Traumatic events can leave a staggering impact on a child's development. School counselors are in the primary position to assist children with traumatic symptoms, however, counselors often work alongside educators, administrators, and school personnel alike. Consequently, it is necessary that all adults develop an understanding of traumatic reactions and the steps to provide stability and comfort. This article integrates trauma research to provide a compilation of reminders that adults can implement to prevent unnecessary retraumatization.


A scaling approach, based on the deformation J-integral at maximum load obtained from small specimens, is proposed for predicting the crack instability behaviour of burst tests on irradiated Zr-2.5Nb pressure tubes. An assessment of this approach is carried out by comparison with other toughness criteria such as the modified J-integral and the plastic work dissipation rate approach. The largest discrepancy between the different parameters occurs for materials of intermediate toughness which exhibit the most stable crack growth and tunnelling up to maximum load. A study of one material of intermediate toughness suggests crack-front tunnelling has a significant influence on the results obtained from the 17-mm-wide specimens. It is shown that for a tube of intermediate toughness the different approaches can significantly underpredict the extent of stable crack growth before instability in a burst test even after correcting for tunnelling. The usefulness of a scaling approach in reducing the discrepancy between the small- and large-scale specimen results for this material is demonstrated.


The liver transplant allocation system is currently based upon the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score and allocates organs preferentially to patients with the highest scores (ie, the sickest patients) within a defined geographic unit. In addition, certain patient populations, such as patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and portopulmonary hypertension, receive MELD exception points to account for their increased waitlist mortality, which is not reflected by their MELD score. Significant geographic variation in the access to liver transplantation exists throughout the United States. Both the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network Board of Directors and the Health Resources and Services Administration have determined these geographic disparities to be unacceptable. The liver transplant community has worked to develop methods to reduce these geographic disparities and to reexamine how MELD exception points are granted to certain patient populations. As a result, numerous policy changes have been adopted throughout the years that have broadened the sharing of organs through wider geographic sharing. Despite all of these changes, variation in access to liver transplantation continues to exist, and, thus, the liver transplant community continues to examine new ways to address geographic disparities. This paper reviews several of the key changes to the liver allocation system that have occurred since the implementation of MELD allocation in 2002 and provides an overview of potential changes to the system.


We report a fringe visibility-enhanced extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI) by fusion splicing a quarter-pitch length of a graded-index fiber (GIF) to the lead-in single mode fiber (SMF). The performance of the GIF collimator is theoretically analyzed using a ray matrix model and experimentally verified through beam divergence angle measurements. The fringe visibility of the GIF-collimated EFPI is measured as a function of the cavity length and compared with that of a regular SMF-EFPI. At the cavity length of 500 m, the fringe visibility of the GIF-EFPI is 0.8, while that of the SMF-EFPI is only 0.2. The visibility-enhanced GIF-EFPI may provide a better signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for applications where a large dynamic range is desired.


The magmatic processes that fuel volcanism, crustal growth, ore formation and discharge of volcanic gases and aerosols to the atmosphere occur across a range of timescales, from millions of years to just a few seconds. For example, the production of new oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges is a near-continuous process that can operate in any one ocean basin on timescales of more than 100 m.y. However, the driving force for such processes is the spreading of the ocean plates that happens on a cm/yr timescale. At the other end of the spectrum, explosive volcanic eruptions involve the ascent and fragmentation of magma at velocities of the order of 100 m/s such that the journey from a magma chamber to an ash cloud may take place in a matter of minutes. In this case the driving force is the rapid expansion of magmatic gas in response to changes in pressure. At intermediate timescales magmatic processes may give rise to hydrothermal ore deposits on timescales of less than a million years for an individual deposit, while growth of giant granite batholiths may require piecemeal assembly of magma batches on timescales of a few million years. Although each of these processes has a characteristic, time-averaged timescale on which it operates, this is typically the end result of one or more natural processes that operate on much shorter timescales. For example, mid-ocean ridges do not extrude magma continuously onto the ocean floor, mineralising fluids do not discharge continuously through the shallow crust, and granitic magmas do not dribble continuously into evolving batholithic chambers. In some cases it is the long-term timescales that are important, for example the spreading rate of ocean basins, in others it is the short-term timescales that are important, for example the episodic growth of lava domes at active volcanoes. Although …


In wireless mesh networks, it is known to be effective to use a TDMA based MAC than a contention-based CSMA. In addition, if spatial TDMA is used, network performance can be improved further because of its spatial reuse effect. However this scheme still has a disadvantage in the system performance aspect without a load-balanced routing because the resource of links that are not used is wasted and frequently used links are out of resources. That is, the number of available flows in network is limited because load balancing is not performed. In this paper, we propose joint link scheduling and routing through a cross-layer scheme. For this, we propose a load balancing routing method to maximize available resources under the given traffic pattern and scheduling method for maximizing link utilization on the given route. These two methods are iterated until an optimized solution can be obtained. The proposed algorithm can be formulated using a mathematical LP problem and we show that it is very effective for load balancing compared to simple adoption of IEEE 802.11s which is a standard TDMA protocol in wireless mesh network. If the proposed algorithm is applied to initial design solution such as Smart Grid, the number of available flows can be increased and the load on each link can be balanced.


Haiti made good progress over the past three years but major challenges remain to accelerating growth and reducing poverty. After the lost decade 1994-2004, marked by political instability and economic decline, Haiti reformed significantly and revived growth, especially in the past three years. Macroeconomic policies implemented since mid-2004 helped restart economic growth, reestablish fiscal discipline, reduce inflation and increase international reserves. Financial sector stability has been maintained though weaknesses have emerged. Significant progress was also achieved in the implementation of economic governance measures, mainly in the area of legal framework, core public institutions and financial management processes and procedures. Notably, basic budget procedures were restored, the public procurement system strengthened, and anti-corruption efforts stepped up. Efforts were also made to improve efficiency and transparency in the management of public enterprises. This wave of reforms led to renewed confidence and translated into higher growth. Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated to have grown by 2.3 percent in FY2006, implying an increase of about 0.6 percent in per capita GDP, compared to -0.2 percent in FY2005. The successful implementation of its stabilization program helped Haiti benefit from a three year International Monetary Fund (IMF) - Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) supported program. In addition, in November 2006, Haiti qualified for debt relief under the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative by reaching the decision point under the initiative.


Porous ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) materials have been developed by Hot Press molding technique in this investigation. The tribological behaviors of porous UHMWPE with different initial NaCl content were studied. The worn surfaces of UHMWPE and porous UHMWPE samples were examined using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). It was found that the porous structure improved the wear resistance of porous UHMWPE with the proper initial NaCl content under water lubrication condition. The minimal wear loss was about 10.6mg in the case of the UHMWPE filled by 50% initial NaCl content, 43% less than that of pure UHMWPE sample.


BARX2 is a homeobox transcription factor that influences cellular differentiation in various developmental contexts. To begin to identify the gene targets that mediate its effects, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was used to isolate BARX2 binding sites from the human MCF7 breast cancer cell line. Cloning and sequencing of BARX2-ChIP-derived DNA fragments identified 60 potential BARX2 target loci that were proximal to or within introns of genes involved in cytoskeletal organization, cell adhesion, growth factor signaling, transcriptional regulation, and RNA metabolism. The sequences of over half of the fragments showed homology with the mouse genome, and several sequences could be mapped to orthologous human and mouse genes. Binding of BARX2 to 21 genomic loci examined was confirmed quantitatively by replicate ChIP assays. A combination of sequence analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed homeodomain binding sites within several fragments that bind to BARX2 in vitro. The majority of BARX2 binding fragments tested (14/19), also affected transcription in luciferase reporter gene assays. Mutation analyses of three fragments showed that their transcriptional activities required the HBS, and suggested that BARX2 regulates gene expression by binding to DNA elements containing paired TAAT motifs that are separated by a poly(T) sequence. Inhibition of BARX2 expression in MCF7 cells led to reduced expression of eight genes associated with BARX2 binding sites, indicating that BARX2 directly regulates their expression. The data suggest that BARX2 can coordinate the expression of a network of genes that influence the growth of MCF7 cells.


In both sickle cell disease (SCD) and malaria, red blood cells (RBCs) are phagocytosed in the spleen, but receptor-ligand pairs mediating uptake have not been identified. Here, we report that patches of high mannose N-glycans (Man5-9GlcNAc2), expressed on diseased or oxidized RBC surfaces, bind the mannose receptor (CD206) on phagocytes to mediate clearance. Extravascular haemolysis in SCD correlates with high mannose glycan levels on RBCs. Infection of RBCs with Plasmodium falciparum expose surface mannose N-glycans on healthy RBCs, which occurred at significantly higher levels on RBCs from subjects with sickle cell trait compared to those lacking haemoglobin S. The glycans were associated with high molecular weight complexes and protease-resistant, lower molecular weight fragments containing spectrin. Recognition of surface N-linked high mannose glycans, a novel response to cellular stress, is the first molecular mechanism common to both the pathogenesis of SCD and resistance to severe malaria in sickle cell trait.


