Green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) are considered among the most effective generalist predators of aphids. In the present experimentation, the use of 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd instars of the chrysopid Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) larvae against aphids pest was investigated under field conditions in Brassica napus L. Four releases of predator's 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd instar larvae were made from the time of aphid's appearance on canola crop till its maturity at fortnightly intervals. The influences on aphids due to the larvae of C. carnea predator were assessed by examining pest incidence and abundance of the natural enemies at plant growth stage, and seed yield recorded at crop harvest in the test field. Results indicated that predators, irrespective of their developmental stage, reacted very positively to their preys' reduction except in untreated control. Of the different larval stages tested, the applications of 1 st instar followed by 2 nd and 3 rd instar larvae were most effective in reducing aphids' population compared with untreated control. In the similar fashion, the releases of 1 st and 2 nd instar larvae of C. carnea were more effective in increasing crop yields compared with check treatment. Obviously, the applications of 1 st and 2 nd instar larvae of C. carnea involved efficiently in prey location and consumption, and performed predation activity for longer period (2-3 weeks). On the other hand, the release of 3 rd instar larvae was too late to play a direct beneficial role in crop protection suggesting that they may have less time (1 week) to remain involved in efficient prey consumption. Further, 1 st or 2 nd instar larvae may be much hungrier and eaten more pests in study areas without resting or moving to new location and thus can potentially be used to enhance biological control of aphids.


The determination of the thermal conductivity of insulation materials depending on which parameters in the application as well as the production is very important. In this direction, the parameters affecting thermal conductivity should be determined to improve the efficiency of the insulation materials. It is also a fact that expanded polystyrene blocks have different thermal conductivities at the same density value depending on the production process. In this study, it was determined, experimentally and numerically, that the thermal conductivity of expanded polystyrene material at different densities is dependent on which parameters and changes in temperature. Expanded polystyrene materials consist of blocks of 30×30 cm with density of 16, 21, and 25 kg/m3 and a thickness of 20 mm. Thermal conductivity measurements were performed in FOX 314 (Laser Comp., USA) operating in accordance with ISO 8301 and EN 12667 standards. The measurements were made for expanded polystyrene blocks at the average temperatures of 10°C, 20°C, 30°C, and 40°C. The numerical study has three stages as the acquisition of electron microscope images (SEM) of expanded polystyrene blocks, modeling of internal structure geometry with CAD program, and realization of solutions with a finite element-based ANSYS program. Findings from experimental and numerical studies and the parameters affecting thermal conductivity were determined. Finally, it is thought that numerical methods can be used to obtain a preliminary idea for EPS material in determining thermal conductivity by comparing the findings of experimental and numerical studies.


Summary form only given. Study of surface potentials near the lunar terminator is important for understanding dust dynamics in this region. The Lunar Ejecta and Meteorite Experiment deployed during the Apollo 17 mission observed an increased frequency of dust impacts at lunar sunrise and sunset. A laboratory model of the lunar surface is being developed for measuring the surface potential distribution near the UV light/dark boundary and for developing instruments to diagnose the lunar photoelectron layer. In initial experiments, a metal sheet is illuminated by a 1000 W Hg-Xe UV source. An adjacent metal surface is cut into stripes insulated from each other. A shadow of the UV light is made by a light stopper outside the vacuum chamber. The surface potential of the illuminated metal sheet and surface potentials of the metal stripes are measured by high impedance probes. Surface potentials are comparable in magnitude to the difference between the work function (~4.1 eV) and the most energetic photons (~6 eV). Experiments will continue with materials of different work function and with simulated lunar regolith.


BACKGROUND: For over 40 years, rural lung cancer survivorship rates have lagged behind urban survivorship rates. Lower survivorship rates are partly related to decreased understanding of survivorship care needs and a reduced understanding of other elements common to survivorship care planning (e.g., review and management of treatment side-effects) by rural cancer survivors. However, the perspectives of rural lung cancer survivors regarding their experiences with survivorship care are unreported. We examined survivorship care experiences and barriers and facilitators to survivorship care navigation and implementation among rural lung cancer survivors and caregivers. METHODS: We conducted interviews from May 2021-June 2022. We purposively sampled rural patients with posttreatment lung cancer–within 5 years from their last active treatment–and caregivers of patients with lung cancer residing in Midwest communities. Participants self-identified as rural. Using a community-engaged recruitment strategy and snowballing technique, we recruited from rural and urban regional cancer centers, regional hospitals, and rural health clinics. Interviews were conducted either in person or by telephone. The interview guide questions probed participants regarding survivorship care implementation, knowledge, and navigation. All interviews were recorded and independently transcribed. Two analysts conducted a thematic analysis and inductively coded verbatim transcripts. RESULTS: Interviews were conducted with (n=22) lung cancer survivors and caregivers. Most participants were lung cancer survivors, Non-Hispanic White, at least 65 years old, married, female, have an annual household income of $75,000, received an Associate's degree or less, and were previous smokers. There was an equal distribution of recent cancer diagnoses each year between 2018-2021. We coded similar perceptions between survivors and caregivers. Themes related to survivorship care included (1) Frustrations and anxiety were associated with unexpected barriers to adhering to care recommendations, (2) Participants emphasized needing clear posttreatment survivorship care recommendations, (3) Both self-reliance and strong supportive social networks were needed to cope with challenges associated with posttreatment care, and (4) Having patient-centered care and engaged caregivers helped survivors overcome barriers associated with survivorship care. Subthemes addressed multilevel (e.g., individual, community, policy) challenges and facilitators. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study illuminate the experiences of rural lung cancer survivors and caregivers' survivorship care. Participants reported that survivorship care planning is frustrating and requires resilience and strong interpersonal relationships to navigate. Survivors and caregivers preferred clear, even candid, communication about their survivorship care planning and patient-centered care. Considering persistent rural-urban lung cancer survivorship disparities, tools to improve communication about survivorship care needs are needed.
 Citation Format: Marquita W. Lewis-Thames, Anna E. Gurolnik, Shakira J. Grant, Sam Keimweiss. "Just give it to us straight!": A qualitative analysis of midwestern rural lung cancer survivors and caregivers about survivorship care experiences [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B012.


Objective To identify Thalictrum simplex L.var.bravipes Hara by identification of pharmacognosy and provide the scientific evidence of identification and application.Methods The original plant identification,morphological and histological identification,microscopic identification,thinlayer chromatography(TLC) were adopted.Results There are exclusive in original plant morphology,microscopic characteristics,thin layer chromatography(TLC).Conclusion The plants of Thalictrum simplex L.var.bravipes Hara are completely identified by the methods.


In order to simulate the actual working conditions of excavation and supporting in a deep foundation pit project,a three-dimensional numerical model was built using geotechnical numerical analysis software FLAC 3D,and the deformation failure and supporting structure force evolution characteristics of the deep foundation pit under double micropiles and composite soil nailing were analyzed.The results show that horizontal displacement contours of the foundation pit wall is bulging,indicating a small displacement in the upper but a big displacement in the lower.A larger uplift appears at the bottom of the foundation pit,but the uplift amount decreases with the decreasing of distance from foundation pit wall.Besides,vertical settlement of the foundation slope is small,and the maximum settlement appears after the supporting structure.The axial force of soil nail is strong in the middle and weak at the end,and themaximum axial force point is getting closer to the excavation face when approaching to the bottom of the foundation pit.With the increase of the excavation depth,the axial forces of soil nail grow quickly at the beginning and then become slow.The bending moment of the front micropiles is greater than the back row,and the maximum bending moment appears at 2mdepth of the bottom of the foundation pit after the excavation completed.Moreover,the stability of foundation pit is obtained by the support of measuring pointsdisplacement-time curve and the plastic zone distribution characteristic.However,tension-tensile plastic zone appears in the top of the hill edge,and the shear failure zone appears in the shallow of foundation pit wall and bottom of foundation pit,respectively,indicating the proper protecting measures should be taken.The obtained results can provide significant reference for the dynamic evolution and prevention of deformation failure in deep foundation pit excavation.


Doc Frail in The Hanging Tree. (Dorothy told a story about the filming of The Hanging Tree that summed up her almost adolescent adulation of a Gary Cooper or John Wayne. During the production, she said, she got a call from Hollywood expressing some concern about the title. "They were afraid that The Hanging Tree was too grisly," she said. "They thought it might scare off women moviegoers. They asked if I 'd ever had another title for the story, and I told them that my working title had been 'The Prisoner of Skull Creek.' I probably could have heard them groan all the way from California without the telephone; they thought that was even worse. But I solved their problem. I just told them that I 'd never heard of Gary Cooper scaring off any woman." ) My husband and I count ourselves fortunate to have shared some delightful moments with Dorothy. She certainly enriched my life, both pro fessionally and personally. T ha t she made an impression on others through her work can be seen in many different ways, though none more striking and amusing than a political sign I saw in Idaho just before the last election: O n a dark blue background, in big white letters, the message read "A M an Called Horsch." She was never pretentious—in fact, she used to get a kick out of it when I would quote from something she'd written years before and ask "How on earth did you remember that?"— but she was proud of her contri butions to the body of literature about the West. She was, as my husband says of her fondly, the embodiment of the words of a Johnny Cash song: she had "gravel in her gut and spit in her eye." She would have loved that descrip tion ; it's the way she saw herself.


In this paper, we establish a second main theorem for holomorphic curve intersecting hypersurfaces in general position in projective space with level of truncation. As an application, we reduce the number hypersurfaces in uniqueness problem for holomorphic curve of authors before.


