The Phillips Curve (hereafter PC) is widely viewed as dead, destined to the mortuary scrapyard of discarded economic ideas. The coroner's evidence consists of the small standard deviation of the core inflation rate in the past two decades despite substantial volatility of the unemployment rate, and in particular the common tendency of PC inflation equations to predict ever greater amounts of negative inflation (i.e., deflation) over the years of labor-market slack since 2008, sometimes called "the case of the missing deflation". The apparent failure of the PC deprives the Fed of a means of estimating the natural rate of unemployment (or NAIRU), and thus the Fed is steering the economy in a fog with no navigational device to determine the size of the unemployment gap, one of the two primary goals of its "dual mandate." The results of this paper contain important new information for Fed policymakers, for Fed-watchers, and almost everyone else in the community of policy-makers and practitioners of applied macro. The greatest failure in the history of the PC occurred not within the past five years but rather in the mid-1970s, when the predicted negative relation between inflation and unemployment turned out to be utterly wrong. Instead inflation exhibited a strong positive correlation with unemployment. Failure bred success, as a revolution in thinking rebuilt macroeconomics to be not just about demand, but also about supply. By 1980 diagrams of shifting demand and supply curves had appeared in most macroeconomics textbooks. An econometric model of the inflation rate developed in 1982, soon dubbed the "triangle model", incorporated explicit variables for supply shifts and has successfully tracked inflation behavior since then. The triangle model shows that the puzzle of missing deflation is in fact no puzzle. It can estimate coefficients up to 1996 and then in a 16-year-long dynamic simulation, with no information on the actual values of lagged inflation, predict the 2013:Q1 value of inflation to within 0.50 of a percentage point. The slope of the PC relationship between inflation and unemployment does not decline by half or more, as in the recent literature, but instead is stable. The model's simulation success is furthered here by recognizing the greater impact on inflation of short-run unemployment (spells of 26 weeks or less) than of long-run unemployment. The implied NAIRU for the total unemployment rate has risen since 2007 from 4.8 to 6.5 percent, raising new challenges for the Fed's ability to carry out its dual mandate.


Aim: The purpose of this work was to study the dynamics of structural manifestations of acute cases of postpartum endometritis in cows. Materials and Methods: The light and electron microscopy methods were used when studying structural changes in the endometrium in case of postpartum endometritis in seven cows. Sections of endometrial specimens for light microscopy, 5-7 µm thick, were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and also by Van Gieson's. For electron microscopy, semi-thin sections were stained with Azur-2 in combination with basic fuchsin, as well as contrasting by lead citrate and uranyl acetate. Results: As a result of the study, we have established the following: Necrobiosis of the epithelial layer of the mucosa, cellular infiltration with shaped elements of blood in the functional layer, swelling of the cells of the uterine gland, and single microbial cells on the surface of the mucosa. We have noted edema of the stroma of the functional layer of the endometrium, swelling of the epithelial layer of the endometrial mucosa, and swelling of fibroblastic and lymphoid cells. Ultrastructural changes in endometrial cells in case of acute postpartum endometritis in cows are accompanied by the destruction of microvilli on the apical surface of the epithelium, an abundance of coccal microflora on the surface of the epithelium, necrobiosis of epithelial cells, and partial edema of the nucleus, and cytoplasm of the histiocyte. Conclusion: We had established that acute purulent-catarrhal dystrophic processes were observed in the structural organization of the endometrium. In the depth of catarrhal mucus on the surface of the endometrium, there was an abundance of bacterial flora, with diplococci being prevalent. In ultrastructural organization of the endometrium, we observed deep dystrophic and necrobiotic processes in the parenchyma and endometrial stroma, as well as exudative processes with a change in the integrity of the microcirculatory bed. Thus, to prevent an inflammatory process from turning into a latent form, it is necessary to detect acute postpartum endometritis promptly using diagnostic methods taking into account the obtained parameters of the dynamics of structural changes in the uterine tissues.


Cholinergic and nonadrenergic noncholinergic (NANC) excitatory nerves in guinea pig trachea are subject to presynaptic alpha-2 adrenoceptor inhibitory control. Although the trachea is also innervated by NANC inhibitory nerves, little is known about their presynaptic regulation. The present study assessed the capacity of alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists to modulate NANC inhibitory nerves and for comparison, cholinergic excitatory nerves in guinea pig trachea. To eliminate effects of intrinsic sympathetic nerve stimulation and prostanoid production, tissues were pretreated with guanethidine, propranolol and indomethacin. The alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist, clonidine (1 microM), induced a 12-fold rightward shift of the frequency-response curve for neurally mediated cholinergic contractions but had no effect on the concentration-response curve for exogenously administered acetylcholine. This action of clonidine was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by the alpha-2 adrenoceptor antagonist, yohimbine, and by the alpha-1 adrenoceptor antagonist, prazosin, NANC inhibitory responses were unaffected by clonidine (1 microM). The alpha-1 adrenoceptor agonist, phenylephrine (1 microM), failed to influence responses induced by cholinergic or NANC inhibitory nerve stimulation, acetylcholine or vasoactive intestinal peptide. Furthermore, in tissues treated with propranolol but not subjected to adrenergic neuronal blockade with guanethidine, neurally mediated cholinergic responses were not altered by yohimbine (0.3 microM) treatment. These results indicate that in guinea pig trachea: 1) cholinergic nerves are modulated by presynaptic, prazosin-sensitive inhibitory presynaptic alpha-2 adrenoceptors and 2) NANC inhibitory nerves do not possess presynaptic, modulatory alpha adrenoceptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


The development of low-cost environmental sensors is essential for effective management of our valuable water resources. Traditional water analysis involves manual collection of samples, transport and subsequent analysis in the laboratory. This is time and labour intensive, expensive and requires highly qualified personnel. Automation of this process enables more frequent analysis, saving time and money for researchers, industries and governing bodies. There is a huge and growing demand for low-cost water sensors as legislation becomes more stringent and as more frequent monitoring becomes essential for legislative compliance.
The aim of this thesis was to develop low-cost colourimetric sensors for the determination of water quality in situ. Microfluidic technology was employed to facilitate miniaturisation of colourimetric analytical methods onto a portable sensing device, enabling mixing of small volumes of water with chemical reagents to form a coloured product in the presence of the analyte of interest.
Two fully integrated centrifugal microfluidic sensors were designed and fabricated for rapid on-site water analysis. These sensors were developed for the determination of phosphate and chromium speciation in fresh water. Each sensor consisted of a microfluidic disc for method automation, a motor, absorbance based detection system, electronics board and was connected to a laptop for data collection. They were both validated against the standard colourimetric method, and applied to the measurement of river water and waste-water effluent samples.
A fully autonomous phosphate sensor was designed, fabricated, validated and deployed in an agricultural catchment site. This sensor employed a microfluidic chip coupled with syringe pumps for fluid manipulation. It incorporated its own power supply and was programmed to take periodic unassisted measurements, with on-board data storage.
Important considerations for sensor design included the sensitivity and selectivity of the analytical method, reagent stability, optical path length, material compatibility with reagents, use of low-cost components and overall robustness.


The editors are to be congratulated on their skill in marshalling a batch of 31 contributors, and in having achieved their object of making the volumes " reasonably comprehensive." No book on diseases of the chest would be complete nowadays without an article on the anatomy of the bronchi by Dr. Foster-Carter, and another on pulmonary tuberculosis in childhood by Dr. Margaret Macpherson. The readers will be glad to meet these two old friends in the first volume. In this volume also there is an informative article on the applied physiology of respiration. The limitations of bronchospirometry are pointed out, for, as the authors remark, the " information given from bronchospirometry is not often clinically helpful." Pulmonary tuberculosis is treated very fully from both the medical and surgical aspects. The different types of operation at present in fashion are described, but an article by a physician on the end results of surgical treatment would prove a valuable and illuminating addition. In the chapter on whooping-cough the reader is advised to give a child up to 10 years of age 20 g. of chloramphenicol spread over 10 days. This is a potentially fatal dose. On the same page the dose of ephedrine recommended is 8{ gr. three times a day for children up to the age of 5 years. This is almost certainly a fatal dose. In the second volume we find chapters on, among other subjects, diseases of the pleura, periarteritis nodosa, asthma, emphysema, and bronchiectasis; finally, there is an account of the value of physiotherapy in diseases of the chest. The most readable and living article from the clinical point of view is, in my opinion, that contributed by Dr. Boland on asthma. Those who like x-ray reproductions of diseases of the lungs will be pleased to find that 200 of the 870 pages in the two volumes are given up to these illustrations. Most of them are extremely well produced, and this book forms a valuable addition to the literature of diseases of the chest. On reading the various chapters one cannot fail to be impressed by the emphasis laid on the scientific and academic aspects of the work, and therein lies its strength. The clinical sections, however, are not so vivid. It is to be regretted that the senior editor has contributed no article to the book. With his wealth of clinical knowledge and vast experience of chest diseases he could have so enlivened the text that the reader would have arisen from its perusal stimulated and refreshed. G. E. BEAUMONT.


Patients unable to submit themselves to routine dental treatment under local anaesthesia were studied during treatment under diazepam sedation accompanied by local anaesthesia, and compared with a matched control group for psychiatric assessment. Physiological responses, operating conditions, amnesia, pain threshold, and recovery were all assessed by various tests. Some of the patients had an anxiety neurosis, and several had been referred because of previous failure to complete dental treatment. Satisfactory conditions were obtained in all but two instances, and no adverse physiological responses occurred with diazepam in an intravenous dose of 0·2 mg./kg. Patients were clinically safe to leave accompanied by a responsible adult within one hour of administration of the drug. Some patients showed an improvement in attitude towards dentistry following treatment.


