Aims: Regarding to importance of Ivermectin as a clinical anti-parasite drug, identification of its interaction with other drugs is necessary. At present study, the interaction of Verapamil as an inhibitor P-glycoprotein was evaluated on Ivermectin concentration in serum and cerebrospinal fluid in dog. Methods: In this experimental study with animal model which was done in faculty of veterinary medicine of Ahvaz in 2011; 10 mixed breed dogs was randomly divided into 2 groups (5 dogs at each group). First group received 0.2mg/kg of Ivermectin for each kilo of body weight and second group received of 3mg/kg of Ivermectin for each kilo of body weight along with verapamil. The level of Ivermectin was detected by HPLC in blood samples 1, 2 and 3 hours and in cerebrospinal fluid 1.5 hours after injection. Statistical analysis was carried out by SPSS 16. Repeated measurement and T-independent test were used for comparison of sample means. Results: In both groups, the serum concentration of Ivermectin was decreased at second hour and then increased in comparing with first hour. The Ivermectin was not detected cerebrospinal fluid of first group while it was 45.44± 10.91ng/ml in second group. Conclusion: Serum concentration of Ivermectin increases by intramuscular injection after one hour and Verapamil increases cerebraospinal fluid concentration of Ivermectin.


Deep neural networks for image classification typically consists of a convolutional feature extractor followed by a fully connected classifier network. The predicted and the ground truth labels are represented as one hot vectors. Such a representation assumes that all classes are equally dissimilar. However, classes have visual similarities and often form a hierarchy. Learning this latent hierarchy explicitly in the architecture could provide invaluable insights. We propose an alternate architecture to the classifier network called the Latent Hierarchy (LH) Classifier and an end to end learned Class2Str mapping which discovers a latent hierarchy of the classes. We show that for some of the best performing architectures on CIFAR and Imagenet datasets, the proposed replacement and training by LH classifier recovers the accuracy, with a fraction of the number of parameters in the classifier part. Compared to the previous work of HDCNN, which also learns a 2 level hierarchy, we are able to learn a hierarchy at an arbitrary number of levels as well as obtain an accuracy improvement on the Imagenet classification task over them. We also verify that many visually similar classes are grouped together, under the learnt hierarchy.


The paper takes a two-pronged approach to examine the implications of the rapid rise of the service sector in the economies of the world. First, it analyses tertiarization in the global economy touching on key issues such as Baumol's hypothesis of a stagnant service sector, the contribution of the service sector to aggregate productivity growth, and the potentially positive contributions of services to other sectors. The second half of the paper focuses on tertiarization trends in sub-Saharan Africa, representing the role of the service sector in low-income economies. Using a long series of sectoral employment and output data, IO tables and multiple statistical analysis, we find that perceptions of services as stagnant and productivity resistant do not apply to all service sub-sectors. Productivity growth in modern, dynamic, and tradable services is equal to or higher than that in manufacturing and other sectors. These service sectors are innovative and might act as new or alternative engines of growth alongside manufacturing. The manufacturing sector in Africa still generates the strongest multipliers, including to market services. However, much of the manufacturing linkages are captured by foreign countries. While the multipliers in market services are relatively lower than those of manufacturing, they are comparable to those in many other regions of the world economy and more of the gains are captured by domestic firms which could encourage a self-reinforcing pattern of market service development. We also find robust evidence of strong inter-sectoral linkages between the service sector and manufacturing. Given the sector's mutually reinforcing interaction with the manufacturing sector, the growing service sector could potentially play a significant complementary role in the prospects for industrialization of Africa. But this potential remains to be realized.


In the present study, we conducted an empirical experiment to examine whether exposure to a victim awareness procedure would affect inmates' attitudes toward participating in a restorative-justice process. In addition, the study sought to evaluate whether there are differences between inmates serving their sentences in prisons with different therapeutic orientations. The findings indicate that participants who were exposed to a victim awareness procedure were more aware of the harm caused to the victim and showed a higher level of positive attitudes toward participating in restorative-justice process than those who were not. Contrary to our hypothesis, no differences were found between the prisons.


A study examined two high school English teachers' explorations of portfolio assessment and the effect of these explorations on their teaching and on students' understandings of their own learning and knowledge. The teachers (one with 28 years of experience, the other with 3 years teaching experience) taught at a public city school with an ethnically and economically diverse student population. The teachers selected their ninth-grade average-track classes for study. Four focus students in each class represented a range of talents and abilities. Data included field notes of classroom observations, transcripts of interviews with teachers and students, and the content of the students' portfolios. Results indicated that: (1) the veteran teacher worked to instill students with the discipline necessary to stay \-4th the text rather than drift into personal connections with it, while the new teacher created a supportive learning community where students could share their responses to texts; (2) the veteran teacher emphasized polishing up finished products and completing academic tasks, while the new teacher integrated portfolio activities into ongoing classroom activities; and (3) the veteran teacher was disappointed from the beginning in the quality of the students' portfolio collections, while the new teacher was satisfied and excited about her portfolio experience yet in doubt that her efforts would have any school-wide impact. Findings suggest that enacting assessment reform is difficult and often discouraging, for educators are called to question long-held beliefs of the nature of teaching and learning. (RS) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** Mary H. Sawyer University at Albany, SUNY 57 Cunningham Lane Poughquag, NY 12570


We consider a regularization proximal method with variable metric to solve the nonlinear complementarity problem (NCP ) for P0functions. We establish global convergence properties when the solution set is non empty and bounded. Furthermore, we prove, without boundedness of the solution set, that the sequence generated by the algorithm is a minimizing sequence for the implicit Lagrangian function, as defined by Mangasarian and Solodov, [18].Those results are stronger than the presented in a previous paper [7].


The development and maturation of fruits has received considerable scientific scrutiny because of both the uniqueness of such processes to the biology of plants and the importance of fruit as a significant component of the human diet. Molecular and genetic analysis of fruit development, and especially ripening of fleshy fruits, has resulted in significant gains in knowledge over recent years. Great strides have been made in the areas of ethylene biosynthesis and response, cell wall metabolism, and environmental factors, such as light, that impact ripening. Discoveries made in Arabidopsis in terms of general mechanisms for signal transduction, in addition to specific mechanisms of carpel development, have assisted discovery in more traditional models such as tomato. This review attempts to coalesce recent findings in the areas of fruit development and ripening.


Various studies have shown that oligosaccharides play an important role in the intracellular transport and secretion of glycoproteins. We show here a difference in the rate of secretion of two mature glycoforms of a single protein, a1-acid glycoprotein. This indicates the existence of kinetically different pathways for these two forms for transport from the medial Golgi to the extracellular medium.


The aim of this study is to show the interest of the mechanical and dynamical properties of glass-flax hybrid composites. Therefore, various staking sequences of glass-flax hybrid composites were manufactured and tested in free vibrations. The damping coefficients were identified by fitting the experimental responses of free-free bending vibrations. The obtained results show that the staking sequences and the position of flax fiber layers in the hybrid composites changed the properties, so a classification of different stacking sequences was established. In fact, the hybrid laminate made of two glass external layers placed on both sides of four flax layers is very interesting in term of its mechanical and damping properties. Indeed, it showed better specific bending modulus and loss factor than glass composites with proportions of 31 and 39%, respectively. A study of a structure of this composite has been made to validate the obtained results.


The types of HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 genes were studied in 146 Japanese patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) using polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe analysis. Fifty-seven patients who displayed selective clinical involvement of the optic nerve and spinal cord were classified as having Asian type MS. The other 89 patients had disseminated central nervous system involvement and were classified as having Western type MS. The frequency of HLA-B*5101 was increased in both types of MS patients compared with controls. The frequency of HLA-DRB1*1501 was increased in Western type MS and the frequency of HLA-DRB1*0802 was increased in Asian type MS compared to controls. After correction of P values, the association of Western type MS patients with HLA-DRB1*1501 was statistically significant (Pc=0.0003) whereas other HLA alleles showed no significant association. These results suggest that HLA class I (HLA-A and -B) alleles may not contribute to a strong susceptibility to MS in Japanese compared to HLA class II (HLA-DRB1) alleles.


This article explores how Theodor Fontane's novels Frau Jenny Treibel (1892) and Mathilde Möhring (1891/1895/1896) engage nineteenth-century literary and scientific discourses on degeneration. Although the young bourgeois men Leopold Treibel and Hugo Grossmann both share a devotion to a life of leisure and consumption and embody symptoms of degeneration, their portrayals are embedded with irony. Whereas both critical and celebratory accounts of the condition presuppose a normative bourgeois masculinity that is in need of either reinvigoration or continued subversion, Fontane's novels provide cynical and ambivalent assessments of the state of bourgeois masculinity. Leopold's and Hugo's symptoms of degeneration not only demonstrate that conventional views about the role and capabilities of bourgeois men are no longer credible, but also point to the inability of any model of masculinity to possess and convey legitimacy, authority, and hegemony. (DSJ)


An attention-grabbing center-of-mass demonstration uses the map of a state mounted on a sheet of heavy cardboard and cut out along the boundaries.1 The two-dimensional object is hung from a hole punched into a city near the edge, and a string with a pendulum bob attached to it passes through the center of mass. The process is repeated with a different city, and the center of mass is determined uniquely. I did this regularly with a map of the state of Ohio, and the geographic center of the state reliably came out to be the nearby village of Centerburg.


