The aim of the study was to analyse the content of phenolic acids, total phenolic compounds, proanthocyanidins, and antioxidant capacity in cotyledons and hypocotyl of fi ve cultivars of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) sprout. This study presents the fi rst broad profi le of phenolic acids occurring in buckwheat microgreen seedlings. In the hypocotyl and cotyledons trans-cinnamic acid and its derivatives: o-, m-, and p-coumaric acids (2-, 3-, and 4-hydroxycinnamic), synapic acid (4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxycinnamic), caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic), and two isomers of ferulic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic and 3-hydroxy-4-methoxycinnamic) have been identifi ed. Among the benzoic acid derivatives hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic (3,4-dihydroxybenzoic), gallic (3,4,5-dihydroxybenzoic) and syringic (4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoic) were found in the organs. In addition to those mentioned, the organs of buckwheat sprouts contain chlorogenic acid as well. The contents of all analysed phenolics were substantially higher in the cotyledons than in the hypocotyl of buckwheat sprouts, except for chlorogenic and caffeic acids. Trans-cinnamic acid was the major phenolic acid in both organs. In the cotyledons, a signifi cant, positive linear correlation between the TEAC, ORAC, PLC-ACW values and content of total phenolic compounds, and also between DPPH and total phenolic acids were found. In the hypocotyl correlations between the DPPH, TEAC, and ORAC and proanthocyanidins content, between TEAC and total phenolic compounds, and between total phenolic acids and PCL-ACW were found.


Aqueous roots extract of Spilanthes acmella,Murr. which is used traditionally in the treatment of rheumatism, gout and claimed to possess for its anti-inflammatory activity. In the present study, the concentration (500mg/ kg b.wt. P.O.) of aqueous roots extract of Spilanthes acmella, Murr. was evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity using paw edema model in adult albino rats.Aqueous roots extract showed significant activity (P<0.001) as compared to that of diclofenic sodium(150mg/kg P.O.) against carrageenan (0.1ml of 1%w/w) induced pawedema model in adult albino rats.


I. The effects of different external media on the sodium and chloride efflux in Artemia salina , the brine shrimp, have been observed, using animals acclimatized to sea water. In sea water, both sodium and chloride fluxes across the epithelium are approximately 7,000 pmole cm. -2 sec. -1 . 2. Sodium efflux drops markedly in sodium-free media, and chloride efflux falls in chloride-free media; the two effects are independent, and are not due to changes in external osmolarity. 3. The decreases in sodium efflux can be explained by changes in electrical potential difference and diffusional permeability; exchange diffusion of sodium does not occur. 4. Approximately 70% of the chloride efflux is due to exchange diffusion, and most of the remainder is due to active transport. 5. It is shown that graphs of ion efflux against external concentration which can be fitted by a Michaelis-Menten equation do not constitute evidence for the presence of exchange diffusion; graphs of similar shape can be obtained if the flux is simply diffusional. 6. The drinking rate, determined from the rate of uptake of 131 I-polyvinylpyr-rolidone, is 36 pl. sec. -1 , or 2.0% body weight hr. -1 . 7. The diffusional influx of water is 240 pl. sec. -1 .


In this paper, wave propagation approach is used to analysis the free vibration and buckling analysis of the thick rectangular plates based on higher order shear deformation plate theory. From wave viewpoint, vibrations can be considered as traveling waves along structures. Waves propagate in a waveguide and reflect at the boundaries. It is assumed that the plate has two opposite edge simply supported while the other two edges may be simply supported or clamped. It is the first time that the wave propagation method is used for thick plates. In this study, firstly the matrices of propagation and reflection are derived and by combining them, the characteristic equation of the plate is obtained. Comprehensive results on dimensionless natural frequencies and dimensionless buckling loads of rectangular thick plates with different boundary conditions for various values of aspect ratio and thickness to length ratio are presented. It is observed that obtained results of wave propagation method with considerable accuracy are so close to obtained values by literature.


Abstract.
 High levels of biodiversity and endemism in ancient lakes have motivated research on evolutionary processes in these systems. Drill-core records from Lake Titicaca (Bolivia, Peru), an ancient lake in the high-elevation Altiplano, record the history of climate, landscape dynamics, and diatom evolution. That record was used to examine the patterns and drivers of morphological evolution of an endemic species complex of diatoms in the lake, the Cyclostephanos andinus complex. In an attempt to delineate species within the complex based on morphology, no discernible evidence was found for species separation based on an ordination analysis of multiple characters, but multiple populations were detected based on the distribution of valve size in individual samples. Likelihood modeling of phyletic evolution showed that size evolved through punctuated change. Correlation of size trends with environmental variables indicates that C. andinus size responded to regional environmental change driven by global processes that influenced Lake Titicaca by affecting lake level and thermal stratification.


Quantifying prey consumption by top predators is a crucial component of ecosystem-based management in the Southern Ocean. In this study, we developed a bioenergetics model to estimate prey consumption by a top predator, the Adelie penguin Pygoscelis adeliae. Our model predicts prey consumption throughout the breeding season and incorporates uncertainty in model parameters using Monte Carlo simulation. The model was parameterized with data obtained at Bechervaise Island, the site of a long-term monitoring program in East Antarctica. We parameterized the model (1) using 13 yr of penguin population data, (2) for a year in which penguins successfully reared their chicks (2001-2002) and (3) for a year with low breeding success (1998-1999). Daily per capita energy consumption during the breeding season averaged 4269 kJ d-1 (95% CI: 4187-4352 kJ d–1) and 4684 kJ d-1 (95% CI: 4596-4771 kJ d–1) for males and females, respectively. Over the entire breeding season a male breeder consumes 470 MJ (95% CI: 461-479 MJ) compared to 515 MJ (95% CI: 506-525 MJ) for a female. On average, the Bechervaise Island population of 1836 breeding pairs consumes 16447 MJ d-1 which amounts to 1809224 MJ during the breeding season. On the basis of variable breeding success and the proportion of krill and fish in their diet, we estimate that this population consumes 78 to 406 t of krill and 4 to 46 t of fish each breeding season. Our results demonstrate clear periods of peak consumption associated with the penguins' breeding cycle.


We differentiate the spacer-dependent peak shift in coupled and decoupled super absorbing metasurfaces based on magnetic resonance and interference mechanism, respectively, which was experimentally validated by low-cost lithography-free fabrications.


Variational principle for the neoclassical theory has been developed by including a momentum restoring term in the electron-electron collisional operator, which gives an additional free parameter maximizing the heat production rate. All transport coefficients are obtained including the bootstrap current. The essential feature of the study is that the aspect ratio affects the function of the electron-electron collision operator through a geometrical factor. When the aspect ratio approaches to unity, the fraction of circulating particles goes to zero and the contribution to particle flux from the electron-electron collision vanishes. The resulting diffusion coefficient is in rough agreement with Hazeltine. When the aspect ratio approaches to infinity, the results are in agreement with Rosenbluth. The formalism gives the two extreme cases a connection. The theory is particularly important for the calculation of bootstrap current in spherical tokamaks and the present tokamaks, in which the square root of the inverse aspect ratio, in general, is not small.


This paper analyzes spatial patterns of exploitation in the California sea urchin fishery. A Random Utility Model of urchin diver participation and location choice yields a conditional logit specification. Results demonstrate that diver attributes, location-specific features, and characteristics of individual days are important determinants of harvester choices.


Internal waves are ubiquitous elements of the physical dynamics on continental shelves, yet their effect on the spatial distribution of planktonic organisms throughout the water column is not well understood. We explore the effects of high-frequency internal waves on the patch dynamics of swimming plankters using a 2-layered model with 2 idealized wave forms (linear and weakly nonlinear interfacial waves). Our analysis suggests that even weakly swimming planktonic organisms may experience internal wave-induced changes in concentration. We find that maximum increases in concentration occur over the trough of the wave, and that changes in concentration above the interface are opposite to those below the interface. To a first approximation, the magnitude of the changes in concentration increases linearly with the wave amplitude and the swimming proficiency of the plankters Maximum increases in concentration occur within the upper layer and, for a given stratification, increase linearly with the wave amplitude. These maximum increases in concentration are predicted to be less than twice the local background concentration. Such localized changes in the concentration of organisms should be ephemeral, lasting no longer than the wave period. Based on these results, we propose that coincident measurements of density (or temperature) and concentration of organisms through the water column can be used to determine the existence of 3 relationships that are consistent with internal wave-induced changes in the concentration of swimming plankters: (1) a relationship between along-isopycnal concentration anomalies and isopycnal depth that is out of phase above the pycnocline and in phase below the pycnocline (depth negative downwards), (2) a linear increase in the maximum along-isopycnal concentration anomalies with scaled isopycnal displacement amplitudes, and (3) maximum along-isopycnal concentration anomalies that are less than twice the background along-isopycnal concentration.


Oxidative stress is a pathological condition that has been implicated as a central player in a variety of diseases, including vascular and neurodegenerative diseases. More recently, oxidative stress has also been shown to be involved in the biological incompatibility of many materials, especially at the nanoscale. As such, there is a critical need for new biomaterials that can inhibit this response, improving the compatibility of medical devices. In this work, trolox, a synthetic antioxidant and water‐soluble analogue of Vitamin E, is polymerized to form an oxidation active polymer as a new class of biomaterial. Synthesized poly(trolox ester) polymers were formulated into nanoparticles using a single emulsion technique, and their size was controlled by changing the polymer concentration in the organic solvent. Nanoparticle cytotoxicity, protective effects against cellular oxidative stress, and degradation kinetics were all evaluated. Poly(trolox ester) nanoparticles were found to have little to no cytotoxicity and were capable of suppressing cellular oxidative stress induced by cobalt nanoparticles. In vitro degradation studies of poly(trolox ester) nanoparticles indicate that the antioxidant activity of nanoparticles was derived from its enzymatic degradation to release active antioxidants.


