isolates.


The aim of this study was to examine the Zoroastrians of Yazd, Kerman and Tehran to determine whether or not they differed from each other genetically and from the host population of Iran; to study the Parsis and Iranis - Zoroastrians Who had migrated to India in the 7th Century A.D., and compare the results with those of neighbouring Indian populations. It was hoped to obtain a large number of samples in order to make accurate comparisons, but, owing to the contemporary complex political situation, this proved impossible. Attempts were made to explain the variants in terms of present day demo graphic theories but were hampered by the paucity of published data. Blood, serum and isoenzyme group examinations were made. Serological and electro0ioretic techniques were used to determine ABo, MNSs, Rh, Kell, Duffy, KP, haptoglobin, adenylate kinase, acid fiiosphatase, esterase D and 0ios0ioglucanutase factors in a total of 469 Zoroastrians. Demographic features of contemporary Zoroastrians were studied and the results compared with those of Iranians and Parsis. (No demographic data was available for the Iranis of India.) This revealed that the fertility ratio of the Zoroastrians is lower and present day infant mortality higher than those for the latter groups. Serological test results together with the demographic findings suggest that the long practise of consanquinial marriage may account for the differences which we can observe today.


Many authors have questioned the abilities of the automotive industry to design new eco-friendly vehicles (Beaume and Midler, 2009; Calabrese, 2012; Freyssenet 2009, 2011). Experiments as Bluecar and Autolib in Paris are giving signs that certain projects are oriented toward sustainable targets. The Bluecar and Autolib, an electric car sharing system, is the outgrowth of an historical process. Instead of studying this system of mobility as an innovation in its final state, this article analyses this sharing system as a product service process (Manzini and Vezzoli, 2003). This paper discusses the issue of industrial design in the product development process for the automotive sector. Then it presents some iconic electric concept cars and the first trial rental sharing systems. Finally, the Bluecar and the Autolib electric car sharing system illustrate how the activities of the industrial designers were involved in the development process that ended in a new product and service.


The concept of a right to the truth is increasingly utilised in different settings to empower victims and societies to find out about past abuses linked to conflict or authoritarianism. Since the last comprehensive study of this topic in 2006, there has been little attempt to draw together the advancements of fragmented practices. Recent developments in European human rights call for a fresh analysis of the right to the truth as a freestanding principle linked to, but separate from, the state duty to investigate. This paper takes stock of the more recent evolutions of the right to the truth and contributes to its independent conceptualisation. The first part investigates whether there is growing consistency between the Inter-American and European human rights systems around the contours of the right to the truth, as linked to survivors' right to know the past and to access justice (make claims) as an individual and collective matter. The second part broadens the discussion to the status of the right to the truth under international law in light of the ECHR jurisprudence, and considers whether the available legal categories are suited to its formalisation.


Abstract: In his "Critique of Violence," Walter Benjamin seeks to rethink justice as the interruption of the juridical temporality, which is characterized by the relationship between means and ends. Benjamin imagines a form of violence that finds in itself its own criterion of rightness: divine violence emerges as a third kind of violence beyond both the state's monopoly of violence and the binary opposition between violence and non-violence. I will read Benjamin in the historical-political context of the crisis of the state, democracy and paliamentarism in order to develop the idea of divine violence as a practice that interrupts the means-end relation and defends new forms of togetherness that are anticipated in the moment of a struggle.


that this stage of the initial lesion of the common cold is analogous to the urticarial weal and the lesion of herpes simplex in humans, and to the Arthus phenomenon in laboratory animals. There are several variable factors at play in every case where the common cold is contracted. Among these are (1) The nature of the irritant. If it is due to a virus, or bacteria, or products from their growth, the degree of virulence is important. (2) The size of the dosage implanted and, in the case of living organisms, the rapidity of growth. (3) The immunity, if any, of the patient to the irritant then present. (4) The general state of health at the time of the attack. This is governed by pre-existing pathology, the diet, vitamin intake, fatigue, and the degree of emotional adjustment. (5) The ability, or lack of it, to control the temperature and humidity of the immediate environment.


This paper presents a new rigorous approach to the calculation of current ratings in pipe-type cables with slow circulation of the fluid. Detailed mathematical analysis is presented for the calculation of the hot-spot fluid temperature as a function of the cable geometry and the fluid inlet temperature. The emphasis is placed on real-time applications, in which the pipe-surface temperature is measured. A numerical example from an actual cable installation is presented. A comparison with the commonly applied method based on Buller's model is offered.


The ICJ judgment of Diallo case gives us the opportunity to discern the coordination and competition between traditional diplomatic protection and international investment protection regime. In this preliminary observations, I summary three possible approaches of the ICJ tribunal concerning the protection of foreign investors and the protection of host state local companies - formalistic approach, conservative approach and positive approach, involving several parameters, include but not limited to, the rights of investors' direct to diplomatic protection as a shareholder, the rights of investors' direct to diplomatic protection for the interest of the company, and the rights of investors to claim the indirect damages adduced by infringement to the company. Considering the core status of sovereign state in the evolution of international law, this article argues that the states should have and de facto have the driving forces to the evolution of CIL about whether or not investor-state arbitration and diplomatic protection of shareholder's nationality state for the host state company constituting customs. Considering the incentives and implications of three possible approaches as well as the location and orientation of ICJ, we argue that the conservative approach is the best approach, in general, for the ICJ, to coordinate the competing interests between investors and host states and in large sense, two international regimes of investment protection - diplomatic protection and international investment arbitration.


