Due to the sessile nature of plants, cell expansion and proliferation are the key developmental processes that drive plant growth. Regulation of these mechanisms enables plants to alter their growth rates in response to environmental and developmental stimuli. This is integrated and co-ordinated by diverse hormonal pathways. Gibberellins (GAs) are plant-specific hormones that promote growth and regulate various developmental processes by signalling the destruction of a class of nuclear-localised growth repressors known as DELLA proteins. Little is known about the link between GA and cell proliferation. In Arabidopsis thaliana, there are five DELLA proteins that act as co-transcriptional regulators with overlapping but distinct functions. Two DELLA proteins associated with negative regulation of the GA signalling pathway are GAI (gibberellin insensitive) and RGA (repressor of ga1-3). Our evidence suggests that GAI and RGA regulate the G1 to S phase of the plant cell cycle and are functionally different. GAI contains the LxCxE amino acid motif that putatively mediates binding to the RETINOBLASTOMA RELATED (RBR) protein, which prevents the G1-S transition. FRET-FLIM has revealed an in situ interaction between GAI and RBR, but not with RGA that contains a mutated motif. Furthermore, loss of RGA function reduces the effect of the cell cycle and CYCLIN DEPENDENT KINASE (CDK) inhibitor, KIP-RELATED PROTEIN2 on root growth whilst loss of GAI does not. Hence we suggest that the GAI-RBR complex represses cell proliferation and the GAI-RBR association might be under the control of CDK activity.


The purpose of this work is to center dance at the heart of Métis identity expressions, where reconnecting with who we are through dance is intimately grounded within an Indigenous understanding of restoring wellbeing. Exploring the experiences of four prominent Métis women allowed a space to celebrate the voice of dancers as they make sense of what it means to practice Métis dance within their lives. This research further focuses on the experiences of Métis dance as an understanding of Indigenous wellbeing. The lived experiences were collected and reviewed within an Indigenous research framework grounded in the Cree and Métis values of Mino-pimatisiwin (good life) and Wahkotowin (kinship) (Hart, 1999; Kelsey, 2008). Both concepts deeply inform the processes related to our reciprocal relationship to all things, living and non-living and further place emphasis on our shared responsibility to honour, respect and acknowledge Indigenous knowledge and its value to our communities. There were three findings that emerged from this study: Understanding Métis dance (1) as a restorative and relational praxis of self-knowing; 2) as intergenerational knowledge transfer; 3) as a site for growing cultural awareness and self esteem. The voices of the women celebrate Métis peoplehood through the restorative practice of dance and in doing so allow us to un-settle and re-center the notion of Métis identity and dispel the question of "authenticity" (Lawrence, 2003). These are our own personal stories to tell, and only we can rewrite them in a way that is beneficial and meaningful to us.


This paper focuses on the study of the losses in conductors and magnetic cores of a large air gap transformer dedicated to contactless energy transfer. It is composed of two E -shaped cores and two windings. In order to estimate the losses, homogenization method and three-dimensional finite-element method (3D-FEM) have been used. Indeed, the equivalent complex properties of the windings composed of Litz wire, and magnetic core in ferrite have been calculated from homogenization method. Then, they have been implemented in 3D-FEM simulations to compute copper and iron losses with accuracy and by considering working condition of the magnetic component. Theoretical approach is validated by experimental results for a prototype of 1.6 kW-100 kHz.


: Strawberry ( Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) is a favorite fruit of high economic value due to its good taste and high nutrition ingredients. Strawberry is a fruit grown around the world that has distinct genetic structures and indicates diverse levels of precision to different environmental circumstances. Plants respond differently to diverse physiological processes, organizing of biological events, control of hormones, different individuals of the same species, and internal and external factors in developmental stages. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) has become a very useful tool for the determination of plant genetic and physiological changes in gene expression. To obtain more securable gene expression outcomes, RT-qPCR data should be standardized with a control gene that shows homogeneous expression at diverse stages of growth in plants, in different organs, or under various environmental circumstances. We evaluated the gene expression of 8 reference genes, including StRefHISTH4, StRefGAPDH, StRefDBP, StRefActin1, UBQ, aTUB, 18SrRNA, and EF1a in different sets of 2 cultivars, four different organs, various fruit growing stages, and development period samples treated with salt. The genes expressions are greatly dissimilar in various organ samples examined. The expressions of StRefHISH4 and StRefActin 1 were very steady in all the different organs, fruits at various growth stages, and samples treated with salt analyzed. Furthermore, StRefHISH4 and StRefActin 1 showed the steadiest expression in plants cultivated under different development states. The expression of these reference (housekeeping) genes can be utilized for the standardization of real-time PCR outcomes for gene expression examination in many types of samples in strawberries.


Acoustic imaging is difficult to achieve in noisy and reverberant environments. Microphone arrays offer an effective approach to obtaining a clean recording of desired acoustic signals in these environments. In this paper, we have designed, implemented, and evaluated a 64-node microphone array system for acoustic imaging. We have applied a delay-and-sum beamforming algorithm for sound source amplification in a noisy environment, and have explored the uses of the array and beamformer by generating the sound intensity map to reconstruct the acoustic scene of interest. Our experimental results show a mean error of 1.1 degrees for sound source localization, and a mean error of 13.1 degrees for source separation. In addition, we also used the system to image seven different materials with audible sound, and obtained their reconstructed acoustic maps as well as frequency response curves, from which we are able to detect the differences between textures based on their acoustic response powers.


The Human Exploration and Development of Space Roadmap calls for Human Missions to Mars and other planets in the 2010 to 2023 timeframe. This paper describes a proposal written in response to the Announcement of Opportunity (A099-HEDS-01) for definition studies preparing for the human exploration of Mars. Specifically, the proposal addressed the call for the development of innovative instrument concepts aimed at studying soil, dust, and environmental interactions for 2005 Mission Opportunities. The objective of the proposed study was to determine the feasibility, under simulated Martian ambient conditions, of a suite of miniature instruments performing correlated measurements of sample surfaces. A novel Atmospheric Electron X-ray Spectrometer (AEXS), an optical microscope capable of producing low magnification images, an electrometer, and a fiber optic oxygen sensor fitted with a resistive heater comprised the proposed instrument suite.


This paper combines income and expenditure with time use data to provide a unique picture of the time paths of labour supplies, saving and full consumption for two-adult households over the life cycle. These data are used to test the life cycle model presented in the paper, at the core of which is the hypothesis that households face a borrowing interest rate that rises sharply with the amount of non collateral based borrowing. The household members jointly choose time paths of time use, consumption and saving over their life cycle in the face of this capital market imperfection. This model explains the data much better than does the alternative hypothesis of a perfect capital market. Finally, households are shown to differ significantly in their saving behaviour in a way that depends on secondary earner labour supply, with a strong positive association between saving and the secondary earner's income.


This paper investigates whether there has been a structural shift in inflation since a recovery began in the OECD economies. For policy purposes, it is important to be sure that such shifts are significant statistically, are likely to be sustained over the near future and be evenly distributed over the member economies so that no one of them is damaged by anti-inflation measures taken to help others. We approach the problem in two steps: first we examine the circumstantial and informal evidence, and then conduct formal statistical tests for structural changes in euro area inflation in 2015-2016. We find no evidence of a structural change. An even distribution of inflation criterion is the closest to being satisfied, but the other two are far from satisfied in any formal sense. The question remains: why has there been no inflation in the recovery since 2014? To answer that question, we demonstrate how low growth in real wages and self-reinforcing low productivity growth produces slow output growth and low inflation; and how low real wages and productivity in turn lead to low investment. This model fits the data well, down to the lack of labour and total factor productivity, and to the substitution of cheaper labour for excess capital stock. It implies a fall in investment spending (also seen in the data) that extends the period for which the low productivity-low inflation outcomes apply.


Cephalic Index also known as 'Cranial Index' or 'Index of Breadth' is one of the important parameters that help to differentiate human races. The cephalic index was first described by a Swedish anatomist, Anders Retzius (1796–1860) and was first used in physical anthropology in classifying ancient human remains of Europe. It is one such data obtained from skull which can aid in identification of a particular race or community, describe individual's appearances and estimating the age of foetuses for legal and obstetrical reasons. It is the ratio between the maximum breadth of the skull measured from the two parietal eminences and the maximum length of the skull between the glabella and the occiput. The three categories of cephalic index are Dolichocephalic (CI of 70–74.9), observed among the Aborigines and pure Aryans, Mesocephalic (CI of 75–79.9), characteristic of the Europeans and Chinese and Brachycephalic (CI of 80–84.9), observed in the Mongolian race [2].In our study we found that 48% of Assamese general population belong to mesocephalic head type with the mean cephalic index of 76.8, majority of 58% OBC had mesocephalic head type with mean cephalic index of 77.09, 55.56% scheduled caste and 42% of scheduled tribe had mesocephalic head type. The overall cephalic index of mesocephalic group was 76.71. A proper knowledge of the cephalic index would assist in forensic identification and investigation and aid the experts in medico-legal practice. Keywords: Cephalic Index, race, identification, ANOVA Cite this Article Jonathan Terang, Biswadeep Paul. A Statistical Analysis of Cephalic Index of the Different Communities of Assam Brought for Autopsy at Department of Forensic Medicine, Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Toxicology . 2018; 8(2): 31–37p.


