There are several different constitutive relations for describing the creep behavior of solder to predict the fatigue life of a solder joint. The differences among these constitutive relations for fatigue life prediction of electronic packages are unknown because analysts using finite element programs such as ABAQUS or ANSYS are generally limited to specific built-in material models. The objective of this study is to implement a procedure that allows the use of various creep models in the analysis of electronic packages using ANSYS. Special user routines are developed so the user can incorporate virtually any creep relation and determine the inelastic strain energy density developed in the three-dimensional solid elements. Comparisons are performed for the modified creep routines and the viscoplastic formulation of Anand's model in ANSYS. It is found that the scheme used by ANSYS to determine plastic work density is incorrect and will be remedied in a future release. The implications of this revision to ANSYS are critical because a change in scheme will make comparisons with past studies and analyses difficult. The value of the empirical parameters based on previous analyses, which are widely used in the prediction of package fatigue life, will have to be reexamined.


In July 2004, the Members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) unanimously agreedon a framework for liberalising farm trade under the Doha Development Agenda with a view to establishing a fair and market-orientated trading system. The ultimate objective is to promote living standards, employment and sustainable development around the
world, particularly in developing countries, through a process of fundamental reform. The key ingredients of this process are substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support, the elimination of all forms of export subsidisation by an agreed date, and a further opening-up of agricultural markets.
The European Community has already taken importantunilateral steps in that direction, most recently through the introduction of the Single Farm Payment scheme agreed under the 2003 Mid-term Review of the Common Agricultural Policy. This policy change coupled with the reforms that will result from the WTO negotiations will expose European farmers, like farmers in other countries, more prominently to market forces. The present report provides an important analysis of the opportunities and challenges ahead for the European farm community in adapting to the new policy environment. It also provides guidance for farmers, agro-industries and policy markets with respect to effective risk management strategies designed to facilitate smooth adjustment and a soft landing as these reforms are being implemented. Finally, the report highlights a few important areas which need to be further explored in the quest for instruments to facilitatea successful liberalisation of agricultural markets in Europe.


This article builds on Allison James and Alan Prout's call to focus more on theorizing the social construction of time in childhood and explores how school, as an organization and an experience, influences students' conceptions of childhood and experiences of being a child. Extending the conception of time of childhood to include their future projections, we assert that aspiring to become an adult, while seeming to diminish the experience of childhood, actually provides motivation and hope to children. We also posit that school's emphasis on "preparation to become" influences children's experience in school and "imagined futures" as adults. The article is based on interviews with Indian tribal students between the ages of 9 and 15 who attended school at a residential school serving 25,000 students and at government day schools in Odisha, India.


Climate change and disasters are fast emerging as the most significant challenges of the 21st century as global risks with impacts far beyond just the environment and implications on national security and development. As the world continues its contemporary patterns of production and consumption, the future is at immense risk. Climate Change has the potential to alter the ability of the earth's physical and biological systems to provide goods and services essential for sustainable development. Today, a number of mainstream population and environment groups are claiming that population growth is a major cause of climate change and that lesser birth rates are the solution. If we cannot stabilize population, there is not an ecosystem on earth that we can save. If developing countries cannot stabilize their populations almost immediately, many of them face the disintegration of ecosystem. But in reality, even if we could today achieve zero population growth that would barely touch the climate problem — where we need to cut emissions by 50 to 80 percent by mid-century. Given existing income inequalities, it is inescapable that over consumption by the rich few is the key problem, rather than overpopulation of the poor many. In the absence of any commitment in the next two decades, their economies would become locked into a trajectory of elevated emissions and unsustainable development, while the cost of reversing the trend will become prohibitively high. This paper examines several outstanding issues on the interface between population and environment. Significantly, the study would come out with some policy recommendations to the policy makers.


DC motors have been widely used in the electromechanical systems due to its simple structure, ease of implementing variable speed control and low cost. In high accuracy servo control system, high control performance of DC motor is needed. DC motors have traditionally been modeled as IInd order linear system, which ignores the dead nonlinear zone of the motor. Unfortunately, the dead zone caused by the nonlinear friction would bring great effect to servo systems. This paper studies the non linear model of the DC motor and the effects of different types of friction in determining motor dynamics at low speeds using modeling and simulation with MATLAB Simulink.


Abstract : Since 1978 the Center for Electromechanics at the University of Texas at Austin (CEM-UT) has pursued a program to develop a class of electromechanical devices, rated for pulsed duty, which are capable of delivering one to ten megajoules to a load in less than one millisecond. 1 Initial work has centered on driving xenon flashlamps (500 mu sec) and charging high energy density energy transfer capacitors (100 mu sec). A 200 kJ (3.5 MJ stored) engineering prototype compensated pulsed alternator and a smaller scale (100 kJ stored) active rotary flux compressor have been designed, fabricated, and tested. Experimental results have been factored into machine design algorithms and circuit simulation codes to form conceptual designs of full scale pulse generators. Engineering problems remain to be solved, including the design of high packing factor air gap windings, reliable electrical insulation systems having mechanical shear strength (in excess of 27 MPa), and inexpensive laminated steel rotor and stator structures. Proposed solutions to these problems are presented, and near term and long range program goals are summarized for both resistive and capacitive loads.


We propose a novel method to select long-term coherent targets from a set of repeated-pass interferometric acquisitions. The major assumption is that targets are so close together to share the same optical path. This leads to an efficient singular-value-decomposition-based estimator of the targets' phase and, then, to PS detection. The estimated phase can be used to define the PS coherence for each image. Being sensitive to acquisition and processing artifacts, the PS coherence is a valuable tool for quality assessment of the interferometric stack. Results are shown with real data sets in both single and full polarizations.


In Snyder v. Phelps, the Supreme Court will soon weigh whether protestors at a slain soldier's funeral committed the tort of Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress (IIED) or engaged in protected speech. Imagine that Mr. Snyder, the IIED plaintiff and soldier's father, had, rather than bring a tort claim, used physical force to defend himself from the arguably tortious conduct of Phelps and his crowd. Can force be used to defend against intentional extreme or outrageous conduct threatening a person with severe emotional distress? The answer in the case law and articulated doctrine appears to be "no." Two prominent narratives in tort law scholarship address the increasing recognition of claims for loss of emotional tranquility and the expanding privilege to use force in defense of self and others. This Article explores a puzzle in tort law that challenges these traditional accounts. The law permits the use of force to protect dignitary interests, in the case of offensive battery and assault, but seems to deny the use of force to protect against IIED. No basis for this distinction appears in the leading theoretical accounts of tort law – economics, corrective justice, and civil recourse theory. Rather, the basis of the rule seems to be the childhood maxim, "Sticks and stones…," without strong theoretical or policy justification. Two implications arise. First, the law continues to privilege physical security above emotional well-being. Second, although it is arguably the most successful "new" tort of the twentieth century, IIED remains a tort whose boundaries are murky and whose place in tort doctrine is unclear. The parasitic nature of IIED has complicated the effort to build clear doctrine around all but the most essential elements of the claim.


Received Jul 15, 2021 Revised Jun 20, 2022 Accepted Jul 19, 2022 In ophthalmology, deep learning acts as a computer-based tool with numerous potential capabilities and efficacy. Throughout the world, diabetic retinopathy (DR) is considered as a principal cause of disease however loss of sight cannot be seen in adults aged 20-74 years. The primary objective for early detection of DR is screening on a regular basis at separate intervals which should have a time difference of every ten to twenty months for the patients with no or mild case of DR. Regular screening plays a major role to prevent vision loss, the expected cases increase from 415 million in 2015 to 642 million in 2040 means is a challenging task of ophthalmologists to do screening and follow-up representations. In this research, a transfer learning model was proposed with data augmentation techniques and gaussian-blur, circle-crop pre-processing techniques combination to identify every stage of DR using Resnet 50 with top layers. Models are prepared with Kaggle Asia Pacific Tele-Ophthalmology Society blindness dataset on a top line graphical processing data. The result depictsthe comparison of classification metrics using synthetic and non-synthetic images and achieve accuracy of 91% using the synthetic data and 86% accuracy without using synthetic data.


In the field of transportation planning, Network Design Problem (NDP) is a complex and challenging research area which aims to optimize a transportation network in order to maximize traffic and social benefits through capacity expansion and link addition. Recently, 'equity' has become highly valued in the decision process of NDP. The objective of this study is to propose novel approaches to integrate equity considerations into the NDP from the perspective of link travel time. First, equity is analysed and described mathematically in terms of travel time spent in traversing every unit-length on a link. The significance of accounting for the equity in the NDP is demonstrated through Braess Network. Then we formulate a bi-level program for NDP, where the upper level aims at optimizing system performance with respect to travel cost and equity, and the lower level is the traffic assignment problem under the user equilibrium condition. An exact solution methodology is developed based on programming techniques including interior point method, and branch and bound algorithm, which can be implemented in the generalpurpose optimization software AMPL. The method can seek for the globally optimal solutions to the proposed bi-level equitable NDP model. Finally, the systematic evaluation of the developed model formulation and solution methodology is conducted on the Nguyen-Dupuis Network. The results highlight the importance of incorporating equity into transportation planning and demonstrate that the proposed approaches can generate desirable NDP decisions with respect to improving overall system performance. 


SUMMARY: Spores of several fungi were examined in an effort to understand the role of RNA in the biochemical events occurring early in germination. RNA synthesis appeared to be an essential requirement for germination in Neurospora crassa and Aspergillus nidulans but not in Alternaria solani and Peronospora tabacina. Gross changes in the relative amounts of the various molecular species of RNA were not detected during germination of P. tabacina and N. crassa spores. Pulse-labelling of the germinating spores revealed that, in N. crassa, ribosomal and soluble RNAs were the major species being synthesized, whereas in P. tabacina label was incorporated into soluble RNA and an unstable heterodisperse RNA, but apparently not into ribosomal RNA. This pattern of RNA synthesis in germinating P. tabacina spores is similar to that found in cleaving embryos of certain animals where development is also rapid and, like germinating P. tabacina spores, can occur when RNA synthesis is inhibited.