Th e Lower Permian palaeoichnofauna of the South-Alpine region comes from the Collio Formation only, and mainly crops out in the Orobic and Trompia basins. It consists of traces of vertebrates (amphibians and reptiles) and invertebrates (insects, arthropods, burrowing, probable myriapods, gastropods, freshwater jellyfishes, conchostraceans and freshwater bivalves). It is poor in taxa and similar to the coeval ichnoassociation of Central Europe, N. America and Argentina. Inside the trophic pyramid relevant to the biodiversity of the lower unit of the Collio Fm., the top carnivore is absent. This role is partially occupied by reptiles (e.g. araeoscelids) having features similar to true lizards. Shifting from the sediments of the lower part of the Collio Formation to the upper part, impoverishment of the ichnocoenosis composition is linked either to a climatic shift (from more humid towards drier), or to tectonic activity that prevented the persistence of biotope formation. The Upper Permian uplift marks a strong ichnofaunistic change with the introduction of Triassic components.


The occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HAS) since last three decades in Sabah waters had caused poisoning incidents, which lead to the human and organism illness. Some HASs species also caused damages especially lost in the local aquaculture industries. Realizing the lack of information available regarding to the factors affecting the bloom, thus this study was carried out. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of physico-chemical properties of seawater (Le. salinity, temperature and pH) on the HASs species viz. Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum, Cochlodinium polykrikoides and Gymnodinium catenatum in the Kota Kinabalu waters from January to December 2007. At six sampling stations, physical properties of seawater were measured in-situ at sea surface using multi probes (Hydrolab Surveyor 4 and HANNA Instrument) and phytoplankton samples were collected at 0.5 meter depth using water sampler. The highest peak of C polykrikoides was recorded on 3rd December 2007 (1.54 x 107 cells L-1 ). During the bloom, sea surface salinity, temperature and pH recorded were 26.4 psu, 29 O( and 8.78, respectively. Maximum concentration of G. catenatum was also reported in December with cell densities of 1.24 x 106 cells L-1 • Pyrodinium bahamense var. compressum reached a maximum concentration on August, with the cell density of 2 x 104 cells L-1 • During the bloom, salinity, temperature and pH were 30.9 psu, 31.3 O( and 8.50, respectively. Salinity and pH of seawater were positively correlated (p<0.05) to the cell concentrations of C polyknkoides, whereas temperature showed negative correlation (p<0.05). No correlation was observed between the physico-chemical parameters with cell density of G. catenatum. However, negative correlation was observed between salinity and cell density of P. bahamense var. compressum (p<0.05), whereas temperature showed positive correlation. This study is useful in order to understand the mechanism of HASs occurrence and this may help government or any relevant agencies in mitigate and manage HAS problems in Sabah.


Abstract Instead of the "functional" mode shapes (defined by the admissible, comparison or eigen-functions) employed by the classical assumed mode (or modal analysis) method, the lowest several "numerical" (or vector) mode shapes and the associated natural frequencies of a "non-periodic" multispan pipe with the prescribed supporting conditions and filled with the "stationary" fluid (with velocity U=0) are determined by means of the transfer matrix method (TMM). Using the last mode shapes together with the natural frequencies and incorporating with the expansion theorem, the partial differential equation of motion for the infinite degree-of-freedom (d.o.f.) continuous multispan pipe filled with "flowing" fluid (with U≠0) is converted into a matrix equation. Solving the last matrix equation with the direct integration method gives the dynamic responses of the fluid-conveying pipe. Since the order of the transfer matrix for either each pipe segment or the entire piping system is 4×4, which is independent of the number of the spans for the system, the presented approach is simpler than the existing techniques, particularly for the piping systems with large number of spans. It is also noted that the classical assumed mode (or modal analysis) method is easily applicable only to the special cases where the functions for the approximate mode shapes are obtainable, such as the "single-span" beams or the "periodical" multispan beams (with identical spans and identical constraints). However, the presented "numerical" (or vector) mode method is suitable for many practical engineering problems.


In this paper, non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) is used to separate speech and music signals based on a single chan- nel recording. The assumption that if two independent zero- mean signals are added then their energies are also added has led us to develop a two-stage method (training and separation) that works on time-frequency domain. The performance of the method in separation is evaluated by observing the power of the separated signals in time-frequency domain, and by measuring the increase in signal-to-interference and signal-to-noise ratios after separation. Finally, we discuss the problems faced and the work that can be done in future to enhance the performance of the method in separation.


Argues that with individual, family, and world issues becoming increasingly complicated, those involved in pastoral care can benefit from using a comprehensive ecological approach to understanding and helping those in need. Suggests that the "family ecosystem model" that emphasizes interactions among individuals/families and their multifaceted environments, including their natural, human-constructed, and human-behavioral environments, can be used to incorporate a holistic view of these diverse issues. Explains and illustrates this approach to family concerns often encountered by pastoral caregivers.


Objective(s) 7-prenyloxycoumarins including 7-isopentenyloxycoumarin, auraptene and umbelliprenin, and herniarin have been widely recognized as bioactive coumarins. This paper presents the ways to synthesis these compounds. Materials and Methods 7-prenyloxycoumarins were synthesized by reaction between 7-hydroxycoumarin (1 M) and relevant prenyl bromides (1.5 M) in acetone at room temperature. The reaction was carried out in the presence of DBU (1, 8-diazabicyclo [5.4.0] undec-7-ene) (2 M). After 24 hr, the mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure. The compounds were purified by column chromatography. Results Three bioactive 7-prenyloxycoumarins, namely, umbelliprenin, auraptene and 7-isopentenyloxycoumarin, together with herniarin were synthesized from 7-hydroxycoumarin under alkaline conditions (DBU) and then purified by column chromatography. The structures of the products were characterized by NMR spectroscopic method including 1 H- and 13 C-NMR experiments. Conclusion The method of synthesis for 7-prenyloxycoumarins and herniarin which is presented here has not been reported yet. Moreover, for the first time, umbelliprenin was chemically prepared in this work.


The restoration of images corrupted by blur and Poisson noise is a key issue in medical and biological image processing. While most existing methods are based on variational models, generally derived from a maximum a posteriori (MAP) formulation, recently sparse representations of images have shown to be efficient approaches for image recovery. Following this idea, we propose in this paper a model containing three terms: a patch-based sparse representation prior over a learned dictionary, the pixel-based total variation regularization term and a data-fidelity term capturing the statistics of Poisson noise. The resulting optimization problem can be solved by an alternating minimization technique combined with variable splitting. Extensive experimental results suggest that in terms of visual quality, peak signal-to-noise ratio value and the method noise, the proposed algorithm outperforms state-of-the-art methods.


In this article we survey properties of mixed Poisson distributions and
probabilistic aspects of the Stirling transform: given a non-negative
random variable (X) with moment sequence ((mu_s)_{sinmathbb{N}}) we
determine a discrete random variable (Y), whose moment sequence is
given by the Stirling transform of the sequence ((mu_s)_{sinmathbb{N}}), and
identify the distribution as a mixed Poisson distribution. We discuss
properties of this family of distributions and present a new simple
limit theorem based on expansions of factorial moments instead of power
moments. Moreover, we present several examples of mixed Poisson
distributions in the analysis of random discrete structures, unifying
and extending earlier results. We also add several entirely new
results: we analyse triangular urn models, where the initial
configuration or the dimension of the urn is not fixed, but may depend
on the discrete time (n). We discuss the branching structure of plane
recursive trees and its relation to table sizes in the Chinese
restaurant process. Furthermore, we discuss root isolation procedures
in Cayley trees, a parameter in parking functions, zero contacts in
lattice paths consisting of bridges, and a parameter related to cyclic
points and trees in graphs of random mappings, all leading to mixed
Poisson-Rayleigh distributions. Finally, we indicate how mixed Poisson
distributions naturally arise in the critical composition scheme of
Analytic Combinatorics.


The endoplasmic reticulum membrane proteins Insig-1 and Insig-2 limit cholesterol synthesis, in part through their sterol-dependent binding to sterol-regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) cleavage-activating protein (SCAP). This binding prevents proteolytic processing of SREBPs, membrane-bound transcription factors that enhance cholesterol synthesis. We report here the characterization of mutant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, designated SRD-19, that are resistant to 25-hydroxycholesterol, a potent inhibitor of SREBP processing. SRD-19 cells were produced by mutagenesis of Insig-1-deficient SRD-14 cells, followed by selection in high levels of 25-hydroxycholesterol. 25-Hydroxycholesterol fails to suppress SREBP processing in SRD-19, even though they express normal levels of Insig-2. The number of copies of the gene encoding SCAP was found to be increased by 4-fold in SRD-19 cells compared with wild-type CHO cells, leading to the overproduction of SCAP mRNA and protein. Our data indicate that overproduced SCAP saturates the remaining Insig-2 in SRD-19 cells, thus explaining their resistance to 25-hydroxycholesterol. Consistent with this conclusion, regulated SREBP processing is restored in SRD-19 cells upon transfection of plasmids encoding either Insig-1 or Insig-2. These results highlight the importance of SCAP/Insig ratios in normal sterol-regulated processing of SREBPs in cultured cells.