This study aims to create a hybrid learning model, and Linguistics course instructional materials to improve students' language knowledge, theories, and skills, particularly in the English department. A research design and development process were used to construct the learning model and instructional materials. This research entails a lengthy process of determining the needs of students and developing Linguistics products or course material to improve students' capacity or skills in learning language through hybrid learning using a Moodle platform (e-learning). The participants in this study are English department students from Faculty of Languages and Literature, Universitas Negeri Makassar. The students in the English Education and Literature department served as the study's sample. The study's findings revealed a hint of a hybrid learning model based on Moodle e-learning, syllabus, Linguistics course design instructional material, and student's worksheet activities or exercises. The creation of a Moodle-based hybrid learning model in the Linguistics course, which includes learning procedures and steps, teaching materials, and assessment of learning outcomes, is intended to improve student learning abilities, particularly in the English Department, which includes aspects of knowledge, attitudes, and skills under today's curriculum demands. The Linguistics course's teaching materials were built on a Moodle-based hybrid learning paradigm that adheres to active, interactive, and communicative learning concepts. In this learning, active, creative, and communicative learning strategies and techniques and flexible learning strategies and methods are extremely conceivable.


This study aims to compare the performance of different small sample equating methods in the presence and absence of differential item functioning (DIF) in common items. In this research, Tucker linear equating, Levine linear equating, unsmoothed and presmoothed (C=4) chained equipercentile equating, and simplified circle arc equating methods were considered. The data used in this study is 8th-grade mathematics test item responses which obtained from Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2015 Turkey sample. Item responses from Booklet-1 (N=199) and Booklet-14 (N=224) are chosen for this study. Data analyses were completed in four steps. In the first step, assumptions for DIF detection and test equating methods were checked. In the second step, DIF analyses were conducted with Mantel Haenszel and logistic regression methods. In the third step, Booklet 1 was chosen as base form and Booklet 14 chosen as a new form, then test equating was conducted under common item nonequivalent groups design. Test equating was done in two phases: the presence and absence of DIF items in the common items. Equating results were evaluated based on standard error of equating (se), bias and RMSE indexes. DIF analyses showed that there were two sizeable DIF items in anchor test. Equating results showed that performances of equating methods are similar in presence and absence of DIF items from anchor test and there is no notable change in se, bias and RMSE values. While the circle arc equating method outperformed other equating methods based on se, 4-moment presmoothed chained equipercentile equating method outperformed other methods based on bias and RMSE evaluation criteria.


The continuing difficulty of integrating Muslims, especially immigrants, into the European nations, has led many ruling political leaders to question the merits of multiculturalism and simultaneously to promote integration through the strengthening and inculcation in the Muslim of a more general set of political values. This thesis aims to examine how these national debates are interconnected and how they attempt to frame a common discourse on integration of Muslims.

In order to analyse this debate, I have selected three national debates in France, Germany and the UK and applied a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) in order to compare similarities and the degree of convergence within the European public sphere. The analysis has sought to identify convergence by looking into the shared strategies of discourse through which civic integration is articulated, depending on the cultural and political particularities of each national context.

The most significant finding to emerge from this study is that Muslims are asked to accept integration with their host countries, through a normative construction of collective identity that cuts across the different national discourses of Europe. These discursive constructions are based on similar definitions of the national values that belong to the European identity and, perhaps more crucially, those that do not belong. Accordingly, the normative and cultural assumptions that underlie various national discourses on civic integration are, in fact, based on European universalism, redefined at the national level.

At the same time, this debate on integration systematically excludes the important economic and social problems of Muslim newcomers. Specifically, the discourse on civic integration avoids reference to any welfare program that attempts to produce economic security and social solidarity; Muslims become exclusively responsible for their own integration and civic integration is reduced to only their ability to internalise dominant values.


One of the main issues in precision engineering is the lack of deep understanding of the pre-sliding behavior at the interface of mating surfaces of positioning mechanisms. In addition to the mechanical properties of the contacting bodies, their surface topography plays a key role in the pre-sliding regime and has a great impact on the frictional stiffness. This paper experimentally evaluates a boundary element method (BEM) model for the pre-sliding behavior at the interface of a smooth silicon wafer and a rough polymeric ball. The polymeric ball is either high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or polyoxymethylene (POM). The experiments are conducted at three different normal loads on five different spots on the wafer. The sliding stroke and coefficient of friction are extracted from experiments to be implemented as inputs to the numerical model. The roughness of the balls is also another input. The numerical and experimental friction hysteresis loops are compared. There is a small difference in the predicted pre-sliding distance from the experiments. The lateral stiffness, calculated at three different points on the pre-sliding regime of friction hysteresis loops, is compared with the Mindlin's solution and experimental values for both contact interfaces and normal loads.


Photonic crystals have a photonic band gap (PBG) in which light propagation and emission is prohibited. In particular, three-dimensional (3D) photonic crystals have a complete PBG in all directions, which might allow the complete control of light emission and propagation in devices. Here, we report the first demonstration of light propagation in a 3D photonic-crystal waveguide at optical communication wavelengths. A line defect is introduced into a 3D photonic crystal composed of nine stacked layers, having a complete PBG in the 1.55μm wavelength region. Light incident on the waveguide edge successfully propagates along the line-defect waveguide. The propagation characteristics agree with the calculated photonic band diagram of the structure. The calculated results indicate that lossless propagation becomes possible by increasing the number of layers in the device. These results are an important step toward the realization of multifunctional 3D photonic chips integrated within a small region.


The disruption of normal mitosis by histone deacetylase inhibitors is a significant contributor to the anticancer effects of these drugs. However, the mechanism by which these drugs affect mitosis is poorly understood. A number of recent papers have now thrown considerable light onto how these drugs elicit this very distinctive cell cycle disruption.


Abstract for the 7th World Congress on Aging and Physical Activity: Active aging: Focus on Longevity and Physical Activity Japan 26-29 July 2008.


Aims: To analyse the correlation between serum human beta-defensin-2 (hBD-2) levels and response to JAK inhibitor in psoriasis. Methods: We evaluated the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) and serum hBD-2 levels of 18 psoriasis patients randomized to receive placebo or tofacitinib 5 or 10 mg b.i.d. at baseline, week 8, and week 16. Serum hBD-2 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The PASI achieved a dramatic reduction after tofacitinib 5 or 10 mg b.i.d. treatment for 16 weeks (p < 0.05). Serum hBD-2 levels significantly decreased in patients treated with tofacitinib 10 mg b.i.d. compared with baseline and the placebo-treated patients (p < 0.05). A significant correlation was found between hBD-2 levels and PASI (r = 0.52, p < 0.01). A serum hBD-2 level of 1,255.45 pg/mL was a cut-off between mild and moderate-to-severe psoriasis in ROC analysis. Conclusions: Serum hBD-2 level might be a possible biomarker for monitoring psoriasis treatment response and differentiating mild from moderate-to-severe psoriasis.


The reutilization of waste plastics as a fuel in the cement kiln precalciner process was investigated. For uniform feeding into the fluidized bed calciner, waste plastics were prepared to form of pellet type by shredding, melting, pressing, cutting and screening. We examine the property of combustion for different pellet size using the Computational Fluid Dynamic analysis program to minimize a risk and to optimize condition of an actual proof plant. Based on the results from the computational fluid dynamic analysis, the waste plastic for the industrial scale experiment were used as 20mm, 50mm and 100mm in size. The experimental result of an actual proof plant showed comparatively good correlation with the computational fluid dynamic analysis.


Drug-eluting stents (DES) have become indispensable in the treatment of coronary artery disease. These coronary implants are constantly being improved to optimize safety and efficacy of treatment. Second-generation and newer-generation DES with durable polymers have shown excellent outcomes in terms of safety and efficacy both at short-term and long-term follow-up. With the improvements of stents and the overall relatively low rates of adverse events, it is becoming increasingly difficult to demonstrate a benefit of stent refinement. Therefore, it may be of interest to focus the assessment on high-risk patients or patients with complex lesions. High-risk patients can be defined according to previous studies and were shown to have increased rates of adverse clinical events. No difference in clinical outcome was observed following treatment of bifurcated versus non-bifurcated target lesions; however patients with a history of coronary bypass surgery, patients treated for at least one lesion in a small vessel (<2.50 mm), and patients with at least one severely calcified target lesion had significant higher adverse event rates than patients without these complex lesion characteristics. It may be valuable to investigate the potential benefits of stent refinements in subgroups of selected high-risk patients. In parallel with the refinement of durable polymer coated DES, stents with biodegradable coatings were developed. The absence of loss of 1-year safety and efficacy with the use of biodegradable polymer-coated DES is a prerequisite before assessing their potential longer-term benefits. The latest technical development is a bioresorbable vascular scaffold that aims at providing only a finite period of vascular support after device implantation. Based on data of our meta-analysis, the use of current-generation bioresorbable scaffolds should preferably be limited to clinical studies


Evacuation modeling and analysis are concerned primarily with identifying the types of traffic movements associated with a disaster evacuation, as well as the estimation of evacuation and clearance times. Thus, an efficient evacuation planning model is important in determining evacuation times, identifying critical locations in the transportation network, and assessing traffic operations strategies and evacuation policies. In this paper various scenarios, including a hurricane, a toxic chemical leak, dirty bombs, and a nuclear event, are studied to understand the evacuation and highway network effects of the evacuating population. Unlike corridor studies or bottleneck studies found in the literature, a network model with equilibrium assignment is used. The scenarios are tested with a case study of Northern New Jersey, modeled with the North Jersey Regional Transportation Model–Enhanced, a large-scale travel demand model of the region. The results presented in this paper focus on the effect of several assumptions and input data on the evacuation estimates, giving planners an idea of the necessary considerations for evacuation planning with a modeling context. The experience with this study shows that regional planning models are suitable tools to model evacuation; however, the modeler must be careful in their use. Multiple methodologies can be used, and assumptions, such as time of day, notice or no-notice, passengers per car, and background traffic in the network, have wide-ranging effects.


