Babson and Steingrimsson introduced generalized permutation patterns that allow the requirement that two adjacent letters in a pattern must be adjacent in the permutation. We consider n-permutations that avoid the generalized pattern 1-32 and whose k rightmost letters form an increasing subword. The number of such permutations is a linear combination of Bell numbers. We find a bijection between these permutations and all partitions of an (n-1)-element set with one subset marked that satisfy certain additional conditions. Also we find the e.g.f. for the number of permutations that avoid a generalized 3-pattern with no dashes and whose k leftmost or k rightmost letters form either an increasing or decreasing subword. Moreover, we find a bijection between n-permutations that avoid the pattern 132 and begin with the pattern 12 and increasing rooted trimmed trees with n+1 nodes.


In January 2005 a trading scheme with emission allowances, including carbon dioxide (CO2), was introduced in Europe. This has influenced the electricity price as well as the price of CO2 emitting production. The paper and pulp industry uses a high share of electricity and emits CO2 and is therefore chosen. This industry is investigated to see if the competitiveness for the industry has been influenced by the emission trading scheme. Since the trial period is too short to give any clear results, USA has been investigated to make comparisons with Sweden. Different theories about the subject together with electricity price and production price data from Statistiska Centralbyran. A competitiveness model is calculated with help from production prices and show that Sweden has become relatively more competitive compared to the USA since 1995. A reason for this can be the introduction of an emission trading scheme in the USA in 1995. If this is the case, the Swedish paper and pulp industry can face a decrease in competitiveness in the near future.


Martensitic transformation behavior of a series of Ti-(50-x)Ni-xCo at% alloys (x = 4, 8, 12, 16, 20) has been examined by electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements, in order to know the phase stability of the B2-type structure. The 4Co and 8Co alloys exhibit a typical first order B2-R-B19' transformation. The 12Co alloy probably transforms to the R-phase, but its microstructure is composed of small domains with about 10 nm in diameter, being quite different from the microstructure of a typical R-phase formed by nucleation and growth. The 16Co and the 20Co alloys do not show any martensitic transformation but anomalies of the electrical resistivity and magnetic susceptibility being similar to those of the 12Co alloy appear in these alloys. The diffuse scattering of 1/3<110> is also observed in the 16Co alloy. The Debye temperature decreases and electronic specific heat coefficient increases with increasing Co content.


Effects of exogenous folic acid (FA) on the productivity of Pisum sativum L. and Hordeum vulgare L. have been studied. After flowering, the plants were treated with optimum concentration of FA (25 mg per 1 water). This treatment increased the weight of the seeds by 17-19% (samplings of 1000 pcs were compared), whereas the yield became 26-29% higher. Amino acid analysis revealed a notable increase in the content of folate-dependent amino acids (e.g., glutamate, glycin, and methionine). Analysis of total folate content demonstrated that tetrahydrofolic coenzymes were significantly increased in experimental seeds. Treatment of the plants with exogenous FA increased both the content of chlorophyll in the leaves and their continuance of function. The results obtained led to the conclusion that FA treatment increases the productivity of pea and barley, by affecting the yield, weight, and quality of the seed.


DNA polymerase η (pol η), a crucial component of the cellular translesion synthesis pathway, allows cells to bypass and thereby temporarily tolerate DNA damage. Inherited deficiency of pol η, as reported in the variant form of xeroderma pigmentosum, predisposes to UV light-induced skin cancers. To date, pol η is the only DNA polymerase shown to exhibit a causal link to the formation of cancers in humans. However, the role of pol η in the cellular response to forms of DNA damage other than UV-induced lesions is largely unknown. In the first part of this thesis, it is shown that cells deficient in pol η are resistant to ionising radiation. Deficiency in the polymerase was associated with accumulation of cells in S phase of the cell cycle. Cells deficient in pol η demonstrated increased homologous recombination-directed repair of DNA double-strand breaks created by ionising radiation, and depletion of the homologous recombination protein X-ray repair cross-complementing protein 3 (XRCC3), abrogated the radioresistance observed in pol η-deficient cells compared to pol η-complemented cells. These findings suggest that homologous recombination mediates S phase-dependent radioresistance associated with pol η-deficiency. In the second part of this thesis, it is shown that pol η-deficient cells have increased sensitivity to the chemotherapeutic compound, oxaliplatin, compared to pol η-deficient expressing cells, but not to the drug 5-fluorouracil that is usually administered in combination with oxaliplatin in the clinical setting. Despite the importance of pol η for cellular survival following exposure to oxaliplatin, the drug did not upregulate the enzyme after either short-term or long-term exposure. Inhibition of pol η activity by siRNA-mediated knockdown of the protein sensitised cells to oxaliplatin treatment, and partially reversed acquired resistance in oxaliplatin-resistant tumour cell lines. These data suggest that pol η is an interesting target whose function can potentially be interfered with to optimise oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. In the third part of this thesis, clinical samples obtained from oesophageal cancer patients before and after treatment with oxaliplatin-containing chemotherapy were analysed for POLH mRNA levels encoding pol η protein. Malignant tissue specimens obtained before treatment demonstrated a significantly higher level of POLH mRNA than matched normal oesophageal tissue samples. Contrary to the preclinical data, high POLH mRNA expression before therapy was shown to correlate with increased overall and disease-free survival of the patient cohort in the clinical trial. Additionally, patients with high POLH mRNA-expressing cancers had better therapeutic responses (measured by PET-CT) to oxaliplatin-based treatment than those with low levels. These data suggest that POLH mRNA expression should be tested as a biomarker to predict survival and therapeutic responses in oesophageal cancer patients treated with oxaliplatin-containing chemotherapy.


Fresnel Zone Plate lens (FZPL) antennas working in W band are reported in this paper with quarter phase correction. A low cost and straightforward technological process is used to manufacture the dielectric lenses using only one foam material whose the dielectric constant is controlled. Simulation and measurement results are in good agreement that confirms the viability of such a process to fabricate inhomogeneous structures. In this paper the Fresnel lens works in transmission or reflective mode depending of the application.


The reaction of benzamidoxime with chloroacetyl chloride in the presence of organic base proceed smoothly under refluxing condition in 2-dichloro ethane to give the corresponding substituted 3-(4bromo-2-fluorophenyl)-5-(chloromethyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole. It reacts with different substituted phenol generate a series of novel 1,2,4-oxadiazole compounds. All synthesized compounds were characterized by using elemental analysis, Mass, IR, 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR spectroscopy. Also compounds were tested for their antibacterial and antifungal activity (MIC) in vitro with two Grampositive bacteria, two Gram-negative bacteria and three fungal strains.


accurate enough to be of practical value. Professor Leevy et al.' showed that serum folate levels reflect liver tissue levels surprisingly accurately. Chanarin et al.' demonstrated similar findings. It may be that serum folate levels do not reflect tissue levels in tissues other than the liver. If this is so, has Dr. Andrews any facts to support this ? There are abundant publications, too well known to require reference, that patients with low serum folate levels and changes believed to be secondary to folic acid deficiency respond when given folic acid. This is strong supporting evidence that serum folate levels reflect tissue levels accurately enough for practical purposes. The folate level in the central nervous system' is three times that of serum and falls when the serum folate falls. This also suggests that serum folate levels can give a helpful reflection of folate levels elsewhere in the body. The serum estimation of any substancee.g., potassium-requires sensible interpretation. Estimations used in this way have served us well for years. The day when an easy estimation of tissue substances can be achieved is probably many years off. Meanwhile it would be unwise to reject such guides as are available. We must do the best with those we have; which probably are accurate enough for practical purposes.-I am, etc., A. J. GARDNER. Atkinson Morley's Hospital, London S.W.20.