There are massive carbon stocks stored in permafrost-affected soils due to the 3-D soil movement process called cryoturbation. For a reliable projection of the past, recent and future Arctic carbon balance, and hence climate, a reliable concept for representing cryoturbation in a land surface model (LSM) is required. The basis of the underlying transport processes is pedon-scale heterogeneity of soil hydrological and thermal properties as well as insulating layers, such as snow and vegetation. Today we still lack a concept of how to reliably represent pedon-scale properties and processes in a LSM. One possibility could be a statistical approach. This perspective paper demonstrates the importance of sub-grid heterogeneity in permafrost soils as a pre-requisite to implement any lateral transport parametrization. Representing such heterogeneity at the sub-pixel size of a LSM is the next logical step of model advancements. As a result of a theoretical experiment, heterogeneity of thermal and hydrological soil properties alone lead to a remarkable initial sub-grid range of subsoil temperature of 2 deg C, and active-layer thickness of 150 cm in East Siberia. These results show the way forward in representing combined lateral and vertical transport of water and soil in LSMs.


The high thaw vulnerability of Yedoma (Ice Complex) in combination with its high contents of labile organic matter makes these ice-rich permafrost deposits an object of research activities that investigate permafrost degradation and the permafrost-carbon feedback under a warming climate. Thermokarst and thermal erosion are two major types of permafrost degradation in Arctic lowlands, and in particular Yedoma landscapes. These processes and resulting landforms release fossil organic matter to the atmosphere and the hydrological system, and may also substantially alter the water and energy balances of the affected landscapes. While thermokarst has been widely investigated, data is sparse on thermal erosion, despite the fact that related landforms, such as thermo-erosional gullies, valleys and valley networks, cover vast parts of Yedoma landscapes.
We investigate 1) the impact of past thermo-erosional processes on the transformation of the Late Pleistocene Yedoma relief in the Siberian Laptev Sea region to the recent relief situation and 2) the impact of recent thermo-erosional processes and landforms on the hydrological and biogeochemical regime of Yedoma landscapes.
Our regional inventory of thermo-erosional landforms using GIS-based analysis of remote sensing data, digital elevation models, and field investigations demonstrates that thermal erosion severely affected Siberian Yedoma during the Holocene, in some regions much more than thermokarst. Strong variations in the morphology and spatial distribution of streams and valleys are observed and can be attributed to differences in the size and relief characteristics of the study areas as well as to their predominant cryolithological properties, which are also influenced by degradation of the Yedoma by thermokarst prior to thermal erosion.
Investigations of recent thermo-erosional processes focused on a key area in the central Lena Delta, Kurungnakh Island. We compare and contrast discharge regimes and mass fluxes of different thermo-erosional landforms draining different surface and relief types of this Yedoma landscape on the basis of field measurements and water sample analyses.


In this paper the assignment and theoretical investigations of the problems of crown forest fire initiation and spread in windy condition were carried out. Mathematical model of forest fire was based on an analysis of known experimental data and using concept and methods from reactive media mechanics. The investigation takes in to account the mutual interaction of the forest fires and three dimensional atmosphere flows. The research is done by means of mathematical modeling of physical processes. It is based on numerical solution of Reynolds equations for chemical components and equations of energy conservation for gaseous and condensed phases. It is assumed that the forest during a forest fire can be modeled as a two-temperature multiphase non-deformable porous reactive medium. A discrete analog for the system of equations was obtained by means of the finite volume method. The developed model of forest fire initiation and spreading would make it possible to obtain a detailed picture of the variation in the velocity, temperature and chemical species concentration fields with time. Mathematical model and the result of the calculation give an opportunity to evaluate critical conditions of the forest fire initiation and spread which allows applying the given model for of means for preventing fires.


[1] In classical domain theory, single-domain (SD) grains change their magnetization by coherent rotation, where the energy barrier to domain reversal is provided by the magnetocrystalline anisotropy or by shape anisotropy for elongated grains. However, numerical micromagnetic models have shown that domain structure in SD grains is rarely perfectly uniform. For example, magnetite has significant "flowering" of its magnetization even in grains that approach the room temperature superparamagnetic (SP) size of ∼30 nm. The flowering deforms slightly to accommodate the grain shape and thereby produces anisotropy independent of magnetocrystalline effects but dependent on magnetization direction within the grain. This can be similar in magnitude to that of magnetocrystalline anisotropy, even for equidimensional grains (where distance from the centroid to the grain faces is equal). The interaction of the domain structure and grain geometry is termed configurational anisotropy and has been studied mainly in relation to man-made isotropic magnetic media but received little attention in rock magnetism. In this paper we examine configurational anisotropy in SD to pseudo-single-domain (PSD) grains of magnetite using a three-dimensional finite element/boundary integral (FEBI) micromagnetic model. Equidimensional grains of magnetite of three different shapes are considered: a cube, an octahedron, and a regular tetrahedron, and in each case the effects magnetocrystalline anisotropy were removed in order to isolate the configurational anisotropy. The numerical models predict that very large coercivities are possible even for SD equidimensional grains. For tetrahedral grains coercivities of ∼120 mT were obtained, which otherwise would require a grain elongation of ∼1:1.75. Depending on the orientation of the principle crystalline axis to the grain shape, the configurational anisotropy may increase or decrease the overall energy barrier to domain reversal.


San Jorge Gulf (SJG) is a region of high biological productivity that supports important shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) and hake (Merluccius hubbsi) fisheries, as well as high marine biodiversity associated, in part, with a tidal front located in the southern part of the gulf. In situ high-resolution cross-frontal measurements were collected using a remotely operated towed vehicle to characterize the three-dimensional structure of the tidal front and to investigate how its position varies during the semidiurnal tidal cycle (high/low) and the spring to neap transition, together with its impact on the distribution of nutrients and chlorophyll-a. Estimates of tidal height and flow velocity derived from a numerical model support the conclusion that frontal displacements mostly result from advection by cross-frontal tidal currents. The frontal position was also modified by baroclinic instabilities that significantly distort the front. Measurements reveal intrusions of lowsalinity, nutrient-rich waters from the mixed side into the pycnocline on the stratified side cause a subsurface chlorophyll-a peak near the neap phase. Most prior studies of fronts in the SJG have been limited to their surface manifestations because they were conducted using satellite images. This article aims to contribute to the understanding of the complex southern tidal front dynamics, highlighting that maximum primary productivity occurs in a subsurface layer that is not visible by satellite sensors. By Juan Cruz Carbajal,


Deep seismic reflection and magnetic data suggest that the Gulf of Maine is underlain by four crustal blocks of differing reflection and magnetic character. Two of these blocks, the Gulf of Maine fault zone and adjacent central plutonic zone, can be correlated with Avalonian rocks in southern New England and New Brunswick. The boundary between them, the Fundy fault, projects onshore near the Ponkapoag fault in southeastern Massachusetts in a region where no major crustal boundary has (yet) been identified. A third block, called the southern plutonic zone, is interpreted as Avalonian, although the reflection and magnetic data are ambiguous. The fourth block, along the rifted continental margin, is correlated with Meguma rocks of Nova Scotia. The late Paleozoic Variscan front crosses the Gulf of Maine within the Gulf of Maine fault zone and indicates significant compressional movement rather than strike-slip. The Moho surface throughout the region is essentially flat and may have been produced by Mesozoic crustal extension. Associated modification of the lower crust was minimal in the northern Gulf and may have been moderate in the central and southern Gulf. The Franklin rift basin formed by reactivation of the inferred Avalon-Meguma boundary beneath Georges Bank as a low-angle detachment.


Corrosion of carbon steel infrastructure in the oil and gas industry can occur via a variety of chemical, physical, and/or microbiological mechanisms. Although microbial corrosion is known to lead to infrastructure failure in many upstream and downstream operations, predicting when and how microorganisms attack metal surfaces remains a challenge. In crude oil transmission pipelines, a kind of aggressive corrosion known as under deposit corrosion (UDC) can occur, wherein mixtures of solids (sands, clays, inorganic minerals), water, oily hydrocarbons, and microorganisms form discreet, (bio)corrosive sludges on the metal surface. To prevent UDC, operators will use physical cleaning methods (e.g., pigging) combined with chemical treatments such as biocides, corrosion inhibitors, and/or biodispersants. As such, it necessary to evaluate the efficacy of these treatments in preventing UDC by monitoring the sludge characteristics and the microorganisms that are potentially involved in the corrosion process.
 The efficacies of a biocide, corrosion inhibitor, and biodispersant being used to prevent microbial corrosion in a crude oil transmission pipeline were evaluated. A combination of various microbiological analyses and corrosivity tests were performed using sludge samples collected during pigging operations. The results indicated that the combined treatment using inhibitor, biocide 1 and biodispersant was the most effective in preventing metal damage, and both growth-based and Next-Generation Sequencing approaches provided value towards understanding the effects of the chemical treatments. The efficacy of a different biocide (#2) could be discriminated using these test methods.
 The results of this study demonstrate the importance of considering and monitoring for microbial corrosion of crucial metal infrastructure in the oil and gas industry, and the value of combining multiple lines of evidence to evaluate the performance of different chemical treatment scenarios.