The winter of 2009-2010 in the Washington D.C. area will likely be remembered by many area residents as the snowiest in their lifetimes. A rare combination of a weak-to-moderate El Nino (wet) and a very persistent negative North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) (cold) brought a potent combination of sub-tropical moisture and cold air together over the mid-Atlantic states including the nation's capital, resulting in an unprecedented number of major snowstorms and total snowfall. The extreme winter snowfalls during the most intense periods of the winter earned the winter the nickname "Snowmageddon". The largest snowfalls occurred to the north of the Capital and west and northwest of Baltimore in north-central Maryland. An analysis of historical snowfall reports for the Washington D.C. metropolitan area suggests Snowmageddon's snowfalls were unprecedented in number and amount since historical reports are available beginning in early colonial times in the early 1600's.


This study was carried out to reveal microbial contaminants on some selected ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables (eggplant, apple, tiger nut, bitter kola, cola nut, date and carrot) vended at motor parks, busy roads and local markets in Akure and Ado Ekiti metropolis (South Western Nigeria). It also evaluated the effectiveness of polyethylene packaging in controlling microbial contamination of these foods using product shelf life indices as criteria. Bacteria contaminants were isolated from samples and characterized using standard microbiological methods. Samples were also disinfected and stored in 1, 4, 7, 10 and 13 µm thick polyethylene bags at 29°C and 84% RH for 10 days. Result showed that cola nut, carrot, eggplants and tiger nut sold at all wholesale and retail points studied (100%) were contaminated. Apple and bitter kola at wholesale points were however free of microbial contaminants as was also observed for apple at two of its retail points (20%) and bitter kola at only one of the ten retail points studied (10%). Staphylococcus spp. was the most frequently isolated, followed by Klebsiela spp., others include Proteus, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Serratia and Streptococcus species. Storage of bitter kola, eggplant and date in 7, 10 and 13 µm thick polyethylene films extended shelf life for ten days in ambient temperature of the tropics, while 1 and 4 µm were best for carrot under the same condition. Contrariwise, cola nuts stored in the different polyethylene thicknesses studied became discoloured during storage. Packaging of bitter kola, eggplant, date and carrot in polyethylene prevented microbial contamination and extended shelf life during retailing.

 Key words: Ready-to-eat, microbial contaminants, polyethylene bags, storage.


OBJECTIVE
Increased levels of homocysteine and C-reactive protein (CRP) are considered as independent risk factors for atherosclerosis. As the level of these factors is affected by sex hormones, a population-based assessment of their changes following oral contraceptive therapy is needed to avoid the side effects that might arise of these variations. To this aim, the present study was to investigate the effect of combined oral contraceptive (OCP) on CRP and homocysteine levels among young healthy women.

METHODS
We conducted an observational cross-sectional analysis of 90 healthy, non-obese women (mean age 25 years and body-mass index 22 kg/m2). Forty-five healthy women on OCP and 45 healthy controls were studied for CRP and homocysteine levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Unpaired t test and Chi-square test were used for comparison of variables between oral contraceptive users and non-oral contraceptive users.

RESULTS
The results showed that the homocysteine (13.268±3.475 vs. 7.288±2.621 µmol/L) and CRP (5863.0±1349.5 vs. 1138.3±691.12 ng/ml) levels were significantly higher in women receiving OCP in comparison with the control group (p=0.027 and p<0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION
The alteration in homocysteine and CRP levels could be attributed to the OCP suggesting that use of these pills should be reviewed in women with increased risk of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular risk factors.


Considerable researches worldwide have noted the importance of creating conducive learning environments that optimize student learning. Ideally, any educational program or policy hopes to bring out the best out of every student. In any process of learning it involves the teacher, the learner, the course material and methods of teaching. Nevertheless, of all these factors the learner takes the most important role. In other words for any student who wants to be successful in the learning process he needs to take charge of his own learning. Therefore, it is important for teachers to realize that there is a need to implement the cultures of learning where students' learning is maximized. Teachers' goal should be extend educational experiences beyond what students will encounter in regular classroom while allowing the individual to pursue areas of learning, which are of intense interest to him or her to become a life-long learner. Autonomy and independence are term used interchangeably to imply that students take a greater degree of control over the content and methods of learning than is usual in classroom learning contexts.


Abstract Background: Spinal instrumentation and fusion surgery presents the anaesthesiologist with multiple issues like intraoperative blood loss, hemodynamic changes, prolonged surgery etc, but the most probing aspect is analgesia. While both ketamine and dexmedetomidine as adjuvants have shown to decrease intraoperative anaesthetics and post operative analgesic consumption but there are no comparative studies. The primary aim of this study was comparison of post-operative analgesic requirements for 1st 24 hours after surgery when either of the drugs was used as adjuvants. Methods: Adult patients aged 18-60 years, of either sex, and ASA status I or II scheduled for elective lumbar spine instrumentation (of 2 or more spinal levels) surgery were enrolled for the study. Patients were randomised into one of the 3 treatment regimens ketamine/group K (0.5mg/kg bolus followed by 250 mcg/kg/h infusion), dexmedetomidine/ group D (0.5mcg/kg bolus followed by 0.5 mcg/kg/h infusion) or the placebo/ group S (saline/placebo). The study drugs were started after turning the patient prone. Data were recorded for intraoperative hemodynamics, anesthetic consumption (inhalational agent and opioids), emergence through RAS scale (Riker sedation agitation scale), PCA (patient controlled analgesia)-fentanyl use and VAS (visual analog scale) score in the 1st 24 hours after surgery. Appropriate statistical analysis was done. Results: A total of 42 patients (14 in each group) were enrolled. The total PCA fentanyl consumed in first 24 hours of surgery was maximum with the group-S (1366.6±382.6 mcg) in compared with group- D (1035.4±391.8 mcg) and group- K (1164.9±503.6 mcg) (P=0.13). The post extubation RAS score was lower in group-K (3.7±0.6) when compared with group-D (4±0.4) and group-S (4.5±0.9) (P=.009). Total intraoperative sevoflurane and fentanyl consumption showed no difference (P=0.19 and P=0.28). VAS score at rest was higher at baseline with group-S (P=0.009). The ICU stay was comparable (group-D: 1.4±0.5 d, group-K: 1.5±0.5 d, group-S: 1.9±0.5 d) among the groups. Hospital stay was also comparable (P=0.09). Conclusion: In patients undergoing lumbar instrumentation surgery, opioid consumption, VAS scores, PCA pump bad demands, inhalational agent consumption, hospital stay were comparable when either ketamine or dexmedetomidine was used as intraoperative anesthetic adjuvants.


The 600 m long accelerator and beam transport of the European Spallation Source requires precise phase synchronization of LLRF and Beam Diagnostics systems. Accelerator subsystems are operating at frequencies of 352 MHz and 704 MHz. The required phase accuracy at both frequencies is 0.1° for short term (during 3.5 ms pulse), 0.1° for long term between adjacent outputs and 2.0° for long term (hours to days) between any two points. The main part of the phase reference distribution system is a Phase Reference Line (PRL), which is a fully passive system based on a single 1–5/8" coaxial rigid line placed along the tunnel. The PRL was designed to distribute both reference frequencies from a Master Oscillator to 56 tap points in the tunnel. Each tap point has several (3 or 6) signal outputs. The total length of the PRL is around 580 meters and the total number of signal outputs equals 294. To achieve the best drift performance and fulfill ESS synchronization requirements, the PRL will be equipped with temperature stabilization system (+/-0.1 oC) and with an internal gas pressure stabilization system. This paper covers the concept of the PRL, technical assumptions, components selection considerations, general modeling results and initial tests of the ESS PRL prototype.


Purpose As a result of various independently proposed nomenclatures and classifications, there is confusion in the diagnosis and prediction of biological behavior of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). A comprehensive nationwide study is needed in order to understand the biological characteristics of GEP-NETs in Korea. Materials and Methods We collected 4,951 pathology reports from 29 hospitals in Korea between 2000 and 2009. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to determine the prognostic significance of clinicopathological parameters. Results Although the GEP-NET is a relatively rare tumor in Korea, its incidence has increased during the last decade, with the most significant increase found in the rectum. The 10-year survival rate for well-differentiated endocrine tumor was 92.89%, in contrast to 85.74% in well differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma and 34.59% in poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma. Disease related death was most common in the biliary tract (62.2%) and very rare in the rectum (5.2%). In Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, tumor location, histological classification, extent, size, mitosis, Ki-67 labeling index, synaptophysin expression, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, and lymph node metastasis showed prognostic significance (p<0.05), however, chromogranin expression did not (p=0.148). The 2000 and 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) classification proposals were useful for prediction of the prognosis of GEP-NET. Conclusion The incidence of GEP-NET in Korea has shown a remarkable increase during the last decade, however, the distribution of tumors in the digestive system differs from that of western reports. Assessment of pathological parameters, including immunostaining, is crucial in understanding biological behavior of the tumor as well as predicting prognosis of patients with GEP-NET.


The first water-tolerant, ketone-type indium homoenolate was synthesized via the oxidative addition of In/InCl(3) to enones. The reaction proceeds exclusively in aqueous media. Both indium and indium(III) chloride are necessary for the smooth conversion of the reaction. Similar results were obtained when InCl or InCl(2) was used in place of In/InCl(3). The synthetic utility of the indium homoenolate was demonstrated through the synthesis of 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds via palladium-catalyzed coupling of indium homoenolate with acid chloride.