The first field investigation of the marine life at Juan de Nova gave an opportunity
to study hydroid diversity in April-May 2004. Species richness was high, with 95 species
belonging to 26 families and 44 genera. Thecates dominated (72%), with three families
particularly diverse: Haleciidae, Sertulariidae and Aglaopheniidae . There were four different sub-communities with a few species in common: two intertidal and two subtidal. One was located on reef flats subject to strong hydrodynamic conditions, and included rheophilic and photophilic species such as Millepora exaesa, Nemalecium sp., Dynamena crisoides, Thyroscyphus fruticosus, Thyroscyphus sp. and Aglaophenia cupressina . The second was found where the reef flat experienced calmer conditions, and comprised mainly Plumularioidea and Haleciidae species with small sized colonies (1-3cm) and large populations, densely covering the hard substrata of coral patches. The third sub-community colonized the reef platform (5-20m), with hydroids widespread and diverse. The fourth was on the outer slope, deeper (30m), and was characterized by the presence of four Solanderia species, several Aglaophenids and Thyroscyphus aequalis . Most of the species were brooders (84%). Present data are discussed regarding environmental parameters, and compared with data from the Iles Glorieuses, other islands of the Mozambique Channel. Keywords :Hydrozoa, coral reefs, species richness, distribution, reproductive biology, Indian Ocean West Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science Vol. 5 (2) 2006: pp. 123-132


The amino acid sequence YPHFMPTNL of pp89, the ie1-encoded product of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV; Smith strain), constitutes an immunodominant T cell epitope recognized in association with H-2Ld. Nucleotide sequencing of MCMV isolates derived from wild mice identified variation between amino acids 147-192 of pp89 in 19 of 27 isolates, including the region encompassing the CTL epitope (amino acid residues 168-176). Four groups of isolates with naturally occurring variant sequences for the CTL epitope were defined: (1) YPHFMPPNL; (2) YPHFMPPSL; (3) YPHFIPPSL; and (4) YLDFMPPNL. The remaining isolates, and the laboratory strains K181 and Vancouver, showed complete identity with the Smith strain. Polyclonal pp89 (Smith strain)-specific CTL only weakly recognized target cells infected with MCMV from most variant groups. No lysis of cells infected with isolate N1 from group 4 was detected. Analyses of cross-reactive recognition of YPHFMPTNL peptide-coated targets by CTL primed with variant MCMV isolates showed that the group 2 and 3 isolates, G4 and K6, respectively, but not the group 4 isolate N1, elicited CTL that exhibited a cross-reactive response. Furthermore, while the group 2 and 3 isolates G4 and K6 were able to prime CTL responses that displayed reactivity to homologous pp89 variant nonapeptides, the group 4 isolate N1 failed to do so. Finally, while immunization of mice with the nonapeptide YPHFMPTNL conferred significant protection against the laboratory strain K181 [correction of Kl81], no evidence of protection was observed for the group 2 and 4 variants G4 and N1, respectively. These observations raise the possibility that clinical isolates of HCMV may also differ in sequence from potential vaccine strains at immunodominant epitopes for CD8+ T cells thus reducing the efficacy of vaccination.


Schistosomiasis, due to Schistosoma mansoni, is a major health problem in many subtropical countries, and major efforts are being made to define a vaccine. In this regard, we have reported that sera from subjects with low susceptibility to infection by S. mansoni react with a major larval surface antigen (P-37), having an apparent molecular mass of 37 kD, against which sera of susceptible individuals show little reactivity. We have now cloned the cDNA for this antigen by screening a schistosome cDNA expression library with antibodies against the purified protein. The selected cDNAs encode a protein that is specifically identified by immune human sera containing antibodies against P-37, while sera exhibiting low or no reactivity toward P-37 fail to recognize the recombinant protein. The cloned cDNAs hybridize with a 1.2-kb RNA that is the transcript of a single copy gene. This RNA directs the synthesis of a 36.5-kD polypeptide that is precipitated by sera from the most resistant subjects. The amino acid sequence of the encoded polypeptide shows homology with the glycolytic enzyme Glyceraldehyde-3P-dehydrogenase (72.5% of positional identity with human Glyceraldehyde-3P-dehydrogenase). Antibodies against the recombinant protein identified P-37 on the larva. These findings, together with other reports, indicate that a number of conserved proteins may be major targets of host-protective immunity against S. mansoni. The hypothesis is discussed that genetic restriction of the immune response to these antigens may occur in heterogeneous human populations because of the limited number of T cell epitopes carried by these host-like proteins. Such genetic effects might allow parasite transmission through nonresponder (susceptible) individuals. This hypothesis and the protective properties of P-37 can now be tested using the recombinant protein and synthetic peptides derived from selected regions of the polypeptide chain.


Nano-scale ceramic materials are very suitable to be used as the high speed cutting tool owing to their excellent properties. The incorporation of nano-scale second phase, such as SiC and Ti(CxN1-x) particles, into a ceramic matrix can lead to an improvement in mechanical properties, which is contributed to a change in microstructure. However, the differences between nano-scale ceramic materials and monoclinic ceramic materials can be found through fabricating these two kinds of materials. Firstly the changes in microstructure that will affect the mechanical properties of the nano-scale ceramic materials are investigated as the nano-ceramic tools are compared with the monolithic ceramic tools. Secondly the effect of microstructure on the mechanical properties is discussed. Finally the microstructure formation mechanism of nano-ceramic materials is given on the bases of some hypotheses.


Planktothrix rubescens is sadly famous for producing microcystins (MCs), which are powerful hepatotoxins. During the winter 2005/06, P. rubescens has been found in the Pozzillo, Nicoletti, Prizzi and Garcia reservoirs, Sicily; in 2008 it was also detected in SS. Trinità di Delia and Castello reservoirs. Indeed, during periods of low shortwave irradiance such as winter, when light weakly penetrates water column and the water cools, P. rubescens filaments float up to the surface, forming red-colored blooms. Ancillary meteorological measurements highlighted low air temperatures between two frosts in December 2007 and February 2008, with a simultaneous reduction in the incoming total solar radiation, which probably triggered P. rubescens floating up to water surface. The manuscript reports empirical relationships to calculate the cell density of P. rubescens. A basic cell density relationship was set up using in situ data and satellite images (MODIS Terra) collected simultaneously. In particular, water samples were collected for cells counting and MCs detection, whereas Red and Near-Infrared bands of MODIS at 250 m provided a good dataset for modeling an empirical relationship, given also their high temporal resolution. Spectroradiometric campaigns were also carried out in February/March 2008 to characterize the spectral reflectance of water with and without P. rubescens bloom. A further cross calibration, using MODIS as reference data, allowed to setup the empirical relationships to be applied to other sensors such as Landsat ETM+, MERIS Envisat and Sentinel-2. Among those, Landsat ETM+ have an appropriate spatial resolution for monitoring Sicilian reservoirs (characterized by an average extension of few kilometers) although images are currently acquired in SLC-off mode, thus compromising the suitability of such data for an operational monitoring. MERIS had a sufficient spatial resolution (300 m) but it was lost with Envisat (on May the 9th, 2012). Sentinel-2, once operational, will provide a suitable dataset. Generally, the retrieved empirical equations tend to overestimate the actual values for low (or absent) surface filaments.


We investigated two important unresolved issues on excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reactions, i.e., their driving force and the charge state of the transferred species by means of quantum chemical topology. We related changes in the aromaticity of a molecule after electron excitation to reaction dynamics in an excited state. Additionally, we found that the conveyed particle has a charge intermediate between that of a bare proton and a neutral hydrogen atom. We anticipate that the analysis presented in this communication will yield valuable insights into ESIPT and other similar photochemical reactions.


Zotero (pronounced "zoh-TAIR-oh") is a program that collects, manages, and cites research sources. It's easy to use, lives in your web browser where you do your work, and best of all it's free.


The thesis represents the forecasting system as an organic and important part of the management for the various types of organizationsand enterprises. Forecasting, with the strategic planning, is complexly discussed and considered necessary and obligatory backgroundfor the development of any company. The publication describes the forecasting system as combined method of forecasting and unifiesquantitative and expert (judgmental) forecasting methods.The methodology of the expert's competence's determination considers the expert's skill in specific field by the following assessmentcriteria: education quality, general work experience, work experience in specific field, expert's experience, awareness in the field andexpert effectiveness.