In this study, a bio-inspired hybrid material is investigated by in situ X-ray scattering experiments in combination with mechanical tensile testing. The material is composed of nanometer-sized spherical magnesium fluoride particles which are linked via material-specific peptide poly(ethylene glycol)-PEG conjugates to a semi-crystalline poly(ethylene oxide) PEO matrix. Mechanically relevant changes in crystal size and orientation in the PEO matrix are followed by wide angle X-ray scattering during the application of tensile stress. The amorphous phase of PEO is stabilized by the surface-engineered MgF2 nanoparticles, leading to increased Young's modulus and tensile strength. Furthermore, small angle X-ray scattering experiments allowed the identification of a layer on the MgF2 particle surfaces, which increases in thickness with the conjugate amount and leads to suppression of the agglomeration of MgF2 nanoparticles. In conclusion, the use of selected peptide-PEG conjugates tailored to link MgF2 particles to a PEO matrix successfully mimics the biological principle of interface polymers and suggests new directions for material fabrication for bio-applications.


Nanking and Peking governments are also shown to have had no significant authority, though nominal Chinese sovereignty was retained and was valued by Britain as a weapon in the struggle with Russia. In sum, the argument is that Russia's geographical advantages, especially in controlling communications to the region, were too great to enable any other power successfully to resist the spread of Russian power, once the Soviet government was in a position to press its claims. In detail, the story is greatly complicated by local power struggles and various forms of political unrest. The treatment does nothing to make it easier to follow. Within a broad division of the subject into two chronological parts, broken at 1928, numerous short subsections examine in turn diflFerent aspects of international and local rivalries in each period, an arrangement which produces a great deal of repetition and sometimes distracts the reader's attention from the central theme. The book's conclusions seem in themselves logical and well-argued. However, it should be noted that they are based largely on British official archives, supplemented to some extent by Swedish and German material. The absence of Russian papers—for which the author cannot be blamed—inevitably makes the account of Russian policy speculative. Similarly the complexities of local politics are seen through foreign eyes: no Chinese documentation was available to the author.


In this work, yellow pine (YP, softwood) and switchgrass (SG, grass) lignins were extracted as a coproduct of an organosolv γ-valerolactone (GVL) biorefinery that also produces biofuels and furfural. The extracted lignins were converted to carbon precursors for synthesizing porous activated carbon electrodes for high energy-density supercapacitors. This research details the impact of lignin composition on the derived porous structures and electrochemical properties of activated carbons. Lignin precursors with various syringyl (S) to guaiacyl (G) contents were characterized using 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and two-dimensional 1H‒13C NMR. A two-step activation process, using steam and carbon dioxide as the activating agents, enabled the formation of porous carbons structures with high surface area. The capacitive behavior of supercapacitors was systematically characterized by cyclic voltammetry, charge-discharge cycling, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The specific capacitance of YP and SG capacitors reached 367 and 221 F g−1, respectively. Both types of capacitors demonstrated remarkably stable capacitance (capacitance retention >90%) along with excellent Coulombic efficiency (>99%) over 10,000 cycles. Compared to SG electrode, the better electrochemical performance achieved with YP electrodes was mainly due to shorter diffusion path, improved ionic mobility, and increased active surface area. The inexpensive lignin-based porous electrodes synthesized in this work can be used for various electrochemical devices for improved performance, decreased cost, and enhanced durability. This work also demonstrates that the selection of feedstock and appropriate processing conditions can tailor the structure of carbon composites for targeted applications. Techno-economic analysis indicates that YP and SG activated carbons can be produced at a minimum selling price of $8,493 and $6,670 per ton, respectively, which is competitive with the commercially available supercapacitor-grade activated carbons.


As cities grow, what happens to urban form and how does that changetraffic conditions? How does growing traffic affect urban structure? Thesequestions have received considerable theoretical and empirical attention over thelast 25 years. They relate to the NIMBY debate, which associates most newdevelopment with traffic problems. Yet, until recently, substantial evidencetended to show that urban growth did not lead to "traffic doomsday". Thesefindings contradicted the standard urban model and were surprising becauseroads are mainly unpriced and perceived as a significant market failure. Manyresearchers explained the rise of suburb-to-suburb commuting (and thedispersion of employment) as a traffic "safety valve". In that case, suburbanization was more a solution than a problem. On the other hand,,recently released findings from the 2000 Census show an increase in averagecommuting times that is difficult to reconcile with the earlier findings. Whathad changed in the 1990s? This research attempts a preliminary answer to thisquestion. The key explanation may be income growth, especially in the late1990s.


Abstract A carbonatite sample from Phalaborwa, South Africa, consists of apatite, magnetite and a calcite - dolomite 'perthite' which is interpreted as being due to exsolution of dolomite from a high-Mg calcite precursor. Carbon and oxygen isotope data indicate that the carbonates are equilibrated. In situ ion- microprobe analyses for Fe, Mn, Na, Si, Y, the REEs, Pb, Th and U give the following average concentrations (in ppm) in the sequence apatite, calcite, dolomite: Fe 98, 1680, 8190; Mn 61, 510, 615; Na 1171, 627, 125; Si 368; 1.6, 0.2; Sr 4447, 5418, 2393; Ba 37, 2189, 75; La 1245, 300, 67; Y 121, 50, 5.8; Pb 16, 5.4, 1.4; Th 20, 0.02, 0; U 2.4, 0, 0.01. The concentrations are reasonably uniform in both apatite and dolomite, but in calcite are more variable. Na, Si, Y, the REEs, Pb, Th and U partition into apatite relative to both carbonates (and, hence, the precursor carbonate); KD ap/cc for REE decreases from ~4 for La to ~2 for Tm. There is almost equal partitioning of Sr between apatite and calcite. During separation of dolomite from calcite, Sr and Ba partition strongly into calcite and all the other analysed elements, except Fe and Mn, also preferentially enter calcite. The REEs prefer calcite relative to dolomite, and the KD dol/cc is reasonably constant, only varying from 0.23 to 0.17. Sr, Ba and Pb in the carbonates, and their partitioning between the calcite and dolomite, differ from other carbonatite carbonates reported in the literature.