Fireside corrosion management in energy-from-waste (EfW) boilers is the leading cost of boiler maintenance. The combustion of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) processed from municipal solid waste in a boiler for power generation produces a very corrosive environment for boiler tube materials. Water wall corrosion has been greatly reduced by the use of Alloy 625 overlay in the highest corrosion areas. This paper will describe the progression of water wall corrosion up the boiler walls and novel attempts to reduce this problem. This paper presents an updated case study conducted at the Great River Energy plant in Elk River, MN from 2003–2009 on corrosion management. Areas to be addressed are protection of exposed carbon steel water wall tubes, management of Alloy 625 weld overlay on the water walls and corrosion in the high temperature superheat sections. Methods for testing and maintaining the corrosion resistant Alloy 625 cladding are reviewed. High temperature superheat material selection and shielding are reviewed with information leading to a cost effective solution that requires superheat replacement every three years with very few tube failures between replacements.© 2010 ASME


The power performance of small wind turbines (SWTs) in a building-obstructed wind-flow area faces significant challenges such as highly turbulent wind flow, low wind speed, etc., that can affect the wind power utilization. Therefore, it is necessary to ascertain the power performance in such areas before installing SWTs by using processes that are simple, reliable, and economical to reduce the invested cost and time. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques is one such process. In this study, three rotational 5-kW horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs), WT1, WT2 and WT3 which are located in the Defense Energy Training Center (DETC) in Rayong Province, Thailand, are studied to explore the influence of the wind-flow on them. The objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the HAWTs' power performance as the wind flows across the obstructive buildings in the DETC from two directions, namely the north-east (NE) and the south-west (SW), by using a CFD k-e turbulence model and to validate the model with the data measured on the site with free spinning rotor condition as the wind flows from the SW. From the results of the CFD simulation, which were compared with the results from the WT0 (a wind turbine without obstruction, at an incoming wind speed of 4.5 m/s), it was found  that as the wind flowed from the NE, the free spinning rotating of WT1–WT3 increased by 39.12%, 26.47%, and 28.53% respectively. As wind flowed from the SW, the free spinning rotating of WT1 and WT2 increased by 7.73%, and 5.68%, respectively, while, the free spinning rotating of WT3 decreased by 7.50%. Hence, when the wind flows from different directions, the free spinning rotating of the WT1–WT3 from the NE are higher than the wind flowed from the SW by 31.39%, 20.79%, and 36.03%, respectively. From the results of the site measurement as the wind flows from the SW, it is observed that at an incoming wind speed of 4.5 m/s, the free spinning rotating of  WT1 > WT3 > WT2, while from the CFD analysis, the free spinning rotating of WT1 > WT2 > WT3. Consequently, this study investigated that the wind flow in such area causes both increased and decreased power performance of the SWTs.


The year 2015 featured real and metaphorical battles in South Korea: face-offs between the executive and the legislature saw President Park Geun-hye duel with the non-Park faction in the ruling Saenuri Party and fend off the opposition, whose alliance struggled with infighting and subsequent fractures. The government waged war against a health epidemic and exchanged artillery fire with North Korea at the Demilitarized Zone. The by-elections in April 2015 augur the political stage for pending elections in 2016 and 2017.


The finger millet popularly known as Ragi in India is the important millet grown widely in various part of India, Asia, and Africa. In India, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Uttarakhand are the leading Ragi growing states. However, finger millet has approx. (6-8) mg/100mg of protein, (70-74) mg/100mg carbohydrate, (300-320) mg/100mg of calcium, (3.6-5.4) mg/100mg and (1-2) mg/100mg of fat [1]. Therefore, finger millet is the richest source of the calcium and iron. Deficiency of the calcium leads to bone and teeth disorder, and deficiency of the iron leads to Anaemia in the body. It can be controlled by using finger millet in our daily diet. Thus, Ragi is a leading source of good diet for children, old age peoples, and patients. It is also an ideal food for diabetic persons due to its low content of sugar and slow release of glucose in the body [2]. Additionally, Ragi has massive health benefits and also a good source of valuable micro-nutrients along with major food components. In this research, the study was conducted to determine the chemical composition, texture, flavor, and color appearance of the noodles and papads respectively. However, it was observed that noodles and papads prepared with 30% finger millet (Ragi) were nutritionally enriched and highly acceptable.


Purpose: To investigate the effects of very low-frequency whole body vibration (WBV) stimulation using PC12 m3 cells.
Methods: Mutant, drug-hypersensitive, PC12 m3 cells were obtained by means of continuous culture of neural PC12 cells and then stimulated by low-frequency vibration at frequencies of 7–13 Hz for 5–20 min with simultaneous exposure to nerve growth factor (NGF).
Results: The frequency of neurite outgrowth by PC12 m3 cells induced by 7-Hz vibratory stimulation was approximately 3-fold greater than that induced by NGF alone. Moreover, activated cyclic-AMP responsive element (CRE)-binding protein (CREB) expression was induced in PC12 m3 cells stimulated by 7-Hz vibration.
Conclusion: Low-frequency vibratory stimulation induces neurite outgrowth via a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/CREB signaling pathway in PC12 m3 cells. Together, these results suggest that WBV is an efficient method to stimulate neurite growth.


String theory contains solutions with SL (2 , R ) R × U (1) L -invariant warped AdS 3 (WAdS 3 ) factors arising as continuous deformations of ordinary AdS 3 factors. We propose that some of these are holographically dual to the IR limits of nonlocal dipole-deformed 2D D-brane gauge theories, referred to as "dipole CFTs". Neither the bulk nor boundary theories are currently well-understood, and consequences of the proposed duality for both sides is investigated. The bulk entropy-area law suggests that dipole CFTs have (at large N) a high-energy density of states which does not depend on the deformation parameter. Putting the boundary theory on a spatial circle leads to closed timelike curves in the bulk, suggesting a relation of the latter to dipole-type nonlocality.


The rate of death in a curable disease, when diagnosed early, has prompted specialists to try to improve diagnosis, improve treatment, understand pathogenic mechanisms or genetic determinations, hoping to improve survival and quality of life for patients. All these involve a complex team consisting of family doctor, gastroenterologist, anatomo-pathologist radiologist, surgeon, oncologist, radiotherapist, and palliative care specialist. The presence of a family physician in this team involves primary prevention, early diagnosis, patient follow-up at all stages of treatment, as well as palliative care.


Motile cilia protrude from cell surfaces and are necessary to create movement of cells and fluids in the body. At the molecular level, cilia contain several dynein molecular motor complexes including outer dynein arms (ODAs) that are attached periodically to the ciliary axoneme, where they hydrolyse ATP to create the force required for bending and motility of the cilium. ODAs are preassembled in the cytoplasm and subsequently trafficked into the cilium by the intraflagellar transport (IFT) system. In the case of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the adaptor protein ODA16 binds to ODAs and directly to the IFT complex component IFT46 to facilitate the ciliary import of ODAs. Here, we purified recombinant human IFT46 and ODA16, determined the high‐resolution crystal structure of the ODA16 protein, and carried out direct interaction studies of IFT46 and ODA16. The human ODA16 C‐terminal 320 residues adopt the fold of an eight‐bladed β‐propeller with high overall structural similarity to the Chlamydomonas ODA16. However, the small 80 residue N‐terminal domain, which in Chlamydomonas ODA16 is located on top of the β‐propeller and is required to form the binding cleft for IFT46, has no visible electron density in case of the human ODA16 structure. Furthermore, size exclusion chromatography and pull‐down experiments failed to detect a direct interaction between human ODA16 and IFT46. These data suggest that additional factors may be required for the ciliary import of ODAs in human cells with motile cilia.


Current developments in society requires increasing information on products at batch level. This holds especially true for the food industry. To be able to meet such requirements, data on the origin of products are an important factor, frequently including details of production conditions in preceding echelons. This paper discusses how code numbers, batches and particularly labels in multi-echelon supply chains can be applied to manage the enormous amount of detailed data which are vital to these usually complex supply chains. The research shows that the concept of labels is much more applicable than commonly understood. First, it enables efficient aggregation of data in complex supply networks. This is important to delimit the start and end of a network and in taking dynamic changes into account. Second, labels add value to the product. In business this concept is already known, e.g. as brand (Champagne, Parma ham) or as quality characteristics (environmentally kind, animal friendly). In information systems, however, application of the concept of a label is only marginally used. This puts too much emphasis on product data at batch level and it is a missed opportunity to contribute to a sound basis for guaranteed product quality.


I see from our programme that I am due to end our session with 'concluding remarks'. In view of the lateness of the hour, and of the meaty contributions which I at any rate have still to digest, I am sure you will prefer me 'to conclude' rather than 'to remark'. However, I think you might like to hear a remark of Pauli at the time he postulated the existence of the neutrino. It shows in a graphic way just how far experimental techniques have advanced over the past thirty years. I had the story from Walter Baade the astronomer, a close friend of Pauli. The friendship started in a curious way. In the nineteen-twenties Julius Springer was bringing out the now-famous edition of the Handbuch. Neither Einstein nor Sommerfeld wanted to write the article on Relativity, but Sommerfeld announced he had found just the right man for the job. In fact he, Sommerfeld, wrote to the Director of the Hamburg Observatory asking if the man in question-a certain Wolfgang Pauli-could spend the summer writing the article in Hamburg. Baade, a junior assistant, was detailed to meet Pauli's train. Very naturally, Baade expected to receive an august personage-after all this was the man who was to take on what neither Sommerfeld nor Einstein himself would do-so he rolled up for the assignment dressed formally in his only suit. Nothing remotely like an august personage appeared, so Baade tried several tolerably staid travellers, but to no avail. At last, Baade was reduced to approaching a youth in shorts. Success-Pauli !