Abstract Reed (1980) found that low islands and atolls in the tropical Pacific have a significant effect on measured rainfall. But direct examination of island data leads to the opposite conclusion. Reed and Elliott's (1979) rainfall estimates, the basis of Reed (1980), overestimate dry tropical islands and underestimate wetter islands by a factor of 2 or 3. Further, Reed and Elliott increasingly underestimate the tropical peak toward the west. Other observations are cited, such as satellite cloud analysis, that conflict with Reed (1980). It is concluded that the Reed (1980) analysis is flawed, and that the Reed and Elliott (1980) estimates are in error.


Quantum theory as a scientific revolution profoundly influenced human thought about the universe and governed forces of nature. Perhaps the historical development of quantum mechanics mimics the history of human scientific struggles from their beginning. This book, which brought together an international community of invited authors, represents a rich account of foundation, scientific history of quantum mechanics, relativistic quantum mechanics and field theory, and different methods to solve the Schrodinger equation. We wish for this collected volume to become an important reference for students and researchers.


-Previous work canied out by the authors (Wytch et al ., 1988a) has shown that airborne dust generated during removal of orthopaedic casts with a power saw could represent a respiratory hazard. Further work has been carried out on all types of splinting bandage currently available in the United Kingdom to assess the potential dust hazard when sawing these mate1ials. It has been shown that although plaster of Paris bandage produces significant concentrations of airborne dust, most of the polyurethane-impregnated fabric bandages generate extremely low levels of dust and in the case of the non-glass fabrics, the level is insignificant. However, it has been found that all types of splinting bandages generate particles small enough to reach the final divisions of the lungs. It is therefore recommended that a dust extraction unit is used when all types of splinting bandages are being removed with a power saw.


Photograph of the Texas Historical Commission marker for Whitesboro in Whitesboro, Texas. Text: Settlers moved to this site after Ambrose B. White (1811-83) camped here on his way west from Illinois in 1848. His inn here was on the Butterfield Stage route after 1858. The post office, opened in 1860, was named for White, who surveyed (1869) the townsite with Dr. W.H. Trolinger (1827-95), donor of land for a park. When Whitesboro incorporated in 1873, White was elected its first mayor. The Denison & Pacific Railroad, later part of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas, arrived in 1879; the Texas & Pacific in 1881. Today the area's economy is based on recreational facilities and peanut production.


'When one learns to observe Nature, one realizes very soon that one cannot do otherwise than love her... All during our work, we have understood that nothing is ever too small. Nobody here is too small and even the smallest of our ideas, if it comes from the heart, is already big enough to be shared... Even if it doesn't seem to be particularly good, it can provoke other ideas in the head and heart of all who listen to us. Nature herself doesn't despise what is small. Before becoming a big and strong tree, the grain is hidden in the earth. Therefore all our ideas to protect and preserve life on our planet are worth listening to...' (Pupil of the Ecole des Palettes, Grand-Lancy, Geneve). A very special event, of interest to everybody concerned with education and the environment, was held in Assisi, Italy, during 18-21 March 1988, to mark the end of the European Year of the Environment and the beginning of Spring: an International Children's Festival, which offered an International Forum to children of different cultural and bio-regional realities, in which to express their views. The era of the new ecological-universal culture has been enriched by making children part of it, and they have brought in a new enthusiasm and a fresh outlook.


Social media, as a major platform for communication and information exchange, is a rich repository of the opinions and sentiments of 2.3 billion users about a vast spectrum of topics. To sense the whys of certain social user's demands and cultural-driven interests, however, the knowledge embedded in the 1.8 billion pictures which are uploaded daily in public profiles has just started to be exploited since this process has been typically been text-based. Following this trend on visual-based social analysis, we present a novel methodology based on Deep Learning to build a combined image-and-text based personality trait model, trained with images posted together with words found highly correlated to specific personality traits. So the key contribution here is to explore whether OCEAN personality trait modeling can be addressed based on images, here called \emph{Mind{P}ics}, appearing with certain tags with psychological insights. We found that there is a correlation between those posted images and their accompanying texts, which can be successfully modeled using deep neural networks for personality estimation. The experimental results are consistent with previous cyber-psychology results based on texts or images. In addition, classification results on some traits show that some patterns emerge in the set of images corresponding to a specific text, in essence to those representing an abstract concept. These results open new avenues of research for further refining the proposed personality model under the supervision of psychology experts.


Morphological, physiological, and biochemical plant responses were studied in unstressed and stressed seedlings of indica rice ( Oryza sativa L.) genotypes. The effect of NB medium supplemented with a 100 mM mannitol treatment, which induced drought stress conditions, was measured for relative growth rate, cell membrane stability, antioxidant enzyme activity (superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT], and peroxidase [POD]), and total antioxidant capacity by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2 ′ -azino-bis[3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid] diammonium salt) assays. Results of morphological and physiological factors showed two contrasting rice groups, drought-sensitive and drought-tolerant genotypes. After drought stress, the increased rate of SOD activity was lower in drought-tolerant than in drought-sensitive genotypes, but the increased rate of CAT and POD activity and total antioxidant capacity was higher in drought-tolerant than in drought-sensitive genotypes. Increasing changes in activity levels of antioxidant enzymes and total antioxidant capacity indicated more rapid free radical scavenging compared with relative growth and cell membrane stability in drought-tolerant genotypes under short-term treatment. The trend toward change in CAT and POD antioxidant enzyme activity and total antioxidant capacity of stressed seedlings, as well as the correlation between these changes, and the morphological and physiological responses (0.96 correlation coefficient [R 2 ] between relative growth rate and CAT; 0.93 R 2 between relative growth rate and POD enzyme activity; 0.96 R 2 between relative growth rate and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity values) coincided with the degree of drought tolerance. ABSTRACT


This unit describes the isolation of monocytes from lymphocytes by adherence, gradient sedimentation on colloidal silica particles, and flow cytometry. Because the first two methods can result in cell activation (induction of gene expression or protein secretion), and the third is technically difficult, a fourth protocol is presented which describes counterflow centrifugal elutriation. This latter procedure can be used to isolate large numbers of purified, nonactivated monocytes.


Abstract : SCEPTRE is a FORTRAN IV computer program written for the IBM 7090/94 Data Processing System and the System/360 to provide circuit analysts with a tool for automatically computing the transient responses of large electrical networks. The versatility and features of this program facilitate the addition of the component radiation effects required to determine circuit responses in radiation environments. SCEPTRE is capable of performing both d-c steady state and transient analyses independently or in an automated initial conditions transient analysis mode. Volume I is a revised User's Manual for SCEPTRE. (Author)


The solicitude to molecularly imprinted conjugated polymers is flourishing due to their auspicious properties for a myriad of technological and industrial applications. The preparation conditions strongly affect the structure, optical, thermal, and electrical properties of these polymers. Subsequently, a consistent contemplation is desired to entrench consanguinity between processing stipulations and these variables. Here, molecularly imprinted polyaniline films, based ascorbic acid as a template, have been synthesized via electropolymerization technique. This template has been extracted from the films to create microporous polyaniline films. The morphology and structure of these films were investigated using X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric test showed an enhancement in the thermal stability of molecular imprinted polyaniline compared with non-imprinted techniques. The optical measurements showed that the rate of light absorption is increased twice with low transmission and reflection. The electrical conductivity increased by four orders with activation energy of 0.30 eV. The optoelectronic measurements of molecularly imprinted microporous polyaniline films showed that the filling factor and external quantum efficiency are enhanced compared with non-imprinted polyaniline films. POLYM. COMPOS., 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers


Two major volume Bragg grating (VBG) applications will be presented and in particular laser beam combining and holographically encoded phase masks. Laser beam combining is an approach where multiple lasers are combined to produce more power. Spectral beam combining is a technique in which different wavelengths are superimposed spatially (combined) using a dispersive element such as a volume Bragg grating. To reduce the complexity of such combining system instead of multiple individual VBGs, it will be demonstrated that a single holographic element with multiple VBGs recorded inside could be used for the same purpose. Similar multiplex volume holographic elements could be used for coher ent beam combining. In this case, the gratings operate at the same wavelength and have degenerate output. Such coherent combining using gratings written in photothermorefractive (PTR) glass will be discussed. The chapter also demonstrates that binary phase profiles may be encoded into volume Bragg gratings, and that for any probe beam capable of satisfying the Bragg condition of the hologram, this phase profile will be present in the diffracted beam. A multiplexed set of these holographic phase masks (HPMs) can simultaneously combine beams while also performing mode conversion. An approach for making HPMs fully achromatic by combining them with a pair of surface gratings will be outlined.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the role of miR-451a in the migration and invasion of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Quantitative Real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were performed to detect the levels of miR-451a and activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) in NSCLC. Transwell assay was employed to analyze the migratory and invasive abilities in NSCLC cells. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was applied to confirm the binding condition of miR-451 and its target gene in NSCLC cells.

RESULTS
MiR-451a was downregulated in NSCLC tissues and lung cancer cell lines A549 and NCI-H460, while ATF2 was upregulated. The mRNA level of miR-451a was negatively correlated to ATF2. Additionally, miR-451a regulated cell migration and invasion through targeting ATF2. Furthermore, ATF2 could reverse the inhibitory migration and invasion of A549 cells induced by miR-451a.

CONCLUSIONS
MiR-451a inhibits the migratory and invasive abilities of NSCLC cells through ATF2 regulation. The newly identified miR-451a/ATF2 axis provides a novel insight into the pathogenesis of NSCLC.


