Sequence-based typing of Francisella tularensis has led to insights in the evolutionary developments of tularemia. In Europe, two major basal clades of F. tularensis subsp. holarctica exist, with a distinct geographical distribution. Basal clade B.6 is primarily found in Western Europe, while basal clade B.12 occurs predominantly in the central and eastern parts of Europe. There are indications that tularemia is geographically expanding and that strains from the two clades might differ in pathogenicity, with basal clade B.6 strains being potentially more virulent than basal clade B.12. This study provides information on genotypes detected in the Netherlands during 2011–2017. Data are presented for seven autochthonous human cases and for 29 European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) with laboratory confirmed tularemia. Associated disease patterns are described for 25 European brown hares which underwent post-mortem examination. The basal clades B.6 and B.12 are present both in humans and in European brown hares in the Netherlands, with a patchy geographical distribution. For both genotypes the main pathological findings in hares associated with tularemia were severe (sub)acute necrotizing hepatitis and splenitis as well as necrotizing lesions and hemorrhages in several other organs. Pneumonia was significantly more common in the B.6 than in the B.12 cases. In conclusion, the two major basal clades present in different parts in Europe are both present in the Netherlands. In hares found dead, both genotypes were associated with severe acute disease affecting multiple organs. Hepatitis and splenitis were common pathological findings in hares infected with either genotype, but pneumonia occurred significantly more frequently in hares infected with the B.6 genotype compared to hares infected with the B.12 genotype.


Long-lived quantum coherence has been experimentally observed in the Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) light-harvesting complex. It is much debated which role thermal effects play and if the observed low-temperature behavior arises also at physiological temperature. To contribute to this debate we use molecular dynamics simulations to study the coupling between the protein environment and the vertical excitation energies of individual bacteriochlorophyll molecules in the FMO complex of the green sulphur bacterium Chlorobaculum tepidum. The so-called spectral densities, which account for the environmental influence on the excited state dynamics, are determined from temporal autocorrelation functions of the energy gaps between ground and first excited states of the individual pigments. Although the overall shape of the spectral density is found to be rather similar for all pigments, variations in their magnitude can be seen. Differences between the spectral densities for the pigments of the FMO monomer and FMO trimer are also presented.


Saltscapes are landscapes with a long lasting salt-making activity, thus embedded with a blend of salt-related characteristics that marked them physically, ecologically, economically, and culturally. This study, based on a broad survey, focuses on the changing atlas of saltmaking business and the consequent land use change in Greece within the 20 th century. Like in many Mediterranean countries, salt-making has been an important activity in Greece, not only because salt catered for local and national needs (food condiment and preservative; basic resource in husbandry and industry), but also because it offered significant revenues to the Greek State. Taxed salt has been produced in 28 semi- or entirely-mechanized State saltworks. The remaining less productive salinas operated in clandestine and were numerous: 48 in lagoons and 307 on rocks. Both salina types produced either self-formed salt or were man-managed (primitive, artisanal). This very dense network of salt-making sites, all located along the coastline, was in operation mostly until WW II, thereafter many sites were gradually abandoned. Today only eight saltworks are active in Greece (dormancy 71.4%) and, despite their increased potential, the overall saltscape loss in the country is significant. Salinas operating in lagoons suffered a spectacular change (93.4%) compared to those on rocks (43.0%). We discuss the reasons of abandonment, especially the role of "globalization" in heritage loss (ecological, cultural). We compare salinas on islands and the mainland as to typology and values and we propose ways of recuperating these threatened resources by using them as alternative poles for local development mainly through tourism.


Cleft palate is the most common craniofacial anomaly, with an incidence of 1 in 700 live births. Primary corrective palatal surgery is often performed between 6 and 12 months. Although cleft palate closure may result in upper airway obstruction, tracheostomy is a rare complication after repair of cleft palate in patients without any other craniofacial abnormalities [1]. Here, we report a child who was presented without other craniofacial abnormalities but required unplanned tracheostomy to resolve an airway compromised after repair of cleft palate.

A 9-month old female weighing 7.4 kg was scheduled for correction of complete cleft palate. History taking from her parents revealed that the baby had difficulty in breathing in the supine position but appeared to breathe comfortably in the left or right lateral decubitus position during sleep. Her chest radiograph did not show any abnormal findings. Preoperative 3D-computed tomography (CT) of the head and neck revealed sufficient airway patency (Fig. 1A). Other laboratory findings were within normal ranges. In the operating room, the initial oxygen saturation was 99% in room air, and other vital signs were stable. We induced sevoflurane in gradual increments from 2 to 4% with oxygen using a mask and injected rocuronium bromide 3 mg. We intubated the patient with armored tube 3.0 mm at 11 cm from the incisor. Laryngoscopy visual field according to the Cormack-Lehane grades was grade 2. General anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane (end-tidal concentration of 1.0-2.0%). Operation time was about fifty minutes. At the end of surgery, the operator notified us that the posterior part of the tongue was significantly large. Extubation was carried out when the patient became completely alert and showed active spontaneous movement of the limbs. After extubation, desaturation started to get worse, and chest retraction was observed. At first, we presumed that desaturation was due to laryngospasm and attempted positive ventilation with a mask. However, airway obstruction did not improve and SpO2 dropped to 75% for 3 minutes. Reintubation was tried twice with a conventional tube 3 or a 3.5 mm-sized tube, but failed. While elevating tongue with laryngoscope to intubate, chest retraction was resolved and O2 saturation reached up to 99%. Thus, the surgeon pulled the tongue and tied it into the posterior wall of the lip to secure the airway. However, this was not effective enough to relieve the obstruction of the airway. Finally, we decided to carry out tracheostomy because the obstruction of the airway was not caused by oral or pharyngeal edema but by glossoptosis with the large posterior part of the tongue. An otolaryngologist performed tracheostomy with an uncuffed portex tracheostomy tube, 3.5 mm.Upper airway obstruction by glossoptosis was observed in postoperative 3D-CT checked 7 days later (Fig. 1B). The patient was discharged without other complications 9 days after tracheostomy, with plans to reconstruct the tracheostomy site when the patient is old enough to secure airway patency.

Fig. 1

(A) Preoperative computed tomography reveals sufficient airway patency. (B) Postoperative computed tomography taken 7 days after surgery shows no upper airway patency.

Various factors other than craniofacial abnormalities affect upper airway patency after cleft palate repair. In addition, infants are obligate nasal breathers for the first few months of life, so they may be seriously affected by these factors. First, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is more common in the cleft population than the general population [2]. Second, simple closure as well as Furlow double opposing Z-plasty for lengthening and thickening the palate or pharyngeal flap may increase the risk of airway obstruction [3,4]. Third, after repair of cleft palate, airway could be compromised by laryngospasm, blood clot, retained throat pack, or tongue swelling. In the present case, excessive blood clot, retained throat pack or tongue swelling was not observed. However, according to the patient's history from her parents, she had difficulty breathing in the supine position but appeared to breathe comfortably in the decubitus position during sleep. More precisely, this symptom suggests the potential existence of OSA, which might be due to the large posterior part of the tongue or glossoptosis during sleep. Postoperative CT (Fig. 1B) revealed that glossoptosis caused complete airway obstruction, which was suspected to be the main reason of airway disturbance. According to Smith et al. [5] post-operative respiratory distress after cleft palate repair is associated with OSA, not with orofacial syndromes such as Pierre Robin syndrome and Stickler syndrome. Therefore, preoperative sleep history or sleep study is important because reduced airway reserve in children with OSA may aggravate airway patency following cleft palate repair. Polysomnography can differentiate between central type and obstructive type of OSA. Sleep endoscopy and sleep fluoroscopy can be used to find the site of obstruction in the obstructive type of OSA.

In conclusion, repair of cleft palate may compromise airway patency of the patient in various ways during the postoperative period. The present case emphasizes the importance of detailed preoperative evaluation of risk factors suggestive of potential airway obstruction including sleep investigations in patients undergoing cleft palate repair.


OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not there is a benefit to suturing vs stapling in cesarean section closure when comparing postoperative pain and patient satisfaction. STUDY DESIGN: Review of three English language primary studies published in 2009 and 2010. DATA SOURCES: Three randomized control trials (RCTs) comparing the surgical closures for cesarean section delivery. All RCTs were found by the author using MEDLINE, PUBMED, and COCHRANE databases. They are all published articles written in English. OUTCOME MEASURED: Outcomes were measured by assessing patient satisfaction, postoperative pain, cosmetic appearance and wound complications. Rousseau et al used the analog pain scale to assess postoperative pain. In this study a photograph was taken to evaluate the appearance of the incision, which was done by three independently blinded physician observers. Basha et al used telephone interviews to follow-up on patient satisfaction and wound complication rates. During these interviews the Likert scale was used to assess patient satisfaction. Lastly, Cromi et al used objective (observer) components, the VSS and OSAS, and subjective (patient) components PSAS and VAS. These scales were used to examine the outcome of the postoperative scar and wound complications. RESULTS: Basha et al determined that staples were associated with increased risk of wound infection. Wound complications led to a decrease in patient satisfaction, however it was not statistically significant to associate staples with decreased satisfaction. Rousseau et al found that postoperative pain was less in the staple group. Cromi et al and Rousseau et al both found there were equivalent cosmetic outcome amongst closure methods. CONCLUSION: Postoperative pain and patient satisfaction with regards to each surgical closure remains inconclusive. While wound complications and wound dehiscence were more apparent in the use of staples, this had no bearing on overall patient satisfaction. Cosmetic appearance of the post-surgical scar was equivalent amongst both closure methods. A conclusion for the optimal method of cesarean closure is still one for future analysis.