Elizabeth GrangerThe University of ManchesterThe interplay between dynein, accessory proteins and the endocytic pathwayDoctor of Philosophy, Organelle Function25-09-13Cytoplasmic dynein 1 (dynein) is a multi-subunit complex that transports cargo along microtubules towards their minus ends. These microtubule minus ends are normally located toward the centre of the cell. Dynein is involved in transport of endocytic and autophagic membranes and is tightly regulated by interactions between dynein subunits and by dynein-accessory proteins. Dynein accessory proteins that are involved in a wide range of dynein-driven transport events include dynactin, Lis1 and the paralogues Nde1 and Ndel1. Lis1 and Nde1/Ndel1 interact with each other and are involved in the recruitment of dynein to cargo and in regulating dynein activity. Although much is known about the specific interactions of dynein and accessory proteins, the interplay between dynein and its network of regulators in living cells is not well defined.This project used RNAi to investigate how the dynein subunits light intermediate chain (LIC) and intermediate chain (IC) as well as Lis1 and Nde1/Ndel1 influence the endocytic pathway, autophagy and cargo recruitment. Biochemical analysis of bulk membrane preparations showed that IC is important for dynein and dynactin association with intracellular membranes. In addition, dynein and dynactin recruitment to Rab interacting lysosomal protein (RILP)-positive membranes was shown to require LIC and there was redundancy between LIC1 and LIC2 in this role. Lis1 was also needed for dynactin-dynein recruitment to these membranes, in a context that was Nde1/Ndel1-independent.Loss of LIC, IC, Lis1 and Nde1 had differing effects on endocytic compartment size and distribution, but they all led to mislocalisation of early endosomes and lysosomes and caused lysosomes to become enlarged. Loss of LIC led to a specific phenotype whereby cells formed lamellipodia-like regions in which early endosomes and lysosomes accumulated. Loss of Lis1 prevented traffic from the early endosome to late endosomes and caused a striking enlargement of late endosomes and lysosomes. These enlarged lysosomes were LC3-positive, indicating that they were autophagic. In addition, loss of IC and LIC also led to an increase in LC3 puncta, but the LC3 did not colocalise specifically with lysosomes.In summary, the results from this project show that i) dynactin recruitment to intracellular membranes, including RILP-postivie membranes, requires dynein, ii) Lis1 and LIC1 or LIC2 are necessary but not sufficient, individually, to recruit dynein and dynactin to RILP-positive membranes iii) LIC, IC, Lis1 and Nde1/Ndel1 influence endocytic progression in specific ways, which may in turn affect autophagic flux.


Balhimycin, a vancomycin-type glycopeptide, is a lipid II targeting antibiotic produced by Amycolatopsis balhimycina. A. balhimycina has developed a self-resistance mechanism based on the synergistic action of different enzymes resulting in modified peptidoglycan. The canonical resistance mechanism against glycopeptides is the synthesis of peptidoglycan precursors ending with acyl-d-alanyl-d-lactate (d-Ala-d-Lac) rather than acyl-d-alanyl-d-alanine (d-Ala-d-Ala). This reprogramming is the result of the enzymes VanH, VanA, and VanX. VanH and VanA are required to produce d-Ala-d-Lac; VanX cleaves cytosolic pools of d-Ala-d-Ala, thereby ensuring that peptidoglycan is enriched in d-Ala-d-Lac. In A. balhimycina, the ΔvanHAXAb mutant showed a reduced glycopeptide resistance in comparison to the wild type. Nevertheless, ΔvanHAXAb was paradoxically still able to produce d-Ala-d-Lac containing resistant cell wall precursors suggesting the presence of a novel alternative glycopeptide resistance mechanism. In silico analysis, inactivation studies, and biochemical assays led to the characterization of an enzyme, Ddl1Ab, as a paraloguous chromosomal d-Ala-d-Lac ligase able to complement the function of VanAAb in the ΔvanHAXAb mutant. Furthermore, A. balhimycina harbors a vanYAb gene encoding a d,d-carboxypeptidase. Transcriptional analysis revealed an upregulated expression of vanYAb in the ΔvanHAXAb mutant. VanYAb cleaves the endstanding d-Ala from the pentapeptide precursors, reducing the quantity of sensitive cell wall precursors in the absence of VanXAb. These findings represent an unprecedented coordinated layer of resistance mechanisms in a glycopeptide antibiotic producing bacterium.


A restrospective survey of the records of 33 patients with generalized aquired myasthenia gravis treated at Hospital das Clinicas, Medical School of The University of Sao Paulo, Brazil and in private practice, with and without thymectomy, is reported. Nineteen were thymectomized and 14 non operated. Both groups were demographically homogeneous and were followed from 8 to 24 years. Parameters for evaluating the natural history of disease and other ones for a comparative analysis of the improvement or remissions were established. The influence of the individualized therapy was evaluated by McNemar test (x2); the U-Mann-Whitney was used for evalution of the populational behavior groups; variable parameter with possible influence in the useful life were studied by multivariate analysis. The difference of distance between both groups was not significant: (D2= 0.08894); T2 -7.17 (Hottelling test). There were differences of the isolate clinic parameter responses in both groups, but the global analysis of the parameters did not permit to discriminate them, possibly because of interaction of the parameters influencing the analytic result. Inspite of the fact that superposition of the parameter occured when analysed for a long period, we believe the early thymectomy to be benefic. Our patients who had their operation at a younger age and specially those with recent disease had a maximum improvement.


This paper evaluates extension policies in Eastern Africa. Extension policies - explicit or implied - were assessed using a framework published by the FAO. Of the nine elements of the framework, three of the most enlightening - mission and goals, approach and functions, and clienteles - have particularly been employed. The unexpected initial finding was that only three countries in Eastern Africa have legislated (i.e. formally adopted) national extension policies. Implied policies were thus gleaned, where possible, for the remainder.Broadly, the review found that East African extension missions and goals focussed on improving profitability of agricultural business, increasing output volumes and market share, stabilising food production and availability, and achieving objectives such as enhancing quality of life and environmental conservation. Regarding approaches and functions, the study found that public sector extension is undergoing transformation including decentralization and outsourcing extension services in the context of adopting pluralistic extension delivery systems. The dominant clientele were women and small- and medium-scale farmers. However, entrenched barriers limiting women's participation are still insufficiently addressed. Without formal policies, there can be little stable offering of extension in these countries. Governments should officially adopt extension policies that crystallise their vision, mission, goals and methods for advancing deliberately targeted clientele, thus enabling steady and measurable progress.


This research is based on the S-O-R theory ie the messages in a particular form would stimulate the communicants to respond in certain ways too, a phenomenon that emerged in
public that effect a broadcast television program having an impact on the attitudes of individuals and society. The formulation of the problem and purpose of this study include whether there is influence of exposure to the broadcast program "Telusur" on Tv One and also how the influence imposed on community participation in environmental safeguards to try to explain.
Communication process is how the communicators convey a message to persons stimulus, then reacted by the communicants. This communication process aims to create change in the audience either cognitive, affective or conative as stated in the SOR theory. The approach
used in this study is a quantitative approach, while the type of research is explanatory.
Subjects of the study itself is a program of "Telusur" on Tv One which is a program that explores issues of social, political and legal liability associated with activities that tend to illegal or criminal actions. Presentation of data and analysis of the results of research in this
chapter are as follows: first, data taken from questionnaires to the respondents and added documentation in the form of notes or additional literature from the relevant authorities.
Second, analyze the communication process that is used in the form of calculations using simple linear regression analysis with the aim to discover the existence of a effect and the level of influence of the broadcast program "Telusur" on community participation in environmental protection to urban research sites in RT. 04/Rw. 05 chatter chatter district Malang.
Exposure to the broadcast program "Telusur" on Tv One has a significant impact on the community vigilant attitude. It was indicated from analysis of data with the simple formula of linear regression analysis indicated that the calculation with the results of 0.001 means that
the value shown under the 0.05 value which is the highest threshold in the acceptance of a hypothesis, then Ho is rejected, while Ha accepted. Influence the level of exposure to air programming "Browse" on Tv One has a significant impact on the community vigilant attitude lies in the low category. It can be seen on the table summary of the model whose value was found to be 0.187. So in essence the phenomenon of community exposure to air programming
that is "Telusur" on Tv One has a significant impact on the community vigilant attitude RT.04/RW.05 village chatter chatter district Malang. But the correlation or relationship between them is low.


BACKGROUND/AIM
This study was designed to identify the effect of pentoxifylline on trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis in rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Forty-two female Wistar rats were randomly divided into 7 groups: group A, TNBS + intraperitoneal (IP) pentoxifylline; group B, TNBS + IP saline; group C, TNBS + intrarectal (IR) pentoxifylline; group D, TNBS + IR saline; group E, IP pentoxifylline + TNBS; group F, IP saline + TNBS; group G, IR saline. Pentoxifylline was given daily for 3 days before or 6 days after the induction of colitis. Rats were killed after 6 days.