Registrars' offices at most universities face the daunting task of allocating course seats to students. Because demand exceeds supply for many courses, course allocation needs to be done equitably and efficiently. Many schools use bidding systems in which student bids are used both to infer preferences over courses and to determine student priorities for courses. However, this dual role of bids can result in course allocations not being market outcomes, and in unnecessary efficiency loss, which can potentially be avoided with the use of an appropriate market mechanism. We report the result of field and laboratory studies that compare a typical course-bidding mechanism with the alternate Gale-Shapley Pareto-dominant market mechanism. Results from the field study (conducted at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan) suggest that using the latter could vastly improve efficiency of course allocation systems while facilitating market outcomes. Laboratory experiments with greater design control confirm the superior efficiency of the Gale-Shapley mechanism. The paper tests theory that has important practical implications because it has the potential to affect the learning experience of very large numbers of students enrolled in educational institutions.


Summary Aquatic photosynthetic organisms unavoidably experience light fluctuations that vary in amplitude, duration and origin, compromising their photosynthetic efficiency. Weather conditions and underwater flow cause continuous changes in irradiance to which the organisms have to adapt. Many light-adaptation strategies of photosynthetic organisms, such as light acclimation, photoprotection and state transitions are still not well understood. In this thesis, time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy is used to obtain insight into the response of diatoms and cyanobacteria, both aquatic photosynthetic organisms, to changing light conditions. In chapter 2, photoacclimation (long-term acclimation to irradiance conditions) of the diatom Cyclotella meneghiniana is discussed. It is shown that the diatom cells fine-tune the amount of absorbed light energy by modifying their antenna size: cells grown in high light intensity have smaller antennas than those grown in low light. At the same time, the increase of growth light intensity leads to a decrease of the relative amount of photosystem I (PSI) as compared to PSII. Such a strategy might be beneficial for diatoms, since they are known to have an electron transfer cycle around PS II to release excess electrons produced in high light intensities. Besides discussing photoacclimation, we give a detailed description the fluorescence kinetics in C. meneghiniana. It is concluded that the diatom antenna, represented by light-harvesting fucoxanthin chlorophyll proteins (FCPs), transfer their excitation energy predominantly to PSII. FCPs associated with PSII are slightly richer in red-absorbing fucoxanthin than the FCPs associated with PSI, suggesting that PSII antennas (partly) constitute the antenna form FCPb (i.e. oligomeric antenna complexes). In chapter 3 the process of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ, thermal dissipation of excess absorbed light energy) of chlorophyll a fluorescence was studied in the same diatom species. Diatoms can rapidly switch on/off NPQ to respond to fast light-intensity changes in moving waters. They are capable to induce higher NPQ values than plants or other photosynthetic organisms. The reason for such high NPQ values, however, is not clear. We performed picosecond fluorescence measurements at 77K on cells locked in three different states: Besides using conventional unquenched and quenched states of the cells (in the absence and presence of the total NPQ component, respectively), we also performed measurements on the dark-adapted state directly following NPQ. In this state, diatoxantin (Dtx, a carotenoid related to NPQ), accumulated during the NPQ period and Dtx-related NPQ persists, while ΔpH-related NPQ has relaxed. In this way we revealed the following sequence of events during full development of NPQ. First, the pH gradient across the thylakoid membrane induces quenching of FCP trimers (FCPa complexes), while they are still part of PSII. This is followed by (partial) detachment of FCPa from PSII after which quenching persists. The pH gradient also causes the formation of Dtx, which leads to further quenching of isolated PSII cores and some aggregated FCPa. To summarize, quenching of PSII -both cores and complexes- and FCPa substantially contribute to NPQ in diatoms. The FCPb antenna form on the other hand does not contribute to the NPQ process. Certain aquatic photosynthetic organisms, such as cyanobacteria and green algae, can also cope with changing light conditions by dynamically varying the relative antenna size of PSI and of PSII. Consequently, a redistribution of light energy between the PSs is achieved. This phenomenon is called "state transitions". It is known to be driven via a change in the redox status of electron carriers between PSII and PSI. In cyanobacteria, this redox change can be achieved via dark-light transitions. However, the cascade of microscopic events that lead to subsequent energy redistribution in cyanobacteria is still not completely clear. In chapter 4, a study on dark-light transitions using the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 as a model organism is described. It is demonstrated that during dark to light transitions, there is mainly detachment of phycobilisomes (PBSs) (cyanobacterial antennas) from PSI, generally not followed by their attachment to PSII: only 15 % of the PBSs that detach from PSI actually move to PSII, while the major part remains detached from both PSs. We conclude that PSI-PSII-PBS megacomplexes, which were recently isolated using chemical cross-linking, are not involved in dark/light state transitions, suggesting that, if present, they are only transiently formed in cyanobacteria. To summarize, the findings presented in chapter 4 suggest that in cyanobacteria, unlike in green algae or higher plants, the main role of state transitions is to change the absorption cross-section of PSI, rather than that of PSII. In chapter 5, a study of the role of flv4-2 operon-encoded proteins in Synechocystis is described. Three genes are found in the operon: Flv4, Sll0218, and Flv2. Only recently flv4-2 operon-encoded proteins were found to constitute an additional photoprotective mechanism in a number of cyanobacteria by safeguarding PSII activity via an alternative electron chain. Its contribution becomes vital for the cells in high light and in air-level CO2, when the photosynthetic electron transport chain is over-reduced. It is demonstrated that deletion of the operon induces 20% PBS detachment. The reduced PSII dimer to monomer ratio, as a result of the absence of the small Sll0218 protein, favors a relative decrease of the PSII dimer content of about 20%, showing a direct correlation between PSII dimer destabilization and PBS detachment from reaction centers. On the other hand, the suggested binding of the Flv2/Flv4 heterodimer closely to the quinone B (QB) pocket in PSII increases the QB redox potential, thereby promoting forward electron transfer and increasing the charge separation rates in PSII. This activity of the Flv2/Flv4 heterodimer in combination with its earlier reported role as an electron acceptor in alternative electron chain provides more oxidized state of the PQ pool in high light and in air-level CO2.


The grief of bereavement is recognized as a severe psychosocial stressor that can trigger a variety of mental and physical disorders, and the long-lasting unresolved grief has a detrimental effect on brain functionality. Literature has documented mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) as an efficient treatment for improving well-being, specifically related to the mood and cognition, in a variety of populations. However, little attention has been devoted to neural mechanisms with regard to bereaved individuals' cognition after MBCT intervention. In this study, we recruited 23 bereaved participants who lost a significant relative within 6 months to 4 years to attend 8-week MBCT course. We used self-reporting questionnaires to measure emotion regulation and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with the numerical Stroop task to evaluate the MBCT effect on executive control among the bereaved participants. The self-reported questionnaires showed improvements on mindfulness and reductions in grief, difficulties in emotion regulation, anxiety, and depression after the MBCT intervention. The fMRI analysis demonstrated two scenarios: (1) the activity of the fronto-parietal network slightly declined accompanied with significant improvements in the reaction time of incongruent trials; (2) the activities in the posterior cingulate cortex and thalamus were positively associated with the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief, implying emotional interferences on cognitive functions. Results indicated that MBCT facilitated the executive control function by alleviating the emotional interferences over the cognitive functions and suggested that the 8-week MBCT intervention significantly improved both executive control and emotion regulation in bereaved individuals.


SIR,-Mr. J. P. Mitchell's paper (5 June, p. 567) succeeds admirably in its declared object of seeking to clarify and simplify this variegated subject. The more conservative approach to kidney trauma has truly emerged in the last two decades; nephrectomy is rarely the method of choice in its treatment. Mr. Mitchell rightly postulates a quandary for the surgeon-the decision confronting him whether or not to operate, and whenif he does so. In addition to the more usual, there is one little-recognized type of renal injury which provokes particularly anxious deliberation both in diagnosis and in treatment. This is when a direct blow to the region causes extensive damage to the parenchyma but is unaccompanied by any cortical tear; in other words formation of a subcapsular haematoma. With no tension-avoidance allowed by any superficial rent there is clinically persisting pain and tenderness in the renal angle. There may be no haematuria. When some 48 hours have elapsed intravenous pyelography will show distortion of the caliceal pattern. It is possible that conservation may succeed and the haematoma be absorbed. But if no relief to the intrarenal tension is forthcoming then complete destruction of the organ is also feasible. This comes about by a process of autolysis which can take a span of six months; the kidney may be transformed into an inert bag of pultaceous, macerated parenchyma admixed with blood elements. Infection can readily supervene under these circumstances. The decision whether such a closed injury should be decompressed by incision in the capsule is one calling for a high degree of experience and judgement. On two occasions I have had the unhappy exnerience of removing such functionless remnants and because of that I could be biased towards intervention if I felt reasonably assured of the precise diagnosis. I also wonder if these two defunct kidneys had been left alone would they have become, after an intermediate hydrocalycosis stage, the shrunken pathological specimens like the one itemized in Mr. Mitchell's follow-up of 56 cases? Was his the final remnant of an autolytic process?-I am, etc.,


Though the exact etiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is unknown, the contribution of immune cells in the disease process is completely acknowledged. T helper (Th) 1 and Th17-related cytokines are required for the disease development and progression, while Th2 and regulatory T cells (Tregs)-derived cytokines are protective. Studies have shown that sodium benzoate (NaB) can switch the balance of Th cell subsets toward Th2 and Tregs. The present study aimed to evaluate the possible effects of NaB on the expression of CD4+T cells-related cytokines and transcription factors in splenocytes derived from an animal model of RA, adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). AIA was induced in rats by injection of Freund's adjuvant containing mycobacterial antigens (Mtb). Splenocytes were isolated from AIA rats and restimulated ex vivo with Mtb in the presence or absence of NaB for 24 h. To determine the effects of NaB on the expression of T cells-related cytokine and transcription factor genes, real-time PCR was performed. NaB treatment of Mtb-stimulated splenocytes derived from arthritic rats resulted in significant increases in the gene expressions of Tregs-related cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β) and Foxp3 transcription factor, and significant decreases in the expression of Th1-related cytokines (TNF-α and IFN-γ) and the T-bet transcription factor. The ratios of Th1/Th2 (IFN-γ/IL-4), Th1/Treg (IFN-γ/TGF-β and IFN-γ/IL-10) and Th17/Treg (IL-17/IL-10 and IL-17/IL-10+TGF-β)-related cytokines were also significantly decreased. In conclusion, NaB can potentially be considered as a useful therapeutic agent for the treatment of RA and other Th1 and Th17-mediated diseases.