As the built environment accounts for much of the world's emissions, resource consumption and waste, concerns remain as to how sustainable the sector is. Understanding how such concerns can be better managed is complex, with a range of competing agendas and institutional forces at play. This is especially the case in Nigeria where there are often differing priorities, weak regulations and institutions to deal with this challenge. Construction firms are in competition with each other in a market that is growing in size and sophistication yearly. The business case for sustainability has been argued severally in literature. However, the capability of construction firms with respect to sustainability in Nigeria has not been studied. This paper presents the preliminary findings of an exploratory multi-case study carried out to understand the firm's views on sustainability as a source of competitive advantage. A 'mega-international firm' and a 'lower medium-sized indigenous firm' were selected for this purpose. Qualitative interviews were conducted with top-level management of both firms, with key themes from the sustainable construction and dynamic capabilities literature informing the case study protocol. The interviews were transcribed and analysed with the use of NVivo software. The findings suggest that the multinational firm is better grounded in sustainability knowledge. Although the level of awareness and demand for sustainable construction is generally very poor, few international clients are beginning to stimulate interest in sustainable buildings. This has triggered both firms to build their capabilities in that regard, albeit in an unhurried manner. Both firms agree on the potentials of market-driven sustainability in the long term. Nonetheless, more drastic actions are required to accelerate the sustainable construction agenda in Nigeria.


(Revised and expanded edition) What is Dropbox, and how can you get the most out of Dropbox on your computer, phone, or tablet? In Dropbox In 30 Minutes (2nd Edition), award-winning technology journalist Ian Lamont uses step-by-step instructions, screenshots, and a touch of humor to explain everything from basic installation steps to best practices for more advanced features. The second edition of this popular Dropbox manual includes updated chapters as well as additional sections explaining how to use new features of Dropbox for Windows, Dropbox for Mac, the Dropbox app for iOS devices (including iPhones and iPads), and the Dropbox app for Android phones and tablets. The guide also covers many useful features of the Dropbox website. In addition, the popular "Rogue FAQ" for Dropbox has been expanded. The contents of this Dropbox book include: Dropbox system requirements How Dropbox works conceptually Installation for Windows, Macs, iOS and Android Saving files to Dropbox Working with folders/groups of files Opening a file or folder from a second computer Dropbox mobile: Downloading/uploading files How to automatically transfer photos and videos from your phone to your Dropbox account Limited sharing via links Sharing folders with other Dropbox users Dropbox In 30 Minutes, Second Edition also includes an unofficial FAQ that answers the following questions: How can I get free space? How secure is Dropbox? How do I delete Dropbox? Why is Dropbox taking so long to sync? Dropbox Packrat, Dropbox for Business, and Pro accounts Help! I accidentally deleted an important file! How can I recover it? What happens when the same file is opened simultaneously on more than one computer? Are the paid Dropbox accounts worth it? Why would I want to link my Facebook account to Dropbox? What are third-party apps, and how do they relate to Dropbox? Dropbox and the DMCA Thousands of satisfied readers have purchased the paperback edition of this Dropbox book or downloaded the ebook. While Dropbox In 30 Minutes is intended for beginners, even experienced users will discover a few new tips and tricks. Buy your copy today!


This paper develops a theory-based method to estimate jointly the degree of intertemporal consumption smoothing and the degree of international/interregional risksharing. This approach improves upon studies that either examine only intertemporal consumption smoothing, or analyze risksharing by making an extreme assumption on intertemporal consumption smoothing, or by adopting a purely empirical framework. The method is applied to the US states and OECD and EU countries to analyze how the degrees of risksharing and intertemporal consumption smoothing differ within a country and across countries. The empirical results suggest that: 1) regardless of the assumption on the degree of intertemporal consumption smoothing, the degree of risksharing within a country is larger than across countries 2) the degree of intertemporal consumption smoothing within a country is also larger than across countries, contrary to the findings of past channel studies. Finally, this paper also provides some foundations and suggests limitations of the empirical literature on channels of risksharing and intertemporal consumption smoothing.


The Beat Generation, that came into existence in the mid 1940s, was one of the earliest postwar subcultures in the U. S. At the end of the 50s the beats archived fame, to which their literature works with promotion of their lifestyle contributed. The 1960s were the time when countercultures burst into the USA, the biggest of them were hippies, that shared many ideas with the beats. But the 60s were not only the flower children epoch, but the decade of dramatic changes in the U. S. social life some of them reflected the beats criticism of the American way of living. Hereof we conclude that the Beat Generation deeply affected both social changes and counterculture of the U. S. in the 60s in present article we examine how researchers in Russia and abroad trace that influence.


In this article, a novel output‐feedback control scheme is proposed for nonlinear systems involving unknown input saturation, control gain, and unmeasurable disturbances under the condition of an output constraint. First, a proper barrier Lyapunov function and an opportune backstepping are used to alleviate the control burdens caused by output constraint. Then, a novel auxiliary system is introduced with appropriate coordinate transformation, which can create extra freedoms to attenuate the effects brought by input saturation. As a remarkable feature, a composite observer with the estimate of unknown control gain is constructed on the basis of disturbance observer‐based control and state observer control. It can deal with the unmeasurable disturbances and states simultaneously. According to the proposed scheme, it is proven that all the signals in the closed‐loop system are uniformly ultimately bounded, and the tracking error is bounded by the design parameters and saturated input error without the violation of the output constraint. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed control is verified by two simulation examples.


Antibiotic resistance is a global public health problem, which is aggravated by the emergence and spread of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria, especially Gram-negative bacterial species. Bacteria can present intrinsically low susceptibility to antibiotics as a result of the presence of resistance determinants encoded in their genomes. Besides, they can also become resistant through the acquisition of resistance genes through horizontal gene transfer, as well as by the selection of genetic mutations. Transient resistance can also be achieved as a consequence of a temporal induction of the expression of some of these resistance mechanisms, such as MDR efflux pumps.
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen with an environmental origin and associated with infections in compromised patients, including those with cystic fibrosis and with other underlying pathologies. This bacterium exhibits an intrinsic low susceptibility to multiple antimicrobial compounds. Particularly, MDR efflux pumps from the resistance nodulation division (RND) family are among the most relevant determinants contributing to the intrinsic and acquired antibiotic resistance of S. maltophilia.
The role of RND efflux pumps in transient resistance has not been studied in S. maltophilia in detail. Hence, in this thesis, we aim to analyse the contribution of two S. maltophilia RND efflux pumps in transient resistance to antibiotics. To that goal, two screenings using fluorescence-based strains and a broad variety of compounds have been performed in order to find inducers of the expression of SmeVWX and SmeYZ efflux pumps. Inducer compounds were identified for both efflux systems, pointing that smeVWX expression is likely induced by the thiol-reactivity of the compounds, while smeYZ is induced by molecules that inhibit protein synthesis. The role of these identified inducers in transient resistance to antibiotics was also confirmed.
With the aim of defining new mechanisms involved in the acquisition of mutation-driven resistance to antibiotics, as well as to decipher the evolutionary trajectories towards such resistance, S. maltophilia was submitted to experimental evolution in the presence of increasing concentrations of the antibiotics ceftazidime or tigecycline. Whole-genome sequencing of the final-step populations revealed that SmeH, the transporter protein of the SmeGH efflux pump, is an important contributor towards ceftazidime resistance acquisition. Amino acid substitutions in this efflux protein do not give rise to a fitness burden. However, they modify the susceptibility against other antimicrobials, possibly by producing changes in the access and binding of the substrate. Conversely, the first step towards the acquisition of tigecycline resistance is the overexpression of the SmeDEF efflux pump through mutations in the smeT gene, which encodes the transcriptional repressor of this efflux system. Besides, mutations in genes related to the ribosome (the tigecycline target), and to the lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and membrane homeostasis, were also found mutated along the evolution period in the different evolved lineages. These mutations, which lead to cross-resistance to several antibiotics and collateral susceptibility to fosfomycin, impose a fitness cost for the S. maltophilia populations.
Overall, the presented results highlight the relevance of the S. maltophilia RND efflux pumps, since they play a fundamental role not only in intrinsic resistance, but also in the acquisition of resistance through mutations and in transient resistance through their overexpression under specific stress conditions.


n this paper, we consider the estimation of a time-varying parameter monetary growth rate reaction function for monetary policy in Iran. In order to deal with implicit inflation targets and time-varying parameters, a two-step procedure is employed in estimation of the time- varying monetary policy reaction function. Considering a monetary policy reaction function with stable coefficients, we first estimate the implicit target values of inflation using Kalman filter procedure. Then, using the estimated inflation targets and explicit targets in the Development Plans, DPs, we estimate two versions of the time-varying parameter monetary policy reaction function to show the difference between what has been done and what should be done to achieve target values of the DPs. Our empirical results reveal that there has been no commitment to the target values of inflation during the first, second and fourth DPs, while the third DP was relatively successful in achieving its targets. The estimated time-varying response of monetary growth to both inflation and output gap suggests that the central bank should have reacted more forcefully to both inflation and output gap in order to achieve the targets of the DPs. The conduct of the monetary policy in recent years has been diverging from what should be done in achieving the targets of the DP.


A series of 193 hips treated with total hip arthroplasty in patients who were less than 59 years of age was reviewed. Satisfactory clinical results were obtained in most of the cases at the time of the last follow-up. Aseptic loosening of the components was observed in 57 hips (29.5%) and revision surgery was performed in 38 hips (19.7%). Second revision surgery was performed in 6 hips. Relatively good clinical results were obtained in all these cases after revisions and second revisions. Technical failures including cementing techniques and selection of components seemed to be the main cause of aseptic loosening of the components rather than the relatively young age of the patients. These results support the premise that total hip arthroplasty is one of the recommended surgical treatments for end stage osteoarthrosis of the hip in younger patients.