RESULTS
IP and IR pentoxifylline similarly and significantly reduced damage and histopathological scores. Pentoxifylline attenuated the accumulation of malonyldialdehyde and transforming growth factor β1 and the activities of myeloperoxidase, matrix metalloproteinase-3, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1, and it also restored superoxide dismutase activity. The IP route was more effective than the IR route in this regard. Administration of IP pentoxifylline before or after induction did not influence all parameters. Conclusions: Pentoxifylline showed a therapeutic effect in this experimental colitis model. IP administration seemed to be better. This effect may occur as a result of inhibition of oxidative stress and metalloproteinase activity.


Shale formations generally contain a certain amount of water, and the occurrence of water can strongly affect the free gas content and gas storage capacity within shale. Although some studies have conducted water vapor adsorption tests to understand the water adsorption behavior and water-shale interactions, surprisingly the influence of grain size on water vapor sorption of shale is poorly understood. In this work, water vapor adsorption experiments on one Dongyuemiao shale from Ziliujing Formation in Jiannan Area, with different particle sizes (8-12 mesh, 20-35 mesh, 35-80 mesh, 80-200 mesh, and > 200 mesh) are conducted over a wide relative humidity (RH) range (5%-95%) using a gravimetric method. The influence of particle size on water vapor adsorption measurement is investigated and the optimal particle size is suggested for water vapor experiment. Results show that the maximum uptake of water vapor adsorption is smaller in larger particle sized sample, which is related to the variation of accessible pores. Monolayer adsorption capacity obtained from Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) modelling tends to increase as the particle size increases, suggesting a stronger water vapor adsorption potential. Comparative studies show that 20-35 mesh is suggested to be the optimum particle size for comparative purpose. The quantity of adsorption on the primary and secondary sites is comparable or equals at a RH range of approximately 60%-80%. When RH value is smaller than 60%, the quantity of water vapor adsorption on the primary site dominates, while adsorption uptake on the secondary site plays a dominant role when RH value is greater than 80%. When particle size increases, water vapor adsorptions on the primary sites increases slightly, while a decrease trend is observed for water vapor adsorption on secondary sites. Cited as : Yang, R., Jia, A., Hu, Q., Guo, X., Sun, M. Particle size effect on water vapor sorption measurement of organic shale: One example from Dongyuemiao Member of Lower Jurassic Ziliujing Formation in Jiannan Area of China. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2020, 4(2): 207-218, doi: 10.26804/ager.2020.02.09


Background Obesity is increasingly associated with COPD, but little is known about the prevalence of ectopic fat accumulation in COPD and whether this can possibly be associated with poor clinical outcomes and comorbidities. The Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate Endpoints (ECLIPSE) substudy tested the hypothesis that COPD is associated with increased ectopic fat accumulation and that this would be associated with COPD-related outcomes and comorbidities. Methods Computed tomography (CT) images of the thorax obtained in ECLIPSE were used to quantify ectopic fat accumulation at L2–L3 (eg, cross-sectional area [CSA] of visceral adipose tissue [VAT] and muscle tissue [MT] attenuation, a reflection of muscle fat infiltration) and CSA of MT. A dose–response relationship between CSA of VAT, MT attenuation and CSA of MT and COPD-related outcomes (6-minute walking distance [6MWD], exacerbation rate, quality of life, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1] decline) was addressed with the Cochran–Armitage trend test. Regression models were used to investigate possible relationships between CT body composition indices and comorbidities. Results From the entire ECLIPSE cohort, we identified 585 subjects with valid CT images at L2–L3 to assess body composition. CSA of VAT was increased (P<0.0001) and MT attenuation was reduced (indicating more muscle fat accumulation) in patients with COPD (P<0.002). Progressively increasing CSA of VAT was not associated with adverse clinical outcomes. The probability of exhibiting low 6MWD and accelerated FEV1 decline increased with progressively decreasing MT attenuation and CSA of MT. In COPD, the probability of having diabetes (P=0.024) and gastroesophageal reflux (P=0.0048) at baseline increased in parallel with VAT accumulation, while the predicted MT attenuation increased the probability of cardiovascular comorbidities (P=0.042). Body composition parameters did not correlate with coronary artery scores or with survival. Conclusion Ectopic fat accumulation is increased in COPD, and this was associated with relevant clinical outcomes and comorbidities.


In several studies of oak decline in Europe, a semi-papillate homothallic Phytophthora taxon was consistently isolated, together with other Phytophthora species, from rhizosphere soil samples. It was also found associated with necrotic fine roots and stem necroses of Fagus sylvatica and Alnus glutinosa. Due to morphological and physiological similarities, the semi-papillate isolates were previously identified as P. syringae by various authors. The morphology, physiology and pathogenicity against fine roots of Quercus robur, Q. petraea and F. sylvatica, bark of A. glutinosa, leaves of Ilex aquifolium and apple fruits of this Phytophthora species are described and compared with those of related and similar Phytophthora species, namely P. ilicis, P. psychrophila, P. quercina, P. citricola and P. syringae. The phylogenetic placement on the basis of ITS and mtDNA sequence data was also examined. Isolates of this taxon produce colonies with stellate to rosaceous growth patterns and limited aerial mycelium on various agar media. Antheridia are predominantly paragynous. In water culture catenulate hyphal swellings and semi-papillate caducous sporangia, that are usually limoniform, ellipsoid or ovoid, are formed abundandly, mostly in lax or dense sympodia. This taxon is a moderately slow growing, low temperature species with optimum and maximum temperatures around 20 and 25 degrees C, respectively. Tested isolates are moderately aggressive to fine roots of oaks and beech, highly aggressive to holly leaves and apple fruits, and slightly pathogenic to alder bark. Thirteen tested isolates had an identical and distinct ITS sequence which was more similar to that of P. ilicis and P. psychrophila than any other known taxa. On the basis of their unique combination of morphological characters, colony growth patterns, cardinal temperatures for growth, growth rates, pathogenicity to oaks, beech, alder, apple and holly, their host range, and ITS and mtDNA sequences the semi-papillate caducous Phytophthora isolates from oaks, beech and alder are clearly separated from related and similar Phytophthora spp., and described as a new species, P. pseudosyringae sp. nov.


NOx (NO and NO2) are air toxins that endanger life and represent a hazard to the environment, such as photochemical smog, global warming, acid rain, ozone depletion, and the occurrence of respiratory infections. Some technological strategies to diminish NOx emissions to meet regulations depend on two techniques: the dry process and the wet process. This study applies polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hollow fiber membrane modules as a medium to remove NOx from solutions containing several absorbents such as hydrogen peroxide and nitric acid (H2O2-HNO3) solutions, sodium chlorite and sodium hydroxide (NaClO2-NaOH) solutions, and sodium chlorate and sodium hydroxide (NaClO3-NaOH) solutions. The experimental results showed that the oxidant's strength influences NOx removal efficiency, where the absorbent solutions containing hydrogen peroxide had the highest removal efficiency as hydrogen peroxide is the most potent oxidant, followed by sodium chlorite and sodium chlorate. The three pairs of absorbents also gave a high NOx removal efficiency (above 90%), which means that all the absorbents used in the study are very potential to be used to diminish NOx via the wet process. NOx removal efficiency at the same feed gas flow rate increased as the number of fiber and absorbent concentrations is increased. However, NOx removal efficiency is reduced as the feed gas flow rate is increased at the same membrane module and absorbent concentration.


Near-optimal decomposition is central to the efficient solution of numerous problems in scientific computing and computer-aided design. In particular, intelligent a priori partitioning of input data can greatly improve the runtime and scalability of large-scale parallel computations. Discrete data structures such as graphs and hypergraphs are used to formalise such partitioning problems, with hypergraphs typically preferred for their greater expressiveness. Optimal graph and hypergraph partitioning are NP-complete problems; however, serial heuristic algorithms that run in low-order polynomial time have been studied extensively and good tool support exists. Yet, to date, only graph partitioning algorithms have been parallelised. This thesis presents the first parallel hypergraph partitioning algorithms, enabling both partitioning of much larger hypergraphs, and computation of partitions with significantly reduced runtimes. In the multilevel approach which we adopt, the coarsening and refinement phases are performed in parallel while the initial partitioning phase is computed serially. During coarsening and refinement, a twophase approach overcomes concurrency issues involved in distributing the serial algorithms, while a hash-based data distribution scheme maintains load balance. A theoretical analysis demonstrates our algorithms' asymptotic scalability. The algorithms are implemented in the Parkway tool. Experiments on hypergraphs from several application domains validate our algorithms and scalability model in two ways. Very large hypergraphs (10 vertices) are partitioned with consistent improvements in partition quality (of up to 60%) over an approximate approach that uses a state-of-the-art parallel graph partitioning tool. The algorithms also exhibit good empirical scalability and speedups are observed over serial hypergraph partitioning tools, while maintaining competitive partition quality. An application case study of parallel PageRank computation is presented. Applying hypergraph models for oneand two-dimensional sparse matrix decomposition on a number of publicly-available web graphs results in a significant reduction in communication overhead and a halving of per-iteration runtime.