In situ growth of silver nanostructures (AgNSs) and reduction of graphene oxide (rGO) were successfully performed using a one-step segmented flow reaction system. The detailed crystal growth mechanism of the AgNSs on the rGO was discussed. The relationship between the presence of AgNSs (nanoparticles and nanowires) on the rGO and the rGO's electrochemical behaviour was investigated. In this report, it was found that the presence of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the rGO's surface enhances its specific capacitance by 400% as compared to rGO-based devices. This novel finding provides an alternative in designing future electronic devices.


China introduced a systematic pork reserve program in 2009 to decrease pork price volatility. The price stabilization effectiveness of the reserve program is unknown. Two econometric procedures are used to analyze the effectiveness of the program in reducing pork price volatility. The first approach is an autoregressive conditionally heteroskedastic (ARCH) regression model estimated using monthly national average wholesale pork price data for January 2000 to July 2015. Price volatility is modeled as the difference in monthly price in consecutive months. The ARCH procedure controls for domestic production, consumer income and seasonality. A difference in difference (DD) regression procedure, compliments the ARCH procedure, to further investigate the relationship between the reserve policy and price volatility. Two DD analyses are conducted. The first analysis measures monthly price volatility in terms of absolute differences, and the second in absolute percentage change differences. Both the ARCH and DD approaches find that pork price volatility increased, not decreased, after the introduction of the reserve program.


Grapevine curettage was re-introduced in France in the early 2000s, and is important for facilitating recovery of plants from esca disease. This surgical practice involves removal of deadwood of vines with leaf symptoms, focusing on white rot generally observed at the centres of grapevine trunks. Assessment of the efficacy of this practice was initiated in the Bordeaux region in 2014. One 'Sauvignon Blanc' vineyard severely affected by esca was initially surveyed in the summer of 2014, to identify and treat vines with esca foliar symptoms. Annually thereafter, from 2014 to 2018, selected vine stocks were curetted. Two other 'Sauvignon Blanc' vineyards also displaying high levels of esca damage were added to the study in 2015 and 2016. Curettage treatments ceased in 2018, resulting in 11 trials (vineyard × year combinations). In total, 856 vines (422 curetted and 434 control vines) were then surveyed annually up to 2021, for assessments and comparisons of esca development. At each site, plants with esca symptoms recovered well after curettage: on average 85% of all curetted vines became asymptomatic the year immediately after the treatment. Six years after treatment, for curettage campaigns carried out in 2014 and 2015, more than half of the curetted vines were symptom-free, whereas <12% of the control vines were asymptomatic, and gradual loss of efficacy was observed at each site. The mean annual proportion of efficacy erosion was approx. 8% per year. This study highlights the possible short- and mid-term benefits of trunk surgery to enable recovery of esca-affected vines, and for them to recover and remain leaf-asymptomatic for several years.


Background and Aims: Free-radical-mediated peroxidation of membrane lipids and oxidative damage of DNA and proteins are believed to be associated with a variety of chronic pathological complications such as cancer. The aim of this study was to describe antioxidant and anti-inflammatory of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized using medicinal plant extract of Sage (Salvia officinalis). Materials and Methods: AgNPs were synthesized using S. officinalis as reducer agents and characterized using ultraviolet-visible, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, particle seizer, and transmission electron microscopy. Toxicity of AgNPs on MCF-7 cells was investigated using 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Changes in expression of inflammation related genes include cyclooxygenase-2, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) genes were evaluated using semi-quantification reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The antioxidant potential of capped AgNPs was assessed using 1,1 diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radicals activity assay. Results: AgNPs successfully synthesis with an average size of 16 nm and spherical. FTIR spectrum from plant extract and AgNPs indicated the extract covered nanoparticles. AgNPs decreased cells viability with inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 25 μg/ml and 20 μg/ml after 24 and 48 h, respectively. To ascertain the anti-inflammatory genes expression, MCF-7 cells were treated with 20 μg/ml AgNPs (concentration below of IC50 value according to MTT assay). Semi-quantification RT-PCR results showed that AgNPs increased IL-8 and TNF-α genes expression 28.76% and 42%, respectively, but suppressed cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression with 20.5% comparing to control groups. Antioxidant assay of green synthesized AgNPs coated by S. officinalis extract showed free radical scavenging effect with IC50 of 830 and 800 μg/ml for DPPH and ABTS radicals, respectively. Conclusion: The coated AgNPs with S. officinalis have promising potential as a source for the development of chemotherapeutic agents in future.


In-silico methods are valuable tools for understanding the barrier function of the skin. The key benefit is that mathematical modelling allows the interplay between cell shape and function to be elucidated. This study focuses on the viable (living) epidermis. For this region, previous works suggested a diffusion model and an approximation of the cells by hexagonal prisms. The work at hand extends this in three ways. First, the extracellular space is treated with full spatial resolution. This induces a decrease of permeability by about 10%. Second, cells of tetrakaidecahedral shape are considered, in addition to the original hexagonal prisms. For both cell types, the resulting membrane permeabilities are compared. Third, for the first time, the influence of cell stacking in the vertical direction is considered. This is particularly important for the stratum granulosum, where tight junctions are present.


Banda Aceh City, the capital of Aceh province, is particularly vulnerable to the tsunami. One of the most vulnerable sub-district in Banda Aceh is the Kuta Raja sub-district, which has a high tsunami threat level. Realizing the harmful effects that could be caused by the earthquake disaster. Therefore, disaster mitigation needs to be considered in order to reduce casualties and to minimize the risk of disaster that will occur in the future. One of the most important things in the evacuation planning is that mode and time of evacuation choices by the residents. Residents may be considered the safest mode and the correct time to evacuate. In this case, fastest mode and nearest escape building would be influenced factor for residents in selecting mode and time to evacuate. Therefore, in this study, we consider two mode choices, that is motorized and non-motorized transports. This study aims at analyzing the mode and time to evacuate choice made by the residents. The stated preference of questionnaire survey method is used to obtained necessary data set from the respondents. The discrete choice model namely binomial logit model is then governed to explore the behavioral response by respondents in selecting mode and time to evacuate. The result from the analysis reveals that the average time to evacuate less than 30 minutes was selected for the respondent who considers evacuating to the evacuation building within the radius of 15 km from their home. The probability to select a time to evacuate less than 30 minutes and evacuate distance within the radius of 15 km is about 71%. The remaining probability is around 29% to select a time to evacuate more than 30 minutes with evacuate distance more than the radius of 15 km. As for mode choice model depicts that the motorized transport is shown dominated up to 89% while for the non-motorized accounting up to 11%. The households characteristics that influencing the mode and time to evacuate selection are income, employment status, age and number of the child within a household.


We investigate the magnetization dynamics of a pair of ferromagnetic insulators (FMIs) deposited on the surface of a topological insulator (TI). Due to the nonlinear nature of the underlying physics and intrinsic dynamics, the FMIs can exhibit oscillatory behaviors even under a constant applied voltage. The motion of the surface electrons of the TI, which obeys relativistic quantum mechanics, provides a mechanism of direct coupling between the FMIs. In particular, the spin polarized current of the TI surface electrons can affect the magnetization of the two FMIs, which in turn modulates the electron transport, giving rise to a hybrid relativistic quantum/classical nonlinear dynamical system. We find robust phase and anti-phase locking between the magnetization dynamics. As driving the surface electrons of a TI only requires extremely low power, our finding suggests that nano FMIs coupled by a spin polarized current on the surface of TI have the potential to serve as the fundamental building blocks of unconventional, low-power computing paradigms.


Identifying the dimensions of the employer brand attractiveness of Indian 'Generation Z' students who are prospective employees on an overall basis and for certain segments of students, the study is conducted. Generation Z belongs to the age cohort, which has just started entering the workplace during this study. The study identifies the organizational attributes most significant in attracting Indian Generation Z B-School students to seek and aspire for employment. Segmentation was done based on the student's gender, specialization, and previous work experience to differentiate the perception factors. Finally, the comparison of Millennials and Gen Z preferred attributes showed a degree of similarity of employer preference attributes for Millennials and Gen Z, as both generations preferred instrumental factors. Still, Gen Z preferred more growth and learning opportunities than Millennials, who favoured compensation and organizational attributes. A sample of 160 Gen-Z B-School students from India is 15 B-Schools were surveyed to acquire the data to meet the requirements.


Fetal programming occurs when nutrients affect the DNA during fetal development and alters the fetus' genetic make-up. In connection with increasing obesity prevalence focus has been on dietary fats and fatty acids. Two important sources to these nutrients are red meat and fatty fish. The aim of this thesis was to study the effects of fish and meat intake during pregnancy on maternal health and on the offspring's metabolic health, bones and body composition. Herring or beef was provided to mice (C57Bl/6) during gestation and lactation. Later, after weaning, half of the offspring were crossed over to the other diet and followed to adult age. Weight gain, body composition, insulin sensitivity, tissue fatty acids and plasma triglycerides and cholesterol was investigated. In a sample of the animals bone mineral density, bone mineral content and bone strength was analyzed. It was found that maternal herring diet counteracted adiposity and postweaning herring diet increased insulin sensitivity and reduced plasma triglycerides and cholesterol at an early adult age, but the differences were no longer present when the tests were repeated later in life. The postweaning herring diet also gave a higher n-6/n-3 ratio in the tissues collected at adult age. Maternal beef intake also led to increased bone mineral density and content at an early age, but later the switch to a postweaning herring diet gave better bone strength (in tibia) and mineral density and content. In a longitudinal randomized intervention study in pregnant women, effects of intake of fish and meat and gestational weight gain, fat mass and fat free mass and serum phospholipid fatty acids were investigated. Normal weight women were recruited during the 1 st trimester and advised on fish intake (three portions per week), reduced sugar intake (<10 E %), 500 g vegetables and fruits per day and increase energy intake by 350 kcal in the 2 nd trimester and by 500 kcal in the 3 rd trimester. Meat intake during early pregnancy was associated with fat free mass gain during pregnancy. Serum phospholipid arachidonic acid was associated with meat intake and eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid was associated with fish intake. The intervention group increased their fish intake. As shown in this thesis, meat and fish intake may affect body composition both in the mother and in the offspring and also bone health in the offspring. Meat and fish intake has beneficial effects on different tissues and health outcomes depending on time of intake. This thesis has added to the knowledge on the effect maternal meat and fish intake may have on maternal body composition and offspring metabolic health, bone health and body composition.