Natural pastures constitute the bulk of livestock feed in Togo, but very few studies have been conducted on their nutritional value. The objective of the study is to identify in the maritime region located in the south of Togo plant resources available and recoverable in livestock feed. During the ethnobotanical survey in the field, the feeding behavior of grazing cattle was observed and made it possible to collect samples of grazed plants. A part of each sample is brought to the laboratory for taxonomic identification and then another part goes for bromatological analysis. The results obtained from the bromatological analysis of 40 most palatable plant species in the region showed that the moisture content of the samples varies from 2.23 to 9.43%. The rates of ash, fat and crude fiber vary respectively from 2.23 to 9.43%, from 1.29 to 30.33%, from 0.85 to 8.11% and from 6.03 to 32 .3%.


High dietary salt increases arterial blood pressure variability (BPV) in salt-resistant, normotensive rodents, and is thought to result from elevated plasma [Na+] sensitizing central sympathetic networks.

PURPOSE
To test the hypothesis that water deprivation (WD)-induced elevations in serum [Na+] augment BPV via changes in baroreflex function and sympathetic vascular transduction in humans.

METHODS
In randomized crossover fashion, 35 adults (17F/18M, age: 25±4 years, systolic/diastolic BP: 107±11/60±7 mmHg, body mass index: 23±3 kg•m-2) completed two hydration protocols: a euhydration control condition (CON) and a step-wise reduction in water intake over three days concluding with 16-hours of WD. We assessed blood and urine electrolyte concentrations and osmolality, resting muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA; peroneal microneurography; 18 paired recordings), beat-to-beat BP (photoplethysmography), common femoral artery blood flow (Doppler ultrasound), and heart rate (single-lead ECG). A subset of participants (n=25) underwent ambulatory BP monitoring during day three of each protocol. We calculated average real variability as an index of BPV.

RESULTS
WD increased serum [Na+] (141.0±2.3 vs. 142.1±1.7 mmol/L, p<0.01) and plasma osmolality (288±4 vs. 292±5 mOsm/kg H2O, p<0.01). However, WD did not increase beat-to-beat (1.9±0.4 vs. 1.8±0.4 mmHg, p=0.24) or ambulatory daytime (9.6±2.1 vs. 9.4±3.3 mmHg, p=0.76) systolic BPV. Additionally, sympathetic baroreflex sensitivity (p=0.20) and sympathetic vascular transduction were not different after WD (p=0.17 for peak Δ mean BP following spontaneous MSNA bursts).

CONCLUSION
These findings suggest that despite modestly increasing serum [Na+], WD does not affect BPV, arterial baroreflex function, or sympathetic vascular transduction in healthy young adults.


Importance The article deals with the regulation of employment and unemployment, and the assessment of trends and prospects of their development. Objectives The aim of the article is to justify the growth in employment and reducing the unemployment of economically active population. Methods For studying the issue, I used materials of the Federal State Statistics Service and the results of the monitoring of the social and labor sphere. Results I have investigated the conceptual apparatus of employment and unemployment; analyzed the indicators on employment of the population; justified the provisions on the need for proactive government policies in the field of employment. I identified the leaders in the number of people employed in the economy (Moscow region, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar Krai, Sverdlovsk and Rostov regions), as well as the regions with a lower percentage of employed (Chukotka and Nenets Autonomous Okrugs, Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Altai Republic and Magadan region). Conclusions and Relevance A conclusion is that employment is a prerequisite for human reproduction, since the level of employment affects the income level of the population, costs of recruitment, training, re-training, skills development, the employment and income support for the unemployed. Unemployment stimulates interest in the quality of labor, improvement of the educational level and skills. The results of the research can be used in the formation of the active employment policy and the regulation of demand for labor, which would reduce the unemployment rate of the economically active population. In addition, the results will be relevant in the development of a professional and territorial workers' mobility, orientation of the unemployed on the future needs of the labor market.


This paper shows a circuit concept that can be used for supplying and protecting low power and low voltage self-powered devices which are employed in automation scenarios specific to Internet of Things (IoT). The proposed architecture consists of photovoltaic panels, a battery system, the protection circuit as well as an IoT device, thus allowing for independent control and measurement of various processes that are present in renewable-only microgrid applications.


A retrospective study of patients receiving tobramycin compared the accuracy of predictions of actual trough serum concentrations using two commercially available microcomputer software programs. Twelve patients met the study criteria of intravenous tobramycin treatment for more than 10 days with serum concentration monitoring within the first 5 days and after 10 days of therapy. No patients received dialysis. Twenty-five serum concentrations were compared. Predictions within 0.2 μg/ml were considered clinically "exact." No significant differences were found by chi-square analysis for any of the four possible choices (p < 0.3). One of the programs, distributed by Dista Pharmaceuticals, offers a one-compartment model, a two-compartment model, and a two-compartment prenephrotoxic option. SIMKIN, a program marketed by Medical Engineering, Inc., uses a two-compartment model. Overall, the prediction errors were small, but occasionally were clinically significant. Further evaluation of microcomputer programs for therapeutic drug monitoring is necessary to document their impact on predicting drug efficacy and toxicity.


Abstract We experience Internet traffic growth of 100 times every 10 years. However, the capacity of existing standard single-mode fiber is approaching its fundamental limit regardless of significant realization of transmission technologies which allow for high spectral efficiencies. Space division multiplexing (SDM) based on multicore fibers (MCFs) has emerged as a solution to the problem of saturation of the capacity of optical transmission systems. This article presents the recent progress on the MCFs for future large capacity long-distance transmission systems. In MCFs, there is a tradeoff relationship between low crosstalk and high multiplicity, therefore the maximum number of cores and the core arrangement have to be carefully determined based on the required crosstalk level and core size. The state-of-the-art of fabricated MCFs and the transmission experiments using MCFs are reviewed. The current maximum capacity-distance product in MCF transmission is 368.2 (184.1+184.1) Pb/s/fiber km with the relative spatial efficiency of 4.7 compared with a standard single-mode fiber. In order to increase the spatial efficiency as well as the capacity-distance product further in MCFs, the possibility of heterogeneous MCFs and few-mode MCFs is also presented.


A molten salt electrolysis of uranium tetrachloride was investigated applying KC1 - LiCl - NaCl - UCI 4 molten eutectic salts. This process is aimed at the production of high purity uranium metal for the 235 jj isotopic enrichment process by Atomic Yapor Laser Isotope Separation (AVLIS). High current efficiency has been confirmed in the s it electrowinning process by applying a liquid zinc cathode. A series of purification processes have also been demonstrated to produce high purity uranium metal by filtration, distillation and final vacuum refining treatments of Zn - U cathode products. Optimal operating conditions are discussed in terms of each unit process. We studying the electrolysis of UCI 4 (m. 590°C) using molten zinc as cathode. In the present paper, the experimental results on the effects of fundamental process parameters, i. e. anode geometry, current density, operating temperature, electrolyte salt composition, and the construction materials of electrolytic cells will be reported. The separation characteristics of uranium from zinc in


Chlorophyll catabolites from plants have long remained undiscovered, and chlorophyll breakdown was elusive until about ten years ago. 2] In contrast to all earlier expectations, the degradation of chlorophylls in senescent vascular plants rapidly progresses to colorless chlorophyll catabolites. 3] Trace amounts of fluorescent compounds were detectable as intermediates in the breakdown of chlorophyll to the colorless catabolites. Minute samples of the two fluorescent chlorophyll catabolites (FCCs) 2 a and 2 b could be prepared with active enzyme extracts from pheophorbide a (1). The FCCs 2 a and 2 b are epimeric at their C(1) centers and are identified as the aprimaryo FCCs (pFCCs) of the two known (stereodivergent) paths of chlorophyll catabolism in higher plants (Scheme 1). Enzymatic conversion of 1 to pFCCs requires pheophorbide a oxygenase (PaO), which oxygenates 1 to the elusive red chlorophyll catabolite (3, RCC), and RCC reductase (RCCR), which acts jointly with PaO to reduce RCC to one of the two epimeric pFCCs. 9, 10] Two types of RCCRs have thus evolved in higher plants which have no cofactor, but use reduced ferredoxin. The enzymatic reduction of RCC may therefore occur by oneelectron steps. We have set out to find an efficient preparative route to pFCCs by means of a non-enzymatic synthesis, and to specifically examine, for this purpose, the capacity of an electrochemical reduction of RCC (3). Herein we report on electro-synthetic studies, which have resulted in a preparative route to both epimeric lines of fluorescent chlorophyll catabolites. For practical reasons (stability problems encountered with the pFCC's 2 a/2 b) the work was carried out with RCC methyl ester 4. The reduction of 4 to the methyl esters of the two epimeric pFCCs (5 a and 5 b ; Scheme 2) was achieved by electrolysis in a two compartment cell : a deoxygenated solution of 4 in MeOH was electrochemically reduced at an Hg electrode at ÿ1.3 V versus a 0.1 normal calomel electrode (NCE) reference. The reaction mixture was analyzed and purified by HPLC (see Figure 1 and Scheme 2). Four homogeneous fractions (5 a' (ca. 1 %), 5 a (12 %), lanl2dz basis set developed by Hay and Wadt (this basis set employs an effective core potential on zinc). Both basis sets were used as implemented in the standard basis set library of Gaussian98. The lanl2dz basis set not only gave structural data that were directly comparable to the larger all-electron basis, but also eliminated selfconsistent-field (SCF) convergence problems which occurred when the 6-311‡G(d,p) basis set was used for the larger systems. Atomic charges and hyperconjugative interaction energies were obtained by using the natural bond orbital analysis of Reed et al. as implemented in Gaussian98.