In most recent years, the laparoscopic or robotic posterior retroperitoneoscopic adren-alectomy (RPRA) has been used as an alternative to the laparoscopic transabdominal ap-proach. A 12-mm Covidien blunt balloon trocar has been used for the camera port in most previous posterior retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy (PRA) studies. This trocar is 100 mm in length and may not be long enough to dock the camera arm of the robot particularly in obese (BMI >35 kg/m 2 ) patients with deep and thick back walls. Here we describe a technique that uses a platform [GelPOINT mini advanced access platform (mini Gel-POINT)] for access in RPRA. A 52-year-old female with a history of multiple prior ab-dominal procedures presented with a 2 cm right adrenal mass and a BMI of 36.9 kg/m 2 . A 10–12 mm long trocar was used through the mini GelPOINT for the robotic camera. Two long robotic trocars were also utilized. A fourth 5 mm assistant port was added for retraction and to avoid additional costly robotic instrument. The total op-eration time was 95 minutes (docking and console times 20 and 75 minutes, respectively). Blood loss was minimal and there were no complications. The mini GelPOINT appears to be a feasible, safe and effective alternative for RPRA procedures in severely obese patients. It is associated with an easy setup, no balloon, and easy movement of the robotic camera trocar through the gel and appears to minimize subcutaneous emphysema.


ASPECT (Advanced Solver for Problems in Earth's ConvecTion) is a massively parallel finite element code originally designed for modeling thermal convection in the mantle with a Newtonian rheology. The code is characterized by modern numerical methods, high-performance parallelism and extensibility. This last characteristic is illustrated in this work: we have extended the use of ASPECT from global thermal convection modeling to upper mantle-scale applications of subduction. Subduction modeling generally requires the tracking of multiple materials with different properties and with nonlinear viscous and viscoplastic rheologies. To this end, we implemented a frictional plasticity criterion that is combined with a viscous diffusion and dislocation creep rheology. Because ASPECT uses compositional fields to represent different materials (and, since recently, tracers), all material parameters are made dependent on a user-specified number of fields. The goal of this paper is primarily to describe and validate our implementations of complex, multi-material rheology by reproducing the results of four well-known two-dimensional benchmarks: the indentor benchmark, the brick experiment, the sandbox experiment and the slab detachment benchmark. Furthermore, we aim to provide hands-on examples for prospective users by demonstrating the use of multi-material viscoplasticity with three-dimensional, thermomechanical models of oceanic subduction, putting ASPECT on the map as a community code for high-resolution, nonlinear rheology subduction modeling.


De Quervain's tenosynovitis (DQT) is a repetitive stress condition located at the first dorsal compartment of the wrist at the radial styloid. The extensor pollicis brevis (EPB) and abductor pollicis longus (APL) tendons and each tendon sheath are inflamed and this may result in thickening of the first dorsal extensor sheath. Workers who perform repetitive activities of the wrist and hand and those who rou-tinely use their thumbs in grasping and pinching motions in a repetitive manner are most susceptible to DQT. Conservative treatments include activity modification, modalities, orthotics, and manual therapy. This chapter identifies, in an evidence base manner through the literature, the most effective diagnostic measures for DQT. It also examines the evidence base on (or lack thereof) the treatment or treatment combinations to reduce pain and improve functional outcomes for patients with DQT.


Purpose: The Supply chain channel serves to strengthen positioning in competing to serve customers. This study examines the business unit in the supply chain channel in producing food products from Cowhide in Indonesia. There are many business units with high demand for rawhides from cattle for use as food products. Thus, this opportunity is utilized to increase the productivity of business units in Indonesia. This study aims to determine the business unit utilization in the supply chain channel by considering patterns of business processes, value-added products, and optimal supply chain strategies.Design/methodology/approach: The study interviews 18 business units of Cowhide in Indonesia, including two slaughterhouses, five cattle owners, three restaurants, two cowhide drying business units, one cowhide cracker business unit, three cowhide traders' traditional markets, one cowhide boiler business unit, and one retail shop. The SCOR model, Hayami, and discrete event simulation are integrated to analyze business unit utilization in Cowhide's food products' supply chain channel.Findings: There are five supply chain channels from 7 business units in food products. Then, the highest value-added product ratio was the cowhide cracker business unit at 31%. Finally, Channel 1 is the highest utilization rate of 40%. Moreover, the policymaker can study non-food products to compare cowhide raw materials' business unit utilization because Indonesia has many of these raw materials and is easy to obtain.Research limitations/implications: Further study is suggested to measure each business unit's performance in the supply chain channel and then strengthen institutions to increase productivity.Originality/value: This study needs to measure each business unit's performance in strengthening its supply chain strategy to optimize the supply chain channel. This study's implication can contribute to business units in improving their business processes and stakeholders in the decision-making process, including associations, communities, cooperatives, and the Government, in increasing the potential for economic growth on SMEs in especially of Cowhide.


Carbon sequestration through forestry and agroforestry can help mitigate global warming. For Africa, carbon sequestration also represents an opportunity to fund sustainable development through financial inflows. However, with a low share of global carbon trade, there are strong concerns that African countries are losing out on this valuable opportunity. Through a comprehensive review of 23 carbon sequestration projects across 14 countries, this paper discusses ways to overcome critical challenges to scale up carbon investments in Africa. These projects are expected to sequester 26.85 million tCO2 beyond the baseline situation. Within the continent, East Africa is the preferred destination for carbon investors. Most projects are non-Kyoto compliant and represent voluntary emission reductions. While project benefits such as increased local incomes and improved natural resources are promising, there are concerns that conversion of grasslands into tree plantations can harm local ecosystems. Insecure land tenure constrains new investments and increases the risk that local communities will lose access to forests. Another challenge is that projects with smallholders have high transaction costs. These costs can be overcome by building strong community institutions and simplifying project guidelines. To attract more projects, African governments will need to build their capacity to identify relevant opportunities.


Towards high-current wire application of high-temperature superconductors, YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// (YBCO) thick films are grown by means of a liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) process on a [001] surface of NiO single crystal and laser-sputtered NiO buffer layer deposited on a [001] surface of SrTiO/sub 3/ single crystal. NiO buffer layers can be rapidly formed on textured Ni tape by the recently developed "surface-oxidation-epitaxy" (SOE) technique which is expected to be a low-cost production method of long metal substrates with highly-textured oxide buffer layer. LPE growth on SOE-buffered textured Ni tapes are also attempted. Moreover, we successfully prepared /spl sim/0.1 m-long LPE-YBCO tapes on {120} Ag-0.1 wt.% Cu alloy tape by using a specially designed LPE furnace equipped with a "reel-to-reel" attachment. BaF/sub 2/-added BaO-CuO flux is used in this work, in which the growth temperature of YBCO is drastically lowered from the usually used value of /spl sim/1000/spl deg/C down to 900-930/spl deg/C. While current transport performances of these LPE-YBCO films are still insufficient for high-current wire application, the present results show the high potential of this LPE process for long-length coated-conductor production.


Objective Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and one of the leading causes of job loss and motor disabilities. Recently, the involvement of dopaminergic pathways and dopamine receptor genes has been considered in this disease. Therefore, studying and comparing the expression pattern of these receptor genes can lead to a greater understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease. Methods In this research, we used the systems biology approach to investigate the role of the dopaminergic pathway in osteoarthritis. Then the gene expression pattern of dopamine receptor genes was examined in an osteoarthritis patientgroup in comparison with healthy individuals by Real-time PCR method. Results The analysis of the transcriptome dataset of osteoarthritis identified some genes in the dopaminergic pathway and the six most important genes in this disease are in the network with a significant relationship to dopamine receptors which differentially expressed compared to health groups. Statistical analysis of the case control study showed a significant difference (P-value<0.05) in DRD1 and DRD2 family in the patients in comparison to healthy individuals. Discussion We attained the significant expression pattern of dopamine receptors in the blood of osteoarthritis patients which could be useful to identify new strategies for the diagnosis, management, or treatment of this disease.


Abstract This paper presents an analysis procedure to improve school design. The procedure uses design parameters, precedent examples and comparisons for a Brazilian context. A literature review on methods and tools to analyse and evaluate architectural school design projects was undertaken. Three methods were singled out to structure the procedure. Design parameters were selected specifically for the Foundation for Educational Development (Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Educação - FDE). The FDE manages over 5,000 public (non-private) school buildings in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The literature on school architecture supplied the precedent examples. The procedure contains a structured design analysis method based on design parameters and comparisons between precedents and local design solutions. Tests on 34 design proposals brought to light important parameters for school design and decision-making was more transparent and efficient. The procedure broadens reflections on multidisciplinary aspects of the contemporary school environment and is seen as a design process tool for various contexts to inspire school architecture with users and learning in mind.