BACKGROUND
This study addresses the issue of why under conditions of stress some people stay physically and psychologically healthy while others become ill. Being able to deal with stress, to cope with the pressures of daily life, and yet stay healthy, is seen as a function of such factors as physical health, psychological health, constitutional predisposition, social support, exercise habits, and personality.

METHODS
This study examined the moderating effects of the personality constructs of hardiness and sense of coherence, sports participation (college varsity athletes and college nonathletes), and gender on the relationship between perceived stress and psychological symptoms. College varsity athletes (n = 135) and college nonathletes (n = 135), all undergraduates at New York University, completed four questionnaires: Hardiness Scale, Sense of Coherence Scale, Daily Hassles Scale, and Profile of Mood States. Participants also completed a background questionnaire providing basic demographic data. Psychological symptoms and perceived stress were the criterion variables: hardiness, sense of coherence, sports participation, and gender were the predictor variables. Correlational analyses were applied to the resulting data and used to answer and to test the research hypotheses.

RESULTS
There was a significant positive correlation between perceived stress and psychological symptoms among college varsity athletes and college nonathletes. There was a significant positive correlation between the personality scales of Hardiness and Sense of Coherence for both college varsity athletes and college nonathletes. When controlling for gender, college varsity athletes scored significantly higher on hardiness, scored slightly higher on sense of coherence, and reported significantly less perceived stress and significantly fewer psychological symptoms than the college nonathletes. Comparing by gender, no statistically significant mean differences were found on the four main variables. A significant negative correlation was observed between personality hardiness and perceived stress and psychological symptoms for the total sample. However, the college nonathletes subsample showed no significant effect between hardiness and perceived stress.

CONCLUSIONS
Finally, there was a significant negative correlation between sense of coherence and perceived stress and psychological symptoms for both the college varsity athletes and college nonathletes.


We demonstrate highly efficient photon-pair generation using an 8 mm long hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) waveguide in far-detuned multiple wavelength channels simultaneously, measuring a coincidence-to-accidental ratio as high as 400. We also characterize the contamination from Raman scattering and show it to be insignificant over a spectrum span of at least 5 THz. Our results highlight a-Si:H as a potential high-performance, CMOS-compatible platform for large-scale quantum applications, particularly those based on the use of multiplexed quantum signals.


A nonthermal low temperature air plasma jet is characterized and applied to study the plasma effects on oral pathogens and biofilms. Experiments were performed on samples of six defined microorganisms' cultures, including those of gram-positive bacteria and fungi, and on a cultivating biofilm sample of Streptococcus mutans UA159. The results show that the plasma jet creates a zone of microbial growth inhibition in each treated sample; the zone increases with the plasma treatment time and expands beyond the entire region directly exposed to the plasma jet. With 30s plasma treatment twice daily during 5 days of biofilm cultivation, its formation was inhibited. The viability of S. mutans cells in the treatedbiofilms dropped to below the measurable level and the killed bacterial cells concentrated to local regions as manifested by the fluorescence microscopy via the environmental scanning electron microscope. The emission spectroscopy of the jet indicates that its plasma effluent carries an abundance of reactive atomic oxygen, providing catalyst for the observed plasma effect.


Until recently, First-Order Temporal Logic (FOTL) has been only partially understood. While it is well known that the full logic has no finite axiomatisation, a more detailed analysis of fragments of the logic was not previously available. However, a breakthrough by Hodkinson et al., identifying a finitely axiomatisable fragment, termed the monodic fragment, has led to improved understanding of FOTL. Yet, in order to utilise these theoretical advances, it is important to have appropriate proof techniques for this monodic fragment.In this paper, we modify and extend the clausal temporal resolution technique, originally developed for propositional temporal logics, to enable its use in such monodic fragments. We develop a specific normal form for monodic formulae in FOTL, and provide a complete resolution calculus for formulae in this form. Not only is this clausal resolution technique useful as a practical proof technique for certain monodic classes, but the use of this approach provides us with increased understanding of the monodic fragment. In particular, we here show how several features of monodic FOTL can be established as corollaries of the completeness result for the clausal temporal resolution method. These include definitions of new decidable monodic classes, simplification of existing monodic classes by reductions, and completeness of clausal temporal resolution in the case of monodic logics with expanding domains, a case with much significance in both theory and practice.


This paper presents a technique to reconstruct 3D breast ultrasound images at high resolution from anisotropically degradated volume acquisitions. Volumes are acquired by scanning the breast tissue with a 2D probe at different angles, showing different directional degradations induced by the point spread functions. We present a new technique to reconstruct the original volume based on estimating the spatial degradation from orthogonal views, and reconstructing the original volume through a regularized optimization technique. Results on synthetic and i vivo data show a better performance of this method in comparison to other spatial compounding techniques.


Gene-based therapies for cancer in clinical trials include strategies that involve augmentation of immunotherapeutic and chemotherapeutic approaches. These strategies include ex vivo and in vivo cytokine gene transfer, drug sensitization with genes for prodrug delivery, and the use of drug-resistance genes for bone marrow protection from high-dose chemotherapy. Inactivation of oncogene expression and gene replacement for tumor suppressor genes are among the strategies for targeting the underlying genetic lesions in the cancer cell. A review of clinical trial results to date, primarily in patients with very advanced cancers refractory to conventional treatments, indicates that these treatments can mediate tumor regression with acceptably low toxicity. Vector development remains a critical area for future research. Important areas for future research include modifying viral vectors to reduce toxicity and immunogenicity, increasing the transduction efficiency of nonviral vectors, enhancing vector targeting and specificity, regulating gene expression, and identifying synergies between gene-based agents and other cancer therapeutics.


Field programmable gate array (FPGA) devices are increasingly being deployed in industrial environments, making reconfigurable hardware testing and reliability an active area of investigation. While FPGA devices can be tested exhaustively, the so-called application-dependent test (ADT) has emerged as an effective approach ensuring reduced testing efforts and improving the manufacturing yield since it can selectively exclude a subset of faults not affecting a given design. In addition to manufacturing, ADT can be used online, providing a solution for fast runtime fault detection and diagnostics. This paper identifies a number of issues in existing ADT techniques which limit their applicability and proposes new approaches improving the range of covered faults, with special emphasis on feedback bridging faults, as well as new algorithms for generating ADT test configurations. Furthermore, the work introduces a software environment addressing the current lack of tools, either academic or commercial, supporting ADT techniques. The architecture of the environment is highly modular and extensively based on a plug-in approach. To demonstrate the potential of the toolset, we developed a complete suite of plug-ins, based on both state-of-the-art ADT techniques and the novel approaches introduced here. The experimental results presented at the end of the paper confirm the impact of the proposed techniques.


With the characteristic analysis of manufacturing process in various manufacture enterprises, Model Driven Architecture methodology is applied to construct dynamic reconfigurable manufacturing process model, which can solve the problems of portability, information integration, and interoperability effectively. A dynamic reconfigurable modeling process framework based on model driven Architecture is introduced for manufacture enterprises in this paper. It separates the manufacturing system functionality specification from its implementation on any specific technology platform, and makes the system reconfigurate the manufacturing progress through the transformation of models and transmission of information. At last, the integrated system was applied to a discreet manufacturing process and the application result proves that the system is practical and effective.


Ultrasonic is one of the most common uses of non-destructive evaluation technique. It could detect flaws inside the structure and on the surface such as voids, holes and cracks. In this investigation, a 304 steel block with a small hole inside the structure was fabricated. The radius of the hole was evaluated by the pulse-echo ultrasonic technique. In this work, 2.25MHz, 5MHz and 10MHz of incident waves were employed to detect the radius of the hole inside the structure. The errors of a hole with 2.5 mm radius measured by 5 MHz and 10MHz longitudinal wave were 1.15% and 6.6%, respectively. Experimental results showed that the accuracy of flaw sizing detection by ultrasonic technique depends on the frequency of the incident wave.