Background: The use of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) to promote sales of over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceuticals used to manage common medical conditions, such as gastroesophageal re fl ux disease (GERD), is increasing. However, the educational value of these advertisements as well as the public perceptions of this type of advertising remain largely unknown among non-English speaking populations. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the public perceptions and educational value of a short motion graphic video documenting the lifestyle of person with GERD and presenting a brief introduction to the role of proton pump Inhibitors (PPIs) in relieving the symptoms. Methods: This was a prospective quasi-experimental study in which a short mock advertising motion graphic video was shown to a sample of adult individuals in malls and shopping centers in different cities across Saudi Arabia. Participants were required to express their levels of agreement with six statements concerning their perceptions of DTCA of OTC drugs, and answer a quiz consisting of three questions and enquiries about their knowledge of GERD and the OTC drugs used in its treatment. Results: Two hundred and ninety- fi ve participants were involved in this study, the majority of whom were female (55.30%). After watching the video, the percentages of participants who strongly agreed or agreed that DTCA is a credible source of information and encourages them to purchase the marketed drug have increased signi fi cantly ( P <0.05). With regard to the quiz, the percentages of participants with correct answers regarding the de fi nition of GERD, knowledge of OTC drugs for GERD, and awareness of the common side effects of PPIs increased from 81.69% to 95.93%, 69.83% to 96.27%, and 46.44% to 91.53%, respectively ( P <0.0001). Conclusion: DTCA of OTC drugs for GERD, particularly if the content complies with the regulatory requirements, can promote the public knowledge of the disease and treatment options.


Introduction The objectives of this study were to identify and assess the impact of capacity-building biosafety initiatives and programs that have taken place in the broader Middle East and North Africa (BMENA) region between 2001 and 2013, to highlight gaps that require further development, and to suggest sustainable ways to build cooperative regional biosafety opportunities. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with two aspects (1) thorough desktop review of literature for all biosafety/biosecurity-related activities in the study countries, such as seminars, conferences, workshops, policy documents, technology transfer, sustained scientific endeavors between countries, etc. and (2) an online survey of scientists in countries in the region to get first-hand information about biosafety and biosecurity initiatives and gaps in their country. Results A total of 1832 initiatives of biosafety/biosecurity were recorded from 97 web links; 70.68% (n = 1295) initiatives were focused on raising general awareness among the scientific community about biosafety/biosecurity/biocontainment. The most frequent areas of interest were biorisk management in biomedical and biotechnology laboratories 13% (n = 239), followed by living modified organisms (LMOs) 9.17% (n = 168). Hands-on training accounted for 2.67% (n = 49) of initiatives. Online survey results confirmed desktop review findings; however, the response rate was 11%.


CORE is a JISC-funded project to develop and deploy a service enabling orthopaedic surgeons to collaborate in the design, analysis, and dissemination of experiments. Higher surgical trainees (HSTs) are qualified surgeons training to be consultants. They are not computer specialists, their study is work based, and they rarely are co-located with other HSTs. During the six years of training they usually move post twelve times while maintaining an e-portfolio of their work. They typify both the individual scientist collaborating on a project with others and a group of e learners studying in a collaborative partner institution. Using a services oriented architecture (SOA) and informed by the Web services of the e-Learning Framework (ELF), CORE will provide a Virtual Research Environment (VRE) demonstrator which is a development of the EU-funded Virtual University for Orthopaedics (VOEU). The architecture for CORE builds on recent work in the EPSRC-funded myGrid and MIAKT projects. The myGrid project focuses on the issues of storage, computation, and resource management in the provision of Web services, and the MIAKT project develops and deploys ontology, annotation, and enrichment services within a medical context. These services are brought together in CORE to assist HSTs in the co-ordination and running of "Virtual Bone Laboratory" experiments, in the collection, analysis, and reporting of the results, and in the maintenance of their e-portfolios. This paper reports on the SOA design for CORE, and in particular for a CORE component called the "Virtual Bone Laboratory", a virtual learning environment (VLE) tailored to the particular requirements of the orthopaedic community. The paper reports on the identification, selection, development and deployment of the Web services needed to support an orthopaedic surgeon within this tailored VLE, and offers comment on the SOA approach to the development of VLEs more generally.


We present a cantilever fabricated from the polymer SU-8 for the measurement of wall shear stress in fluid flows. The pressureinduced deflection of the cantilever, measured using an calibrated and integrated nichrome strain gauge, can be related to the wall shear stress on the surface. The initial degree of curvature of the cantilever can be controlled via the exposure dose, which allows a small positive deflection to be achieved, and so minimises the intrusion into the flow. Wind tunnel testing results show a sensitivity greater than 2.5 mV/Pa, with a shear stress of 0.38 Pa and excitation of 1V.