Background Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is a public health issue globally. In Australia high concentrations of PFAS have been found in environments close to sites where Aqueous Film Forming Foams (AFFF) were historically used for firefighting activities. This has resulted in significant community concern about the potential long-term health effects of these chemicals. Objective We describe residents' perceptions and experiences of PFAS in three regional Australian towns where exposure has occurred. Methods We conducted focus groups to generate free-flowing open discussion on PFAS in three affected communities, including some with significant numbers of First Nations Peoples. We recruited participants using a range of media outlets and postal services. Focus group transcripts were analysed thematically to identify major shared concerns using Atlas Ti. Results One hundred and eighty residents attended fifteen focus groups that were conducted in the three communities. They included 69 First Nations People living in three communities near the town of Katherine in the Northern Territory. Study participants were concerned about potential physical health effects of exposure to PFAS, such as cancer clusters, unexplained deaths, potential exacerbation of existing health conditions, and the future health of their children. They expressed feelings of stress and anxiety about living with uncertainty related to the possible health and the socio-economic impacts of PFAS contamination in their communities. Conclusion While research has concentrated on the physical health effects of PFAS, more attention needs to be given to the immediate psychosocial impacts of living in an affected community.


Coronary artery spasm after coronary artery bypass grafting is a rare but life-threatening condition. Herein, we report the case of a 77-year-old man who received off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. An hour after surgery, there was a sudden hemodynamic compromise due to coronary artery spasm, prompting emergent coronary angiography with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. Because the angiography results showed diffuse severe spasm of the entire native coronary artery, the patient was treated with an intracoronary injection of vasodilators. The patient recovered in 7 days with mechanical support, catecholamines, and vasodilators, and he was discharged on postoperative day 30. Although coronary artery spasm after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery is a rare condition, it must be suspected when sudden circulatory collapse occurs.


Streptomyces hygroscopicus var. geldanus, an actinomycete, produces a range of antibiotic compounds, one of which, Geldanamycin, is currently under investigation for its potential anticancer properties. Filamentous microbes, both bacterial and fungal, possess the ability to grow in a range of morphological forms in submerged fermentations. Secondary metabolite production by filamentous microorganisms is often dependent on the morphology of biomass aggregates within the culture and therefore morphological regulation in such fermentations is desirable in order to produce specific compounds of interest.

Morphological assessment of pellet formation and growth necessitated the development of an image analysis technique to allow high throughput morphological characterisation of microbial fermentation broths. An assessment of environmental and nutritional conditions for culturing S. hygroscopicus , concentrating specifically on the impact of nutrient broth composition, spore loading density and shear rate on the morphological and physiological profiles of the organism, was undertaken.

The formation of pelleted biomass in submerged fermentations occurs as a result of spore aggregation, hyphal aggregation or entanglement; each of which was identified as a potential morphological control strategy. The microbial polysaccharide xanthan gum was used to artificially regulate the apparent viscosity and hence the rheological characteristics of S. hygroscopicus fermentations broths and succeeded in controlling particle collision, aggregation and hence pellet formation. Control of broth surface tension through the introduction of surfactants, facilitates regulation of hydrophobic particle interaction, thus enabling regulation of hyphal aggregation and hence pellet formation in S. hygroscopicus cultures. Furthermore, we have identified the production of a previously unreported biosurfactant which appears to have significant effect on the morphology of the organism. Preliminary purification and characterisation of this molecules and an assessment of its usefulness as a morphological control agent in Streptomyces fermentations has been conducted.


In steel construction, when beams have to be connected to a girder at the same elevation, beam flanges must often be coped to provide enough clearance for practical joint formation. The presence of a cope in a beam will reduce the strength of the beam in the coped region. To improve the strength of coped beams, web reinforcements at the coped region were proposed in previous research studies. This paper reports the results of the first phase of the experimental program. A total of 8 tests were conducted. The test parameters include the length of longitudinal stiffeners, cope depth to beam depth ratio, cope length to beam depth ratio, and doubler plate. The test results show that the strength of the coped beam specimens was significantly increased when stiffeners were used in the cope. The increase in strength due to the presence of the longitudinal stiffeners could be as high as 96%. The longitudinal stiffeners were able to prevent local web buckling from occurring at the cope, however, the final failure mode of the beams was yielding of non-reduced section followed by rigid body movement of stiffener. The doubler plate was able to increase the strength of the beams; however, the final failure mode of the beams was still local web buckling.


Abstract. Indoor localization, navigation and mapping systems highly rely on the initial sensor pose information to achieve a high accuracy. Most existing indoor mapping and navigation systems cannot initialize the sensor poses automatically and consequently these systems cannot perform relocalization and recover from a pose estimation failure. For most indoor environments, a map or a 3D model is often available, and can provide useful information for relocalization. This paper presents a novel relocalization method for lidar sensors in indoor environments to estimate the initial lidar pose using a CNN pose regression network trained using a 3D model. A set of synthetic lidar frames are generated from the 3D model with known poses. Each lidar range image is a one-channel range image, used to train the CNN pose regression network from scratch to predict the initial sensor location and orientation. The CNN regression network trained by synthetic range images is used to estimate the poses of the lidar using real range images captured in the indoor environment. The results show that the proposed CNN regression network can learn from synthetic lidar data and estimate the pose of real lidar data with an accuracy of 1.9 m and 8.7 degrees.


Background: Thymidylate synthase (TS) plays a critical role in nucleotide metabolism and is an important target for 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), the standard chemotherapeutic drug for treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). Aims and Methods: The present study aimed to evaluate TS variable number tandem repeat sequences (VNTR) polymorphism by polymerase chain reaction and TS protein expression by immunohistochemistry and its association with clinicopathological parameters in untreated CRC patients (n = 100). Further, the prognostic and predictive role of TS has been evaluated. Results: For TS VNTR polymorphism, the observed frequencies of 2R/2R, 2R/3R, and 3R/3R genotypes were 22%, 51%, and 27%, respectively. When immunohistochemical localization was studied, cytoplasmic staining for TS was observed in 70% of patients. A significant inverse correlation was noted between TS protein expression and tumor, node, metastasis staging (P = 0.027), Dukes' staging (P = 0.039), and lymph node status (P = 0.012) of CRC patients. However, there was no significant correlation between TS VNTR polymorphism and TS protein expression. On survival analysis, a significantly shorter overall survival (OS) was seen in CRC patients with negative protein expression (P = 0.031). Moreover, the subgroup of CRC patients treated only with surgery also showed a trend of poor OS in patients with negative TS protein expression (P = 0.058). However, neither TS polymorphism nor its protein expression was able to predict relapse-free survival. Conclusion: Negative TS protein expression may be related to unfavorable clinical outcome in CRC patients. However, further studies in a larger set of patients are necessary to better assess TS as a prognostic and predictive marker for 5-FU response in CRC patients.


Taking advantage of improving voltage stability L indicator, voltage level, active power loss to assess device reactive capability in overload situations. Considering the intermediate buses which connect the generator bus and load bus, the compound buses which involve the two types of buses, improving voltage stability L indicator is proposed. So device reactive capability could be calculated. The example shows the best reactive device is generator, and the second one is capacitor bank and the last one is transformer tap. Assessment of reactive device capability is beneficial and practical for operation stuff to take appropriate measures in order to transfer overload situations into normal state.


The aim of this study was to compare the short-term post-weaning behaviour of piglets treated either neutrally or aversively during the suckling period. A total of 24 lactating sows and their litters were housed in different rooms according to treatment. A female experimenter (P1) was in charge of feeding and cleaning from days 10 to 27 after birth. For the aversive treatment (Aver), P1 was noisy, moved harshly and unpredictably and shouted frequently during routine cleaning of facilities and animal handling. For the neutral treatment (Neut), P1 used a soft tone of voice and was careful during the same routine. At weaning, the avoidance response of piglets to an approaching experimenter in a novel place was assessed in four piglets from each litter. Scores ranged from 1 (experimenter could touch piglet) to 4 (piglet escaped as soon as person moved). The test was repeated twice, with a 1-h interval, with P1, who wore blue trousers and white T-shirt, and a second handler unfamiliar to the piglets (P2, who wore blue coveralls). Thereafter, litters from the same treatment were mixed and housed in separate rooms, balanced for gender and live weight (n = 12 groups of 4 piglets/treatment). Behaviour time budgets were registered by scan sampling every 2-min, for 4 h per day, for 4 days. Piglets were weighed at birth, at weaning and on day 5. Effects of treatment and handler on responses to the avoidance test were analysed with non-parametric tests and effects of treatment with a mixed model for repeated measures. Avoidance score was higher for Aver than Neut piglets when tested with P1 (P = 0.04) but not with P2 (P = 0.8). When piglets' responses to the different handlers were compared within each treatment, no significant differences were found. Frequencies of resting were lower (P < 0.001), whereas escape attempts (P < 0.03), agonistic interactions (P < 0.02) and frequency of presence at feeder (P < 0.001) were higher in the Aver than in the Neut groups. Feed and water intake and weight gain did not differ between treatments. We conclude that 4-week-old piglets can discriminate a handler according to the nature of treatment received during suckling. In addition, piglets treated aversively seem to have more difficulty adapting to weaning than those treated neutrally during the suckling period.


Background:The MurA enzyme, enolpyruvyl UDP-N-acetylglucosamine transferase, is one of the targeted proteins by antibiotic for effective treatment of diseases provided by pathogenic bacteria. It is a key role in cell wall biosynthesis of Gram-positive bacteria such as Enterococcus faecalis. Butein is a flavonoid that showed antioxidant and anticancer activities, but recently it is a promising antibacterial agent and reported can inhibit E. faecelis, Eschericia coli, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It was isolated from medicinal plants including Sarang Semut (Myrmecodia pendans). However, the molecular mechanism of butein inhibits bacteria that it is no clear. Objective: This study aims to predict the molecular action of the butein against MurA catalyzing the first step of peptidoglycan biosynthesis. Materials and Methods: Butein isolation used a combinational separation technic and characterization using spectroscopic methods. Then, in silico method used was virtual screening using programs including Autodock Vina in PyRx, protein.plus, and ligplots. Butein and UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UNAG as a positive control) act as ligand were subject binding to 3KQJ MurA as protein. To evaluate in vitro antibacterial activity, we used Kirby-Bauer method. Results: Butein from M. pendans is a potential compound to inhibit the MurA with binding affinity -7.6 kcal.mol-1. It is lower than UNAG but higher than Fosfomycin as MurA inhibitor. Butein attaches to MurA in the same position as UNAG so that it concludes that both is a competitive inhibitor. Meanwhile, in vitro study showed that butein inhibit the E. faecalis growth with MIC of 0.62 mg/ml. Conclusions: Butein as a potent antibacterial agent through blocking MurA enzyme in cell wall formation.