This paper is a study of the thoughts of Muhammad Syahrur with a focus on issues of Islamic theology and gender. Starting from his observers of the problems that occur in Muslims in particular, the application of modernity that is difficult to apply. This difficulty for Syahrur is inseparable from the existence of turath which has become a fixed price so that the existence of ijtihad suffered a setback and as a result of this attitude Muslims are unable to filter and reinterpret Islamic teachings that are able to coincide with modernity. On this basis, Syahrur came by bringing a movement of change aimed at re-interpreting the messages contained in the Koran. Besides this movement was carried out to eradicate the fantasy of turath which makes it difficult for Islam to progress. The scientific framework to support this movement is based on Linguistic theory which according to the language does not have the same language. On this basis, Syahrur said that if Islamic scientific traditions in the past could not be applied and the final form of Syahrur's opinion wanted a scientific Islam. From this scientific Islam was born a new thought of the concepts of Islamic theology and gender which had been considered irrelevant to face the challenges of modernity so that the concept of Islamic theology was universal, progressed and in its development could be accepted by every human being.


Chloroplast DNA restriction site variation was surveyed in 58 accessions of aneuploid (n = 11-15) North American Astragalus plus outgroup taxa consisting of Oxytropis lambertii, and two species from euploid (n = 8, 16 . . .), predominantly Old World, sections of Astragalus. A set of 52 site mutations was analyzed using Wagner parsimony. The resulting strict consensus tree revealed that the North American aneuploid series forms a monophyletic ingroup relative to the Old World euploid outgroups. In addition, a diverse assemblage of taxa comprising some 20% of the North American species is monophyletic. A method for characterizing large sets of equally parsimonious trees in terms of the diversity of distinct component clades is described and applied to these data.


Abstract Background: C-x-C motif chemokine ligands (CXCLs) are critical regulators of cancer immunity and angiogenesis, which affect disease progression and treatment responses. The character of each CXCL in the prognosis and immune infiltration of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is unclear yet. Methods: Differentially expressed CXCLs between HCC and normal control were screened by Oncomine and GEPIA2. Genetic alternations of CXCLs in HCC were analyzed by cBioPortal. Clinicopathological relevance of CXCLs in HCC patients was analyzed using UALCAN. The prognostic value of CXCLs was evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. Correlations of CXCLs' expression with immune infiltration, chemokines and their receptors were assessed integrating TIMER, TISIDB, and GEPIA2. The co-expressed genes of CXCLs were discovered, and functional enrichment analysis was performed for them. Results: CXCL9/10 was significantly higher expressed while CXCL2/12/14 was lower expressed in HCC than normal tissues, but they didn't show significant clinicopathological relevance in HCC patients. High-expression of CXCL2/10/12/14 indicated favorable outcomes of HCC patients. The expression of CXCL9/10/12/14 was significantly positively correlated with not only the infiltration and biomarkers' expression of various tumor-infiltrating immune cells but also the abundance of chemokines and their receptors. The co-expressed genes of the five CXCLs were extracellular components and regulated immune or inflammatory responses and signaling pathways of chemokine, Toll-like receptor and tumor necrosis factor might be involved. Conclusion: The present study proposed CXCL2/10/12/14 might predict outcomes of HCC patients and were extensively related with the immune microenvironment in HCC. It would be a prospective therapeutic strategy for HCC to enhance effective immunity surveillance through intervening in these CXCLs.


When sculptor John Houser obtains funding from the El Paso City Council in the late eighties to complete an equestrian statue of the controversial conqueror Juan de Onate, a Native American deluge of anger and hurt pours over the city of El Paso, Texas. Meant to celebrate the Spanish involvement in the founding of the Texan city of El Paso and the New Mexican cities of Santa Fe and Las Cruces, the statue comes under fire when the Acoma Pueblo Native Americans inform the City Council of the cruel treatment their community suffered at the hands of the last conquistador to have ruled over present-day US territories. The documentary The Last Conquistador (Valadez and Ibarra 2008) follows the pro-Onate activists of the New Mexican Hispanic Culture Preservation League (NMHCPL), the Acoma, John Houser, and the City Council over the course of about 10 years, capturing the feud from different angles. Basing ourselves on Foucault's notion of heterotopia (2008 [1967]), Soja's spatial trialectics (1996, 2000), and Bakhtin's heteroglossia (Bakhtin 1983; Tjupa 2013), we argue that The Last Conquistador depicts the decaying city of El Paso as a heteroglossic and heterotopic Thirdspace: a paradoxical in-between where several sociocultural paradigms coexist and overlap thanks to the continual collision of distinct, and often completely opposite, voicesand points-of-view. The article concludes with a metadiscursive reflection on The Last Conquistador and its status of independent documentary. Considering The Last Conquistador was a co-presentation between Latino Public Broadcasting, Vision Maker Media (formerly Native American Public Telecommunications), and the North Texan public television station KERA, we suggest the documentary's chronicling of El Paso's misguided use of public funds can be read as a metaphor for the insecurities plaguing the field of public service broadcasting at large.


Single crystals of orthorhombic antimony thiourea bromide (ATBO) and monoclinic antimony thiourea bromide (ATBM) have been grown in gels at ambient temperature using a controlled chemical reaction method. The laser Raman and FT-IR spectra of the gel grown ATBO and ATBM crystals have been recorded. The presence of thiourea ion, water molecules and normal mode vibrational frequencies are identified and discussed. The basic ideas regarding the normal modes of vibration, selection rules for Raman and IR spectra, hydrogen bonding effect are considered in brief.


If the history of philosophy could be told without gaps, where and how would Indian philosophy fi t in? And, when all is said and done, what are some of the arguments and positions that could be recruited to advance contemporary debates in metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind, logic, philosophy of language, ethics, metaethics, moral psychology, political philosophy, aesthetics, and philosophy of religion? Introductions to Indian philosophy seldom engage these questions. Instead, they proceed to offer prospective readers an appreciation of the richness and real depth of the Indian philosophical tradition in its own terms, and of the intellectual rewards that stand to be gained by delving into it. In this sense, introductions to Indian philosophy differ from introductions to Western philosophy in one signifi cant way: the latter typically lack such incentives, given the widespread assumption (some might say, prejudice) that Western philosophers have shaped not only the way people in the West think about the world today but, in the wake of colonialism, people across the planet. If the study of Indian philosophy, then, is to have scope beyond the confi nes of intellectual history, questions about its own claims and aspirations to truth cannot be ignored. Indeed, such questions concern the ongoing relevance of its rich repertoire of methods, views, and arguments, and not simply their preservation value. The chapters of this volume make their own case for how particular fi gures and texts articulate and seek to answer fundamental questions about the nature of reality and the self, the sources and methods of knowledge, and the norms of moral, social, political, religious, and aesthetic conduct relative to specifi c goals. They map


Distributed Constraint Satisfaction is a framework for modeling and solving distributed problems. Research on the topic intensified during the last ten years when mainly complete techniques were thoroughly explored. A revival of attention for Distributed Stochastic Algorithms (DSA) was marked by the work of (Fabiunke 1999; Fitzpatrick & Meertens 2001; Zhang, Wang, & Wittenburg 2002). Remarkably, it was proven that Distributed Stochastic Search is a competitive technique. Here we review current DSAs and their intrinsic problems. We also describe solutions and a new algorithm, Distributed Simulated Annealing (DSAN). We show theoretically how these solutions can improve the robustness of DSA. Experimental evaluation on synchronous versions shows that with current heuristics only DSAN competes with the previous winner, DSAB. DSAN offers marginally better quality solutions than DSA-B for hard and over-constrained problems. For easy problems DSAN may not reach the solution if the temperature doesn't descend to zero. For very remote agents, when only the cost of communication matters, DSA-B has a better 'anytime' behavior than DSAN. The local effort of an agent in DSA-B is higher than in DSAN with a factor linear in the do-


It introduces the supply and demand of Electrolytic MnO_2 market at home and abroad. The author also pens up before our eyes the international market, Chinese EMD market and its developing trend, including the analysis of the supply and demand market and future prospects.


In perpendicular magnetic recording, the transition position jitter /spl sigma//sub j/ is a dominant source of medium noise. The transition width /spl pi/a influences isolated pulsewidth. The influence of these parameters on error rate performance at an areal density of 200 Gb/in/sup 2/ is studied using a software channel for the perpendicular response. The dependence of the calculated bit-error rate (BER) on the parameters is explicitly shown. The results indicate that the transition jitter strongly restricts the BER, unless the pulsewidth is small enough. However, for larger pulsewidth, it remarkably deteriorates BER. Under typical conditions, the pulsewidth T/sub 50/ and the transition jitter /spl sigma//sub j/, should be less than 26 and 1.6 nm, respectively for 200 Gb/in/sup 2/.


The application is treated in sufficient detail to facilitate as much as possible its application by the engineer who is less familiar with the subject. The present work was undertaken with two objects in view. In the first place, it is considered as a contribution to the water analogy of gas flows, and secondly, a large portion is devoted to the general theory of the two-dimensional supersonic flows.


Objective
To explore expression and clinical significance of Id-1 ,-3 in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical sqamous cell carcinoma (CSCC).

Methods
Pathological tissue samples of CIN(n = 22) and CSCC(n = 67) in Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, which were confirmed diagnosis by histopathological examination were collected. By SP immunohistochemistry staining using the EnVision method to detect levels of Id-1, -3 protein in tissue samples. The study protocol was approved by the Ethical Review Board of Investigation in Human Being of Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University. According to International Federation of gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) clinical stage standard, among 67 CSCC samples, they were ⅠA (4 cases), ⅠB (29 cases) , ⅡB (28 cases), ⅡB (6 cases) , respectively. Among 22 cases CIN samples, they were CIN Ⅰ (3 cases), CIN Ⅱ (5 cases), and CIN Ⅲ (14 cases), respectively.

