Legalizing Gay Marriage. By Michael Mello. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2004; pp. xiv + 337. $68.50 cloth; $22.95 paper. Michael Mello's Legalizing Gay Marriage reminds us that oftentimes our best scholarly work steins from our own everyday experiences. As a law professor at the University of Vermont, Mello's account of Vermont's long road to civil unions is uniquely informed by his access to local, small circulation newspapers and personal interactions with the players in this socio-legal drama. The end result is an accessible analysis of not only Baker v. Vermont, the case that forced Vermont's legislature and Governor Howard Dean to enact civil unions, but also the cultural conditions surrounding the decision. Mello's narrative employs a wider lens than most as he "want[s] to add" to the existing literature "the story of the war zone outside the legislative chambers, because those events drove events within the legislature" (23). While Vermont is a blue state, it is not immune from the culture wars, and the battle over gay marriage exposed the fault lines between the "two Vermonts" (18). The first kind of Vermonter has deep roots in the state and "with many exceptions, this Vermont tends to be conservative, traditional, and rooted in the values of rural America" (18). The second kind of Vermonter probably is not born in the state and "tends to be liberal, nontraditional, and rooted in the ethos of the city" (19). By breaking the legal hermeneutical seal and moving beyond the internal logic of the legal decision, Mello recounts the tale of these two Vermonts in order to provide a cautionary tale for advocates of gay and lesbian rights. The final result is a grounded work that complements the largely theoretical literature on gay and lesbian legal strategies. Before moving on to some suggested uses of this book, let me first outline its structure. The introductory chapter contextualizes the material in two ways. Mello first grounds his discussion of Vermont in relation to Massachusetts' decision to legalize gay marriage and highlights the differences between gay marriage and civil unions. Mello also uses this chapter to complicate our idealized notions about Vermont's social attitudes. The second chapter succinctly summarizes Baker in less than twenty pages (the complete decision appears in an appendix). The next chapter, "Backlash Against Gays and Lesbians," chronicles the local reaction to the decision in newspaper articles, editorials, and letters to the editor. The fourth chapter (and the longest at 67 pages) recounts, in detail, the legislative response to the court's decree. Included in this chapter are selections from the floor debates and the arguments advanced by anti same-sex marriage organizations outside the legislative chambers. Mello's fifth chapter critiques the legal remedy of civil unions and advocates an alternative remedy that includes full recognition of same-sex relationships as marriages. In a refreshing move of transparency, Mello implicates his advocacy in his own heterosexual privilege and acknowledges that his arguments have to be tempered against the wishes of gay and lesbian citizens. These chapters coalesce to create a clearer picture of the cultural (re)negotiations present in this legal struggle. Mello's work is intended for both a general audience and for scholars interested in the cultural contestation of the meaning of marriage. On my reading, Mello successfully addresses both of these audiences. Mello consciously avoided making the law "mysterious, inaccessible, and incomprehensible" (25) through his careful explanations of the legal principles involved in this case including Vermont's Common Benefits Clause. At the same time, for scholars interested in a legalistic analysis of the Baker decision, Mello provides a careful reading of Baker which he then uses as a platform to advocate gay marriages in lieu of civil unions. While Mello's interests lay in reaching the public in its broadest sense of the word, my interest in this book rests with its pedagogical potential. …


Many robotic applications that physically interact with humans require the measurement of interaction forces to ensure accurate control as well as safety. Devices that are directly attached to the human body, such as wearable devices, must use soft and flexible materials to be comfortable and safe. Most soft sensors cannot measure large amounts of force because soft materials can easily deform and break when subjected to large forces. In this paper, we present a soft force measurement unit (sFMU) that can measure three-axis force. The proposed sFMU is made of three polyurethane air sacs radially aligned in silicone rubber. The volume of each air sac is 15 ml and the size of the cylindrical sFMU is 50 mm in diameter and 20 mm in height. Depending on the magnitude and direction of the force applied to the sFMU, the volume of each air sac changes and so does the internal pressure. The simple manufacturing process of sFMU using inexpensive materials is also introduced. Experimental validation shows that the sFMU can measure up to 160N for z-axis force with 6.51 RMSE, up to 15N for x-axis with 1.63 RMSE, and up to 15N for y-axis with 2.79 RMSE.


A syndrome of digital fibromas, distal limb malformations, and focal dermal hypoplasia has recently been elucidated in the literature. In 1974, Bloem et al. were the first to describe an association between digital fibromas and pigmentary lesions. In 1998, Horii et al. reported on another case in which digital fibromas were associated with pigmentary dysplasia in addition to facial dysmorphism and metacarpal and metatarsal disorganization and postulated that this was a hamartomatous syndrome not previously described. Bacino et al. (2000) described a four-generation family with ten affected females that strongly suggested X-linked dominant inheritance with male lethality, and later Zhang et al. (2000) mapped this condition to Xq27.3-Xqter. In 2001, Gorlin et al. termed the syndrome digito-cutaneous dysplasia. Other than multiple frenula, oral findings have been discussed only once by Lin et al. in 2003, who described a patient in which there were significant dental findings. The purpose of this abstract is to report an additional case in which there are dental findings similar to those reported by Lin et al. The patient is a 2-year-old female born to an unaffected 19-year-old Mexican G1P1 female. Her weight is less than the third percentile, her height is between the fifth and tenth percentile, and her head circumference is at the tenth percentile. She has telecanthus, a depressed nasal tip, overfolded left helix, hyperextensibility, small and proximally-placed thumbs, multiple digital fibromas with associated joint contractures, abnormal distal palmar creases, clinodactyly, and several hyperpigmented and hypoplastic skin lesions. Her dental findings include multiple caries, conical incisors, and wedge-shaped grooves in several teeth. The frequency of dental malformations in digito-cutaneous dysplasia should become clear as more cases of this condition are identified. If the oral features of this condition prove to be a consistent feature, perhaps Oral-Digital-Cutaneous Dysplasia would describe the condition even more accurately.


The seamless textual input in Augmented Reality (AR) is very challenging and essential for enabling user-friendly AR applications. Existing approaches such as speech input and vision-based gesture recognition suffer from environmental obstacles and the large default keyboard size, sacrificing the majority of the screen's real estate in AR. In this paper, we propose MyoKey, a system that enables users to effectively and unobtrusively input text in a constrained environment of AR by jointly leveraging surface Electromyography (sEMG) and Inertial Motion Unit (IMU) signals transmitted by wearable sensors on a user's forearm. MyoKey adopts a deep learning-based classifier to infer hand gestures using sEMG. In order to show the feasibility of our approach, we implement a mobile AR application using the Unity application building framework. We present novel interaction and system designs to incorporate information of hand gestures from sEMG and arm motions from IMU to provide seamless text entry solution. We demonstrate the applicability of MyoKey by conducting a series of experiments achieving the accuracy of 0.91 on identifying five gestures in real-time (Inference time: 97.43 ms).


Engineering education has the objective of not only presenting the scientific principles, i.e., engineering science, but also of teaching students how to apply these to real problems. Therefore, hands-on laboratories have been an integral part of the engineering curriculum since its inception [1–3]. This presentation will demonstrate the use of a novel low-cost experimental apparatus for use in a typical undergraduate course in control systems taught to mechanical engineering students, i.e. students with limited exposure to electrical engineering. A simple to use, low cost system has been designed that provides a platform for experimentation in areas from basic open loop control, to frequency domain and digital control systems. This paper presents the design of the system, and demonstrates the ability of MATLAB tools such as Simulink Real Time Windows Target to illustrate implementation of various aspects of control design. The system setup consists of a DC micro-motor attached to a carbon fiber rod. The angular displacement is measured with an analog potentiometer, which acts as the pivot point for the carbon fiber rod. The DC micro-motor is powered by a low cost, custom circuit board, whos H-bridge allows the motor rotate in either forward or reverse directions. Attached to the micro-motor is a small propeller, providing thrust force to rotate the pendulum about its potentiometer. The circuit board communicates to the host computer using the USB protocol, utilizing usbser.sys to create a virtual COM port. MATLAB uses the serial port object to read and write from the control board. The control board is powered through two USB ports, requiring no external power adaptor or extra cabling. This paper shows the use of feedback linearization to arrive at a system where classical linear control design methods can be used. The project was tested in a classical control systems design class offered to senior-level mechanical engineering students. Student feedback and survey data on the effectiveness of the module is also presented.Copyright © 2011 by ASME


Background: Ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) is a rare disorder with many distinctive neurologic features. Although there is substantial individual variation in the rate of progression of these features, their relationship to one another or to age has not been characterized. Methods: We formulated and tested multiple elements that assess different neurologic functions known to be affected by A-T. The overall index was applied to 52 patients with A-T, 2 to 29 years of age. Results: Seven elements items proved to be informative, and three elements were added based on face validity. In a linear regression model of individuals under 19 years of age, controlled for correlation within sibships, age accounted for 87% of the variation in the A-T Index. Conclusion: Despite substantial individual variability of the phenotypic elements of A-T, scores on this multidimensional index have a very high correlation with age, indicating that there is a characteristic rate of progression of the disease, although functional domains in the brain are differentially affected. The pattern of scores suggests that a severe and a mild form of A-T may be distinguished by this quantitative measure. With further development this index may become useful as an outcome measure for treatment studies and prognosis.