High quality sub-monolayer, monolayer, and bilayer graphene were grown on Ru(0001). For the sub-monolayer graphene, the size of graphene islands with zigzag edges can be controlled by the dose of ethylene exposure. By increasing the dose of ethylene to 100 Langmuir at a high substrate temperature (800 °C), high quality single-crystalline monolayer graphene was synthesized on Ru(0001). High quality bilayer graphene was formed by further increasing the dose of ethylene while reducing the cooling rate to 5 °C/min. Raman spectroscopy revealed the vibrational states of graphene, G and 2D peaks appeared only in the bilayer graphene, which demonstrates that it behaves as the intrinsic graphene. Our present work affords methods to produce high quality sub-monolayer, monolayer, and bilayer graphene, both for basic research and applications.


Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.com) is the largest encyclopaedia in existence. Of over five million English‐language articles, about 6000 relate to Anatomy, which are viewed roughly 30 million times monthly. No work parallels the amount of attention, scope or interdisciplinary layout of Wikipedia, and it offers a unique opportunity to improve the anatomical literacy of the masses. Anatomy on Wikipedia is introduced from an editor's perspective. Article contributors, content, layout and accuracy are discussed, with a view to demystifying editing for anatomy professionals. A final request for edits or on‐site feedback from anatomy professionals is made.


1. An apparatus is described whereby it is possible to measure the propulsive forces generated during the locomotion of small terrestrial animals. 2. It is shown that the propulsive thrust of the circular muscles and the tractive force of the longitudinal muscles of an earthworm are approximately equal to each other and vary from 2 to 8 g. according to the size and activity of the worm. 3. The total frictional resistance overcome by a worm 25 cm. in length (when fully extended), moving at an average velocity of 0.4 cm. per sec., is approximately 8 g.


Introduction Reproductive issues in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have been shown to be inadequately addressed by clinicians. Patients appear to opt for voluntary childlessness due to misconceptions about fertility and pregnancy. Method Female IBD patients were prospectively recruited from 5 different European centres. They were interviewed through the use of a questionnaire. Results 233 patients were recruited (mean age 40; SD±11.9). The mean age at diagnosis was 31.4 years (SD±11.2). 85.5% patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) had a Montreal classification of E2 or E3. Crohn's disease (CD) patients predominantly (64.7%) had a non-stricturing and non-penetrating phenotype. Only 57.9% of patients were counselled on IBD and fertility (gastroenterologists 46.8%; gynaecologists 7.30%). 27.5% had admitted to considering voluntary childlessness. This correlated with lack of counselling delivered by health care professionals (coefficient 1.147; p < 0.003). Reasons included: (i) fear of harm from the disease to the baby (52.8%); (ii) fear of harm from medications to the baby (61.4%); (iii) fear of passing on IBD to the baby (57.9%); (iv) fear of having a complicated pregnancy (51.5%); (v) being incapable of taking care of their child after birth (8.6%). 19.7% expressed fear of infertility following the diagnosis of IBD. 8.2% were aware that the mode of delivery could be influenced by IBD. 15.5% and 36.5% knew that surgery could influence fertility and mode of delivery respectively. Regarding IBD medications during pregnancy: (i) 15.0% thought that all medications should be stopped; (ii) 12.0% believed that some medications should be stopped; (iii) 63.1% were unsure about what to do with medications. 1.7% of patients stopped medications without consultation with clinical teams. 26.6% of patients were uncertain if patients with IBD could breast feed. 37.0% said that they could not. 47.0% thought that females with IBD could not breastfeed due to medications crossing into the breast milk. 15.9% were counselled to undergo regular pap smears. 61.8% received information about the HPV vaccine. Conclusion The effects of inadequate fertility counselling in patients with IBD in Europe might contribute to the high levels of voluntary childlessness. A number of misconceptions about pregnancy and delivery exist. This study highlights the need to improve care for this cohort of patients through the development of a multidisciplinary team management. Further studies might allow us to evaluate the most effective way of delivering improved support for these patients. Disclosure of interest None Declared.


Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal disease that is difficult to diagnose and treat. The advances in proteomics technology, especially quantitative proteomics, have stimulated a great interest in applying this technology for pancreatic cancer study. A variety of tissue proteomics approaches have been applied to investigate pancreatic cancer and the associated diseases. These studies were carried out with various goals, aiming to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying pancreatic tumorigenesis, to improve therapeutic treatment and to identify cancer associated protein signatures, signaling events as well as interactions between cancer cells and tumor microenvironment. Here, we provide an overview on the tissue proteomics studies of pancreatic cancer reported in the past few years in light of discovery and technology development.


Rural electrification changed the lives of women in Ireland in the 1950s and 1960s, where everyday items such as the washing machine relieved them of the hardship of many labour intensive household chores. This engaging exhibition looks at the ways in which these products were advertised and promoted as part of a modern lifestyle, and how the advertising fantasies translated into the reality of the average rural Irish kitchen.
The exhibition, which has been developed by the Museum in partnership with Kingston University and the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC), and with support from the ESB, Irish Farmer's Journal, Age & Opportunity, and GMIT Letterfrack, is the flagship temporary exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life this year.

As part of the exhibition visitors will be transported back in time with objects and advertisements of the era, a 1950s ESB/ICA model kitchen reconstructed by GMIT Letterfrack, textile art work commissioned by Age & Opportunity and stories from those whose lives were intrinsically changed by this dramatic shift in Irish culture.


The aim of this study is to predict the dynamic behaviour of single lap-jointed cantilevered beams theoretically and to validate the predictions via experimental tests. The ABAQUS finite element analysis (FEA) software was used to predict the natural frequencies, mode shapes and frequency response functions (FRFs) of lap-jointed beams. The LMS (Leuven Measurement System) CADA-X dynamic test software and the LMS-DIFA Scadas II 48 channel data acquisition hardware were used in experimental measurement of the dynamic response of the lap-jointed beams. It is shown that the natural frequencies of the single lap-jointed cantilevered beams from experiment are lower than those predicted using FEA. It is also found that the measued FRFs are close to the predicted FRFs for the first two modes of vibration of the single lap-jointed cantilevered beam. Above the second mode of vibration, there is considerable discrepancy between the measured and predicted FRFs.


We study the problem of estimating the distribution of effect sizes (the mean of the test statistic under the alternate hypothesis) in a multiple testing setting. Knowing this distribution allows us to calculate the power (type II error) of any experimental design. We show that it is possible to estimate this distribution using an inexpensive pilot experiment, which takes significantly fewer samples than would be required by an experiment that identified the discoveries. Our estimator can be used to guarantee the number of discoveries that will be made using a given experimental design in a future experiment. We prove that this simple and computationally efficient estimator enjoys a number of favorable theoretical properties, and demonstrate its effectiveness on data from a gene knockout experiment on influenza inhibition in Drosophila.


This paper presents the design and development of a repetitive Marx generator rated at 1 kJ, 300 kV, 12 kA, and 10 Hz and which is suitable to drive the load directly. Bipolar charging of a Marx generator scheme has been adopted to get the following: 1) faster rise time and 2) relatively low charging voltage. The faster rise time is due to the reduced number of spark gaps down to six for 12 in-series capacitors (0.15 μF and 50 kV) of a six-stage bipolar-charging Marx generator. Interstage inductive charging further enhances the efficiency of the overall system as compared to resistive charging. The generator is characterized by an aqueous resistive load for both polarities at the output voltage. Output voltages of the same magnitude have been achieved for both polarities. The matched impedance is found to be 25 Ω for which a suitable reflex triode is designed. Intense electron beams and high-power microwaves have been generated using this Marx generator and reflex triode system. Experimental results demonstrating the Marx generator and the reflex triode operation are presented and discussed.