Abstract A facile test system based on the accumulation of benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids in Eschscholzia californica cell suspension culture (an indicator of defense gene activation) has been used to analyze a series of synthetic compounds for elicitor-like activity. Of the 200 jasmonic acid and coronatine analogs tested with this system, representative results obtained with 49 of them are presented here. The following can be summarized concerning structure-activity relationships: there is a large degree of plasticity allowed at the C-3 of jasmonic acid in the activation of defense genes. The carbonyl moiety is not strictly required, but exocyclic double bond character appears necessary. The pentenyl side chain at C-2 cannot tolerate bulky groups at the terminal carbon and still be biologically active. Substitutions to the C-1′ position are tolerated if they can potentially undergo β-oxidation. Either an alkanoic acid or methyl ester is required at C-1, or a side chain that can be shortened by β-oxidation or by peptidase hydrolysis. Coronatine and various derivatives thereof are not as effective as jasmonic acid, and derivatives in inducing benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloid accumulation. Jasmonic acid rather than the octadecanoic precursors is therefore considered to be a likely signal transducer of defense gene activation in planta.


Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance spectroscopy (DWS) has considerable potential in clinical and research applications. However, it is seldom implemented in conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners due to the strict hardware requirements. We propose an interleaving gradient magnetic field (IGMF) method based on point resolved spectroscopy (PRESS). Four interlaced powerful diffusion sensitive gradient magnetic fields are positioned around the two π refocusing rf pulses in the PRESS sequence. This method utilizes the interval time in the PRESS pulse sequence, doubles the duration time of the diffusion sensitive gradient magnetic field and decreases the detrimental effect of the induced eddy current. The results of theoretical analysis and experimental observation demonstrate that the IGMF method is suitable for conventional MRI scanners.


A policy iteration algorithm of adaptive dynamic programming(ADP) is developed to solve the optimal tracking control for a class of discrete-time chaotic systems. By system transformations, the optimal tracking problem is transformed into an optimal regulation one. The policy iteration algorithm for discrete-time chaotic systems is first described. Then,the convergence and admissibility properties of the developed policy iteration algorithm are presented, which show that the transformed chaotic system can be stabilized under an arbitrary iterative control law and the iterative performance index function simultaneously converges to the optimum. By implementing the policy iteration algorithm via neural networks,the developed optimal tracking control scheme for chaotic systems is verified by a simulation.


Medicinal and aromatic plants are important sources for plant secondary metabolites. The genetic manipulation of plants associated with in vitro plant regeneration systems facilitates efforts to engineer secondary product metabolic pathways. The fungal infections have been increasing in recent years due to several factors, namely, the increased incidence of high-risk patients, particularly immunocompromised hosts. Aromatic plants have been empirically used as antimicrobial agents, but the mechanisms of action are still unknown. Thyme has a great interest due to the possibility of its use in different applications, in medicine, in the cosmetic industry, or as food additives. Several studies have shown that thyme oils possess antimicrobial activity. Increasingly, plant breeding has taken advantage of molecular biology developments in order to genotype the species of interest to accelerate their selection. These approaches consist in choosing desired genotypes based on molecular markers or the knowledge of the genes involved in a particular trait. The in vitro culture techniques can be used to multiply plants selected after molecular and antifungal studies. The course of the investigation and the current state in relation to micropropagation, molecular studies, and antifungal action of the Thymus genus plants will be presented.


The rates of Bronsted-acid-catalyzed reactions of ethyl tert-butyl ether, tert-butanol, levoglucosan, 1,2-propanediol, fructose, cellobiose, and xylitol were measured in solvent mixtures of water with three polar aprotic cosolvents: γ-valerolactone; 1,4-dioxane; and tetrahydrofuran. As the water content of the solvent environment decreases, reactants with more hydroxyl groups have higher catalytic turnover rates for both hydrolysis and dehydration reactions. We present classical molecular dynamics simulations to explain these solvent effects in terms of three simulation-derived observables: (1) the extent of water enrichment in the local solvent domain of the reactant; (2) the average hydrogen bonding lifetime between water molecules and the reactant; and (3) the fraction of the reactant accessible surface area occupied by hydroxyl groups, all as a function of solvent composition. We develop a model, constituted by linear combinations of these three observables, that predicts experimentally determined rate constants as a function of solvent composition for the entire set of acid-catalyzed reactions.


An AR-enhanced contextualized learning was developed to facilitate EFL learning for junior high school students. A preliminary study was conducted to examine the effects of levels of prior knowledge (low vs. high) on participants' learning effectiveness and attitude toward the implemented AR-enhanced theme-based contextualized learning. The analysis suggested that prior knowledge affected participants' learning from the experimental AR-enhanced learning. With the advantage in prior knowledge, the high prior knowledge learners outperformed the low prior knowledge learners both in comprehension and application performance and possessed higher degrees of confidence, preferences, deep learning and learning strategy but with lower degrees of anxiety. It was suggested that suitable learning supports need to be considered to adapt to EFL beginners' levels of prior knowledge in order to facilitate their learning.


Original approval signatures are on file with the University of Oregon Graduate School. The Drosophila neuroblast undergoes repeated asymmetric cell divisions that produce one daughter cell that assumes a neuronal fate and another that remains a neuroblast. During mitosis, the neuroblast polarizes the conserved Par polarity complex to the apical cortex, which is responsible for segregating fate determinants to the basal cell cortex. Polarity is accompanied by orientation of the mitotic spindle through the proteins Pins, Mud, and Dlg to ensure that the cleavage furrow properly segregates the fate determinants. The adaptor protein Inscuteable coordinates these two pathways. In my work, I have addressed how asymmetrically dividing cells are dynamically polarized during the cell cycle and how the resulting polarity is coupled to spindle position. To address how neuroblast polarity is dynamically controlled, I identified the protein Inscuteable as a continuously polarized cue for Par complex localization during mitosis. Inscuteable and Bazooka, a member of the Par complex, interact directly and form a complex that is regulated by the mitotic kinase Aurora A. Regulating this interaction allows for cell-cycle dependent establishment of polarity and for the subsequent loss of polarity after the cell divides. v To investigate how Par complex directed polarity is connected to spindle position, I investigated the effect of Inscuteable binding on the spindle orientation ability of the protein Pins. When bound to Inscuteable, Pins' spindle orientation activity becomes repressed. Inscuteable competes with Mud for Pins binding and represses the Gai-Pins-Mud signaling pathway. Function of the parallel Pins-Dlg pathway remains unaffected. This repression behavior may allow differential timing of spindle attachment (through Dlg) and spindle shortening (through Mud) pathways that ensures correct alignment of the mitotic spindle. I was able to model the spindle orientation behavior of Pins using a synthetic protein containing activation sites that have different affinities for the activator. Changing the number and affinities of these activation sites leads to different response profiles that mimic the ultrasensitive behavior of Pins using a non-cooperative mechanism. Together, these regulatory mechanisms cooperate to allow for spatial and temporal control of polarity and for physical connection of polarity to the mitotic spindle. This dissertation includes previously published and unpublished co-authored material. Prehoda for his guidance during my time in graduate school and for his assistance in preparing this manuscript. His constant encouragement and guidance of my professional development throughout my time in his lab has had an immeasurable …


Waardenburg, a Dutch ophthalmologist and geneticist, first described the syndrome bearing his name in 1948. 1 He listed six components with varying degrees of penetrance as comprising the syndrome 2 : lateral displacement of the inner canthi in 99%, prominent root of the nose in 78%, meeting of the eyebrows in 45%, white forelock in 17%, heterochromia of the iris in 25%, and congenital deafness in 20%. Both sexes are affected, but deafness is more often found in males. Waardenburg thought originally that the syndrome occurred only among Dutch people, but later authors have reported cases in several races and nationalities. 3-6 Waardenburg's syndrome is often associated with cleft lip or palate or both. The lateral displacement of the inner canthi is combined with lateral displacement of the lacrimal ducts. The palpebral fissure is smaller than average because of blepharophimosis so that the eyeball medial to the pupil is partly covered


AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF DRY PARTICLE COATING: DEVICES, OPERATING PARAMETERS AND APPLICATIONS by Michelle Ramlakhan Mohan Dry particle coating, which mechanically coats fine guest particles onto the surfaces of larger host particles, without binders or solvents, is investigated. Several systems of host and guest particles are coated in different devices to study various aspects of dry particle coating. The devices used are Magnetically Assisted Impaction Coating (MAIC) device, Mechanofusion, and the Hybridizer. MAIC is used to coat fine SiO2 guest particles onto the surface of larger cornstarch and cellulose host particles. This is done to simultaneously improve the flowability of the host particles, as well as reduce their hydrophilicity. Dry particle coating is used to increase the sintering temperatures of particulate materials (host), by application of a monolayer of a highly refractory material (guest), promoting deactivated sintering. This phenomenon has not previously been reported, although activated sintering (decreasing the sintering temperatures of metallic and ceramic particles) is well established in the literature. The products analyzed in the deactivated sintering studies are coated in MAIC, Mechanofusion and the Hybridizer. The key parameters affecting the coating performance of the dry coating devices are examined. The key parameters of MAIC are magnetic particle size, magnetic particle to powder mass ratio, frequency, current and processing time. The effects of the rotation and translation motion of the magnetic particles are also investigated. In Mechanofusion and the Hybridizer, the key parameters examined are rotation speed and processing time. The coating performance of the three devices is compared by examining contamination and adhesion of the coated products. Quantification of the contaminants on the products is achieved by measuring the amount of iron, nickel, and chromium in the sample. Adhesion of the guest to the host particles is conducted by subjecting the products to ultrasonic vibrations, to examine the amount of material that becomes detached from the surface. Based on this work, dry particle coating is shown to be viable for the production of composites with new/improved functionalities. The coating performance of the devices as a function of their key parameters is successfully investigated. Also, the first comparative look of dry particle coating devices, in the areas of product contamination and guest-host particle adhesion is presented. AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF DRY PARTICLE COATING: DEVICES, OPERATING PARAMETERS AND APPLICATIONS by Michelle Ramlakhan Mohan A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of New Jersey Institute of Technology in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering Department of Chemical Engineering Chemistry, and Environmental Science


Abstract With the advancement in understanding of the physics inside chaotic systems, chaos has been harnessed from a nuisance to a beneficial factor in optical devices. Light–matter interaction in chaotic systems has been utilised for improving broadband energy harvesting and momentum transformations, achieving light localization beyond diffraction limit and even stabilizing the dynamics of high power laser. While extensive study about wave chaos has been made in deformed microcavities, investigation of how chaos dynamics evolves in curved space manifold remains elusive. Here, we study the non-Euclidean billiard of a torus-like manifold, which is a closed 2D cavity system with effective periodic boundaries. The ray chaotic behaviours on the deformed toroidal surface are explored using the geodesic equation. By tuning the deformation parameter of the torus, we observe the transition of the billiard from the ordered phase state to mixed phase states and then complete ray chaos. The photon sphere of the torus is identified as the transition position from ordered states to chaotic states. Compared with other chaotic behaviours resulted from the random scattering inside deformed cavities, we demonstrate chaotic dynamics purely on a curved surface, which may shed light on the better understanding of chaos in optics.