Combining different therapies into a single nanomaterial platform is a promising approach for achieving more efficient, less invasive and personalized treatments. Here, we report on the development of such a platform by utilizing nanowires with iron core and iron oxide shell as drug carriers and exploiting their optical and magnetic properties. The iron core has a large magnetization, which provides the foundation for low-power magnetic manipulation and magneto-mechanical treatment. The iron oxide shell enables functionalization with doxorubicin through a pH-sensitive linker, providing selective intracellular drug delivery. Combined, the core-shell nanostructure features an enhanced light-matter interaction in the near-infrared region, resulting in a high photothermal conversion efficiency of >80% for effective photothermal treatment. Applied to cancer cells, the collective effect of the three modalities results in an extremely efficient treatment with nearly complete cell death (~90%). In combination with the possibility of guidance and detection, this platform provides powerful tools for the development of advanced treatments.


Pressure vessel plays an important role in wide range of applications to store gas or liquid substances. In order to design a pressure vessel safely, one of the main factors which has to be considered is selection of proper burst pressure perdition criterion. Due to large range of available materials in manufacturing of the vessels under different working conditions, several criteria to forecast burst pressure of the vessels have been developed and used by designers. Choosing the most proper criterion based on working condition and the material is a vital task to meet design requirements because inappropriate criterion may lead to unsafe vessel or over design. This issue makes not only pressure vessel design more complex but also maintenance planning, especially for designers who do not have enough experience, is a challenging task. Therefore, lack of a burst pressure predictor model, which is able to determine the pressure more accurately for wide range of materials and applications, has been remained unsolved. To evaluate machine learning techniques in prediction of burst pressure of pressure vessels, in this paper, a new model based on artificial neural network (ANN) has been proposed and developed. Input parameters of the model include internal and outer diameter, thickness, ultimate and yield strength; output is burst pressure. The obtained results showed that the constructed model has a good potential to be used as more applicable model compared to current models in design of pressure vessels.


Background: Diabetes is the most common metabolic disease that its prevalence increases with age. The prevalence of diabetes amongst elderly population of Iran is estimated 14%, yet precious little is known about status of their care. This study was designed to evaluate this issue. Methods: This cross-sectional study sought to evaluate the diabetes care status of elderly diabetics who referred to a Diabetes Clinic of Tehran/Iran between 2007 and 2009. Data on the demographic, blood pressure, lipid profile, blood sugar, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and treatment regimen used to control hyperglycemia and diabetes' complications were extracted from their medical records. Descriptive statistical methods were used. Results: In total, 200 cases enrolled to the study that 130 were female. Oral hypoglycemic agents, medications for hypertension, dyslipidaemia or neuropathy were used by 72.5%, 81.5%, 72%, and 73% of patients, respectively. There was uncontrolled status in blood pressure, blood glucose, and lipid profile in over 50% of participants. Conclusion: The status of diabetes care in our country is far from satisfactory. Given the rising prevalence of diabetes and also aging population, it is prudent that status of diabetes care in the elderly should be promoted because of the complexity of the process of diabetes care in this age group.


Three-dimensional seismic-reflection data are used to characterize the seismic expression and investigate the origin of two mass transport complexes (sensu [Moscardelli and Wood, 2007][1]) that are contained in two salt-related minibasins on the Sao Paulo Plateau, offshore SE Brazil. The mass transport complexes contain numerous slide blocks, which are expressed on seismic data as broadly tabular packages of weakly deformed reflections. Individual slide blocks are up to 50 m thick and up to 1 km2 in plan view. The slide blocks are flanked by laterally continuous reflections, which are interpreted as the seismic expression of either a thin mudstone-dominated debrite deposit or a thin interval of hemipelagic mudstones. The surface that bounds the base of the two mass transport complexes is planar, and this suggests that the associated gravity-flow event caused only limited erosion of the seafloor. The upper surfaces of the mass transport complexes are very rugose and onlapped by overlying strata, indicating that the slide blocks formed seabed relief of up to 20 m. The complexes occur at the base of a unit that thins toward the margins of the studied minibasins, and the slide blocks in the mass transport complexes decrease in size and density away from the salt-cored structural high that separates the two minibasins. Based on its seismic stratigraphic context and the spatial distribution of the slide blocks that they contain, the mass transport complexes are interpreted to have been derived from the failure of the margins of the salt-cored high in response to a period of relatively rapid minibasin subsidence. The results of this study indicate that large volumes of sedimentary material may be derived from the margins of salt-related minibasins in relatively distal submarine settings. From a geohazard perspective, this observation is important because the risk associated with submarine slope failure, and the transport and emplacement of large blocks, is typically thought to be low in relatively distal, deep-water environments.

 [1]: #ref-42


This paper will explore the realm of virtual identity within the context of the online virtual world, Second Life. The creation of virtual identities involves the complex process of constructing an online self-presentation. With the prevalence of online forums and virtual reality, ordinary people are crafting identities online and digressing from their actual identities in real life. In order to explain this phenomenon, I draw on narrative theory's conceptualization of character in order to understand how people craft online identities.


Plato: Protagoras and Meno. A new translation by W. K. C. GUTHRIE. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1956. Pp. 157. 2s. 6d. These two dialogues lend themselves well to joint treatment in a general introduction, which is supplemented by a summary of each work, notes on the characters in the Protagoras, and a particularly useful discussion of the geometrical experiment in the Meno. The translation is admirable, achieving conversational ease and informality without loss of faithfulness in detail. Touches of characterisation are well preserved, as in the speeches of Prodicus and Hippias (Prot. 337-8) and the surly brevities of Anytus (Men. 90 ff.). On the interpretation of the latter part of the Protagoras, Professor Guthrie suggests that its aim is to show how near Socrates and Protagoras are to each other in advocating a refined hedonism. He implies that the dialogue makes little or no definite contribution to the story of Plato's development as a thinker. The problem remains. On the Meno, he underlines the transition from Socratic views to independent thought under Pythagorean influence. The theory of recollection, though admittedly here subordinate to the main enquiry, might perhaps have been more fully discussed in view of its later bearing upon the doctrine of soul. The book is an excellent contribution to a valuable series. D. TARRANT.


Abstract. In recent years, the theme of museums and virtual exhibitions has been the subject of a wide debate and a significant number of researches and experiments. In a vast and articulated framework of experiences, this article intends to highlight new strategies related to the creation of digital museum paths based on a multidisciplinary approach. The research presented here intends to create a protocol for the construction of digital museums based on the definition of an ontology capable of integrating digital elaborations of 3D virtual models and exhibition projects with semantic relationships. The experimentation conducted has considered, in particular, some issues concerning drawn architectures. Thanks to a rigorous methodological approach and the use of new technologies for virtual and augmented reality, it has been possible to build a tool that allows improving the knowledge of the cultural heritage investigated through the customizable structuring of virtual exhibitions. It is a tool that, thanks to its flexibility and precision, can satisfy the widest user target, ranging from experts (professionals, designers, historians, researchers, etc.) to simple visitors (tourists, enthusiasts, etc.).


This study outlines the development and validation of a short form of the 37-item Attitude toward Poverty (ATP) scale. Employing a cross-sectional survey design, the authors sampled 319 undergraduate students at a mid-sized university located in central Canada. The short form evinced high levels of internal consistency ranging from .87 to .89. Evidence for the validity was established through correlational analyses and independent samples t-tests. The findings suggest the short form is a feasible alternative to the original ATP scale for researchers and academics seeking to assess the poverty-related attitudes of university students.


The axilla is a region of clinical and surgical importance with plenty of anatomical variations. One of these is the presence of accessory muscles. The literature was reviewed in order to identify the different supernumerary muscles that are described in the axilla. Variant muscle slips arising from the pectoral muscle or latissimus dorsi muscle have been described. There still remains controversy regarding the phylogenetic origin of these different muscles. We described the most frequently reported muscles, their origin, and course. Further research is required regarding the innervation and influence on glenohumeral and scapulothoracic kinematics.


Endoscopic submucosal dissection is a technically challenging but highly effective technique for the treatment of well selected early neoplasms in the digestive tract. Although it is frequently performed in East Asian countries, the Western world has not adopted this technique yet, probably due in part to the difficulty to learn it. Ex vivo and in vivo animal models are invaluable tools to overcome at least the beginning of the learning curve, although the initial step is the acquisition of basic knowledge about early diagnosis of neoplasias, and observing real procedures in expert centers. The practical issues, advantages, and disadvantages of the ex vivo and in vivo models are discussed.


The Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) and George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film (GEH) have acquired substantial collections of László Moholy-Nagy's work, spanning his entire career. Using four photograms by Moholy-Nagy, two from each institution, as representative examples, this thesis examines how the AIC and GEH have dealt with his work through an examination of the acquisition, exhibition, publication, preservation, and conservation of his photographs. The unique nature of Moholy-Nagy's photograms, coupled with the myriad experimental techniques he employed in their production, has necessitated that the AIC and GEH establish policies and procedures for the care and long-term preservation of photographic objects of this nature, through the development and implementation of exhibition and loan standards as well as highly monitored storage conditions. This thesis includes an overview of the museums, a detailed analysis of each photogram, and a discussion of the collections management concerns that these objects raise.