Introduction Library education in Nigeria has come a long way. Since the first library school in 1960 at the University College, Ibadan, several changes have been witnessed in the society at large and in the library profession in particular. The end of the 1980s saw the establishment of several other library schools in Nigeria awarding qualifications up to the Ph.D. level. However, at the dawn of the 1990s, new trends and developments worldwide pose great challenges for library education in Nigeria. Inadequate infrastructure, outdated curricula, poor human and financial resources, lack of access to necessary information and resources for learning, and poor communication among key players in the library schools are some of the major issues library schools in Nigeria are contending with. This is in spite of developments in information and communications technology, which have opened new doors in every profession and segment of the society. This predisposes the library schools to source for alternative ways to look at both access to and quality of library education and learning. One way of transforming the teachinglearning process is to properly harness and integrate the efficacy of information and communications technology into library education and training in Nigeria. The advent of the electronic mail, PCs on every desk, the Internet and its application to education have produced amazing results. Hawkins (2002) notes that knowledge and information have become the most important currency for productivity, competitiveness, and increased wealth and prosperity. Nations have placed greater emphasis on developing their human capital. Governments around the world are focusing on strategies to increase access to and improve the quality of education. Methods of achieving organisational goals are changing. Providing opportunities to meet the basic learning needs of information professionals is a first step toward preparing library schools in Nigeria for the emerging global society. The relevance and viability of library education in Nigeria requires looking at both access to and quality in new ways. Harnessing information and communications technology in library education goes a long way to enhance the quality of products turned out. Library schools in Nigeria must be connected to the information highway, to enhance their capacity to respond to new challenges to information access, processing, and dissemination. The survival of library education in Nigeria depends largely on the quality of faculty and students. Alabi (2004) writes that the most important assets in every form of university education are the faculty and students, and notes that if quality people are not put at the centre of the process of giving and receiving knowledge, the process is bound to fail. Basic Issues The practice of librarianship is changing. Changes include: * Moving from the traditional inward-looking orientation towards books to an outwardlooking emphasis on information handling * The emphasis on collecting, processing, compiling, and disseminating information in support of students and researchers both inside and outside the institution. * Transformation of the traditional library into a new information services unit * New outlook, structure, skills and attitudes, which some library staff cannot easily adapt to * Removal of the line between the library and the teaching and learning and research functions * Integration of technology into every aspect of library functions Further change is needed in several areas: * Educational institutions must have access to networked resources such as e-journals and databases. * New methods of assessment are being introduced. Online tests are gradually becoming widespread and provide more information than traditional multiple choice tests. * Information literacy is now an indispensable aspect of course programmes in many institutions (Hawkins 1998). …


The hydrodynamical parameters, i.e., the long-wave length and low-frequency properties of any homogeneous system are completely determined by the conservation laws and the static properties of the system, as described by various "elastic constants". In this paper we present a unified formulation of hydrodynamics equally suitable for normal liquids, liquid crystals and solids, and apply it in detail to the nematic phase. The generality of this approach is of particular importance for the description of the dynamics near phase transitions. As variables we use quantities which have a meaning in any phase, namely, the densities of conserved quantities (particle number, momentum, angular momentum, and energy) and the entropy density, together with the corresponding current densities. In a continuum theory the various phases are characterized by their symmetry and by the static stresses, that they can sustain.The hydrodynamic equations including dissipation are then derived making use only of the familiar local conservation laws and general thermodynamic relations. We thus avoid introduction of hydrodynamic variables related to order parameters which are specific to particular phases. Consequently, we do not need any new conservation laws. This is accomplished by utilizing the conservation of angular momentum which is no longer a consequence of the conservation of linear momentum, if the particles have internal (rotational) degrees of freedom, as is essential for liquid crystals. We discuss for the nematic phase how the number of elastic and dissipative constants is reduced by restricting the most general set of equations by means of approximations which have been made in previous theories.Response functions and fluctuations of hydrodynamic variables are calculated in the hydrodynamic regime, particularly for the nematic phase. The hydrodynamic modes are discussed in detail for nematic liquid crystals. Apart from the compressional waves, one also gets the modes describing mainly the motion of the molecular axes. They are of diffusion type, as has been discussed previously. The coupling of compressional and orientational modes yields a characteristic anisotropy of sound attenuation and would thus supplement the experiments on orientational modes.


To analyze protein degradation in mitochondria and the role of molecular chaperone proteins in this process, bovine apocytochrome P450scc was employed as a model protein. When imported into isolated yeast mitochondria, P450scc was mislocalized to the matrix and rapidly degraded. This proteolytic breakdown was mediated by the ATP-dependent PIM1 protease, a Lon-like protease in the mitochondrial matrix, in cooperation with the mtHsp70 system. In addition, a derivative of P450scc was studied to which a heterologous transmembrane region was fused at the amino terminus. This protein became anchored to the inner membrane upon import and was degraded by the membrane-embedded, ATP-dependent m-AAA protease. Again, degradation depended on the mtHsp70 system; it was inhibited at non-permissive temperature in mitochondria carrying temperature-sensitive mutant forms of Ssc1p, Mdj1p, or Mge1p. These results demonstrate overlapping substrate specificities of PIM1 and them-AAA protease, and they assign a central role to the mtHsp70 system during the degradation of misfolded polypeptides by both proteases.


: The essential oils (EOs) constituents have trade importance due to their bioactivities. In this research, the essential oil of the roots of Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty cultivated in Giresun was obtained by hydrodistillation. Then, the chemical composition and biological activities of Chrysopogon zizanioides root essential oil (CEO) were studied. Thirty compounds were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the major compounds were determined as isobutyl-angelate (11.15%), α-muurolene (10.56%), α-cedrene (8.42%), α-patchoulene (8.10%), and ethylene brassylate (7.49%). The antimicrobial effect of CEO was investigated against pathogenic bacteria and fungus. Minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) was determined 31.25 μg/mL against C. albicans and between 62.5 and 125 μg/mL against the rest of the microorganisms. According to the antioxidant assays, the total phenolic content of CEO was found to be 13.70 ± 2.10 µg/mL gallic acid equivalent (GAE) and 24.67 ± 3.79 µg/mL catechin equivalent (CE). Ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) of CEO was found to be 356.44 ± 2.34 μM Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) was determined as IC 50 to be 7.124 ± 0.076 μg/mL. According to the obtained results, CEO has significant antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. This study is the first report determining the chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oil obtained from vetiver grown in the Black Sea Region of Turkey.


Since both neuraminidase and the haemolytic activity of Sendai virus were inhibited by Cu2+ ions, it was suggested that neuraminidase was essential for haemolysis (Howe & Morgan, 1969). Haemolysis by Newcastle disease virus (NDV) appeared to be intimately associated with the capacity of the virus to become irreversibly attached to the cell (Burnet, 1950), indicating that neuraminidase, responsible for elution of the virus from red blood cells (RBC), was perhaps not required for, or may even have hindered haemolysis.
The results of this study, aimed at the elucidation of the role of neuraminidase in Sendai virus-induced haemolysis, show that: (1) treatment of the virus by disodium ethylenedi-aminetetraacetate (EDTA) or hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetate (HEDTA) causes a simultaneous decrease in neuramininidase activity and an increase in haemolytic activity of the virus. (2) 2-deoxy-2,3-dehydro-N-acetylneuraminic acid (DDANA), a reversible inhibitor of neuraminidase (Meindl & Tuppy, 1969; Meindl et al. 1971), does not interfere with, but augments haemolysis.


Cloud computing is motivating data owners to outsource their databases to the cloud. However, for privacy concerns, the sensitive data has to be encrypted before outsourcing, which inevitably posts a challenging task for effective data utilization. Existing work either focuses on keyword searches, or suffers from inadequate security guarantees or inefficiency. In this paper, we concentrate on multi-dimensional range queries over dynamic encrypted cloud data. We first propose a tree-based private range query scheme over dynamic encrypted cloud data (TRQED), which supports faster-than-linear range queries and protects single-dimensional privacy. Then, we discuss the defects of TRQED in terms of privacy-preservation. We modify the framework of the system by adopting a two-server model and put forward a safer range query scheme, called TRQED<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^{+}$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:msup><mml:mrow/><mml:mo>+</mml:mo></mml:msup></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="yang-ieq1-2983030.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula>. By newly designed secure node query (SNQ) and secure point query (SPQ), we propose the perturbation-based oblivious R-tree traversal (ORT) operation to preserve both path pattern and stronger single-dimensional privacy. Finally, we conduct comprehensive experiments on real-world datasets and perform comparisons with existing works to evaluate the performance of the proposed schemes. Experimental results show that our TRQED and TRQED<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^+$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:msup><mml:mrow/><mml:mo>+</mml:mo></mml:msup></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="yang-ieq2-2983030.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> surpass the state-of-the-art methods in privacy-preservation level and efficiency.


This work concerns sampling of smooth signals on arbitrary graphs. We first study a structured sampling strategy for such smooth graph signals that consists of a random selection of few pre-defined groups of nodes. The number of groups to sample to stably embed the set of $k$-bandlimited signals is driven by a quantity called the \emph{group} graph cumulative coherence. For some optimised sampling distributions, we show that sampling $O(k\log(k))$ groups is always sufficient to stably embed the set of $k$-bandlimited signals but that this number can be smaller -- down to $O(\log(k))$ -- depending on the structure of the groups of nodes. Fast methods to approximate these sampling distributions are detailed. Second, we consider $k$-bandlimited signals that are nearly piecewise constant over pre-defined groups of nodes. We show that it is possible to speed up the reconstruction of such signals by reducing drastically the dimension of the vectors to reconstruct. When combined with the proposed structured sampling procedure, we prove that the method provides stable and accurate reconstruction of the original signal. Finally, we present numerical experiments that illustrate our theoretical results and, as an example, show how to combine these methods for interactive object segmentation in an image using superpixels.


I have used the transfer of primed lymphocytes into syngeneic irradiated recipients to investigate whether the persistence of antigen is required in the long-term maintenance of cytolytic T cell memory to influenza virus. Animals were immunized with influenza virus (A/WSN) and used 17 wk later as either donors for T cells or as lethally irradiated recipients. Naive age-matched mice served as controls. At intervals of 4, 8, 16, and 25 wk after T cell transfer, experimental and control groups were immunized with a heterologous virus (A/JAP) and splenocytes tested for lytic activity to influenza virus 3 and 6 d after immunization. Lytic activity 3 d after infection (a property exclusive to a memory cytotoxic T cell response) (Effros, R. B., J. Bennink, and P. C. Doherty. 1978. Cell. Immunol. 36:345.; and Hill, A. B., R. V. Blanden, C. R. Parrish, and A. Mullbacher. 1992. Immunol. Cell Biol. 70:259), was only observed by primed and naive irradiated recipients reconstituted with memory T cells. No day 3 responses were observed when naive T cells were transferred into irradiated primed or unprimed recipients. These observations demonstrate that cytolytic T cell memory to influenza virus is long lived in the absence of antigen.