In this study, chitosan microspheres were prepared and characterized for adsorption of human serum albumin (HSA) as affinity sorbent. The chitosan microspheres were obtained with a "suspension crosslinking technique" in the size range of 30–700 μm by using a crosslinker, i.e., glutaraldehyde. The chitosan microspheres used in HSA adsorption studies were having the average size of 170 ± 81 μm. Adsorption medium pH and the initial HSA concentration in the adsorption medium were changed as 4.0–7.0 and 0.5–2.0 mg HSA/mL, respectively, to investigate the HSA adsorption capacity of chitosan microspheres. Maximum HSA adsorption (i.e., 11.35 mg HSA/g chitosan microspheres) was obtained at pH 5.0 and 1.5 mg HSA/mL of the initial HSA concentration in the adsorption medium was obtained as the saturation value for HSA adsorption. A very common dye ligand, i.e., Cibacron Blue F3GA was attached to the chitosan microspheres to increase the HSA adsorption capacity. Actually, the HSA adsorption capacity was increased up to 15.35 mg HSA/g chitosan microspheres in the case of Cibacron Blue F3GA attached to chitosan microspheres used. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 3035–3039, 2002


This paper presents a new transient model of a standalone (isolated) Three phase self excited induction generator (SEIG). This model is based on direct phase quantities and is suitable to study the performance of the generator under any balanced or unbalanced conditions. It includes a general load as well as general excitation capacitor model. The model has the advantage of connecting or disconnecting the neutral points of the generator electrical system with both excitation capacitors and load. Furthermore, a more accurate magnetization curve is used. Moreover, the simulation results have been verified experimentally.


"Uses of Randomness in Algorithms and Protocols" makes fundamental contributions to two different fields of complexity theory: computational number theory and cryptography. The most famous result is Goldwasser and Kilian's invention of a new approach to distinguish prime numbers from composites, using methods from the theory of elliptic curves over finite fields.The Goldwasser-Kilian algorithm is the first to yield a polynomial size proof of its assertions, ensuring correctness while still provably running fast on most inputs. This new primality test implies for the first time and without any assumptions that large certified primes can be generated in expected polynomial time under a distribution that is close to uniform. It provides a provocative new link between algebraic geometry and primality testing, one of the most ancient algorithmic problems in number theory. Heuristic implementations of the algorithm are currently considered to be the fastest existing methods to certify primes.Kilian also provides two elegant and original contributions to theoretical cryptography. He shows how to base general two-party protocols on a simple protocol, known as "oblivious transfer," proving the first completeness result of this kind. He also introduces a generalization of interactive proof systems, known as "multi-prover interactive proof systems," and shows that anything provable in this model is provable in zero knowledge.Joe Kilian is a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT and Harvard.Contents: Introduction. New Techniques in Primality Testing. Committing Bits Using Oblivious Transfer. Circuit Evaluation Using Oblivious Transfer: The NC1 Circuit Base. ObliviousEvaluation of Arbitrary Circuits. Interactive Proof Systems with Multiple Provers.


Grain sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, is susceptible to Fe chlorosis when grown on many calcareous soils. Cultivars that are high yielding and resist Fe chlorosis can be developed only after methods for identifying sources of Fe chlorosis resistance are obtained. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between leaf chlorophyll and visual scoring of Fe deficiency symptoms and to compare the effectiveness of these methods for classifying sorghum response to Fe deficiency. Sorghum cultivars and hybrids were planted in two tests at Berclair, TX, on a Weesatche fine sandy loam (fineloamy, mixed, hyperthermic Typic Argiustoll) in single-row plots and replicated twice with each entry adjacent to the resistant and susceptible check. Chlorophyll a, b, and a + b (Chlₐ, Chlb, and Chlₐ₊b) classified entries for resistance or susceptibility as well as visual scoring. Resistant entries identified by Chlᵃ⁺ᵇ included IS12684C, IS7273C, IS12682C, IS12678C, and IS7367C. Visual scoring identified IS12684C and IS7273C as being significantly superior to the resistant check and experimental entries for each measure of chlorophyll. Significant (P< 0.01) negative correlations, each greater than −0.809, existed between visual scoring and the three measures of chlorophyll. Using visual scoring and analysis of covariance resulted in a coefficient of variation of 15 for the cultivar test and 17 for the hybrid test compared with a range of 42 to 59 for the chlorophyll measurements in each test. None of the four evaluation methods was superior to another for identification of cultivars with resistance to Fe deficiency chlorosis. Research supported in part by Grant DAN 1254-G-SS-5065-00 from the U.S. Agency for International Development. Texas Agric. Exp. Stn. Contribution no. TA29051.


Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum Romer, 1972 is a basal suchian from the Late Triassic Chañares Formation (Argentina), nested in the recently erected Gracilisuchidae, along with Turfanosuchus dabanensis Young, 1973 and Yonghesuchus sangbiensis Wu et al., 2001 from China. The six known specimens of Gracilisuchus Romer, 1972 preserve most of the skeleton, lacking only most of the shoulder girdle and forelimb. Our latest fieldwork has recovered two specimens that preserve previously unknown elements, including the humerus, radius, and ulna, as well as the femur, presacral vertebrae, and paramedian osteoderms. The femur and osteoderms were histologically sectioned, which has never been done for Gracilisuchidae. The anatomical analysis revealed characters in the new elements that improve our understanding of the anatomy of Gracilisuchus. Bone histology revealed that the specimen CRILAR PV 490 died before reaching somatic maturity and that growth was relatively slow compared to other pseudosuchians. This study increases the knowledge of the anatomy of Gracilisuchus and represents a new step towards a broader understanding of Gracilisuchidae and basal suchian clades. LECUONA Agustina CONICET, Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología (IIPG), Universidad Nacional de Río Negro (UNRN), Av. Roca 1242, R8332EXY, General Roca, Pcia. de Río Negro (Argentina) firstname.lastname@example.com (corresponding author)


The energy conversion efficiency of a straight-bladed cross-flow turbine is examined experimentally. The preset pitch angle of the turbine blades is shown to have a large impact on turbine performance for two and four-bladed turbines over the range of tip-speed ratios tested. The optimal preset pitch angle was found to be 6◦ for both turbines and nearly all tipspeed ratios. The nominal (apparent) angle of attack in the foil frame of reference is shown to depend only on tip-speed ratio and preset pitch angle if induced velocities are neglected. Turbine performance trends are described via a critical nominal angle of attack, hypothesized to be important during dynamic stall of the foil. Interaction of the foil with a leading edge vortex generated during the dynamic stall process is proposed as an explanatory mechanism for other turbine performance trends. Other hydrodynamic factors possibly influencing turbine performance are discussed briefly. Keywords— Hydrokinetic Energy, Cross-Flow Turbine, Pitch Angle, Tip-Speed Ratio, Dynamic Stall, Vortex Dynamics


Introduction: Public awareness regarding the influence of diet on kidney stones is unknown. We sought to evaluate such perceptions among an unselected community cohort. Materials and Methods: A survey was created to assess perception of beverages/foods on risk of kidney stone formation. Surveys were distributed to attendees of a State Fair. Participants were categorized to determine the effect of stone history on prevention knowledge (no prior stone vs prior stone). Results: Seven hundred fifty-three participants completed the survey, including 264 (35%) with a prior stone. Participants with prior stones were less likely to believe stones were preventable compared to those without (56% vs 65%, p = 0.01). Appropriate perceptions regarding influence of diet on stones were highest for water (>90% of participants) and cola/salt/red meat (>50%). Fewer than half of respondents correctly identified the influence of the remaining 14 substances. On multivariable analysis, stone formers were more likely to correctly identify the influence of lemonade (odds ratio [OR] 2.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32-3.31), nuts (OR 2.60; 95% CI 1.60-4.23), and spinach (OR 5.06; 95% CI 2.89-8.86), but less likely to identify the influence of coffee (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.23-0.82) and red meat (OR 0.52; 95% CI 0.23-0.59). Conclusion: Patients with prior stones hold different attitudes regarding the influence of certain foods and drinks on stone formation relative to the public. Such attitudes are not always correct, and as a group they are less likely to believe in dietary stone prevention. Such findings may indicate confusion among stone formers and highlight an opportunity for improved dietary counseling.


Using neonates born from experimental autoimmune myasthenic rabbits, the authors demonstrated antibodies to acetylcholine receptor (AChR) in the newborn sera. By radioimmunoassay, antibody titers of 1‐day‐old neonates were roughly one seventh to one ninth of the mothers. At 8 weeks postpartum, the antibody was no longer detectable. Ultrastructural observations of the intercostal muscles of the neonates revealed two types of changes. The first type was degenerative alterations in the postsynaptic membrane. The second type of change, which was morphometrically analyzed, was immaturity of postsynaptic membrane structure with underdeveloped secondary synaptic clefts. After 28 days postpartum, these changes were not visible, thereby indicating that the process is reversible as the antibody titer decreases. These results suggested the possibility that the antibody to AChR, transferred transplacental, arrested the development of postsynaptic structure, although reversible, by blocking of the receptor sites in the end‐plate.


This paper extends our previous work on the potential of eigenvalue manipulating transformation (EMT) of a data matrix for spectral selectivity enhancement in two-dimensional (2D) correlation analysis. EMT operation by uniformly lowering the power of a set of eigenvalues associated with the original data exaggerates the information content of minor principal components and reduces that of major principal components. Thus, much more subtle differences of spectral behavior for each component are now highlighted. Similarly, the selective truncation of dominant principal component (PC) factors to bring up the subtle contributions of minor factors is also considered. The EMT-reconstructed data matrix where power parameter m is negative greatly reduces the contribution of the first PC. Hybrid models for the attenuation of the contribution of the first PC are discussed. Synchronous 2D correlation spectra from PC1-attenuated data matrix A** obtained by varying the value of the attenuation parameter k show a much more profound effect than asynchronous 2D correlation spectra. As the value of k is increased, features of 2D correlation spectra start looking very much like those from the principle component analysis (PCA)-reconstructed data with only the second and third PCs and from the EMT-reconstructed data matrix where the power parameter m is negative.