Rusults
There had significance difference between tissue samples of CIN Ⅲ (n= 14) and CIN Ⅰ-Ⅱ (n = 8) in levels of Id-1, -3 protein(P 40 years old, CSCC of FIGOⅢ stages, no complicating vascular invasion, no complicating lymph node metastasis (P 0.05) .There had significance difference of levels of Id-3 protein between complicating lymph node metastasis and those no complicating lymph node metastasis (P 0.05) .

Conclusions
Id-1,-3 are expression in both tissues of CIN and CSCC. Expression levels of Id-1,-3 have related with CIN grades and development of CSCC, such as invasion or metastasis, especially with invasion and metastasis. Id-1 ,-3 may be as targets of gene for therapy of CSCC.

Key words:
Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia; Neoplasm, sqamous cell; Cervical neoplasm, primary; Cervix uteri; Id-1; Id-3


This paper (1) augments Pauli matrices to three by three with the interpretation of rigid motions in three spaces, thereby re-examines Dirac spinors, (2) distinguishes the electromagnetic wave energy density term in the Lagrangian of the Standard Model that contains symmetric electromagnetic fields from the asymmetric electromagnetic fields in Maxwell equations, and therefore questions if the Lagrangian of the Standard Model actually contains electromagnetic interactions, wherein the sideways magnetic force and the ra- dial electric force are fundamentally different, and (3) re-interpret the weak and the strong nuclear forces, where we give a simple proof of the CPT theorem and the consequent baryon asymmetry.


OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the clinical and immunological features of Hashimoto's encephalopathy (HE) presenting with limbic encephalitis (LE).
 BACKGROUND:
LE is caused by viral infections and autoimmunity associated with specific autoantibodies (Abs) (anti-NMDAR, anti-VGKC etc.). HE is a steroid-responsible autoimmune disorder, associated with serum Abs against the NH2-terminal of α-enolase (anti-NAE), a diagnostic marker, and occasionally presents with LE.
 METHODS:
The clinical features, laboratory findings, brain imaging and treatments were investigated in 19 HE-LE patients who had limbic lesions on the brain MRI with serum anti-NAE Abs. Anti-NMDAR and anti-VGKC Abs were also investigated. Immunofluorescence histochemistry of rat hippocampus was performed with patients' sera.
 RESULTS:
The patients consisted of 6 men and 13 women (mean age, 62 years old; range, 20-83). The intervals between the symptom onset and the start of treatment ranged from 1 day to 4 months. Patients were categorized into two groups; acute (≤ 2 weeks) and subacute onset (蠅 2w). Disturbance in consciousness was presented in 12 of 19 patients (63[percnt]; 100[percnt] in acute, 30[percnt] in subacute). Epilepsy occurred in 10 of 19 patients (50[percnt]; 77[percnt] in acute, 30[percnt] in subacute). Psychosis occurred in 12 of 19 patients (63[percnt]; 56[percnt] in acute, 70[percnt] in subacute). Memory disturbance occurred in 12 of 19 patients (63[percnt]; none in acute, 90[percnt] in acute). Anti-VGKC Abs were detected in 5 of 19 patients (26[percnt]) while anti-NMDAR Abs were not detected. Elevation of protein in CSF was observed in 9 of 18 (50[percnt]). The EEGs showed diffuse slow wave activity in 13 of 16 patients (81[percnt]). All patients responded to immunotherapies, mainly steroid, and showed good outcomes. The patients' sera immunologically reacted with hippocampal neurons and merged with α-enolase.
 CONCLUSIONS:
HE is an important treatable disorder on the differential diagnosis of LE. Disclosure: Dr. Kishitani has nothing to disclose. Dr. MATSUNAGA has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ikawa has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kame has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yamamura has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hamano has nothing to disclose. Dr. Watanabe has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tanaka has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec, Nihon Seiyaku, Bayer Shering Pharma, and Tanabe Mitsubishi Pharma as a speaker. Dr. Nakamoto has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yoneda has nothing to disclose.


Our energy industry has gone through the dynamic restructuring. The changes taking place in the energy industry will affect the pocketbooks, thus the lives, of every American, at every level. The geopolitical/militaristic intrigues which surround the international oil segment of this industry must be left to the dubious talents of others. But as motivators, planners, and executors of the powerful changes which are restructuring the other aspects of our industry, the author believes the American people share grave responsibilities. The author defines the scope, the meaning, the results of these changes, and applies the new techniques and technologies they provide.


[Objective] To explore the image manifestation of grade Ⅰ astrocytoma and research the main diagnostic point. [Methods] A retrospective review of 23 cases of grade Ⅰ astrocytoma from 2001~2004 proved pathologically was done; All data had plane scan and enhanced scan, and analysis it. [Result] Eighteen cases was upon the tentorium cerebelli and 5 cases was in the cerebelli;18 cases was well defined,5 cases not;16 case was not edema ,5 cases was mild edema,2 cases was midia edema;No enhancement after contract was found 15 cases; Cystic degeneration was found 4 cases, 17 cases was in solid lesion. [Conclusions] There are some special appearance with grade Ⅰ astrocytoma,most tumors are upon the tentorium cerebelli, with well defined and mild edema;few cases are with hemonhage and necrosis, the enhancement after contract is not appearance. The image manifestation of grade Ⅰ astrocytoma is benefit for the diagnosis and treatment.


This paper is observed an approach of generation security profile for communication networks and switching systems which base on the method of segments critical determination.


We examine recent trends of South Korea's outward foreign direct investment from 2001 to 2021, which shows substantial change in terms of the total amount and compositions. Using gravity models, we test whether these differential time trends across the industries and destination countries survive after incorporating economic factors. Controlling for economic conditions, we find that the FDI to China has been declining much earlier than the China–South Korea political dispute, while the FDI to USA shows a steady increase, making it the top FDI destination throughout the sample period. Investment in tax haven shows rapid increase across all sizes of South Korean investors and therefore, further research is needed on its implications for tax evasion.


A minor slide occurred in the downstream face of an earth dam. Initial observations and limited optical survey data suggested the failure was shallow, but continued measurements from inclinometers in the embankment and survey monuments, as well as visual observations of deformation patterns, revealed a more extensive and severe failure located in the underlying weathered claystone foundation. Deep inclinometers were installed, and inclinometer readings indicated that approximately 1 cm per day of movement was occurring along a very discrete zone in the foundation. Horizontal survey measurements confirmed this displacement, and an emergency soil buttress was constructed at the toe of the dam to reduce movement. The residual strength along the slip surface was estimated by back analysis of the sliding block, assuming a safety factor of 1.0 and incorporating end restraint to assess the lower-bound residual strength. The remediation scheme included installation of an internal drainage system and a soil buttress. Postconstruction monitoring shows that the dam is continuing to move at a decreasing rate and is apparently approaching static equilibrium.


In the analysis of the perception of the image of a young teacher are used the theory of positioning, the theory of pedagogy and the theory of leadership, the theory of innovation in education, the theory of perception. As part of the study, a public opinion survey was conducted among young Russian teachers, in the amount of 1200 respondents. As a result, the perception of a young teacher, the role of a young teacher in the education of students, the adaptation of a young teacher to a new environment, the influence of digital technologies on the teaching process of a young teacher were revealed. In the course of the study, the researchers identified competencies that in their opinion are necessary for a young teacher, such as: the ability to organize the learning process, the ability to properly handle children, the ability to self-development, the ability to work in multitasking mode.


The invention discloses a method improving the call success ratio and a basic station system thereof. The method includes the following steps: the class of a user is distinguished according to the information in mobile station calling information, and the forward launching power initial value is set; the basic station transmits a forward business signal channel empty frame to the mobile platform according to the forward launching power initial value, wherein, the forward business signal channel empty frame contains reverse power control bit information. In the invention, the reverse power control bit is transmitted according to the distances from the basic station to the user and the special parameter value, thus improving the probability of capturing the mobile platform by the basic station, so as to improve the call success ratio.


In an article in a recent issue of this Journal, Myles A. Tracy traces in interesting fashion the battle of words between the theological opponents and defenders of the institution of life insurance.1 His article points up the fact that life insurance, as well as other types of insurance, has frequently been under bitter attack for various and sundry reasons, both in the United States and in economically advanced European countries. Nevertheless, insurance as an institution has surmounted these attacks with flying colors.


Single crystals of a novel nonlinear optical organometallic compound CLTC, ([(18C6)Li][Cd(SCN)3]), were grown from aqueous solutions via evaporation technique and characterized by IR spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis and X‐ray single‐crystal diffraction. By X‐ray single‐crystal structural analysis it is revealed that the compound crystallized in a noncentrosymmetric space group Cmc21 of orthorhombic system with cell parameter a = 14.767(3) Å, b = 15.454(3) Å, c = 10.644(2) Å, V = 2429.0(8) Å3 and Z = 4. The thermal stability and thermal decomposition of CLTC crystal were investigated by means of thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis. The second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency was measured using the Kurtz and Perry powder technique. It was shown that the value of the SHG efficiency of CLCT powder was about 2 times higher than that of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP). (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)


Community involvement is increasing in importance in relation to nature conservation and ecotourism which includes public participation in decision-making, access to biological resources and communities' receipt of benefits from ecotourism. South Africa is well known for biodiversity conservation. Yet, research indicates that neighbouring historically disadvantaged communities remain impoverished and have limited access to resources and benefits from conservation areas. Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) is a key conservation area and ecotourism destination in South Africa. This study examines the socio-economic impacts of ecotourism in rural areas adjacent to HiP with specific reference to the Nompondo community to assess whether the historical trends of marginalisation remain. One hundred and thirty households (from a total of 435 households that comprise the Nompondo community) were interviewed using the systematic sampling approach. The results indicate that the Nompondo community benefits in various ways but not to their level of satisfaction. Members of the community are allowed access to resources such as meat, thatching grass, firewood and water. Additionally, a range of opportunities for positive interactions with the Park's management/ staff include job opportunities, good working relations and joint problem solving. Key tourism related benefits include interaction with the tourists, sale of crafts and opportunities to profile cultural activities. However, there remains the need to improve beneficiation given the high poverty and unemployment rates in Nompondo.