Ten species of Copestylum (Diptera: Syrphidae) were reared from fruits and flowers in Costa Rica, Ecuador and Trinidad. Seven were new and in this paper, we describe them, their development sites and the third stage larva and/or the puparium of all ten species. One new synonym is proposed, Copestylum pinkusi (Curran) [= Copestylum cinctiventre (Curran)]. Similarities and differences between these new and other Copestylum species, suggest they separate into two groups, referred to as the Vagum and Cinctiventre species groups. Features characterising these groups for both adult and early stages are assessed. Each species was also distinguished using adult and early stage characters. Within the Vagum group, adults were more disparate morphologically than the larval stage; this was reversed in the Cinctiventre group. Adult colour patterns are probably cryptic in function and for disguise. Vagum species have disruptive marks, while the Cinctiventre species have reflective colours. Biologically, the groups are almost distinguished by larval development sites. Vagum species use predominantly fruits and have a larval stage that is relatively generalised in form and habit. Cinctiventre species are confined to developing in flowers and the larva is more specialised. A key to both adult and early stages of all ten species is provided.


We prove that if an (n− 1)-dimensional torus acts symplectically on a 2n-dimensional symplectic manifold, then the action has a fixed point if and only if the action is Hamiltonian. One may regard it as a symplectic version of Frankel's theorem which says that a Kähler circle action has a fixed point if and only if it is Hamiltonian. The case of n = 2 is the well-known theorem by McDuff.


A quarter of the world population will be using smartphones to access the Internet in the near future. In this context, understanding the quality of experience (QoE) of popular apps in such devices becomes paramount to cellular network operators, who need to offer high-quality levels to reduce the risks of customers churning for quality dissatisfaction. In this paper, we address the problem of QoE provisioning in smartphones from a double perspective, combining the results obtained from subjective laboratory tests with end-device passive measurements and QoE crowd-sourced feedback obtained in operational cellular networks. The study addresses the impact of both access bandwidth and latency on the QoE of five different services and mobile apps: YouTube, Facebook, Web browsing through Chrome, Google Maps, and WhatsApp. We evaluate the influence of both constant and dynamically changing network access conditions, tackling in particular the case of fluctuating downlink bandwidth, which is typical in cellular networks. As a main contribution, we show that the results obtained in the laboratory are highly applicable in the live scenario, as mappings track the QoE provided by users in real networks. We additionally provide hints and bandwidth thresholds for good QoE levels on such apps, as well as discussion on end-device passive measurements and analysis. The results presented in this paper provide a sound basis to better understand the QoE requirements of popular mobile apps, as well as for monitoring the underlying provisioning network. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper providing such a comprehensive analysis of QoE in mobile devices, combining network measurements with users QoE feedback in laboratory tests, and operational networks.


AIM
To investigate the influence of esculentoside A (EsA) on autoimmunity in mice and its possible mechanisms.

METHODS
The level of anti-ds DNA antibody, proliferation of lymphoid cells, and inflammation by pathologic section of joint in mice were examined. The autoimmunity model is made through immunizing mice with formaldehyde treated Campylobacter jejuni strain CJ-S131 and Freund's complete adjuvant. The apoptosis of T cell was analyzed through morphology and flow cytometry (FACS). The expression of ICAM-1 mRNA in human umbilical vein endothelial cell line (ECV304) was determined by coupled reverse transcription and PCR amplification (RT-PCR).

RESULTS
EsA could potently lower the level of anti-ds DNA antibody, inhibit the proliferation of lymphoid cells, and ameliorate inflammation in the joint of model mouse. The apoptosis of thymocyte activated by ConA was markedly accelerated while the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA in ECV304 was decreased by EsA.

CONCLUSION
EsA has the positive curative effect on autoimmunity in a mouse model, which may function through inhibition of expression of ICAM-1 mRNA in ECV304 and acceleration of thymocyte apoptosis.


Alternative fuels for automotive engine application for both spark ignition (SI) and compression ignition (CI) Engines.Internal combustion (IC) engine is a heat engine that converts chemical energy into mechanical energy, in the form of rotating shaft. Chemical energy of the fuel is first converted to thermal energy by means of combustion or oxidation with air inside the engine.And also each alternative fuel are briefly summarized, and are followed by discussions on the main research motivations for such alternative fuels. And also explained about the detailed information about internal parts IC engine with their advanced development in alternative fuel sector. This paper study that biodiesel-diesel-ethanol blend can be used as a substitute of petro-diesel fuel to reduce dependency on fossil fuel as well as the exhaust emissions of the engine.


AdaBoost is a classic boosting algorithm for combining multiple inaccurate classifiers produced by a weak learner, to produce a strong learner with arbitrarily high accuracy when given enough training data. Determining the optimal number of samples necessary to obtain a given accuracy of the strong learner, is a basic learning theoretic question. Larsen and Ritzert (NeurIPS'22) recently presented the first provably optimal weak-to-strong learner. However, their algorithm is somewhat complicated and it remains an intriguing question whether the prototypical boosting algorithm AdaBoost also makes optimal use of training samples. In this work, we answer this question in the negative. Concretely, we show that the sample complexity of AdaBoost, and other classic variations thereof, are sub-optimal by at least one logarithmic factor in the desired accuracy of the strong learner.


Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries have attracted much attention in the field of electrochemical energy storage and conversion. As a vital part of the cathode electrode, the host materials of sulfur usually have a strong impact on the capacity, energy density, cycle life and Coulombic efficiency of Li–S batteries. With their unique physical and chemical properties, the rationally designed hollow nanostructures show conspicuous advantages as sulfur hosts, and have significantly improved the overall performance of Li–S cells. The scope of this review considers the unique structural advantages of hollow host materials for high-performance Li–S batteries, together with a summary of recent advances in the design and synthesis of various hollow micro-/nanostructures with controlled shapes, tailored shell structures and designed chemical compositions. Finally, we propose some emerging requirements of sulfur hosts which we hope will shed some light on the future development trend of hollow structures for advanced Li–S batteries.


It's significant to analyze the dynamic reliability of wind turbine in order to assure the safe and stable operation of wind turbine. In this paper, the dynamic reliability of wind turbine is analyzed with the propeller-type generator as example. The stability of blade of wind turbine under wind load is analyzed by calculating the fatigue load on blade. The frequencies of bending free vibration and torsion vibration of tower are summarized. Finally, the type of foundation and its simplified model are instructed and some useful conclusions are given for supplying basic information on dynamic performance of wind turbine.


Is the European Union a legislative giant on clay feet? Is it true that the Union has, with some specific exceptions, no original competence to implement European law? This article analyses the structure of the Union's "executive federalism" in three steps. After a comparative constitutional section on the centralized (American) and decentralized (German) enforcement systems of federal norms, the constitutional foundations of executive power in the European Union are explored. Will Article 291 TFEU provide a reformed textual base for the (new) Union's executive powers? A third section then examines existing constitutional limits to the national (decentralized) and European (centralized) enforcement of European law. Beginning with the decentralized implementation mechanism, a first part of this section looks at the substantive, procedural and morphological limits on the national implementation of Union law. A second part of that section changes perspective as it investigates the constitutional limits on the executive powers of the Union in the form of, for example, the principle of subsidiarity. An excursus briefly analyses the phenomenon of "mixed administration" through a federal lens. And a conclusion finally argues that the Lisbon Treaty will remedy, to some extent, the lack of clear constitutional foundation of Union executive power.


Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are known for the variety and complexity of their feeding behaviors. Here we report on the use of synchronous motion and acoustic recording tags (DTAGs) to provide the first detailed kinematic descriptions of humpback whales using bottom side-rolls (BSRs) to feed along the seafloor. We recorded 3,505 events from 19 animals (individual range 8–722). By animal, mean BSR duration ranged from 14.1 s to 36.2 s.; mean body roll angle from 80o to 121o, and mean pitch from 7o to 38o. The median interval between sequential BSRs, by animal, ranged from 24.0 s to 63.6 s and animals tended to maintain a consistent BSR heading during long BSR series encompassing multiple dives. BSRs were most frequent between 2200 and 0400. We identify three classes of behavior: simple side-roll, side-roll inversion, and repetitive scooping. Results indicate that BSR feeding is a common technique in the study area and there is both coordination and noncoordination between animals. We argue that this behavior is not lunge feeding as normally characterized, because animals are moving slowly through the event. The behavior also leads to vulnerability to entanglement in bottom-set fishing gear, a major mortality factor for the species.


CONTEXT
A 32-year-old woman was scheduled for myopic laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) because of myopia and anisometropia caused by retinal detachment surgery.

CASE REPORT
During surgery, a sudden malfunction of the microkeratome during the forward pass was experienced. It was not possible to reverse the blade manually along the suction ring. Moreover, disconnecting the suction from the control unit did not help at first, because the suction ring was firmly attached to the ocular surface. However, detaching the suction line from the control unit aborted the vacuum and allowed the surgeon to turn the whole microkeratome backwards, mimicking the normal blade movement. Finally, an almost normal flap was observed, and the operation was successfully completed. Afterwards, the wire to the electromotor of the microkeratome was found to be broken and subsequently replaced.

CONCLUSION
This type of unforeseen microkeratome malfunction may result in serious flap or other complications.