Drug effects are not solely determined by the pharmacological properties of the active substance, but also depend heavily on the way it is used in practice by health professionals and patients. Non-adherence to instructions for use seems to have contributed to the withdrawal of drugs such as troglitazon, mibefradil, and most recently cerivastatin [1–3]. Hepatotoxicity andmyopathy are two rare but serious side-effects of statins. Myopathy can lead to a life threatening rhabdomyolysis. Product labelling of statins advises to monitor hepatic function and creatinine kinase (CK) concentrations (especially in patients who are experiencing muscle pain), because this may prevent progress of these drug-induced complications. The objective of the present study was to estimate the incidence of CK and hepatic function measurements in a cohort of patients starting with a statin, and to evaluate whether this was influenced by the withdrawal of cerivastatin.

From eight community pharmacies located in Tilburg, the Netherlands and surroundings, patients starting with a statin during the period December 2000–April 2001 (period 1), or during the period August 8, 2001–October 2001(period 2) were selected. Period 2 was chosen after the withdrawal of cerivastatin. Date of filling the prescription was the index date. Age, gender, statin, prescribed dosage, and relevant concomitant drug use were obtained for all patients. From the regional clinical chemistry laboratory, which performs measurements for in-as well as outpatients, the number of hepatic function and CK measurements was determined during a 3 month follow-up period after the index date.

Five hundred and thirty patients were included. Any clinical chemistry measurement during follow-up was performed in54.2% (287) of all patients; CK levels were checked in 13.0% (69) of the patients while hepatic functiontests were performed in 22.3% (118) of all patients. There was no difference in these frequencies before, and after the withdrawal of cerivastatin (Table 1).

Table 1

Incidence of CK, hepatic function or any clinical chemistry measurement during 3 months of follow-up

Gender, age, standardized dosage, interacting concomitant drug use, and CK-inducing concomitant drug use did not cause significant deviations of these outcomes. Only 5.3% (1) of the patients starting with cerivastatin was checked for CK compared with 13.3% (68) of the patients using other statins (RR 0.40 (95% CI 0.06, 2.70)). In contrast, any clinical chemistry measurement and hepatic function were determined more frequently in cerivastatin starters compared with other statin starters: RR 1.48 (95% CI 1.16, 1.90) respectively RR 3.04 (95% CI 2.08, 4.47).

This study shows that, in daily medical practice, adherence to drug prescribing guidelines to perform clinical chemistry measurements is limited. The withdrawal of cerivastatin has not led to an increase in hepatic function-and CK measurements. Cerivastatin was taken off the market because available evidence (mainly case reports) suggested a higher frequency of serious side-effects in comparison with other statins [4]. It is remarkable that CK was less frequently checked in patients using cerivastatin while hepatic function was more frequently measured in this study. It is important to recognize that the population was limited to 530 patients with only 19 starters of cerivastatin. The strength of this study was the conductance in daily practice. The risk of losing patients during follow-up was minimized because in The Netherlands outpatients usually visit the same pharmacy [5], and all clinical chemistry testing was concentrated in one laboratory.

Overall it is important to realize that a drug is not a chemical entity alone but comes along with instructions for patients and prescribers in order to optimize the benefit-harm balance. Strategies for adherence to such instructions should be developed and implemented.


Mutations in the p53 gene are frequent genetic alterations in human hepatocellular carcinomas. We have examined 13 cases of human hepatocellular carcinomas from Germany for the presence of p53 aberrations in exons 4 to 8 of the gene by single-strand conformation polymorphism and restriction fragment-length polymorphism analyses and by sequenc ing of polymerase chain reaction products. Single base substitutions occurred in two human hepatocellular carcinomas: a C:G —¿ » T:A transition at a CpG site in codon 257, and a T:A —¿ » A:T transversion at codon 273. One of these point-mutated tumors and two additional tumors without point mutations demonstrated a loss of one pSi alÃ-ele. None of the tumors was mutated in codons 12 or 61 of the c-Ha-ras gene.


Abstract Over the past decades, an increasing number of bridges with integral abutment have been built in Switzerland. This type of bridge offers various advantages over standard bridges with abutments, equipped with expansion joints and bearings that require regular inspection and maintenance. One main concern of integral abutment bridges is related to the soil-structure interaction, in particular between the transition slab and the embankment. To avoid any expansion joints, transition slabs are directly connected to the end of integral abutment bridges. They are therefore subject to large displacements of the bridge deck due to temperature effects and creep and shrinkage in concrete bridges. Consequently, detailing of transition slabs needs to be carefully considered. This paper investigates the behaviour of transition slabs, focusing on the settlement of the pavement at the end of the transition slab and on the cracking of the pavement between the bridge deck and transition slab. On that basis, a modified geometry of the transition slab and a new detail for the connection between the bridge deck and the transition slab are proposed. If these propositions are considered at an early stage in the design process, they will result in an improved long term performance of bridges with integral abutments without increasing the construction costs.


We explore how coworking spaces are involved in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of start-ups contingent on the lifecycle stage of the firm and the coworking space market itself. Our study is based on a hand-collected detailed sample of coworking spaces in the seven largest regions in Germany. We find a hump-shaped relation of coworking space supply and founding activity, reflecting maturity effects of the corresponding coworking space market. In addition, we find a positive relation between the coworking space supply and funding activity of start-ups. A European study with WeWork data supports our findings and a difference-in-differences approach mitigates endogeneity concerns.


New free-air gravity and magnetic maps of the Eratosthenes Seamount and its vicinity were regenerated from potential field data. Stages of data processing are power spectrum, upward continuation, filtering on the free-air gravity anomaly data. RTP, pseudo-gravity transformation map, power spectrum, upward continuation, filtering, AS, and HGAS were applied on the magnetic data. A HGAS map shows the images and locations of the Eratosthenes magnetic body. Spectral analysis of the gravity and magnetic anomalies indicates that there is an elliptical elongated structure of the Eratosthenes Seamount in the width of approx. 86 km NW-SE orientation and in the length of 138 km NE-SW orientation, with a strike of N40°E and inclined to NW. It is considered that 22.49 ± 0.08 km obtained from power spectrum of the gravity data may be related to the crust thickness. Also, 15.67 ± 0.02 km obtained from power spectrum of the magnetic data is considered to be related to the magmatic basement of the Eratosthenes Seamount.


The expectations placed on students with respect to appropriate academic writing may hinder successful participation in Higher Education. Full participation is further complicated by the fact that each discipline within the University constitutes its own community of practice, with its own set of literacy practices. While Writing Centres aim to help students navigate their apprenticeship into these practices, their location on the periphery of academic activity may undermine these efforts. This article reports on an intervention aimed at initiating a more integrated approach to the provision of writing development services. It was undertaken within a qualitative, interpretive design-based research framework. The results suggest that Writing Centres can add significant value by leveraging their unique location within universities, that is, in the spaces between academic disciplines, to assist students to achieve epistemological access to a discipline. Writing consultants (the focus of this study) need to interact with different academic discourses. The result is that they engage, to an extent, in disciplinary 'boundary-hopping'. We argue that Writing Centres should facilitate this by fostering a space for engagement between disciplines. The article concludes by arguing that further research on using the interstices between disciplines as a resource for developing student academic writing is required.


Genomic and epidemiological monitoring have become an integral part of our response to emerging and ongoing epidemics of viral infectious diseases. Advances in high-throughput sequencing, including portable genomic sequencing at reduced costs and turnaround time, are paralleled by continuing developments in methodology to infer evolutionary histories (dynamics/patterns) and to identify factors driving viral spread in space and time. The traditionally static nature of visualizing phylogenetic trees that represent these evolutionary relationships/processes has also evolved, albeit perhaps at a slower rate. Advanced visualization tools with increased resolution assist in drawing conclusions from phylogenetic estimates and may even have potential to better inform public health and treatment decisions, but the design (and choice of what analyses are shown) is hindered by the complexity of information embedded within current phylogenetic models and the integration of available meta-data. In this review, we discuss visualization challenges for the interpretation and exploration of reconstructed histories of viral epidemics that arose from increasing volumes of sequence data and the wealth of additional data layers that can be integrated. We focus on solutions that address joint temporal and spatial visualization but also consider what the future may bring in terms of visualization and how this may become of value for the coming era of real-time digital pathogen surveillance, where actionable results and adequate intervention strategies need to be obtained within days.