California is facing a water crisis. Water is managed through a variety of mechanisms, including government administration and market tools. This Article argues for a regulated market-based solution. When it comes to water markets, the invisible hand needs help from the visible hand of government to prove effective. Administrative systems and markets are usually portrayed in opposition to each other, as mutually exclusive solutions. Water market advocates suggest government's role is minimal. However, as this Article identifies, to establish and maintain a functioning water market, government needs to play a variety of roles. These include the uncontested role of defining property rights, but additional roles are necessary such as reviewing transactions to prevent uncompensated externalities, structuring the management of water infrastructure and fulfilling the market maker role. This Article presents a taxonomy of the roles that government must play to ensure that water markets operate efficiently. It then empirically tests that taxonomy with a case study of the water market Spain established in 1999. That market's mixed record has important implications for California and other U.S. water markets, especially during drought conditions. Spain's system was closely modeled on California's, in part because Spain and California share a similar geography and climate, and was also tested by a severe drought. However, as this Article shows, the volume of market transactions did not increase measurably during the drought, suggesting that the market failed in its role of mitigating inefficient water allocation. This Article argues that this failure resulted from the Spanish government not performing functions that could have facilitated market transactions — functions which California may also fail to play in the ongoing drought. Drawing from this empirical case study of water markets in Spain, this Article argues that each of these roles is necessary for the success of water markets as a tool to mitigate the effects of drought crises. Spain introduced water market mechanisms in 1999 and explicitly stated it was imitating California's system. However, Spanish governmental agencies erred in their design and implementation, and water markets have not become an effective tool to respond to scarcity. These lessons about the proper role of government from the Spanish case study have important implications for states in the American West facing similar water management challenges.


However much scientific paradigms shift, the shifts are not so arbitrary that we would relinquish without need the simpler, more economic and elegant theories for more complicated ones. This is not just a matter of convenience but implies an objective fact about the universe, namely a reliable perfection that can only be assumed on the basis of the intelligent design of a benevolent creator God. Earlier thinkers may have been more aware that this is an assumption (e.g., Kant) and presupposes God's benevolent intentions (Leibniz). This assumption of a unified order of reality in general constitutes itself a perennial consensus through the ages, whether in Aquinas, Leibniz, the German Idealists or American Transcendentalists. Dissenters such as William James or Nietzsche serve to highlight the assumption as theological—an assumption that is fortunately confirmed by our best available evidence, as well as by the way we do science and live our lives.


ABSTRACT Background: Manipulating intestinal microbiota with probiotics might stimulate skin response. Understanding all stages of the healing process, as well as the gut-skin-healing response can improve the skin healing process. Aim: To evaluate the effect of perioperative oral administration of probiotics on the healing of skin wounds in rats. Methods: Seventy-two Wistar male adult rats were weighed and divided into two groups with 36 each, one control group (supplemented with oral maltodextrin 250 mg/day) and one probiotic group (supplemented with Lactobacillus paracasei LPC-37, Bifidobacterium lactis HN0019, Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM® at a dose of 250 mg/day), both given orally daily for 15 days. The two groups were subsequently divided into three subgroups according to the moment of euthanasia: in the 3rd, 7th and 10th postoperative days. Results: There were no significant changes in weight in both groups. Wound contraction was faster in probiotic group when compared to the controls, resulting in smaller wound area in the 7th postoperative day. As for histological aspects, the overall H&E score was lower in the probiotic group. The probiotic group showed increased fibrosis from 3rd to the 7th postoperative day. The type I collagen production was higher in the probiotic group at the 10th postoperative day, and the type III collagen increased in the 7th. Conclusion: The perioperative use of orally administrated probiotic was associated with a faster reduction of the wound area in rats probably by reducing the inflammatory phase, accelerating the fibrosis process and the deposition of collagen.


Background and Aims: Leadership is an essential skill for all graduates. For pharmacists, it is highlighted throughout the Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree, and once qualified. The pharmacy regulator, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) along with the professional body, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and the British Pharmaceutical Students Association (BPSA), all advocate and encourage the development of leadership skills. 'Demonstrate leadership' is one of the nine GPhC standards that all pharmacy professionals including pharmacy students should abide by.1 Furthermore leadership is also important within the national health service (NHS) as it has proven to have a positive impact on healthcare service outcomes.2 Currently there is nothing noteworthy in the MPharm degree that directly addresses leadership skills development. This study aimed to create interventions for students to take part in and then assess on students' leadership knowledge, confidence and ability, both before, and after the intervention.
Methodology: There were three phases of this project; Phase I was the designing of tools which consisted of creating leadership activity material, Pre and Post activity questionnaires and interview questions. Phase II was data collection and implementation of intervention, where participants took part in three 1-hour interventions, involving leadership theories, teamwork leadership scenarios and leadership traits. Phase III involved participants completing a questionnaire before and after the intervention, based on the student leadership practices inventory.3 Participants were also interviewed post intervention. The sample size was 36 students; 9 from each of the four years of the MPharm course, with varying extracurricular experience, after a pilot involving 15 students. All questionnaires were analysed using SPSS. Interview transcripts were analysed through thematic analysis. The University ethics committee ethically approved this project.
Results: When comparing student responses pre and post activity, there was an increase in Likert Scale score with a statistical significance (p-value ≤ 0.05) for 11/12 leadership
statements, with biggest increases for statements being a confident leader and accepting leadership responsibility. There was no notable difference when comparing responses pre- activity based on Year group, However there was an increase in Likert score when comparing participants with 2 or more extracurricular activities to 1 or 0 (statistically significant for 4/12 statements). Thematic analysis identified four main themes; Definitions of leadership, understanding of leadership, activities and confidence in leadership, each with associated subthemes.
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Conclusion: There is great emphasis on leadership skills within the pharmacy profession, hence it is crucial for this important aspect of practice to be addressed in the MPharm course. The results of this study clearly demonstrate that after participation of the leadership activities created, there was a significant increase in student's leadership knowledge, confidence and ability. Hence, we would recommend that these activities be incorporated into the MPharm curricular, and other courses, during future curriculum design.
A workshop will explore leadership theory, outlining some key leadership theory and allowing participants to experience some of the intervention created to allow a greater understanding of student leadership activities, and increase knowledge, confidence and ability, and identify ideas for application in other courses.
References:
1: General Pharmaceutical Council. Standards for Pharmacy Professionals. May 2017. Available at: https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/sites/default/files/standards_for_pharmacy_profession als_may_2017_0.pdf Accessed 14 January 2018.
2: West M, Eckert R, Armt LLK, West T, Lee A. Leadership in Health Care: A Summary of The Evidence Base', The Kings Fund. undefined: 1-9.
3: Kouzes, J. Posner, B. The Student Leadership Challenge: Five Practices for Becoming an Exemplary leader. 2nd Ed. San Francisco. Jossey-Bass. 2014.