A basic assumption in teacher education is that teacher education programs are the primary influence in the thinking of new English teachers. A study evaluated that assumption. The researchers worked with four first-year high school or middle school English teachers to identify decision points in their teacniny-and to name the influences that affected those decisions. The primary data sources for the study were anthropological field notes taken during seven or eight monthly visits to each classroom and stimulated recall interviews based on those field notes. Participants and the researcher examined and discussed the field notes in order to identify decision points in the participants' teaching and to explore the thinking behind the decisions. Data analysis revealed that the decisions made by these new teachers were of two types: instructional and managerial. For each of these decision types, the primary categories of influence were student needs and prior experience. Other influences included normative influences (administration, curriculum guides, department regulations, etc.), availability of materials, university/teacher education programs, and professional development. Furthermore, the participants did not articulate the influence(s) on many decisions. The findings suggest the need for enhanced pre-student teaching experiences, multiple sections of one preparation that will allow new teachers to refine their decision making, and mentor programs for new teachers. (Contains 22 references and 2 notes.) (RS) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.


present note is the study of second order Rivlin-Ericksen MHD fluid flow due to impulsively started flat plate through porous medium. The unsteady laminar flow of an elastico-viscous fluid suspended with a uniform distribution of non-conducting dust particles in presence of uniform transverse magnetic field fixed relative to the plate which is applied normal to the flow. Laplace transform is used and analytical results for the velocity of fluid, mixed particles and the skin friction at the plate are obtained. The effect of magnetic field parameter (M), porosity parameter (K) and the mass concentration (l) of the mixed particle on the velocity of both the fluid, the particle and on the skin friction are discussed numerically and displayed graphically


Introduction: There are few real-life studies on the intravitreal 0.7-mg dexamethasone implant for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) conducted in Latin America. We aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of this implant in clinical practice. Methods: Twenty-seven centers from Brazil and one from Argentina provided information on patients with DME treated with Ozurdex. The efficacy outcome variables were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in Snellen and central retinal thickness (CRT). Safety was assessed by the elevation in intraocular pressure (IOP), occurrence of cataracts, and adverse events. Results: A total of 329 eyes (both treated cases and naïve eyes) from 282 patients underwent treatment. The time since diagnosis of DME ranged from 1 to 156 months. The median BCVA was 0.7 log-MAR/50 letters at baseline and 0.3 logMAR/70 letters after treatment (both p < 0.001). Median CRT values decreased from 425 μm at baseline to 270 μm after treatment (p < 0.001). Increases in IOP of at least 10 mm Hg were observed in 7.4% of eyes, and 4% of eyes had cataract evolution. No cases of endophthalmitis were reported. Conclusion: These real-life results suggest that the intravitreal dexamethasone implant is effective and safe for eyes with DME.


Background: Discharge against medical advice (DAMA) is a major public health issue, especially among children owing to its adverse outcome. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and reasons for DAMA among neonates admitted in Federal Medical Centre Birnin (FMCB) Kudu, Jigawa State. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of 5 years in the Special Care Baby Unit of FMCB Kudu, Jigawa State. All the case folders of the neonate whose parents signed DAMA were retrieved, and relevant data were extracted. Results: There were 155 cases of neonatal DAMA during the study. Eighty-three were males (53.5%) with an average duration of hospital stay of 4 ± 3.2 days with most DAMA occurring in the 1st week of admission. Neonatal infections, birth asphyxia, and prematurity were the most common diagnoses. Financial constraint was the major reason for DAMA. Fathers were the signatories in the majority of cases. Conclusion: DAMA is prevalent and is mainly due to socio-cultural and economic factors.


A new government gives room for new ideas and the implementation of these. In the case of public private partnerships, it is more that the government is brushing of the dust from something the same governing party (The Conservative party, Hoyre) started the last time they had governing power in Norway. In 1998, they started three trial PPP projects in road infrastructure. This is some years ago, and with the rejuvenated focus on PPP, it would be wise to see how the three first projects faired compared to the more traditional way of organising the construction of roads in Norway. A key characteristic of public-private partnerships is that the two tasks of building a facility and subsequently operating it are bundled and delegated to a single private contractor, while under traditional procurement, separate contractors are in charge of these two tasks. This thesis seeks to find what contracts and financing possibilities there are, as well have a look at what the different types offer. The aim is to find out whether it is possible to use the market even better in order to find a solution to build roads with a span longer than the finalisation of the road. By that, the meaning is taking the operation of the road into account. In order to answer these challenges, the aim of this thesis seek to: (1) Create an overview over contract details in the three existing Norwegian PPP projects and compare it to the traditional contract formulation regarding both construction and later operation of the road. The aim is to find a way to describe the governance and payment scheme for PPP compared to traditional contracts. (2) Consider factors that influences the LCC in the PPP contract E39 Klett-Bardshaug, and evaluate findings with traditional construction and operation contracts. (3) If possible, find a conceptual estimate for the LCC at E39 Klett-Bardshaug, compared to LCC for similar road elements (road in the day, bridge, and tunnel) from traditional road construction contracts regarding both construction and operation. When looking at what elements in the PPP project E39 Klett-Bardshaug that effect the LCC, several factors that can be hard to transfer to traditional contract forms is identified, including total enterprises such as the road development contract. The payment model and scheme is something you only get with a PPP project. The findings shows that it is reasonable to attribute many of the positive sides of PPP to the payment scheme, but also most of the negative sides. The road development contract tries to implement some of the positive sides, and the results of the test project in E6 Helgeland will show the output. There are clear differences between the PPP contract used in Norway, and the examples being used as a deterrent against using it. The finance and payment profile in the Norwegian contract will not be affected in the same way by the financial crisis as in other countries. In other countries, the reduced traffic amount due to the crisis lead to the need for governmental support in order to keep the projects going. Some of these projects have changed to a payment scheme more similar to the Norwegian one, where the toll income goes to the Government, which in turn pays out the money from the toll stations and ads over the budget if the tolls does not cover the needed payment sum. Getting relevant figures from the PPP projects turned out to be hard, the same when it came to similar traditional construction and maintenance projects. A report containing general maintenance and construction figures was acquired, which made it possible to do an estimate of what the maintenance costs of the PPP project would be if it were a traditional maintenance contract. The conceptual estimate show maintenance costs for the road according to NPRA standards. Through analysis of the traffic, an alternative way of measuring the traffic is also presented.


A common theme throughout biology is homochirality, including its origin and especially implications. Homochirality has also intrigued scientists because of the hypothesis that life, as it currently exists, could not have occurred without it. In this review, we discuss several hypotheses regarding homochirality and their linkage to processes that range from subatomic in scale to processes that help define the structure of the universe. More importantly, this exploration begins with the knowledge that humans inhabit the universe in which there is an excess of normal matter over antimatter. It is a universe characterized by homochirality but is nonetheless contained in what is most easily described as a 3+1 dimensional spacetime wherein most laws of physics are invariant under spacetime transformations. This restriction on spacetime poses significant constraints on the processes that can be invoked to explain homochirality. However, in dealing with such restraints, including the total mass contained in the universe, the concepts of cold dark matter and dark energy can be incorporated into cosmological models with resultant behaviors and predictions very much in accord with the findings of the cosmic background surveys. Indeed, the introduction of cold dark matter and dark energy to solve problems relating to the mass found in the universe may provide a means for generating the needed asymmetry to allow homochirality to arise.


OBJECTIVE
Gingival wound healing is important to periodontal disease and surgery. This in vitro study was conducted to assess the manner in which heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) and epiregulin cooperatively participate in the wound-healing process in the gingival epithelial and fibroblast cells of the oral mucosa.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Gingival epithelium and fibroblast were separated from gingival tissue biopsies and prepared to primary cultures. The changes in the mRNA expression were evaluated via real-time PCR. The effects on cell proliferation, migration, and repopulation were evaluated in vitro.

RESULTS
The different regulation of expressions of HB-EGF, epiregulin, and epidermal growth factor receptors was observed over time and with different gingival cell types. HB-EGF exerted a cell migration-inducing effect on both epithelial and fibroblast cells, whereas epiregulin did not. Both growth factors functioned as mitogens for epithelial cell proliferation, but not for fibroblast proliferation. HB-EGF strongly promoted epithelial cell repopulation and mildly promoted fibroblast repopulation, whereas epiregulin promoted only fibroblast repopulation.

CONCLUSION
These results indicated that both growth factors might function importantly in the wound-healing process of human gingival tissue via the different regulation of the expression, cell migration, proliferation, and repopulation.


This study analyzed the impact of parent involvement and integration of multiple intelligences strategies in classroom instruction on student motivation and academic achievement. The population for this study comprised of 13 elementary students receiving special education services. Parent involvement was developed and supported through weekly home activities and daily take-home folders. Multiple intelligences strategies were implemented in reading, writing, and math classes. Data collection methods included surveys, observations and reflections, teacher-student conferences, exit cards, existing records and grade reports. The findings of this study showed positive effect on both student motivation and academic achievement. Students displayed an increase in positive attitude towards assignments, activities, and school overall; and 8 of 13 students achieved an increase in academic grades.


This paper discusses vector control strategies for single-phase motor drive systems operating with two windings. A model is proposed and used to derive control laws for single-phase motor drive systems. Such model is also employed to introduce the double-sequence controller. Simulation and experimental results are provided to illustrate the operation of the proposed drive systems.


Climate change is projected to cause increased inflow of terrestrial dissolved organic matter to coastal areas in northerly regions. Estuarine bacterial community will thereby receive larger loads of organic matter and inorganic nutrients available for microbial metabolism. The composition of the bacterial community and its ecological functions may thus be affected. We studied the responses of bacterial communities to inflow of terrestrial dissolved organic matter in a subarctic estuary in the northern Baltic Sea, using a 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding approach. Betaproteobacteria dominated during the spring river flush, constituting ~60% of the bacterial community. Bacterial diversity increased as the runoff decreased during summer, when Verrucomicrobia, Betaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Gammaproteobacteria and Planctomycetes dominated the community. Network analysis revealed that a larger number of associations between bacterial populations occurred during the summer than in spring. Betaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes populations appeared to display similar correlations to environmental factors. In spring, freshly discharged organic matter favoured specialists, while in summer a mix of autochthonous and terrestrial organic matter promoted the development of generalists. Our study indicates that increased inflows of terrestrial organic matter-loaded freshwater to coastal areas would promote specialist bacteria, which in turn might enhance the transformation of terrestrial organic matter in estuarine environments. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


Background
In June 2016, when the Parliament of Canada passed Bill C-14, the country joined the small number of jurisdictions that have legalized medical assistance in dying (maid). Since legalization, nearly 7000 Canadians have received maid, most of whom (65%) had an underlying diagnosis of cancer. Although Bill C-14 specifies the need for government oversight and monitoring of maid, the government-collected data to date have tracked patient characteristics, rather than clinician encounters and beliefs. We aimed to understand the views of Canadian oncologists 2 years after the legalization of maid.