Abstract Cell Research Experiment In Microgravity (CRExIM) was launched aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital vehicle on Tuesday, December 12, 2017, from the West Texas Launch Site in Van Horn, Texas. One of the aims of this science experiment was to assess the effects of microgravity on murine T-cells during suborbital flight. These cells were placed in a NanoLab with a data logger that sensed the acceleration, temperature, and relative humidity during preflight, flight, and postflight operations. Some discrepancies in sensor measurement were noticed, and these errors were attributed partly to the difference in sampling rates and partly to the different locations of the sensors, which made it difficult to obtain highly accurate measurements of the accelerations and to correlate both sets of data. This paper discusses the setbacks and lessons learned, which made our team find new alternatives while meeting all milestones as mandated by NanoRacks and Blue Origin. This manuscript highlights these alternatives that led to the success of the mission and gives recommendations that will enable customers to alleviate some of these challenges in future flights.


Alternative cancer treatment with nutritional/dietary supplements containing a wide variety of herbal products is on the rise in Western countries. Recent epidemiological studies have suggested that mushrooms may prevent against different types of cancers. Phellinus linteus is a well-known Oriental medicinal fungus with a variety of biological activities, including immunomodulatory or direct antitumor activities. The activity of P. linteus and its extracts is associated with the presence of polysaccharides, their peptide/protein complexes and other low molecular weight complexes. Polysaccharide fractions isolated from P. linteus were found to be related to the increased activity of immune cells such as the production of cytokines by macrophages and B-cells or the increased cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells. Moreover, P. linteus was found to modulate the expression or activity of various genes involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, invasive behavior and chemoprevention. Finally, P. linteus extracts demonstrated tumor regression in three independent case reports, suggesting that an extract from P. linteus or a dietary supplement based on the extract from P. linteus may have potential use for the alternative treatment of cancer.


CHA1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the gene for the catabolic L-serine (L-threonine) dehydratase, which is responsible for biodegradation of serine and threonine. We have previously shown that expression of the CHA1 gene is transcriptionally induced by serine and threonine. Northern (RNA) analysis showed that the additional presence of good nitrogen sources affects induction. This may well be due to inducer exclusion. To identify interactions of cis-acting elements with trans activators of the CHA1 promoter, we performed band shift assays of nuclear protein extracts with CHA1 promoter fragments. By this approach, we identified a protein-binding site of the CHA1 promoter. The footprint of this protein contains the ABF1-binding site consensus sequence. This in vitro binding activity is present irrespectively of CHA1 induction. By deletion analysis, two other elements of the CHA1 promoter, UAS1CHA and UAS2CHA, which are needed for induction of the CHA1 gene were identified. Each of the two sequence elements is sufficient to confer serine and threonine induction upon the CYC1 promoter when substituting its upstream activating sequence. Further, in a cha4 mutant strain which is unable to grow with serine or threonine as the sole nitrogen source, the function of UAS1CHA, as well as that of UAS2CHA, is obstructed.


Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have many important applications, such as in biomedical technology and nanofluidics. However, dynamic behaviors of atom collision and pattern formation inside CNTs are not fully understood. In this research, we use molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study argon cluster behaviors after collision inside CNTs. Results show that the dynamics of collision of argon clusters is very different from that without the presence of a CNT or when the CNT is submerged in argon atoms. Argon atoms will form multi-layer cylindrical configurations inside the CNT and the configuration of the outer cylinder can be described by a 2D close-packing lattice model. Moreover, the CNT chirality influences the orientations of argon atoms in the cylindrical layouts. Interactions among the CNT and different layers of argons in cylindrical layouts exhibit a compression effect to keep the atoms stay at "snugly fit" positions. Overall, the CNT has the effect of imposing a regularity on the atoms inside. The study can potentially shed light on a wide range of nanoscale processes such as drug metabolism and other chemical reactions in organisms, where CNTs may be employed to control the processes.


In this paper, our focus is on the education of children from the Muslim Minority in Western Thrace, an administrative region of Greece. Education in Thrace is a sensitive issue that affects and is influenced by the bilateral relations between Greece and Turkey. More specifically, our research aimed to explore teachers of Muslim origins' approaches, views and beliefs regarding Muslim students' schooling. To this end, our research explored these issues in a Case Study using semi-structured interviews of Muslim teachers in Thrace. Our findings show that the policy of positive discrimination that had been applied to members of the Muslim Minority of Western Thrace for more than twenty years, has had positive results, but has now reached its limits. We believe that the findings of our research can inform policy makers, colleges and schools of education, as well as teachers by providing a better understanding of Muslim teachers' prospects and needs.


This definitive volume details the ins and outs of construction in all its fascinating forms. Ever wondered how a suspension bridge can cross a gap thousands of feet wide? Or what keeps a massive cathedral dome from collapsing? Find out the answers to these and many more questions in "Steven Caney's Ultimate Building Book" - a wonderfully comprehensive exploration of design, construction and invention that will stimulate the curiosity of children and adults alike. Packed with exciting building projects guaranteed to engage anyone from 4 to 104, the "Ultimate Building Book" gives easy-to-follow instructions for creating amazing models and toys that are almost as much fun to make as they are to play with. Readers are also introduced to a wide variety of household materials and tools that can be used for building, along with fascinating insights into the architectural and design properties of everything from drinking straws to yurts. A mammoth project in its own right, this book has been under construction for more than a decade. The result is hundreds of superbly illustrated page that will enlighten and fascinate armchair architects of all ages for years to come.


Small-cell bladder cancer is a rare form and composes less than 1% of primary bladder malignancies. We present a case with a large small-cell bladder cancer leading to acute kidney failure clinic without gross hematuria. Computed tomography revealed that all the bladder walls were invaded by the extensive tumor and bilateral hydronephrosis. Double J stent for left side and nephrostomy tube for the right side were inserted, and bladder biopsy was taken by transurethral resection. Pathologic examination revealed small-cell bladder cancer. The patient did not accept chemotherapy. He died because of the acute renal failure 4 months later since the beginning. J Med Cases. 2014;5(8):445-448 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc1865w


A frequent problem in inertial stabilization control systems is the rejection of disturbances associated with moving components. Very often such disturbances are nonlinear and time varying. A prime example is the relative motion of components within a gimbal; in this case, nonlinear bearing friction induces a destabilizing torque from base motion to the component being stabilized. This paper presents a linear quadratic Gaussian algorithm, based on a simple first-order linear stochastic differential equation, for estimating and compensating in real time a particular class of disturbances that can be modeled as a plus or minus unknown slowly changing random value which is characterized by nonlinear Coulomb friction. Results of computer simulations testing the control algorithm are presented along with actual measurements from a laboratory brassboard system. The results reveal a noteworthy improvement in disturbance rejection as compared with a conventional PI controller with notch filters.


RTIL nanofilms have been evaluated for potential application as HAMR lubricants. The experimental results showed that RTILs are thermally more stable than Zdol and Ztetraol. Based on a 0-order kinetic model, the best RTIL is estimated to be able to survive ~108-109 HAMR writes when the heating temperature is 400 °C. The RTILs containing fluorinated anions are readily solvable in Vertrel XF solvent and can be applied on the media by dip-coating. The lube uniformity of RTILs on COC is excellent and no dewetting is observed even when the RTIL nanofilm is as thick as 10 nm. The bonded ratio of RTILs is lower than Zdol/Ztetraol while the friction coefficient of RTILs is comparable to Zdol/Ztetraol.


In the twenty' first century, earth's temperature will rise 0.8degrees to 4.8degreesC than 1990', with no CO2 emissions control. The rate is 6-40 times of temperature change in glacial to interglacial. The direct effect of aerosol produced by land use is caused by the absorption and scattering of solar radiation. The cooling effect of aerosol has been estimated by climate models to be -1 to -4.4 Wm(-2) in the global mean. Such results might indicate that human activity may be altering clouds and natural precipitation on a global scale. Deforestation could decrease precipitation and increase the length of the dry season via the mechanisms between climate and ecosystem. All of these, without fail, the areal development in economy is at the bottom of. The average of global agricultural land base in 2050 will be 18% larger than at present. Economic policy of countries over the world is the most active factor for environmental change coming 100 years.