This paper proposes the use of unsupervised approaches to improve components of partition-based belief tracking systems. The proposed method adopts a dynamic Bayesian network to learn the user action model directly from a machine-transcribed dialog corpus. It also addresses confidence score calibration to improve the observation model in a unsupervised manner using dialog-level grounding information. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, we applied it to the Let's Go domain (Raux et al., 2005). Overall system performance for several comparative models were measured. The results show that the proposed method can learn an effective user action model without human intervention. In addition, the calibrated confidence score was verified by demonstrating the positive influence on the user action model learning process and on overall system performance.


Mizoram, in India's eastern frontier, offers an interesting case study of the problems encountered while adopting standard development paradigms bereft of sociocultural content. There is general agreement that stimulus for economic development needs to come from a vibrant entrepreneurial class and cannot depend on external assistance. What is the situation in Mizoram? What are the main features of Mizo entrepreneurs? A state with very high literacy, progressive government and a relatively peaceful environment, yet a state where enterprise has still not taken root. What could be the possible reasons for the lack of entrepreneurship in the state? Are standard prescriptions promotional policies, financial sops sufficient to stimulate entrepreneurship in the state? Are infrastructure bottlenecks, financial constraints, lack of skills the only possible reasons for such a sorry state of entrepreneurship in the state? Or are the problems more deep rooted and ingrained in the value system and socio-cultural milieu of the Mizos? We set out to explore such questions through first hand interaction with Mizo entrepreneurs in the state and try to relate entrepreneurship in the state to the institutional environment, attitudes and cultural norms of the Mizos. Recognising the importance of these elements, we come up with factors that are expected to influence development of entrepreneurship in the state.


This paper discusses some of the new policy challenges raised by the trend towards the knowledge based economy. It is argued that this trend signals a further weakening of old "market failure" arguments in guiding public action in the field of science, technology and innovation policy. Rather a Schumpeterian perspective on technical change recognizing the intrinsic differences in the nature of the accumulation process across sectors and industries appears more and more warranted. Such an approach does, however, require from policy makers to pay much greater attention to the effectiveness of their policy tools with a focus on policy and institutional learning, rather than following a set of simple normative guidelines about market failures. While such policy and institutional learning can and has to some extent already been implemented in most of Dutch technology policy and is a focal point of OECD comparative analysis (best practice, bench marking), it is much more difficult to introduce at the European level.


Introduction The US Public Health Service calls for health professionals to provide tobacco dependence counseling for patients. The purpose of this study was to understand how dental hygiene programs make decisions about and provide training for tobacco dependence counseling to help them graduate more fully competent hygienists. Methods We conducted interviews (N = 32) with mainly program and clinic directors from 19 US dental hygiene education programs for this qualitative case study. We explored fluoride therapy training and tooth whitening training for comparison. Two analysts summarized the transcripts into a case study for each program. Results All programs reported a similar process of learning about and choosing a method for teaching the topics explored. The programs used a common process, ADPIE (assess, diagnose, plan, implement, evaluate), to structure students' clinical encounters. Almost all programs train students to ask about tobacco use and to advise quitting, but few programs train students to effectively help patients to quit and only 2 programs evaluated the competence of all students to provide such training. ADPIE shows promise for integrating tobacco dependence treatment more fully into the clinical training of dental hygiene students. Comparison to tooth whitening and fluoride therapy training indicated that complexity of the treatment and alignment with dental hygiene's mission were themes related to training decisions. Conclusion Full implementation of tobacco dependence counseling into dental hygiene education requires a commitment by dental hygiene educators to train students and faculty in counseling techniques and their evaluation. We identified an existing clinical structure as showing promise for facilitating improvement.


A review of the issues arising from a preliminary study of the noise effects of ultra-rapid "ecological" hand dryers in publicly accessible toilets. They are very popular due to impressive data on efficiency, effectiveness, hygiene and speed, the corollary is an increase in noise levels in this socially sensitive environment. The study comprised of a sound power test, followed up by in situ sound pressure tests in a range of different sized WCs. The most extreme example showed for one dryer in situ the equivalent Leq of 19 dryers in a free field environment. From communication on discussion lists and interviews it appears that the noise effects are impacting on a wide range of vulnerable subgroups: breast-feeding mothers, infants and children, dementia sufferers, the visually impaired, hearing aid users and most seriously the discomfort on those with hyperacusis – a condition that is common for those on the autistic spectrum. This study functions as a microcosm for soundscape issues in the urban environment resulting in social exclusion for vulnerable subgroups. To communicate these issues to designers, policy makers and the pubic at large the project was followed up by the devising and presenting a number of sound art works.


The importance of learning and categorizing social objects and events has become widely acknowledged over a couple of decades. Although findings from field studies have suggested that non-human animals have sophisticated abilities to recognize social objects, there is relatively little experimental evidence on this issue. Some studies have revealed animals' excellent skills for discriminating visual and auditory social stimuli. However, because of perceptual resemblances among stimuli, it is still not clear that they recognize these objects with conceptual mechanisms that are independent of the perceptual characteristics of the stimuli. At the same time, whether their concepts have an aspect of transferring information from one modality to another has not received much attention. This paper advocates approaches to a cross-modal aspect of concepts as a new framework to solve these problems, and introduces the latest studies on cross-modal representations of social objects in non-humans.


Basal cell carcinoma is the most common malignant tumour of skin, comprising 80% of non-melanoma cancers. Intermittent exposure to ultraviolet radiation is an important risk factor. Pigmented basal cell carcinoma is a clinical and histological variant of basal cell carcinoma that exhibits increased pigmentation. It is a very rare variant, although its frequency can reach upto 6% of total basal cell carcinomas in Hispanics. Herein, we are reporting 2 cases of pigmented basal cell carcinoma.


We report the prenatal diagnosis of vasa previa using transvaginal sonography and color Doppler. This case supports the previously reported association of vasa previa with second trimester low-lying placentas and in-vitro fertilization. Sonographic examination for vasa previa should be considered in pregnancies with low-lying placentas and those resulting from in-vitro fertilization.


The work proposes to report a case of Squamous Odontogenic Tumor describing all clinical, radiographic and histopathological findings. A review on literature discussing the tumor etiology is presented.


Introduction: Bacterial translocation has been associated with the occurrence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in patients with liver cirrhosis. Recently we and others have shown that genetic variation in the muramyl dipeptide responsive NOD2 gene, which encodes a pivotal guardian of the immunological integrity of barrier organs, is associated with SBP occurrence and mortality of patients with cirrhosis (Hepatology 2010;51:1327 – 33). Human defensins are additional critical factors that promote antimicrobial host response (Hepatology 2012;55:1154 – 63). Therefore we now assessed genetic variation in the human beta-defensin 1 gene (DEFB1) for association with SBP and mortality in the same cohort of patients with cirrhosis. Methods: Three common single nucleotide variants (G-20A/rs11362, C-44G/rs1800972, and G-52A/rs1799946) in the DEFB1 gene that have recently been studied in Crohn disease as well as other acute and chronic inflammatory diseases (PLoS One 2012;e32215) were genotyped in our cohort of patients with advanced cirrhosis. Patients were followed-up for survival and the occurrence of SBP. We tested for genetic associations with the occurrence of SBP in contigency tables and employed log rank statistics to assess the influence of survival. Results: We recruited and genotyped 150 patients with advanced cirrhosis (93% Child B/C). Men were overrepresented in the cohort (72%). Most patients (63%) suffered from alcoholic cirrhosis. Overall, 20 patients developed SBP, and 53 patients died during follow-up. Median survival of the entire cohort was 326 days. None of the DEFB1 SNPs was significantly associated with the occurrence of SBP (all comparisons p > 0.05). Although we observed a better median survival of heterozygous carriers at the rs11362 variant (481 days) as compared to the other genotypes (180 to 240 days, respectively), this trend was not significant. Conclusions: In this cohort of cirrhotic patients an effect of common variation in the beta-defensin 1 gene is unlikely to contribute to the genetic risk. Although bacterial translocation appears to be critical for the development of SBP, thereby affecting survival in patients with advanced cirrhosis, the genetic risk appears to be predominantly conferred by intracellular defence pathways.


The main reason of insufficient accuracy of sur-faces reconstruction in previously created models of the human masticatory system is high irradiance dose for the investigative person during the computed tomography scanning. This article presents original modeling technique based on the data of two different scanning systems. In this work geometrical parameters of the bony structures and roots of the teeth were estimated using computed tomogra-phy, and teeth occlusal surfaces were scanned with three-dimensional optical scanner. It was found that using new hybrid scanning and modeling technique the minimal area of reconstructed elements decreased from 0.134×0.134 to 0.05×0.05 mm and effective irradiance dose decreased from 3.78 to 0.97 mSv in comparison with the technique, based only on computed tomography scanning. Hence, the new technique enabled 2.7 times increment of teeth occlu-sal surfaces reconstruction and retention of realistic spatial arrangement of system's elements without an increment of irradiance effective dose for the investigative person.


We are in the midst of a 3D revolution. Robots enabled by 3D cameras are beginning to autonomously drive cars, perform surgeries, and manage factories. However, when deployed in the real-world, these cameras face several challenges that prevent them from measuring 3D shape reliably. These challenges include large lighting variations (bright sunlight to dark night), presence of scattering media (fog, body tissue), and optically complex materials (metal, plastic). Due to these factors, 3D imaging is often the bottleneck in widespread adoption of several key robotics technologies. I will talk about our work on developing 3D cameras based on time-of-flight and active triangulation that addresses these long-standing problems. This includes designing `all-weather' cameras that can perform high-speed 3D scanning in harsh outdoor environments, as well as cameras that recover shape of objects with challenging material properties. These cameras are, for the first time, capable of measuring detailed (<100 microns resolution) scans in extremely demanding scenarios with low-cost components. Several of these cameras are making a practical impact in industrial automation, being adopted in robotic inspection and assembly systems.