Recent textbooks in lexicography recommend the use of customization in e-dictionaries whereby users or dictionary-makers specify which information categories should be shown on the screen. In this paper I take a look at some online dictionaries and analyze how they solve the task. A few basic types are recognized, based on the answer to questions such as: are the user profiles specified by the user or by the lexicographer? Is the profile defined in relation to the look-up situation or to the user's general background and skills? Is the profile fixed or flexible? Must the profile be specified once and for all, before every look-up situation or can it be changed as the user navigates through the dictionary entry? For practical reasons, I confine myself primarily to English and Scandinavian dictionaries. The analysis formed part of the preparatory phase of the online version of The Danish Dictionary. Four months after the introduction we can now observe from the log files how users manage the various options they are given. The experience so far is that user profiles that require deliberate action from the user are rarely used. The same holds for other kinds of customization such as advanced search possibilities. For the dictionary-maker there is all the more reason to be careful about configuring the default setting.


Kemal Ataturk's Republic of Turkey was set up in 1923 as a secular state, sweeping political, social, cultural and religious reforms followed. Islam was no longer the official religion of the state, the Sultanate was abolished and all Turkish citizens were declared equal without reference to religion. But though, in Azak's phrase, 'secularism was the central tenet of Kemalism', fear of a resurgent, even fanatical, Islam, continued to haunt the state. Azak's revisionist and original study sets out the struggle between religion and secularism but shows how Ataturk laboured for an idealised 'Turkish Islam' - the 'social cement' of the nation - stripped of superstition and obscurantism and linked to modern science and positivist philosophy. 'Turkish Islam' has retained its traditional forms in the modern state and Ataturk's Mausoleum dominates the capital and continues to inspire a popular, quasi-religious devotion.


Online-Storage computing is an common data interactive paradigm for processing of large amounts of data and storage without consider the local infrastructure limitations. The advent of Online-Storage storage enables the organizations and enterprises to outsource their data to third party Online-Storage service providers (CSP). Though the services provided by Online-Storage has many advantages, the users willingly give up the physical control of their outsourced information which inevitably poses new security and privacy risks and yet another confront is the organization of ever rising volume of data for CSP. In order to compact with these safety issues, a new safe storage with deduplication scheme has been adopted. In order to give security of outsourced data beside hateful users with snooping CSP's, a new convergent encryption method is proposed. Every Client encrypts the file previous to uploading and the encrypted file is enter to Hash algorithm which generate a single identifier for all file. The Client specify the official users and their admission rights in a metafile uploaded to the Online-Storage and user can decrypt the downloaded file with his secret key in.


The extraction of polysaccharides from Schisandra chinensis(Turcz.) Baill leaves(PSL) was optimized using onefactor-at-a-time and orthogonal array design method.Meanwhile,the inhibitory activities of PSL against Staphylococcus aureus,Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis were investigated.The results showed that the optimal conditions for PSL extraction were determined as two extraction cycles with distilled water at a solid/solvent ratio of 1:45(g/mL) at 90 ℃ for 1 h.Under these conditions,the extraction yield of PSL was 9.08%.The PSL obtained could not be effectively deproteinized by Sevag method according to UV spectroscopic analysis and its color was darkened.Meanwhile,IR spectroscopic analysis demonstrated that this PSL possessed common spectral characteristics of polysaccharides and peptide bonds,suggesting that it might be formed by conjugation of polysaccharides with proteins or polypeptides through peptide bonds.Furthermore,the polysaccharide extract possessed inhibitory activities against three bacterial strains under investigation.


This Master's thesis has concerned the segmentation and classification of background textures in images. In order to segment the images we have used the SLIC algorithm to create superpixels. These are a sort of over segmentation of the image where pixels close to each other and similar in colour are considered to be the same texture. All superpixels were then classified using a convolutional neural network which was trained as a part of this thesis. As this network had about 30% errors a second stage was added to the classification program, a spatial bias. The first attempt at this spatial bias used the neighbouring superpixels' classification in order to make the image more homogeneous. Secondly, as a comparison, a neural network was also trained as the spatial bias. When using the neural network followed by the neural network for spatial biases the errors decreased to a little more than 10%, while the ordinary spatial bias only decreased error by a few percent. Even though the best performing network had a low error rate we were not able to replicate these results with unknown images as the network most likely severely overfitted to the relatively small training set. The method in it self showed potential and with more training data and possibly smaller superpixels we could get more consistent results between training images and other unknown data. (Less)


This paper proposes the use of ac polarization for resonant electrostatic microelectromechanical systems that elimi- nates the frequency drift caused by dielectric charging and charge screening. It is mathematically and experimentally shown that an ac-polarized resonator can sustain stable oscillations when used in a positive feedback oscillator circuit. We also demonstrate an oscillator topology that generates a drift-free reference frequency tone with this technique in spite of using a resonator that exhibits large frequency drifts under dc polarization. Long-term data are presented for these drift-susceptible devices, showing a significant improvement in frequency stability. (2010-0104)


Composite materials are used extensively in aircraft structures, automobiles, sporting goods, and many consumer products. Thin-walled multicell beams made of composite materials, have important applications in aerospace structures. The torsion load on these beams is caused due to distance between Centre of Pressure (CP) and Centre of Gravity (CG) of aerospace vehicle in flight. Warping is a result of torsion load and its analysis is important to predict actual behavior of multicell beams. Study of warping displacements is necessary because prevention of warping leads to stress development. Enhancement in design requires design optimization generated by parametric modeling. Problem of cross-sectional distortion can be controlled through use of rigid diaphragms equally spaced along the length of beam. The aim of present study is to establish a procedure for parametric modeling in presence of rigid regions and simulate warping effects caused by torsion on multicell beams. Quasi-isotropic composite material has been used in multicell beams. Four models of multicell beams analyzed have same length and thickness, but different number of rigid regions and corresponding compatible mesh size. Warping is simulated by FEM based computational program ANSYS, and one; ten and seventy rigid regions inside beam were analyzed. Numerical simulations results show that beam with single rigid region has higher axial warping and more uniform rate of change as compared to beams with multiple rigid regions. It was found that first beam model with one rigid region has warping error 41.6%, second and third model each with ten rigid regions (but different edge size) have 2.5% error in warping, fourth model has 70 rigid regions and it has 0% error in warping. Results show that inaccurate interlaminar shear stresses do not affect the warping behavior of multicell beams. Once the parametric model is defined, then it becomes very quick and easy process to perform warping analysis of composite multicell beam with rigid regions.


The influence of reaction order and trap-assisted recombination on continuous-wave photoinduced absorption measurements is clarified through analytical calculations and numerical simulations. The results reveal the characteristic influence of different trap distributions and enable distinguishing between shallow exponential and Gaussian distributions and systems dominated by direct recombination by analyzing the temperature dependence of the in-phase and quadrature signals. The identifying features are the intensity dependence of the in-phase at high intensity, P A I ∝ I γ HI, and the frequency dependence of the quadrature at low frequency, P A Q ∝ ω γ LF. For direct recombination, γHI and γLF are temperature independent, and for an exponential distribution, they depend on the characteristic energy Ech as γ HI = 1 / ( 1 + E ch / k T ) and γ LF = k T / E ch, while a Gaussian distribution shows γHI and γLF as functions of I and ω, respectively.


PURPOSE
To determine the feasibility and clinical outcomes of conversion of temporary to tunneled hemodialysis catheters using the same venous insertion site.

METHODS
Data from 42 patients with existing temporary hemodialysis catheters referred for placement of tunneled hemodialysis catheters were retrospectively reviewed. In these patients, the temporary catheter was exchanged for a peel-away sheath, and a tunneled catheter was inserted using the existing venous access site. Technical success, procedural complications, and clinical outcomes were evaluated. Hemodialysis records were reviewed to assess catheter patency during a 30-day follow-up period.

RESULTS
The study group consisted of 20 males and 22 females (mean age: 58 years). All 42 temporary catheters were successfully converted to tunneled hemodialysis catheters without immediate procedure-related complications. Follow-up data were available for 32 patients (total: 3038; median 71 catheter days). Nine catheters were removed for infection, yielding a catheter infection rate of 0.30/100 catheter days; three catheters were removed for blood flow <200 ml/min. 13 patients had catheters removed when catheters were no longer needed. Three patients died with working catheters. The patency rate was 72% at 30 days, with four catheters functioning at the end of the study period.

CONCLUSION
Conversion of a temporary hemodialysis catheter to a tunneled hemodialysis catheter using the same venous insertion site is a safe procedure that avoids complications associated with venotomy and allows conservation of other central venous access sites. Patency and infection rates in these catheters are comparable to several studies of catheter exchange and de novo placement of tunneled hemodialysis catheters.


Pain is likely to be equally prevalent in people with dementia, however, only a small minority are prescribed regular analgesics. This is a key issue since untreated pain leads to reduced quality of life and increases the likelihood of emergence of behavioural and psychological symptoms such as agitation. Better assessment and treatment of pain in this fragile patient group are therefore mandatory. In this context, we reviewed the literature on pain and dementia and summarised the best available evidence regarding the frequency of pain and pain diagnosis. Unfortunately, hardly any randomized, controlled studies of pain treatment efficacy in patients with dementia are available, with the consequence that most pain treatment recommendations are not based on the highest level of evidence.