Adaptation to a repeated restraint stress schedule was monitored in ethanol-treated and control rats. A single episode of 2 h restraint decreased food intake in both control and ethanol-treated rats. The decreases in control rats were not observed following the 5th daily restraint of 2 h/day, suggesting that adaptation has occurred. Ethanol-treated rats, however, exhibited decreased food intake even after 5th daily restraint of 2 h/day. Ethanol administration decreased weekly but not daily cumulative food intake in unrestrained rats. Food intakes of ethanol-treated and control restrained rats were comparable following 1st-3rd daily restraints, but were smaller in ethanol-treated rats following the 4th and 5th daily restraints. Open-field ambulatory activities monitored 24 h after the 5th daily restraint on the 6th day were comparable in control restrained and unrestrained rats. Ethanol-treated and control unrestrained rats also exhibited comparable ambulation, but ethanol-treated restrained rats exhibited smaller activity than control restrained or ethanol-treated unrestrained rats. Fluid intakes of ethanol and control rats were comparable during the 2 weeks of ethanol administration, but daily restraint schedule decreased ethanol intake. The findings show adaptation to repeated restraint in control rats and inability of ethanol-treated rats to adapt in the stress schedule. These findings imply that excessive alcohol consumption may impair adaptation to stress and thus conceivably precipitate depression.


It is very possible for the foam zinc materials to take the place of zinc powder and become a new ideal material of electrode for zinc-air battery, because of its excellent three dimensional reticulated structure, high porosity, high specific surface area and uniform quality, and was widely used in many other fields. A novel method for preparing very porous zinc foam was proposed, in which the polyurethane foam as substrate was processed by degreasing process, roughening process, activation, electroless plating and zinc electrodeposition. Then, experiments were carried out to explore the effects of the solution composition(concentration of ZnSO4)and the operation conditions (such as the interelectrode distance; current density, temperature, pH value of electroplating solution and so on) on the morphology of the foam zinc and the current efficiency. The optimum experimental conditions were determined by optimizing the factors. On these conditions the foam zinc presents a three-dimensional reticular structure with high porosity, and uniformity, and the outward appearance of the coating is bright.


Longdom series Conference proudly announcing Young Researchers Awards with an aim to recognize outstanding achievement and contribution of professionals and researchers in the area of Fiber optics, life sciences, physical sciences, health care and engineering.


: A number of 3-amino-2-benzhydrylquinuclidines were tested for diuretic activity in both rats and dogs. The Schiff base formed from 2-benzhydryl-3-quinuclidinone and benzylamine was reduced with NaBH4 to a mixture of isomers, the cis isomer being preponderants. cis-2-Benzhydryl-3-benzylaminoquinuclidine was isolated by chromatography and debenzylat:d to cis-3-amino-2-benzhydrylquinuclidine, the most active compound in this series. The corresponding trans isomer was considerably less active. It was made by reacting the mesylate of cis-2-benzhydr-l-3-quinuclidinol with Nan3 to form trans-3-azido-2-benzhydrylquinuclidine which was reduced with LiAlH4. In dose-response studies (sodium excretion as a function of dose) in rats the maximal or ceiling effect of cis-3-amino-2-benzhydrylquinuclidine was considerably greater than that of hydroflumethiazide but less than that of furosemide. An unusual biphasic dose-response was seen in dogs with cis-3-amino-2-bezhydrylquinuclidine, centering around 10 mg/kg.


Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) converts a dispersive channel into parallel subchannels and thus facilitates equalization. But when the channel has nulls close to or on the FFT grid, OFDM faces serious symbol recovery problems. As an alternative to various error-control coding techniques that have been proposed to ameliorate the problem, we linearly precode (LP) symbols before they are multiplexed. We identify the maximum achievable diversity order for iid or correlated Rayleigh fading channels and also provide design rules for achieving maximum diversity gains with LP-OFDM. Simulated performance comparisons of LP-OFDM with existing block and convolutionally coded OFDM alternatives favor LP-OFDM in a HiperLan2 experiment.


The diets of 5 large predatory mesopelagic fishes—Alepisaurus ferox (longnosed lancetfish), Gempylus serpens (snake mackerel), Lepidocybium flavobrunneum (Smith's escolar), and Lampris spp. (big-eye and small-eye opah, or moonfish)—from the central North Pacific Ocean (around Hawaii) were examined (n = 430, all species combined), most for the first time. Recent analysis of fishery data has shown that many of these species have been undergoing decadal increases in abundance, suggesting system-wide changes. A. ferox diet was numerically dominated by hyperiid amphipods from 3 genera (Phrosina, Phronima, Platyscelus; 37%N), pelagic polychaete worms, mesopelagic fishes (including young A. ferox size classes), and cephalopods. G. serpens fed primarily on epipelagic fishes (exocoetids, molids) and ommastrephid squids. Diets of the 2 Lampris species were the most similar to one another, consisting of large numbers and frequent occurrences of the onychoteuthid squid Walvisteuthis youngorum and a diverse assemblage of epipelagic and mesopelagic fishes. More than 90% of the L. flavobruneum stomachs were without food items; small numbers of prey identified included the ommastrephid squid Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis, aristeid shrimps, and unidentified fishes. The diet descriptions support the idea that these predatory fishes carve out unique ecological niches in the pelagic envi- ronment by exploiting unique components of micronekton communities across epipelagic and mesopelagic depth zones. Adult size classes of tunas and billfishes occupying a shared vertical habitat do not appear to compete for prey resources to any great extent, perhaps allowing for suc- cessful partitioning of limited prey resources within an oligotrophic gyre ecosystem.


: A fifty-seven year old male with renal tuberculosis developed pseudomembranous colitis on rifampicin and ethambutol. Diarrhoea occurred within a week, and six weeks after commencing these antituberculous agents he developed typical sigmoidoscopic and biopsy findings. Withdrawal of the drugs led to rapid recovery. Repeated challenge testing indicated that the symptoms were worse when rifampicin was given, but a test dose of ethambutol also produced temporary aggravation of the diarrhoea.


How should we address the increasingly prevalent condition of arterial thrombophilia? Can arterial thromboses complicate hematological diseases or the use of antithrombotic drugs? What is POC testing? Is vascular regeneration a potential shield against atherothrombotic states? This report draws insights and perspective from the discipline of hematology to answer these and other clinically relevant questions.


The Chan–Evans–Lam reaction of 1-unsubstituted 4-fluoroalkylpyrimidin-2(1Н)-ones with arylboronic acids is reported as a facile synthetic route to hitherto unavailable N1-(het)aryl and N1-alkenyl derivatives of the corresponding pyrimidines. An efficient C–N bond-forming process is also observed by using boronic acid pinacol esters as coupling partners in the presence of Cu(II) acetate and boric acid. The 4-fluoroalkyl group on the pyrimidine ring significantly assists in the formation of the target N1-substituted products, in contrast to the 4-methyl and 4-unsubstituted substrates which do not undergo N1-arylation under similar reaction conditions.


The prevalence of chronic diseases has increased in children and adolescents and physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyle and obesity have been identified as risk factors for earlier onset of chronic disease. Times spent in 24-hour movement behaviours have become important public health concerns because of their potential to impact on an individual's health.

The concept of 24-hour movement behaviours - comprising physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour and sleep - is relatively new and quantifying the various movement behaviours with confidence is still a challenge. The adequacy of levels of 24-hour movement behaviors in children with chronic disease is unknown as is whether there are systematic differences between children with chronic disease and their healthy peers.

Aims: To examine the habitual amount of time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time (ST) in children and adolescents with chronic disease and in children and adolescents with obesity; to compare measured MVPA against MVPA recommendations in children with chronic disease and their healthy peers and to investigate 24 hour-movement behaviours (PA, standing, sedentary and sleep behaviours – sleep; quantity and sleep quality) for 5-7 days in children with chronic childhood diseases and test whether there were differences between children with chronic disease and their healthy peers.

In systematic literature reviews (Chapters III and IV): the literature searching was focused on four key elements: children and/or adolescents, MVPA, ST and/or SB, measured objectively by accelerometer, and common chronic disease (obesity, chronic cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes mellitus and malignancies). For each review, an extensive search was carried out in the five most relevant electronic databases: Medline, Cochrane library, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus and CINAHL from 2000. Study selection: Studies with accelerometer-measured MVPA and/or SB (at least 3 days and 6 hours/day) in children and adolescents (0-19 years) with cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, malignancy and obesity, studied while well and clinically stable. Study quality was assessed formally. Meta-analyses were planned for all outcomes. In the systematic review of MVPA and ST in children and adolescents with chronic disease, 25 studies were eligible, in four chronic disease categories: cardiovascular disease (7 studies), respiratory disease (7 studies), diabetes (8 studies), and malignancy (3 studies). Patient MVPA was generally below the recommended 60 min/day and ST was generally high regardless of the disease condition. Comparison with healthy controls suggested no marked differences. MVPA in children with chronic disease was not very much lower than in healthy control or comparison groups with the exception of children being treated for malignancy.

In the systematic review of MVPA and ST in children and adolescents with obesity, 26 studies were eligible (n=14,739 participants; n=3523 with obesity); 6/26 studies involved children aged 0 to 10 years and 18/26 involved adolescents aged 10.1 to19 years. In the participants with obesity, time spent in MVPA was consistently below the recommended 60 min/day, and ST was generally high regardless of the participant's age and sex. Comparison with controls suggested that the time spent in MVPA was significantly lower in children and adolescents with obesity, though differences were relatively small. There were no marked differences in ST between obese study participants and their non-obese peers.