The portfolio management model (PMM) represents one of the more recent innovations in the ongoing and often unsuccessful quest to improve American education. Now implemented in numerous cities in various ways since the turn of the century, scholars in various disciplines have conducted investigations into many aspects of PMM. The concept is ripe for a thorough accounting of what we know about this educational approach. Enter Between Public and Private, which stands as the first comprehensive discussion of PMM that summarizes and builds upon existing research and raises many important questions about PMM's merits, challenges, and future. PMM is an approach to managing a school district that incorporates notions of school differentiation, school choice, and accountability measures. PMM derives its name from investment portfolio management. Just as diversity is a hallmark of wise financial investment, PMM school districts incorporate a diverse set of school types, such as common, charter, magnet, and other variations. Moreover, just as investment managers hold stocks that consistently perform well, sell stocks that are underperforming and replace them with more promising options, PMM school districts keep performing schools open, close failing schools, and replace them with new variations. Importantly, the private and nonprofit sectors play large roles in PMM districts, often running schools, providing support services to the districts, and donating considerable sums to support PMM initiatives. The interplay between public and private creates much of the diversity among schools within PMM districts, helps shape the differing versions of PMM that exist in cities across the country, and contributes to many of the challenges facing PMM school districts. Between Public and Private is an edited volume and, as such, benefits from the contributions of numerous authors who examine PMM from several perspectives. The editors, Katrina E. Bulkley, Jeffrey R. Henig, and Henry M. Levin, organized the book so that it is a cohesive whole, beginning with the first section. The early chapters provide the reader with a fundamental understanding of PMM, including its origins, theoretical underpinnings, how it differs from other methods of running urban school districts, and the similarities it has with other public sector privatization movements. The chapters are clear and thorough, enabling education policy experts and novices alike to acquire a strong grasp of PMM. The second, and most compelling, section of the book features four case studies of ongoing PMM efforts. These chapters prove an essential point made earlier in the book—PMM varies considerably depending on how it is implemented and on the context in which it is carried out. David Menefee-Libey details Chicago's experience with PMM under the leadership of Arne Duncan, including the challenges posed by managing a diverse set of service providers


ABSTRACT: This performed a technical application of tamarind residues (peel and seeds) in a habitually-consumed food product (cookie) and to verify its sensory and market acceptance. We initially proceeded by preparing the peel flour and roasted seeds by conventional drying. Then, the flours were physico-chemically characterized. Next, the products were prepared; cookies were prepared replacing wheat flour with peel flour (PF0, 15 and 30%), and a second kind of cookie was made by replacing wheat flour with roasted seed flour (SF0, 15 and 30%). Affective tests (hedonic scale, attitude and ordering) and purchase intention were subsequently evaluated to verify sensory acceptability. All cookies generated high energy value. The fiber content was higher in the incorporated formulations compared to the standards. The highest sensorial acceptance mediansfor the peel flour cookies were for the standard cookie and the cookiewith 15% peel flour, which were statistically equivalent. Conversely, the cookie with 30% peel flour had lower medians compared to the others. Other tests also revealed better scores for standard formulations and 15%peel flour. There was no difference in the medians by the hedonic tests, attitude and purchase intentionfor cookies prepared with roasted seeds, presenting scores indicating high sensory and market appreciation. It is concluded that it is possible to incorporate tamarind peel flour and roasted seeds in cookies and add nutritional value, especially at a concentration of 15%.


Aggregation of TAR DNA-binding protein 43kDa (TDP-43) is thought to drive the pathophysiology of ALS and some Frontotemporal dementias. TDP-43 is normally a nuclear protein that in neurons translocates to the cytoplasm and forms insoluble aggregates upon activation of the integrated stress response (ISR). Viruses evolved to control the ISR. In the case of Herpesvirus 8, the protein ORF57 acts to bind protein kinase R, inhibit phosphorylation of eIF2α and reduce activation of the ISR. We hypothesized that ORF57 might also possess the ability to inhibit aggregation of TDP-43. ORF57 was expressed in the neuronal SH-SY5Y line and its effects on TDP-43 aggregation characterized. We report that ORF57 inhibits TDP-43 aggregation by 55% and elicits a 2.45-fold increase in the rate of dispersion of existing TDP-43 granules. These changes were associated with a 50% decrease in cell death. Proteomic studies were carried out to identify the protein interaction network of ORF57. We observed that ORF57 directly binds to TDP-43 as well as interacts with many components of the ISR, including elements of the proteostasis machinery known to reduce TDP-43 aggregation. We propose that viral proteins designed to inhibit a chronic ISR can be engineered to remove aggregated proteins and dampen a chronic ISR.


Clinical experience gained from a combined study of 252Cf brachytherapy by the staff-members of the Research Institute of Medical Radiology, USSR AMS, was generalized. To provide neutron beam therapy they employed contact apparatuses and flexible assemblies of 252Cf sources and the ANET-B neutron therapeutic unit. The immediate, short- and long-term results of therapy of 571 patients with malignant tumors of different sites, spread and histogenesis were assessed. Contact neutron beam therapy was shown to be a new effective method for local therapy of various neoplasms. Further progress in 252Cf brachytherapy necessitates a search for optimum schemes of 252Cf radiation in combination with gamma-beam therapy, radiomodifying agents, antineoplastic drugs and surgical interventions in order to influence primary, regional and distant tumor growth foci.


Research on human action recognition from depth video sequences are increasing day by day due to its vast application in automatic surveillance systems, entertainment environments, and healthcare systems etc. In our project, we improve human action recognition accuracy using shape features. We use Histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) and Pyramid Histogram of oriented gradients ( PHOG) to extract shape features. The feature extraction algorithms are used to extract shape feature from dataset of different action videos. At first, depth motion maps (DMMs) are constructed from every action video. Then, the HOG and PHOG features are extracted from each DMMs. Using these features, actions are recognized by the


Background: Major trauma care is complex and requires individuals and teams to perform together in time critical, high-stakes situations. Scenario-based simulation is well established as a strategy for trauma teamwork improvement, but its role in the relational and cultural aspects of trauma care is less well understood. Relational coordination theory offers a framework through which we aimed to understand the impact of an established trauma simulation programme. Methods: We studied simulation activities using a narrative survey of trauma providers from anaesthesia, emergency medicine, medical imaging, surgery, trauma service, intensive care, and pre-hospital providers at Gold Coast University Hospital, in conjunction with data from an ethnography. Data analysis was performed using a recursive approach—a simultaneous deductive approach using the relational coordination framework and an inductive analysis. Results: Ninety-five of 480 (19.8%) staff completed free-text survey questions on simulation. Deductive analysis of data from these narrative survey results using the RC framework domains identified examples of shared goals, shared knowledge, communication and mutual respect. Two major themes from the inductive analysis—"Behaviour, process and system change" and "Culture and relationships"—aligned closely with findings from the RC analysis, with additional themes of "Personal and team learning" and the "Impact of the simulation experience" identified. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that an established trauma simulation programme can have a profound impact on the relational aspects of care and the development of a collaborative culture, with perceived tangible impacts on teamwork behaviours and institutional systems and processes. The RC framework—shared knowledge, shared goals and mutual respect in the context of communication that is timely, accurate, frequent and problem-solving based—can provide a common language for simulation educators to design and debrief simulation exercises that aim to have a translational impact.


A model is proposed for the evolution of X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) in which natural selection initially favors the silencing of paternally derived alleles of X-linked demand inhibitors. The compensatory upregulation of maternally derived alleles establishes a requirement for monoallelic expression in females. For this reason, XCI is self-reinforcing once established. However, inactivation of a particular X chromosome is not. Random XCI (rXCI) is favored over paternal XCI because rXCI reduces the costs of functional hemizygosity in females. Once present, rXCI favors the evolution of locus-by-locus imprinting of X-linked loci, which creates an evolutionary dynamic in which different chromosomes compete to remain active.


In both theoretical and applied research, it is often of interest to assess the strength of an observed association. This is typically done to allow the judgment of the magnitude of an effect (especially when units of measurement are not meaningful, e.g., in the use of estimated latent variables; Bollen, 1989), to facilitate comparing between predictors' importance within a given model, or both. Though some indices of effect size, such as the correlation coefficient (itself a standardized covariance coefficient) are readily available, other measures are often harder to obtain. effectsize is an R package (R Core Team, 2020) that fills this important gap, providing utilities for easily estimating a wide variety of standardized effect sizes (i.e., effect sizes that are not tied to the units of measurement of the variables of interest) and their confidence intervals (CIs), from a variety of statistical models. effectsize provides easy-to-use functions, with full documentation and explanation of the various effect sizes offered, and is also used by developers of other R packages as the back-end for effect size computation, such as parameters (Lüdecke et al., 2020), ggstatsplot (Patil, 2018), gtsummary (Sjoberg et al., 2020) and more.


Semiquantum key distribution (SQKD) allows two parties to share a common string when one of them is quantum and the other has rather limited quantum capability. Almost all existing SQKD protocols have been proved to be robust in theory, namely that if an eavesdropper tries to gain information, he will inevitably induce some detectable errors. However, ideal devices do not exist in reality and their imperfection may result in side-channel attacks, which can be used by an adversary to get some information on the secret key string. In this paper, we design a measurement-device-independent SQKD protocol for the first time, which can remove the threat of all detector side-channel attacks and show that it is also robust. In addition, we discuss the possible use of the proposed protocol in real-world applications and in QKD networks.


Widespread vaccination against COVID-19 is critical for controlling the pandemic. Despite the development of safe and efficacious vaccinations, low-and lower-middle income countries (LMICs) continue to encounter barriers to care owing to inequitable access and vaccine apprehension. This study aimed to summarize the available data on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates and factors associated with acceptance in LMICs. A comprehensive search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception through August 2021. Quality assessments of the included studies were carried out using the eight-item Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tool for cross-sectional studies. We performed a meta-analysis to estimate pooled acceptance rates with 95% confidence intervals (CI). A total of 36 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. A total of 83,867 respondents from 33 countries were studied. Most of the studies were conducted in India (n = 9), Egypt (n = 6), Bangladesh (n = 4), or Nigeria (n = 4). The pooled-effect size of the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate was 58.5% (95% CI: 46.9, 69.7, I2 = 100%, 33 studies) and the pooled vaccine hesitancy rate was 38.2% (95% CI: 27.2–49.7, I2 = 100%, 32 studies). In country-specific sub-group analyses, India showed the highest rates of vaccine acceptancy (76.7%, 95% CI: 65.8–84.9%, I2 = 98%), while Egypt showed the lowest rates of vaccine acceptancy (42.6%, 95% CI: 16.6–73.5%, I2 = 98%). Being male and perceiving risk of COVID-19 infection were predictors for willingness to accept the vaccine. Increasing vaccine acceptance rates in the global south should be prioritized to advance global vaccination coverage.