In this issue of CLINICS, we wish to highlight a project in which Erbayrak et al. investigated the role of Fecal Calprotectin in evaluating inflammatory bowel disease activity of 65 affected patients versus 20 outpatients as controls. Fecal Calprotectin was found to be is strongly associated with colorectal inflammation indicating organic disease, while all the patients in the control group had a fecal calprotectin value lower than the cut-off point (50 mg/kg). Because Fecal Calprotectin is a simple and non-invasive method for assessing excretion of macrophages into the gut lumen they claim that it can be used to evaluate the response to treatment, to screen asymptomatic patients, and to predict inflammatory bowel disease relapses.

Correia-Deur et al. documented the phenotypes observed in 26 patients with apparent s-medullary thyroid carcinoma cases to attempt to improve earlier diagnoses of this type of carcinoma. Clinical data was reviewed and peripheral blood was collected and screened for RET germline mutations. Calcitonin levels were increased in all cases. After total thyroidectomy associated with extensive cervical lymph node resection, calcitonin values remained low for at least 12 months in eight of the cases (30.8%). Routine thyroid cytology yielded disappointing diagnostic accuracy (46.7%). None of the 26 cases presented germline mutations in the classical hotspots of the RET proto-oncogene. They conclude that cases were identified late. The basal calcitonin measurements and immunostaining for calcitonin were highly useful for diagnosing s-medullary thyroid carcinoma. The rate of complete patient recovery was low, and none of the parameters analyzed were useful predictors of the thyroid tumor size. Our findings support previous recommendations for routine serum calcitonin evaluation and immunostaining analysis involving single thyroid nodules.

Iglezias et al. determined the degree of risk produced by the association of other surgical procedures with surgical myocardial revascularization in octogenarian patients and identified the risk factors that best explain hospital mortality. Patients were stratified into revascularized with and without associated procedures. They conclude that a procedure associated with the surgical myocardial revascularization produces an absolute increase in hospital mortality risk of 45%. Variables that contributed to hospital mortality were preoperative endocarditis, preoperative cardiogenic shock, the use of extracorporeal circulation, the length of time of extracorporeal circulation, postoperative creatinine level, and postoperative need for prolonged respiratory support.

De Oliveira et al. evaluated 60 patients treated for idiopathic chronic testicular pain. Priority was to give clinical treatment, which evolved from simple to more complex measures. Microsurgical treatment was performed on those who experienced no considerable pain relief (10 individuals in our study). They found that over a twenty-four-month follow-up period, 70% of patients showed complete remission and 20% exhibited partial relief from pain.

Bitencourt et al. report on the applications of radioguided surgery in five oncological cases (excluding those related to breast cancer). This has been widely used to identify the sentinel lymph node and occult lesions in patients with breast cancer. However, few studies have reported the use of this technique for non-breast cancer pathologies. The patients presented with recurrence of renal cell carcinoma, cervical recurrence of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid, recurrence of retroperitoneal sarcoma, lesions of the popliteal fossa, and recurrence of rhabdomyosarcoma of a thigh. In each case, the lesions that were marked preoperatively were ultimately successfully excised. They conclude that the procedure allows for more conservative excisions and reduces the surgery-related morbidity.

Rieder et al. investigated the the feasibility and the cardiorespiratory effects of using positive expiratory airway pressure, a physiotherapeutic tool, in comparison with a T-tube, to wean patients from mechanical ventilation. The two procedures were tested in forty patients who met weaning criteria and had been mechanically-ventilated for more than 48 hours, mean age 59 years, including 23 males. They claim that weaning patients from mechanical ventilation with the use of a fixed level of Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure caused an increase in work of breathing that was not accompanied by any other significant cardiorespiratory changes, and suggest that caution must be exercised when using Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure during weaning from mechanical ventilation.

Vaisbich et al. endeavored to characterize clinical, laboratory and genetic parameters of five boys with Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus first diagnosed at 14.6 months (range 6 to 24) and followed for 12.2 years (range 7.8 to 19). Geometric means of the z-scores of weight and stature were −4.5 and −3.6, at diagnosis and −0.3 and −0.9, respectively, at the last medical appointment. Mutations in the AVPR2 gene were found in all patients, and the carrier status was confirmed in four of five cases. Two unrelated children presented identical mutations (S167L) in arginine vasopressin R2. Two of the patients had a mutation that was already described in other Brazilian families (R337X), and one patient showed a de novo mutation (Y128D) in arginine vasopressin R2, since his mother's molecular analysis was normal. They claim that the clinical and laboratory characterization of Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus is of paramount importance for disease diagnosis and genetic counseling.

De Lima et al. studied the effect of metformin, when administered to first-degree relatives of type 2 diabetes mellitus subjects who have metabolic syndrome and normal glucose tolerance, to determine whether it could improve the cardiovascular risk profile and reduce the levels of both C-reactive protein and fibrinogen. Thirty-one non-diabetic first-degree relatives of type 2 diabetes mellitus subjects with metabolic syndrome were randomized (1:1) and double-blinded for placement in the placebo and metformin groups, and conclude that the treatment given to first-degree relatives of type 2 diabetes mellitus sufferers who have metabolic syndrome and normal glucose tolerance improved the cardiovascular risk profile without changing the levels of C-reactive protein and fibrinogen.

Bonanomi et al. retrospectively reviewed the records of 28 new cases of retinoblastoma, 15 of which were unilateral and 13 of which were bilateral, diagnosed between 2003 and 2005 (mean age 33.8 months for unilateral cases, and 19.15 months for bilateral cases) and conclude that in this population, retinoblastoma was diagnosed too late and most eyes were consequently enucleated. In cases with bilateral disease, half of the eyes were preserved.

Andrade et al. compared the metabolic, hemodynamic, autonomic, and endothelial responses to short-term red wine consumption in subjects with hypercholesterolemia (n = 10) or arterial hypertension (n = 9), and healthy controls (n = 7), and found that red wine enhanced muscle sympathetic fibular nerve activity in hypercholesterolemic and hypertensive patients, but not in controls. At baseline, brachial artery flow-mediated dilation was impaired in patients with hypercholesterolemia and arterial hypertension; red wine restored the dilation in the hypercholesterolemic group but not in the hypertensive group. They claim that red wine elicits different metabolic, autonomic, and endothelial responses among individuals with hypercholesterolemia or arterial hypertension and healthy controls. The findings highlight the need to consider patient characteristics when evaluating the response to red wine.

Aikawa et al. evaluated the effect of mechanical ventilation with positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) on mesenteric leukocyte-endothelial interactions in 44 male Wistar rats. Rats were exposed to NO PEEP or to PEEP at 0, 5, and 10 cm H2O. After two hours of mechanical ventilation rolling, sticking and migrated leukocytes were significantly increased at a PEEP of 10 cm H2O. They conclude that the highest level of intrathoracic pressure was harmful to mesenteric microcirculation in this experimental model of rats with normal lungs and stable systemic blood pressure, a finding that may have relevance for complications related to mechanical ventilation.

Monaco et al. give us a fascinating computer demonstration of the evolution of aging and its implications for medical practice. They stress that the discussion regarding the evolution of aging is almost as old as Darwinian Evolution Theory, but to date, it has remained one of biology's unresolved problems. One issue is how to reconcile natural selection, which is understood as a process that purges deleterious characteristics, with senescence, which seems to offer no advantages to the individual. The two popular explanations for the existence of senescence, namely, (1) the removal of elders for the benefit of the species and (2) the progressive deterioration of the organic machine due to continuous use are described as incorrect. They claim that it is important that the physician understand that senescence, defined as the progressive impairment of an organism, does not necessarily accompany aging, defined as the mere passage of time. The concepts of aging (the unavoidable passage of time), senescence (progressive physiologic impairment), and senility (the pathological development of diseases), are discussed.

We also publish 2 review articles, one by Leao et al. on the Oral complications of HIV disease, one by Landim et al. on Asymmetric dimethylarginine and endothelial dysfunction, and 4 case reports.


A new commission after Thomson & Craighead residency in 2015 at the ODI which was launched at The New Observatory in Fact LIverpool

Curated by Hannah Redler Hawes (ODI) and Sam Skinner, the exhibition includes interactive works, installations, sound, film, photography, critical design projects, drawing and mixed media. It will be the world premiere of Recruitment Gone Wrong (2016), Divorce Index (2016) and Curtain of Broken Dreams (2016), three new large-scale commissions by internationally renowned British artists Thomson & Craighead and Natasha Caruana, respectively, who were the ODI's first ever artists in residence in 2015. Other confirmed artists are: Burak Arikan, Wafaa Bilal, James Coupe, Phil Coy, Julie Freeman, Citizen Sense, David Gauthier, Interaction Research Studio, Rachel Jacobs, Jackie Karuti, Kei Kreutler, Libre Space Foundation, Stanza, Liz Orton, Proboscis (Giles Lane and Stefan Kueppers), Jeronimo Voss, and Yu-Chen Wang.