Nanomagnetic logic circuits have recently gained interest as a possible post CMOS ultralow-power computing platform. In these circuits, single-domain nanomagnets communicate and perform logical computations through nearest neighbor dipole interactions. The state variable is magnetization direction and computations can take place without passing an electric current. Both experiment and theory have shown, however, that errors in circuit operation can sometimes occur. In this paper, we investigate the reasons for this, develop a simple model to explain imperfections in 1-D chains of nanomagnets, and show that it agrees with experiment. Finally, we discuss possible improvements in nanomagnet design suggested by the model to improve error rates.


In order to make the liquid crystal display (LCD) panel thinner, brighter and no-Hg containing, the light emitting diodes (LEDs) are generally beginning to replace conventional cold cathode florescent lamp (CCFL) as light sources for LCD backlight unit (BLU). The thermal management and cost are consideration caused by more LEDs used for larger size BLU. For saving the fabrication cost and considering the luminous uniformity of most commercial BLU, a novel C-like linear tube is fabricated by precision and micromachining technique. The LED C-like linear tube is not only decreasing LEDs for BLU but also increasing the optical efficiency for emitting the light into the BLU. The C-like linear tube is proposed to replace CCFL tube for thin film transistor (TFT) LCD applications.


This study examines the geographical and temporal evolution of violence in which pastoralists are engaged. Building upon an analysis of over 36,000 violent events in North and West Africa between January 1997 and April 2020 in which 206 pastoralist groups were involved, this paper provides a regional report on wider patterns of pastoralist violence over the last two decades. Pastoralist violence has both expanded and intensified in the region, as is evidenced by the rapid increase in number of events and fatalities over the past decade. A comprehensive understanding of pastoralists' roles in this violence is thus crucial to facilitating more effective polices towards sustainable peace.


Annexins form a family of proteins that are widely expressed and known to bind membranes in the presence of calcium. Two isoforms of the annexin XIII subfamily are expressed in epithelia. We previously reported that annexin XIIIb is apically localized in MDCK cells and that it is involved in raft-mediated delivery of apical proteins. We have now analyzed the properties of annexin XIIIa, which differs from annexin XIIIb by a deletion of 41 amino acids in the amino-terminal domain, and is distributed both apically and basolaterally. Annexin XIIIa binding to membranes is independent of calcium but requires its myristoyl amino-terminal modification, as observed with annexin XIIIb. Our biochemical and functional data show that annexin XIIIa behaves differently in the apical and in the basolateral compartments. Whereas annexin XIIIa apically can associate with rafts independently of calcium, the basolateral pool requires calcium for this. Annexin XIIIa, like annexin XIIIb, stimulates apical transport of influenza virus hemagglutinin but, in contrast, only annexin XIIIa inhibits basolateral transport of vesicular stomatitis virus G protein. Our results suggest that annexin XIIIa and XIIIb have specific roles in epithelial cells, and because of their structural similarities, these isoforms offer interesting tools for unravelling the functions of annexins.


In a previous study, we developed 5-methyltryptophan (5MT)-resistant rice (Oryza sativa L.) mutant lines via in vitro mutagenesis. These mutant lines exhibited elevated free amino acid content, in addition to a marked tolerance to a 5MT inhibition. In this study, we verified these increased protein and amino acid contents in the advanced mutant lines, and discovered that the anthranilate synthase (AS, EC 22.214.171.124) activity of the mutant plants was 2.2-3 times as high as that of the control. In all four tested 5MT-resistant mutant lines, AS activity proved to be less sensitive to tryptophan inhibition than that of the control. Proteins produced, either in elevated amounts or de novo in response to 5MT were studied by comparison of silver-stained two-dimensional gels of leaf proteins, between the control and two 5MT-resistant mutant lines. At least 20 proteins exhibited either elevated expression or de novo generation following exposure to growth-inhibitory concentrations of 5MT in MRI-40. We assessed the 5MT stress-mediated responses of the four antioxidant enzymes; catalase (CAT, EC 22.214.171.124), peroxidase (POD, EC 220.127.116.11), superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 220.127.116.11) and aspartate peroxidase (APX, EC 18.104.22.168). We found that the activity levels of all four enzymes were increased as a result of 5MT treatment, in both the control and the 5MT-resistant mutant lines. However, the mutant lines exhibited more pronounced increases in the antioxidant enzymes than did the control. Significant differences in these activity increases were observed between the control and the mutant lines in the SOD and APX activity assays. Native PAGE confirmed these differences in SOD and APX activity, with the separation patterns of the isoforms of SOD and APX. These results mean that the 5MT-resistant mutants might possess active antioxidant systems which protect the cell from 5MT stress that may induce the production of reactive oxygen species.


Quick response (QR) codes, composed of little black dots, are handy tools that are becoming more and more popular in our daily lives. Being commonly found on product packages, QR codes were first designed by a Japanese car manufacturing company. Ever since their license was made public, they have found their way not only into markets but also into educational settings. They are basically used to connect the analogue world to the digital one and help enrich traditional hardcopy materials commonly used in language classes. Their uses can be as limited as the creativity of teachers who are to use them in their classes. This paper attempts to provide a brief overview of practical techniques for using QR codes in teaching and learning of the language skills (reading, listening, speaking and writing) and content areas (grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation). The paper ends with some recommendations for effective use. In brief, it aims to introduce innovative practices in the use of QR codes and to provide teachers, learners and researchers some insight into their use for educational purposes.


Plant Science![Figure][1]

CREDIT: JING-KE WENG

Lignin, a heterogeneous polymer built from p -hydroxycinnamyl monomers, provides the stiffness in woody tissues of vascular plants. The resiliency of lignin may be useful to a tall tree, but it is an obstacle in the extraction of sugars from plant tissues that are used as biofuels. Angiosperms use a larger set of subunits—featuring monomers in which hydroxylation at both meta positions has occurred—to make lignin than do most plants in the lycophyte lineage, which diverged from the angiosperm lineage 400 million years ago. Weng et al. have identified a cytochrome P450 enzyme from the lycophyte Selaginella that bears limited similarity to angiosperm enzymes, and when the Selaginella enzyme was introduced into the angiosperm Arabidopsis , a new form of lignin was detected. These results suggest that the enzymatic diversity of the broader plant kingdom might be informative for taming recalcitrant biosynthetic pathways in potential biofuel crops.

Plant Cell 22 , 10.1105/tpc.109.073528 (2010).

 [1]: pending:yes


Experiments show that faceting of a vicinal surface can be induced by surface reconstruction, which often occurs only on sufficiently wide terraces. We study this process using a one-dimensional terracestep model that assigns a lower free energy to terraces wider than a critical width wc . When mass is conserved locally, through surface diffusion, we find that a reconstructed terrace can nucleate the growth of another such terrace nearby. The dynamics and spatial distribution of facets arising from this model are very different from that produced by conventional thermal nucleation.


In man there are 39 homeobox genes of the HOX family in four loci, HOXA, HOXB, HOXC and HOXD on chromosomes 7, 17, 12, and 2. We discovered the existence of two major alleles, termed a and b, of gene HOXB1. They differ at a specific position in the 5' portion of the coding region. Sequencing the two alleles revealed that the allele HOXB1A, contains two copies of the 9bp sequence 5'ACAGCGCCC3', starting at position 65 of the coding region, whereas the allele HOXB1b contains three copies of this sequence (Fig. 1). As a consequence, the allele HOXB1b encodes a homeoprotein containing two copies of the tripeptide HisSerAla, starting at amino acid residue 25, which is present in only one copy in allele HOXB1a. We analyzed 250 individuals and found that the allelic frequencies of HOXB1a and HOXB1b were 78.8% and 21.2%. The murine homologue contains only one copy of the 9bp repeat (Fig. 1). 7 mouse strains, namely 129, BALB/c, C57BL/6, C57BL/10, CAST/Ei, C3H and SPRET/Ei, are homozygous for this allele. The allele present in gibbon and rhesus monkey appears to be identical to the human HOXB1b (Fig. 1).


A radically new take on the coming battle over information, from a fast-rising academic star. From Napster to Total Information Awareness to flash mobs, the debate over information technology in our lives has revolved around a single question: How closely do we want cyberspace to resemble the real world? Siva Vaidhyanathan enters this debate with a seminal insight: While we've been busy debating how to make cyberspace imitate the world, the world has been busy imitating cyberspace. More and more of our social, political, and religious activities are modeling themselves after the World Wide Web. Vaidhyanathan tells us the key information structure of our time, and the key import from cyberspace into the world, is the "peer-to-peer network. " Peer-to-peer networks have always existed--but with the rise of electronic communication, they are suddenly coming into their own. And they are drawing the outlines of a battle for information that will determine much of the culture and politics of our century, affecting everything from society to terrorism, from religion to the latest social fads. The Anarchist in the Library is a radically original look at how this battle defines one of the major fault lines of twenty-first-century civilization.


The synchronous model enables teachers and students to communicate in real time, though different spaces. Synchronous distance education offers an environment closer to the traditional class environment and allows students to establish visual and voice communication with teachers through video conferencing. The objective of this study is to determine how postgraduate students' changing perceptions of synchronous distance education classes using Skype-based video conferencing. A qualitative research approach was used for the study. The subjects consisted of students in a Master's program in a public University in Malaysia. For the case study method, a qualitative data collection method was used and the data was obtained via observation results and semi-structured interviews. Data was analyzed using the descriptive analysis method. Findings obtained indicated that students' perceptions of the course changed during and upon the completion of the course. It was generally seen that some of the students knew the accurate concept of synchronous distance education and video conferencing, but they did not use it in their daily lives. Some of them did not have enough information or had preconceived ideas about synchronous communication prior to the course. After attending the online sessions, the perception of students changed and they were able to realize clearly the opportunities that are provided by synchronous education via the Internet. In this study, the most important problem in synchronous distance education was determined to be disconnection and audio problems. Other significant problem related to hardware includes – i.e., sound, speed and connectivity issues. At some point students became bored because they could not see each other by video call due to the limitation of the Skype program. Besides technical problems, students expressed that the factors of time management and environment also change their perceptions on synchronous distance education. The paper suggests possible positive changes in the students' opinions about synchronous distance education and more fruitful courses should be provided on condition that some of the factors causing the negative perceptions are minimized.