For years prior to what historians refer to as the "boom" period of the 1970s, photography had yet to come into its own as a bona fide object of theoretical inquiry. Though critical responses to the medium first began to appear shortly after its inception in the 1830s, and continued to develop throughout the early part of the twentieth century with a number of keen reflections on photographic modernism, some of the most sophisticated and insightful writing about the greater implications of photographic meaning only truly began to emerge in the 1970s and 1980s. (2) A critical moment in the history of our understanding of the medium, this period was characterized not only by the academy's recognition of the history of photography as a legitimate scholarly discipline, but also by an ever more prominent wave of acceptance by museums. (3) It was also during the 1980s that artists became once again comfortable exploring photography as an art form in and of itself, and not merely as a model for the painterly process (think Francis Bacon or Andy Warhol) or as a tool used to document more conceptual or site-specific practices (Robert Smithson, Bruce Nauman, Vito Acconci). (4) As collectors--with institutional affiliations or otherwise--explored the potential for growth in this nascent sector of the market, a number of critics, sparked by these developments, turned their own attentions to the matter. (5) On the heels of the 1977 publication of Susan Sontag's pioneering collection of essays, On Photography, the editors of the journal October, in a special issue from 1978, responded to the changing status of the photograph both on the market and in the museum by advocating photography's newfound identity as a "theoretical object." (6) In their introduction to that issue, the editors proposed that only now could critical thinking about the medium really begin to mature. Given the dramatic rise of the photographic image on the cultural stage, as the editors wrote over thirty years ago, finally could photography be rediscovered and redeemed from "the cultural limbo to which for a century and a half it ha[d] been consigned." (7) Looking back on this period, one notes a sudden proliferation of writing that aims to do just that: from Roland Barthes' hauntingiy personal reflection on photography and death in La chambre claire (1980) and Herve Guibert's similarly autobiographical take on photography, memory, and desire in L'image fantome (1981), to Victor Burgin's seminal compilation on the multiplicity of photographic codes (Thinking Photography, 1982), John Berger and Jay Mohr's self-reflexive photo-essay Another Way of Telling (also from 1982), and Philippe Dubois' consideration of the singularity of photography and the subjectivity of the photographic process in Uacte photographique (1983), just to a name a few. (8) If we consider the ever increasing cultural prominence of photography and discourse on photography during those years, it is perhaps not so curious to remark that at around the same time in France--the veritable birthplace of the medium--several of some of the era's most innovative filmmakers were also engaging many of the same issues. Among them, both Agnes Varda and Jean Eustache stand out for having produced two thought-provoking short films that, while remaining true to each director's artistic vision, dialogue with and contribute to the new kind of photographic theory and criticism that was circulating on both sides of the Atlantic at around the same time. As art historian Linda Nochlin has written, "Nothing, perhaps, is harder to write intelligently about than photography." (9) In what follows I would like to suggest how Varda's Ulysse (1982) and Eustache's Les photos d'Alix (1980) tap into the motion picture's own privileged potential as a vehicle for thinking--and also, to a certain extent, "writing"--about the medium from which it ultimately evolved. (10) As they create a filmic language capable of speaking for the photographic image, the films mobilize the cinema as a way to theorize the indexical ontology of the photograph, the link between photography, personal memory, and collective history, and perhaps most importantly, the often strained, "incestuous," but nevertheless vital relationship between photography and the cinema. …


Changes in small intestinal morphology, in the indices of cellular development, and in the activities of some mucosal enzymes were examined in broilers from hatch through 14 d. In addition the effects of holding birds without access to feed for 36 h and of deutectomy were examined. Development of the intestine was rapid from 2 d after hatch although rates of development were different in duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Villus volume in the duodenum reached a plateau after 7 d although it continued to increase in the jejunum and ileum. Enterocyte density changed little with age. Indices of tissue activity, ribosomal capacity, and cell size decreased with age but at differing rates at the three intestinal sites. Sucrase-maltase activity was low in the duodenum and highest in jejunum and ileum and increased in the jejunum to a maximum 2 d after hatch, then decreased. Delayed access to feed after hatch depressed mucosal development for several days, with the duodenum generally reaching control values earlier than the jejunum. Morphological changes following delayed access to feed included some clumping of microvilli on Day 1 after hatching and abnormal crypt structure between Days 7 and 9. Deutectomy resulted in initial decreased intestinal growth, but this was compensated for by 6 to 8 d in the duodenum, after which development was parallel to that of normal chicks. It appears that nutrient supply from yolk is less crucial for mucosal development then withholding feed for 36 h, which delays normal intestinal development.


Field studies in a boreal forest and laboratory experiments reveal how atmospheric aerosols are formed from gas molecules. [Also see Report by Kulmala et al.] Even if the air around us seems perfectly clear, there are hundreds or thousands of tiny particles in every cubic centimeter of it. Where do they come from? Some, like dust and sea spray, are lofted from Earth's surface, but most aerosol particles are formed by condensation from molecules present in the gas phase. In a process called nucleation, compounds of low volatility, such as sulfuric acid, condense to small particles when they have reached a high enough concentration in the atmosphere, much like water condenses into cloud drops (see the figure, panel A). How this actually happens at the molecular level has long been an enigma of atmospheric science. Like the shells of a Russian doll, scientists have peeled away layer after layer of this mystery by developing techniques to observe smaller and smaller particles (1). On page 943 of this issue, Kulmala et al. (2) report on their observations of aerosol nucleation in a remote forest in Finland (see the figure, panel B), using new analytical tools to reveal how gas molecules join together to form particles.


Ultrasonic cleaning is widely accepted as an invaluable tool for minimizing contamination of critical devices, particularly where complex geometries such as blind holes are present. In order to use this powerful technique effectively, it is necessary to identify multiple parameters and to optimize conditions. Optimizing ultrasonic effectiveness involves removal of undesirable contaminants. Because ultrasonic cleaning generates significant force, effectiveness also involves minimizing the potential for substrate damage. Cavitation quality, and cavitation effects, are dependent on a number of factors including the frequency, amplitude, chemistry (aqueous or solvent), time, and pressure. The negative impact of ultrasonic erosion is often assumed to be minimal, particularly where more sophisticated ultrasonic systems are employed. Where the surface itself is more complex and contains what might be termed microstructure (or nanostructure), the potential for damage during ultrasonic cleaning must not be ignored. Several examples are presented to illustrate the desirability for independent, documented studies of the impact of ultrasonic cleaning or of ultrasonic extraction on critical products. As one simple model, studies were conducted on various thicknesses of aluminum foil. Efficacy of cavitation and potential for surface modification effects was indicated by foil erosion. In a second example, loss of metal substrate from critical components (or subassemblies) used in inertial navigation systems was observed after one hour of ultrasonic extraction. Both examples involve softer metals than are typically used in biomedical devices. However, depending on the size and configuration of the device, the issue of erosion and/or stress must be considered. The potential for ultrasonic damage in miniature devices and indications of such damage is discussed. Many newer cleaning chemistries, particularly biobased chemistries, are ineffective at ambient temperature. Discussion indicating the impact of elevated temperature are included. In some cases, it appears that ultrasonic cleaning may be superfluous in certain biobased chemistries at elevated temperature. It is typically assumed that ultrasonic cleaning will be conducted at atmospheric pressure. However, many newer cleaning systems operate at reduced pressure that reduce the boiling point. Therefore, studies of cavitation effects at reduced pressure or at high temperature are discussed. Typically, extensive studies of appropriate conditions for ultrasonics are not conducted. Instead, conditions are selected based on previous pragmatic observations or on vendor recommendations. In recent years, the number of available options in ultrasonic equipment and chemistries has increased markedly. At the same time, there has been a trend toward miniaturization and increased complexity of configuration in biomedical devices; this trend means increased surface, increased potential for contamination, and increased potential for unintended surface modification. With increasing use of ultrasonics for such critical applications as medical implants, the need for additional independent studies of ultrasonic efficacy is proposed.


The International Energy Agency's authoritative annual global energy projections. This 2009 edition analyses what the economic crisis will mean for energy markets and how the transition to a clean global energy system can be financed. It focuses on three specific areas: financing energy investment under a post 2012 climate framework, prospects for natural gas markets, and energy trends in Southeast Asia.


In the following review, European Union legislation concerning maximum level of patulin in foodstuffs was reported. Commission Regulation (EC) No 1425/2003 of 11 August 2003 amending Regulation (EC) No 466/2001, Commission Directive 2003/78/EC of 11 August 2003 laying down the sampling methods and the methods of analysis for the official control of the levels of patulin in foodstuffs and Commission Recommendation of 11 August 2003 on the prevention and reduction of patulin contamination in apple juice and apple juice ingredients in other beverages as regards patulin was reported.


Portal-systemic shunts, either spontaneous or artificial, are occasionally complicated by the development of spastic paraparesis. We report on 2 young patients who developed this complication following splenorenal shunts which were made for the treatment of oesophageal varices associated with cirrhosis of the liver and portal hypertension.


Pseudobrookite Fe2TiO5 was reduced to a spinel by substituting Fe 2+ by Li+ & Ti4+ by Ba2+ and the role of Ba2+, Ti4+ on the oxide samples was studied. Spinel samples, Li0.9Fe1.1Ba0.1Ti0.9O4 (SP1) and Li0.7Fe1.3 Ba0.3Ti0.7O4 (SP2) were prepared by the solid state reaction method. The single phase spinel structure was confirmed using XRD technique and lattice constants were determined. With the increase in Barium content, the symmetry was seen to undergo a change from cubic to tetragonal phase. The cation distribution in the samples was determined. Ba was seen to show a strong preference for the tetrahedral (A) sites. The dielectric constant was measured by varying frequency from 1 Khz to 1 Mhz and in the temperature range from 300oK to 773oK. The tetragonal spinel was observed to show a huge dielectric constant as compared to the cubic spinel. The enhanced dielectric constant makes it a promising battery material and could be studied against the backdrop of phase transformation.