Violence against women continues to prevent women from participating in social, economic, political, and cultural life as active subjects and women's empowerment in all fields of life that is generative of a shift in gendered power relations is one of the key mechanisms for women to transform a life of violence. The purpose of this ethnographic study is to analyze the possibilities of a feminist politics based on women's empowerment and its transformatory potential in women's lives at two levels with a particular focus on two renowned women's organizations in Turkey, KAMER and Mor Cati. The first level of analysis is the individual women who are active and who get involved in these women's organizations. It is questioned that how the individual and collective empowerment strategies of these women open up a multi-dimensional and transformative space that is productive of lasting changes in women's lives. Women's organizing around the shared grounds of oppression and subordination as well as violence lead women to question their lives as the first steps of their own empowerment processes. So they become "aware" of the "political-ness" of their "private" experiences. Therefore, the emphasis on becoming "aware" of women's internalized oppressions plays a crucial role and is a recurrent theme of this study. The second one is on organizational level that scrutinizes the tensions involved in women's organizations doing "projects" on women's empowerment. An analysis of to what extent women's empowerment "projects" present alternatives to the development models and how the term "project feminism" is tackled by women's organizations helps to reveal the tensions of feminist organizing in the Turkish context. The focus on Mor Cati's and KAMER's participation in development practices in the form of "projects" on women's empowerment serves furthermore to articulate the challenge they present to the mainstream developmentalist framework.


The demand for innovation in the creative economy has seen the adoption and adaptation of design thinking and design methods into domains outside design, such as business management, education, healthcare, and engineering. Design thinking and methodologies are now considered useful for identifying, framing and solving complex, often wicked social, technological, economic and public policy problems. As the practice of design undergoes change, design education is also expected to adjust to prepare future designers to have dramatically different demands made upon their general abilities and bases of knowledge than have design career paths from years past. Future designers will have to develop skills and be able to construct and utilize knowledge that allows them to make meaningful contributions to collaborative efforts involving experts from disciplines outside design. Exactly how future designers should be prepared to do this has sparked a good deal of conjecture and debate in the professional and academic design communities.

This report proposes that the process of creating future scenarios that more broadly explore and expand the role, or roles, for design and designers in the world's increasingly interwoven and interdependent societies can help uncover core needs and envision framework(s) for design education. This approach informed the creation of a workshop held at the Design Research Society conference in Brighton, UK in June of 2016, where six design educators shared four future scenarios that served as catalysts for conversations about the future of design education. Each scenario presented a specific future design education context. One scenario described the progression of design education as a core component of K-12 curricula; another scenario situated design at the core of a network of globally-linked local Universities; the third scenario highlighted the expanding role of designers over time; and the final scenario described a distance design education context that made learning relevant and "close" to an individual learner's areas of interest. Forty participants in teams of up to six were asked to collaboratively visualize a possible future vision of design education based on one of these four scenarios and supported by a toolkit consisting of a set of trigger cards (with images and text), along with markers, glue and flipcharts. The collaborative visions that were jointly created as posters using the toolkit and then presented by the teams to all the workshop participants and facilitators are offered here as a case study. Although inspired by different scenarios, their collectively envisioned futures of what design education should facilitate displayed some key similarities. Some of those were:

Future design education curricula will focus on developing collaborative approaches within which faculty and students are co-learners;

These curricula will bring together ways of learning and knowing that stem from multiple disciplines; and

Learning in and about the natural environment will be a key goal (the specifics of how that would be accomplished were not elaborated upon.)

In addition, the need for transdisciplinarity was expressed across the collaborative visions created by each of the teams, but the manner that participants chose to express their ideas about this varied. Some envisioned that design would evolve by drawing on other disciplinary knowledge, and others envisioned that design would gradually integrate with other disciplines.


The transcription factor ΔFosB accumulates and persists in brain in response to chronic stimulation. This accumulation after chronic exposure to drugs of abuse has been demonstrated previously by Western blot most dramatically in striatal regions, including dorsal striatum (caudate/putamen) and nucleus accumbens. In the present study, we used immunohistochemistry to define with greater anatomical precision the induction of ΔFosB throughout the rodent brain after chronic drug treatment. We also extended previous research involving cocaine, morphine, and nicotine to two additional drugs of abuse, ethanol and Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9‐THC, the active ingredient in marijuana). We show here that chronic, but not acute, administration of each of four drugs of abuse, cocaine, morphine, ethanol, and Δ9‐THC, robustly induces ΔFosB in nucleus accumbens, although different patterns in the core vs. shell subregions of this nucleus were apparent for the different drugs. The drugs also differed in their degree of ΔFosB induction in dorsal striatum. In addition, all four drugs induced ΔFosB in prefrontal cortex, with the greatest effects observed with cocaine and ethanol, and all of the drugs induced ΔFosB to a small extent in amygdala. Furthermore, all drugs induced ΔFosB in the hippocampus, and, with the exception of ethanol, most of this induction was seen in the dentate. Lower levels of ΔFosB induction were seen in other brain areas in response to a particular drug treatment. These findings provide further evidence that induction of ΔFosB in nucleus accumbens is a common action of virtually all drugs of abuse and that, beyond nucleus accumbens, each drug induces ΔFosB in a region‐specific manner in brain. Synapse 358–369, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


This paper proposes visual-based underwater vehicle docking/homing system under the environment especially simulated for deep sea trial. Instead of measuring absolute position of vehicle using other non-contact sensors, estimation of the robot's relative position and posture (pose) using dual-eyes cameras and 3D target object is proposed. For relative pose estimation, 3D model-based recognition approach is applied because of its real-time effective performance. According to effectiveness, simplicity and repeatable evaluation ability for real-time performance, Genetic Algorithm (GA) is utilized here as a modified form of " Multi-step GA" to evaluate the gene candidates that represent relative poses until getting the best gene with the most trustful pose in dynamic images input by videorate. P controller is used to control the vehicle for the desired pose using real-time images from dual-eyes cameras. Since the underwater environment is complex, this work also addresses to the experiment for deep sea docking operation under changeable lighting environment derived from pose fluctuation of underwater vehicle with two LED-lighting direction altered accordingly that offers huge challenges for visual servoing. As the main contribution for this paper, therefore, we have developed visual servoing using adaptive system for unknown lighting environment. Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) is used as a test bed and the experiments are conducted in simulated indoor pool. Experimental results show visual servoing performance under varying lighting conditions and docking performance using proposed system.


Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is considered primarily a disease of grey matter, although the extent of white matter involvement has not been well described. We used diffusion tensor imaging to study the white matter in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease compared to healthy control subjects and to correlated magnetic resonance imaging findings with histopathology. Twenty-six patients with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and nine age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects underwent volumetric T1-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging. Six patients had post-mortem brain analysis available for assessment of neuropathological findings associated with prion disease. Parcellation of the subcortical white matter was performed on 3D T1-weighted volumes using Freesurfer. Diffusion tensor imaging maps were calculated and transformed to the 3D-T1 space; the average value for each diffusion metric was calculated in the total white matter and in regional volumes of interest. Tract-based spatial statistics analysis was also performed to investigate the deeper white matter tracts. There was a significant reduction of mean (P = 0.002), axial (P = 0.0003) and radial (P = 0.0134) diffusivities in the total white matter in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Mean diffusivity was significantly lower in most white matter volumes of interest (P < 0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons), with a generally symmetric pattern of involvement in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Mean diffusivity reduction reflected concomitant decrease of both axial and radial diffusivity, without appreciable changes in white matter anisotropy. Tract-based spatial statistics analysis showed significant reductions of mean diffusivity within the white matter of patients with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, mainly in the left hemisphere, with a strong trend (P = 0.06) towards reduced mean diffusivity in most of the white matter bilaterally. In contrast, by visual assessment there was no white matter abnormality either on T2-weighted or diffusion-weighted images. Widespread reduction in white matter mean diffusivity, however, was apparent visibly on the quantitative attenuation coefficient maps compared to healthy control subjects. Neuropathological analysis showed diffuse astrocytic gliosis and activated microglia in the white matter, rare prion deposition and subtle subcortical microvacuolization, and patchy foci of demyelination with no evident white matter axonal degeneration. Decreased mean diffusivity on attenuation coefficient maps might be associated with astrocytic gliosis. We show for the first time significant global reduced mean diffusivity within the white matter in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, suggesting possible primary involvement of the white matter, rather than changes secondary to neuronal degeneration/loss.