The primary data collection studies (Chapters V and VI) were based on an observational case-control study of 24-hour movement behaviours in children with common chronic diseases likely to disrupt these behaviours, and included 160 participants; 80 children with chronic disease; 20 with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), 20 with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), 20 with congenital heart disease (CHD), 20 with cystic fibrosis (CF). Patients were recruited from outpatient clinics at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow. 80 healthy children were individually pair-matched for age, sex, and timing of measures. Habitual time spent in PA, standing, sedentary and sleep behaviours – sleep quantity – particularly sleep timing (sleep onset/offset), and sleep duration - and sleep quality) and step counts were all measured with the activPAL accelerometer/inclinometer over 7 days. Comparisons against recommendations were made and differences between the groups with chronic disease and controls examined. Mean time spent in PA and step counts per day were consistently lower in the children with chronic disease compared to healthy controls, reaching statistical significance only for the T1DM and CHD groups. Only 20/80 children with chronic disease and 29/80 controls met the daily step count recommendations. ST was consistently higher in children with chronic disease, though this reached significance only for the group with CF. Time spent asleep was slightly greater in the children with chronic disease, significant only for the group with JIA. Sleep disruption was consistently greater in those with chronic disease, reaching significance for groups with T1DM, CHD and CF.

When data from the groups of children with chronic disease and controls were combined, permitting a comparison of 80 vs 80 children respectively in the primary data collection studies, differences between children with chronic disease and healthy controls were more obvious when the children with chronic disease were compared as a single group with their healthy controls. The most important finding was that there were significant differences between children with chronic disease and healthy controls for ST, standing, PA and sleep. Those with chronic disease had greater time spent sedentary with significantly lower number of sedentary breaks, less standing time with slightly longer sleep time than their healthy controls. Time spent in PA was significantly lower (in both PA time and steps counts) in children with chronic disease compared to healthy controls.

The most obvious concerns in the present study arise from differences between patient and control groups with patient group showing greater ST, with consistently lower number of sitting bouts and lower PA levels than their healthy controls. However, differences between patient and control groups for the 24-h movement behaviours were generally quite small in the children studied and their biological significance of the differences is unclear. Finally, optimising levels of 24-hour movement behaviours should confer a number of benefits for child health, development, and wellbeing. There is a need for further research with a clinical focus on these behaviours in those with chronic disease.


This work was dedicated to development of novel biosensing technologies for detection of toxic chemicals, such as heavy metals, pesticides and petrochemicals, which possess a serious threat to humans and all living organisms in our planet nowadays. This was the main motivation for research in such important field. In the present work a novel approach in detection of heavy metal salts (HgCl2, PbCl2, ZnCl2 and CdCl2), pesticides (atrazine, simazine, DDVP), and petro-chemicals (hexane, octane, pentane, toluene, pyrene and ethanol) dissolved in water was proposed. It is based on a concept of inhibition sensor array utilising different whole bacteria cells. The main aim of this project is to develop novel, simple and cost-effective biosensing technologies for in-field detection of the above pollutants in water which effectively reduce the time and cost of analysis. Electrochemical detection appeared to be the most suitable for such task.
In this project, three types of bacteria, e.g. Escherichia coli, Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) or Methylosinus trichosporium (OB3b) and Shewanella oneidensis, were selected because of their different inhibition patterns. The concentration of live bacteria (which is an indicator of the presence of pollutants) was first characterised by the optical analytical methods of optical density OD600, fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. The main findings of this study were the facts that E. coli (K12 strain, gram-negative bacteria) are very sensitive to all above mentioned pollutants; methanotrophic bacteria (Mc. capsulatus Bath & Ms. trichosporium OB3b) appeared to be more resistant to petrochemicals; while S. oneidensis (MR-1 strain, gram negative bacteria) are more tolerant to heavy metals. A series of AC and DC electrochemical measurements were carried out on the same bacteria samples. As a first step, a correlation between optical and electrochemical characteristics of bacteria concentration in solution was established. The study of the effect of heavy metals, pesticides and petrochemicals on DC and electrical characteristics of bacteria in suspension revealed a similar inhibition pattern as was found in optical study. Then a similar study was carried out on samples of bacteria immobilized on the surface of screen-printed electrodes, which is more suitable for sensing applications. The results of DC (cyclic voltammograms) and AC (impedance spectroscopy) measurements were consistent with previous studies. A possibility of pattern recognition of pollutants by their inhibition effects on the selected bacteria was found. The classes of pollutants, e.g. heavy metals, pesticides, and petrochemicals, can be identified from pseudo-3D graphs of responses of the three sensing channels, e.g. electrodes with different immobilized bacteria. Much more accurate assessment of pollutants was achieved with Artificial Neural Network (ANN) software which was developed using MatLab. ANN programme was capable of both the identification of pollutants with 91% accuracy and rough estimation of their concentrations in five bands from 0.01 ng/ml to 1000 ng/ml (ppb). The developed bacteria sensor array could be suitable for simple, inexpensive, and quick preliminary in-field detection (screening) of water samples. The suspected highly contaminated samples could be easily identified and passed to specialized laboratories for further more detailed testing. In such way, the time and cost of analysis could be substantially reduced.
In addition to the inhibition sensor array utilising non-specific bio-receptors such as bacteria, the electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions (Hg2+ and Pb2+) was attempted using novel highly specific aptamer bio-receptors labelled with redox groups. Such experiments were successful; the above metal ions in very low concentrations down to 1 pg/ml (or 1 ppt) were detected using both cyclic voltammograms and impedance spectroscopy. The affinity of the aptamers used was found to be very high and similar to that of antibodies. Additional advantages of aptamers were their high stability and simple recovery by thermo-cycling. Considering fast evolvement of aptamer research, their advantages and low cost, the development of aptasensor arrays for accurate detection of large number of pollutants is possible in near future.


A laboratory test method for accelerated atmospheric corrosion testing has been developed. Copper alloys were the main subject of testing, and the principal atmospheric simulation was urban-industrial. The test method hasbeen very useful in ranking experimental copper alloys relative to commercial alloys and is believed to be adaptable to other alloy systems and environments. Representative reproducible oxide films can be generated for film study work and kinetics of film formation can be followed easily.


Often, data used in online decision making (for example, in determining how to react to changes in process behavior, traffic flow control, etc.) is dynamic in nature and hence the timeliness of the data delivered to the decision making process becomes very important. The delivered data must conform to certain time or value based application specific inconsistency bounds. A system designed to disseminate dynamic data can exploit user-specified coherency requirements by fetching and disseminating only those changes that are of interest to users and ignoring immediate changes. But, the design of mechanisms for such data delivery is challenging given that dynamic data changes rapidly and unpredictably, the latter making it very hard to use simple prediction techniques. In this paper, we address these challenges. Specifically, we develop mechanisms to obtain timely and consistency-preserving updates for dynamic data by pulling data from the source at strategically chosen points in time. Motivated by the need for practical system design, but using formal analytical techniques, we offer a systematic approach based on control-theoretic principles. Our solution is also unique from a control-theoretic perspective due to the presence of inherent nonlinear system components and the dependence between the sampled time and sampled value. A proportional controller with dynamically changing tuning criteria is used in this work as a means of deciding when to next refresh data from the source. Using real world traces of real-time data we show the superior performance of our feedback-driven control-theoretic approach by comparing with (i) a previously proposed adaptive refresh technique and (ii) a new pattern matching technique.


Recently, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) based communications systems have attracted increasing research and commercial interest due to their cost effective deployment and ease of mobility.During natural disasters and emergencies, such networks are extremely useful to provide communication service. In such scenarios, UAVs position and trajectory must be optimal to maintain Quality of Service at the user end. This paper focuses on the deployment of an SDN-based UAV network providing communication service to the users. We consider the deployment of the system in stadiums and events. In this paper, we propose a scheme to allocate UAVs to the users and a traffic congestion algorithm to reduce the number of packets dropped to avoid re-transmissions from the user end. We also propose an energy efficient multi hop routing mechanism to avoid the high power requirement to transmit longer distances. We assume that all the back-haul links have sufficient capacities to carry all the traffic from the front-haul links and the design of UAVs must consider their power requirements for both flight and transmission.


Many UAV path planning problems dealing with multiple targets are formulated as instances of classical optimization problems such as the Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP), Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), and the Assignment Problem (AP). In their basic forms, all these problems minimize the length of the flight path to be flown by the UAVs. Even though this is often a reasonable choice, we argue that in instances when the targets are able to hide, or move, an objective function accounting for the target value, as well as the chance of actually finding the target is more natural. In some sense, the problem is similar to the one faced by a Paparazzi photographer, deciding where to go to get snapshots of non cooperative celebrities. Hence we formulate the so-called Paparazzi utility function, and show how it can be applied to UAV path planning problems similar to the TSP, VRP and AP.


This study describes the process of development of a new instrument for measuring patient satisfaction with hospital care in Italy. The self-administered questionnaire included a total of 48 items, -contributing to the construction of 8 scales, each of them describing a specific area of interest such as medical care and nursing, several aspects of organisation, comfort and overall outcome of care. Psychometric characteristics of the questionnaire were in terms of acceptability, validity, reliability and the ability to discriminate different levels of satisfaction in various patient groups. Psychometric analyses resulted in a convincing construct validity and reliability, as described by the Cronbach Alpha coefficient estimates [range 0.73-0.95]. The high compliance obtained (67.3%) can be considered a sign of good acceptability of the questionnaire and of its mode of administration. These analyses demonstrate a good performance of the questionnaire in terms of both validity and reliability, suggesting that this instrument can represent a solid base for future applications.