A n important component of the armamentarium of modern protein scientists is the ability to design and construct peptides of almost any sequence. Peptides may be employed for a wide range of applications, including as substrates for kinases, proteases, or glycosidases, or as antigens to produce antisera that may recognize a protein containing that sequence. Peptides also have many biological functions of their own, interacting with receptors to stimulate changes in cellular function, or altering the interactions between cells, to cite only a few examples.


BACKGROUND
Chronic frontal sinusitis is a relatively common condition, yet one with potential for complications. The treatment of chronic frontal sinusitis has always been a challenge for the otolaryngologist, and it remains so even in the age of endoscopic sinus surgery. Successful treatment is evaluated by both subjective (patient history) and objective (radiologic and endoscopic) criteria.

PURPOSE
This article aims to present our experience in endoscopic surgery for chronic frontal sinusitis, with particular focus on the importance of the wide opening of the naso-frontal outflow tract, with maximal preservation of the mucosa in this area.

METHODS
During the period 1999 to 2001, 72 patients at the Soroka University Medical Center underwent endoscopic surgery for chronic frontal sinusitis. We reviewed the cases of fifty four patients of this group with a minimum six months follow-up. Patients who did not return for routine post-operative visits were excluded from this study. We evaluated and quantified subjective measurements including facial pain, nasal respiratory obstruction and hyposmia, and objective measurements, based on radiographic studies and endoscopic examination.

RESULTS
Most patients experienced improvement in all of the subjective categories, and particularly in the categories of facial pain/headache and nasal respiratory obstruction. Most patients who experienced this improvement had suffered from chronic pansinusitis.

CONCLUSIONS
The endoscopic management of chronic frontal sinus disease is an effective treatment, when principles of wide sinus drainage with maximal mucosal preservation are observed. Most patients undergoing this type of procedure experience significant clinical and radiologic improvement in their condition.


: Tumors transplanted into the eye anterior chamber (EAC) were atypic, more differentiated morphologically and with higher activity of H-forms of LDH, compared to the same tumors grown in the subcutaneous connective tissue (SCT). Besides, in the EAC, the tumors were less karyotypically heterogeneous and had lesser mitotic indices, than in the SCT. After cultivation in the EAC, populations of tumor rhabdomyoblasts displayed a decreased transplantability in SCT, i.e. the usual site of their implantation. These results may suggest that the proliferation of tumor cell populations in the EAC, i.e. in the immunologically privileged place, can be accompanied by the reducing of their malignancy up to the total loss of the common tumorigenic ability. Even the cell populations of tumor rhabdomyoblasts from the late stages of tumor progression can undergo such a process of normalization.


Previous magnetic measurements for the chiral magnet CrNb3S6 have shown that the soliton penetration and soliton dissipation in the chiral soliton lattice state strongly depend on the crystal's size and shape. We performed magnetic measurements for a thin single crystal of CrNb3S6 with a thickness 3 μm, permitting the existence of approximately 60 solitons, and observed the magnetization (M)—magnetic field (H) curve with a remarkable full M–H loop. By investigating the minor loop of the M–H curve in detail, we found that the inside of the full M–H loop allows an infinite number of quasi-stable states for each eigen number of solitons, utilizing a non-negligible distribution of the thickness around 3 μm. This study reveals that in a microcrystal with a chiral axis length of a few micrometers, any magnetic state with an arbitrary soliton number can be created in a certain H range within the full M–H loop.


Abstract L. F. Roubiliac carved two full-length statues of Handel, in 1738 and 1762. Although designed for quite different settings—a public pleasure garden and Westminster Abbey—the two sculptures have notable congruencies: both were sited in spaces critical for national self-definition, and both reflected aspects of the composer9s public persona. This article explores the delineation of Handel9s image in these statues and reproductions of them, and explicates their role in a broader attempt to define the nation through its heroes. Handel9s possible involvement in fostering his status as a "British worthy" is suggested both through circumstances of the effigies9 production and through his onstage performance, particularly in Alexander9s Feast.


Laser pulses can reach such high intensities nowadays that atoms exposed to them ionize virtually instantaneously. The extracted electrons are then accelerated to velocities nonnegligible to the speed of light. What remains are multiply charged ions with their most loosely bound outer electrons equally undergoing relativistic dynamics. These may temporarily escape from the vicinity of the ionic core, extract relativistic energies from the laser field and later recollide with the ionic core. The extremely large energies exchanged may be emitted in the form of coherent high-frequency light which is beneficial when an upconversion of frequencies is requested. Signatures of the magnetic field component of the laser field, the relativistic mass shift and spin‐orbit coupling characterize the quantum relativistic dynamics. The existence of more than one active electron within the ion and that of more than one atom in gases or solids complicate the theoretical understanding considerably but simple pictures are often possible to a reasonable approximation.


Rebelo Gomes E, Fonseca J, Araujo L, Demoly P. Clin Exp Allergy. 2008;38(1):191–198 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY. To assess the prevalence of self-reported adverse drug reactions and drug allergy in a pediatric population and confirm the diagnosis in children with suspected drug allergy. STUDY POPULATION. Patients (n = 1426) responded to an initial cross-sectional survey. A total of 60 of 67 patients with reported drug allergy were evaluated at an allergy clinic. METHODS. The first phase included a cross-sectional survey that assessed the life occurrence of adverse drug reactions and self-reported drug allergy in the outpatient clinic of a pediatric hospital. The second phase involved a diagnostic workup in children with parent-reported drug allergy, including detailed clinical history and in vitro and in vivo investigations. Specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) level determination for β-lactams, prick and intradermal skin testing for β-lactams, local anesthetics and sulfonamides, and patch tests (if a delayed reaction was reported) were performed. If all other investigations were inconclusive and a provocation test was not contraindicated, this test was performed. RESULTS. The prevalence of self-reported adverse drug reactions and drug allergy were 10.2% and 6.0%, respectively. The frequency of a medical diagnosis of drug allergy was 3.9%. The majority of the suspected allergic reactions were nonimmediate cutaneous events attributed to β-lactam antibiotics in younger children. Of 60 patients evaluated in the allergy clinic, 39 patients had a plausible clinical history, and additional investigation including a skin test, IgE-level measurement, and possible provocation tests were conducted. Drug allergy was diagnosed in 3 children on the basis of positive responses in skin (n = 1) and oral provocation (n = 2) tests. CONCLUSIONS. Although adverse drug reactions and suspected drug allergy are frequently reported in children, after a complete evaluation, only a few of these reactions can be attributed to immediate and nonimmediate drug allergy. Overall, 94% of the patients could tolerate the initially suspected drug. REVIEWER COMMENTS. This study underscores a serious problem: patients who experience or perceive a drug reaction are often classified as being truly allergic when this may not be the case. Such overdiagnosis and misdiagnosis may result in suboptimal medication choices. These results show that only 6% of the patients with initially suspected drug allergy were truly allergic. This study demonstrates the importance of a complete and detailed history, with consideration of additional testing including skin-prick tests, specific IgE-level determination, and provocation tests. It should be noted that for nonimmediate drug allergy, an oral provocation test may require prolonged treatment to observe for symptoms. Such provocation tests would not be undertaken for severe previous reactions (eg, toxic epidermal necrolysis).


This paper proposes a new approach to infer a firm-specific measure of the implied cost of capital. It incorporates endogenously estimated industry-year growth rate of the net present value of future investments. It requires only one-year-ahead forecasts of earnings, and dividend payout policy is irrelevant. The measure is intrinsically linked to commonly used accounting ratios including book-to-market, (forward) earnings yield, dividend-to-price as well as growth and past returns. It is significantly positively associated with future realized stock returns and also significantly correlates with commonly used risk characteristics in a theoretically predicted manner.


In this paper, we propose a new hierarchical timing-driven standard-cell placement method, in which a new cluster placement model is introduced. The proposed method is divided into three phases, clustering cells, global placement and detailed placement. After clustering cells, in the global placement phase, we determine and improve cluster placement by a simulated annealing based method. In most of previous methods, the shape of any cluster was restricted to a square. In the proposed method, however, we remove this restriction, and propose a new placement model, called the Amoeba model, in which the shape of a cluster can be a collection of connected squares. Since the flexibility of cluster placement is increased by the amoeba model, we can obtain a high quality placement satisfying timing constraints. In the detailed placement phase, we assign cells to cell rows under the non-overlapping constraint of cells with a constructive approach. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed method with the new cluster placement model.


During routine dissection, of the right upper limb of 70 years old donated embalmed male cadaver in the Department of Anatomy, K.J. Somaiya Medical College, Sion, Mumbai, India, we observed a separate humeral and ulnar heads of flexor carpi ulnaris muscle. To recognise Anatomical variations it is necessary to know the normal Anatomy. Normally the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle arises by two heads, humeral and ulnar, connected by a tendinous arch. The humeral head arises from the medial epicondyle via the common flexor tendon. The ulnar head arises from the medial margin of the olecranon process and an aponeurosis attached to the posterior sub cutaneous border of the ulna. The tendon of flexor carpi ulnaris inserted into the hamate and the fifth metacarpal bone through pisohamate and pisometacarpal ligaments. In the present case the ulnar head of flexor carpi ulnaris muscle was more bulky. It separated ulnar nerve and artery. The humeral and ulnar heads were separated from each other by ulnar nerve. These two heads fused with each other just before their insertion, where the ulnar artery came in contact with ulnar nerve. The further course and distribution of ulnar artery and ulnar nerve were normal. The knowledge of such unusual ulnar head separating ulnar artery and ulnar nerve may be clinically important for plastic surgeons doing flap surgeries and for the surgeon dealing with cubital tunnel syndrome.