Research on sustainability has steadily increased in the last few decades, one of them being the food loss and waste issue. Indonesia generated 23 – 48 million tons of FLW per year, whereas most of it was generated in the consumption stage. The consumption stage, especially the HaFS sector, continues to become a key concern because of its contribution to total food waste of around 12%. Therefore, the goal of this study is to provide a set of relevant food waste reduction strategies that could be used in the food service sector in Indonesia. Initially, a literature review was conducted to identify several food waste reduction strategies that could be used in the foodservice sector. Then, the list was validated by a group of experts consisting of restaurant owners and managers, government, non-government, and academics. Content validity index (CVI) method was used to evaluate the list of food waste reduction strategies, and to get consensus from all of the experts that participated. From 24 strategies that were identified, it then became 19 strategies with seven strategies from the literature review discarded, and two additional strategies added from the suggestion of the expert. Further development of this food waste reduction strategy could be done by employing decision-making methods like multi-criteria-decision-making (MCDM).


The practice of Theatre in African societies is at a cross-roads. It has been since the entrance of colonialism. It has come from the traditional festival and ritual theatre to be confronted with the Western theatre of illusion and imitation of action— a meeting which has left both dissatisfaction and a hunger for a more practical theatre relevant to immediate reality of hunger, poverty, disease, lack and slow technological development. In Nigeria, popular or community theatre, or theatre for development lends itself as a philosophical and practical solution to the dilemma of the African theatre, although, as a concept, it has been equally successful in many regions and situations in the world, especially in the developing societies. Saint Gbilekaa characterized this theatre as: a process in which theatre is taken to the working class and the peasantry with the aim of conscientizing them through a dialogical exchange instead of taking to them finished plays as is conventional of the Western conventional theatre. The aim is to mobilize them for political and economic objectives.1 Chris Nwamuo has estimated elsewhere that "it is in the identification with community and development concerns that Nigerian theatre can grow and be recognized as an important discipline" and contribute meaningfully to society.2 This article examines dynamics of popular theatre as practiced by a coalition of theatre practitioners in an entente Non-Governmental Organization, Nigerian Popular Theatre Alliance (NPTA). The emphasis is on the role of theatre in social development particularly its use in conflict identification, mediation and resolution.


Calculations of electronic and optical properties of solids at finite temperature including electron-phonon interactions and quantum zero-point renormalization have enjoyed considerable progress during the past few years. Among the emerging methodologies in this area, we recently proposed a new approach to compute optical spectra at finite temperature including phonon-assisted quantum processes via a single supercell calculation [Zacharias and Giustino, Phys. Rev. B 94, 075125 (2016)]. In the present work we considerably expand the scope of our previous theory starting from a compact reciprocal space formulation, and we demonstrate that this improved approach provides accurate temperature-dependent band structures in three-dimensional and two-dimensional materials, using a special set of atomic displacements in a single supercell calculation. We also demonstrate that our special displacement reproduces the thermal ellipsoids obtained from X-ray crystallography, and yields accurate thermal averages of the mean-square atomic displacements. At a more fundamental level, we show that the special displacement represents an exact single-point approximant of an imaginary-time Feynman's path integral for the lattice dynamics. This enhanced version of the special displacement method enables non-perturbative, robust, and straightforward ab initio calculations of the electronic and optical properties of solids at finite temperature, and can easily be used as a post-processing step to any electronic structure code. Given its simplicity and numerical stability, the present development is suited for high-throughput calculations of band structures, quasiparticle corrections, optical spectra, and transport coefficients at finite temperature.


Summary 1. Fischer line 344 female rats were fed 2-acetylaminofluorene in synthetic diets containing 25% casein and supplements of 1.4% DL-tryptophan; 1.0% indole acetic acid; 0.8% indole and 1.6% indole. Liver cancers developed in 91% of the rats of the first group and in 83% of the rats of the other 3 groups. 2. The majority of the liver neoplasms in the rats that received 1.4% DL-tryptophan and 1.0% indole acetic acid were malignant hepatoma and lung metastases were present in 63% and 90% respectively. 3. The majority of the liver neoplasms in the rats that received 0.8% and 1.6% indole were cholangioma or adenocarcinoma and lung metastases from these tumors were identified in 38 and 12%, respectively. 4. Cancers of the urinary bladder were observed in 75% of the rats that received 1.4% DL-tryptophan; 58% of the rats that received indole acetic acid and in 83% of the rats that received indole. Indole appeared to be as effective as dietary tryptophane in the initiation of the bladder neoplasms. 5. The cancers of the urinary bladder were papillary or squamous cell carcinoma.


Research is carried out in a context of interrelation of specifics of bank business with need of providing its continuity. The analysis of economic and legal bases of process of providing a continuity of bank business is presented. Feature of providing a continuity of business in the banks, demanding a system and comprehensive approach is revealed.


To understand the forming and tectonic evolution of the South China Sea basin, new data of the structural styles and geochronology were obtained from the Dulong-Song Chay dome, southeastern Yunnan and northern Vietnam. The structural styles were acquired through field investigation and geochronological dating was carried out using zircon SHRIMP Ⅱ U-P and argon isotopic analyses. The South China Sea basin extension occurred firstly at Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic, and then at Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene (32-17 Ma). The second stage of extension formed immediately after the first stage, and both extensions have a consistent forming mechanism. New structural analysis and geochronological data do not support the models of "backarc spreading" and "strike-slip faults producing the extension". Then what mechanism resulted in the extension of South China Sea basin? The data indicate that at least two episodes of major extensional tectonics, i.e., the D1 deformation at 237-228 Ma resulted in the rising and exhumation of the dome, and D2 deformation at 86-78 Ma overprinted and redeformed the dome. Of them, the D2 shows a consistent forming time, extensional direction and tectonic regime among Dulong-Song Chay dome, South China block and the northern margin of the South China Sea basin. Regional geology has proved that the northern margin of the South China Sea basin belongs to the South China block, therefore, we interpreted that the Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic extensional tectonics occurred in the northern margin of the South China Sea basin due to the intraplate deformation of the South China block, while the Ailaoshan-Red River sinistral slip strengthened the Cenozoic extension in the South China Sea basin.


In order to improve the accuracy of load identification and study the influence of transverse distribution, a novel method was proposed for the moving load identification based on strain influence line and the load transverse distribution under consideration. The load identification theory based on strain influence line was derived, and the strain integral coefficient was proposed for the identification. A series of numerical simulations and experiments were carried out to verify the method. The numerical results showed that the method without considering the load transverse distribution was not suitable for solving the space problem, and the method with the load transverse distribution under consideration has a high identification accuracy and excellent anti-noise performance. The experimental results showed that the speed identification error was smaller than ±5%, and the vehicle speed had no obvious influence on the identification results of the vehicle weight. Moreover, the average identification error of the vehicle weight was smaller than ±10%, and the error of more than 90% of samples was smaller than ±5%.


Previous research on cognitive skills treatment programs has not included a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of these programs in reducing recidivism. This article reviews recent recidivism studies for two rehabilitation programs: Moral Reconation Therapy, which attempts to reduce recidivism by increasing the moral reasoning abilities of offenders, and Reasoning and Rehabilitation, which aims to educate offenders to change underlying criminogenic thoughts and attitudes. Using the Maryland Scale for Scientific Rigor, these studies were evaluated for their methodological strength and for the program's success in reducing the recidivism of offenders. In considering the findings and the strength of the methods for each program, this review concludes that Moral Reconation Therapy and Reasoning and Rehabilitation programs appear to be successful approaches to reducing recidivism.


—Vocational high secondary school teachers need to update their knowledge to support their teaching and learning. This article aims to investigate the challenge of vocational secondary high school teacher in responding the development of information and communication technology (ICT) and the globalization era. A total of 51 teachers and novice teachers in Soloraya were enrolled in this study. The data were collected using questionnaire Likert scale that was downloaded and translated from a survey for measuring 21st century teaching and learning, West Virginia Department of Education. Regression analysis was used to analyze the significance of correlation between student's learning and teacher's statement. The finding indicated that there was no statistically significant correlation between student's learning and teacher's statement (F = .16, p > .05), there was no statistically significant the correlation between student's learning and teacher's statement on global connection (F = .16, p > .05), there was no statistically significant correlation between student's learning and teacher's statement on local connection (F = .65, p > .05), and there was no statistically significant correlation between student's learning and teacher's statement on using technology as a tool for learning (F = 1.36, p > .05). In addition, teachers are the major factor in learning process. They must update their knowledge of global connection, local connection and technology as a tool for learning. Teachers must have many designs of teaching. Students need practical experience in real work environment of global connection, local connection, and technology as a tool for learning. Learning by doing in the real work environment is more impression/ effective than just theoretical learning only.