The purpose of the present research is to investigate the presence of Dante in four authors of the twentieth century and to discuss in what ways these authors contribute to our perception of Dante. This study begins with the analysis of Primo Levi's reaction to Dante, and the first two chapters deal respectively with Levi's troubled relationship with the monumentality of Dante in Levi's personal culture and with the modern writer's attempts at rejecting that very monumentality. In the third and fourth chapters, the focus is on the inclusion of Dante within Edoardo Sanguineti's poetry, and on the issue of ideologically oriented exploitation of Dante both in Sanguineti's novels and plays and in his critical analyses of the Comedy. The following chapters are about the presence of Dante in Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney. In Beckett, a network of Dantean inclusions shows how Dante's presence can be fertile, controversial, and yet apparently discarded. The last chapter discusses Seamus Heaney's Dantisms and especially the question of translation as both a technical and a cultural issue. The result is the perception of a vital Dantean presence, which generates approaches and revalidations in spite of its apparent distance and of its cultural diversity.


In this article, University of Iowa Law Professor Mark Janis examines "the permanence of the [Supreme] Court's retreat to the pe-ripheries of patent law after the creation of the Federal Circuit," exploring what roles the Supreme Court might imagine for itself in contemporary patent law. Professor Janis first establishes some parameters for Supreme Court decision making in patent cases by analyzing two extremes: an aggressive interventionist model and an extreme noninterventionist model. He then proposes an intermediate, managerial model in which the Court's role centers on an effective allocation of power among institutions of the patent system. The managerial model encourages the Court to impose prudential restrictions on the scope of its own patent opinions and rejects the paradigm of ad hoc, substantive error correction as a serious future role for the Court in patent law.


Objective To develop a computational model to assess the risk of epidemics in global mass gatherings and evaluate the impact of various measures of prevention and control of infectious diseases. Introduction Global Mass gatherings (MGs) such as Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, and Hajj (Muslim pilgrimage to Makkah), attract millions of people from different countries. The gathering of a large population in a proximity facilitates transmission of infectious diseases [1]. Attendees arrive from different geographical areas with diverse disease history and immune responses. The associated travel patterns with global events can contribute to a further disease spread affecting a large number of people within a short period and lead to a potential pandemic. Global MGs pose serious health threats and challenges to the hosting countries and home countries of the participants [2]. Advanced planning and disease surveillance systems are required to control health risks in these events. The success of computational models in different areas of public health and epidemiology motivates using these models in MGs to study transmission of infectious diseases and assess the risk of epidemics. Computational models enable simulation and analysis of different disease transmission scenarios in global MGs. Epidemic models can be used to evaluate the impact of various measures of prevention and control of infectious diseases. Methods The annual event of the Hajj is selected to illustrate the main aspects of the proposed model and to address the associated challenges. Every year, more than two million pilgrims from over 186 countries arrive in Makkah to perform Hajj with the majority arriving by air. Foreign pilgrims can stay at one of the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah up to 30-35 days prior the starting date of the Hajj. The long duration of the arrival phase of the Hajj allows a potential epidemic to proceed in the population of international pilgrims. Stochastic SEIR (Susceptible−Exposed−Infected−Recovered) agent-based model is developed to simulate the disease transmission among pilgrims. The agent-based model is used to simulate pilgrims and their interactions during the various phases of the Hajj. Each agent represents a pilgrim and maintains a record of demographic data (gender, country of origin, age), health data (infectivity, susceptibility, number of days being exposed or infected), event related data (location, arrival date and time), and precautionary or health-related behaviors. Each pilgrim can be either healthy but susceptible to a disease, exposed who are infected but cannot transmit the infection, or infectious (asymptomatic or symptomatic) who are infected and can transmit the disease to other susceptibles. Exposed individuals transfer to the infectious compartment after 1/α days, and infectious individuals will recover and gain immunity to that disease after 1/γ days. Where α is the latent period and γ is the infectious period. Moving susceptible individuals to exposed compartment depends on a successful disease transmission given a contact with an infectious individual. The disease transmission rate is determined by the contact rate and thetransmission probability per contact. Contact rate and mixing patterns are defined by probabilistic weights based on the features of infectious pilgrims and the duration and setting of the stage where contacts are taking place. The initial infections are seeded in the population using two scenarios (Figure 1) to measure the effects of changing, the timing for introducing a disease into the population and the likelihood that a particular flight will arrive with one or more infected individuals. Results The results showed that the number of initial infections is influenced by increasing the value of λ and selecting starting date within peak arrival days. When starting from the first day, the average size of the initial infectious ranges from 0.05% to 1% of the total arriving pilgrims. Using the SEIR agent-based model, a simulation of the H1N1 Influenza epidemic was completed for the 35-days arrival stage of the Hajj. The epidemic is initiated with one infectious pilgrim per flight resulting in infected 0.5% of the total arriving pilgrims. As pilgrims spend few hours at the airport, the results obtained from running the epidemic model showed only new cases of susceptible individuals entering the exposed state in a range of 0.20% to 0.35% of total susceptibles. The number of new cases is reduced by almost the same rate of the number of infectious individuals following precautionary behaviors. Conclusions A data-driven stochastic SEIR agent-based model is developed to simulate disease spread at global mass gatherings. The proposed model can provide initial indicators of infectious disease epidemic at these events and evaluate the possible effects of intervention measures and health-related behaviors. The proposed model can be generalized to model the spread of various diseases in different mass gatherings, as it allows different factors to vary and entered as parameters. References 1. Memish ZA, Stephens GM, Steffen R, Ahmed QA. Emergence of medicine for mass gatherings: lessons from the Hajj. The Lancet infectious diseases. 2012 Jan 31;12(1):56-65. 2. Chowell G, Nishiura H, Viboud C. Modeling rapidly disseminating infectious disease during mass gatherings. BMC medicine. 2012 Dec 7;10(1):159.


OBJECTIVES
This study aims to evaluate the effect of intra-articular tranexamic acid (TA) administration on the amount of blood in the drains, the amount of blood transfusion, length of hospital stay, and the total cost in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
The study included a total of 118 patients (24 males, 94 females; mean age 67.0 years, range 52 to 81 years) who underwent primary unilateral TKA surgery. Patients were divided into two groups as 58 patients who were performed intra-articular injection of 2 g TA after closure of articular capsule (TA group; 10 males, 48 females, mean age 65.6 years; range 55 to 80 years) and 60 patients who were not performed any intra-articular injection (non-TA group; 14 males, 46 females; mean age 68.3 years; range 52 to 81 years). The maximum difference between pre- and postoperative hemoglobin levels, the amount of blood in the drains, the amount of blood transfusion, length of hospital stay, and cost of each patient were recorded.

RESULTS
The mean difference between pre- and postoperative hemoglobin levels were higher in the non-TA group (1.7 g/dL vs 2.6 g/dL, p<0.05). The mean amounts of blood in drains (327.5 mL vs 800.0 mL, p<0.05), the amounts of blood transfusions (0 units vs 10 units, p<0.05), the mean lengths of hospital stay (4.03 days vs 4.53 days, p<0.05), and the hospital costs (1,935.26 United States dollars vs 1,959.64 United States dollars, p<0.05) were lower in TA group.

CONCLUSION
Administration of intra-articular TA during primary TKA may reduce blood loss and the need for blood transfusion while significantly shortening the postoperative length of hospital stay and reducing the total hospital costs.


The battle to separate the economic analysis of legal rules and institutions from the straightjacket of strict rational choice assumptions has been won by the proponents of behavioral law and economics. With the revealed preferences assumption of neoclassical economics - that individual behavior necessarily maximizes subjective expected utility - discarded, what comes next for the discipline of law and economics? The article argues that theorists should turn their attention to a series of philosophical and methodological problems that surround the measurement of subjective expected utility: (1) the need to recognize and value autonomy for its own sake, separate from its ability to enhance utility; (2) the need to advance a theory of subjective utility that takes into account the use of heuristics in the construction of preferences as well as in understanding facts and judging probabilities; and (3) the need to recognize and confront the consequences of individual difference in the extent of bounded rationality.


Different cancer chemopreventive agents may act synergistically and their combination may produce enhanced protective effects against carcinogenesis than each individual agent alone. Herein, we investigated the chemopreventive effects of nobiletin (NBT, a citrus polymethoxyflavone) and atorvastatin (ATST, a lipid-lowering drug) in colon cancer cells/macrophages and an azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon carcinogenesis rat model. The results demonstrated that co-treatments of NBT/ATST produced enhanced growth inhibitory and anti-inflammatory effects on the colon cancer cells and macrophages, respectively. Isobologram analysis confirmed that these interactions between NBT and ATST were synergistic. NBT/ATST co-treatment also synergistically induced extensive cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in colon cancer cells. Oral administration of NBT (0.1%, w/w in diet) or ATST (0.04%, w/w in diet) significantly decreased colonic tumor incidence and multiplicity in AOM-treated rats. Most importantly, co-treatment of NBT/ATST at their half doses (0.05% NBT + 0.02% ATST, w/w in diet) resulted in even stronger inhibitory effects on colonic tumor incidence and multiplicity than did NBT or ATST alone at higher doses. Statistical analysis confirmed that the enhanced chemopreventive activities against colon carcinogenesis in rats by the NBT/ATST combination were highly synergistic. Our results further demonstrated that NBT/ATST co-treatment profoundly modulated key cellular signaling regulators associated with inflammation, cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, angiogenesis and metastasis in the colon of AOM-treated rats. In conclusion, for the first time, our results demonstrated a strong synergy in inhibiting colon carcinogenesis produced by the co-treatment of NBT and ATST, which provided a scientific basis for using NBT in combination with ATST for colon cancer chemoprevention in humans.