Middle ear myiasis and factors determining the types of flies. To the laboratory in saline with 10% formaldehyde and sent them larvae stereo-microscope (Olympus 10×) were examined. Adult by making one portion of the surviving larvae instar larvae and adults are defined utilizing state properties. The larvae and live larvae of the fly Sarcophaga sp. rendered adults were determined. In both patients, the middle ear causing myiasis flies species Sarcophaga sp. was determined to be.


The article commemorates five centenaries of Czech analytical chemistry associated with the Faculty of Science, Charles University. Above all, a hundred years passed since the discovery of polarography by Jaroslav Heyrovsky. The method, the principle of which he discovered in February 1922, subsequently gave rise to many electroanalytical methods, which still affect many fields of human activity. The second centenary is closely connected with the name of Prof. Heyrovsky, namely, the first publication of this discovery ever, in Chemické listy journal in October 1922. The remaining anniversaries are personal, being associated with a hundred years since the birth of three outstanding Czech analytical chemists, Jaroslav Zýka, Václav Suk, and Miroslav Malát. Their most important contributions to the development of chemistry are reviewed.


The aim of this study is to demonstrate a Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) based in-plane (x and y axes) lens scanner to improve the resolution of Long Wave Infrared Optical Systems (8-12µm wavelength). The proposed actuator consists of a 2 axis decoupled stage and has 4 separate V-Shaped (Chevron) thermal actuators which provide sufficient force and displacement to position the lens within required time. Miniaturization of lens has been achieved by using an aspherical surface and optimization of optical system parameters. Actuators have 40 micrometers displacement capability which is sufficient for sub-pixel image motion on the detector. Frequency of actuation is 25 Hz which corresponds to construction of 1 frame per 40 milliseconds.


Background: 2,4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) was recently rediscovered as new anti-inflammatory agent through an in silico molecular modeling and in vivo anti-inflammatory inspection. Further computational investigations showed very close similarity between 2,4-D and pioglitazone in the mode of binding to PPARγ ligand binding pocket, suggesting an antidiabetic activity. Aim: To evaluate the binding strength of 2,4-D to PPARγ binding pocket and to improve the low water solubility of 2,4-D in formulation. Methods: particle size reduction via Nano Spray Dryer B-90 was chosen as possible technique to enhance the drug solubility and in turn facilitating its formulation. Chemical and physical properties of both raw and micronized forms of 2,4-D were investigated utilizing FTIR and DSC respectively. Additionally, dissolution profiles in different dissolution media were evaluated. Finally, the antidiabetic activity of micronized 2,4-D was investigated using streptozotocin (STZ)-induced animal model. Results: Revealed enhanced dissolution profiles for the micronized form of the drug on all media under investigation compared to its raw form. The in vivo antidiabetic activity for micronized 2,4-D form indicated no significant difference in its blood sugar lowering activity compared to pioglitazone as reference drug. Conclusion: the previous results could suggest micronized 2,4-D as a cheap antidiabetic agent with similar activity to pioglitazone.


Obelin from the hydroid Obelia longissima and aequorin are members of a subfamily of Ca(2+)-regulated photoproteins that is a part of the larger EF-hand calcium binding protein family. On the addition of Ca(2+), obelin generates a blue bioluminescence emission (lambda(max) = 485 nm) as the result of the oxidative decarboxylation of the bound substrate, coelenterazine. The W92F obelin mutant is noteworthy because of the unusually high speed with which it responds to sudden changes of [Ca(2+)] and because it emits violet light rather than blue due to a prominent band with lambda(max) = 405 nm. Increase of pH in the range from 5.5 to 8.5 and using D(2)O both diminish the contribution of the 405 nm band, indicating that excited state proton transfer is involved. Fluorescence model studies have suggested the origin of the 485 nm emission as the excited state of an anion of coelenteramide, the bioluminescence reaction product, and 405 nm from the excited neutral state. Assuming that the dimensions of the substrate binding cavity do not change during the excited state formation, a His22 residue within hydrogen bonding distance to the 6-(p-hydroxy)-phenyl group of the excited coelenteramide is a likely candidate for accepting the phenol proton to produce an ion-pair excited state, in support of recent suggestions for the bioluminescence emitting state. The proton transfer could be impeded by removal of the Trp92 H-bond, resulting in strong enhancement of a 405 nm band giving the violet color of bioluminescence. Comparative analysis of 3D structures of the wild-type (WT) and W92F obelins reveals that there are structural displacements of certain key Ca(2+)-ligating residues in the loops of the two C-terminal EF hands as well as clear differences in hydrogen bond networks in W92F. For instance, the hydrogen bond between the side-chain oxygen atom of Asp169 and the main-chain nitrogen of Arg112 binds together the incoming alpha-helix of loop III and the exiting alpha-helix of loop IV in WT, providing probably concerted changes in these EF hands on calcium binding. But this linkage is not found in W92F obelin. These differences apparently do not change the overall affinity to calcium of W92F obelin but may account for the kinetic differences between the WT and mutant obelins. From analysis of the hydrogen bond network in the coelenterazine binding cavity, it is proposed that the trigger for bioluminescence reaction in these Ca(2+)-regulated photoproteins may be a shift of the hydrogen bond donor-acceptor separations around the coelenterazine-2-hydroperoxy substrate, initiated by small spatial adjustment of the exiting alpha-helix of loop IV.


Public administration reform aims at the transformation of public institutions in business entities in which the principles that govern them are very close to the ones from the sphere of pri- vate entities. Public valuation is an accepted and implemented concept in public administration as a condition for ensuring complete, accurate and transparent images of available resources and their use. The present research determines through an empirical approach the regulation convergence of valuation in the public sector and presents its determinant factors and effects. The referentials subject to comparative analysis are International Valuation Standards (IVS), the last two editions, and International Public Sector Ac- counting Standards (IPSAS). The findings highlight the achievement of the objective of accounting and valuation stan- dard setters, IPSASB and IVSC, with regard to the convergence of valuation concepts and tools, in its last edition from 2011; however, the findings indicate certain differences regarding the guidance extent and the reference to mar- kets and atypical cases triggered by the global economic crisis. Our research has further found that the public accounting referential is closer to IVS 2011 than to IVS 2007 in what concerns disclosure requirements. This is in favor of the requirements imposed by the current economic environment regarding financial reporting, name- ly to provide more detail on the process of value estimation, the hypotheses and predictions used in this respect, and the risk of change of the es- timated value.


Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by expansion of a variable length (CAG)n repeat in the 5' coding region of a novel gene on chromosome 4p16.3. We provide comprehensive molecular analysis of a sporadic case of HD in which a paternally derived normal length allele expanded to an affected length allele. Linkage analysis and paternity testing confirm the paternal origin of the expansion and demonstrate that unequal crossing over during meiosis is an unlikely mechanism for de novo expansion in HD. This case identifies a complex genetic counseling issue for the families of sporadic cases since calculations of recurrence risk are not possible at this time. In addition, we describe utilization of a combination of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based assays for examination of both the CAG repeat and an adjacent variable length CCG repeat in the huntingtin gene. The combination of these assays can increase the accuracy of molecular diagnosis for HD and may clarify any ambiguous results obtained during molecular testing of HD families.


Girdling effects on fruitlet abscission, leaf chlorophyll, chlorophyll a fluorescence and carbohydrate concentration in various flowering and vegetative shoots were studied during natural fruit drop in two Citrus cultivars. Irrespective of shoot type, girdling delayed fruitlet abscission, but only fruitlets borne on leafy shoots had increased final fruit set. Chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis revealed differences in quantum yield efficiency of photosystem II of light adapted leaves (Phi(PSII)) among shoot types and in response to girdling. In young leaves of vegetative shoots, girdling decreased Phi(PSII), whereas Phi(PSII) increased from Day 30 after girdling in young leaves of leafy flowering shoots; however, Phi(PSII) did not change in mature leaves during fruit set in either control or girdled trees. Girdling altered leaf carbohydrate concentrations and the photosynthetic performance of the various shoot types. Our results indicate that, in Citrus, several carbohydrate-based regulatory mechanisms of photosynthesis coexist during carbohydrate accumulation brought about by girdling. It is concluded that the delay in fruitlet abscission and the increase in Phi(PSII )observed in girdled leafy flowering shoots are the mechanisms underlying the enhancement of fruit set after girdling.


BACKGROUND
Recent studies have shown that renal expression of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1alpha-hydroxylase (1alpha-OHase) is not restricted to proximal tubules. To investigate the significance of this expression, we characterized the regulation of 1alpha-OHase expression and activity in a human cortical collecting duct cell line (HCD).

METHODS
Expression of 1alpha-OHase mRNA and protein was assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analyses. Enzyme activity was quantified using 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 as the substrate; conversion to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 was then determined by thin-layer chromatography.

RESULTS
HCD cells expressed mRNA and protein for 1alpha-OHase. However, basal 1,25(OH)2D3 production was lower than that observed in proximal tubule HKC-8 cells. In both cell lines, synthesis of 1,25(OH)2D3 was increased by forskolin, parathyroid hormone, and low calcium medium. Conversely, treatment with 1,25(OH)2D3 itself decreased 1alpha-OHase activity. This effect was more pronounced in HCD cells, which also demonstrated significantly higher levels of 24-hydroxylase activity. The most striking induction of 1alpha-OHase activity was observed in the HCD cells following incubation with lipopolysaccharide, which was coincident with the expression of mRNA for both CD14 and Toll-like receptor 4.