This dissertation presents a taxonomy and evaluation of three cluster scheduling architectures for scalability and flexibility using a common high level taxonomy of cluster scheduling, a Monte Carlo simulator, and a real system implementation. We begin with the popular Monolithic State Scheduling (MSS), then consider two new architectures: Dynamically Partitioned State Scheduling (DPS) and Replicated State Scheduling (RSS). We describe and evaluate DPS, which uses pessimistic concurrency control for cluster resource sharing. We then present the design, implementation, and evaluation of Mesos, a real-world DPS cluster scheduler that allows diverse cluster computing frameworks to efficiently share resources. Our evaluation shows Mesos achieve high utilization, respond quickly to workload changes, and flexibly cater to diverse frameworks while scaling to 50,000 nodes in simulation and remaining robust. We also show existing and new frameworks sharing cluster resources. Finally, we describe and evaluate RSS, a cluster scheduling architecture being explored by Google in Omega, their next generation cluster management system. RSS uses optimistic concurrency control for sharing cluster resources. We show the tradeoffs between optimistic concurrency in RSS and pessimistic concurrency in DPS and quantify the costs of the added flexibility of RSS in terms of job wait time and scheduling utilization.


As the president of the Korean Spinal Neurosurgery Society, I am honored to offer you my sincerest greetings, as the 2018 New Year (the year of the dog) has dawned, the cold winter is almost over, and we are nearing the time of spring, when everything comes alive again. We can be proud that the Korean Spinal Neurosurgery Society has been growing continuously through research activities and various international academic activities for 30 years since its founding in 1987. I attribute this to the promotion of our research and surgical results at home and abroad through the Korean Journal of Spine (KJS), which has been published since 2004. As the official journal of the KSNS, the KJS was published quarterly from when it was founded until December 2017. As its academic value was gradually recognized, it became a top-tier journal in Korea. After it started to be published in English, manuscript submissions from foreign countries increased. Additionally, since many famous foreign spine specialists have served as editors and reviewers for KJS, it grew into a journal with international prestige. I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the Society members for their dedication and contributions to the publication of KJS. Due to the improved status of our journal and the increasingly international nature of academic activities, we are facing a new era of changes that require proactive measures. As the leading domestic journal for spinal research for 30 years, the KJS faces a time of changes in the development and growth of spinal studies. The KJS has now been integrated into Neurospine, the joint official journal of the Korean Spinal Neurosurgery Society, the Neurospinal Society of Japan, and Taiwan Neurosurgical Spine Society, and we anticipate that it will further evolve and transform. The key words expressing the aims of the new journal are "international" and "consilience." A new era has come and it is time for changes. Through the inclusion of more diverse research areas and international editors, this new journal will play a leading role in cutting-edge medicine and in the educational system through cooperation with future-oriented academic fields undergoing global expansion. As the official journal of ASIA SPINE, the Neurospinal Society of Japan, Taiwan Neurosurgical Sine Society, and the Korean Spinal Neurosurgery Society, this founding issue is believed to provide important momentum as we transform into a journal with worldwide prestige. We hereby request the active participation and continuous support of our Japanese, Taiwanese, and Korean members. Neurospine should lay a stepping stone for the dawn of a new era through the cooperaNeurospine 2018;15(1):3-4. https://doi.org/10.14245/ns.18add.001 Neurospine


With improvement of people's living standard, more people start to focus on health problem, such as the old physical quality, children physical health status, adolescent physical health status. Adolescent as backbone of society, their physical status attracts particular attention. The paper utilizes principal component analysis method to extract principal components of factors that affect physical health status, extracted principal components are pull-up, sit and reach as well as lung capacity. In different lifestyles, analyze university students' physical quality. Sports lifestyle includes dimension one group, dimension two groups, dimension three groups and defective group. By fuzzy comprehensive evaluation analysis method, it makes analysis and result is dimension three groups' physical quality is best, secondly is dimension two groups, dimension one group and defective group. The conclusion conforms to practical situation.


A TiC whisker toughening Al2O3 composite ceramic tool material was developed by an in situ carbothermal reduction synthesis technology. The influence of different synthesis temperatures (1480°C and 1700°C) and holding times (90min, 60min and 30min) on the mechanical properties of the composite was investigated. The results showed that either the lower synthesis temperature (1480°C) or the higher synthesis temperature (1700°C) was necessary to the improvement on the fracture toughness of the composite. However, when an Al2O3-TiO2 eutectic system was formed during the higher temperature synthesis process, grain coarsening of the Al2O3 matrix became much serious, which resulted in obvious decrease in the flexure strength of the composite. Therefore, the carbothermal reduction synthesis process should be divided into two parts including the lower temperature synthesis process for increasing the yield of the TiC whisker and the subsequent higher temperature synthesis process for increasing the carbon content in the TiC whisker, and and the lower temperature synthesis process should be held for enough time (e.g. 60min) to avoid an incomplete carbothermal reduction of TiO2.


The article discusses the theme of social licensing of the resource extraction companies. Its purpose is to explore the concept of social license to operate (SLO) from the point of view of expediency of its application as a new tool for municipal development in Russia, and describes the SLO concept that implies the acquiring of local communities' consent for the operation of the companies. We present causes which determined the emergence of the concept and the reasons for its growing popularity throughout the world. To find out whether the elements of social licensing are present in Russia, results of the case study research of the two mining companies operating in Murmansk region are presented. Data for the study have been obtained from scientific literature, media sources and through interviews conducted by the authors.It is revealed that the SLO concept is not familiar to the companies and the communities studied. However, elements of the social licensing have been found, and the SLO levels for the companies have been estimated. We come to the conclusion that practical use of the concept in Russia is expedient, since it could benefit both companies and local communities. The SLO concept can serve as a new governance instrument for municipal development working on the basis of establishing trustful cooperation between companies and host communities.The paper is the outcome of the authors' participation in the international research project "Sustainable mining, local communities and environmental regulation in the Kolarctic area" (SUMILCERE, KO 554, 2013-2014, within the Kolarctic European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument of the Cross-Border Cooperation Program ).


Examines a Japanese‐owned customer organization in Britain which has adopted Kaizen (continuous improvement) programmes in order to discover what effect this has had on the internal organization of its suppliers. With a particular interest in HRM and workforce training, uses a questionnaire and case studies to illuminate the changes made in supplier organizations and the mechanisms which support these developments. The evidence suggests that 63 per cent of supplier organizations studied have made changes, with the leading changes being made in the areas of quality management and workforce training as they have become more open to examination by the customer organization and with the increased emphasis on quality. Concludes that increasing adoption of Kaizen or TQM by customer organizations has implications for personnel and HRM functions in supplier organizations, and that the traditionally self‐contained boundaries of companies will become less rigid.


The study simulated the Aeolian sand concrete damage process under wind-sand erosion using a sand-bearing wind-sand erosion test device. Then, different wind parameters were selected to study their damage failure influences on Aeolian sand concrete surfaces, and an orthogonal test was carried out for three factors: wind speed, sand carrying capacity, and angle of attack. The significant level and variance contribution rate of the angles of attack were the largest. The test results indicated that the damage failure arising from wind-sand erosion could be divided into three stages: the accelerated development stage, attenuation stage, and stabilization stage. During the accelerated development stage, the damage failure of the concrete surfaces was found to be relatively large, and obvious erosion pits were produced following the erosion. With the increases in action times, the process gradually developed into the attenuation stage, and then finally into the stability stage. The test results revealed that the damage failure of the Aeolian sand concrete surfaces which arose from the sand flow with 200 to 300 μm diameter sand was relatively serious.


Objective: To determine whether 17β-oestradiol (E2) modulates interleukin (IL) 1β-induced proteoglycan degradation in chondrocytes, and to analyse the part played by metalloproteinases (MMPs) in this process. Methods: Primary cultured rabbit articular chondrocytes were prepared and treated with 10 ng/ml IL1β combined or not with 0.1–10 nM E2. Neosynthesised proteoglycans (PGs) were evaluated after incorporation of [35SO4]sulphate and further analysed after chromatography on a Sepharose 2B column. Chondrocyte mRNA levels of aggrecan, MMP-1, -3, -13, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) were studied by northern blot. MMP-1 activity was measured by zymography. MMP-1 gene transcription was studied by transient transfection of chondrocytes with an MMP-1-luciferase construct. Results: E2 modulated the IL1β-induced total sulphated PGs in rabbit articular chondrocytes, which decreased as the E2 concentration was increased. At a low concentration (0.1 nmol/l) E2 counteracts the IL1β-induced decrease in sulphated PG, while at high concentration (10 nmol/l) E2 enhances the IL1β effects. A biphasic E2 effect was also observed on IL1β-induced disaggregation of PG, 53–58 kDa gelatinolytic activity, and MMP-1, -3, and -13 mRNA levels. In contrast, E2 did not modify the level of aggrecan mRNA and had no effect on TIMP-1 mRNA expression. Finally, simultaneous addition of IL1β and E2 (0.1–10 nmol/l) did not modify IL1β-induced MMP-1-luciferase activity, suggesting that E2 effects probably occur at the post-transcriptional level of MMP gene expression. Conclusion: Oestrogen concentration may have an inverse effect on IL1β stimulated proteoglycan degradation and MMP production by chondrocytes.