This chapter has provided an introduction to the spectrum crunch problem from a radar perspective. At one level it can be said that the problem is already severe. There is ever-greater competition for a resource that is strictly finite, and radar is only one voice among many pressing their case. All users have a need for greater bandwidth, and the only thing that can be said with certainty is that the problem is only going to get worse.Yet if spectrum usage were measured at a given point as a function of frequency, time, space and polarisation, it would certainly be found that the spectrum is currently not being used that efficiently. There is therefore great potential for approaches aimed at using the spectrum in a more efficient and dynamically controlled manner. The regulatory framework has thus far taken a relatively conservative approach. However, it is important to have a proper quantitative understanding of the effect of interference of one service upon another in order to adopt appropriate regulation measures, rather than taking the view that no service should ever occupy the same part of the spectrum as any other. To date, a number of novel radar technology approaches have been introduced, including improvements to the spectral purity of transmitters, intelligent, cognitive approaches to dynamic frequency allocation, passive sensing based on the emissions of other RF applications, and even through learning to mimic the behaviour of echolocating animals. These topics and others are developed in the chapters that follow, and give some cause for optimism that a solution can be found.


The Seven Myths of Leadership in Business provides managers with information to help lead in a complex world where platitudes have a very limited place. Managers must get to know their direct reports so they can be effectively guided, supported and developed. Managers must also be aware that employees closely watch everything that they do and say. They form their collective manager brand on behavior perceptions, not statements. It is for this reason that managers must self-reflect first to be certain that their declarations match their actual demonstrated and closely observed behaviors.


The specificities of Japanese mobile telephony are giving rise to new cultural economies of games production and engendering new paradigms of gameplay. These topical developments have considerable technosocial bearing and consequence. The tension between the virtual and the actual resides at the heart of topical debates about the modalities of co-presence in mobile telephony. The potential loss of anonymity in location-based mobile gaming and the increasing awareness that mobile games are mostly played at home add considerable complexity to the already-blurred boundaries of physical and virtual co-presence. The micronarratives of such newly configured and articulated social tropes arguably need to be incorporated into macroperspectives on convergence culture if only to invest the latter with additional levels of nuance and complexity. Japanese mobile gaming therefore has strategic utility in this article as a situated context for analyzing the localized cultural politics of convergence and connectivity in mobile telephony.


Background Chronic pain is a key symptom in fibromyalgia (FM), and its management is still challenging for rheumatologists in daily practice. FM patients show psychological and psychiatric manifestations, going from mood and emotional disorders to depression and alexithymia that negatively impact their quality of life, limiting their daily activities. Since pharmacological strategies have a limited efficacy in FM pain, alternative or complementary non-pharmacological approaches have been introduced in the clinical management of FM. Patients and methods This is a retrospective study on FM patients (n=52) treated with a novel integrated postural counseling (PC) rehabilitation program carried out by a counselor physiotherapist. The clinical impact of PC was evaluated by 1) a semi-structured interview using an ad hoc modified questionnaire McGill Illness Narrative Interview (MINI) 1 to obtain data on pain management by highlighting everyday experience of living with pain and 2) an FM impact questionnaire (FIQ) total score. Results Two main structures of narrative emplotment of FM illness were recognized: 1) the cumulative life narrative structure (46.15%) and 2) the broken life (53.85%) narrative structure. Baseline FIQ score was 77.38±7.77, and it was significantly reduced after PC to 39.12±13.27 (P<0.0001). Although well-being still requires further definition as outcome in pain management, it is important for FM patients, dealing with pain-related sensations, thoughts and feelings and limiting their daily activities. In our study, 87.5% of interviewed FM patients reported an improvement in their well-being after PC. Conclusion Our data suggest that an integrated PC program positively impacts chronic pain and fatigue based on self-management strategies. PC allows FM patients to resume their own life and regenerate their own image. Finally, we propose the introduction of the evaluation of the ability to resume daily activities as the target of rehabilitation programs in FM.


Basel II replaces Basel I's implicit capital charge on operational risk with an explicit charge. Certain U.S. banks concentrated in processing-related business lines – which have significant operational risk – could thus face an increase in overall minimum regulatory capital requirements. Some have argued that, as a result, these so-called "processing banks" would be disadvantaged vis-a-vis competitors not subject to regulatory capital requirements for operational risk. This paper evaluates these concerns.


Background Research over the past two decades documents how social capital, or the resources attained through social relationships, is associated with a range of outcomes at both the individual and organizational levels. Yet few, if any, studies explore the relationship between social capital and teaching self-efficacy. Given that teaching self-efficacy is a significant predictor of instructional effectiveness, identifying the kinds of social interactions that facilitate positive teaching self-efficacy can offer important information with respect to how schools and school systems can bolster teachers' perceived competence and thus their instructional capacity. Objective This study integrates social capital and social cognitive theories to frame an investigation of the social sources that contribute to teachers' self-efficacy over time. Specifically, we explore how social interactions that vary in their relationship with and proximity to instruction influence teachers' developing self-efficacy. Research Design We analyzed self-report survey data from 345 teachers in the same district over 4 years. These data captured various social sources of teaching self-efficacy, including indicators of verbal persuasion and vicarious experiences, and allowed us to account for contextual variables found to influence teachers' sense of mastery. We used the multilevel model for change framework to explore associations between these types of social interactions and teacher self-efficacy over time. Findings Results suggest that interactions firmly rooted in actual teaching practice—namely, those focused on a specific instructional episode (i.e., feedback about a class) or on particular teaching practices (i.e., discussions about specific teaching resources and artifacts)—were associated with higher reports of teaching self-efficacy over time. On the other hand, interactions that reflected more general or less targeted interactions about teaching (i.e., being sought out for general instructional advice or observing someone else teach) were not. Conclusions To further the capacity of individual teachers, school and system leaders should invest in supporting social interactions among teachers that afford direct and targeted opportunities to learn about particular instructional practices and to discuss specific teaching episodes. Interactions less proximal to classroom practice may be ineffective for promoting individual teachers' feelings of teaching competence.