CONCLUSIONS
These results highlight the capacity for synthesis of 1,25(OH)2D3 in cells from more distal areas of the nephron. However, more sensitive feedback regulation and immune induction of 1alpha-OHase in the HCD cells suggest a more localized role for 1,25(OH)2D3 production in the distal nephron.


The concept of prior restraint, roughly speaking, deals with official restrictions imposed upon speech or other forms of expression in advance of actual publication. Prior restraint is thus distinguished from subsequent punishment, which is a penalty imposed after the communication has been made as a punishment for having made it. Again speaking generally, a system of prior restraint would prevent communication from occurring at all; a system of subsequent punishment allows the communication but imposes a penalty after the event. Of course, the deterrent effect of a later penalty may operate to prevent a communication from ever being made. Nevertheless, for a variety of reasons, the impact upon freedom of expression may be quite different, depending upon whether the system of control is designed to block publication in advance or deter it by subsequent punishment. In constitutional terms, the doctrine of prior restraint holds that the First Amendment forbids the Federal Government to impose any system of prior restraint, with certain limited exceptions, in any area of expression that is within the boundaries of that Amendment. By incorporating the First Amendment in the Fourteenth Amendment, the same limitations are applicable to the states. Several features of the doctrine should be observed at the outset. In the first place, the doctrine deals with limitations of form rather than of substance. The issue is not whether the government may impose a particular restriction of substance in an area of public expression, such as forbidding obscenity in newspapers, but whether it may do so by a particular method, such as advance screening of newspaper copy. In other words, restrictions which could be validly imposed when enforced by subsequent punishment are, nevertheless, forbidden if attempted by prior restraint. The major considerations underlying the doctrine of prior restraint, therefore, are matters of administration, techniques of enforcement, methods of operation, and their effect upon the basic objectives of the First Amendment. Moreover, the doctrine of prior restraint is, in some important respects, more precise in its application than most of the other concepts that have developed out of the First Amendment. It does not require the same degree of judicial balancing that the courts have held to be necessary in the use of the clear and present danger test, the rule against vagueness, the doctrine that a statute must be narrowly drawn, or the various formulae of reasonableness. Hence, it does not involve the same necessity for the court to pit its judgment on controversial matters of economics, politics, or social theory against that of the legislature. This is not to say that the


It has previously been shown that three amino acid changes, one each in the fusion (F; Ala/Thr-91-->Thr), haemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN; Ser-466-->Asn) and polymerase (L; Ile-736-->Val) proteins, are associated with attenuation of a neurovirulent clinical isolate of mumps virus (88-1961) following serial passage in vitro. Here, using full-length cDNA plasmid clones and site-directed mutagenesis, it was shown that the single amino acid change in the HN protein and to a lesser extent, the change in the L protein, resulted in neuroattenuation, as assessed in rats. The combination of both amino acid changes caused neuroattenuation of the virus to levels previously reported for the clinical isolate following attenuation in vitro. The amino acid change in the F protein, despite having a dramatic effect on protein function in vitro, was previously shown to not be involved in the observed neuroattenuation, highlighting the importance of conducting confirmatory in vivo studies. This report provides additional supporting evidence for the role of the HN protein as a virulence factor and, as far as is known, is the first report to associate an amino acid change in the L protein with mumps virus neuroattenuation.


We provide the next-to-leading order (NLO) predictions for the neutralino pair production via quark-antiquark annihilation and gluon-gluon fusion at the CERN Large Hadron Collider, focusing on the lightest neutralino which is likely to be the lightest supersymmetric particle. The dependence of total LO, NLO cross sections, and $K$ factor on the center-of-mass energy, the $M_2$-$\mu$ mass plane, the squark mass, and the factorization and renormalization scales is comprehensively analyzed for three different scenarios in the minimal supersymmetric standard model and the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model. We find that the LO cross section is considerably increased by the NLO correction, and the $K$ factor value is clearly related to the Higgsino/gaugino mass parameters, the squark mass, and the factorization and renormalization scales.


Automated monitoring of dark web (DW) platforms on a large scale is the first step toward developing proactive Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI). While there are efficient methods for collecting data from the surface web, large-scale dark web data collection is often hindered by anti-crawling measures. In particular, text-based CAPTCHA serves as the most prevalent and prohibiting type of these measures in the dark web. Text-based CAPTCHA identifies and blocks automated crawlers by forcing the user to enter a combination of hard-to-recognize alphanumeric characters. In the dark web, CAPTCHA images are meticulously designed with additional background noise and variable character length to prevent automated CAPTCHA breaking. Existing automated CAPTCHA breaking methods have difficulties in overcoming these dark web challenges. As such, solving dark web text-based CAPTCHA has been relying heavily on human involvement, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming. In this study, we propose a novel framework for automated breaking of dark web CAPTCHA to facilitate dark web data collection. This framework encompasses a novel generative method to recognize dark web text-based CAPTCHA with noisy background and variable character length. To eliminate the need for human involvement, the proposed framework utilizes Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) to counteract dark web background noise and leverages an enhanced character segmentation algorithm to handle CAPTCHA images with variable character length. Our proposed framework, DW-GAN, was systematically evaluated on multiple dark web CAPTCHA testbeds. DW-GAN significantly outperformed the state-of-the-art benchmark methods on all datasets, achieving over 94.4% success rate on a carefully collected real-world dark web dataset. We further conducted a case study on an emergent Dark Net Marketplace (DNM) to demonstrate that DW-GAN eliminated human involvement by automatically solving CAPTCHA challenges with no more than three attempts. Our research enables the CTI community to develop advanced, large-scale dark web monitoring. We make DW-GAN code available to the community as an open-source tool in GitHub.


We report on picosecond pulsed response and 3-dB cutoff frequency of 1.3-mum GaNAsSb unitraveling-carrier photodetectors (PDs) grown by molecular beam epitaxy using a radio-frequency plasma-assisted nitrogen source. The 0.1-mum -thick GaNAsSb photoabsorption layer contains 3.5% of N and 9% of Sb, resulting in a bandgap of 0.88 eV. The dark current densities at 0 and -9 V are 6 and 34 mA/cm2, respectively. The GaNAsSb UTC PDs exhibit a temporal response width of 46 ps and a record 3-dB cutoff frequency of 14 GHz at -9 V.


As the typical number of traditional national sport event, Chinese wushu (Chinese martial art)has always been one of the most important teaching contents in Chinese higher education. Through the methods of document surveying, paper investigating and interviewing, we have done many researches and investigations in 30 general universities and colleges in China. A lot of problems have been found existing in the 30 general universities such as the teaching content is out of date, the teaching means and methods are simplistic, the teaching staff is not enough and the teaching field and equipments are not adequate and so on. In order to solve these problems, many suggestions are put forward, such as spreading wushu culture on the campus, deepening the reforms of wushu teaching, reinforcing the teaching staff and enlarging the investing of funds in wushu teaching and so on.


The impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on domestically owned firms in developing countries has been widely debated in the literature. It has been argued that FDI provides access to advanced technologies and other intangible assets, which may spill over to the host country and allow domestic firms to improve their performance. While there is a substantial literature on this issue, for obvious reasons, little is known about the effect of FDI on domestic firms in the African context. Noting this gap, this paper uses two-period (2003 and 2007) firm level panel data from South Africa to examine the impact of FDI on the labour productivity of domestic firms. A key policy change during this time period was the passage of the broad-based black economic empowerment act (BB-BEE) and we also examine the effect of the interaction between foreign firm ownership and BEE on labour productivity. Regardless of the empirical specification, we find no spillover effects and no evidence that a greater degree of BEE compliance by foreign firms influences labour productivity.


SUN (Sad1 and UNC-84) and KASH (Klarsicht, ANC-1, and Syne homology) proteins are constituents of the inner and outer nuclear membranes. They interact in the perinuclear space via C-terminal SUN-KASH domains to form the linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex thereby bridging the nuclear envelope. LINC complexes mediate numerous biological processes by connecting chromatin with the cytoplasmic force-generating machinery. Here we show that the coiled-coil domains of SUN-1 are required for oligomerization and retention of the protein in the nuclear envelope, especially at later stages of female gametogenesis. Consistently, deletion of the coiled-coil domain makes SUN-1 sensitive to unilateral force exposure across the nuclear membrane. Premature loss of SUN-1 from the nuclear envelope leads to embryonic death due to loss of centrosome–nuclear envelope attachment. However, in contrast to previous notions we can show that the coiled-coil domain is dispensable for functional LINC complex formation, exemplified by successful chromosome sorting and synapsis in meiotic prophase I in its absence.


Abstract. In landslide susceptibility assessment, an important issue is the correct identification of significant contributing factors, which leads to the improvement of predictions regarding this type of geomorphologic processes. In the scientific literature, different weightings are assigned to these factors, but contain large variations. This study aims to identify the spatial variability and range of variation for the coefficients of landslide predictors in different geographical conditions. Four sectors of 15 km × 15 km (225 km2) were selected for analysis from representative regions in Romania in terms of spatial extent of landslides, situated both on the hilly areas (the Transylvanian Plateau and Moldavian Plateau) and lower mountain region (Subcarpathians). The following factors were taken into consideration: elevation, slope angle, slope height, terrain curvature (mean, plan and profile), distance from drainage network, slope aspect, land use, and lithology. For each sector, landslide inventory, digital elevation model and thematic layers of the mentioned predictors were achieved and integrated in a georeferenced environment. The logistic regression was applied separately for the four study sectors as the statistical method for assessing terrain landsliding susceptibility. Maps of landslide susceptibility were produced, the values of which were classified by using the natural breaks method (Jenks). The accuracy of the logistic regression outcomes was evaluated using the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve and AUC (area under the curve) parameter, which show values between 0.852 and 0.922 for training samples, and between 0.851 and 0.940 for validation samples. The values of coefficients are generally confined within the limits specified by the scientific literature. In each sector, landslide susceptibility is essentially related to some specific predictors, such as the slope angle, land use, slope height, and lithology. The study points out that the coefficients assigned to the landslide predictors through logistic regression are capable to reveal some important characteristics in landslide manifestation. The study also shows that the logistic regression could be an alternative method to the current Romanian methodology for landslide susceptibility and hazard mapping.