Methods
We developed and administered an online survey to medical and radiation oncologists to understand their exposure to maid, self-perceived knowledge, willingness to participate, and perception of the role of oncologists in introducing maid as an end-of-life care option. We used complete sampling through the Canadian Association of Medical Oncologists and the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology membership e-mail lists. The survey was sent to 691 physicians: 366 radiation oncologists and 325 medical oncologists. Data were collected during March-June 2018. Results are presented using descriptive statistics and univariate or multivariate analysis.

Results
The survey attracted 224 responses (response rate: 32.4%). Of the responding oncologists, 70% have been approached by patients requesting maid. Oncologists were of mixed confidence in their knowledge of the eligibility criteria. Oncologists were most willing to engage in maid with an assessment for eligibility, and yet most refer to specialized teams for assessments. In terms of introducing maid as an end-of-life option, slightly more than half the responding physicians (52.8%) would initiate a conversation about maid with a patient under certain circumstances, most commonly the absence of viable therapeutic options, coupled with unmanageable patient distress.

Conclusions
In this first national survey of Canadian oncologists about maid, we found that most respondents encounter patient requests for maid, are confident in their knowledge about eligibility, and are willing to act as assessors of eligibility. Many oncologists believe that, under some circumstances, it is appropriate to present maid as a therapeutic option at the end of life. That finding warrants further deliberation by national or regional bodies for the development of consensus guidelines to ensure equitable access to maid for patients who wish to pursue it.


The purpose of this research is to study transaction costs and their antecedents, in relation to the willingness to buy groceries online in Italy, and to observe the effect of Covid-19 is having in those. The study used a positivist deductive approach to the theory development. To evaluate the relations, we developed a PLS-SEM using SmartPLS version 3.3.3, and tested the model using WarpPLS 7.0. The pandemic's discomforts impact significantly the willingness to buy food online, and it is also a mediator between transaction costs and willingness to buy online. The findings may help those manufacturers struggling with low-performing e-commerce during the Covid-19 pandemic. When restrictions are enforced, manufacturers should take action to reduce the uncertainty associated with online shopping. From the political point of view, it highlights the need for institutional help in organising online supply chains.


In soil genetic factors, soil-absorbing factors have always been in the spotlight. The formation of genetic strata of the soil and the variation of time depending on various spatial factors remains a widespread and urgent topic in the classical soil science, which has been continuously monitored to date. It is well-known that the most favorable approach to the study of soils can be achieved by obtaining a comprehensive set of data by studying its interrelationship of the environment and natural complexes, studying its dependence on time and space.


We report the discovery of OGLE-2016-BLG-1190Lb, which is likely to be the first Spitzer microlensing planet in the Galactic bulge/bar, an assignation that can be confirmed by two epochs of high-resolution imaging of the combined source–lens baseline object. The planet's mass, Mp=13.4±0.9MJ, places it right at the deuteriumburning limit, i.e., the conventional boundary between "planets" and "brown dwarfs." Its existence raises the question of whether such objects are really "planets" (formed within the disks of their hosts) or "failed stars" (lowmass objects formed by gas fragmentation). This question may ultimately be addressed by comparing disk and bulge/bar planets, which is a goal of the Spitzer microlens program. The host is a G dwarf, Mhost=0.89±0.07Me, and the planet has a semimajor axis a∼2.0 au. We use Kepler K2 Campaign 9 microlensing data to break the lens-mass degeneracy that generically impacts parallax solutions from Earth–Spitzer observations alone, which is the first successful application of this approach. The microlensing data, derived primarily from near-continuous, ultradense survey observations from OGLE, MOA, and three KMTNet telescopes, contain more orbital information than for any previous microlensing planet, but not quite enough to accurately specify the full orbit. However, these data do permit the first rigorous test of microlensing orbital-motion measurements, which are typically derived from data taken over <1% of an orbital period.


Semantic parsing transforms a natural language question into a formal query over a knowledge base. Many existing methods rely on syntactic parsing like dependencies. However, the accuracy of producing such expressive formalisms is not satisfying on long complex questions. In this paper, we propose a novel skeleton grammar to represent the high-level structure of a complex question. This dedicated coarse-grained formalism with a BERT-based parsing algorithm helps to improve the accuracy of the downstream fine-grained semantic parsing. Besides, to align the structure of a question with the structure of a knowledge base, our multi-strategy method combines sentence-level and word-level semantics. Our approach shows promising performance on several datasets.


The Bartonella genus is comprised of arthropod-borne, intracellular bacterial pathogens that colonise the mammalian bloodstream. A large number of mammalian species are hosts for one or more Bartonella species, as either reservoir or incidental hosts. Bartonella species are only able to invade and replicate in host red blood cells in the reservoir host, and to be taken up by an associated haematophagous arthropod vector to complete transmission and the bacterial life cycle. Humans are the reservoir hosts for B. quintana and B. bacilliformis, and are incidental hosts for more than 16 additional zoonotic Bartonella species, including B. henselae, which is normally carried by cats. B. henselae infection, usually acquired through cat scratches or bites, can result in several clinical manifestations, with varying degrees of severity; the most common of these is cat scratch disease, where symptoms commonly range from enlarged lymph nodes to severe fever. Although usually a mild illness, B. henselae infection can occasionally lead to severe symptoms, affecting neurological and other major organ systems.  During their life cycle the Bartonellae must adapt to various toxic host environments; such adaptation is mediated by several bacterial stress pathways, which modify bacterial transcription. However, many gaps remain in the understanding of B. henselae stress response pathways. The object of this study, the carD gene, was identified as a possible component of the Bartonella stress response. The carD gene has been shown to be critical for stress defence in other bacterial species, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Thermus thermophilus, and Myxococcus xanthus.  Our study aimed to investigate whether carD played as significant a role during the B. henselae response to stresses as it does in other bacterial genera. We first attempted to perform growth comparisons between a B. henselae carD mutant strain and a wild type strain during exposure to stress conditions; however, our mutagenic carD plasmid interfered with bacterial growth of Escherichia coli cultures, which hindered transformation and generation of a B. henselae carD mutant. As an alternative, we investigated the expression of B. henselae carD under stress conditions, comparing carD expression during stress against a non-stressed B. henselae control, using quantitative PCR. We found no significant difference of expression of the carD gene between the control and any of our conditions, although a trend of increased carD expression was found in several stress conditions. We believe that these findings merit further study into the role of carD in the B. henselae stress response.


The Perceived Effect of Pause Length and Location on Speaker Likability and Communicative Effectiveness Julia M. Price Department of Communication Disorders, BYU Master of Science Previous studies have examined the effect of atypical speech pause on conversational fluency and how the conversational listener perceives the speaker. The present study investigated the effect of pause duration of increasing length and in differing sentential locations on listener perceptions of communicative effectiveness and speaker likability. One neurotypical male and one neurotypical female speaker recorded three sentences from the Quick Aphasia Battery, and artificial pauses of varying lengths (250 ms, 400 ms, 550 ms, 700 ms, 850 ms, and 1 sec) were inserted before the subject, verb, and object of each sentence. The six baseline (unmodified) sentences were also included among the stimuli. These samples were randomly interspersed among foil samples that consisted of 30-second recordings of six people with fluent and nonfluent aphasia of mild to moderate severity. Forty adult participants (24 females and 16 males) listened to and rated the modified and foil samples for communicative effectiveness and the perception of likability of the speaker. A review of the data revealed that pause location may negatively impact speaker likability depending on the gender of the speaker. However, due to the small sample size of speakers (one male and one female) and factors that were not controlled for in this study (e.g., speaker pitch, speech rate, resonance, articulation patterns), these results require validation through further research that utilizes a larger sample. As pause duration increased, both speaker likability and communicative effectiveness ratings decreased. These findings suggest that monitoring pause duration and location in preliminary fluency samples could be beneficial to assess fluency severity and determine appropriate treatment goals. Wordfinding treatment may want to focus on vocabulary words that serve the function of subjects and objects in sentences. Although there are limitations in the methodology and results of this preliminary study, it is hoped that this study combined with future research can help to inform assessment and treatment of people with aphasia and other neurophysiological disorders that lead to atypical pause.