Civil rights protection for transgender people—and in particular access to affordable health care—is currently the subject of intense political scrutiny, with a hostile administration chipping away at legal protections. Among other setbacks, a federal district court enjoined regulatory guidelines that were issued in 2016 to clarify that the federal prohibition on sex discrimination in health insurance applies to discrimination on the basis of gender identity and transgender status, and the promulgating agency itself is now reconsidering the guidelines. Without explicit federal protections against discrimination by health insurers and in the face of uneven state law protections, the ability to deduct costs associated with gender transition-related health care that are not covered by insurance on one's personal income taxes has taken on new significance for the transgender population. This article takes a new look at the 2010 decision of the United States Tax Court in O'Donnabhain v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, in which the Court held that a transgender taxpayer could deduct certain transition-related medical expenses on her federal income tax return, but not others. This article argues that, while the O'Donnabhain decision may legitimize transition-related treatments as medically appropriate in the insurance context, the Court overreached by considering whether the costs at issue were "medically necessary" and "widely accepted" in the medical community, requirements that the federal tax code does not impose. In so doing, the decision risks imposing an unwarranted burden of proof on transgender people and potentially on other marginalized populations. This article explores the implications of the O'Donnabhain decision for transgender health care in the current political and legal climate, and explores strategies to protect health care rights for transgender people and other marginalized communities, with a focus on the medical deduction for individual federal income taxes.


Strategic social media plays a crucial role in contemporary customer relationship management (CRM); however, the best practices for social CRM are still being discovered and established. The ever-changing nature of social media challenges the ability to establish benchmarks; nonetheless, this article captures and shares actions, insights, and experiences of using social media for CRM. This case study examines how an academic library at a mid-size American university located in northeast Florida uses social media to engage in social listening and to enhance CRM. In particular, the social listening practices of this library are highlighted in relation to how they influence and potentially improve CRM. By exploring the practices of this single institution, attempts are made to better understand how academic libraries engage with customers using social media as a CRM tool and ideas for future research in the realm of social media and CRM practices are discussed.


The mission of the European Association for Architectural Education EAAE is to advance the quality of architectural education in Europe and thus of architecture in general. The EAAE is a forum for the generation and dissemination of knowledge and information on all aspects of architectural education and architectural research. The Annual Conferences of EAAE would not be possible without a member school stepping in, taking the responsibility of organizing the event for EAAE, working very closely with the president and the council. In 2019, we were very thankful for the commitment and generous support of the University of Zagreb, whose efforts brought together the representatives of over 130 architecture schools from all over Europe here in the capital of Croatia. We were also proud to be part of the celebrations of the Zagreb School of Architecture's centennial establishment. With each of the EAAE annual gathering, as well as with our other formats such as the recently held first EAAE/ACSA Teachers Conference or the EAAE/ARCC Research Conference, we reach beyond the geographical boundaries of our individual institutional settings, addressing all educators, researchers and administrators who engage themselves for high quality architectural education.


In this chapter, a low-cost micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscope drift is modeled by time series model, namely, autoregressive-moving-average (ARMA). The optimality of ARMA (2, 1) model is identified by using minimum values of the Akaike information criteria (AIC). In addition, the ARMA model based Sage-Husa adaptive fading Kalman filter algorithm (SHAFKF) is proposed for minimizing the drift and random noise of MEMS gyroscope signal. The suggested algorithm is explained in two stages: (i) an adaptive transitive factor ( a 1 ) is introduced into a predicted state error covariance for adaption. (ii) The measurement noise covariance matrix is updated by another transitive factor ( a 2 ). The proposed algorithm is applied to MEMS gyroscope signals for reducing the drift and random noise in a static condition at room temperature. The Allan variance (AV) analysis is used to identify and quantify the random noise sources of MEMS gyro signal. The performance of the suggested algorithm is analyzed using AV for static signal. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm performs better than CKF and a single transitive factor based adaptive SHFKF algorithm for reducing the drift and random noise in the static condition.


Researchers studying extant and extinct taxa are often interested in identifying the evolutionary processes that have lead to the morphological differences among the taxa. Ideally, one could distinguish the influences of neutral evolutionary processes (genetic drift, mutation) from natural selection, and in situations for which selection is implicated, identify the targets of selection. The directional selection gradient is an effective tool for investigating evolutionary process, because it can relate form (size and shape) differences between taxa to the variation and covariation found within taxa. However, although most modern morphometric analyses use the tools of geometric morphometrics (GM) to analyze landmark data, to date, selection gradients have mainly been calculated from linear measurements. To address this methodological gap, here we present a GM approach for visualizing and comparing between‐taxon selection gradients with each other, associated difference vectors, and "selection" gradients from neutral simulations. To exemplify our approach, we use a dataset of 347 three‐dimensional landmarks and semilandmarks recorded on the crania of 260 primate specimens (112 humans, 67 common chimpanzees, 36 bonobos, 45 gorillas). Results on this example dataset show how incorporating geometric information can provide important insights into the evolution of the human braincase, and serve to demonstrate the utility of our approach for understanding morphological evolution.


This study presented the desirability function based on Taguchi designed experiments to solve multiple responses statistical optimal problems for the tungsten carbide/cobalt (WC-Co) coatings of high-velocity-oxygen-fuel (HVOF) processes. The eight control factors based on L18 arrays were conducted and the multi-responses of wear-resistant coatings such as hardness, deposited thickness and wear rate were evaluated simultaneously in the desirability-based experiments. Based on desirability analysis, the optimal settings have been identified, and the impacts of control factors are determined by analysis of variance on the multi-responses. Further, a confirmation run was conducted to validate the tests. Experimental results have shown that the hardness increased by 16.61% and the deposited thickness improved by 10.50%, while the wear rate decreased by 34.03%. It was clear that confirmation tests are greatly improved by way of the desirability-based multi-responses on HVOF WC-Co experiments, and these findings achieved the desired values on wear-resistant coatings. The proposed procedure was applied at HVOF sprayed WC-Co experiments, and the implementation results demonstrated its feasibility and effectiveness to maximize hardness, make a target of deposited thickness value and minimize wear rate by a HVOF.


Gene-expression strategies are remodeled following exposure to stress. The reactive oxidants and electrophiles generated after stress actually affects the structural and functional properties of different cellular proteins. It is also seen that lysine rich motifs of proteins play crucial role in electrophilic attack and modification. Therefore, this study revealing lysine richness in 5 main human snrups (Small Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins) indicates a possible mechanism of gene regulation under stress. This possibility is highly supported by the findings that surface residues of the molecules were full of lysine rich clusters. Lysine richness is also found to be a highly conserved pattern across the various domains of life indicative of stress adaptation in the prebiotic to biotic world transition. Moreover the modeled structures showed good all atom contacts and minimal outliers.


Experimental tests previously executed by the authors on the simultaneous combustion of gasoline and gaseous fuel in a spark ignition engine revealed the presence of strong nonlinearities in the lower part of the gas injector flow chart. These nonlinearities arise via the injector outflow area variation caused by the needle impacts and bounces during the transient phenomena that take place in the opening and closing phases of the injector and may seriously compromise the air-fuel mixture quality control for the lower injection times, thus increasing both fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.
Despite the extensive literature about the operation and modelling of fuel injectors, there are no known studies focused on the nonlinearities of the gas injector flow chart and on the way they can be reduced or eliminated. The authors thus developed a mathematical model for the prediction of mass injected by a spark ignition (S.I.) engine gas injector, validated through experimental data. The gas injector has been studied with particular reference to the complex needle motion during the opening and closing phases, which may strongly affect the amount of fuel injected.
In this work, the mathematical model previously developed has been employed to study and determine an appropriate injection strategy in order to linearize the injector flow chart to the greatest degree possible. The injection strategy proposed by the authors is based on minimum injection energy considerations and may be easily implemented in current engine control units (ECU) without any hardware modification or additional costs. Once calibrated by means of simulation, this strategy has been validated by experimental data acquired on an appropriately equipped injector test bench. As a result, the real injector flow chart has been substantially improved, reducing its deviation from linearity to one third of the original flow chart, which is an excellent result, especially if the typical measurement dispersion of the injected mass is taken into account. The injection strategy proposed by the authors could extend the linear behaviour of gas injectors and improve the fuel supply by means of a simple software update of the ECU, thus obtaining higher engine efficiency and lower pollutant emissions.


Heavy ion fusion (HIF) drivers require large currents and bright beams. In this paper we review the two different approaches for building HIF injectors and the corresponding ion source requirements. The traditional approach uses large aperture, low current density ion sources, resulting in a very large injector system. A more recent conceptual approach merges high current density mini-beamlets into a large current beam in order to significantly reduce the size of the injector. Experiments are being prepared to demonstrate the feasibility of this new approach.


In this study, systematic procedure of the flight controller design for a small-scale unmanned helicopter is presented. The procedure is based on a linear dynamical model. The proposed controller is composed of state feedback and reference feedforward. Reference tracking performance is formulated in terms of L2 gain from reference inputs to tracking errors and respective integral terms. Solution of the optimal controller with minimum L2 gain is cast to the semi definite programming problem with a set of Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI) constraints. Six degree-of-freedom linear helicopter model with two degree of freedom rotor dynamics is used to illustrate the effectiveness of approach through simulations. Numerical simulations show that the stability of controlled system and boundedness of control signals against reference trajectories with bounded magnitudes are guaranteed by the proposed controller.


Since its discovery, there has been a debate in the past few decades on the origin of the bimodal color distribution of Centaurs. Two theories have been proposed to explain this bimodal color distribution: (1) evolutionary processes resulting in changes of the surface properties of Centaurs, and (2) compositional differences inherited from the source region of Centaurs. Interestingly, Centaurs also show a correlation between their orbital inclinations and colors such that blue and red Centaurs tend to be characterized by high and low inclination distributions, respectively. In this study, these two hypotheses are investigated, and it is found that hypothesis (2) is more likely to be the origin of the color–inclination relation of Centaurs assuming that the scattered Kuiper Belt objects (SKBOs) also have a color–inclination relation, and this relation is statistically preserved when they evolved into Centaurs. This hypothesis is further justified by performing numerical simulations on 158 observed Centaurs and 82 observed SKBOs. Finally, it is suggested that the "outside-in" external photoevaporation happening during the early stage of the solar system might be related to the puzzling color–inclination relation observed in Centaurs and, possibly, other trans-Neptunian object subgroups.