Mechanical properties, including Young's modulus, residual stress and rupture strength, of a thermally evaporated gold film have been measured form a blister test. In a theoretical study, the priniple of minimum potential energy and that of virtual work have been applied to the pressurized circular membrane problem, and load-deflection relations have been derived for typical membrane deflection mode of spheroidal shape. In an experimental study, circular gold membranes of 4800 A-thickness and 3.5mm diameter were fabricated by the silicon electropolishing technique. Mecahnical properties of the thin gold films were deduced from the load-deflection curves obtained by the blister test, Young's moduli, obtianed from blister test, have been in the range of 45-70 GPa, while those of bulk gold have been in the range of 78-80 GPa. Residual stresses in the evaporated gold films have been measured as 28-110MPa in tension, The rupture strength of the gold film has turned out to be almost equal to that of dental gold alloy (310-380MPa). It has been demonstrated that the present specimen fabrication method and blister test apparatus have been effective for simultaneous measurement of Young's modulus, residual stress and repture strength of thin solid films. Especially, the electropolishing technique employed here has provided a simple and practical way to fabricate thin membranes in a circular or an arbitrary shape, which could not be obtained by the conventional anisotropic silicon mecromachining technique.


A thesis submitted to the University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Clinical PsychologyCandidate: Peter James TaylorTitle: Prosociality and Well-Being in Young PeopleJune 2013Prosociality describes the tendency to engage in behaviours that aim to enhance or maintain the well-being of others, for example, sharing and co-operating. In children and adolescents this trait is often viewed as a core aspect of social competence and an important developmental outcome. Prosociality may also play an important role in how young people navigate their increasingly complex social world. This raises the question of whether individual differences in prosociality are related to young peoples? well-being, such as their risk of developing psychological problems. The goal of the current series of research was to explore this question.A series of four studies was designed to answer this question. This research made use of pre-existing survey data, including the ?mental health of children and young people in Great Britain, 2004? survey (Papers 3 & 4) and the ?Understanding Society? survey (Paper 2), enabling access to large sample sizes. In Paper 1, a meta-analysis was undertaken to determine the nature of the relationship between prosociality and two important clinical outcomes, internalizing disorder and low self-esteem. This review identified a significant but small relationship between greater prosociality and reduced internalizing disorder or low self-esteem. In Paper 2, a longitudinal study explored the relationship between prosociality and well-being over a 1-year-period in children and adolescents. This study did not identify any prospective effect of prosociality upon subsequent changes in well-being. Two further studies explored the factors that may influence whether prosociality is linked to well-being. In Paper 3 the possibility that existing measures of prosociality may partly account for the small or null relationships observed so far (Papers 1 & 2) was explored by developing and validating a new measure of prosociality. This new measure appeared psychometrically robust and demonstrated advantages over pre-existing scales of prosociality. In Paper 4, a cross-sectional study was undertaken to explore whether the discrepancy in young peoples? self-ratings and parental ratings of prosociality has a relationship with emotional problems (i.e., depression and anxiety). A moderator analysis found that self-rated and parent-rated prosociality may interact to determine risk of psychological problems in young people. This study suggested that the discrepancy in ratings of prosociality may be more important in predicting psychological problems than overall ratings by individual informants.Results support the relevance of prosociality to well-being in young people and highlight how factors such as the measurement of prosociality and the interpersonal context within which it occurs impact upon this relationship.


To improve the wear property of magnesium alloys, Zr-based amorphous composite coatings have been fabricated on AZ91D magnesium alloy by laser cladding using mixed powders Zr55Al10Ni5Cu30/SiC. The microstructure of the coating was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The wear resistance of the coatings was evaluated under dry sliding wear test condition at room temperature. The results show that the coatings mainly consist of amorphous and different crystalline phases. The coatings exhibit excellent wear resistance due to the recombination action of amorphous and different crystalline phases. The main wear mechanism of the coatings and the AZ91D sample are different, the former is abrasive wear and the latter is adhesive wear.


Identification of the differentially-expressed genes is important for clarification of the complex molecular mechanisms under drought conditions. In this experiment, transcriptome profiles of sensitive and tolerant tomato genotypes under drought stress were analyzed. Three up-regulated genes were selected, included CAB3 (Chlorophyll a-b binding protein3), SAMDC (S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase proenzyme), and ACS9 (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase 9). After bioinformatics analysis, tomato genotypes were subjected to drought stress and gene expression was determined using Real-Time-PCR. Physiological parameters of genotypes were also measured by spectrophotometer-based methods. According to the results, these three genes play a key role in stress tolerance. Expression of the CAB3 gene in both sensitive and tolerant genotypes was not significantly different compared to the control, but the SAMDC gene decreased in both genotypes and the ACS9 gene decreased in sensitive genotype and increased in tolerant genotype. The physiological analysis also showed that under stress conditions, the photosynthetic system of the plant was disrupted and the chlorophyll content was reduced, but, proline content and antioxidant enzymes activity increased, in which their quantity in the tolerant genotype was significantly higher than sensitive. Under drought stress, due to damage to the lipid membrane, Malondialdehyde content also increased, in which the sensitive genotype was more affected.


The problem issues are analyzed and the ways of the development of anti-aircraft missile weapons (AAMW) of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are determined in conditions of financial, economic and other resource constraints. Proposals for providing the required level of combat readiness of the AAMW inventory in the medium term are given. It is shown that the development of anti-aircraft missile weapons in Ukraine should be carried out on the basis of a systematic approach to solving this problem within the framework of a long-term target program, which should include a balanced system of measures for the organization and implementation of research and development work for the creation and modernization of existing anti-aircraft missile weaponry. The main steps to be taken to ensure the further development of AAMW for the period up to 2025 are given.


Although the third-generation formulation of the ocean wave model describes the wave generation, dissipation and nonlinear interaction processes explicitly, many empirical parameters exist in the model which have to be determined experimentally. With the advance in oceanographic remote-sensing techniques, information on oceanic parameters including significant wave height (SWH) can be obtained daily by satellite altimeters. The assimilation of these data into the wave model provides a way of improving the hindcasting results. However, for wave forecasting, no altimeter data exist during the forecasting period, by definition. To improve the forecasting accuracy of the wave model, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) are introduced to mimic the errors introduced by the wave model. This is achieved by training the ANN using the wave model output as input, and the results after data assimilation as the targeted output. The trained ANN is then used as a post-processor of the output from the wave model. The proposed method has been applied in wave simulation in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The statistical interpolation method is used to assimilate the altimeter data into the wave model output and a back-propagation ANN is used to mimic the relation between the wave model outputs with or without data assimilation. The results show that an apparent improvement in the accuracy of forecasting can be obtained.


The United States Air Force (USAF) often deploys personnel to remote locations or responds to disasters worldwide. Point-of-Use (PoU) ultraviolet (UV) water treatment could provide the DoD with the ability to provide water for small mobile entities that are incapable of providing the support network that larger water purification devices require. PoUs could be used as the water treatment system within the DoD for applications that include disaster response, austere locations, aircraft/helicopter survival kit or small unit for special operations teams. This research investigates the ability to use computer modeling software to predict and optimize the characteristics of a UV LED PoU water purification reactor for such applications. This research developed a working model using computational multiphysics software to predict reaction processes within a UV LED water purification reactor, and validated the model with laboratory data. The research also investigated the effect of altering the reactor geometry and the corresponding interactions with corresponding reactor rate effectiveness. The model demonstrated the ability to predict the reaction curves gathered from the lab data as well as illustrated trends in reactor geometry. When investigating the efficiency of various reactor geometries, minimizing the surface area:volume ratio was shown to result in the largest increases in efficiency. However the volume of the reactor, reflectance, and flow rates also played a role in reactor effectiveness.


Middle to late Pleistocene shallow marine deposits in the southeastern part of the Kanto Plains, central Japan, yield well-preserved specimens of the trace fossil Rosselia socialis Dahmer, 1937, a vertical, spindle-shaped mud-lined tube. Aside from such spindle-like specimens, peculiar specimens characterized by their long, vertically stacked forms have also been observed. Detailed observations of the stacked specimens and the sedimentary structures of the host sediment reveal that these burrows were formed as the result of the response of the trace-maker to depositional events. The characteristic mode of occurrence of the specimens can be used as a measuring stick not only for the magnitude of erosion and subsequent deposition of the host sediment, but also for the relative frequency of the depositional events, despite bioturbation of the host sediment. This technique can be applied readily to fine-scale stratigraphic and/or paleoenvironmental analyses.