Language Models (LMs) become outdated as the world changes; they often fail to perform tasks requiring recent factual information which was absent or different during training, a phenomenon called temporal misalignment. This is especially a challenging problem because the research community still lacks a coherent dataset for assessing the adaptability of LMs to frequently-updated knowledge corpus such as Wikipedia. To this end, we introduce TemporalWiki, a lifelong benchmark for ever-evolving LMs that utilizes the difference between consecutive snapshots of English Wikipedia and English Wikidata for training and evaluation, respectively. The benchmark hence allows researchers to periodically track an LM's ability to retain previous knowledge and acquire updated/new knowledge at each point in time. We also find that training an LM on the diff data through continual learning methods achieves similar or better perplexity than on the entire snapshot in our benchmark with 12 times less computational cost, which verifies that factual knowledge in LMs can be safely updated with minimal training data via continual learning.


Accurate recognition of Gleason pattern 5 (GP5) prostate adenocarcinoma on needle biopsy is critical as it is associated with disease progression and adverse clinical outcome. Despite important implications of this diagnosis, interobserver variation in the diagnosis of GP5 has not been adequately studied. Digital images of 66 prostate adenocarcinoma cases that potentially contained a GP5 component were distributed to 16 urologic pathologists who were asked to classify whether GP5 was present. Each image was initially classified into 1 of 4 morphologic subpatterns by 2 coauthors (R.B.S. and M.Z.): solid nests (15), comedocarcinoma (8), single cells and/or cords (35), and variant morphology (8). Additional features captured included: size (large: >20 cells, medium: 10 to 20 cells, and small: <10 cells) and distribution of nuclei (uniform vs. nonuniform) for nests pattern; intraluminal coagulative tumor necrosis, karyorrhectic debris, and amorphous material for comedocarcinoma pattern; and quantity (⩽5, 6 to 10, and >10) and distribution (clustered vs. intermixed with adjacent well-formed glands) for single cells/cords pattern. Interobserver reproducibility of a diagnosis of GP5 was assessed and the morphologic subpatterns and features were correlated with the consensus diagnosis (defined as 75% agreement). Interobserver reproducibility for overall diagnostic agreement was fair (&kgr;=0.376). Among subpatterns, comedocarcinoma had highest reproducibility (&kgr;=0.499), followed by variant morphology (&kgr;=0.443), single cells/cords (&kgr;=0.369), and nests (&kgr;=0.347). All cases with the following features achieved consensus for GP5: large nests regardless of nuclear distribution; coagulative necrosis with or without karyorrhectic debris; single cells/cords >10 or 6 to 10 in a cluster; and signet ring-like cells in single cells or within nests pattern. A majority of cases with the following features achieved consensus against GP5: medium-size nests; exclusive intraluminal amorphous material; single cells/cords ⩽5; and Paneth cell change. Remaining morphologic features did not reach consensus for or against GP5. A majority (86%) of participants would diagnose a small focus of GP5 only when it is present in >1 level. The diagnostic reproducibility of GP5 within certain morphologies was only fair among urologic pathologists. However, the diagnosis of GP5 was more reproducible when certain restrictive morphologic and quantitative criteria were applied. These findings suggest that additional studies are needed to find highly reproducible features of GP5 associated with documented aggressive clinical outcome.


The Polymerase Chain Reaction is a technique in molecular biology, that allows million-fold amplification of DNA-fragments. It is based on specific oligonucleotides used as starting segments (primers) of both sides of the genomic region to be studied. This chain reaction is characterized by three steps: denaturation of DNA by increasing the temperature; renaturation of the DNA allowing for competition between the two original DNA segments and the numerous primers, and finally synthesis of DNA by the polymerase. The cycle is repeated from 25 to 35 times in order to exponentially duplicate the DNA-fragments between the two primers. Usage of a thermoresistant polymerase permitted automatization of the procedure. This technique represents a revolution for practical molecular biology and medicine. Its very high sensitivity, however, may cause errors that have to be recognized. Several practical examples are described and analyzed in order to illustrate the PCR-concept to physicians in practise.


A novel bacterial strain, designated ANL-iso2(T), was obtained from an enrichment culture inoculated with a mixture of soda lake sediments by using isobutyronitrile (iBN) as the carbon, energy and nitrogen source at pH 10. The enrichment resulted in a stable binary culture containing iBN-degrading Gram-positive rods and a satellite Gram-negative gammaproteobacterium Marinospirillum sp. strain (ANL-isoa) scavenging the products of nitrile hydrolysis. Cells of the iBN-degrading strain, ANL-iso2(T), were short, non-motile, non-spore-forming rods. Strain ANL-iso2(T) was capable of utilizing propionitrile (C(3)), butyronitrile (C(4)), isobutyronitrile (C(4)), valeronitrile (C(5)) and capronitrile (C(6)) as the only growth substrate. Growth on nitriles was biphasic with fast initial hydrolysis of nitriles to the corresponding amides, carboxylic acids and ammonia and slow further utilization of these products resulting in biomass growth. Cells of strain ANL-iso2(T) grown with iBN were capable of extremely active hydration of a wide range of nitriles into the corresponding amides and much slower hydrolysis of these amides to the corresponding carboxylic acids. This indicated the presence of the nitrile hydratase/amidase pathway of nitrile degradation in the novel bacterium. Strain ANL-iso2(T) showed obligately alkaliphilic growth on iBN within the pH range 8.4-10.6, with optimum growth at 9.0-9.5. It was moderately salt-tolerant, with a salt range for growth of 0.1-2.0 M Na(+) and an optimum salt concentration for growth of 0.2-0.3 M. The dominant fatty acids in the polar lipids were C(16 : 0), iso-C(14), C(14 : 0), iso-C(16) and C(16 : 1)omega7. The cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. Phylogenetic analysis placed strain ANL-iso2(T) within the class Actinobacteria as an independent lineage with only uncultured bacteria from soda lakes as its nearest relatives. On the basis of its unique phenotype and distinct phylogeny, strain ANL-iso2(T) is considered to represent a novel species of a new genus, for which the name Nitriliruptor alkaliphilus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species, Nitriliruptor alkaliphilus, is ANL-iso2(T) (=DSM 45188(T)=NCCB 100119(T)=UNIQEM U239(T)). Phylogenetic data suggest that the novel bacterium forms the basis of a new family Nitriliruptoraceae fam. nov. and a novel order Nitriliruptorales ord. nov. within the class Actinobacteria.


Background: Prior resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging studies via the regional homogeneity (ReHo) method have demonstrated inconsistent and conflicting results because of several confounding factors, such as small sample size, medicinal influence, and illness duration. Relationships between ReHo measures and cognitive impairments in patients with drug-naive first-episode schizophrenia (dn-FES) are rarely reported. This study was conducted to explore the correlations between ReHo measures, cognitive deficits, and clinical symptoms in patients with dn-FES. Methods: A total of 69 patients with dn-FES and 74 healthy controls were recruited. MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB), Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were used to assess cognitive function, intelligence quotient (IQ), and clinical symptoms, respectively. The correlations between ReHo map and cognitive deficits, the severity of symptoms were examined using strict correlation analyses within brain areas. Results: The ReHo values in the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and the superior frontal gyrus (SFG) increased in the dn-FES group, whereas the ReHo values in the right cuneus decreased. Correlation analysis showed that the ReHo values in the right MFG were positively correlated with attention/vigilance impairments, social cognition deficits, the severity of clinical manifestations. Conclusions: These findings suggested that abnormal spontaneous activities in the right MFG reflect the illness severity and cognitive deficits, which serves as a basis for establishing the objective diagnostic markers and might be a clinical intervention target for patients with schizophrenia.


Abstract This paper discusses selected aspects of the vorticity and thermal fields of the two depressions described in Part I. The growth rate of the onset vortex is shown to be about three times that of the July depression. The most significant difference between the evolution of the two depressions lay in the growth rate at 500 mb, with the onset vortex showing a large vorticity increase and the July monsoon depression only a small increase. Vorticity budgets of the rain areas west of each depression's center showed that the observed westward motion of the depressions resulted from dominance of the divergence term in the lower troposphere. Heat-budget calculations for the rain areas showed an approximate balance between warm advection and adiabatic cooling at 850 mb, though diabatic heating was large above this level. For both depressions the region of maximum rainfall was coincident with the location of the maximum warm advection in the lower middle troposphere. In the suppressed northeast quadrant of ...


The paper considers the implementation of digital controllers as real-time tasks in priority-preemptive systems. The performance of a digital feedback control system depends critically on the timing of its sampling and control actions. It is desirable to minimize the computational delay in the controller, as well as the sampling jitter and the control jitter. It is shown that by scheduling the two main parts of a control algorithm as separate tasks, the computational delay can often be reduced significantly. A heuristic method for assigning deadlines to the parts is presented. Further modifications are given to reduce the jitter and to facilitate delay compensation. The result is improved control performance under maintained schedulability.


Abstract The compositions of fluid inclusions hosted in emerald and quartz (the Maria deposit, Mozambique) were studied using microthermometric and Raman microprobe techniques. The fluid inclusions in the emerald contain fluids within the Na-Ca-Mg-(HCO3)--(CO3)2--Cl-H2O system saturated in carbonic acid brines. Nahcolite is a main daughter solid phase within the fluid inclusions. The mean nahcolite and NaCl contents are 25 and 5 wt.%, respectively. Mg-calcite, magnesite, calcite and aragonite are also identified as daughter phases in the fluid inclusions. Many fluid inclusions show necked-down appearance. Groups of nahcolite crystals often make up ~50 vol.% of necked-down inclusions. It seems that zones of fluid inclusions with numerous birefringent solid phases are distinctive of the Maria emerald deposit. The likely conditions of emerald growth are 400 < T < 500°C and 3 < P < 4 kbar.