Quantum blockchain can be understood as a decentralized, encrypted and distributed database based on quantum computation and quantum information theory. Once the data is recorded in the quantum blockchain, it will not be maliciously tampered with. In recent years, the development of quantum computation and quantum information theory makes more and more researchers focus on the research of quantum blockchain. In this paper, we review the developments in the field of quantum blockchain, and briefly analyze its advantages compared with the classical blockchain. The construction and the framework of the quantum blockchain are introduced. Then we introduce the method of applying quantum technology to a certain part of the general blockchain. In addition, the advantages of quantum blockchain compared with classical blockchain and its development prospects are summarized.


A total of 7.6 million hooks targeting swordfish using night setting surface longline style were scientifically observed during the 1993-2017 period in broad areas of the North and South Atlantic in relation to the interaction with seabirds. The areas observed correspond to those with greater historical fishing intensity by this fleet in the Atlantic. A total of 38 individual seabirds interacted with the total observed hooks during the 25-year period. 74% of the interactions occurred in a single trip made in 1995 under non-standard fishing operations in areas in which other vessels-trips-years had few or null interactions. 13% of the interactions occurred in a fishing prospecting survey carried out in southern areas where this fleet does not carry out regular fishing activity. The generally oceanic fishing areas, the type of nocturnal style, the low lighting during the set, together with the type of fishing practice regularly carried out by the vessels, were identified as probably being the main factors to explain the generally zero or low interaction with seabirds in most of the Atlantic fishing areas and trips observed.


Summary Purification is a bottleneck and a major cost factor in the production of antibodies. We set out to engineer a bifunctional fusion protein from two building blocks, Protein A and a hydrophobin, aiming at low‐cost and scalable antibody capturing in solutions. Immunoglobulin‐binding Protein A is widely used in affinity‐based purification. The hydrophobin fusion tag, on the other hand, has been shown to enable purification by two‐phase separation. Protein A was fused to two different hydrophobin tags, HFBI or II, and expressed transiently in Nicotiana benthamiana. The hydrophobins enhanced accumulation up to 35‐fold, yielding up to 25% of total soluble protein. Both fused and nonfused Protein A accumulated in protein bodies. Hence, the increased yield could not be attributed to HFB‐induced protein body formation. We also demonstrated production of HFBI–Protein A fusion protein in tobacco BY‐2 suspension cells in 30 l scale, with a yield of 35 mg/l. Efficient partitioning to the surfactant phase confirmed that the fusion proteins retained the amphipathic properties of the hydrophobin block. The reversible antibody‐binding capacity of the Protein A block was similar to the nonfused Protein A. The best‐performing fusion protein was tested in capturing antibodies from hybridoma culture supernatant with two‐phase separation. The fusion protein was able to carry target antibodies to the surfactant phase and subsequently release them back to the aqueous phase after a change in pH. This report demonstrates the potential of hydrophobin fusion proteins for novel applications, such as harvesting antibodies in solutions.


Many proteins are known to possess conformationally dynamic structures that can be altered in the presence of native ligands, receptors, etc. and these conformations can be necessary for functional activity (1,2). This characteristic can be overlooked, however, in traditional drug discovery screening paradigms that search for direct (orthosteric) competitors or else are otherwise informationally limited in describing mechanism of action (MOA) when competition is observed. A screening approach that can more readily distinguish orthosteric competition from indirect (allosteric) competition presents key opportunities towards detecting therapeutically unique mAbs. Additionally, identifying unique epitope and MOA are essential for securing intellectual property rights and enabling successful commercialization. Although protein modeling can help to understand dynamic properties of a target, currently it does not possess the de novo power to routinely predict sites that may be therapeutically relevant from an allosteric perspective. To this end screening for allosteric modulators using epitope binning is an attractive way to potentially identify unique candidates that possess distinct MOA.


Proper amount of blend rare earth (RE), e.g. less than 0.2 wt%, was added into a Fe25Mn6Si5Cr alloy and showed beneficial effect on its shape memory property. On the other hand, measurements of internal friction revealed that RE-addition reduces the Ms temperature and the amount of thermal-induced martensite. Higher La-content in thin hcp (e) plates than that in fcc (g) matrix was observed by analytical TEM. Thermodynamic calculations also indicated a relatively high equilibrated concentration in e and a strong interaction between La atom and 1/6<112> Shockley dislocation. Except for the grain refinement and solid-solution strengthening effect, the influence of RE on the g ® e martensitic transformation is discussed in taking into account both the Suzuki Effect and Suzuki Lock. The former results in a reduced stacking fault energy, while the Suzuki Lock hinders the movement of Shockley partials and thus the extension of stacking faults.


Magnetostatic field problems are solved in three dimensions by applying a variational method that employs finite elements. Formulation through a partial differential equation allows solution for the magnetic vector potential given an inhomogeneous, orthotropic medium and a distributed current source. Three vector boundary conditions are discussed and interior sheet currents are allowed within the medium. In addition, the Lorentz condition is enforced by including a penalty term in the energy functional. A point-iterative algorithm is used to solve the set of equations resulting from finite element discretization. This method is particularily suitable for regions with regular geometry and a moderate (1,000 to 10,000) number of unknowns.


This study reports a newly designed induction heating system for efficient, fast, and safe flow-through heating. The system has a very simple architecture, which is composed of a transmitting coil, an isolating plastic pipe, and an embedded metal shell. Wireless energy transfer from the external coil to the internal metal shell through the pipe is essential for decreasing losses. Also, a large contact surface between a fluid and the immersed shell enables rapid heat transfer. The proposed heating system was systematically investigated for different shell geometries and the results were compared with a commercially available conductive flow-through heating device. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, a prototype of the designed induction heating system was manufactured and the heating measurements were conducted with water. Power transfer efficiency of the prototyped induction heating system was measured to be 97%. The comparative study indicates that such high-efficiency induction flow-through heating system offers a great potential for replacing the conventional conductive heating device used in household applications in which the rapid and compact heating is desired.


This dissertation is a history of the development of the Short Message Service (SMS) format, also known as the text message. The SMS teleservice that was developed by the Global System for Mobile Communication in the mid-1980s for second-generation mobile networks is made up of standards, protocols and infrastructure that make text messaging the most popular data service on mobile networks. The teleservice has since been used in all subsequent generations of digital cellular mobile telephony. The dissertation shows how SMS standards and infrastructure represent a significant innovation to mobile telephony and how they have figured in the history of wireless data transmission in the late twentieth century.The standardization of SMS and telecommunication protocols that make the transmission of text messages possible influences the future uses of these digital traces, including their evidential capacity, future access, and curation. As a new mobile communication format, text messages have cultural, political, and economic consequences that span the world. Billions of text messages are sent and received every day: they are used in personal communication, crisis management, elections, mobile banking, business communications, and increasingly through applications that serve as gateways to the Internet. Despite the ubiquity of this mobile communication format, text messages are deleted, lost or overwritten at staggering rates by users and mobile operating systems. Mobile traces such as text messages currently fall outside of institutional digital archives as well as personal digital collections. This dissertation demonstrates how the infrastructure of mobile communication, including transmission protocol and the stabilization of the format, is integral to the curation, future access, and preservation of mobile communication at the personal and institutional levels of collecting. The dissertation examines the development of SMS by contextualizing the research need for the study of mobile information objects in information science by presenting the importance of layers of infrastructure to the creation and circulation of born-digital records transmitted across wireless networks. It applies a research framework for studying new information communication technologies and emerging electronic records contexts. The framework has three elements: (1) Layers of Infrastructure and Context, (2) Examining Networked Recordkeeping, and (3) Engaging with Information Retrieval. Using techniques from infrastructure studies and media archaeology, it illustrates how the text message as a digital format has been enacted by the mobile operating system on mobile phones. In turn, it shows how the text message format structures mobile communication over time in different contexts of creation and collection. It also highlights how the format is enacted in a mobile operating system: how text messages are stored on device hardware such as flash memory, and in various end-uses such as deletion and in surveillance. The digital materiality of text messages in transmission, storage, and receipt is shown to have social and political consequences for the future of fonds or collections of personal digital records that people create with their mobile phones.The dissertation also illustrates how the generation, circulation, and collection of mobile telephony metadata represents a new form of collecting for institutions, under the law, and for the theory and practice of archival science. It argues that new contexts of metadata creation and collection have led to a mobile forensic imaginary based on the infrastructure and transmission of born-networked records created with mobile ICTs. The dissertation finds that a more productive way of confronting emerging mobile information objects and their digital preservation over time is to critically engage with their development as formatted digital objects and presents a theory of text messages as born networked records.


A wide range of experimental and observational studies have established the irrefutable role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of a plethora of diseases either directly or indirectly. Several factors ranging from radiation, pollution, high fat and sugar diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, tobacco consumption and even certain drugs contribute to oxidative stress. The imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant levels remain the underlying cause of oxidative stress. When the levels of oxidants outweigh the levels of antioxidants it leads to formation of free radicals like hydroxyl, superoxide, alkoxyl, peroxyl, glutathiyl, tocopheroxyl, hydroperoxyl and ascorbate. These free radical species play a definitive role in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases, malignancies, cardiovascular, respiratory and liver diseases. Nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 is a master transcription factor belonging to the leucine zipper family. Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 is a repressor of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 under basal or normal conditions, which is responsible for cytoplasmic sequestration and proteosomal degradation of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 via ubiquitination. The activation of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2/Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1/antioxidant response element signalling pathway regulates the expression of numbers of genes that are cytoprotective, antioxidative and detoxificative in action. This article reviews the potential therapeutic role of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 activators in prevention and treatment of those diseases in which oxidative stress plays a definitive role in the pathogenesis.