Thermal infrared cameras are increasingly being used in various applications such as robot vision, industrial inspection and medical imaging, thanks to their improved resolution and portability. However, the performance of traditional computer vision techniques developed for electro-optical imagery does not directly translate to the thermal domain due to two major reasons: these algorithms require photometric assumptions to hold, and methods for photometric calibration of RGB cameras cannot be applied to thermal-infrared cameras due to difference in data acquisition and sensor phenomenology. In this letter, we take a step in this direction, and introduce a novel algorithm for online photometric calibration of thermal-infrared cameras. Our proposed method does not require any specific driver/hardware support and hence can be applied to any commercial off-the-shelf thermal IR camera. We present this in the context of visual odometry and SLAM algorithms, and demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed system through extensive experiments for both standard benchmark datasets, and real-world field tests with a thermal-infrared camera in natural outdoor environments.


Computer-based attacks are becoming more frequent and more sophisticated. Cyber weapons, including viruses and worms, are being devised and disseminated by both public and private sources. Against this backdrop, a number of states are seeking to prevent the proliferation of malicious software. The regulation of cyber weapons is proving to be especially problematic, however, and the judicial remedies that have so far been adopted are not sufficient on their own to guarantee stability in cyberspace.


Two patients, treated with percutaneous laser-assisted diskectomy, developed postoperative nerve root complications. The first patient, whose diskectomy had been performed by a gastroenterologist, suffered an acute foot drop that resolved following delayed surgical diskectomy, whereas the second patient's L4 and L5 root deficits remained permanent. Percutaneous laser-assisted diskectomy, by reducing intradiscal volume, is considered an alternative to open surgery in the management of contained lumbar disc herniations. After an L4-L5 diskectomy and a fenestration procedure performed 2 months later for a sequestrated disc herniation and segmental stenosis, the first patient's foot drop resolved. Unfortunately, the second patient's L4 and L5 root injuries, without MRI and myelo-CT surgical pathology, were complete. The laser-assisted diskectomy may produce reversible and irreversible nerve root injuries.


The article is devoted to the question about the existing classifications of language expressive means and stylistic devices (expressive and figurative language means). A short background about different classifications appearance The author offers the definitions of language expressive means and their examples for quick reconstructing the essence of each mentioned in the article method in one's memory. The thesis about the complex study necessity of this problem in case of linguo-stylistic researches is given.


Japan introduced a new piece of legislation in 1992, designed to reform the financial system, the main feature of which was to ease the strict separation imposed on banks and securities companies under Article 65 of the Securities and Exchange Law of 1948 (SEL). The Japanese Government identified as specific problems that would have to be faced in allowing banks to enter into securities business and securities companies in turn to enter into banking, sound management, conflicts of interest and fair competition. However, the fierce opposition from the securities industry to the banks being permitted to enter their lucrative business had more to do with loss of business than issues of investor protection.


During the emplacement lava behaves as a non‐Newtonian, pseudoplastic fluid. Laboratory experiments on lava samples suggest that a power‐law constitutive equation may be appropriate. We consider a horizontally unbounded, isothermal layer of lava, flowing down a slope driven by the gravity force. We consider a constitutive equation where shear stress is proportional to strain rate raised to a power n, ranging from 0 to 1, and we take into account the temperature dependence of the rheological parameters. Formulae are obtained relating the lava rheology to the geometric and dynamic parameters of a lava flow. Under the model assumptions, if we know the temperature dependence of the rheological parameters, these formulae allow to evaluate the flow rate from the field measurements of the temperature, and the thickness or the surface velocity of a lava flow.


A compact sierpinski MIMO antenna was designed in the bands of 4.4 4.9 GHz and 5.15 5.925 GHz.The proposed dimension of the antenna were 21 × 24 × 0.8 mm, and was fabricated with inexpensive FR4 substrate with a thickness of 0.8 mm, a dielectric constant of 4.3, and 0.035-mm thick copper lining. The fabrication and measurement outcomes derived from the MIMO prototypes revealed that the proposed MIMO antennas are better in terms of size, isolation and the ECC. These attributes are suitable for LTE and 5G smartphone applications, which are being introduced into Chinese and Japanese markets. Streszczenie. Przedstawiono projekt anteny MIMO o paśmie 4.4 – 4.9 GHz oraz 5.13 – 5.925 GHz. Wymiary anteny: 21 × 24 × 0.8 mm. Badania wykonanej anteny wykazay jej przydatność do LTE i 5 G zastosowań. (Kompaktowa antena MIMO dla zastosowań LTE i 5G)


The effects of quercetin have been investigated on the gastrointestinal propulsion of charcoal meal in mice. Quercetin reduced the rate of intestinal transit and this effect was potentiated by verapamil.


In recent years, the availability of affordable mobile Virtual Reality (VR) viewers has resulted in strong interests to incorporate Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) within classrooms. However, studies on the effect of IVR on primary schoolers' learning are few, and they have often used equipment and settings far removed from everyday classroom instruction. We explored the role of interactivity and immersion in learning in a primary school classroom with 36 children aged 11-13 years, using commercially available devices that are ready-to-scale. We co-created content with different levels of immersion and interactivity together with teachers and investigated student engagement and learning. We present and discuss the use of multiple data sources (performance, physiological responses, observations and self-report) in a real-world classroom evaluation.


Research was carried out in respects of structure design,selection of raw concrete materials,optimization of mixture ratio and temperature measurement to determine construction method for preventing crack in super long massive concrete wall without expansion agent.


– A Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR) model is proposed to eliminate the short-term voltage disturbances that occur in the grid-connected mode, the switching between grid-connected mode and the stand-alone mode of a Microgrid. The proposed DVR structure is based on a conventional cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter (MLI) topology; a novel composite control strategy is presented, which could ensure the compensation ability of voltage sag by the DVR. Moreover, the compensation to specified order of harmonic is added to implement effects that zero-steady error compensation to harmonic voltage in specified order of the presented control strategy; utilizing wind turbines-batteries units as DC energy storage components in the Microgrid, the operation cost of the DVR is reduced. When the Microgrid operates under stand-alone mode, the DVR can operate on microsource mode, which could ease the power supply from the main grid (distribution network) and consequently be favorable for energy saving and emission reduction. Simulation results validate the robustness and effective of the proposed DVR system.


physiological networks involved in involuntary movement. In general, tics may remit spontaneously in the natural course of GTS. Three-quarters of patients with GTS will have diminished tics by early adulthood. However, dramatic improvements are usually unlikely in refractory cases, even during adulthood. Thus, DBS may accelerate this natural course of remission. Indication for DBS must consider the possibility of natural remission in the future and that DBS must be continued in the long term once initiated. Our experiences suggest that DBS is a temporary but not necessarily lifelong treatment option for some patients with severe GTS. DBS may be terminated if improvement of the patient's symptoms is sustained.


Studies have shown that deep neural networks (DNNs) are susceptible to adversarial attacks, which can cause misclassification. The adversarial attack problem can be regarded as an optimization problem, then the genetic algorithm (GA) that is problem-independent can naturally be designed to solve the optimization problem to generate effective adversarial examples. Considering the dimensionality curse in the image processing field, traditional genetic algorithms in high-dimensional problems often fall into local optima. Therefore, we propose a GA with multiple fitness functions (MF-GA). Specifically, we divide the evolution process into three stages, i.e., exploration stage, exploitation stage, and stable stage. Besides, different fitness functions are used for different stages, which could help the GA to jump away from the local optimum.Experiments are conducted on three datasets, and four classic algorithms as well as the basic GA are adopted for comparisons. Experimental results demonstrate that MF-GA is an effective black-box attack method. Furthermore, although MF-GA is a black-box attack method, experimental results demonstrate the performance of MF-GA under the black-box environments is competitive when comparing to four classic algorithms under the white-box attack environments. This shows that evolutionary algorithms have great potential in adversarial attacks.


After reviewing the properties of the geodesic flow on the three dimensional ellipsoid with distinct semi-axes, we investigate the three-dimensional ellipsoid with the two middle semi-axes being equal, corresponding to a Hamiltonian invariant under rotations. The system is Liouville-integrable, and symmetry reduction leads to a (singular) system on a two-dimensional ellipsoid with an additional potential and with a hard billiard wall inserted in the middle coordinate plane. We show that the regular part of the image of the energy momentum map is not simply connected and there is an isolated critical value for zero angular momentum. The singular fiber of the isolated singular value is a doubly pinched torus multiplied by a circle. This circle is not a group-orbit of the symmetry group, and thus analysis of this fiber is non-trivial. Finally we show that the system has a non-trivial monodromy, and consequently does not admit single valued globally smooth action variables.


An experimental study of a normal shock wave subject to unsteady periodic forcing in a parallel walled duct has been conducted. The dynamics of shock motion have been analysed and a simple theoretical model describing the periodic shock motion has been produced. A non-dimensional relationship between the amplitude and frequency of shock motion in a diverging duct has been outlined, based on the concept of a critical frequency relating the relative importance of geometry and disturbance frequency on shock dynamics. This inviscid analysis breaks down when the shock is subjected to high accelerations, as the flnite time needed for changes in the boundary layer structure due to shock motion to occur become signiflcant and begin to in∞uence shock dynamics. The boundary layer is also thought to play a critical role in the upstream transmission of pressure information to the shock. It is concluded that although some aspects of unsteady shock dynamics can be predicted using a simple inviscid model, such a model does not capture the true physics of the ∞ow, which must be in∞uenced by viscosity. Experiments using ∞ow control to modify the viscous properties of the boundary layer have been conducted, although preliminary results have shown that the control has no noticeable efiects on shock dynamics. However, this is attributed to limitations in the current experiments and further experiments with control are proposed.