The role of N-type Ca2+ channels in nociceptive transmission was examined in genetically engineered mice lacking the α1B subunit of N-type channels and in their heterozygote and wild-type littermates. In α1B-deficient mice, N-type channel activities in dorsal root ganglion neurons and spinal synaptoneurosomes were eliminated without compensation by other types of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. The α1B-deficient mice showed a diminution in the phase 2 nociceptive responses more extensively than in the phase 1 nociceptive responses of the formalin test. The α1B-deficient mice exhibited significantly increased thermal nociceptive thresholds in the hot plate test, but failed to increase mechanical nociceptive thresholds in the tail pinch test. These results suggest a crucial role of N-type channels in nociceptive transmission, especially for persistent pain like phase 2 of the formalin test and for nociception induced by thermal stimuli.


Leadership is the act of a leading group of people and an organization. This phenomenological study aimed to describe and narrate the leadership journey of a woman president of the State Universities and Colleges in the Philippines. An in-depth interview was conducted to describe and narrate the leadership journey and experiences of the women university president using narrative data analysis to create a story of the leadership journey of the women president. The results of the study revealed that the woman presidents were destined to be a leader because their leadership starts from the grassroots to the top management position. As president, their position is unpredicted but destined. They win the trust and respect of their subordinates being transformative leaders. They encountered challenges in institutional status, people, and infrastructure. Strong personalities and determination as transparent leaders made them win the trust and respect of their people. They promote equality and equity, and their decision is collaborative. At the end of their storyline, they want to be remembered as simple and humble presidents that make sound leadership and significant changes to the people and the university. A new model of women's leadership was developed out of their storyline. This model describes them as women who provide Love, Equity, Action, Direction, Empowerment, and Reform because they were indeed woman leaders. Keywords: Woman leadership, State Universities, and Colleges, Phenomenological Study, Narrative Analysis, Philippines


Visual content typically exhibits regions that particularly attract the viewer's attention, usually referred to as regions-of-interest (ROI). In the context of visual quality one may expect that distortions occurring in the ROI are perceived more annoyingly than distortions in the background (BG). This is especially true given that the human visual system is highly space variant in sampling visual signals. However, this phenomenon of visual attention is only seldom taken into account in visual quality metric design. In this paper, we thus provide a framework for incorporation of visual attention into the design of an objective quality metric by means of region-based segmentation of the image. To support the metric design we conducted subjective experiments to both quantify the subjective quality of a set of distorted images and also to identify ROI in a set of reference images. Multiobjective optimization is then applied to find the optimal weighting of the ROI and BG quality metrics. It is shown that the ROI based metric design allows to increase quality prediction performance of the considered metric and also of two other contemporary quality metrics.


1. The haemoglobin content of developing erythroblasts was shown to increase rapidly when the cells completed the final cell division of erythroid development and passed from the dividing into the non-dividing cell compartment. 2. The activity of carbonic anhydrase was measured and shown to increase continually throughout erythroid differentiation. The activity increased most rapidly in the polychromatic stage. 3. Catalase activity did not increase significantly during erythroid differentiation until the reticulocyte stage. 4. The activity of four enzymes, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, adenosine deaminase and nucleoside phosphorylase, exhibited a similar pattern of change during erythroid differentiation. In the dividing cell compartment their activity was relatively high but exhibited a steep decline between the polychromatic stage and the orthochromatic stage, that is, as the cell completed its final cell division and moved from the dividing to the non-dividing compartment. After this the activity of these enzymes was stabilized at a relatively low value, and this activity persisted at such a value until the reticulocyte stage. 5. Lactate dehydrogenase activity also declined after the cell had crossed from the dividing into the non-dividing stage, but in this case the decline was less than in the case of the above four enzymes. 6. Adenylate kinase activity was relatively constant in the dividing cell compartment but exhibited a 60 percent increase when the cell passed from the dividing into the non-dividing compartment. 7. The cessation of cell division appears to coincide with a set of complex biochemical changes.


The problem of finding an optimum, no-risk strategy for placing simultaneous win and place pari-mutuel bets is formulated in terms of a linear programming problem. For a basic feasible solution (i.e., a profitable schedule of bets) to exist, it is necessary for the win and place pools to weight the contestants differently. If the stake holder removes a fraction of the pool, then a solution is not guaranteed, but will exist if this difference in win-place weighting is sufficient. A simple example is presented.


Blunt tracheobronchial injury is rare but crucial injury. We discussed some problems about blunt tracheobronchial injury and presented our experience. To rescue patients with blunt tracheobronchial injury, surgical treatment within 24 hours from injury is recommended when general anesthesia is acceptable. Therefore, bronchoscopy should be performed immediately for patients who transferred to hospital due to blunt chest trauma. Outcome of surgery for tracheobronchial injury depends on co-existence of other organs and the degree of tracheobronchial injury itself. To improve the prognosis of patients with blunt trachobronchial injury, we need to know the accurate incidence and results of treatment in Japan. To know the fact, a large-scaled prospective registration of cases with tracheobronchial injury is necessary. At present, the Japanese association for the surgery of trauma is conducting such registration. We present a 29 year-old male who had blunt tracheobronchial injury and underwent reconstruction of carina in our hospital. Rupture of carina was recognized by bronchscopy and pneumomediastinum was shown in chest computed tomography (CT). Operation was successfully performed 22 hours later from injury and the patient discharged 28 days after from injury.


AIM To estimate the capabilities of the new technique radionuclide 4D-tomoventriculography (4D-RTVG) versus conventional methods, such as radionuclide equilibrium ventriculography (REVG), ECG-synchronized single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT), and echocardiography (EchoCG), in the evaluation of systolic and diastolic dysfunction in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). MATERIALS AND METHODS The study included 29 patients (19 males and 10 females) aged 43 to 66 years who had CHD. The diagnosis of CHD was established on the basis of coronary angiographic findings when the signs of coronary atherosclerosis were found. All the patients underwent 4D-RTVG, REVG, myocardial ECG-synchronized SPECT, and Echo CG. RESULTS There was a strong correlation of the values obtained by 4D-RTVG versus REVG and EchoCG when ejection fraction and left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume and the indices reflecting LV blood filling and ejection velocity were estimated. The correlation between the values provided by 4D-RTVG and myocardial ECG-synchronized SPECT females was slightly weaker. CONCLUSION The findings suggest that 4D-RTVG is highly reliable in evaluating both LV systolic and diastolic functions. That fact the technique is easy-to-use and mini-invasive shows that it may be clinically applied.


While the complement system is an essential component of immunity, shutting down all or part of it could be beneficial in a wide range of clinical situations. Designer, small‐molecule, protease inhibitors and antagonists of protein‐protein interactions are under development, while an approach based on a humanized monoclonal antibody to the C5 component works effectively against the later stages of complement activation and is close to completing clinical trials. The cobra venom factor depletes plasma of essential complement components, and a humanized (nonimmunogenic) version is being sought. Perhaps the most promising approach to comprehensive complement downregulation, however, is the exploitation of innate regulators of complement activation, with two products in clinical trials. The potential for more efficacious complement blockers of this kind is growing because of better targeting, but a deeper knowledge at the atomic level of mechanisms of action of these regulators is needed to underpin a rational approach to design of still more potent complement inhibitors.


The red marine alga (Polysiphonia virgata C. Agardh, Rhodomelaceae), was investigated for antimycobacterial activity in the hope of finding novel compounds for the treatment of tuberculosis. Two purified fractions were tested against Mycobacterium smegmatis using direct bioautography. The minimum inhibitory quantity (MIQ) determined to be 15.62µg (zone size=4mm) and 7.4µg (zone size=4mm) for sample C1730 and 1730/11, respectively. This activity was comparable with those of Ciprofloxacin, which showed a 12mm diameter zone at an amount of 12.5 micrograms on the thin-layer chromatography plate. Further fractionation resulted in the isolation of a mixture of well known long chain fatty acids, namely oleic, linoleic, lauric, and myristic acids as the major antimycobacterial compounds. Oleic acid showed the greatest inhibition of the growth of M. smegmatis with a MIQ-value of 0.8µg; linoleic acid and lauric acid had MIQ-values of 1.56 and 3.125µg, respectively. Stearic acid, palmitic acid, and myristic acid did not inhibit the growth of M. smegmatis. Using the Bactec-460 radiometric method, oleic acid showed 100% inhibition of the growth of M. tuberculosis at a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 25µg/mL; lauric acid, myristic acid and linoleic acid showed 100% inhibition at 50µg/mL. Myristic acid and lauric acid showed 90% and 76% inhibition at 50µg/mL. Linoleic acid showed moderate inhibition of the growth of a clinical strain of multi-drug resistant M. tuberculosis at a concentration of 50µg/mL. Acknowledgements: National Research Foundation for financial assistance. Dr Nestor M. Carballeira from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico for his invaluable guidance. Ms. Jean Mckenzie for the NMR spectra and Dr. Stephan Louw for the LC-MS and GC-MS analysis from the Central Analytical Facility, University of Stellenbosch.