Nanomaterials, especially graphene-like 2D ultrathin ones that possess a wealth of unprecedented functionalities, can increase the discharge capacity of Li-ion batteries (LIBs), but they still suffer from poor cycling and rate performances due to their serious self-aggregation and pulverization. Constructing micro/nano-structures is a quite promising method to address the above issues. However, it remains a huge challenge to build 3D hierarchical porous micro/nano-structures self-assembled from ultrathin nanostructured building blocks, which has prompted extensively great interest. Herein, we report a facile "hydrolysis–controllable crystallization" strategy to controllably synthesize different dimensional (i.e. 1D, 2D, and 3D) VO2 (B) nanostructures by a simple one-step high-temperature mixing method under hydrothermal conditions. In particular, unique 3D micro/nano-structured hierarchical porous sponge-like micro-bundles (SLMBs) self-assembled from 2D crumpled ultrathin VO2 (B)@C nanosheets with a thickness of only ∼3.1 nm (denoted as VO2 (B)@C-SLMBs) are synthesized. This is the first report on the synthesis of 2D ultrathin VO2 (B) nanomaterials. Importantly, the intrinsic VO2 (B) crystallization behavior and controllable synthesis mechanism of VO2 (B) micro/nano-structures are revealed for the first time by the density functional theory calculation. The as-synthesized VO2 (B)@C-SLMBs possess distinct structural advantages, i.e., large surface area, abundant meso/micropores, robust structure and conductive carbon frameworks, which make them exhibit excellent electrochemical performance in terms of long life, high rate, and large capacity as cathode materials of LIBs. The discharge capacity was 206 mA h g−1 after 160 cycles at 100 mA g−1, corresponding to 105% of the initial capacity. Even at a large current density of 1000 mA g−1, they still exhibit a high retention of 104% after long period of 1000 cycles. These results indicate that the as-synthesized VO2 (B)@C-SLMBs have a great potential for long-life and high-rate cathode materials of next-generation LIBs.


Granulomatosis with polyangiitis is a small and medium vessel vasculitis. It may affect any organ system. Neurological involvement, though less frequent, mostly manifests as peripheral neuropathy. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement as autoimmune cerebritis is rare but may be devastating. We report a patient having CNS involvement in the form of Parkinsonism long before the development of typical upper and lower airway symptoms. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis was diagnosed on the basis of cavitary lung lesions along with epistaxis, granulomatous inflammation from fine needle aspiration (FNAC) of lymph node and high titer of c-ANCA. The patient was commenced on intravenous methylprednisolone followed by mycophenolate mofetil and responded to treatment. Autoimmune cerebritis may present with subacute manifestation of diffuse CNS involvement.


The last decade has seen an increasing application of game theoretic tools in the analysis of electricity markets and the strategic behavior of market players. This paper focuses on the model examined by Fabra et al. (2008), where the market is described by a two-stage game with the firms choosing their capacity in the first stage and then competing in prices in the second stage. By allowing the firms to endogenously determine their capacity, through the capacity investment stage of the game, they can greatly affect competition in the subsequent pricing stage. Extending this model to the demand uncertainty case gives a very good candidate for modeling the strategic aspect of the investment decisions in an electricity market. After investigating the required assumptions for applying the model in electricity markets, we present some numerical examples of the model on the resulting equilibrium capacities, prices and profits of the firms. We then proceed with two results on the minimum value of price caps and the minimum required revenue from capacity mechanisms in order to induce adequate investments.


Quadratic programming problems (QPs) frequently appear in control engineering. For use on embedded platforms, a QP solver implementation is required in the programming language C. A new solver for quadratic optimization problems, EmbQP, is described, which was implemented in well readable C code. The algorithm is based on the dual method of Goldfarb and Idnani and solves strictly convex QPs with a positive definite objective function matrix and linear equality and inequality constraints. The algorithm is outlined and some details for an efficient implementation in C are shown, with regard to the requirements of embedded systems. The newly implemented QP solver is demonstrated in the context of control allocation of an over-actuated vehicle as application example. Its performance is assessed in a simulation experiment.


Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in old age. The presence of akinesia, rigidity and rest tremor caused by dopaminergic neuronal loss in the substantia nigra are the major clinical hallmarks of PD. Although several treatments can temporarily improve motor symptoms and the quality of life in PD patients, it is still incurable until now. PD is neuropathologically characterized by aggregation of misfolded α-synuclein in dopaminergic neurons, neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation. Translocator protein 18 (TSPO) is a mitochondrial protein which is upregulated in microglia during neuroinflammation, and several TSPO ligands have been shown to exert neuroprotective effects in neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we investigated the potential neuroprotective effects of Emapunil (also known as AC-5216 or XBD-173), a TSPO ligand, in female mice with subacute 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) treatment, and in 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) treated human dopaminergic cell line Lund Human Mesencephalic (LUHMES).
We find, that application of Emapunil protects against dopaminergic neuron loss, preserves dopamine metabolism, and also improves motor performance. Furthermore, Emapunil treatment ameliorates MPP+ and rotenone toxicity in LUHMES cells.
We identified that Emapunil inhibits endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced activation of the IRE1α/XBP1 (X-box binding protein 1) pathway, which can result in apoptosis. In addition, Emapunil induces the shift from pro-inflammatory M1 to anti-inflammatory M2 microglia activation state. Given that Emapunil has been found to be safe and well-tolerated in a phase II clinical trial, our results indicate that Emapunil could be a promising drug for PD patients.


In 2014, an estimated 137,000 people, or about one in 208 Canadians aged 18 or older, stayed in an emergency homeless shelter. While addictions and mental illness can contribute to homelessness, evidence suggests that the majority of people who resort to using homeless shelters do so because they are poor. Public policies that reduce the cost of housing for those with low income would reduce these numbers and reduce the number of Canadians who annually experience the debilitating effects of homelessness. A high proportion of rent-to-income is a key contributor to homelessness. People who find that rent eats up so much of their income that they can't afford other necessities will often try their luck doubling up with relatives or friends or temporarily using a city's shelter system. Anything that influences the rent-to-income ratio – from income support programs, to tax policies affecting the costs of new construction and the costs of maintaining or rehabilitating old buildings, to zoning and density restrictions – will therefore have a significant influence on the rate of homelessness. Recognizing this opens a wide range of policy options and exposes all levels of government to the responsibility for initiating useful policy reforms. Modest efforts to increase housing affordability via rent subsidies and enhanced income support have the advantage over the construction of public housing of maximizing choice and flexibility for those to whom assistance is provided. If the great majority of people experiencing homelessness do so because of poverty, it may be best to address that issue directly with increased levels of income support.


Multi-element profiles have been used for decades to assist aircraft during landing and take-off by significantly increasing lift during these vital stages of operation. This paper presents the preliminary Computational Fluid Dynamic results used to validate and optimise the design of a multi-element profile for a vertical-axis tidal stream energy device, where the relative velocities, fluid type and Reynolds number differ significantly from that found in the aerospace sector. The resulting designs and optimisation have allowed for the manufacture of stereolithography prototypes for in situ testing in the 'wet' facilities at Lancaster University. A vertical-axis device has been selected as it offers significant advantages in shallower tidal water, often found near shore, thus reducing the required infrastructure and set up costs associated with the deployment of new technologies. The UK is in a prime position to exploit energy capture from tidal stream with the advantage over other renewable sources in that it is completely predictable. Such exploitation requires the quick turnaround offered through design, analysis and product development technologies.


The carboxylic acid ionophore monensin, known as an electroneutral Na(+) ionophore, an anticoccidial agent, and a growth-promoting feed additive in agriculture, is shown to be highly efficient as an ionophore for Pb(2+) and to be highly selective for Pb(2+) compared with other divalent cations. Monensin transports Pb(2+) by an electroneutral mechanism in which the complex PbMonOH is the transporting species. Electrogenic transport via the species PbMon(+) may also be possible. Monensin catalyzed Pb(2+) transport is little affected by Ca(2+), Mg(2+), or K(+) concentrations that are encountered in living systems. Na(+) is inhibitory, but its effectiveness at 100 mm does not exceed approximately 50%. The poor activity of monensin as an ionophore for divalent cations other than Pb(2+) is consistent with the pattern of complex formation constants observed in the mixed solvent 80% methanol/water. This pattern also explains why Ca(2+), Mg(2+), and K(+) are ineffective as inhibitors of Pb(2+) transport, but it does not fully explain the actions of Na(+), where kinetic features of the transport mechanism may also be important. When given to rats at 100 ppm in feed together with Pb(2+) at 100 ppm in drinking water, monensin reduces Pb accumulation in several organs and tissues. It also accelerates the excretion of Pb that was accumulated previously and produces this effect without depleting the organs of zinc or copper. Monensin, used alone or in combination with other agents, may be useful for the treatment of Pb intoxication.