1. Tissue activities, intracellular distribution as well as selected kinetic and molecular properties of succinyl-CoA-3-oxo acid CoA transferase (EC 188.8.131.52), which is an initiator of ketone body usage, were examined in rat kidney, heart, brain, skeletal muscle and liver. 2. The activities of the transferase in these tissues are similar to reported values and are somewhat affected by the homogenization medium. Higher recoveries of activity are obtained when a phosphate buffer is used during the homogenization; Tris solutions containing sucrose and mannitol lead to only slightly lower recoveries, but can be used in studies to determine the subcellular localization of the transferase activity. 3. A close correlation was observed between the relative activities of citrate synthase (a mitochondrial marker enzyme) and CoA transferase in the cytoplasmic, particulate and mitochondrial fractions from the five tissues. 4. The K(m) values for acetoacetate (measured in two different ways), the ratio of V(max.) values for the two enzyme-catalysed half-reactions, and succinate product inhibition are quite similar for the enzyme from each tissue. 5. The enzymes are also similar in molecular weight (with an approx. mol.wt. of 100000 as determined by gel filtration). All show an active band in isoelectric-focusing studies with pI 7.6, except for the enzyme from heart (pI 6.8). 6. The results demonstrate a mitochondrial origin for CoA transferase in these rat tissues and support the proposition that CoA transferase is a ketolytic enzyme, i.e. an enzyme uniquely involved in the complete oxidation of ketone bodies. The structural and functional similarities of these transferases suggest that factors other than differences in K(m) values account for differences in the utilization of ketone bodies by various tissues.


1-Naphthol reacts with 1,1-diarylprop-2-yn-1-ols 5a,b, under alumina catalysis, by two pathways to give the photochromic naphtho[1,2-b]pyrans 6a,b, together with the propenylid-enenaphthalenones 7a,b, representatives of a new class of merocyanine dyes. With 2-methyl-1-naphthol, formation of the photochrome is suppressed; the only products are merocyanines 7c,d. The cyclocondensation of 2-naphthol with 5a,b proceeds much more efficiently, to give the naphtho[2, 1 b]pyrans 14a,b. Pyran formation is not suppressed from either 1-bromo- or 1- (4-methoxyphenyl)-2-naphthol; reaction with 5a,b merely results in expulsion of the C-1 substituent. An alternative pathway supervenes in the reaction of 1-methyl-2-naphthol with 5a to give the benz[e]indanone 17, the constitution of which was determined by X-ray crystallography. Reaction of the 1,3,3-triarylpropynols 19a,b with 1-naphthol affords the naphthopyrans 20 together with merocyanines 21, whilst the isomeric pyrans 23 are efficiently produced from 2-naphthol. The configuration of merocyanines 7a and 21 a was unequivocally established by X-ray crystallography.


Recent experimental studies showed evidence for C dissolution in Pt nanoparticles after CH4 decomposition, and the posterior low temperature segregation to form surface graphene, highlighting graphene growth from below. There are indications of an easier C transfer between surface and subsurface regions at Pt grain boundaries, although the ultimate atomistic mechanism remains unclear. A plausible explanation is provided here by exploring and comparing C incorporation in Ni, Pd, and Pt(111) surfaces by density functional (DF) calculations on slab models under a low coverage regime, evaluating the energetic stability and subsurface sinking kinetic feasibility. Four DF functionals have been used, avoiding possible biased results. All functionals showed that C atoms occupy octahedral subsurface (oss) sites in Ni(111), with high sinking energy barriers of 80–90 kJ mol−1, whereas both oss and tetrahedral subsurface (tss) sites can be occupied in Pd(111), with low sinking energy barriers of 20–50 kJ mol−1. The oss sites are strongly disfavoured on Pt(111), whereas the tss sites are found to be isoenergetic to surface sites, with low subsurface sinking energy barriers of 27–41 kJ mol−1. Calculations on Pt79 and Pt140 nanoparticle models reveal how tss sites are more stabilized at low-coordinated sites, where subsurface sinking energy barriers drop to values of ∼17 kJ mol−1. These results explain the experimentally observed C dissolution and segregation in Pt systems, more favoured at grain boundaries, as well as the graphene growth from below and the formation of double layer models. In addition, the present results open a gate for profiting from the small quantities of C placed at the subsurface region in order to tune the surface catalytic activity of Pt nanoparticle based catalysts.


Zika virus (ZIKV), first discovered in 1947, is the most recent member of the TORCH family. It usually causes an asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic disease in infected adults but can lead to severe brain abnormalities in fetuses who are infected in utero by vertical transmission of the virus through the placenta. The constellation of these fetal/neonatal abnormalities is named as congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). Although horizontal transmission of ZIKV is largely dependent on the presence of the vector (i.e. Aedes mosquitoes), women residing in non-endemic areas are still at risk of acquiring the infection once they travel to an endemic region or have unprotected sexual contact with an infected male. Therefore, it is important for physicians practicing in non-endemic regions to be familiar with the clinical and neuroimaging manifestations of CZS and to consider this diagnosis as a potential etiology for congenital microcephaly and other fetal central nervous system abnormalities.


In this study the effects of a molluscan neurotransmitter, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), were examined on the isolated and pumping heart of the gastropod mollusc Busycon canaliculatum. Unlike in previous studies, the response was measured in such a way as to equate it with cardiac output. In addition, the effects on the myogram form and the manner of perfusate ejection were also examined. As would be expected from previous studies, 5-HT affects heart rate, showing a positive chronotropic response at a threshold of around 10?9 moll?1. Stroke volume shows little evidence of being regulated by 5-HT concentration. This observation was unexpected as 5-HT is commonly reported to regulate the 'force' of contraction in a molluscan heart and, at constant perfusion conditions, this might have been expected to find expression as an increase in stroke volume. 5-HT does, however, have a very clear dose-dependent effect on the aortic pressure pulse amplitude and duration. Amplitude increases markedly (250%) over the concentrations used (10?10-10?6moll?1) with a threshold around 10?8 moll?1 The effect on the duration has the same threshold but the opposite result, with a reduction to approximately 50% of the original value. The same amount of perfusate is therefore being ejected at a higher pressure and flow rate. It is suggested that this might have important implications for a soft-bodied animal with a hydrostatic skeleton. The electrical activity of the heart was also examined and showed that 5-HT increased the amplitude of both the spike and plateau phase of the action potential. The duration of the latter was reduced. This is discussed with reference to other studies.


Security is a critical concern around the world. Since resources for security are always limited, lots of interest have arisen in using game theory to handle security resource allocation problems. However, most of the existing work does not address adequately how a defender chooses his optimal strategy in a game with absent, inaccurate, uncertain, and even ambiguous strategy profiles' payoffs. To address this issue, we propose a general framework of security games under ambiguities based on Dempster-Shafer theory and the ambiguity aversion principle of minimax regret. Then, we reveal some properties of this framework. Also, we present two methods to reduce the influence of complete ignorance. Our investigation shows that this new framework is better in handling security resource allocation problems under ambiguities.


The effects of drought on photosynthesis have been extensively studied, while those on thylakoid organization are limited. We observed a significant decline in gas exchange parameters of pea (Pisum sativum) leaves under progressive drought stress. Chl a fluorescence kinetics revealed the reduction of photochemical efficiency of photosystem (PS)II and PSI. The non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and the levels of PSII subunit PSBS increased. Further, the light-harvesting complexes (LHCs) and some of the PSI and PSII core proteins were disassembled in drought conditions, whereas these complexes were reassociated during recovery. In contrast, the abundance of supercomplexes of PSII-LHCII and PSII dimer were reduced, while LHCII monomers increased following the change in the macro-organization of thylakoids. The stacks of thylakoids were loosely arranged in drought-affected plants, which could be attributed to changes in the supercomplexes of thylakoids. Severe drought stress caused a reduction of both LHCI and LHCII and a few reaction center proteins of PSI and PSII, indicating significant disorganization of the photosynthetic machinery. After seven days of rewatering, plants recovered well, with restored chloroplast thylakoid structure and photosynthetic efficiency. The correlation of structural changes with leaf ROS levels indicated that these changes were associated with the production of reactive oxygen species.


In recent years methods for modeling and mitigating variational nuisances have been introduced and refined. A primary emphasis in this years NIST 2008 Speaker Recognition Evaluation (SRE) was to greatly expand the use of auxiliary microphones. This offered the additional channel variations which has been a historical challenge to speaker verification systems. In this paper we present the MIT Lincoln Laboratory Speaker Recognition system applied to the task in the NIST 2008 SRE. Our approach during the evaluation was two-fold: 1) Utilize recent advances in variational nuisance modeling (latent factor analysis and nuisance attribute projection) to allow our spectral speaker verification systems to better compensate for the channel variation introduced, and 2) fuse systems targeting the different linguistic tiers of information, high and low. The performance of the system is presented when applied on a NIST 2008 SRE task. Post evaluation analysis is conducted on the sub-task when interview microphones are present.


Execution of development and creation of appropriate points for rural development without considering ecological capability will result in the appearance of several environmental, economic and social problems. This research is done in an analysis approach frame of a system with the aim of choosing the most suitable location for rural development in Abadeh with an area of 22,000 km2. In 2002 by applying geographic information system (GIS) precious tools. Based on the above objective, ecological resources of concerned area were recognized and surveyed. The obtained data changed into digital figures and together with the other descriptive data were shifted to Arc/Info and Arcview systems for the purpose of creation of data base. Based on specific ecological models of Iran and special conditions of the area and by using structured query language (SQL) in Arcview, the ecological capability of concerned area for rural development was determined. By considering current natural limitations, such as limited severe earthquake danger in central areas, limitation of flood danger in some of the central and western areas, development of evaporating deposits and salt domes in east and precipitation under 500mm in the studied area, no suitable place for the first grade rural development was found. However, it showed capability for second-grade rural development aspect. This area includes 3.8% of total area of the studied place. For improving present management in the studied region, it is recommended that in future development of the region, offered appropriated points while emphasizing on the land having low production capability to be considered.