S: The diagnosis of RF through recovery of streptococci from positive throat cultures and the use of immunological assays such as Anti-Streptolysin O (ASO) would provide useful in the diagnosis of streptococcal infections. The study therefore is aimed at determining the ASO titre in comparism to positive blood culture in determining the prevalence of GAS in the study area. A total of hundred swab and blood samples were collected for Streptococcus pyogenes isolation and characterization using cultural and confirmed using the Streptococcus identification kit. Qualitative and semi quantitative ASO determination was done using the ASO latex agglutination kit. The overall prevalence for Streptococcus pyogenes was 16% as determined by blood culture. Of the 16 patients that tested positive to cultural tests, 11 (68.75%) tested positive for ASO while the remaining 5(31.25%) were negative. The level of ASO in patients that tested positive for the presence of ASO ranged from 400IU/ml to 3200IU/ml. C10 and C13 showed the highest concentration of 3200IU/ml respectively with a mean of 1018.19IU/ml. Positive culture methods remain the effective method for diagnosis of Streptococcal infection. However, ASO remains a cheaper and easier method for diagnosis and could provide baseline information for use in diagnosis in developing countries though it has not been deployed in many clinical settings.


The concrete is a solid and porous composite materials, when the concrete exposure to moisture environment for a long-term, the pore water will penetrate into concrete cause hydration products leaching. Leaching of calcium ions increase in porosity and resulting in harmful ions ingress into concrete to reduce strength and durability of concrete. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of water-binder ratio on calcium ion leaching behavior of cement-based material. The ammonium nitrate solution was used to accelerate leaching process. Leaching duration was 56 days, 91 days and 140 days, respectively. The leaching depth and compressive strength were measured. The results showed that leaching resistance increased with a decrease in water/binder ratio. The leaching depth showed that leaching behavior of the specimens without minerals admixtures can be divided into two stages, the first stage was leaching of calcium hydroxide and than the C-S-H gel were leaching.


Functionalized perylene derivatives were synthesized with one or two alkoxyamine units. These compounds were used as initiators in the well-controlled living radical polymerization of isoprene, resulting in polymers with a perylene dye located at either the middle or end of the polymer. Using this approach, polyisoprenes were prepared with similar molecular weights, low polydispersities, and very good initiator efficiencies. Labeled chains were imaged on the single-molecule level in hosts of unlabeled polymer with similar composition. On the time scale from 0.2 to 2-5 s no difference between center- and end-positioned dyes was observed, suggesting that the dynamics outside of this time range should be studied. However, the most rigid host material led to the longest observed correlation times and the highest fraction of fluorophores that exhibited blinking behavior.


We have conducted an imaging survey with the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera~3 (WFC3) of 70 Galactic Cepheids, typically within 1~kpc, with the aim of finding resolved physical companions. The WFC3 field typically covers the 0.1 pc area where companions are expected. In this paper, we identify 39 Cepheids having candidate companions, based on their positions in color--magnitude diagrams, and having separations $\geq$5$"$ from the Cepheids. We use follow-up observations of 14 of these candidates with XMM-Newton, and of one of them with ROSAT, to separate X-ray-active young stars (probable physical companions) from field stars (chance alignments). Our preliminary estimate, based on the optical and X-ray observations, is that only 3\% of the Cepheids in the sample have wide companions. Our survey easily detects resolved main-sequence companions as faint as spectral type K\null. Thus the fact that the two most probable companions (those of FF~Aql and RV~Sco) are earlier than type K is not simply a function of the detection limit. We find no physical companions having separations larger than 4,000~AU in the X-ray survey. Two Cepheids are exceptions in that they do have young companions at significantly larger separations ($\delta$~Cep and S~Nor), but both belong to a cluster or a loose association, so our working model is that they are not gravitationally bound binary members, but rather cluster/association members. All of these properties provide constraints on both star formation and subsequent dynamical evolution. The low frequency of true physical companions at separations $>\!5"$ is confirmed by examination of the subset of the nearest Cepheids and also the density of the fields.


Normal-hearing volunteers (N:30, aged 19-28 yrs) yielded intelligibility scores for W-22 word lists and CID sentences at 40 db re each S's SRT, and judgments on a 7-pt scale ("very pleasant"----"very unpleasant") for Sentence 3 of Fairbanks' "Rainbow Passage". Normal and time-altered speeds (60%: compression; 140%: expansion) were compared between the widely-used but obsolescent Lexicon Varispeech (VSp) unit vs the commercially available Variable Speech Control Model A-7 which incorporates a time-sampling technique similar to the VSp. With both VSp and VSC, intelligibility was nearly perfect at all three speeds, and thus both appear equally suitable for intelligibility studies, but at the 60% and 140% speeds the signal clarity was significantly preferable for the VSp system (p less than .01 in both cases), by .6 of a scale interval at 60% and 1.8 interval at 140%. Furthermore, the VSC does not operate beyond the 60-140% range, as occasionally may be desirable in research on the effects of time alteration on speech reception.