Enhancing usable range and the range-related user experience in battery electric vehicle (BEV) use is an essential task in advancing electric mobility systems. The authors suggest the concept of comfortable range (i.e. the users' range comfort zone or range safety buffer) as a benchmark variable for evaluating range-optimisation strategies. A methodology for assessing comfortable range was developed over the course of three BEV field trials. Here the final methodology is described and evaluated which consists of the comfortable range scenario task (CRST) which indirectly assesses comfortable range as well as several single-item indicators that directly ask respondents for comfortable trip distances or range safety buffers. Results show that the developed comfortable range indicators have good psychometric characteristics (internal consistency, factorial structure and test–retest reliability), are able to depict the known effect of behavioural adaptation to limited range, and correlate with actual range utilisation behaviour. The CRST performs more robust than the single-item indicators within this evaluation.


Modern automatic speech recognition systems handle large vocabularies of words, making it infeasible to collect enough repetitions of each word to train individual word models. Instead, large-vocabulary recognizers represent each word in terms of subword units. Typically the subword unit is the phone, a basic speech sound such as a single consonant or vowel. Each word is then represented as a sequence, or several alternative sequences, of phones specified in a pronunciation dictionary. Other choices of subword units have been studied as well. The choice of subword units, and the way in which the recognizer represents words in terms of combinations of those units, is the problem of subword modeling. Different subword models may be preferable in different settings, such as high-variability conversational speech, high-noise conditions, low-resource settings, or multilingual speech recognition. This article reviews past, present, and emerging approaches to subword modeling. To make clean comparisons between many approaches, the review uses the unifying language of graphical models.


Hydrothermal spring systems may well have been present on early Mars and could have served as a habitat for primitive life. The integrated instrument suite of the Athena Rover has, as a component on the robotic arm, a Mossbauer spectrometer. In the context of future Mars exploration we present results of Mossbauer analysis of a suite of samples from an iron-rich thermal spring in the Chocolate Pots area of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and from Obsidian Pool (YNP) and Manitou Springs, Colorado. We have found that Mossbauer spectroscopy can discriminate among the iron-bearing minerals in our samples. Those near the vent and on the surface are identified as ferrihydrite, an amorphous ferric mineraloid. Subsurface samples, collected from cores, which are likely to have undergone inorganic and/or biologically mediated alteration (diagenesis), exhibit spectral signatures that include nontronite (a smectite clay), hematite (alpha-Fe2O3), small-particle/nanophase goethite (alpha-FeOOH), and siderite (FeCO3). We find for iron minerals that Mossbauer spectroscopy is at least as efficient in identification as X-ray diffraction. This observation is important from an exploration standpoint. As a planetary surface instrument, Mossbauer spectroscopy can yield high-quality spectral data without sample preparation (backscatter mode). We have also used field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), in conjunction with energy-dispersive X ray (EDX) fluorescence spectroscopy, to characterize the microbiological component of surface sinters and the relation between the microbiological and the mineralogical framework. Evidence is presented that the minerals found in these deposits can have multi-billion-year residence times and thus may have survived their possible production in a putative early Martian hot spring up to the present day. Examples include the nanophase property and the Mossbauer signature for siderite, which has been identified in a 2.09-billion-year old hematite-rich chert stromatolite. Our research demonstrates that in situ Mossbauer spectroscopy can help determine whether hydrothermal mineral deposits exist on Mars, which is significant for exobiology because of the issue of whether that world ever had conditions conductive to the origin of life. As a useful tool for selection of samples suitable for transport to Earth, Mossbauer spectroscopy will not only serve geological interests but will also have potential for exopaleontology.


This article is an analysis of literature relating to ocular-motor imbalance and the potential postural consequences. It aims to highlight the importance of sensory integration between the visual and vestibular systems and proprioception. The consequences of extra-ocular muscle imbalance are discussed in terms of the disruption to this sensory integration. The symptoms that this may give rise to include spinal pain, postural instability and potential increased risk of falls. This paper therefore encourages a wider multi-disciplinary awareness in managing patients with such


Lemierre's syndrome is a rare but indefinitely severe illness caused by the anaerobic bacterium, Fusobacterium necrophorum. It typically occurs in healthy teenagers and young adults who usually start as a throat infection which spreads via a septic thrombophlebitis of the tonsillar vein and internal jugular vein. Furthermore, the spread of infection is complicated by septic emboli to other sites such as lung, joints, and bones. Most commonly, it is an infection that manifests as a pharyngotonsillitis or peritonsillar abscess and subsequently seen as a swelling and tenderness in the cervical region due to septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein. The worst outcome from this septic embolus includes the development of internal jugular vein thrombosis due to the retrograde propagation which involves cranial venous sinuses such as the cavernous and sigmoid sinuses.


This article examines the impact of firm-level political risk on the value of creditor control, which is measured as the premium difference in the bond price and an equivalent synthetic bond without control rights. The synthetic bond is constructed from the credit default swap contract. We find empirically that the value of creditor control increases as the firm-level political risk increases, especially among firms with investment-grade ratings, large size, low leverage, or low equity volatility. This effect appears to be more pronounced among firms experiencing financial constraints or industry shocks. During periods of great partisan conflicts, the impact of firm-level political risk on the value of creditor control decreases. TOPICS: Fixed income and structured finance, credit default swaps, credit risk management, information providers/credit ratings


We have developed novel progressive scalable region-of-interest (ROI) image compression schemes with rate-distortion-complexity tradeoff based on vector quantization. Residual vector quantization (RVQ) equips the encoder with a multi-resolution apparatus which is useful for rate-distortion tradeoff. Having all advantages of RVQ, jointly suboptimized RVQ provides a distortion-complexity adjustment. The systems are unbalanced in the sense that the decoder has less computational requirements than the encoder. The proposed jointly suboptimized RVQ method provides an interactive tool for fast ROI-based browsing from image archives.


Comment: Summary What is clear from this report, The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment, and all other similar ones that have come before, is that the USGCRP simply chooses not to accept the science on human health and climate and instead prefers to forward alarming narratives, many based on science fiction rather than actual science. To best serve the public, this report should be withdrawn. By going forward without a major overhaul, its primary service would be to misinform and mislead the general public and policymakers alike.


All equilibrium and rate constants of heavenly blue anthocyanin (HBA 1) as well as the derivatives with two (HBA 2) or none (HBA 3) acylated units were determined. The three acylated units of the sugar in position 3 of the peonidin chromophore of HBA 1 are essential to confer the peculiar stability of its purple and blue colors. The sugars generate an efficient protective environment around position 2 (and 4) of the flavylium cation, through an intramolecular sandwich-type stacking that retards 35-fold the hydration reaction ( kh) and increases 8.8-fold the dehydration reaction ( k-h), when compared with the peonidin chromophore HBA 3. The conjugation of these two rates lowers 308-fold the hydration equilibrium constant ( Kh), corresponding to a raise of the energy level of the hemiketal by 14.2 kJ mol-1. Conversely, the p Ka of the quinoidal base in HBA 1 is only slightly stabilized in comparison with that of HBA 2 and HBA 3. The energy level of hemiketal increases with the number of acylated units, but the inversion of energies between hemiketal and quinoidal base takes place exclusively for HBA 1 (three acylated units), permitting in moderately acidic solutions the stabilization of the purple quinoidal base. Identical inversion of energy was observed for the corresponding ionized species, allowing the stabilization of the blue ionized quinoidal base in slightly basic solutions. At pH values higher than 8, the hydroxyl groups of the hydroxycinnamic acid units start to deprotonate disrupting the intramolecular sandwich-type stacking and the more or less slow degradation of the anthocyanin is observed.


Acantholytic dermatosis of the vulvocrural area is a rare skin disorder characterized by solitary or multiple skin-colored to white, smooth papules or plaques. Histopathological features of both Hailey-Hailey disease and Darler's disease are present. There is acantholysis, which may involve the full thickness of the epidermis, and dyskeratosis with corps ronds and grains. There may be marked hyperkeratosis and focal parakeratosis. We report a case of this rare disease and discuss its differential diagnosis and treatment.


In this paper, the particle filtering approach is used, together with the kernel smoothing method, to identify the state-space model for the lateral flow immunoassay through available but short time-series measurement. The lateral flow immunoassay model is viewed as a nonlinear dynamic stochastic model consisting of the equations for the biochemical reaction system as well as the measurement output. The renowned extended Kalman filter is chosen as the importance density of the particle filter for the purpose of modeling the nonlinear lateral flow immunoassay. By using the developed particle filter, both the states and parameters of the nonlinear state-space model can be identified simultaneously. The identified model is of fundamental significance for the development of lateral flow immunoassay quantification. It is shown that the proposed particle filtering approach works well for modeling the lateral flow immunoassay.


Apart from attempts to account for the massive support provided by Egyptian writers to President Abd al-Fatah al-Sisi, the 25th of January uprising was rarely explored from the standpoint of Egyptian intellectuals. Yet, during the uprising, some did take an active part in the events, such as forging an image of the revolution and its actors through opinion columns. However, by promoting what became an iconic image of the Egyptian protester—middle class youth, peacefully seeking liberty and rights—they drew on the same discourses as those adopted by their counterparts in the semi-official press: the belief that the uprising threatened to unleash the oppressed masses who would embark on the destruction of the State. This article attempts to shed light on the conditions associated with the 25th of January revolution by exploring op-eds published in several Egyptian private dailies during the first years of the uprising.