The Proliferation Resistance and Physical Protection Evaluation Methodology Working Group of the Generation IV International Forum produced a full-system case study on the Example Sodium Fast Reactor Nuclear Energy System (ESFR-NES). The ESFR-NES is a hypothetical fuel cycle complex consisting of four sodium-cooled fast reactors of medium size collocated with an on-site dry-fuel storage facility and a spent-fuel reprocessing facility based on electrochemical recycling technology. The complex recycles irradiated fuels from two feed streams, oxide fuel from off-site light water reactors and metal fuel from the on-site sodium-cooled fast reactors. Both of these streams are recycled on-site; uranium and transuranics are sent to the electrochemical reprocessing fuel cycle facility. The two streams combine and the fuel cycle facility creates new ESFR-NES metal fuel for the four on-site sodium-cooled fast reactors. The major safeguards concepts driving the safeguards analysis were timeliness goals and material quantity goals. Specifically, the recycled fuel, the in-process material in the fuel reprocessing facility, the off-site light water reactor spent fuel received at the ESFR-NES, and spent fuel from the on-site fast reactors will contain plutonium. The International Atomic Energy Agency defines the material within the ESFR-NES as "direct-use material" with a stringent timeliness goal of 3 months and a material quantity goal of 8 kg of plutonium. Furthermore, the ESFR-NES may have some intrinsic safeguards features if the plutonium and uranium are not separated during reprocessing. This facility would require major modifications to separate the plutonium from other transuranic elements in the reprocessed fuel. The technical difficulty in diverting material from the ESFR-NES is at least as strongly impacted by the adversaries' overall technical capabilities as it is by the effort required to overcome those barriers intrinsic to the nuclear fuel cycle. The intrinsic proliferation resistance of the ESFR-NES can affect how extrinsic measures in the safeguards approach for the complex will provide overall proliferation resistance.


Slower growing Merino sheep often miss the lamb category and become yearlings. Yet, they may still produce meat of acceptable eating quality, thus opening the opportunity to develop high quality yearling products. Consumer sensory differences (tenderness, overall liking, juiciness, liking of flavour and liking of odour) of grilled wet-aged (5 days) steaks from the M. longissimus lumborum (LL) and M. semimembranosus (SM) derived from wether lamb (n = 185; average age 355 days) and wether yearling (n = 206; average age 685 days) Merinos were tested. Additionally, the age effect on carcass and instrumental meat quality traits was analysed. Lambs were born in 2009 and 2010 at two research sites (Kirby, Katanning), and yearlings were born in 2009 at five research sites (Kirby, Cowra, Rutherglen, Struan, Katanning). On average within each muscle, yearlings had lower scores for all sensory attributes (P < 0.01) compared to lambs. Lambs versus yearlings born in the same year and reared at the same research site had greater sensory differences within the SM (P < 0.01), up to 10.0 eating quality scores more for tenderness. In contrast, the LL samples had almost no significant differences between the two age groups. A portion of the differences in overall liking and liking of flavour scores was explained by intramuscular fat. Yearlings were slightly heavier (P < 0.01) but leaner (P < 0.01), compared to lambs, and yearling meat colour was darker (P < 0.01). While the results generally supported the better eating quality of lamb, they demonstrated a very acceptable yearling LL eating quality, and showed the smaller impact of age on the LL muscle in Merinos. Hence, the development of a high quality yearling product for the LL muscle is possible.


Trace element biochemistry following a multielement intravenous infusion in man was studied. A new trace-element additive mixture was prepared by Kabi-Vitrum, Sweden (code 4854). to meet the requirements of moderately ill patients. This mixture provided a daily supply of Fe 20 mumol (1.12 mg); Mn 100 mumol (6.54 mg); Cu 20 mumol (1.27 mg); Mn 15 mumol (0.82 mg); Cr 0.4 mumol (20.8 pg); Se 0.4 mumol (31.58 ug); Mo 0.2 mumol (19.19 ug); I 1.0 mumol (0.13 mg); F 50 mumol (0.95 mg). To evaluate the efficacy of this mixture in meeting the trace-element requirements in patients, three different studies were undertaken. Serum and urine samples were collected with precautions to avoid contamination. Levels of zinc, copper, manganese, chromium and selenium, in serum and urine were determined by proven atomic absorption techniques. Results were compared statistically within and between the groups and to appropriate reference values. This thesis deals with the determination of zinc, copper, manganese, chromium and selenium in serum and urine. Methods for Mo, I and F were not readily available. Studies were as follows: Crystalloid Study: In this study, twenty patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery were randomly allocated into two groups. Group A received saline and glucose (5%) only for four post-operative days. Group B received an additional daily infusion of trace-element mixture (code 4854). , In Group A serum zinc fell sharply, but returned to normal by day five. Serum copper, manganese, chromium and selenium were unchanged and urinary excretions did not alter. In Group B, serum zinc followed the same pattern as Group A, but serum copper and selenium were mostly unaffected. Serum and urinary chromium and manganese were markedly increased during infusion, whereas urinary zinc, copper and selenium were not significantly increased. Surgical I.V.N.: In this study, sixteen patients undergoing elective surgery were studied for more than seven days. They received 14 g N and 3000 KCal/day (2000 KCal as glucose, and 1000 KCal as Intralipid) and trace element additive mixture. These patients were divided into two groups. Group A as anabolic patients with urine N less than 12 g/day. Group B as catabolic patients with urine N greater than 14 g/day. In both groups, serum values of zinc, copper and selenium remained normal, while manganese and chromium increased. Urinary excretion of copper was unaffected, while that of zinc, manganese, chromium and selenium was increased. Medical I.V.N.: Four patients were studied for more than fourteen days. The infusion regimen was similar to that used in surgical IVN. Serum zinc and copper were maintained during infusion and manganese and chromium were elevated, while selenium was at the lower level of normal range. Urinary excretion was increased for chromium, zinc and manganese, while copper and selenium were unaffected. The supplement of zinc and copper was sufficient to correct any pre-existing abnormality and to maintain most of the patients. However, for patients with excessive intestinal fluid loss higher amounts may be desirable. The provision of manganese and chromium may have been excessive, only half of the amount provided may be enough for most patients. No clinical or biochemical abnormality suggestive of deficiency or toxicity for any of the infused elements was found.


In this paper a fractional order PI controller (FOPI) is proposed for the speed control of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor(PMSM). Fractional calculus is introduced into the PI controller, and proposes a robust fractional order PI controller (FOPI) for the speed control of a PMSM .PMSM drive system is a nonlinear system which is sensitive to load disturbance, parameter variation, unmodelled and nonlinear dynamics. Simulation of the drive system is done using integer order PI and is compared with the FOPI. Fractional order is applied in the PI controller and analysis is done for different order ranging from 0-1. By using FOPI the performance of the PMSM drive system can be improved. The performance and robustness of the proposed method are tested for nonlinear load torque disturbance. The modulation technique used is the space vector modulation (SVPWM) KeywordsPMSM, Fractional calculus, Non Linear control, PI Controller, SVPWM


The evolution and structure of graphene layers on 4H-SiC(0001) and the corresponding interface are investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). The surface is characterized by the so-called (6p3£6p3)R30± reconstruction, whose structural properties are still unclear but at the same time are crucial for the controlled growth of homogeneous high-quality large-terrace graphene surfaces. We analyse the properties of three phases in this reconstruction with periodicities (6p3£6p3)R30±, (6£6) and (5£5). Their LEED intensities strongly depend on the surface preparation procedure applied. The graphitization process imprints distinct features in the STM images as well as in the LEED spectra. An easy and practicable determination of the number of graphene layers is outlined by means of LEED intensities.


Gene interaction graphs aim to capture various relationships between genes and represent decades of biology research. When trying to make predictions from genomic data, those graphs could be used to overcome the curse of dimensionality by making machine learning models sparser and more consistent with biological common knowledge. In this work, we focus on assessing whether those graphs capture dependencies seen in gene expression data better than random. We formulate a condition that graphs should satisfy to provide a good prior knowledge and propose to test it using a `Single Gene Inference' (SGI) task. We compare random graphs with seven major gene interaction graphs published by different research groups, aiming to measure the true benefit of using biologically relevant graphs in this context. Our analysis finds that dependencies can be captured almost as well at random which suggests that, in terms of gene expression levels, the relevant information about the state of the cell is spread across many genes.


Big hydro, big solar photovoltaic (PV) and big wind - these are the usual focus of accounts of low carbon technologies in China. But a very different type of innovation - ranging from a farm cooperative in Yunnan, to woodchip and corn pellets in rural Beijing and air-conditioning using just salt and water in Hangzhou and Shenzhen - could be even more significant as examples of how to achieve a low carbon economy and society for China and the world. This report follows a 2007 NESTA report that profiled eight disruptive low carbon innovators from the UK, and explores the particular importance of this type of innovation to China with seven case studies. These are the Chinese 'Game-Changers', each of which has developed a low carbon innovation that has the potential to make a significant contribution to emissions reductions and the move to a low carbon society.


AbstractTitle: Innovation and its influence of LBS company: Jiepang in ChinaLevel: Final assignment for Master of Business Administration Author: Yang OU, Zijian LI Supervisor: Maria. Fregidou-Malama Date: 2012-June Aim: Chinese firms desire to win the market, and they should consider innovation. The aim of the study is to explore the effects of innovation for LBS firm to gain success in China.Method: The main research method is case study. Jiepang as our case company is a LBS firm in China. And we interview two persons from different department, and one is its co-founder.Result & Conclusions: Innovative action and behavior must cover whole organization, all employees should be participant. In China, LBS is a rising industry, but LBS firms face to many threats from competitors and substitutes too. Thereby in order to survive in the market and gain success, innovation is a very important strategy for LBS firm, but not the unique method. Suggestions for future research: Open innovation process is becoming a hot topic currently, so how to innovate with customer or user, how to cooperate with them? And if the data collection can take from multi-cases, it would be make research result more convincing. Contribution of the thesis: In this study, we introduce and popularize a new industry, LBS in China. And we give a deeper understanding of the importance of innovation and how innovation can improve the competitiveness of the company in this industry.