[1] Dry deposition of atmospheric particles is critically dependent on particle size and plays a key role in dictating the mass and number distributions of atmospheric particles. However, modeling dry deposition is constrained by a lack of understanding of controlling dependencies and accurate size-resolved observations. We present size-resolved particle number fluxes for sub-100-nm particle diameters (Dp) over a deciduous forest derived using eddy covariance applied to data from a fast mobility particle sizer. The size-resolved particle number fluxes in 18 diameters between 8 and 100 nm were collected during leaf-on and are statistically robust. Particle deposition velocities normalized by friction velocity (vd+) are approximately four times smaller than comparable values for coniferous forests reported elsewhere. Comparison of the data with output from a new one-dimensional mechanistic particle deposition model designed for broadleaf forest exhibits greater accord with the measurements than two previous analytical models, but modeled vd+ underestimate observed values by at least a factor of two for all Dp between 6 and 100 nm. When size-resolved particle deposition velocities for Dp < 100 nm are normalized by friction velocity, the key controlling role of particle diffusivity is strongly manifest. On the basis of analyses of these new measurements and recently published size-resolved particle number fluxes from a conifer forest, we present working parameterizations for size-resolved particle deposition velocities over forests that could reasonably be applied in regional and global atmospheric chemistry transport models.


The main aim of this research article is to explain the relationship between the healthcare expenditure, economic growth and inflation in a panel data of the G7 countries for the period 1995 to 2013 by using panel co-integration analysis. To explore the effect of inflation on healthcare expenditure, this article constructs two individual models using the consumer price index (CPI) inflation in the first, and the personal consumption expenditure price index (PCE) in the second. The CPI inflation has been used to calculate the change in the out-of-pocket expenditure of all urban households, while, the PCE inflation was used to measure spending on behalf of households. The results show that the CPI inflation has the most effect on healthcare expenditure rather than the PCE inflation. Also, healthcare expenditure is a necessary good as the short-run income elasticity is less than one for both two models. Using vector error correction model (VECM), the econometric results showed that there is a strong short-run Granger causality from economic growth and price index to healthcare expenditure in both models. Moreover, the impulse response function (IRF) analysis showed that there is a strong positive bidirectional long-run Granger causality between healthcare expenditure and economic growth, and a strong negative bidirectional long-run Granger causality between healthcare expenditure and inflation in both models.


In this paper, a triband bandpass filter is presented using a dual-layer structure. Three H-shaped resonators are utilized in the proposed structure. The first and third resonators are placed at the top and bottom layers, respectively. The second resonator is divided into two parts: one half is on the top and the other half is at the bottom. The effective permittivity at the first and second layers is different, resulting in different resonant frequencies. The fabricated triband bandpass filter operates at 5.44/6.98/8.36 GHz, with fractional bandwidths of 6.6% 6% 2.9% and measured minimal insertion losses of 1.9/1.7/2 dB.


The study explored environmental conservation and its influence on tourism
development in Rwanda. The study objectives were designed for the study and literature review was guided by research objectives and was attained from secondary sources. The total population, mainly from REMA, tourists, tourism players was 109 respondents who were all included in the sample using both convenience and purposive sampling techniques. Tools for collecting data were questionnaires, documentaries and interview. Data was analyzed using tables, frequencies and percentages. Findings on the causes of environmental degradation in Rwanda were poor cultivation practices, deforestation, overgrazing, soil exhaustion, widespread poaching. The impact of environmental conservation on tourism development in Rwanda were the ability of the conserved flora and fauna to generate tourism revenue when visited by tourists, stabilizing biodiversity, quality air for visitors, and increase of wildlife conservation. The relationship between environmental conservation and tourism development were highly significant in that, if there is environmental conservation, then, tourism resources will be developed hence attracting visitors at the destination. The study proposed environmental sustainability in Rwanda such as;3R (recycle, re-use and reduce); implementing carrying capacity, green tourism, use of renewable energy, planting more trees and plants, efficient waste management, soil conservation and better agricultural practices as well as pollution Control.


In this work, we introduce a new calibration method for a camera system comprising five Azure Kinect. The calibration method uses a ChArUco coded cube installed in the middle of the system. A new 3D optimization cost is proposed to overcome the IR camera noise and to enhance global 3D consistency of the captured model. The cost includes the repro-jection error and the point to plane distance. As a refinement stage, along with point to plane distance, a patch to plane distance is added in the cost to overcome the noise effect of the depth camera. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed calibration method achieves a better reprojection error and more stable results in terms of standard deviation of the estimated pose compared to the state-of-the-art. In addition, the qualitative results show that the proposed method can produce a better registered point cloud compared to conventional calibration.


The optimal way for an athlete to run 400m and 800m races has long been debated by athletes, coaches, and more recently by physicists and applied mathematicians. These two particular running events are different from both shorter and longer races, due to their emphasis upon an athlete's lactate system. If the first part of the race is run either too quickly (in which case the fatigue that is generated makes the second half of the race both slow and painful) or too slowly (in which case even though the second half will be fast, it cannot make up for the time lost earlier on),2 the total time for the entire distance will not be as fast as it could otherwise have been. In this paper we discuss this choice problem in a standard microeconomic setting, and we solve for the optimal "split" times for the first and second half of the race.


Placing numerous data objects and their corresponding labels in limited screen space is a challenging problem in information visualization systems. Extending map-oriented techniques, this paper describes static placement algorithms and develops metrics (such as compactness and labeling rate) as a basis for comparison among these algorithms. A control panel facilitates user customization by showing the metrics for alternative algorithms. Dynamic placement techniques that go beyond map-oriented techniques demonstrate additional possibilities. User actions can lead to selective display of data objects and their labels.