Nutritional problems in Indonesia, especially in children are still quite high. Nutritional problem in children including stunting with high proportion of 37,2%. This was an observational analytical study with a retrospective method to determine the risk of stunting in underfive years old children (toddler) based on the level of family income, parenting method, and history of infectious diseases in children on the working area of Juanda Public Health Center Samarinda, 2018. The population in this study was toddlers on the working area of Juanda Public Health Center Samarinda with 99 respondents consisting of 33 cases and 66 controls. The results showed that families with lower to middle income levels had a four times greater risk of stunting compare to middle to upper income level families (OR: 3,877; 95%CI: 1,329-11,310). The parenting method and history of infectious diseases did not show a significant relationship with the incidence of stunting in this research. Further research is needed to investigate other factors for stunting, include environmental factors


SUMMARY: Investigation of the lysogenicity of seven Corynebacterium diphtheriae
PW 8 variants revealed the spontaneous liberation, by these strains, of phage particles active against two C. ulcerans strains (9304 and 298 G) which are sensitive to C. diphtheriae gravis and mitis phages. By this means, phage particles with different host-range activity and morphology of plaques were obtained from the PW 8 strains. Further studies showed that some C. diphtheriae strains which possess the same sensitivity towards gravis and mitis phages showed the same spontaneous liberation of PW 8-carried phages. The newly obtained phages were able to convert to toxinogenesis both C. ulcerans and C. diphtheriae strains.


The young woman described sought evaluation for infertility and was found to have virilization due to a large left adrenal tumor. Further endocrine studies confirmed a syndrome of pure virilization with normal glucocorticoid function. Resection of this apparently benign tumor resulted in regression of virilization, as well as pregnancy. Pure virilization is an unusual manifestation of benign adrenocortical tumors, and adrenal tumors of this size are most frequently malignant.


Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare but highly aggressive extra-nodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, mostly of the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) type. The present invasive diagnosis and poor prognosis of PCNSL propose an urgent need to develop molecular markers for early detection, real-time monitoring and treatment evaluation. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are promising biomarker carriers for liquid biopsy of CNS diseases and brain tumors; however, research remains challenging due to the low concentration of EVs in the limited available volume of CSF from each individual patient and the low efficiency of existing methods for EV enrichment. Here, we introduce functionalized magnetic beads called EVTRAP (extracellular vesicles total recovery and purification) for rapid and efficient EV isolation from CSF. By coupling with high-performance mass spectrometry, over 19 000 peptides representing 1841 proteins were identified from just 30 μL of CSF. Furthermore, up to 3000 phosphopeptides representing over 1000 phosphoproteins were identified from about 2 mL of CSF. Finally, we analyzed the EV phosphoproteomics of CSF samples from PCNSL patients and non-PCNSL controls. Among them, multiple phosphoproteins related to PCNSL, including SPP1, MARCKS, NPM1 and VIM, were shown to be up-regulated in the PCNSL group. These results demonstrated the feasibility of the EVTRAP-based analytical strategy in CSF EV phosphoproteomic analysis of PCNSL molecular markers.


We present APEX LABOCA 870 μm observations of the field around the high-redshift radio galaxy MRC1138−262 at z = 2.16. We detect 16 submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) in this ~140 arcmin2 bolometer map with flux densities in the range 3–11 mJy. The raw number counts indicate a density of SMGs that is up to four times that of blank field surveys. Based on an exquisite multiwavelength database, including VLA 1.4 GHz radio and infrared observations, we investigate whether these sources are members of the protocluster structure at z ≈ 2.2. Using Herschel PACS and SPIRE and Spitzer MIPS photometry, we derive reliable far-infrared (FIR) photometric redshifts for all sources. Follow-up VLT ISAAC and SINFONI NIR spectra confirm that four of these SMGs have redshifts of z ≈ 2.2. We also present evidence that another SMG in this field, detected earlier at 850 μm, has a counterpart that exhibits Hα and CO(1–0) emission at z = 2.15. Including the radio galaxy and two SMGs with FIR photometric redshifts at z = 2.2, we conclude that at least eight submm sources are part of the protocluster at z = 2.16 associated with the radio galaxy MRC1138−262. We measure a star formation rate density SFRD ~1500 M⊙ yr-1 Mpc-3, four magnitudes higher than the global SFRD of blank fields at this redshift. Strikingly, these eight sources are concentrated within a region of 2 Mpc (the typical size of clusters in the local universe) and are distributed within the filaments traced by the HAEs at z ≈ 2.2. This concentration of massive, dusty starbursts is not centered on the submillimeter-bright radio galaxy which could support the infalling of these sources into the cluster center. Approximately half (6/11) of the SMGs that are covered by the Hα imaging data are associated with HAEs, demonstrating the potential of tracing SMG counterparts with this population. To summarize, our results demonstrate that submillimeter observations may enable us to study (proto)clusters of massive, dusty starbursts.


A microprocessor is disclosed herein having an external command mode for directly accessing the execution unit, responsive to externally generated commands and instructions. An external instruction path is provided, as well as a conventional processor-driven instruction path. A multiplexer is provided that selects which of the instruction paths is actually supplied to the execution unit. Using the external command mode, the user can examine and modify registers, memory, and I/O space without otherwise affecting their contents. Any instruction executable by the execution unit is executable in the external command mode. Because direct access is provided into the execution unit, there is no implicit updating that would otherwise affect the state of the processor and require saving to an alternate memory. The present invention is implemented with a conventional test access port designed in accordance with the IEEE 1149.1 boundary scan standard, with modification to include an instruction register, a data register, and control logic. The external command mode is applicable to single and multiple pipeline processors. The circuit described herein includes several selectors for selecting between the probe mode and the processor-driven mode of operation, including an external pin, an external command, and a debug exception. For ascertaining if the circuit is in the external command mode, an acknowledge pin is provided to indicate when the execution unit is ready to accept an instruction in the probe model.


Administering anaesthesia for elderly patients with chronic schizophrenia has always been a great challenge to anaesthetists. These patients will usually be on multiple antipsychotic drugs for many years and may lead to delayed awakening, cardiovascular instability, arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death during general anaesthesia. This case report is about the perioperative anaesthetic management of an elderly schizophrenic patient undergoing removal of femur implant. This article will explore important drug interactions and available options for a successful anaesthesia.


BodyTite ® is a bipolar, radiofrequency assisted lipocoagulation (RFAL) system and concept that helps the liposuction surgeon better control soft tissue contraction and the contours of the face, neck and body when performing aspiration lipoplasty, or skin tightening alone. There are several different BodyTite ® hand pieces that are designed for different clinical procedures and body contouring applications. This chapter outlines the basic science of RFAL, the scientific evidence for contraction and efficacy, as well as, the authors 10-year experience using BodyTite ® and RFAL hand pieces to deliver the best possible soft tissue contraction and body contouring.


: Two large for date infants with transient asymptomatic hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia are presented. The importance of prompt recognition and treatment of this condition is emphasized.


Reductions in the integrity of white matter microstructure are thought to be a significant cause of age-related decline in mnemonic abilities, including working memory (WM) and long-term episodic memory (LTM). This study uses tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) applied to diffusion tensor magnetic resonance images to explore correlations between white matter microstructure and verbal WM and LTM in a sample of 98 normal older adults. WM performance was associated with microstructure in left fronto-parietal pathways and LTM was associated with bilateral fronto-temporal pathways. Interhemispheric-frontal pathways (genu of the corpus callosum) were associated with both types of mnemonic function. We hypothesize that in normal aging, damage to certain white matter pathways may reduce the dynamic efficiency of mnemonic abilities by disrupting the connections within multiple distributed networks. By correlating white matter with two mnemonic functions in the same analysis, we have demonstrated that regional white matter networks may share common mnemonic functions but also may be differentiated for memory types.


In sports literature and reporting the 'contract-year effect' has been treated as anything ranging from an old wives tale to a well-established fact. We note many instances of players' play falling off after landing a huge contract. In this paper we analyze the effect of being in the final year of the contract on player performance (as measured by the NBA efficiency index and using PER rating for a robustness check). Using the set of all NBA players from 1999 onwards we use a fixed effects regression model to determine that being in the last year of a contract causes a player to perform significantly better than in the year prior and that this effect is non-linear over the duration of the contract. We find that this effect is reduced for more experienced players- as players get further into their careers the change in performance level tends to flatten. We postulate a simple game theoretic model that forms the basis for and is consistent with the empirical results. This paper makes a contribution to the economics literature on career concerns and long-term contracts and should be of interest to sports agents, teams and athletes.


ABSTRACT There has been an increase in the number of pertussis cases reported since the introduction of the acellular pertussis vaccine. While children that present with pertussis have a characteristic whooping cough, adults can simply have a persistent, nonspecific cough and remain undiagnosed. Macrolide antibiotics, such as azithromycin, are the currently recommended treatment for pertussis. Solithromycin is a new macrolide and the first fluoroketolide with broad activity against a wide spectrum of bacterial pathogens and has completed clinical development for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. This study reports the potent in vitro activity of solithromycin against a collection of recent isolates of Bordetella pertussis.