Post-myocardial infarction risk stratification, especially arrhythmic risk stratification, is an issue that has still not been wholly addressed in modern clinical cardiology. In the past 10 years, arrhythmic risk stratification has been approached mainly by evaluating frequency and complexity of premature ventricular contractions, detected on Holter monitoring, often in association with determination of percent ejection fraction. This methodology has been proven to be limited and fallacious according to the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial I and II (CAST I,II) results, in which suppression of premature ventricular contractions or premature ventricular beats throughout by antiarrhythmic drugs resulted in an increase in both cardiac and arrhythmic mortality. Only amiodarone as an antiarrhythmic drug, as proven in the recent European Myocardial Infarct Amiodarone Trial (EMIAT) and Canadian Amiodarone Myocardial Infarction Trial (CAMIAT), was effective in reducing arrhythmic mortality without affecting cardiac mortality, in patients selected mainly because of a reduced ejection fraction, with and without premature ventricular contractions. Conversely, it is well known that beta-blockers are effective in preventing sudden death in post-acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients, thus reducing cardiac and arrhythmic mortality. Conversely, in other institutions, risk stratification in post-AMI patients has been performed by electrophysiologic study obtained, without any previous noninvasive arrhythmic risk stratification, in all post-AMI patients. In recent years, many other noninvasive electrocardiology parameters, such as late potentials (signal-averaged electrocardiography), heart rate variability, baroreflex sensitivity, and, more recently, T-wave alternance, have been shown to be useful, but they are associated with a low specificity in the noninvasive identification of patients at high risk for arrhythmic mortality. Conversely, in the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillation Implantation Trial (MADIT), electrophysiology confirmed that inducibility of ventricular tachycardia shows high specificity and a high predictive value for arrhythmic events. Nevertheless, the MADIT study population is not comparable to a cohort of consecutive patients who have recently had a myocardial infarction. In this setting, the highest risk of arrhythmic events can be observed in patients with depressed percent ejection fraction (< 35%) and in the first 6 months after AMI. Today, the most convincing approach seems to be the one combining both noninvasive risk stratification parameters (e.g., premature ventricular beats > 10/h or reduced heart rate variability < 70 ms or a positive signal-averaged electrocardiogram) followed by a further arrhythmic risk stratification, obtained through electrophysiologic study. Several published and ongoing trials that utilize various arrhythmic risk stratification techniques as part of their protocol are reviewed.


1-Methyl- ( Ia - Id ) and 1-dodecyl-2-, 3- and 4-hydroxyiminomethylpyridinium salts ( Ie - Ih ), as well as 1-methyl- ( IIa ) and 1-dodecyl-3-hydroxyiminomethylpyridazinium salts ( IIb , IIc ), were synthesized as catalysts for hydrolytic cleavage of organophosphates. The activities of the prepared catalysts were evaluated by measuring rate constants of hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl diphenyl phosphate (PNPDPP) under conditions of a pseudo-first-order reaction. The observed reactivity of pyridinium aldoximes Ia - Ih towards PNPDPP in neutral or slightly basic aqueous solutions (pH 7.2 and 7.8) depends on the acidity of the hydroxyimino group. The cleavage of PNPDPP is strongly accelerated in solutions of 1-dodecylhydroxyiminomethylpyridinium salts Ie - Ih above their critical micellar concentration (CMC). Considerable effect on the velocity of PNPDPP cleavage was observed when quaternary pyridinium aldoximes Ie - Ih were comicellized with inert cationic tenside hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). 1-Dodecyl-3-hydroxyiminomethylpyridazinium salts IIb and IIc were unstable in aqueous solutions under the above-mentioned conditions.


Objective: Accurate ear-canal acoustic measurements, such as wideband acoustic admittance, absorbance, and otoacoustic emissions, require that the measurement probe be tightly sealed in the ear canal. Air leaks can compromise the validity of the measurements, interfere with calibrations, and increase variability. There are no established procedures for determining the presence of air leaks or criteria for what size leak would affect the accuracy of ear-canal acoustic measurements. The purpose of this study was to determine ways to quantify the effects of air leaks and to develop objective criteria to detect their presence. Design: Air leaks were simulated by modifying the foam tips that are used with the measurement probe through insertion of thin plastic tubing. To analyze the effect of air leaks, acoustic measurements were taken with both modified and unmodified foam tips in brass-tube cavities and human ear canals. Measurements were initially made in cavities to determine the range of critical leaks. Subsequently, data were collected in ears of 21 adults with normal hearing and normal middle-ear function. Four acoustic metrics were used for predicting the presence of air leaks and for quantifying these leaks: (1) low-frequency admittance phase (averaged over 0.1–0.2 kHz), (2) low-frequency absorbance, (3) the ratio of compliance volume to physical volume (CV/PV), and (4) the air-leak resonance frequency. The outcome variable in this analysis was the absorbance change (&Dgr;absorbance), which was calculated in eight frequency bands. Results: The trends were similar for both the brass cavities and the ear canals. &Dgr;Absorbance generally increased with air-leak size and was largest for the lower frequency bands (0.1–0.2 and 0.2–0.5 kHz). Air-leak effects were observed in frequencies up to 10 kHz, but their effects above 1 kHz were unpredictable. These high-frequency air leaks were larger in brass cavities than in ear canals. Each of the four predictor variables exhibited consistent dependence on air-leak size. Low-frequency admittance phase and CV/PV decreased, while low-frequency absorbance and the air-leak resonance frequency increased. Conclusion: The effect of air leaks can be significant when their equivalent diameter exceeds 0.01 in. The observed effects were greatest at low frequencies where air leaks caused absorbance to increase. Recommended criteria for detecting air leaks include the following: when the frequency range of interest extends as low as 0.1 kHz, low-frequency absorbance should be ⩽0.20 and low-frequency admittance phase ≥61 degrees. For frequency ranges as low as 0.2 kHz, low-frequency absorbance should be ⩽0.29 and low-frequency admittance phase ≥44 degrees.


Nonmonotonic reasoning provides formal methods that enable intelligent systems to operate adequately when faced with incomplete or changing information. In particular, it provides rigorous mechanisms for taking back conclusions that, in the presence of new information, turn out to be wrong and for deriving new, alternative conclusions instead. Nonmonotonic reasoning methods provide rigor similar to that of classical reasoning; they form a base for validation and verification and therefore increase confidence in intelligent systems that work with incomplete and changing information.Following a brief introduction to the concepts of predicate logic that are needed in the subsequent chapters, this book presents an in depth treatment of default logic. Other subjects covered include the major approaches of autoepistemic logic and circumscription, belief revision and its relationship to nonmonotonic inference, and briefly, the stable and well-founded semantics of logic programs.


and possible interactions with winter desiccation were investigated in situ in an evergreen subalpine woody species, Rhododendron ferrugineum L., at the alpine timberline (1950 m a.s.l.). Timing and duration of complete snow cover markedly influenced potential efficiency of photosystem II (PSII; Fv /Fm). Lack of snow cover led to severe but mostly reversible photoinhibition with Fv/Fm values as low as 0.05. Complete snow cover immediately stopped further reductions in PSII efficiency. Snow cover promoted recovery from photoinhibition, but only if, in addition to shading by snow, plants were exposed to nonfreezing temperatures close to 0 °C. The Fv /Fm ratio was closely related to minimum leaf temperatures because both photoinhibition and recovery from photoinhibition were strongly influenced by temperature. The period without major reductions in PSII efficiency lasted for only two months, reflecting the extremely short growing period in the subalpine environment. Compared with complete snow cover, incomplete snow cover led to significantly higher water losses as well as lower dehydration tolerance, because both osmotic adjustment and changes in turgor maintenance capacity were significantly reduced. Interactions between photoinhibition and winter desiccation were masked by the direct effects of freezing temperatures. However, both photoinhibition and winter desiccation are closely linked and occur together under field conditions in this evergreen subalpine woody species.


Abstract The crust and upper mantle structure beneath a single, three-component broad-band seismic station may be determined using energy from distant earthquakes. Features such as the depth of the seismic Moho, the abruptness of the change in seismic velocity across the Moho, the velocity profile through the crust and the seismic velocity of the upper mantle may be found using receiver function techniques. Waveforms are analysed which contain energy arising from the interaction of incoming signals with the Earth structure beneath the receiving station. Seismic characteristics of the deep crust are often continuous or slowly varying across a single terrane and, moreover, show sudden contrasts across terrane and other major tectonic boundaries. Such techniques are, therefore, appropriate tools in the exploration of deep structure and, hence, in the understanding of large-scale continental assembly. They complement geological and geochronological investigations of surface rocks by providing the third spatial dimension. In regions of no surface basement exposure, seismic and other geophysical methods provide the only means of mapping the lateral extent of a given terrane and/or tracing province boundaries. Receiver function methods are presented here in the context of terrane tectonics with illustrative examples from former Gondwanan provinces and locations on the Pacific margin.