In this paper, we examine the design and selection of optimal configuration of a system of multiple, wheeled mobile manipulators that can team up to cooperatively transport a large common object. Each individually autonomous mobile manipulator consists of a differentially driven wheeled mobile robot (WMR) with a passive, two degree-of-freedom (d.o.f), planar revolute-jointed arm mounted in the plane parallel to the base. The composite multi-degree-of-freedom vehicle, formed by placing a common object on the end-effector of two (or more) such mobile manipulator systems, possesses the ability to change its relative configuration as well as accommodate relative positioning errors of the mobile bases. However, the combination of the non-holonomic constraints of the wheeled mobile bases, the presence of passive joints and closed kinematic loops of the articulations require a careful treatment. The suitable selection of the dimensions of the intermediate linkage and the overall configuration is critical to enhancing the overall performance. In this paper we will focus our attention on the formulation of a design-optimization problem to aid the selection of the configuration of the composite vehicle to attain near-isotropic manipulability of the common object.Copyright © 2002 by ASME


Chlorophytum borivilianum is an important medicinal plant. The tuberous roots possess immunomodulatory and adaptogenic properties, and are used to cure impotency, sterility and enhance male potency. The seeds have poor germination percentage (11-24%), low viability and long dormancy period.
 Considering Safed musli is an endangered species and the limited availability of planting materials, the use of tissue culture system could provide a rapid method for mass propagating the plant. In this study, young shoot buds of C. borivilianum were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS)
 medium containing BAP and Kn, both at 0, 8.88, 17.8 and 26.6 μM, either individually or in combination. Proliferated shoots were subcultured on fresh medium of the same constituents at 3 weeks interval. The combination of
 8.88 μM BAP and 8.88 μM Kn was most suitable for shoot multiplication andongation of C. borivilianum. In vitro shoot tips of C. borivilianum were cultured for microtuber induction on MS solid medium containing different
 concentrations of 0, 315, 630, 950, 1265 and 1580 μM CCC combined with 30, 60 and 90 g l-1 of sucrose. The combination of 950 μM CCC and 60 g l-1 sucrose produced high number of microtubers with increased length. Upon
 using stationary liquid MS medium containing the different combinations of and sucrose as applied for solid medium, microtuber production was improved and the best combination was also in medium containing 950 μM CCC and 60 g l-1 sucrose. For optimization of microtuber production,
 comparison between solid, stationary and shake liquid cultures was carried out. Liquid culture with shaking at 80rpm resulted in more than 2.5 fold increase in microtuber production compared to solid culture. The study was
 extended using RITA system for scaling up of icrotuberization. Microtuberization was enhanced and hyperhydricity was eliminated using 15 min immersion time for every 60 min rest period. Substitution of the optimized liquid microtuberization medium (OLMM) containing 950 μM CCC
 and 60g l-1 sucrose with liquid hormone-free MS medium (MSO) on week 6 of culture was more economical for microtuberization than maintaining the culture throughout the 9 weeks on OLMM. Quantitation of total saponin
 showed a higher content in microtubers than in mother plant tubers. Analysis of antioxidant activity of crude and total saponin extracts from mother plant tubers of C. borivilianum indicated higher antioxidant activity of crude extract using DPPH and BCB assays, while higher chelating activity was shown by total saponin using FIC assay. Cytotoxicity evaluation of crude and total saponin extracts against MCF7, PC3 and HCT116 cancer cell lines using MTT cell viability assay indicated a higher cytotoxicity activity of the crude extract than the total saponin fraction on all cell lines, being most effectiveand selective on MCF7 human breast cancer cell line. In conclusion, shoot regeneration on solid medium, microtuber production on solid medium, in liquid medium and upscaling of microtuber production using a RITA system had been successfully established for C. orivilianum. The study also provided valuable information on the antioxidant and cytotoxicity activities of crude and total saponin extracts from tubers of C. borivilianum.


This thesis presents a new method for improved resolution of stereoscopic 3D terrain mapping by local dense bundling of disparity maps. The Unmanned Systems Lab (USL) at Virginia Tech is designing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) first-response system capable of 3D terrain mapping in the wake of a nuclear event. The UAV is a helicopter, and is equipped with a stereo boom imaging system, GPS, and an inertial measurement system (IMU) for low-altitude aerial mapping. Previous 3D reconstruction algorithms on the project used two-frame rectified stereo correspondence to create a local 3D map, which was geo-located by raw GPS and IMU data. The new local dense bundling algorithm combines multiple pairs of stereo images by SURF feature point matching, image rectification, matching of dense points with semi-global block matching, and optimization of camera pose and dense 3D point location using a stereo-constrained local bundle adjustment. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated numerically on synthetic imagery and qualitatively on real aerial flight data. Results indicate the algorithm produces marked improvement in accuracy and vertical resolution, given a proper helicopter flight path and sufficient image overlap. With synthetic imagery and precise pose supplied, the algorithm shows a 1.2x to 6x reduction in vertical error.


Summary Temperature-sensitive (ts) recombinants of influenza A virus were evaluated for use in a live virus vaccine. Evidence from several sources suggested that the ts lesions were responsible for attenuation of these mutants. Specification of attenuation by defined genetic lesions which can be assayed for in the labora- tory offers an advantage to the use of ts viruses for vaccination. This means that ts recombinants can be assessed for genetic stability during vaccine develop- ment, production and later during usage in man. One ts virus, influenza A/Hong Kong/68-ts-l[E], with a 38°C shut-off temperature, had the following properties desirable for a live virus vaccine: (1) satisfactory infec-tivity for seronegative (serum HI antibody titre < 1: 8) adults; (2) satisfactory attenuation for adults; (3) capa- city to stimulate local and serum anti-haemagglutinin and anti-neuraminidase antibodies in seronegative volunteers; (4) stimulation of resistance to virulent, wild type virus; (5) relative genetic stability in vivo; (6) lack of communicability in man; (7) replication to high titre in avian leucosis virus-free eggs; and (8) loca- lization of ts lesions to genes that do not code for the haemagglutinin and neuraminidase. The ts lesions of


Introduction: Bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive airway disease are the two most common chronic lung diseases encountered at C.U.Shah Medical College. The treatment usually includes the use of bronchodilators and steroids, which are best, delivered through the inhalational route. Metered-dose inhalers are routinely prescribed for this purpose. Metered dose inhalers (MDIs) are an affective modality of treatment for fast relief from asthma flare-ups and other symptoms, and are often used by asthmatic athletes. It has got lots of benefits and some drawbacks depending on usage technique. With proper technique and training drawbacks can be minimized. The aim of this study was to assess the metered dose inhaler technique in patients with chronic lung disease at our hospitals. Method: A cross sectional study was conducted at a Tertiary Health care centre. The inhalation technique was assessed in six steps. Result: Clear evidence showed that only 28% patient could perform all the steps correctly. Percentages of people that followed individual steps properly were: preparation (90%), exhalation (55%), lip closure (70%), inhalation (58%), breath-holding (30%) and puff interval (38%). Conclusion: This study showed that a number of patients in our hospitals were unable to use metered-dose-inhaler properly and therefore indicates the need to make people aware of this technique either by counseling or arranging seminars.


This thesis focuses on developing a novel material delivery device for a Multiple Material Additive Manufacturing (MMAM) system using a Dry Powder Printing (DPP) technique developed recently. The goal of the thesis was to study in detail the characteristic of a micro dispensing device utilizing ultrasonic vibration via a piezoelectric transducer, which was designed and constructed to handle a wide range of fine powder materials. The research systematically investigated the nature of the interaction between the device and the materials, which allowed the design and processing parameters to be understood. Experiments were conducted to explain the effects of the printing parameters on printing results so as to discover the basic characteristics of the new dry powder printing device. Moreover, weight measurements of the deposited powder, microscopy and image visualization was used to assess the behavior of the device. The device developed can successfully provide continuity, consistency and reliability of layer printing of multiple material powders. The results demonstrated that the device is capable of dispensing various types of fine powders, such as metals, polymers and ceramics, with particle sizes of between 14-72?m. The relative standard deviation of the device is less than 7%. The minimum mass flow rate can be reached at 0.14 mg/s for a cohesive powder such as a copper powder. The maximum moving speed is up to 50 mm/s for a free flowing powder such as a solder powder. Currently, the precise printing of micro geometries can be achieved up to a diameter as small as 85?m. Moreover, the study also reveals that the performance of the device mainly depends on the dispensing parameters (e.g. nozzle diameter, nozzle angle, and piezo electric position), material parameters (e.g. type, particle size, flowability) and process parameters (e.g. moving speed, signal voltage and standoff distance). High resolution printing by the device can be achieved by controlling these parameters. This work has shown that the dispenser can deliver different powders in very precise and small quantities at almost any designated position. This demonstrates the potential of this method for a multiple material delivery system for MMAM in the near future.


Introduction Previous studies in Timor-Leste suggested a unique social and sexual dynamic between self-identifying men who have sex with men (MSM) and their straight-identifying male partners. As part of a national size estimation of key populations at risk, this qualitative study interrogated the dimensions of this dynamic to better inform HIV/STI-related services. Methods Drawing on ethnographic approaches, semi-structured interviews were undertaken using field notes, including recording of verbatim quotes, with 27 self-identifying MSM, transgender people, straight-identifying MSM and relevant secondary informants across Timor-Leste. Interviews covered gender identity, intra-community social interaction and sexual practices. Data were analysed with involvement of author three (a local researcher who is well-connected to the populations) using an inductive thematic analysis approach where common themes and discrepant cases were coded with attention to the individuals' reported experiences and key events. Results Three identities among MSM/TG were most commonly reported: self-identifying MSM; transgender; and mane forte (lit.: 'strong man'), or straight-identifying MSM. Self-identifying MSM and transgender-identifying people typically engaged only in sexual activity with straight-identifying MSM. Sex was often reported to have a transactional element, most commonly with MSM or transgender-identifying people providing low-value goods or pocket money to either their casual or long-term straight-identifying male partner/s. An imbalanced power dynamic was often reported between the two parties, with straight-identifying partners generally 'calling the shots' in decisions such as condom use. Straight-identifying men were less likely to interact with MSM HIV/STI services, typically tailored for those identifying as MSM or transgender. Conclusion The degree to which financial/other incentives play a role in MSM/TG sexual practice is greater than previously reported. The reported power of straight-identifying MSM in sexual decision-making has implications for HIV/STI prevention initiatives, particularly given existing MSM services may not adequately serve straight-identifying MSM. Disclosure of interest statement This project received funding from the Ministry of Health Timor-Leste under a grant from the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. No pharmaceutical grants were received in the development of this study.