The research aims at producing a valid biology module with local wisdom-based to senior high school students of Lubuklinggau. The research used research and development design with local wisdom-based. The development of the module refered to four D model which was developed by Thiagarajan. The model consists of four stages, namely Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate. However, the research was limited on the development stage, particularly on validation stage. The validity test on this stage was a theoretic validity, which is executed by the three experts. The validation included material validation, construction/media validation, and language validation. The result showed that the development met the validity criteria with material validity score 4,165; construction/media validity score 4,259; and language validity  score 4,338 categorised to be 'very valid'. In conclusion, the biology module developed with local wisdom-based to senior high school students of Lubuklinggau was valid.
Keywords: validity, biology module, local wisdom


Environmental pressures are driving automotive manufacturers towards light weight cost efficient structures. Composite materials have been shown to display high specific energy absorption levels thus offering opportunities for mass reduction over conventional steel structures. Whilst composites display these specific advantages, the mechanisms by which energy is absorbed are more complex and are preventing widespread acceptance of composite structures. This work aims to further scientific understanding of the crushing process and provide realistic data for a wide range of processing conditions and commonly used materials.

The main objectives of this study were to quantify the effect of industrial manufacturing conditions on the crush performance of composite structures, and to correlate the performance to a number of in-plane laminate properties. The manufacturing parameters considered are constituent material related (mould temperature, post-cure time and resin composition), interlaminar toughness related and process related (amount of binder and voidage).

The work presented in the thesis reports the results of axial crushing experiments, in-plane and inter-laminar testing performed on composite parts made from glass reinforced polyester and vinylester resins. The preforms were made from 2 fabrics; a continuous filament random mat and a 0/90° non crimp fabric. All parts were produced by resin transfer moulding (RTM) under conditions which were representative of medium volume industrial processing.

Constituent material results demonstrate clear advantages associated with the use of vinylester resin and that while relationships between all in-plane properties and the crush performance can be observed, the ultimate compressive stress is the most reliable indicator of this performance. Interlaminar toughness enhancement shows great promise for tailoring of the crush curve and increase in energy absorption of non-crimp fabrics. Results for the processing work are directly applicable to existing manufacturing and demonstrate the potential for real reductions in cycle time and increase in properties.


An assessment of the heliconia industry in the Caribbean was obtained through a survey of the major growers in Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago using a pre-tested questionnaire. The objective of the survey was to establish the status of the industry and to identify technological approaches used in production and postharvest management. Approximately 90% of the growers surveyed cultivated less than one acre, the remaining 10% cultivated from 5 to 30 acres. The low levels of fertilizers and pesticides used by the smaller growers were associated with lower yields and lower quality blooms which were sold mainly on the local market. Larger growers used a higher level of technological inputs and were involved in the export trade mainly to Canada, USA and Europe. Among the major problems which limit the marketability of this species are short shelf life of some varieties and generally low tolerance of blooms to cold temperatures during transport from grower to market. The problems and prospects for the export industry for heliconias in the Caribbean are examined.


In the spirit of Women's History Month, learn more about some of the extraordinary women in the fields of Physics, Astronomy, and Mathematics


The starting point for this study is that educational reform and educational research is moving in tandem, as could be expected from theoretical insights of the co-production of science and society in Science and Technology Studies. The ideas of relevance in educational research plays a vital role here and will be in focus when the interplay between the restructuring of educational systems and the reforming of educational research are analyzed. Our focuses on prevalent ideas of relevance in educational research aims to show ways in which these ideas has been important in the restructuring of educational systems and research and what consequences it has had on the expertise of teachers and researchers. The study is based on the case of educational reform in Sweden in relation to changing demands on educational expertise and research over a period of twenty years. The case is of special interest for understanding interrelations between educational restructuring and educational expertise. Swedish education is a radical example of (global) trends in restructuring since the early 1990s, but the transition of Swedish educational research follows only recently, and still with some exceptions, the very same trends. Our analyses are based on two different kinds of sources – a selection of policy documents from the Swedish government and documentation of strategic instruments developed and used by Swedish Research Councils for the renewal of educational research, as well as an analysis of the concrete outcome of its uses in terms of approved research applications. Our results are presenting large changes in educational research policy, which has moved educational research from (a) a disciplinary organization in terms of "pedagogic" towards a multidisciplinary "educational research field", and (b) which in tandem with Higher Education reforms has led to increased dependences and competition of external research funds, where (c) productivity in terms of international scientific publications is becoming the most important indicator for scientific quality. This dependency is combined with increasing demands for quantitative studies of school performances and international comparative studies of different kinds, all supposed to function in the control and surveillance of educational systems. However, these findings are complemented by another finding, where the relevancy of educational research for the teaching professions is emphasized, underlining the needs for praxis-relevant research either to be carried out in teacher education departments or otherwise expected to serve the needs of the teaching professions. Similar patterns are identified in Norwegian educational research policy and will be compared to the Swedish case. In sum, and taken together, our research findings shows a new and more subtle governing of the ways in which educational research now is engaging with educational practices on systems and school levels congenial to restructured education. It should alarm us for the prevalent dangers of creating an incapacity for more "radical" (reflexive and critical) forms of research practices to supersede current educational regimes.


The effect of a number of alkyl disulphones on the parameters of DNA melting following its treatment with the substances involved was studied under in vitro conditions: it was found that bis(acetyl oxyethylsulphonyl) methane and bis (formyl oxyethylsulphonyl) methane reduced the temperature of DNA melting. As a result of decomposition of oxyethylsulphone esters the corresponding vinylsulphones were formed. It is suggested that the parameters of DNA melting change under the influence of vinylsulphones being formed. There is some correlation between antitumor activity of alkyl disulphones and their capacity to interact with DNA. Inactive or insignificantly active substances would not influence the parameters of DNA melting, while the two substances under consideration possessed a high antitumor effect on ascites forms of animal tumors.


Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of fermentable protein (FP) on pig health and performance. FP is defined as the difference in ATTD CP and AID CP on a total CP basis. In experiment 1, 1,449 pigs (~19 d of age; initial BW = 5.9 ± 0.2 kg, 16 reps/trt, 22–23 pigs/pen) were blocked by pen location and randomly assigned to one of 4 treatments with FP levels of 1.36, 1.26, 1.16, and 1.06 in phase 1 (d 0–11) and phase 2 (d 11–20.5). FP was decreased primarily through the addition of soy protein concentrate (SPC) and the reduction of soybean meal (SBM). In experiment 2, 144 pigs (~21 d of age; initial BW = 4.7 ± 0.7 kg, 8 reps/trt, 3 pigs/pen) were blocked by weight and randomly allotted to one of 6 treatments with FP levels of 1.30, 1.24, 1.20, 1.15, 1.11, and 1.07 for phase 1 (d 0–7) and 1.22, 1.17, 1.13, 1.08, 1.03, and 0.99 for phase 2 (d 7–21). FP was decreased through the incremental replacement of soybean meal with hydrothermal mechanical processed (HTM) SBM. For both experiments, performance data was analyzed as a general linear model. Mortality and removal (M&R) and stool quality were analyzed as generalized linear mixed models, with a binomial or multinomial distribution, respectively. For experiment 1 (Table 1), the reduction in FP with SPC increased ADFI, decreased gain:feed, and reduced the probability of M&R from trial. For experiment 2 (Table 2), reduction of FP with HTM SBM linearly increased ADG, gain:feed, and probability of visually observing a more normal stool. A quadratic effect of reducing FP was also detected for ADG and ADFI. In conclusion, these two experiments highlight that reducing diet FP can influence health and performance of pigs.


How to manage a growing cultural and religious diversity with its origin in human mobility across the globe is a pressing theme in Europe. A process of shrinking tolerance of diversity in favour of the imposition of prohibitions of certain acts grounded in culture is now observed. Both female genital mutilation involving unjustified violence against children and women and other cultural practices believed to be oppressive, such as the full-face Islamic veil in public places, have been criminalized. This development prompts the question about the role of European judges in the enforcement and review of these bans. More generally, it brings into focus the prospects of judicial governance in times of diversity, whether it is to provide justice in individual cases, protect fundamental rights, or promote transparency in law-making processes. In this light, the aim of this paper is to examine the nature and degree of European judicial engagement with cases involving law-breaking depending on cultural differences. Of main interest are the challenges currently facing European judges in the process of judging and sanctioning the new crimes as well as in the performance of judicial review.


A comparative system-level overview is given of alternative class-D amplifier architectures. The theory behind pulsewidth modulation and different modulation schemes is discussed. Topological alternatives such as open-loop versus feedback and fixed-carrier versus self-oscillating are analyzed and compared in terms of relevant characteristics, such as distortion, power supply rejection, efficiency, and electromagnetic interference. The combination of digital-to-analog conversion and class-D amplifiers is discussed. Experimental results of an integrated circuit based on a simple architecture that combines the benefits of digital input with an analog feedback loop are presented.