Objective Radioiodine treatment (RAI-T) of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is important to avoid disease progression, in particular in pediatric patients. For these reasons, a diagnostic scan may be useful to assess therapeutic tailored activity. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of diagnostic whole-body scan (WBS) with iodine-123 (123I) in combination with recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone (rh-TSH; Thyrogen) (rh-TSH-Dx-WBS), in planning RAI-T or further surgery before RAI-T in pediatric DTC. Patients and methods Among 101 rh-TSH-Dx-WBS of 55 patients (21 males, mean age: 15 years, range: 5–18 years) followed at the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital for DTC from February 2004 to December 2016, 41 rh-TSH-Dx-WBS scans of 41 patients (20 male and 21 female, mean age: 14 years, range: 5–18 years) performed for staging before RAI-T were retrospectively evaluated. Thyroglobulin was determined at baseline and on day 5. Results Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that thyroglobulin alone is not a good predictor for staging modification (area under the curve=0.6855). rh-TSH-Dx-WBS showed both remnant and lymph node in 11 (27%), lymph node localization alone in one (2.5%), lung alone in 1/41 (2.5%), both lymph node and lungs in 2/41 (5%), and thyroid remnant alone in 26/41 (63%) patients. rh-TSH-Dx-WBS modified staging in 12/41 (29%): in 3/12 (25%) for the presence of lung metastases and in 9/12 (75%) for lymph node involvement. In all these patients, administered activity for RAI-T was then modified or further surgery was planned. Conclusion Although further studies are needed, our data showed that combined use of rh-TSH and 123I-Dx-WBS allows an accurate and complete staging of disease, to implement the best therapeutic plan.


Analysis of soils from burned and unburned chaparral indicates that high nitrate concentrations following fire are due to the addition of ammonium and organic nitrogen in the ash. Inhibition of mineralization in unburned chaparral results in low nitrate concentrations. Fluctuations in the amount of soil nitrate in unburned chaparral are the direct result of foliar leaching.


ABSTRACT:Esoteric spiritual groups such as the Theosophical Society have had a profound effect on the general public's understanding of the ancient world and archaeology. This article describes the author's visit as an outside observer to a conference held by the Theosophical Society in America to examine the ways in which the ancient world was represented. While the beliefs of the Theosophical Society and related groups are not always well known to the general public, it is argued that their beliefs have nevertheless had a broad impact on public audiences through adoption in popular culture and films. This article will examine the appearance of esoteric claims about the ancient world in popular fiction, including the writings of H. P. Lovecraft and the Indiana Jones film franchise. If archaeologists are going to engage with public audiences, they need to understand what the public actually thinks of their work.


In West Macedonia (Greece), CO2 accounts as one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gas emissions related to the activity of the regional coal power plants located in Ptolemaida. The necessity to mitigate CO2 emissions to prevent climate change under the Paris Agreement's framework remains an ongoing and demanding challenge. It requires implementing crucial environmentally sustainable technologies to provide balanced solutions between the short-term needs for dependency on fossil fuels and the requirements to move towards the energy transition era. The challenge to utilise and store CO2 emissions will require actions aiming to contribute to a Europe-wide CCUS infrastructure. The Horizon 2020 European Project "STRATEGY CCUS "examines the potential for CO2 storage in the Mesohellenic Trough from past available data deploying the USDOE methodology. Research results show that CO2 storage capacities for the Pentalofos and Eptachori geological formations of the Mesohellenic Trough are estimated at 1.02 and 0.13 Gt, respectively, thus providing the potential for the implementation of a promising method for reducing CO2 emissions in Greece. A certain storage potential also applies to the Grevena sub-basin, offering the opportunity to store any captured CO2 in the area, including other remote regions.


BACKGROUND & AIMS
Although the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing in the United States, data from large prospective studies are limited. We evaluated the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment Against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) cohort for the incidence of HCC and associated risk factors.

METHODS
Hepatitis C virus-positive patients with bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis who did not respond to peginterferon and ribavirin were randomized to groups that were given maintenance peginterferon for 3.5 years or no treatment. HCC incidence was determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis, and baseline factors associated with HCC were analyzed by Cox regression.

RESULTS
1,005 patients (mean age, 50.2 years; 71% male; 72% white race) were studied; 59% had bridging fibrosis, and 41% had cirrhosis. During a median follow-up of 4.6 years (maximum, 6.7 years), HCC developed in 48 patients (4.8%). The cumulative 5-year HCC incidence was similar for peginterferon-treated patients and controls, 5.4% vs 5.0%, respectively (P= .78), and was higher among patients with cirrhosis than those with bridging fibrosis, 7.0% vs 4.1%, respectively (P= .08). HCC developed in 8 (17%) patients whose serial biopsy specimens showed only fibrosis. A multivariate analysis model comprising older age, black race, lower platelet count, higher alkaline phosphatase, esophageal varices, and smoking was developed to predict the risk of HCC.

CONCLUSIONS
We found that maintenance peginterferon did not reduce the incidence of HCC in the HALT-C cohort. Baseline clinical and laboratory features predicted risk for HCC. Additional studies are required to confirm our finding of HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis C and bridging fibrosis.


Statement of the Problem: The overactivation of the intrinsic invulnerable framework, and the resulting downstream provocative reactions this incites, is a significant contributing element to the pathogenesis and movement of CNS issues. The job of the NLRP3 inflammasome in neurodegeneration is getting evident, since the revelation of a NLRP3 explicit inhibitor (MCC950). At Inflazome, we posed the inquiry, can inhibitory remedial focusing of the NLRP3 inflammasome help to treat neurodegenerative issues, for example, Parkinson's illness (PD)? Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: Using human tissue and very much approved in vivo models of Parkinson's infection, we hoped to investigate the job of NLRP3 in this sickness. We at that point used MCC950 and our CNS penetrant clinical competitor, Inzomelid, to set up the impact restorative mediation has in these models. The NLRP3 inflammasome was first described in Muckle- Wells Autoinflammatory Disorder NLRP3 inflammasome can detect different boosts and structure an atomic stage for caspase-1 initiation, which prompts the preparing and arrival of IL-1β and IL-18 and in the long run potentiates provocative reactions that are engaged with various irresistible, fiery and resistant illnesses. In this way, the NLRP3 inflammasome is critical in the advancement of both intense and constant provocative responses.The NLRP3 inflammasome chiefly comprises of a cytosolic sensor particle NLRP3, a connector protein apoptosis-related spot like protein containing a caspase actuating enlistment space (ASC), and a cysteine protease favorable to caspase-1 as the effector atom. NLRP3 contains a C-terminal leucine-rich rehash (LRR) space, a saved focal nucleotide authoritative and oligomerization area (NOD or NACHT), and a N-terminal pyrin-just space. The LRR space perceives PAMPs and different ligands, keeps up the NLRP inert state, and intercedes protein-protein collaborations. The NACHT area, with ATPase action, is fundamental for protein selfoligomerization during the inflammasome gathering measure. ASC comprises of a N-terminal PYD and a C-terminal caspase enactment and enlistment space ASC ties to the upstream NLRP3 through a homotypic PYD-PYD area communication, which results in ASC dimer get together into a huge spot like structure ASC interfaces with supportive of casapase-1 by means of the CARD space


The root of the third permanent molar is the only dental structure that continues development after completion of growth of the second permanent molar. It is claimed that the lack of a clearly defined end point for completion of growth of the third permanent molar means that this tooth cannot be used for dental age assessment. The aim of this study was to estimate the mean age of attainment of the four stages (E, F, G, and H) of root development of the third molar. The way in which the end point of completion of stage H can be identified is described. A total of 1223 dental panoramic tomographs (DPTs) available in the archives of the Eastman Dental Hospital, London, were used for this study. The ages of the subjects ranged from 12.6 to 24.9 years with 63 per cent of the sample being female. Demirjan's tooth development stages (TDSs), for the first and second molars, were applied to the third molars by a single examiner. For each of stages E, F, and G and for stage H censored data, the mean ages of the males and females were compared, separately within each tooth morphology type using the two sample t-test (P < 0.01). The same test was used to compare the mean ages of the upper and lower third molars on each side, separately for each gender. The mean age of attainment and the 99 per cent confidence interval (CI) for each TDS were calculated for each third molar. The final stage H data were appropriately censored to exclude data above the age of completion of root growth. The results showed that, for each gender, the age in years at which individuals attained each of the four TDSs was approximately normally distributed. The mean age for appropriately censored data was always lower than the corresponding mean age of the inappropriately censored data for stage H (male UR8 19.57, UL8 19.53, LL8 19.91, and LR8 20.02 and female UR8 20.08, UL8 20.13, LL8 20.78, and LR8 20.70). This inappropriately censored data overestimated the mean age for stage H. The appropriately censored data for the TDSs of the third molar may be used to estimate the age of adolescents and emerging adults assuming average growth and development and recent attainment of stage H.


Job creation and reduction of poverty are often goals of policy reforms that involve removal of input price distortions and acceleration ofoutput growth. Whether such reforms create jobs depends on the degree of responsiveness of labour demand to changes in wages and output. This study estimates labour demand functions using panel data for Kenya manufacturing firms. The estimated elasticities revealed, as expected, that higher wages reduce employment and higher value-added increases employment. The estimate of own-wage elasticity is around -0.20 and the output elasticity is around 0.10.The estimates of elasticities are robust to the inclusion of firm-characteristics and firm fixed effects in the labour demand equation. The estimates imply that a 10% increase in wages reduces employment by 2%, while an increase of a similar magnitude in value added increases employment by 1%. Kenyan policy makers can use these results when considering policies that increase manufacturing industry labor costs and value-added.


This article purports to examine the role of the United States in the outbreak of the Arab Spring and the course of its subsequent paths. The main argument of this article is that the Arab Spring represented a major strategic surprise to the United States. It did not plan or facilitate the Arab Spring as the Tunisian, Egyptian, yemeni and bahraini regimes were performing to the best satisfaction of American interests in the Arab world. As the Arab Spring carried with it threats to American regional interests, the United States moved to secure its interests by steering Arab uprisings towards courses of action which best suit these interests.