【This review article provides the trend of current nursing curriculum of todays in Korea and its perspectives. This article reviewed 5 aspects of the current nursing curriculum for the undergraduate program, those are the (1)educational philosophy and believes (2)the nursing concepts revealed in the current nursing curriculum (3)the educational goals and objectives (4)the framework of nursing curriculum (5)the syllabus and credit hours. The common nursing concepts in the current nursing curriculum are Nursing, Human being, Environment/society, Health, Nursing science. The examplary vertical concepts composing of the current nursing curriculum are nursing process, life styles and the horizontal concepts are client, health promotion /recovery /maintenance, leadership, and research. The common subjects composing of the nursing syllabus are the introductory subjects(nursing history, nursing professionalism, foundamental nursing), and the supportive subjects (communication, human relationship, human growth and development, health education, etc) and nursing research, the intrductory basic sciences (anatomy, physiology etc.), and the major nursing subjects (adult nursing, child nursing, maternity nursing, psychiatric nursng, community nursing, nursing administration.) In order to have more advanced nursing education, the suggestions were provided as follows : (1) It is necessary to have revision and evaluation of the process and the structure of the current nursing curriculum periodically. (2) The concept of health promotion for all human being should be integrated into the nursing curriculum. (3) The nursing education program should be unified into baccalauliate level to get one type of nurse-registration system. (4) The nursing courses will need to provide the necessary contemporary Informations to allow the nurses to fuction efficiently in this rapidly changing era. (5) The use of new technology in nursing education is necessary to expand nursing education more.】


Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays important roles in cancerous transformation of epithelial cells in many solid cancers. Due to the pivotal role of EGFR in cellular proliferation and metastasis, it is a promising molecular target for the treatment of various cancers. One of the major treatment approaches uses anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeted to the extracellular domain of the receptor to competitively block the binding of its ligands. Cetuximab, necitumumab, nimotuzumab, and panitumumab are such approved mAbs which are commercially available and used to treat multiple types of cancers. The response rates to these expensive therapeutics in various cancers range from nearly 9% to 91%. Hence, the objective of this study was to indentify whether any of the missense single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the EGFR gene impart any structural and functional impact on the receptor's interaction with these antibodies. We used X-ray crystallographic structures (from Protein Data Bank) of the Fab fragments of these therapeutic antibodies in complex with EGFR to analyze the effects of the missense mutations on the antigen-antibody interactions. We also assessed the potential association of the destabilizing variants with pathogenicity and disease susceptibility. EGFR H433Q (rs1171743336), S464T (rs746763556), S492G (rs1057519760) and S492R (rs1057519860) variants appear to weaken interactions between EGFR and cetuximab, which is the most widely used anti-EGFR therapeutic antibody. Other epitopic variants do not appear to affect interactions between EGFR and relevant mAbs (necitumumab, nimotuzumab, and panitumumab). Prior to treatment of the EGFR mediated conditions with cetuximab, screening of variants that destabilize antibody-EGFR interaction may be considered as a companion diagnostic test for avoiding unresponsiveness and improving therapeutic outcomes.
Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 30(3 CSI): 393-403, 2022 (June)


Between 1997 and 2001, the proportion of specialists reporting more freedom to make clinical decisions that meet their patients' needs increased significantly, much more so than among primary care physicians (PCPs), according to a new study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). Specialists now are also more likely to believe they can make clinical decisions in the best interest of their patients without reducing their income and can maintain continuing relationships with their patients to promote high-quality care. In contrast, PCPs' views on these issues have changed little. These findings about physicians' perceptions are likely a reflection of recent changes in managed care. Responding to a strong consumer and physician backlash, health plans gave consumers a broader choice of physicians and eased restrictions on care in the late 1990s


The retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor α (RORα) is involved in the regulation of several physiological processes, including development, metabolism, and circadian rhythm. RORα-deficient mice display profound atherosclerosis, in which hypoalphalipoproteinemia is reportedly associated with decreased plasma levels of high-density lipoprotein, increased levels of inflammatory cytokines, and ischemia/reperfusion-induced damage. The recent characterization of endogenous ligands (including cholesterol, oxysterols, provitamin D3, and their derivatives), mediators, and initiation complexes associated with the transcriptional regulation of these orphan nuclear receptors has facilitated the development of synthetic ligands. These findings have also highlighted the potential of application of RORα as a therapeutic target for several diseases, including diabetes, dyslipidemia, and atherosclerosis. In this review, the current literature related to the structure and function of RORα, its genetic inter-individual differences, and its potential as a therapeutic target in atherosclerosis is discussed.


Transient energy supply remains one of the key challenges limiting the development of transient implantable medical devices for monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases within a predetermined time frame. A key feature of such devices is their controllable degradation during service life. An on-board transient energy supply with predictable performance over time is required to drive transient electronics. In this article, we present recent advances in the development of materials for biodegradable energy-storage devices (batteries and supercapacitors) and biodegradable energy-harvesting systems (enzymatic biofuel cells and triboelectric nanogenerators). Future perspectives, challenges, and opportunities related to energy materials for transient power sources will also be summarized.


OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to develop an etiological classification of congenital blepharoptosis among Egyptian children and also to differentiate between congenital blepharoptosis as an isolated anomaly or part of a syndrome. BACKGROUND: Blepharoptosis refers to dropping of the upper eyelid. The difference in the height of the fissures with the eyes in primary position signifies the amount of ptosis. Ptosis has traditionally been divided into congenital and acquired types. METHODS: Thirty six patients presenting with blepharoptosis (22 males and 14 females) were examined. All patients were subjected to thorough detailed personal and family history, three generation family pedigree construction, and detailed clinical examination with complete eye evaluation. Investigations such as cytogenetic studies, EEG, ECG, EMG, X-ray, and MRI were done needed. RESULTS: Patients were classified into 4 groups: I--simple congenital ptosis (28%), II--blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome (25%), III--congenital fibrosis of extraocular muscles (CFEOM) (14%), IV--ptosis associated with syndromes (33%). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical aspects of blepharoptosis are related to etiology. The ophthalmologist should be alert for the possibility of coexisting associated defects (ocular and systemic) in patients with blepharoptosis. Genetic evaluation of patients with blepharoptosis is important to allow accurate diagnosis and to permit appropriate counseling on potentially life-threatening health issues (Tab. 5, Fig. 4, Ref: 37).


The Air Force Research Laboratory led an experimental Round Robin with members of the Department of Defense and Department of Energy to validate capabilities to predict the response of electrical assemblies due to mechanical shock. Specifically, high-g shock that has peak accelerations in the 10,000–20,000 g range with durations of 0.1–0.5 ms. These accelerations were generated through the use of a Very High-G machine and a MTS Drop Tower. The test article contained an array of accelerometers placed on each of the four printed circuit boards within the unit. Input data was collected for the computational performers by mounting accelerometers to the top and bottom of a test fixture while simultaneously capturing the response of the item under test inside of the fixture. The input data was provided to the different performers, then the performers' prediction results of the test article's accelerometer data were compared to the experimental data. This paper will present the experimental techniques that were utilized for the MTS Drop Tower series, the input data, and a discussion of the evaluation metrics used for the comparison of the models to the experimental data.


We consider the problem of computing the complete answer to a query when there is limited access to relations, i.e., when binding patterns require values to be specified for certain attributes in order to retrieve data from a relation. This problem is common in information-integration systems, where heterogeneous sources have diverse and limited query capabilities. A query is stable if for any instance of the relations mentioned in the query, the complete answer to the query can be computed, using only the binding patterns permitted for queries at the various sources. We first study conjunctive queries, and we show that a conjunctive query is stable if and only if its minimal equivalent query Qm has an order of all the subgoals in Qm, such that each subgoal in the order can be queried with a legal binding pattern. We propose two algorithms for testing stability of conjunctive queries, and we prove this problem is NP-hard. For a nonstable conjunctive query, whether its complete answer can be computed is data dependent. We develop a decision tree that guides the query planning process to compute the complete answer to a conjunctive query, if it can be computed at all. We also study stability of unions of conjunctive queries, and conjunctive queries with arithmetic comparisons. In both cases we propose algorithms for testing stability of queries. Finally, we study Datalog queries, and prove that if a set of rules and a query goal have a feasible rule/goal graph, then the query is stable.


A cross-sectional epizootiologic study was conducted by mailed questionnaire to determine how the prevalence of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) related to selected predisposing causes. The prevalence of IBK in Missouri during the summer of 1978 was 4.97 cases/100 cattle, with 45% of respondents reporting cases of IBK. A higher prevalence of IBK was associated with calves and yearlings, Hereford and Hereford-cross cattle, backgrounding cattle operations, and herds with a history of IBK. Vaccination of mature cattle against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis was associated with significantly higher prevalence of IBK in calves. A significantly lower prevalence of IBK was associated with dairy cattle operations, older cattle, and the winter months. There was no association between the prevalence of IBK and locale, nutrient supplementation, pasture management, use of vaccines other than infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, parasite prophylactic measures, or fly control measures.


It is widely debated whether all tumor cells in mammary tumors have the same potential to propagate and maintain tumor growth or whether there is a hierarchical organization. Evidence for the latter theory is mainly based on the ability or failure of transplanted tumor cells to produce detectable tumors in mice with compromised immune systems; however, this assay has lately been disputed to accurately reflect cell behavior in unperturbed tumors. Lineage tracing experiments have recently shown the existence of a small population of cells, referred to as cancer stem cells (CSCs), that maintains and provides growth of squamous skin tumors and intestinal adenomas. However, the lineage tracing techniques used in these studies provide static images and lack the ability to study whether stem cell properties can be obtained or lost, a process referred to as stem cell plasticity. Here, by intravital lineage tracing, we report for the first time the existence of CSCs in unperturbed mammary tumors and demonstrate CSC plasticity. Our data indicate that existing CSCs disappear and new CSCs form during mammary tumor growth, illustrating the dynamic nature of these cells. STEM CELLS2013;31:602–606


Escherichia coli was grown in chemostat culture under glycerol-limited and ammonium-limited conditions at growth rates between 0.1 and 0.5 h-1. At steady state, the concentrations of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP and the activities of four constitutive enzymes (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, NADH oxidase and cyclic phosphodiesterase) were determined in the organism. Addition of exogenous cyclic AMP, cyclic GMP or phencyclidine perturbed the steady state and caused inhibition or stimulation of synthesis of phosphodiesterase and isocitrate dehydrogenase. A novel hypothesis is proposed to account for the ability of bacteria to regulate the synthesis of constitutive enzymes with cyclic nucleotides and possibly other small molecules.