Abstract. Carbon nanotubes (CNs) are hexagonally shaped arrangements of carbon atoms that have been rolled into tubes with outstanding properties. Carbon nanotubes are among the stiffest and strongest fibers known, and have remarkable electronic properties and many other unique characteristics. All properties of the carbon nanotubes are determined by its electronic structure. The main focus of this study has been to investigate the basic electronic band structure of carbon nanotubes and to understand the origin of the cutting lines. For this purposes brief introduction to the electronic properties of carbon nanotubes was given and then 3D electronic band structure was plotted. For different chirality vectors (n, m) 1D and 2D first Brillouin zones and cutting lines of SWNT were calculated and plotted. Key words: Single-walled carbon nanotube, Brillouin zone, Cutting line.


We have previously demonstrated that LHRH is capable of eliciting a dramatic and direct elevation of anterior pituitary levels of nuclear estrogen receptors (E2R) [18, 24]. This action was manifest under both in vitro and in vivo conditions, and could not be attributed to an amplification of the rate or extent of cytosol E2R binding, activation or transloca-tion. In view of the implications of these observations in terms of estrogen-LHRH interplay in regulation of gonadotropin secretion, we have further explored the nature, specificity and estrogen dependency of the LHRH effect. TRH, a long-acting agonist, (D-Ala6, des-Gly10)LHRH-N-ethylamide (LHRH-A), and an antagonist, N-Ac-D-p-Cl-Phe12, D-Trp3, D-Phe6, D-Ala10-LHRH (LHRH-ANT), were compared with LHRH for their ability to alter compartmental E2R concentrations following incubation in vitro. Either intact dispersed anterior pituitary cells or isolated cytosol and nuclei from pituitary homogenates were used as receptor source. LHRH-A and LHRH both caused a 40–60% decrease in the cytoplasmic E2R binding capacity of intact cells following incubation of 30 min at 37 °C; the magnitude of the inhibition was dose independent over a peptide range of 0.1–1000 pmol/pituitary. In contrast, TRH caused a dose-related decrease in cytosol E2R binding. When nuclear E2R levels were assessed, significant dose dependent increases were observed with both LHRH and LHRH-A treatment. The effective dose of LHRH-A was approximately an order of magnitude lower than that of LHRH. TRH, on the other hand, over a wide concentration range (0.3–3,000 pmol/pituitary), had no significant effect on specific nuclear estrogen binding. In isolated nuclei, as in the intact cell studies, LHRH and LHRH-A were stimulatory, while TRH effected no alteration of E2R binding levels. The LHRH effect could be totally blocked by LHRH-ANT. In isolated cytosol, TRH did not affect E2R binding, whereas LHRH and LHRH-A were both mildly stimulatory. The effectiveness of LHRH in enhancing nuclear E2R binding correlated directly with the endogenous estrogen titers of the animals. In tissue from ovariectomized animals primed with 0.1 μg estradiol/day, LHRH was 4 times more potent as a stimulator of nuclear E2R than in tissue from nonprimed castrate animals. If the priming dose was increased to 1.0 μg/day, a further significant increase in sensitivity of nuclear E2R to LHRH was observed over the 0.1 μg priming dose level. The results of these studies attest to the releasing hormone specificity of changes in anterior pituitary E2R levels, and to the involvement of estrogen-LHRH sensitization in this process, analogous to the well-documented estrogen-LHRH interplay in regulation of LHRH release.


In this paper we reflect on effective research strategies for building helpful system dynamics models on induced technology change that are substantiated in the relevant literature and empirical data sources. The paper positions the innovation system literature within the overall field of induced technology change as a distinct systemic approach that offers relevant conceptual starting points for a system dynamics modeling experiment on induced technology change analyses. Innovation system research is interested in identifying the processes underlying innovation, industrial transformation and economic growth. Also, the interest in the functional dynamics of innovation systems creates an opportunity for system dynamics researchers that are applying a scholarly developed modeling approach aiming to identify the structure and processes that explain behavior patterns of induced technology change. Based on literature research the paper summarizes the main modeling steps applied by system dynamics scholars and compare it with research approaches of innovation system scholars. An unifying research strategy framework for a scientific modeling approach is introduced that highlights the main necessary requirements in order to be most useful for a real world problem situation and for theory building and refinement in general, and specifically for system approaches on induced technology change.


Many law schools are now wrestling with issues relating to the incorporation of a transnational legal component — including elements of international, comparative, foreign and transnational law — within their teaching and scholarship missions. These changes mirror discussions within the legal academy over a move from a "national law practice" to a multi-jurisdictional practice model of legal education. There is a sense that, just as American law schools shifted from a local to a national legal orientation about a century ago, today law schools must shift from a national to a transnational focus in this century. The paper suggests a possible structure for analysis of the value of integrating the transnational element within the teaching, research and service of law school stakeholders. It will then propose a set of framework structures for incorporating the transborder element in law school curricular, research and service activities. The paper will consider three traditional models for incorporating the transborder element into law school curricula: the integration, aggregation and segregation models. Each seeks to modify existing resources and teaching/research models to incorporate a transnational element into the curriculum. The paper then considers two emerging framework structures for the incorporation of transnational elements in legal education. The first, the immersion model, depends on the ability of a law school to forge effective networks with law schools in other states. The second, the multi-disciplinary departmental model, is based on the idea that the transnational element in law is distinct enough to merit a substantial treatment in its own right. This last approach represents a substantial departure from traditional approaches to law teaching and research. The paper ends with a consideration of implementation issues for developing a multi-disciplinary departmental approach to incorporating the transnational element in legal education.


A simple and selective assay for detecting methylglyoxal (MGO), a metabolite associated with diabetes, was developed by combining a bio-inspired chemical reaction with the anti-aggregation of gold nanoparticles. This assay could detect MGO at as low as 1 μM by the naked eye and 0.05 μM by UV/vis spectrometry, within the clinical range marking oxidative stress in diabetes, and demonstrated high selectivity over other physiologically relevant ketones and aldehydes.


Myosin regulatory light chain (LC20) phosphorylation plays an important role in vascular smooth muscle contraction and cell migration. Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) phosphorylates LC20 (its only known substrate) exclusively at S19. Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) and zipper-interacting protein kinase (ZIPK) have been implicated in the regulation of LC20 phosphorylation via direct phosphorylation of LC20 at T18 and S19 and indirectly via phosphorylation of MYPT1 (the myosin targeting subunit of myosin light chain phosphatase, MLCP) and Par-4 (prostate-apoptosis response-4). Phosphorylation of MYPT1 at T696 and T853 inhibits MLCP activity whereas phosphorylation of Par-4 at T163 disrupts its interaction with MYPT1, exposing the sites of phosphorylation in MYPT1 and leading to MLCP inhibition. To evaluate the roles of MLCK, ROCK and ZIPK in these phosphorylation events, we investigated the time courses of phosphorylation of LC20, MYPT1 and Par-4 in serum-stimulated human vascular smooth muscle cells (from coronary and umbilical arteries), and examined the effects of siRNA-mediated MLCK, ROCK and ZIPK knockdown and pharmacological inhibition on these phosphorylation events. Serum stimulation induced rapid phosphorylation of LC20 at T18 and S19, MYPT1 at T696 and T853, and Par-4 at T163, peaking within 30–120 s. MLCK knockdown or inhibition, or Ca2+ chelation with EGTA, had no effect on serum-induced LC20 phosphorylation. ROCK knockdown decreased the levels of phosphorylation of LC20 at T18 and S19, of MYPT1 at T696 and T853, and of Par-4 at T163, whereas ZIPK knockdown decreased LC20 diphosphorylation, but increased phosphorylation of MYPT1 at T696 and T853 and of Par-4 at T163. ROCK inhibition with GSK429286A reduced serum-induced phosphorylation of LC20 at T18 and S19, MYPT1 at T853 and Par-4 at T163, while ZIPK inhibition by HS38 reduced only LC20 diphosphorylation. We also demonstrated that serum stimulation induced phosphorylation (activation) of ZIPK, which was inhibited by ROCK and ZIPK down-regulation and inhibition. Finally, basal phosphorylation of LC20 in the absence of serum stimulation was unaffected by MLCK, ROCK or ZIPK knockdown or inhibition. We conclude that: (i) serum stimulation of cultured human arterial smooth muscle cells results in rapid phosphorylation of LC20, MYPT1, Par-4 and ZIPK, in contrast to the slower phosphorylation of kinases and other proteins involved in other signaling pathways (Akt, ERK1/2, p38 MAPK and HSP27), (ii) ROCK and ZIPK, but not MLCK, are involved in serum-induced phosphorylation of LC20, (iii) ROCK, but not ZIPK, directly phosphorylates MYPT1 at T853 and Par-4 at T163 in response to serum stimulation, (iv) ZIPK phosphorylation is enhanced by serum stimulation and involves phosphorylation by ROCK and autophosphorylation, and (v) basal phosphorylation of LC20 under serum-free conditions is not attributable to MLCK, ROCK or ZIPK.


Whether it is applied to primality test or cryptography, pseudoprimes are one of the most important topics in number theory. Regarding the study of strong pseudoprimes, there are two problems which mathematicians have been working on: 1. Given a, b, find all a-spsp up to b. 2. Given an odd composite n, find all a ≤ n such that n is an a-spsp. where n = a-spsp means n is a strong pseudoprime to base a, and a is a strong liar of n. The two problems are respectively referred to as the tabulation of strong pseudoprimes and the tabulation of strong liars. The main focus of my work in this research project is on the tabulation of strong liars. This can be achieved by the application of the multiplicative group modulo n, denoted by (Z/nZ)×. Instead of checking each potential candidate, we can actually construct the set of Fermat liars, a "weaker" version than strong liars, from the bottom up with the help of the primitive roots of (Z/pZ)× for all prime factors p of n. We then sieve out the set of strong liars with Millerwitness() function in NTL library. By implementing the algorithms with appropriate data structures, I verified that in most cases the runtimes have been improved compared to previous algorithms or brute force. This is to be expected, since they have less computational complexities theoretically. All implementations of the algorithms in this research project are in C++. In 2010, Professors Mark Liffiton and Andrew Shallue built a new computer system for research purposes, known as Hyperion. This is essentially a cluster of 8 computers, also referred to as nodes, which are able to finish complex distributed computations. The operating systems installed on all the nodes in the cluster is Linux. By submitting Shell scripts which include instructions from its front end, I can grab a cup of coffee while the programs are running on the cluster. This feature is particularly beneficial for this project since the programs sometimes take tens of minutes to return all the outputs.