Tethered cord syndrome is defined as a low state of the conus medullaris below the lumbar vertebra 2 after the neonatal period. Possible causes are: short thickened filum terminale, fibrotic ligaments, intradural lipomas. The clinical course is characterised by motoric and sensory deficits, disturbances of balance, neurogenic bladder disturbances, foot deformities and backache. A 3-year-old boy after operation of a lipomyelomeningocele at 2 months showed a one-sided leg shortening and a progressive neurogenic bladder and intestinal disturbance. The cause was a low state of the conus with a shortened filum terminale and a remainder of a lipoma. A 7-year-old boy after operation of a thoraco-lumbar meningomyelocele developed a progressive asymmetric paraspastic state with contractures. The neuro-radiological diagnosis of an intradural dermoid was verified on operation. A 10-year-old boy after operation of a covered lumbosacral meningocele showed a progressive backache which was connected with flexion. We found a low state of the conus through adhesions caused by scars which could be removed operatively. A collaborative treatment by the paediatric surgeon and the neuro-paediatrician of patients with dysraphic disturbances can prevent the severe consequences of the tethered cord problems with the co-operation and early intervention of the neuropaediatric surgeon.


The virulence of Wolinella recta isolates was studied in an experimental animal model by using monoinfection of BALB/c mice. Infection with clinical isolates of W. recta 576 and W. recta 234 induced dry, flat, depressed gangrenous necrotic skin lesions, whereas W. recta ATCC 33238 failed to induce a similar lesion. Histological examination of the skin lesion 72 h postinfection revealed coagulation necrosis of the epidermis, subcutis and cutaneous truncus muscle, with marked exudation of serum proteins and neutrophils. Virulence-modulating agents such as dexamethasone, galactosamine, hydrazine sulfate, and dextran microcarrier beads were used in conjunction with W. recta infection. Dexamethasone, hydrazine sulfate, and dextran beads enhanced the infectivity and pathogenicity of W. recta for lesion formation and tissue destruction compared with what was found in untreated control mice. Galactosamine sensitization enhanced the virulence potential of W. recta to such an extent that a lethal outcome was observed. Laboratory passage of clinical isolates demonstrated a decreased virulence in high-passage strains, which correlated with the minimal virulence observed in the extensively passaged W. recta ATCC 33238. Serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM responses were detected in the serum of infected animals, and cross-reacting antibody indicated variation in the antigenic makeup of various W. recta strains. Enhanced IgG antibody responses were observed following the secondary challenge. Mice with acquired antibody response to initial infection remained susceptible to lesion formation with subsequent challenge, but the size of the lesion was significantly reduced, indicating partial protection. Serum IgG and IgM antibody levels were significantly increased by active immunization when compared with levels in mice which had recovered from infection. The immunization significantly decreased the lesion size; however, even these high levels of antibody failed to abrogate the lesion induction.


This research aims is to find out the efficiency level in Go Public Textile Company in Indonesia. This research is conducted through library research. The method of this analysis is called DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis). The data used in the research is the secondary data which sources taken from Indonesia Stock Exchange in 2004 up to 2008. The variables used in this research consist of four input variables and two output variables. Input variable includes total assets, inventory, employees, and obligations, while output variables includes net sales and cost of good sold (COGS). The result of efficiency level examination to seven textile companies from 2004 up to 2008 shows that only two companies maintain consistently 100% of the efficiency level during a year research. Three companies show that their efficiency levels were having the increasing and decreasing period each year. Two last textile companies are claimed having an awful progress, since they never reach 100% efficiency during a year research. The most dominant input which influences the inefficiency on textile companies is the inventory.


For new families giving birth in a hospital setting, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented numerous challenges to their birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum experiences. We present experiences of three first-time, healthy mothers and their babies, as they gave birth in the hospital and were breastfeeding during the start of the pandemic in Philadelphia, PA. Each case is framed in the mother's prenatal goals, infant feeding intentions, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum experiences. S hared concerns and experiences among the three participants are described in five key areas: 1) Recommendations changing every day, 2) Guilt, concern, and stress, 3) In-person versus telehealth visits, 4) Missing time with family and friends, and 5) Silver linings. Through these mothers' experiences, nurses and other health care providers can learn from their perceptions and events and proactively work to ensure we provide sound anticipatory guidance, enhance our communication, and improve provision of evidence-based lactation care and support.


This session highlights programs in the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Education and Human Resources (EHR) and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) directorates. The focus is on providing descriptions of several programs of interest to college faculty and discussing the requirements and guidelines for programs in these areas. The session includes a description of the proposal and review processes as well as strategies for writing competitive proposals. Participants are encouraged to discuss procedural issues with the presenters.


Digital technology holds a powerful and ubiquitous place in society. The Internet provides today's students with unprecedented access to information. Its use in education has transformed educational paradigms, yet it also provides new challenges. While students do use the technology for schoolwork, they also use it in inappropriate ways. The Internet has provided a powerful and invasive weapon for cyberbullies and predators to prey on the vulnerable and the unsuspecting. The Pontifical Council for Social Communications (2002) affirmed that "[Y]oung people need to learn how to function well in the world of cyberspace, make discerning judgments according to sound moral criteria" (#7). Furthermore, John Paul II (1990a) espoused the importance of the power and potential of technology, especially for youth, and warned that technology be embraced only if the moral component drives its use. A quantitative study was performed using the Student Internet Use Survey that was developed to investigate the practices and perceptions of students in a Catholic high school on the use of the Internet. Specifically, this study examined students' practices and perceptions related to general Internet usage, safety, cyberbullying, and sexting. An online survey was used to collect data from 483 students who were enrolled in a Catholic high school that employs 1-to-1technology. Survey data revealed that teens used the Internet everyday and 96% used social media. Eighty percent used privacy settings to protect their information, and nearly 8 of 10 were concerned that information posted online could negatively affect their future. The threat of cyberbullying is a realistic danger, and over three-quarters of teens reported that adults should be involved when addressing the concerns of cyberbullying. Additionally, 30% of teens engaged in sexting activities, informing the educational community that educators need to educate students about the dangers and long-term effects of sexting practices. This study provides valuable information about students in Catholic high schools regarding their perceptions and practices on the use of the Internet. By gaining knowledge and understanding of students' practices and perceptions, administrators and educators will be able to create policies and design curriculum to address student and community needs.


Purpose:To determine the role of A2E in photoreactivity of lipofuscin (LF) granules.
Methods:LF granules were isolated from human RPE from donors above 40 years old. A2E was synthesized according to the procedure described by Parish et al [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, (1998) 95: 14609-13]. Concentrations of LF granules were measured by counting in a hemocytometer. Lipophilic components of LF, including A2E, were extracted by Folch's method. Photoreactivity of LF and A2E was compared during irradiation with narrow or broad band light by 1) monitoring of photo-induced oxygen uptake measured by electron spin resonance (ESR) oximetry, 2) photogeneration of free radicals measured by ESR spin trapping, and 3) photogeneration of singlet oxygen measured by time-resolved detection of singlet oxygen phosphorescence.
Results:The values of the rates of blue light-induced oxygen uptake mediated by 6x109 LF granules/ml, extracted lipophilic components of LF and A2E, are 40, 7.2 and 0.007 mM/min, respectively, when normalized to the corresponding content per lipofuscin granule. Even when the concentration of A2E was increased 267 times, to 0.12 mM, so the absorption at the excitation wavelength (434 nm) matched the absorption of LF extract, still the rates of photo-induced oxygen uptake were more than 4 times lower than that for LF extract. For LF extract, the rates of photo-induced oxygen uptake were further increased by in the presence of polyunsaturated lipids, while the additional substrates of oxidation had very little effect on the rates of oxygen uptake mediated by A2E. The action spectrum of photo-induced oxygen uptake mediated by LF extract matched absorption spectrum of LF extract, but not A2E. The rate of photo-induced accumulation of spin adducts with superoxide mediated by LF extract was higher than that mediated by corresponding amount of A2E. The quantum yield of singlet oxygen generation by photoexcited A2E was 4 times lower than that mediated by LF extract.
Conclusion:A2E plays only a minor role in aerobic photoreactivity of LF and the main photosensitizer(s) responsible for LF photoreactivity remain to be identified.


To ensure the security of software executing on malicious hosts, as in digital rights management (DRM) applications, it is desirable to encrypt or decrypt content using white-box-encoded cryptographic algorithms in the manner of Chow et al. Such encoded algorithms must run on an adversarys machine without revealing the private key information used, despite the adversarys ability to observe and manipulate the running algorithm. We have implemented obfuscated (white-box) DES and 3DES algorithms along the lines of Chow et al., with alterations that improve the security of the key, eliminating attacks that extract the key from Chow et al.s obfuscated DES. Our system is secure against two previously published attacks on Chow et al.s system, as well as a new adaptation of a statistical bucketing attack on their system. During implementation of whitebox DES we found that a number of optimizations were needed for practical generation and execution. On a typical laptop we can generate obfuscated DES functions in a Lisp environment in under a minute allocating 11 MB, including the space required for the resulting function. The resulting function occupies 4.5 MB and encrypts or decrypts each block in approximately 30 ms on an 800 MHz G4 processor; slight run-time performance of the obfuscated DES could be traded to further reduce our algorithms representation to 2.3 MB. Although it is over an order of magnitude slower than typical DES systems, we believe it is fast enough for application to some DRM problems.


To arrive at the goal of intensifying the trustworthiness and controllability of distributed systems, the core function of secure algorithms and chips should be fully exerted. Through building the trustworthy model between distributed system and user behaviors, constructing the architecture of trustworthiness distributed systems, intensifying the survivability of services, and strengthening the manageability of distributed systems, the secure problem of distributed systems is to be radically solved. By setting up the trustworthy computing circumstance and supplying the trustworthy validation and the active protection based on identity and behavior for trustworthy distributed system, we will reach the goal of defending the unaware viruses and inbreak. This research insists that the security, controllability, manageability, and survivability should be basic properties of a trustworthy distributed system. The key ideas and techniques involved in these properties are studied, and recent developments and progresses are surveyed. At the same time, the technical trends and challenges are briefly discussed.