Flicker contours for a square image of 3° visual angle, centered 6° on the temporal side of the fovea, the light sectored at a focus, are strikingly modified if the same illuminated area is arranged in four squares separated by a narrow opaque cross. The "cone" curves are made much steeper, and their abscissae of inflection (τ' are at higher intensities; Fmax. is not greatly changed, but alters less with change of light-time fraction in the flash cycle (tL). This modification is accompanied by a great enlargement of the scotopic segment of the duplex curves, consistent with the theory of the integrative relations of neural effects in the two groups of units involved. The changes are not consistent with the view that flicker end-points are determined by the activation of retinal cells with a fixed spatial distribution of invariable thresholds. At tL = 0.50 the 3° subdivided area gives very nearly the same contour as does a square 6° x 6°, with the same total perimeter of light-dark separation; the "edge effect" thus suggested is complicated by differences in the dependence of Fmax. and τ' upon tL. When an image pattern is produced by a grid of light bars separated by equally broad opaque spaces (10° x 10° over-all, centered at the fovea), the photopic flicker contours are made very steep and their midpoints are situated at quite low intensities, while the "rod" contribution tends to be more completely fused with the "cone" than is found for fields not subdivided. However, instead of a progressive increase of τ' with tL the curves for tL = 0.75 and 0.90 lie respectively below that for tL = 0.25 and 0.50 for a field of four broader stripes (1.43°) and both are below tL = 0.25 for a field of seven narrower stripes (0.77°). These latter changes are discussed in terms of the participation of subsidiary phenomena involving so called "γ movement." It is pointed out that since in these data σ1/Im is for each set of conditions a statistically constant quantity with a characteristic breadth of scatter σσ, it is possible to calculate a "coefficient of internal correlation" r which is a function of the conditions (as: image area, location, wave length of light, structure of image, light-time fraction) and which describes a property of any entire contour. The changes in r, as a function of the conditions of flicker excitation, reflect changes in the neural organization responsible for the liminal discrimination of flicker. It is shown that as consequence of simple changes in the image field, three parameters, as of the probability summation, are required for the description of a simplex flicker contour—since each of these is independently modifiable as to its magnitude and in its dependence on the light-time fraction. Subdivision of the image, with light sectored at a focus, produces in part only the changes in the flicker contour which we have earlier labelled the "pecten effect." In the latter, with light not sectored at a focus but with bar images moving across a field with inclined fixed opaque bars, the "cone" slope (dF/d log I) is sharply increased for tL > 0.50, but not below tL = 0.50, and the value of τ' is much less than it "should be." Consequently, the change in contrast brought about by the moving contact of light/dark borders is the significant factor in the "pecten effect," not simply pulsatile interruption of the light.


The figure is a simplified cross section of a microscopic optical switch that was partially developed at the time of reporting the information for this article. In a fully developed version, light would be coupled from an input optical fiber to one of two side-by-side output optical fibers. The optical connection between the input and the selected output fiber would be made via a microscopic ball lens. Switching of the optical connection from one output fiber to another would be effected by using a pair of thin-film shape-memory-alloy (SMA) actuators to toggle the lens between two resting switch positions. There are many optical switches some made of macroscopic parts by conventional fabrication techniques and some that are microfabricated and, hence, belong to the class of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Conventionally fabricated optical switches tend to be expensive. MEMS switches can be mass-produced at relatively low cost, but their attractiveness has been diminished by the fact that, heretofore, MEMS switches have usually been found to exhibit high insertion losses. The present switch is intended to serve as a prototype of low-loss MEMS switches. In addition, this is the first reported SMA-based optical switch. The optical fibers would be held in V grooves in a silicon frame. The lens would have a diameter of 1 m; it would be held by, and positioned between, the SMA actuators, which would be made of thin films of TiNi alloy. Although the SMA actuators are depicted here as having simple shapes for the sake of clarity of illustration, the real actuators would have complex, partly net-like shapes. With the exception of the lens and the optical fibers, the SMA actuators and other components of the switch would be made by microfabrication techniques. The components would be assembled into a sandwich structure to complete the fabrication of the switch. To effect switching, an electric current would be passed through one of the SMA actuators to heat it above its transition temperature, thereby causing it to deform to a different "remembered" shape. The two SMA actuators would be stiff enough that once switching had taken place and the electrical current was turned off, the lens would remain latched in the most recently selected position. In a test, the partially developed switch exhibited an insertion loss of only -1.9 dB and a switching contrast of 70 dB. One the basis of prior research on SMA actuators and assuming a lens displacement of 125 m between extreme positions, it has been estimated that the fully developed switch would be capable of operating at a frequency as high as 10 Hz.


The opsonic activity of two immunoglobulin preparations modified for intravenous infusion was tested against Streptococcus pneumoniae types 3, 7F, and 14 and two strains of Staphylococcus aureus by polymorphonuclear leukocyte uptake of 3H-thymidine-labeled bacteria. Reduced and alkylated immunoglobulin (Chem-IgG) and immunoglobulin prepared by chromatography with diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex (DEAE-IgG) were evaluated with and without complement and compared with the opsonic activity of immune serum globulin and heated pooled human serum. Opsonic activity of DEAE-IgG was greater than that of Chem-IgG and equivalent to the activity of immune serum globulin and pooled human serum against S. aureus 502A and type 3 pneumococcus. Both intravenous immunoglobulins had lower opsonic activity than either pooled human serum or immune serum globulin against type 14 pneumococcus. There were no differences in antibody avidity for pneumococcal antigen among the immunoglobulins tested. All four opsonins had similar opsonic activity against the protein A-deficient S. aureus Wood 46. Modification of immunoglobulin for intravenous infusion by chemical alteration may adversely affect opsonic activity by changing the Fc portion of the antibody molecule.


: During a one year period, 2.179 stool specimen coming from 1.608 children attending our Hospital, were reviewed. These children were both with or without gastrointestinal symptomatology. Rotavirus determination by an ELISA method and routine stool culture were performed to every specimen. Rotavirus incident in the symptomatic group is 27,61%, meanwhile bacterial pathogens represent a 27,29%. It is studied the seasonal variation of virus emission and its distribution depending on children age. According to those appreciations, we think that the method applied in our study is important in order to determine the causal agent of many infantile gastroenteritis.


India occupies 2.5 percent of the total land area of the world, but supports 16.7 percent of the world population. The per capita availability of agricultural land has shrunk to 0.3 hectare per farmer compared to over 11 hectares in the developed world. Land is the most important natural resource which embodies total ecosystem. Mining is a site specific industry and it cannot be shifted anywhere else from the location where mineral occur. Hence there is urgent need to reclaim and restore mined out land for its productive reuse. India is among the top ten mineral producing nations and contributes significantly in the production of coal, iron ore, bauxite, limestone and manganese ore in the world.To produce every million tons of coal, 4.0 hectare of land is degraded directly and another 4.0 hectares indirectly. The legal aspects of reclamation presently consider only bringing the mined out land to its original contour or to its original revenue earning capacity in India. There is no system of undertaking likes redeemable bonds as in European or American countries. Only the economic parameter is given highest weight age and filling up to the mined out land is still considered as best outcome of reclaimed land. Other uses which may be more socially and environmentally acceptable are overlooked. An attempt is made in this paper to develop a generalized matrix, covering environmental, social and economical parameters, which may help in selecting the best post mining land uses which are as per therequirements of local community. Presented case study will help understand the matrix solution.


Interpreting the predictions of existing Question Answering (QA) models is critical to many real-world intelligent applications, such as QA systems for healthcare, education, and finance. However, existing QA models lack interpretability and provide no feedback or explanation for end-users to help them understand why a specific prediction is the answer to a question. In this research, we argue that the evidences of an answer is critical to enhancing the interpretability of QA models. Unlike previous research that simply extracts several sentence(s) in the context as evidence, we are the first to explicitly define the concept of evidence as the supporting facts in a context which are informative, concise, and readable. Besides, we provide effective strategies to quantitatively measure the informativeness, conciseness and readability of evidence. Furthermore, we propose Grow-and-Clip Evidence Distillation (GCED) algorithm to extract evidences from the contexts by trade-off informativeness, conciseness, and readability. We conduct extensive experiments on the SQuAD and TriviaQA datasets with several baseline models to evaluate the effect of GCED on interpreting answers to questions. Human evaluation are also carried out to check the quality of distilled evidences. Experimental results show that automatic distilled evidences have human-like informativeness, conciseness and readability, which can enhance the interpretability of the answers to questions.


Recent studies demonstrated high expression of lysosome-associated membrane protein 3 (LAMP3) in a variety of malignancies including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, gastrointestinal cancer, breast cancer, and cervical cancer and its involvement in several biological activities of tumor cells. However, the expression of LAMP3 and its value in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain unclear. In this study, we examined the expression of LAMP3 in OSCC tissue samples and investigated the relationship between LAMP3 and clinical characteristics of patients with OSCC. We examined mRNA and protein levels of LAMP3 in OSCC tissues and neighboring normal tissues using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry analyses, respectively. Both the mRNA and protein levels of LAMP3 were significantly higher in OSCC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. Chi-square analysis showed that the high LAMP3 expression was notably linked to the degree of tumor differentiation and advanced TNM stage. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the high LAMP3 expression was an independent prognostic marker in OSCC. Our results suggest that LAMP3 might act as a potential anticancer target and a prognostic marker in patients with OSCC.


In this work the integral components of the cytoplasmic membrane, lecithin and cholesterol were used for mass spectrometry analysis carried out on polyhexamethyleneguanidine (PHMG) mixtures with lipids. The study was performed by mass-spectrometry methods of the MALDI-TOF MS. Our results showed that despite the common use of PHGM polymer derivatives as disinfectants the persistent intermolecular complexes of PHMG oligomers with lipids were not formed. The binding of polycation PHMG with the membrane has been explained by the model proposed. According to this model PHGM can adhere to negatively charged plasma membrane of bacterial cell due to electrostatic interaction and the formation of loop-like structures. Similar stereochemistry mechanism makes the adsorption of the investigated polycation to membrane robust. The mechanism described together with additional destructive factors provides a reasonable explanation for the PHMG induced damage of bacterial cell plasma membrane and the biocide action of disinfectants prepared on the basis of the PHMG salts.