Compared with continuous ultrasound wave, pulsed ultrasound has been widely used in ultrasound imaging. The aim of this work is to show the applicability of acousto-optic diffraction on pulsed ultrasound transducer. In this paper, acoustic pressure of two ultrasound transducers is measured based on Raman-Nath diffraction. The frequencies of transducers are 5MHz and 10MHz. The pulse–echo method and simulation data are used to evaluate the results. The results show that the proposed method is capable to measure the absolute sound pressure. We get a sectional view of acoustic pressure using a displacement platform as an auxiliary. Compared with the traditional sound pressure measurement methods, the proposed method is non-invasive with high sensitivity and spatial resolution.


A new synthetic procedure for the preparation of fluorine- 18 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose has been developed. This procedure offers the advantages of flexibility in the source of the fluorine- 18, high yields, and short synthesis times. The procedure works at the no-carrier-added level and gives a product of very high specific activity.


The aim of the present study was to uncover the neural basis of group membership, and investigate whether the brain represents the 'in-group' differentially to the 'out-group'. It was hypothesised that a network of brain regions including the cortical midline structures (CMS) and the temporal gyrus, would show enhanced activation for social words versus non-social words. It was also hypothesised that of these regions dedicated to the 'social brain', there would be unique neural activity in the medial prefrontal cortex for words associated with the in-group. To test this, participants were asked to identify which groups they felt they belonged to, and which groups they felt they did not belong to. In addition to the pre-existing groups, newly created groups were formed (the red team and the blue team). In a second session, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was then used to identify the brain regions that the participants used to process in-group words, out-group words, red team words, blue team words, and living and non-living (non-social) words. The results supported the first two research hypotheses for the pre-existing groups, revealing a network of brain activity specific to social words compared to non-social words, and in-group words compared to out-group words. This pattern of brain activity was not replicated for the newly created groups, suggesting that group membership represents significant meaning and is not easily recreated within a laboratory.


In this paper we present an approach to the modelling and optimisation of industrial networks characterised by multiple entities and potentially competing objectives. The methodology includes the identification of features common to all industrial networks, such as dynamics, recycles and the matching of stream properties to unit process requirements. Special attention is paid in this paper to the dynamics. Multiobjective optimisation (MOO) is used to investigate preferred network configurations. The capabilities of the methodology and model are demonstrated with an illustrative case study of the wood products industry in the Greater Sydney Area. Results show that increased integration of material within the network can affect significant improvement in resource, water and energy consumption, while simultaneously increasing profits.


We prove the existence of a large class of global-in-time expanding solutions to vacuum free boundary compressible Euler flows without relying on the existence of an underlying finite-dimensional family of special affine solutions of the flow.


The plot ratio definition was illustrated,and the plot ratio influences on cost and selling price were analyzed,which was illustrated with specific engineering example.It pointed out that the more plot ratio,the lower of land cost included in the same unit covered area,while the building developed cost increased with plot ratio increasing.


The paper analyzes the musical piece of Two Springs Reflecting the Moon from the perspective of the composer's life experience and physical deformity, using the concept of deformity beauty as a theoretical support.


Through investigation and literature overview,the occurrence range,area and degree of rodent damage in Huangzhong County is preliminarily mastered,and some countermeasures for rodent control are put forward,including control of rodent habitats,using the natural enemies for biological control and appropriate use of chemical agents for artificial control.


Total knee arthroplasty is a frequently met replacement procedure for patients with degenerative knee disease. The main purpose of the intervention is to provide pain relief and to promote range of motion and joint stability for patients in which conservative options such as pharmacological treatment or physical therapy can't accomplish any more an adequate symptom alleviation. Most guidelines regarding the first stage of the rehabilitation process recommend early mobilization in order to gain as quickly as possible functional independence, and also to promote muscle strength and coordination. This should be done from the first day post surgery, depending on the patients compliance. In the subacute stage, the emphasis is put on maintaining a progression of the weight-bearing status, and promoting normal walking without the use of an assistive device. Patient education will be focused on changes that need to be made in a domestic environment and also modifications regarding social and professional activities. The third phase of the rehabilitation process focuses on limb symmetry and equal weight bearing which represent absolute objectives that need to be obtained. Balance exercises will include progression from bilateral to unilateral, and integration of unstable surfaces if possible associated with cardiovascular training. This phase of the rehabilitation process is considered to be completed once all realistic functional goals are achieved.


This article proposes and verifies a new relational measure of world order that uniquely identifies countries' positions in the global network of economic international governmental organizations (IGOs). Using multidimensional scaling, the study shows that multiple distinct dimensions of the world order position can be identified reflecting core location, export market concentration, externality from the IGO networks, and regional interdependence. These four dimensions are significantly correlated with conventional measures of economic features of states. Panel regression is used to demonstrate that the multidimensional scaling of world order is useful in predicting social welfare performance, having its major effects indirectly by determining the economic resources of states.


Technologies for Learning, organized by Carla Viana Coscarelli and published by the Parabola Editorial, is part of the field of language science studies and their technologies, and is the result of expressive research done by several scholars, many of whom are oriented or oriented by this teacher in the masters and doctorate courses, Faculty of Letters of UFMG. The organizer of this edition, in each chapter, shows the need to offer didactic-methodological subsidies so that students and teachers can learn to use digital technologies in a critical, emancipatory and citizen way, especially in the school context and in daily activities of reading and writing with the New Technologies of Information and Communication (NTICs)


Based on employment-oriented questionnaire, some students of Xiamen Ocean Vocational College were interviewed and investigated, and then the learning characteristics of higher vocational students were summarized and analyzed. The results show that, in classroom learning, the students have some traits such as poor learning enthusiasm and initiative, obvious employment-driven learning motivation, and much attention to job-hunting skills training in spare time. In professional learning, the majority of students show little interest to the professional study, and generally believe that the curriculum is not reasonable and the contents of the courses are mostly "primarily to grasp the knowledge", rather than "to develop skills". In addition, they consider it insufficient in the combination of curriculum setting and social needs. What ′s more, they are not clear enough for the employment direction of their own major; however they pay much attention to the integration of qualification certificate and employment ability.


Introduction of wireless vehicular communications enables a variety of new Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) use-cases [1, 2], allowing the services to cooperate between vehicles and infrastructure. Furthermore modern vehicles feature an increasing number of driving automation functions. This paper identifies requirements for cooperative and automated ITS, with a special emphasis on the setup of the test environment to test and evaluate them. Subsequently two architectural designs for the test platform called MoSAIC based on DLR's service-oriented middleware DOMINION are described. Finally the concepts are assessed with respect to the identified requirements and by the use of a prototype implementation for a traffic light assistance system.


OBJECTIVE
To report the genetic and metabolic profile of patients with Berardinelli-Seip syndrome (BSCL) followed at Instituto da Criança, HC-FMUSP.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Patients with clinical features of BSCL (n = 5), all female, were evaluated through serum levels of glucose, insulin, lipids, leptin, and liver enzymes. Abdominal sonography and DNA analysis were also performed.

RESULTS
Leptin deficiency and hypertriglyceridemia were found in all the patients. Three progressed to diabetes mellitus. Four patients have mutations in AGPAT2 gene and one have a mutation in CAV1 gene.

CONCLUSION
The earliest metabolic abnormalities were hypertriglyceridemia and insulin resistance, culminating in the onset of diabetes at the time of puberty. Mutations in the AGPAT2 gene were the most frequent in our patients.


It is assumed that a quantum "particle" may actually be a dissipative system emerging from the dynamical coupling between a local oscillator ("bouncer") and its thermal environment. Consequently, some of the universal properties of nonequilibrium thermodynamics can be applied with regard to a hypothesized sub-quantum medium. In fact, with this rather general ansatz (i.e., independent of many model details), it is possible to derive the exact Schroedinger equation from classical physics. [1]


Abstract While recent theorists have argued for the importance of apocalyptic themes within the process of early modern nation-building, this article sketches the impact of pro-union millenarianism on puritan writers, and argues that tensions between the 'faithful remnant', 'elect nation' and 'Protestant international' concepts were addressed by reference to millenarian discourses. Millenarian worldviews that included historical writing and politico-prophetic speculation provided puritans with a strong sense of collective identity and shared political duty. Until the 1640s, this kind of millennialism underwrote the union; in the 1650s, the millenarian rhetoric that fuelled the invasions of Ireland and Scotland undercut the union. Theologians like Robert Baillie longed with 'passionate desires and confident hopes' for an awareness of puritan unity; but, by 1644, it was clear that 'passionate desires and confident hopes' had not been enough to secure their goal.


To investigate the production of cellulases and hemicellulases from Aspergillus niger MTCC9931, solid state fermentation (SSF) was performed using 10 different lignocellulosic materials derived from agrowastes, i.e., rice straw, rice husk, wheat straw, corn cob, sugar cane bagasse, saw dust, banana stalk, Eichhornia, Parthenium stalk, and residual fruit pulp. Among these agrowastes, the maximum yield of reducing sugars (116.46 ± 2.56 g/mL) was observed with residual fruit pulp. Further, the same substrate showed the highest endoglucanase (389.1 ± 0.44 IU/g), MCC-adsorbable endoglucanase (3.4 ± 0.14 IU/g), cellulase (12.0 ± 0.13 IU/g), and FPase (4.9 ± 0.64 IU/g) activities. Sawdust showed the maximum xylanase activity (7478.0 ± 6.51 IU/g), and corncob showed maximum β-glucosidase activity (79.87 ± 1.15 IU/g). The maximum activities of all enzymes were observed at 72 h of SSF under shaking conditions. A. niger MTCC9931 can be concluded to be an important strain for potential applications in saccharification. The enzymatic hydrolysates of the agrowastes were used as substrates for ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae MTCC174. The maximum yield (35.34 g/L) of ethanol was obtained when residual fruit pulp was used as a substrate. This study has further demonstrated the feasible biotechnological conversion of agrowastes to produce ethanol using both A. niger and S. cerevisiae.