Background The expression of the clonally variant virulence factor PfEMP1 mediates the sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes in the host vasculature and contributes to chronic infection. Non-cytoadherent parasites with a chromosome 9 deletion lack clag9, a gene linked to cytoadhesion in previous studies. Here we present new clag9 data that challenge this view and show that surface the non-cytoadherence phenotype is linked to the expression of a non-functional PfEMP1. Methodology/Principal Findings Loss of adhesion in P. falciparum D10, a parasite line with a large chromosome 9 deletion, was investigated. Surface iodination analysis of non-cytoadherent D10 parasites and COS-7 surface expression of the CD36-binding PfEMP1 CIDR1α domain were performed and showed that these parasites express an unusual trypsin-resistant, non-functional PfEMP1 at the erythrocyte surface. However, the CIDR1α domain of this var gene expressed in COS-7 cells showed strong binding to CD36. Atomic Force Microscopy showed a slightly modified D10 knob morphology compared to adherent parasites. Trafficking of PfEMP1 and KAHRP remained functional in D10. We link the non-cytoadherence phenotype to a chromosome 9 breakage and healing event resulting in the loss of 25 subtelomeric genes including clag9. In contrast to previous studies, knockout of the clag9 gene from 3D7 did not interfere with parasite adhesion to CD36. Conclusions/Significance Our data show the surface expression of non-functional PfEMP1 in D10 strongly indicating that genes other than clag9 deleted from chromosome 9 are involved in this virulence process possibly via post-translational modifications.


Abstract This paper emphasises the linkages between corporate strategy, the macroeconomy and the role of industrial policy in this macropolicy context. While this is an aspect of industrial policy that is rarely addressed, we suggest that there is, in fact, a real and highly significant complementarity, especially in the context of modern capitalism, with its distinctive features. The underlying premise is that problems cannot be resolved easily directly at the macro level: appropriate industrial policy may be a necessary ingredient in securing better economic performance. Current discussions of exchange rate policies and the major adjustments required for eliminating external imbalances between the USA, China, Japan and Europe would seem to point to this conclusion. This paper emphasises the linkage between corporate strategy, the macroeconomy and the role of industrial policy in this macropolicy context, and points to appropriate policies that aim to rebalance the economy by shifting towards a more diffuse governance structure that deconcentrates strategic decision making and opens up the potential for new forces of dynamism.


When evacuating a building after a disaster such as an earthquake, it would be useful to detect the trajectory of an evacuation path by pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) and record it in a person's smartphone; this could help rescue staff to trace back to where an injured person remains in the building. Considering this application, we present a novel scheme to recognize motion states of a person, including walking, descending stairs, and ascending stairs, using the person's smartphone, focusing on the angle of the thigh detected by a rotation vector sensor and acceleration values. The proposed scheme mainly solves the existing problem of height estimation using barometers, in which sensors have a time lag of their output, giving inaccurate estimation. Also, the main benefit of the proposed scheme compared with related works is that it requires only these sensor values obtained when the person is walking or running on one floor of a building as reference values, which are used to recognize other motion states, where the scheme requires training data of only a part of the target motion states for recognition. A performance evaluation with ten experimental participants shows that the proposed scheme achieves a recall rate of each motion state of over 80% and an F-value of around 0.8.


In this brief state of the science review, we provide a synopsis of the literature on psychological health mobile applications (apps) and discuss the impact of mobile technology on psychological health practice. We describe the variety of psychological health app uses from self-management, skills training, and supportive care to symptom tracking and data collection; and we summarize the current evidence for the efficacy and effectiveness of psychological health apps. Finally, we offer some pragmatic suggestions for evaluating psychological health apps for quality and clinical utility.


Eukaryotic cells possess special mechanism of the degradation of mRNAs containing premature termination codons (PTCs)--nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway. In yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae the activity of this pathway depends on the recognition of the PTC by the translational machinery and interaction of translation termination factors eRF1 (Sup45) and eRF3 (Sup35) with Upfl, Upf2 and Upf3 proteins. Previously we have shown that decreasing of eRF1 amount causes an impairment of NMD. Here we show that sup35 nonsense and missense mutations lead to accumulation of PTC-containing transcripts such as his7-1 mRNA and CYH2 pre-mRNA. Thus sup35 mutations do not only decrease translation fidelity but also influence mRNA stability. Remarkably, deletion of either UPF1 or UPF2 increased viability of sup35 mutants, while UPF3 deletion leads to decreased viability of sup35 mutants.


Here I would like make your attention to the importance of copy editing of articles before publishing in a journal. Copy editing can be done by author himself or by the editorial office of the journal for accepted articles for publication. Copy editing is a process that guarantees that the text of the article is correct in terms of grammar, spelling, punctuations, terminology, and formatting. It is also a role of copy editors to ensure the flow of the article and make sure it is sensible and readable. They are also responsible for adding headers, headlines, banners, footnotes and other improvements for the article wherever necessary. Copy editors require a number of skills such as excellent command of the language, ability to identify inconsistencies of the article and should be able to identify factual errors. Sometimes, even though the quality of study is high, language deficiencies occur due to language barriers of non-native writers.  Standard copy-editing of an article helps international researchers to eliminate language barriers and accept their work and publish in prestigious international journals. Therefore, it is an important requirement in today's publishing business to copy edit ensure the quality of the article, book or any other piece of writing. From this volume, the Journal of Agricultural Sciences seriously consider of copy editing and all the papers published in this issue are copy edited by a professional copy editor. Our effort is to produce the highest quality journal in the field of agricultural sciences by ensuring all the quality aspects of a prestigious journal. While we are not looking towards gaining any financial benefit via the publishing of this journal, we must appreciate the support given by the top administration of the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka in publishing this journal by providing substantial funds. At present, the JAS has been included in more than 35 journal databases including AGRICOLA, AGORA, Cabi Abstracts, TEEL and DOAJ. It depicts the wider acceptance of JAS by international citations and journal databases. This is an indicator for our progress in the quality of our journal during past years. There were many personages behind this success. Accordingly, the honour of this success effort must go to Dr. Chandrika Dissanayake - Coordinating Editor of JAS, Mr Prasad C. Iddamalgoda, Mr. Udesh Gayan Kumara, Ms Suiox Cummings and Andy Nobes of SLJOL, all the authors, reviewers and also the members of the Editorial Committee.


The decision of where to rear young is influenced by both the needs of offspring and the costs parents incur in certain rearing environments. Plainfin midshipman fish (Porichthys notatus) provide extended paternal care in rocky intertidal zones, where they experience regular bouts of aquatic hypoxia and air exposure during low-tide events. We investigated the physiological responses of plainfin midshipman males to three conditions for 6 h that simulate what these fish naturally experience during tidal cycles while nesting: normoxia, progressive hypoxia, or air exposure. Hypoxia- and air-exposed fish exhibited shifts in energy metabolites, driven largely by elevated lactate and glucose content and reduced glycogen content in several tissues (muscle, heart, liver, and brain), but the magnitude of these changes was relatively modest. Hematocrit increased most in air-exposed fish relative to normoxia-exposed fish, contributing to an increase in whole-blood hemoglobin concentration. Air exposure reduced swim bladder oxygen content, suggesting that internal O2 stores are drawn on during air exposure. In a second experiment, we found that aquatic surface respiration and gill ventilation frequency increased in hypoxia-exposed fish relative to normoxia-exposed fish. Overall, our results suggest that plainfin midshipman overcome the challenges of the intertidal environment through a variety of physiological strategies and exhibit little physiological disturbance in response to the fluctuating and extreme conditions created by regular low tides.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
To examine the macula in preterm infants treated with bevacizumab (Avastin; Genentech, South San Francisco, CA) for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Twenty eyes (of 11 patients) treated with Avastin only or in addition to photocoagulation and vitreous surgery were included. Imaging was performed with a portable spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) device. Macular measurements, including the foveal and parafoveal index were calculated. RetCam (Clarity Medical Systems, Pleasanton, CA) photographs were obtained for all patients.

RESULTS
Mean age of patients at OCT examination was 28.9 months (range: 4 to 50 months). Thirteen eyes (65%) developed foveal contour (FC), and seven eyes (35%) did not. Earlier gestational age and zone I disease were associated with absence of FC development. In patients without FC, two of the five eyes had vision better than 20/400, compared with 10 of 11 eyes with FC.

CONCLUSION
Vision tends to be better in Avastin-treated eyes when an FC is present. Morphological characteristics of retinal anatomy may predict visual function.


Supplemental glycerol inhibits rumen lipolysis, a prerequisite for rumen biohydrogenation, which is responsible for the saturation of dietary fatty acids consumed by ruminant animals. Feeding excess glycerol, however, adversely affects dry matter digestibility. To more clearly define the effect of supplemental glycerol on rumen lipolysis, mixed populations of ruminal bacteria were incubated with 6 or 20% glycerol (vol/vol). After 48-h anaerobic incubation of mixed culture rumen fluid, rates of free fatty acid production (nmol/mL per h) for the 6 and 20% glycerol-supplemented samples were decreased by 80 and 86%, respectively, compared with rates from nonsupplemented control cultures (12.4±1.0; mean ± SE). Conversely, assay of the prominent ruminal lipase-producing bacteria Anaerovibrio lipolyticus 5S, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens 49, and Propionibacterium species avidum and acnes revealed no effect of 2 or 10% (vol/vol) added glycerol on lipolytic activity by these organisms. Supplementing glycerol at 6% on a vol/vol basis, equivalent to supplementing glycerol at approximately 8 to 15% of diet dry matter, effectively reduced lipolysis. However, the mechanism of glycerol inhibition of ruminal lipolysis remains to be demonstrated.