In East Africa, large wild herbivores both compete with and benefit cattle. Many large plant-eating mammals have evolved to live in multispecies assemblages, with species competing for food and other resources. Through domestication and animal husbandry, however, humans have enabled a few species of livestock, such as cattle, to dominate such assemblages. One standard practice in livestock production on rangelands, espoused by commercial ranchers and subsistence pastoralists alike, is the eradication of large, indigenous herbivores that are believed to compete with livestock for food. These eradication efforts have increasingly problematic implications for biodiversity conservation (1). So it is timely that on page 1753 of this issue, Odadi et al. (2) report on a relatively simple experiment that tested the assumption that cattle and wildlife compete for food. Their study, conducted in an East African savanna renowned for its large herbivore diversity, revealed that cattle do compete with herbivores such as zebras and gazelles during the dry season, when food quantity is low. In contrast, during the wet season, when food quantity is high, grazing by wildlife benefits cattle by improving the quality of forage. The findings highlight ecological processes that promote coexistence among large herbivores in grasslands and savannas, and hence could be useful for conservation.


Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have recently received a great deal of attention in higher education. MOOCs demonstrate universities' efforts in offering high-quality digital learning materials to everyone in the world, which should be encouraged. Nevertheless, as a MOOC platform must ensure its financial sustainability, it is questionable whether a platform's profit-seeking pricing strategy will hurt the diversity of courses, such as eliminating courses with low certificate purchasing rates. To address this question, we adopt a game-theoretic framework to model the interaction and strategic choices of a MOOC platform, learners, and universities. Based on the certificate prices and revenue sharing ratios chosen by the platform for courses with various certificate purchasing rates, universities consider the competition intensity and decide their course quality levels, to attract learners. We conclude that all types of course will exists in equilibrium throughout the lifecycle of a MOOC platform, regardless of the technology maturity and competition intensity. We also find that course qualities may decrease when MOOCs become more accessible to learners. Finally, qualities of courses with different certificate purchasing rates are compared.


Following the 1995 Russian parliamentary election, it was suggested that Russian voters may have used their votes to send a message to the then current Russian president, Boris Yeltsin, who was scheduled to run for reelection six months later. Building on this observation, we consider the incentives for information transmission through strategic voting in systems with sequential elections. We find that when an election for a sufficiently weak institution (e.g., a parliament) precedes an election for a strong institution (e.g., a president), in any equilibrium some voters vote against their preferred party in the first election to send a message to candidates in the second election. Following a brief discussion of the intuition underlying this argument, we present a model that allows us to isolate institutional features that affect the prevalence of this type of strategic voting: the relative importance of institutions to voters, the timing of sequential elections, and the relative cost of responsiveness by candidates.


The crystal quality evolution of AlN films via high-temperature (HT) annealing under nitrogen is investigated. It is found that the best crystal quality can be realized using an optimized combination of the annealing temperature at 1700 °C and an AlN thickness of 540 nm, respectively. Thus the X-ray diffraction ω-scan full width at half maximum (FWHM) values of 59 and 284 arcsec for (0002) and (102) diffractions were achieved, respectively. It is verified that the significant reduction in the threading dislocation density (TDD) via HT annealing starts from the interface zone between AlN and sapphire anterior to the zone far from the interface, which is caused by less energy being required to decrease the larger twist angle among the columns in the interface zone. Benefiting from the low-TDD annealed AlN template, the internal quantum efficiency of the 282-nm AlGaN-based multiple quantum wells reached 57% at 300 K.


In a previous paper (Patella and Mauriello, 1998) we extended to resistivity and induced polarization (IP) measurements the principles of probability tomography (Patella, 1997). In this work, we deal with the 3-D case for both types of data and propose a method for a combined tomography, always based on a probabilistic point of view. In the present formulation we start from the tensorial analysis of geoelectric data (Bibby, 1986), now extended to the IP case. In fact, from the apparent resistivity or chargeability tensor it is possible to obtain tensor invariants, which are independent of the direction of the source field and well confined in the neighbourhood of the causative bodies. In particular we focus our attention on the trace tr(A) of the data apparent anomaly tensor. Implementing the mathematical backgrounds reported in the previous paper (Patella and Mauriello, 1998), we write the departure of the measured tensor trace from that calculated on the basis of a reference model as:


This Comment offers a fair lending solution to promote racial equity in cannabis banking reform: amend the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to ensure individuals previously arrested, charged, or convicted for selling, cultivating, or possessing marijuana will not therefore be precluded from loans to start legal cannabis businesses. Given disparities in the criminal enforcement of marijuana laws, this amendment would provide racial justice benefits, while also encouraging entrepreneurship. As a market-based social justice effort, this amendment offers a bipartisan approach to one of the most vexing and contentious issues in marijuana banking reform.

Part II of this Comment briefly surveys the federal statutes that have led to an under-banked cannabis industry and discusses the costs of cash for marijuana businesses. It then examines prior reforms proposed by academics, executive-branch officials, and legislators. Part III explores the racial equity concerns that these proposals fail to address, while Part IV offers a fair lending approach for justice in marijuana banking reform.


Introduction Obliterative Bronchiolitis (OB) is characterised by fibrotic obliteration of small airways which adversely affecting graft function and survival after lung transplantation. It has been shown in vitro and in vivo that primary bronchial epithelial cells (PBEC) from the transplanted lung can undergo epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and this process may contribute to the development of OB. We have shown that activated macrophages can disrupt epithelial wound repair by accentuating TGF-β1-driven EMT. We hypothesised that this effect might be limited to macrophages with an M1 phenotype and that their secretory products might be a target for limiting the inflammatory accentuation of EMT. Methods and materials The THP-1 monocytic cell line was stimulated with clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) and the effect of the activated cells or conditioned media on TGF-β1-driven EMT assessed in PBEC (Western blotting, confocal microscopy). In addition, THP-1 cells were differentiated to an M1 phenotype by treatment with IFNγ and an M2 phenotype with IL-4/IL-13 and cytokine release (ELISA) and their effect on TGF-β1 driven EMT assessed. The effect of blocking TNFα secreted from activated THP-1 cells on EMT was assessed using an anti-TNFα antibody. Results Treatment with TGF-β1+activated THP-1 cells had no effect on EMT marker expression (p>0.05 n=6). However, co-treatment with TGF-β1+conditioned media from activated THP-1 cells dramatically accentuated TGF-β1-driven EMT (p<0.05 n=6). M1 differentiated THP-1 cells released 8.4-fold more TNFα and 8.1-fold more IL-1β than M2 cells (p<0.05, n=3). Conditioned media from M1, but not M2, cells dramatically accentuated TGF-β1 driven EMT (p<0.05 n=6). Blocking TNFα in the conditioned media from THP-1 cells significantly inhibits the decrease in E-cadherin (39%±4%) and the increase in vimentin (59%±18%) and fibronectin (72%±14%) expression (p<0.05, n=5). Conclusion The secretory products of M1, but not M2, macrophages significantly accentuate TGF-β1 driven EMT. TNFα appears to be a major constituent of this accentuating action. This raises the possibility that either TNFα targeted therapies or modulation of macrophage phenotype may inhibit the inflammatory accentuation of EMT in airway epithelium.


In the past decade there has been a large scope of studies on mathematical models of social dynamics. Self-organization, i.e., the autonomous formation of patterns, has been so far the main driving concept. Usually first or second order models are considered with given predetermined nonlocal interaction potentials, tuned to reproduce, at least qualitatively, certain global patterns (such as flocks of birds, milling school of fish or line formations in pedestrian flows etc.). However, it is common experience that selforganization of a society does not always spontaneously occur. In the first part of this survey paper we address the question of whether it is possible to externally and parsimoniously influence the dynamics, to promote the formation of certain desired patterns. In particular we address the issue of finding the sparsest control strategy for finite agent models in order to lead the dynamics optimally towards a given outcome. In the second part of the paper we show the rigorous limit process connecting finite dimensional sparse optimal control problems with ODE constraints to an infinite dimensional sparse meanfield optimal control problem with a constraint given by a PDE of Vlasov-type, governing the dynamics of the probability distribution of the agent population. Moreover, often in practice we do not dispose of a precise knowledge of the governing dynamics. In the last part of this paper we present a variational and optimal transport framework leading to an algorithmic solution to the problem of learning the interaction potentials from the observation of the dynamics of a multiagent system. 2010 Mathematics Subject Classification. 49J15 / 49J20 / 35Q83 / 35Q91 / 37N25


Possible changes of intensity of cadmium arc lines, emitted from different upper energy states, have been calculated on the basis of thermal equilibrium for two definite temperatures of the arc due to variation of the arc current. The arc temperatures were measured with optical pyrometers. Large discrepancies were noted between the calculated and observed values. The results call for a considerable amount of collisional excitation.