A major question in animal ecology is explaining the causes of population fluctuations. Consensus about the most reliable method to detect density dependence (DD) or environmental effects from time-series data, however, has not yet been achieved. Times series analyses have been used with indices of relative abundance in numerous studies, although these indices are rarely validated. Here, we used three different time series of relative abundance (number of deer seen per hunter per day, hunting success and proportion of males in the harvest) to explore direct and delayed DD in a white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus population on Anticosti Island, Quebec, Canada. Three mathematical approaches were tested: linear models, autoregressive (AR) models, and total DD in life history. Tests of DD using different indices of abundance on the same population should lead to similar results if all indices exhibit similar behaviour. Indices of relative abundance correlated with each other, although sometimes weakly, such that we obtained similar DD estimates with each index using detrended non-stationary series. In most time series, linear regression of Nt−1 and Nt and AR models did not detect DD, while we obtained strong evidence for DD from the life-history approach. This meant that contrasting conclusions about the role of density dependence within this population were reached depending on which method was used. We conclude that the method that incorporates most biological realism, the life-history approach, provided a different result than classical interpretation of autoregressive coefficients. Only the life-history interpretation supported our a priori belief that density dependence operating through competition for food regulates the Anticosti deer population. Phenomenological analysis aiming to investigate changes in abundance should be carefully conducted as the use of inappropriate indices or methods could lead to inappropriate conclusions or management strategies. Preferably, the method used should match the time scale of the population sampling regime and species life history.


Although the role of several protooncogenes, including sis, myc, and myb in the regulation of growth and differentiation of vascular cells has been examined in some detail, limited information is available on the contribution of ras genes to these processes. In the present studies the influence of oncogenic ras transfection on the phenotypic expression of rat aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs) was examined. Cultured rat aortic SMCs during early passage (P4) were transfected by lipofection with c‐Ha‐rasEJ in a pSV2 neo vector or with pSV2 neo vector alone. Stable transfectants were selected in G418 over a 6‐week period. Oncogene‐transfected cells (ras‐LF‐1) exhibited differences in morphology and growth pattern relative to vector controls (neo‐LF‐1), or naive SMCs, including the development of prominent processes and the appearance of focal cellular arrangements giving rise to latticelike structures. Southern analysis revealed multiple integration of oncogenic ras in ras LF‐1 cells. Transfection of c‐Ha‐rasEJ was associated with a twofold increase in p21 levels relative to pSV2 vector controls demonstrating that exogenous ras was expressed in these cells. Overexpression of ras p21 afforded SMCs a lower serum requirement for growth compared to vector controls, anchor‐age independent growth on soft agar, and acquisition of epidermal growth factor (EGF) responsiveness. Stimulation of serum‐deprived SMCs with 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS) increased steady‐state levels of c‐Ha‐ras mRNA in both ras‐LF‐1 and neo‐LF‐1 but ras induction was more pronounced in ras‐transfected cells. α‐smooth muscle (SM) actin gene expression was markedly reduced in ras‐transfected cells relative to vector controls. These results show that transfection of c‐Ha‐rasEJ into aortic SMCs induces an altered phenotypic state characterized by alterations in growth factor‐related signal transduction and tumorigenic potential. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


This study, undertaken in the Kapikoy sand dune area of the southern Mediterranean coast in Turkey, determined the changes in soil quality along with consequent economical revenue following 35 years of acacia, eucalyptus, and stone pine plantations on a 4,900 ha sand dune site. Significant soil phosphate (190 kg/ha) and organic matter (approx. 4%) accumulation were determined in the zones of vegetation when compared to bare sand dunes within 35 years. Moreover, the local people's incomes from timber and stone pine nut production are increased, denoting a socio-economical improvement in the quality of life. Thus, the project appraised was successful not only for its positive effects on environmental parameters but also on socio-economic aspects. Lessons learned at Kapikoy set significant guidelines for recovering degraded marginal lands in the semi-arid Mediterranean coastal zone of Anatolia. Consequently, the outcomes of this study are expected to increase public awareness of the success of the aforestation projects with evident economic viability.


The transition economies of Eastern Europe, Central and East Asia face major challenges as they seek to compete within an increasingly globalised economy. For many of them, tourism is seen as providing one of the key areas of economic opportunity. This is certainly true of the three Asian countries considered in this paper, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Uzbekistan. Within any economy seeking to operate competitively in the international tourism marketplace, the appropriate human resources, especially the skills, to deliver products and services of appropriate quality, are essential. This paper reports a labour market and skills study of the three Asian countries, based on two surveys of the accommodation and wider tourism sub-sectors. It identifies the key structural features of these tourism labour markets and addresses current and predicted skills shortages with respect to each of them. The paper draws conclusions with respect to the key issues facing tourism in the three countries, specifically in terms of their labour markets and skills requirements.


Purpose: A pressure-assisted capillary zone electrophoresis method (pCE) was developed to determine the thermodynamic acidity constants (pKa) of phosphocreatine and rate constant of its hydrolysis reaction under acidic conditions.
Materials and Methods: Performed in an uncoated fused-silica capillary under separation voltage of 18 kV and 50 mbar of external pressure applied simultaneously.
Results: The running temperature was controlled at 25°C. The thermodynamic pKa values were calculated using the effective mobility (μeff) of the analyte against pH values of Background Electrolytes (BGEs) ranging from 1.7 to 12.1 with constant ionic strength of 25 mM. The hydrolysis kinetic studies under acidic conditions were conducted and the corresponding rate constants obtained with the pH range of between 2.0 to 7.0.
Conclusions: It could be found that the pCE method was convenient and more applicable to accurately determine the pKa values with degradant coexisted.


"All real life is encounter." This saying by Martin Buber is not only a challenge to us as social workers. Yesterday afternoon, while meeting with Irena Sendler, this remarkable 95 year old woman in her small but cozy and comfortable room in the frost-bitten capital of Poland, I understood Buber's words more than ever before. But let me go back a little.


The nature of Abraham Lincoln's religious beliefs is perhaps the most perplexing enigma of his legacy. Examining the relationship between Lincoln's religious language and antebellum political culture, Winger offers a new perspective on the Great Emancipator's thought. Lincoln's greatest speeches, Winger shows, articulate a romantic Protestant vision of American identity and destiny. A man who took ideas seriously, Lincoln conducted a decades-long dialogue with Stephen Douglas and George Bancroft about popular sovereignty and America's place in history. The Lincoln-Douglas debates were an almost theological argument about the ethics of slavery in a democracy, although they were carried out in the context of intense party politics and personal ambition. Throughout, Lincoln expressed an intellectually grounded piety that placed his beloved Union under the judgment of both history and God. The crisis of war transformed and deepened Lincoln's religious politics, and the Second Inaugural Address reveals a Lincoln brought to humility by his powerlessness before God's commanding will. Lincoln, Religion, and Romantic Cultural Politics presents a powerful vision of Lincoln, one that will challenge and intrigue everyone interested in this towering figure.


Smartphone technology is nascent compared to other technologies; however, it has shown an unprecedented uptake amongst lay consumers and professionals. This article presents the history, components, and key features of smartphones, as well as their related concepts and how they work, and it also delineates the process of smartphone applications (apps) development and publishing in the app stores. It also describes and discusses smartphone technology utilisation for health consumers, healthcare professionals, and health researchers, as well as the regulations of health-related apps.


PC based Flight Simulators (PC-FS) have been appeared as alternative training devices for pilot training to Enhanced Flight Simulators due to their low cost and absolute availability. Visuals presented in PC-FS are adequate for aircraft pilot training; this is not true for helicopter pilot training due to too low altitudes and speeds. Especially for hovering, increased visual quality is required because of extremely low altitude (3-15 feet) and small movements. In this project, two experiments were conducted by using simple PC-FS as a test platform and professional helicopter pilots as subjects in order to evaluate the effect of hyper texturing on hovering performance. Results have revealed that the level of texture resolution has no direct effect on hovering performance. Optimum texture resolution is dependent upon noticability, recognizability and size of the 2D objects presented by textured image.


Abstract Recent observations indicate that shell fragmentation can be a useful tool in assessing crushing predation in marine communities. However, criteria for recognizing shell breakage caused by durophagous predators versus physical factors are still not well established. Here, we provide data from tumbling and aquarium experiments to argue that physical and biotic processes lead to different patterns of shell damage, specifically that angular shell fragments are good indicators of durophagous predation. Using such angular shell fragments as a predation proxy, we analyze data from 57 European Paleozoic localities spanning the Ordovician through the Mississippian. Our results reveal a significant increase in angular shell fragments (either occurring as isolated valves or present in regurgitalites) in the Mississippian. The timing of this increase is coincident with the increased diversity of crushing predators as well as marked anti-predatory changes in the architecture and mode of life of invertebrate prey observed after the end-Devonian Hangenberg extinction (359 Ma). More specifically, the observed trend in shell fragmentation constitutes strong and independent confirmation of a recently suggested end-Devonian changeover in the primary method of fish predation from shearing to crushing. These results also highlight the important effect of extinction events, not only on taxonomic diversity, but also on the nature of predator-prey interactions.