Thirty-two patients in the blastic phase of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL) were studied in a prospective randomized trial in which vincristine--prednisone (19 patients) was compared with cytosine arabinoside--6-thioguanine (13 patients). Seven remissions (37%), including two complete remissions, were achieved in the vincristine--prednisone group. Three of the five with predominant hypodiploid blast cell lines treated with vincristine--prednisone had complete or partial remissions. Both complete remitters presented with hypodiploidy consisting of 44 chromosomes. Four patients (30%) who were treated with cytosine arabinoside--6-thioguanine responded with one complete remission. The median survival of the responders was 8 mo, as compared to 1--2 mo for the nonresponders. Crossover to the opposite regimen as secondary therapy following refractoriness or resistance resulted in only 3 partial responses out of 21 treated. All three had previously responded to vincristine--prednisone. Of the 32 cases, 14 had an elective splenectomy during the chronic phase of the disease. Prior splenectomy did not influence the response to chemotherapy, as all three complete remitters occurred in the nonsplenectomized group. Similarly, survival in the blastic phase was not affected by prior splenectomy.


The majority of the pressure-retaining components in the core of a CANDU power generation system are manufactured from zirconium. The horizontal fuel channel components and the fuel bundles that contain the natural uranium fuel are manufactured using various grades of zirconium. The fuel channel consists of two concentric tubes; an internally pressurized tube (Zr-2.5%Nb) that contains the fuel bundles (Zr-4) and the re-circulating heavy-water primary coolant, enclosed by a larger diameter calandria tube (Zircaloy) that separates the pressure tube from the heavy-water moderator. Re-fuelling and other fuel management operations can create surface defects in the tubes and fuel bundle sheathing. Stress analyses of these small notches may indicate that, under certain conditions, cracks can be formed at the root of these notches. These flaws are locations of stress concentration in the internally pressurized tube and can initiate a failure mechanism known as Delayed Hydride Cracking. The anisotropic material properties of these zirconium components adds an additional level of complexity in an analysis. However, the occurrences of these life-limiting events appear to be minimized mainly due to beneficial contributors such as stress relaxation around the scratches. One of the most likely reasons for this relaxation is thermal creep. Previously [1], the measurement and modeling of thermal creep relaxation under constant displacement was examined using 2-D finite element (FE) models. This paper extends both the measurement and modeling of the relaxing stress/strain field to the more demanding boundary condition of constant applied load. Neutron diffraction is used to determine the changing strain field around a single notched, axially orientated specimen loaded in tension. This specimen orientation and loading configuration is modeled in three dimensions using a hybrid explicit FE program [2] that contains materials subroutines that describe high stress creep specially developed to simulate the highly anisotropic creep response of pressure tube materials. Despite the difficulty of obtaining precise delineation of the moving strain field, a good agreement between the measurements and the 3-D FE creep results is achieved. Using the creep subroutines, the FE models are used to examine the creep response of a single notched, transversely orientated specimen loaded in tension in the hoop direction.Copyright © 2009 by The Government of Canada


: Toward the goal of comfort and quality of life, symptom management is utmost in importance and requires constant reassessment of the patient. Before launching a medication program, each set of symptoms should be assessed by history, physical examination, and laboratory tests. When symptoms can be understood in the context of the disease without correctable, specific causes, the physician can carefully prescribe treatments to alleviate the misery and suffering. The most common symptoms in terminally ill cancer patients are anxiety and depression (80 to 90 per cent); pain (66 per cent); nausea, vomiting, and constipation (50 per cent); and respiratory symptoms (30 to 40 per cent). Medical attention to these discomforts will help the patient and family to cope better with the dying process.


In order to evaluate the pavement performance of recycled asphalt mixture processed by microwave, an experimental method was designed to compare the microwave heating with the conventional heating in recycling affection of asphalt mixture. The samples AC-13 were produced. Conventional and microwave heating performance of modified asphalt recycling test including the rutting test, the trabecular cold bending test, the Marshall immersion test, the freeze-thaw split test, and the splitting strength mechanical properties were test. The experimental results show that it is roughly the same in the high temperature stability and mechanical properties of these two areas, and at low temperature cracking resistance the use of microwave processing can improve the low temperature flexibility to reduce the surface temperature seasonal prone temperature shrinkage cracks and fatigue cracks. The stability on the water by using microwave processing can enhance the asphalt and aggregate adhesion so that mixture enhanced resistance to water damage, there is a better role in improving the water stability. These results could promote microwave recycling and provide the basis for the promotion applications.


This document presents an framework for secure layer 3 Virtual Private
Networks (VPNs) for customer networks that exchange encrypted
information through a service provider network. It also describes the
necessary interactions between the various functions (e.g. routing and
encryption) at the VPN boundary to construct the secure VPN.


In this work we consider the diachronic development of two distinct types of negative markers, those originally stemming from minimizers (m-negation) and those originally deriving from a negative quantifier (q-negation). We provide evidence in favor of the hypothesis that, despite appearances, they do not follow the same grammaticalization path. We claim that the distinct syntactic position of the two types of negation in the modern dialects depends on the distinct evolution path they have taken, which in turn depends on their original properties. While minimizers change their position during the grammaticalization cline, q-negation stays in the same position throughout the whole process. If this is correct, it means that Jespersen's cycle is not syntactically homogenous and that the result of a postverbal negative marker can be achieved by means of various strategies.


BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Chronic alcohol use is associated with lower gray matter volume, and we reported recently that alcohol use showed negative associations with widespread gray matter (GM) volume even among young adults. The current study aimed to test the strength of association between (1) alcohol use and GM volume; (2) alcohol use and white matter (WM) integrity; (3) cannabis use and GM volume; and (4) cannabis use and WM integrity among adults and adolescents.

DESIGN AND SETTING
General linear models within large pooled cross-sectional samples of adolescents and adults who had participated in studies collecting substance use and neuroimaging data in the southwestern United States.

PARTICIPANTS
The current analysis included adults aged 18-55 years (n = 853) and adolescents aged 14-18 years (n = 439) with a range of alcohol and cannabis use.

MEASUREMENTS
The dependent variable was GM volume or WM integrity, with key predictors of alcohol use [Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score] and cannabis use (past 30-day use).

FINDINGS
Alcohol use showed large clusters of negative associations (ηp2  = 0.028-0.145, P < 0.001) with GM volume among adults and to a lesser extent (one cluster; ηp2  = 0.070, P < 0.05) among adolescents. Large clusters showed significant associations (ηp2  = 0.050-0.124, P < 0.001) of higher alcohol use with poorer WM integrity, whereas adolescents showed no significant associations between alcohol use and WM. No associations were observed between structural measures and past 30-day cannabis use in adults or adolescents.

CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol use severity is associated with widespread lower gray matter volume and white matter integrity in adults, and with lower gray matter volume in adolescents.


We report a one-step synthetic strategy to encapsulate copper nanocrystals (Cu NCs) in a carboxylate-based metal–organic framework (MOF-74) to construct Cu@Cu-MOF-74 hybrids. One of the hurdles to realizing metal NC@MOF hybrids with uniform morphology and with a homogeneous NC spatial distribution by chemical transformation is to precisely match the metal dissolution rate and the MOF crystallization rate. Our study defines the parameter space which controls this kinetic balance. Such an understanding and the generality of our approach is crucial to develop rules of design for NC@MOF hybrids, which represent an attractive class of materials for several applications.


Although we recently clarified sex-based differences in mouse kidney morphology, the developmental processes responsible for these gender differences during maturation remain unclear. The present study analyzed the morphometry of kidneys from 20-, 30-, 50-, 60-, 70-, 90-, 120and 150-day-old DBA/2Cr mice. Total kidney weight and ratio of kidney weight to body weight were larger in males than females beginning at 50 days of age. The percentage of renal corpuscles exhibiting a cuboidal parietal layer was higher in males than in females in the 70-day and older mice. The diameter of cortical renal corpuscles was larger in males than in females beginning on day 90. The number of proximal convoluted tubular cell nuclei was higher in females than in males from day 90 onward. Vacuolar structures in the proximal convoluted tubular epithelium became prominent in 70-day-old males. PAS-positive granules in the proximal straight tubular epithelium became prominent in females on day 50. This paper is the first to describe the development of gender differences in mouse kidney morphology.


Orthopaedics, the science that deals with the functional preservation and restoration of the skeletal system, has historically relied on high-strength, corrosion-resistant metals. A better understanding of skeletal forces and bone remodeling has recently led scientists to consider the potential application of polymer matrix composite materials for orthopaedic applications. The attractive characteristics of composites include a relatively lower elastic modulus compared to current implant metals, no potential for metal ion release in the body environment, and the ability to custom tailor strength and other mechanical properties to best suit a particular design requirement. While these features are attractive, the harsh service conditions imposed by the human body require that development of an acceptable composite implant be well researched. This study presents details of these research areas, thus presents the challenge. The most appropriate opportunities for composites as an alternative implant material are also discussed. There is a definite need for improved implant materials and one that is increasing yearly as the life expectancy increases and the population of the elderly expands. Improved orthopaedic implants are needed to meet the needs of these patients, primarily arthritic, and thus provide a capability to further improve their quality of life.