Driven by the promising beaconing techniques, this paper presents a general received-signal-strength (RSS) threshold optimization procedure for proximity reports to support network-based indoor positioning. The desired RSS threshold is found through optimizing a metric function (for instance the localization root-mean-square-error) in terms of both the deployment information and the RSS modeling in consideration of an evaluation area. The resulting RSS threshold provides a trade-off between triggering many but less informative proximity reports with a low threshold, and triggering few but very informative proximity reports with a high threshold, and thus enables enhanced performance for some low-cost and low-complex proximity based positioning algorithms. The proposed framework is also validated with real RSS measurements collected in an office area with deployed bluetooth low-energy (BLE) beacons.


Background: The role of continuous central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2) oximetry during pediatric cardiac surgery for predicting adverse outcomes is not known. Using a recently available continuous ScvO2 oximetry catheter, we examined the association between venous oxygen desaturations and patient outcomes. We hypothesized that central venous oxygen desaturations are associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Methods: Fifty-four pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery were prospectively enrolled in an unblinded observational study. ScvO2 was measured continuously in the operating room and for up to 24 h post-Intensive Care Unit admission. The relationships between ScvO2 desaturations, clinical outcomes, and major adverse events were determined. Results: More than 18 min of venous saturations less than 40% were associated with major adverse events with 100% sensitivity and 97.6% specificity. Significant correlations resulted between the ScvO2 area under the curve less than 40% and creatinine clearance at 12 h in the Intensive Care Unit (r = −0.58), Intensive Care Unit length of stay (r = 0.56), max inotrope use (r = 0.52), inotrope use at 24 h (r = 0.40), inotrope index score (r = 0.39), hospital length of stay (r = 0.36), and length of intubation (r = 0.32). Conclusions: We demonstrate that ScvO2 desaturations by continuous oximetry are associated with major adverse events in pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The most significant associations with major adverse events are seen in patients with greater than 18 min of central venous saturations less than 40%. Our results support the further investigation of ScvO2 as a potential target parameter in high-risk pediatric patients to minimize the risk of major adverse events.


Abstract The paper presents an experimental investigation on the cavitation, noise, and slipstream characteristics of an ocean tidal stream turbine together with a discussion on the test facilities and methodology used. The experiments were conducted in a cavitation tunnel used to test marine propellers, with the same similarity laws as are used for a marine propeller. The cavitation patterns were observed at conditions corresponding to pre-stall, stall, and post-stall stream speeds as well as for two different depths of submergence of the turbine shaft to simulate the static presence of waves. The noise levels of the turbine were measured at the same conditions as the cavitation tests. The experimental results show that the turbine can experience strong unstable sheet and cloud cavitations as well as strong tip vortex cavitation at a shallow depth of shaft submergence which can be imposed by a wave trough taking place over the turbine. It is also shown that the measured noise level of the turbine is further increased due to the presence of cavitation. Finally, the slipstream wash was measured in terms of field velocities in the wake and surrounding of the turbine, and results show the slipstream wash may have an impact on the seabed if a turbine is positioned too close to it.


The interaction between scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI) and HDL reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) by playing key roles in the reverse cholesterol transport pathway (RCT). In the beginning of RCT, SR-BI stimulates release of free cholesterol (FC) from peripheral macrophages to HDL, whereas in the final step of RCT, HDL binds to hepatic SR-BI for delivery of excess cholesteryl esters (CE) into the liver for excretion via bile. While "functioning" HDL is crucial in protection against CVD, environmental factors such as acrolein, a highly reactive aldehyde found in tobacco smoke, can induce oxidative stress that promotes HDL modifications and renders the particle "dysfunctional". Although there is a strong correlation between cigarette smoking and CVD risk, much less is known about the effects of smoking on RCT. We hypothesized that acrolein modifications to HDL (acro-HDL) generate a dysfunctional particle by: (i) impairing SR-BI-mediated selective uptake of HDL-CE and efflux of FC and (ii) upregulating inflammatory pathways in macrophages that promote atherogenesis. To test this hypothesis, human HDL was modified with 250μM acrolein and acrolein adducts on HDL were confirmed by immunoblot analysis and mass spectrometry. To evaluate acro-HDL's functionality at the beginning of RCT, SR-BI-mediated FC release to native- or acro-HDL was measured in SR-BI-transfected COS-7 cells. Our data revealed that there was 30% less efflux of FC in the presence of acro-HDL as compared to native HDL. To assess acro-HDL functionality at the end of RCT, HDL binding and HDL-CE uptake assays were performed and acro-HDL (0-50μg/mL) was 10-25% less efficient at delivering CE to cells via SR-BI. Finally, to determine whether acro-HDL was rendered atherogenic, we used qRT-PCR to demonstrate that acro-HDL, but not native HDL, paralleled the effects of oxidized LDL by upregulating mRNA scavenger receptor expression (CD36 and LOX-1) and inflammatory marker expression (MCP-1, IL-6, ICAM-1) in THP-1 macrophages. Altogether, our data reveal that acrolein modification produces a dysfunctional HDL particle that upregulates inflammatory pathways. More detailed investigations into the impact of acrolein adducts on HDL function may help prevent smoking-related CVD deaths.


In this paper, I present a statistical-based approach to the part-of-speech guessing problem. I see assigning a part-of-speech, such as Adjective or Noun, as a classification problem. My guessing framework, which relies on automated learning of a language model, is described in detail. The rich feature analysis presented is suitable for linguistic data, such as the ones observed in German. I use a large margin classifier learning algorithm to select relevant features and learn appropriate labelling. The system is evaluated using a German corpus.