Background: Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder with the first onset of seizure represents a common cause of emergency department visit. Objectives: The objective of this study is to provide the data as well as to assess our local clinical practice parameters regarding the management of patients with first-onset seizure. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was carried out using the medical records at 7th October hospital, included all patients admitted to the hospital with first seizure during the time period from "January 2013 to January 2014." Results: Out of 145 patients presented with seizures, 52 (36%) patients presented with first seizure and admitted to the general medical ward and were managed by internist. The mean age of the study population was 45 ± 24 years, 26 (50%) patients were male. Thirteen (25%) patients had unprovoked seizure and 39 had provoked seizure with stroke being the most common cause. Brain scan and electroencephalogram were ordered in 28 (54%) and 16 (31%), respectively. Anti-epileptic drugs were prescribed to 32/52 (62%) patients, including all poststroke seizure patients and seven patients with unprovoked first seizure. Conclusion: We provided data regarding patients presenting with first seizure and insight into local practice regarding care of this group of patients. To our knowledge, such data were not reported before from our area. The findings were partly in agreement with evidence-based practice, though justification was still needed. The larger and more constructed study is warranted as "First Fit Presentation" is one of the common presentations in the emergency department.


several tumor types. To date, a clear hypoxia gene signature has not been specifically described for GBM. We hypothesize that specific cellular path-ways are differentially regulated in hypoxic tumor niches and can serve as novel actionable targets for treatment-resistant tumor cells in GBM. Over the past 3 years, we have administered PIMO to 35 patients with primary IDH1/2 wild-type GBM and isolated PIMO-positive and PIMO-negative tumor cells by laser capture microdissection using a PIMO-specific anti- body on frozen tumor specimens. Total genomic DNA was isolated and subjected to DNA methylation profiling using the Illumina Infinium Methylation EPIC array. Our preliminary results suggest that PIMO-positive (hypoxic) tumor cells display a distinct DNA methylation profile that corresponds to changes in expression of a set of genes associated with immune regulation, angiogenesis, and proliferation. Furthermore, multiple CpG sites within the promoter of some genes are differentially methylated in hypoxic cells, suggesting these genes may be epigenetically regulated under hypoxia. In conclusion, our results indicate that hypoxia is associated with distinct epigenetic alterations in tumor cells which may alter how these cells respond to low oxygen levels and can further be utilized to uncover the epigenomic vulnerabilities of hypoxic tumor cells in GBM. (ITH), and selection of therapy-resistant clones. While genomic alterations are known contributors to ITH, emerging studies highlight functional roles for epigenomic ITH which in-tegrates differentiation status, stochastic events, and microenvironmental inputs. Here, we have established a novel platform for integrative characterization of genomic and epigenomic ITH of glioblastoma in three-dimensional (3-D) space. In collaboration with neurosurgeons and biomedical imaging experts, we utilize 3-D surgical neuro-navigation to safely acquire ~10 tumor samples per patient representing maximal anatomical diversity. We conduct whole-exome sequencing, RNA sequencing, and assay for transposase- accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-Seq) on each sample. The spatial location of each sample is mapped by its 3-D coordinates, allowing 360-degree visualization of genomic and epigenomic ITH for each patient. We demonstrate this approach on 8 patients with primary IDH-WT glio- blastoma (83 spatially mapped samples), providing unprecedented insight into their spatial organization at the genomic and epigenomic levels. We link genetically defined tumor subclones to patterns of open chromatin and gene regulation, revealing underlying transcription factor binding at active promoters and enhancers. We also identify ITH in whole-genome doubling and focal oncogene amplification events in multiple patients, which we then link with epigenomic ITH. Further, to study microenvironmental inputs and their contribution to epigenomic ITH, we conduct deconvolution of RNA sequencing and ATAC-Seq data by analyzing feature co-variation. We re-solve the 3-D spatial organization of immune, neural, and other nontumor cell types present in glioblastoma, characterizing their functional states and interactions with tumor cells. This work provides the most compre- hensive spatial characterization of genomic and epigenomic ITH to date in glioblastoma. As a resource for further investigation, we have developed an interactive data sharing platform – The 3D Glioma Atlas – that enables 360-degree visualization of both genomic and epigenomic ITH. Malignant gliomas represent over 70% of primary brain tumors and the most deadly is glioblastoma (GBM, WHO grade IV), due to frequent dysfunctions of tumor suppressors or/and oncogenes. Recent whole genome studies of gliomas demonstrated that besides genetic alterations, epigenetic dysfunctions contribute to tumor development and progression. Alterations in genes encoding epigenetic enzyme/protein or aberrations in epigenetic modification pattern have been found in gliomas of lower grade, yet no epigenetic driver was identified in GBM. We sought to identify different mech- anisms driving aberrant expression of epigenetic genes in GBM. We analyzed gene expression and coding/non-coding regions of 96 major epigenetic enzymes and chromatin modifiers in 28 GBMs, 23 benign gliomas (juvenile pilocytic astrocytomas, JPAs, WHO grade I) and 7 normal brain samples. We found a profound and global down-regulation of expression of most tested epigenetic enzymes and modifiers in GBMs when compared to normal brains and JPAs. For some genes changes in mRNA level cor-related with newly identified single nucleotide variants within non-coding regulatory regions. To find a common denominator responsible for the co-ordinated down-regulation of expression of epigenetic enzymes/modifiers, we employed PWMEnrich tool for DNA motif scanning and enrichment analysis. Among others, we discovered the presence of high affinity motifs for the E2F1/E2F4 transcription factors, within the promoters of the epigenetic enzyme/modifier encoding genes. Knockdown of the E2F1/E2F4 ex- pression affected the expression of a set of epigenetic enzymes/modifiers. Altogether, our results reveal a novel epigenetic-related pathway by which E2F1/E2F4 factors contribute to glioma pathogenesis and indicate novel targets for glioma therapy. Supported by a National Science Centre grant 2013/09/B/NZ3/01402 (MM). There is ample support for developmental control of glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs), and a deeper knowledge of their epigenetic regulation could be central to more efficient glioblastoma (GBM) therapies. For this purpose, we analyzed the chromatin-accessibility landscape of nine mouse GSC cultures of defined cell of origin and 60 patient-derived GSC cultures by assay for transposase- accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq). This uncovered an epigenetic variability of both mouse and human GSC cultures that differed from transcriptome clusters. Both mouse and human chromatin accessibility-guided clusters were predominantly determined by distal regulatory elements, dis- played unique sets of transcription factor motif enrichment, and exhibited different functional and drug-response properties. Cross-species analysis of distal regulatory element regions in accessible chromatin of mouse and human cultures revealed conserved epigenetic regulation of GSCs. brain metastases and subsequent median overall sur- vival is one year. Although clinical factors do not reliably predict brain metastasis development, DNA methylation signatures have been recently shown to predict outcomes in other cancers. It is hypothesized that DNA methylation signatures predicting brain metastasis development from lung cancer will be identified. This work may allow for treatment strategies that prevent brain metastasis development in high risk lung cancer patients. METHODS: DNA methylation profiling was undertaken on N=124 lung adenocarcinoma patients. In a randomly selected 70% training cohort, differentially methylated CpG sites between patients developing and not developing brain metastases were identified and used to build a generalized boosted regression model. Patients in the independent 30% testing cohort were assigned brain metastasis risk scores by the model. RESULTS: Brain metastases developed in 49/124 (39.5%) of patients and 2.3K CpG sites were significantly differentially methylated between patients developing and not developing metastases. Methylation-based brain metastasis risk scores predicted time to brain metastasis development in the testing cohort (Univariate cox: HR=3.2, 95% CI 1.1–9.4, p=0.03). A multivariate cox analysis assessing tumor size and nodal positivity together with methylation scores as covariates identified methylation scores as the only independent predictor of brain metastasis development in the testing cohort (HR=4.3, 95%CI 1.1–17, p=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: DNA methylation signatures in lung adenocarcinomas predict brain metastasis development independ- ently from the non-metastatic components of cancer stage. Future work developing a comprehensive nomogram utilizing methylation scores to- gether with clinical factors to determine patient specific risk values may aid in treatment decisions and patient prognosis counselling.


La3+/halogen (F-, Cl- and Br-) co-doped TiO2 was synthesized by alkoxide hydrolysis method. The prepared La3+/halogen TiO2 photocatalysts with anatase phases and rutile phases were characterized with XRD, EDS, TEM and surface area analytic technology. Methyl orange was used as model pollutants to evaluate its visible light photocatalytic activity. The results showed that the co-doping of La3+ and halogen ions improved the surface area of TiO2. Compared with 450°C and 650°C, La3+/Cl- and La3+/Br- co-doped TiO2 calcined at 550°C exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity. The optimal doping ratio of La3+/F-, La3+/Cl- and La3+/Br- was 0.4, 0.6, and 0.5 ((wt%)/(wt%)), respectively. Moreover, the degradation ratio of methyl orange on La3+/halogen co-doped TiO2 with the optimal ratio were all higher than the maximum degradation ratio on La3+, F-, Cl- and Br- doped TiO2 prepared by the same method.


The temporal analysis of evolving graphs is an important requirement in many domains but hardly supported in current graph database and graph processing systems. We therefore have started with extending Gradoop for temporal graph analysis by adding time properties to vertices, edges and graphs and using them within graph operators. We outline these extensions and show their use in a bibliographic scenario to analyze temporal citation patterns.


Today's societal challenges call for integrated solutions that connect various industries and transcend national boundaries. Investing in the design and development of innovative solutions in this interconnected world is therefore top priority for national and international policymakers[1]. Governmental organizations play a crucial role in innovation processes and the direction of these processes, as they set up "the rules of the game"[2]. They shape society, the economy and industries, as they are able to (in) directly facilitate and regulate the diffusion of technology and related innovation processes. In addressing innovation for societal challenges, such as climate change and sustainable energy, most of the benefits are likely to be public, rather than private. This requires a strategic reorientation in the innovation activities of industry actors towards societal progress. As such, governmental organizations are expected to take (and maintain) a more active role and bear certain responsibilities in the early stages of stimulating the development of innovative solutions. However, the undertaken governmental activities do not always have the anticipated effect and governmental organizations still struggle to efficiently stimulate and manage these innovation processes when addressing societal challenges. This study therefore aims to investigate how governmental organizations struggle with stimulating innovation processes for societal challenges. This explorative research question is addressed with a qualitative research design in the context of using space technology and applications as a contribution to one specific societal challenge, namely stimulating a society with sustainable and clean energy. An in depth case study is appropriate to uncover the various struggles governments experience in stimulating the (co)development of innovative products and services based on space technology for a sustainable energy transition in Europe.