This work covers the finite element analysis of geometric and process parameters in hydraulic bulge tests in terms of the accuracy of the evaluated flow curve. The important parameters are identified and varied to cover the whole range of possible uses. The effects of these parameters are analyzed for three representative materials: aluminium, mid-strength steel, and high-strength steel. The flow curves of the materials for each set of parameters are calculated by using the results of the simulations and the membrane theory. It is seen that even with simulation results, it is not always possible to obtain the input flow curve, especially towards the end of the test. The dimensions of the sheet and the tooling affect the plastic strain development and geometry of the bulge, leading to errors in computed flow curves. In order to observe the effect of the material flow from the flange on the determined yield stresses, the function and position of the drawbeads are also examined. These parameters, together with the method used to calculate the radius of the bulge, determine the accuracy of the calculated flow curve. Guidelines for an accurate flow curve determination regarding the test set-up and calculation methods are given.


Early establishment of shallot growth is important in order to ensure optimum yield. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of seed priming with moringa leaf extract (MLE) and the application of Tithonia compost on the growth of shallots. The research was conducted at the experimental farm belonging to the Faculty of Agriculture, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, from September to December 2022. The study was arranged in a factorial design with three replications. The first factor was priming, consisting of five levels: unprimed, hydropriming, 12.5% MLE, 25% MLE, and 37.5% MLE. The second factor was the level of Tithonia compost, consisting of four levels: 0, 5, 10, and 15 tons ha-1. The results revealed that shallots treated with a combination of priming 37.5% MLE followed by application of 15 tons ha-1 of Tithonia compost in the field had the highest chlorophyll index (25.97). Priming with 37.5% solely resulted in the highest average shallots height (38.23 cm), the number of plant leaves (10.55), leaf weight (15.67 g), and bulb weight (29.92 g). Application of Tithonia compost solely of 15 tons ha-1 produced shallot with the highest average plant height (37.72 cm), the number of plant leaves (9.74), leaf weight (13.68 g), and bulb weight (27.01 g). Seed priming using MLE and application of Tithonia compost are prospective to enhance shallots growth, however, it is important to further evaluate the effect of priming on germination traits and economic evaluation on using Tithonia compost for practical applications in the field.
Keywords: botanical seed; organic matter; leaf extract


This collaborative project that involves testing the idea of using interactive tactile 'tools', involving repetitive movements to generate positive connections and enhance wellbeing for people living with later stages of dementia. Judith Bower, a dementia advisor at Alzheimer's Society, Central & West Lancashire, was the project lead for testing the Positive Connections service. Jane Souyave, a senior lecturer at The University of Central Lancashire, was funded for developing and producing The Fidget Widget ™ Toolkit.

This is a project to design, test and evaluate a tactile experience tailored to an individual with dementia who is agitated or fidgeting and to evaluate if it can bring benefits to them and their carer. It builds on other sensory projects between the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) and Alzheimer's Society Central and West Lancashire. If the evaluation is successful, this work has the potential to be developed into an innovative new person-centred service to support communication and well-being in people whose dementia is relatively advanced.

Judith Bower, dementia adviser and Jane Souyave, senior lecturer at The University of Central Lancashire, identified that there was a dearth of appropriate sensory items or 'tools' that weren't childlike for the person with dementia and it was recognised that such items needed to be tailored to the person's individual needs.

Former projects involved bespoke interactive sensory books, an interactive tactile display and sensory corner. These are now established at the Central Lancashire Alzheimer's Society's library and resource centre.

On-going discussions have identified that there is potential for unmet needs to be satisfied using multi-sensory, non-pharmacological interventions in order to provide meaningful interaction and occupation.

The project is informed by Kitwood's (1997) work involving the five psychological needs identified to produce wellbeing: attachment, comfort, identity, occupation and inclusion. This bespoke tactile intervention could provide an opportunity for all five of these needs to be met.

This is a person centred approach and focuses on tailoring the interaction for the specific needs of the person living with dementia and their carer, to provide personal choice and control around individual needs. It can be used as an enabling aid and help people living with, or affected by, dementia to feel valued and understood.

If the evaluation is positive, this idea could be an example of best practice and innovation in dementia care and support. It could 'Lead the way' in providing some positive experiences and person centred approaches which are lacking as dementia progresses.


Big Data and artificial intelligence will have a profound transformational impact on governments around the world. Thus, it is important for scholars to provide a useful analysis on the topic to public managers and policymakers. This study offers an in-depth review of the Policy and Administration literature on the role of Big Data and advanced analytics in the public sector. It provides an overview of the key themes in the research field, namely the application and benefits of Big Data throughout the policy process, and challenges to its adoption and the resulting implications for the public sector. It is argued that research on the subject is still nascent and more should be done to ensure that the theory adds real value to practitioners. A critical assessment of the strengths and limitations of the existing literature is developed, and a future research agenda to address these gaps and enrich our understanding of the topic is proposed.


The Government of Indonesia is facing a new challenge in tackling poverty since the pace of the fall in the poverty rate has been slowing over the five years to 2020. To date, poverty alleviation programs implemented by the Government of Indonesia have been limited to large administrative areas such as the district ( kabupaten ) level. For this study, we combined the Poverty Livelihood Map of Indonesia 2015 (Poverty Maps) that measures Small Area Estimation to estimate poverty at the subdistrict ( kecamatan ) level using National Socioeconomic Survey Data (Susenas), with Census of Village Potential (Podes) datasets and Census Base Maps. This study aims to explore spatial patterns of poverty in Indonesia in relation to local geographic and demographic characteristics. We employed Global Moran's I to investigate the spatial autocorrelation of the poverty at kecamatan level, and Local Moran's I to detect the clustering pattern of poverty in wider geographical area in Indonesia. Furthermore, we estimated the association of poverty with spatial factors using spatial lag regression because poverty is spatially correlated across areas. The data show that hot spots of poverty are concentrated in many adjacent subdistrics and can be located across neighboring district. We found strong clusters of poverty of subdistricts in Indonesia. The spatial lag regression showed that factors such as agriculture, natural landscape (area located in uplands, woodland, sea, and river), physical infrastructures (road access and irrigation availability), access to basic facilities (health, education, and economy) are significantly correlated with poverty clustering. public health facilities, almost all local geographic characteristics have a significant relationship with subdistrict poverty. This result is consistent with previous research such as Murayama and Thapa (2011), Davis (1986), and Hyman et al. (2005). These findings highlight the role of local geographic conditions and infrastructure to characterise the presence of poverty clusters or poverty pockets in some regions of Indonesia.


A survey was conducted in 2013 to establish total aflatoxin and total fumonisin in maize, as well as farmers' practices relating to maize cultivation and awareness of mycotoxins, in three villages of Babati District, northern Tanzania. Quantification of total aflatoxin and fumonisin was done using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Reveal AccuScan ® Neogen, USA) and the results were confirmed using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometer. The mean aflatoxin was 2.94 μg/kg and all samples (n=440) were within the East African Community (EAC) standard of 10 μg/kg for total aflatoxin, but the mean fumonisin was 5.15 mg/kg, more than double the EAC standard of 2 mg/kg, and 35% of samples exceeded this standard. Maize samples obtained from farmers in the village in the mid altitude, dry zone had significantly higher mean aflatoxin (3.32 μg/kg) and significantly lower mean fumonisin (3.17 mg/kg) than maize from the other two villages (in the high and mid altitude, high rainfall zones). Most farmers (n=442) were male (72%), educated to primary school level (77%) and aware of mycotoxins (62%). As well as participating in a development program, Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation, most (86%) farmers had experience of working with other development programs. All farmers used flat planting, most used improved seeds (98%), ox ploughing (78%), insecticides (78%) and early planting (36%). Practices associated with mycotoxins were planting time, tillage methods, previous season planted crops, and use of insecticides. Awareness of mycotoxins and climatic conditions were also associated with mycotoxin prevalence. In conclusion, good practices are associated with acceptable aflatoxin levels and should be continued. However, the high level of fumonisins warrants further investigation. Keywords: aflatoxins, fumonisins, at-harvest, maize, Tanzania, mycotoxins, food safety, farming practices, staple food