Capnography, the non-invasive monitoring of the CO 2 partial pressure in the exhaled gas provides information on lung ventilation and perfusion. The reference mainstream (MS) method measures CO 2 directly at the airway opening. Sidestream (SS) devices analyse a gas sample aspirated through a tube, distorting the capnogram in an unclarified manner and degree. We investigated the influence of sampling rate on the shape factors of the SS capnogram. Measurements were made simultaneously with MS and SS capnographs, the latter being equipped with adjustable sampling flow in 6 anaesthetised, ventilated patients. Phase 2 and 3 slopes (S2 and S3) were derived from time capnograms. S2 describes the transition between the emptying of bronchial and alveolar gas, S3 reflects the heterogeneity of alveolar ventilation. To assess the effects of sampling flow on capnogram shape, we analysed correlations between the sampling flow and the difference of SS and MS parameters (S2 diff , S3 diff ). By increasing sampling flow from 100 to 400 ml/min in 3 steps, S2 diff exhibited monotonous, linear decrease (R 2 =0.47, p diff indicated quadratic polynomial relationship with the sampling flow, with two optima at 135 and 460 ml/min sampling rates (R 2 =0.51, p Our results highlight that changes in sampling flow rate bias the shape factors derived from SS capnogram. Increasing the sampling flow from 200 to 400-500 ml/min improves the accuracy of SS capnographic parameter estimations, approaching those obtained by the MS method. In clinical practice, however, the feasibility of increasing the sampling flow is limited by the loss of tidal volume, which is of great importance in paediatric patients. Supported by OTKA grant K115253 .


This is a special break-out edition adapted from the authors' widely used International Business Transactions: A Problem-Oriented Course Book, 12th . The purpose of this volume is to facilitate a focused study of the law of international trade and economic relations. After a brief introduction to the conduct of business in the world community, the book uses hypothetical problems to present some of the most typical and important issues regarding imports, exports, technology transfers, and dispute settlement, in conjunction with related readings and materials. The primary focus is on lawyers, public and private, as problem solvers.


The review presents literature data on therapeutic and diagnostic management of pulmonary diseases in HIV-in-fected patients. The article provides different practical approaches in the diagnosis of HIV-associated lung lesions and the spectrum of probable diseases, depending on the degree of immunodeficiency and the severity of clinical manifestations. The reference clinical signs of the most common opportunistic diseases with possible lung involvement are pre-sented.The literature review highlights the feasibility of accurate etiological and invasive diagnosis of lung lesions in different clinical settings, as well as the need to designate various op-tions of empirical antimicrobial therapy. The features of antimicrobial therapy and, in particular, the use of fluoroquino-lones during the differential diagnosis of pulmonary lesions in HIV infection are discussed. The difficulties of verifying of HIV-associated lung diseases indicate the need of uni-fied therapeutic and diagnostic approaches for use by various physicians (general practitioners, pulmonologists and phthisiologists).


Circadian rhythms are seen at every level of biology, from single cells to complex behaviors. The timing of every biological function in mammals is governed by the master clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), which has an intrinsic period of slightly longer than 24 hours. The light/dark pattern incident on the retina synchronizes the SCN to the 24-hour local time, coordinating and enabling diverse biological functions to occur at the correct time of day and night for optimum species survival. Without exposure to a regular, daily pattern of light and dark, circadian rhythms become disrupted. A wide range of modern maladies, from sleep disorders to cancer, has been linked to light-induced circadian disruption. Light has, however, been defined only in terms of the human visual system, not the circadian system. Light source and systems development should consider the needs of both the visual and non-visual systems. Discussed are the lighting characteristics impacting these two systems and the implications for designing light for various healthcare and medical applications.


The purpose of this paper is to broaden the scope of integral-quadratic-constraint based structured robustness analysis in a way that accommodates feedback interconnections of unstable linear time-invariant systems. This is achieved by exploring the use of Vinnicombe¿s v-gap metric as a measure of distance. Various standard robustness analysis problems are revisited within the context of the main result.


Laser hair removal is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that is well suited to the office-based practice. A great deal of improvement has occurred in the past 5 years with the technology and the understanding of how and for whom the procedure works. A review of the physics of laser-skin interactions is included as well as guidelines for safe and effective clinical treatments. Four wavelengths of lasers and intense light sources have proven successful for a variety of skin types. Average rates of long-term hair reduction, for properly treated subjects, are consistently reported between 70 and 90% at a minimum of 6 months. When performed by physician extenders under the supervision of a physician, maximal use of time and resources can be achieved.


Learning to capture human motion is essential to 3D human pose and shape estimation from monocular video. However, the existing methods mainly rely on recurrent or convolutional operation to model such temporal information, which limits the ability to capture non-local context relations of human motion. To address this problem, we propose a motion pose and shape network (MPS-Net) to effectively capture humans in motion to estimate accurate and temporally coherent 3D human pose and shape from a video. Specifically, we first propose a motion continuity attention (MoCA) module that leverages visual cues observed from human motion to adaptively recalibrate the range that needs attention in the sequence to better capture the motion continuity dependencies. Then, we develop a hierarchical attentive feature integration (HAFI) module to effectively combine adjacent past and future feature represen-tations to strengthen temporal correlation and refine the feature representation of the current frame. By coupling the MoCA and HAFI modules, the proposed MPS-Net excels in estimating 3D human pose and shape in the video. Though conceptually simple, our MPS-Net not only outperforms the state-of-the-art methods on the 3DPW, MPI-INF-3DHP, and Human3.6M benchmark datasets, but also uses fewer network parameters. The video demos can be found at https://mps-net.github.io/MPS-Net/.


Advanced three-dimensional packaging technology for a high-density CCD micro-camera system module has been developed by applying high-density-interconnection stack-unit modules that have fine-pitch flip-chip interconnections within copper-column-based solder bumps and high-aspect-ratio sidewall footprints for vertical interconnections. Copper-column-based solder bump design and underfill encapsulation resin characteristics were optimized to reduce the strain in the bump and to achieve fine-pitch flip-chip interconnection with high reliability. High-aspect-ratio sidewall footprints were realized by the copper-filled stacked vias at the edge of the module substrate. High-precision distribution of sidewall footprints was achieved by laminating the multiple stack-unit substrates simultaneously. The fabricated three-dimensional package has operated satisfactorily as the CCD imaging data transmission circuit. The technology was confirmed to be effective for incorporating many devices of different sizes at far higher packaging density than it is possible to attain using conventional technology.


: 69 patients with clinically suspected varicoceles were examined thermographically and sonographically prior to testicular phlebography. The combination of sonography and thermography permitted precise differentiation into normal findings (7%), left-sided varicoceles (86%) and bilateral varicoceles (7%). Thermography was advantageous with an accuracy of 97.3%. Sonography had an accuracy of 90.5%. No clear correlation was found between varicocele size and degree of hyperthermia. The combination of sonography and thermography affords a high degree of accuracy in the diagnosis of varicoceles, including subclinical and infantile varicoceles.


Sepsis rapidly activates the host inflammatory response and acute phase response. Severe sepsis, complicated by multiple organ failure, is associated with overwhelming inflammation and high mortality. We previously observed that zinc (Zn) deficiency significantly increases mortality in a mouse model of polymicrobial sepsis due to over-activation of the inflammatory response. In order to identify potential mechanisms that account for Zn-responsive effects, we generated whole exome expression profiles from the lung tissue of septic mice that were maintained on Zn modified diets. Based on systems analysis, we observed that Zn deficiency enhances the acute phase response and particularly the JAK-STAT3 pathway, resulting in increased serum amyloid A production. In vitro studies of primary hepatocytes and HepG2 cells substantiated that Zn-deficiency augments serum amyloid A production through up-regulation of the JAK-STAT3 and NF-κB pathways. In contrast, Zn inhibited STAT3 activation through the up-regulation of SHP1 activity. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that Zn deficiency enhances the acute phase response through up-regulation of the JAK-STAT3 pathway, thereby perpetuating increased inflammation that may lead to increased morbidity and mortality in response to sepsis.


Antecedents of personality disorder in childhood and adolescence have been a neglected area in official taxonomies of mental disorders such as the International Classification of Diseases or the different editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. An evolving research field, however, underscores the importance of antecedents for understanding psychopathology and personality pathology in adulthood. The current article summarizes the history, updates reviews, and incorporates new research findings into an integrative scheme for conceptualizing personality pathology in childhood and adolescence. Implications of this model for assessment, future research, and intervention are discussed.


A new species of Kohleria (Gesneriaceae) is described from the Colombian Andes, in the departments of Huila and Cauca. The new species, Kohleria huilensis, has long been documented from the Merenberg Natural Reserve (La Plata, Huila), but has been confused with K. inaequalis var. inaequalis and K. inaequalis var. ocellata. The new species is distinguished by the following characters: white sericeous and sparse villous indumenta on vegetative structures; calyx lobes elongate with revolute margins; corolla magenta to fuchsia, ventral lobe orbicular with apex truncate; filaments hirsute with glandular trichomes distally; and staminodes < 2.8 mm long.


Abstract : Three multisensor piezometer probes were developed and field tested for use in coastal (shallow water) fine-grained marine soils. Offshore sites were investigated in the Mississippi Delta. Pore water pressure measurements were determined at several depths below the sea floor using both absolute and differential pressure sensors placed in a four inch diameter probe. Pressure sensors were hard-wired to nearby platforms where signals were conditioned and analog recording devices monitored pore water pressure changes in the marine soils. Pore water pressures were monitored for several months. Two single sensor piezometer probes, light millimeters in diameter, were developed for deep-ocean investigations. These probes use differential pressure sensors and were tested in a hyperbaric chamber pressurized to 55 MPa (8000 psi). Testing was performed for a period of five weeks under high hydrostatic pressure with the probes inserted in reconstituted illitic marine soil. Small differential pore water pressures responded to both mechanically and thermally generated forcing functions. During shallow water investigations and deep-ocean simulated pressure tests, the sensors exhibited excellent sensitivity and stability. These developments in piezometer probe technology provide a means of assessing important geotechnical parameters of fine-grained seabed deposits. (Author)