Ovarian cancer (OC) is the seventh most common type of cancer in women worldwide. Treatment for OC usually involves a combination of surgery and chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel. Platinum-based agents exert their cytotoxic action through development of DNA damage, including the formation of intra- and inter-strand cross-links, as well as single-nucleotide damage of guanine. Although these agents are highly efficient, intrinsic and acquired resistance during treatment are relatively common and remain a major challenge for platinum-based therapy. There is strong evidence to show that the functionality of various DNA repair pathways significantly impacts tumor response to treatment. Various DNA repair molecular components were found deregulated in ovarian cancer, including molecules involved in homologous recombination repair (HRR), nucleotide excision repair (NER), mismatch repair (MMR), non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ), and base excision repair (BER), which can be possibly exploited as novel therapeutic targets and sensitive/effective biomarkers. This review attempts to summarize published data on this subject and thus help in the design of new mechanistic studies to better understand the involvement of the DNA repair in the platinum drugs resistance, as well as to suggest new therapeutic perspectives and potential targets.


Cerebral circulatory disturbances occurred in 42 women between the ages of 17 and 52 who were taking oral contraceptives. The disturbances were primarily in the form of cerebral haemorrhages. The symptoms ranged from ephemeral neurological deficiencies to massive hemi-syndromes. Complete remission occurred in 16 patients, partial remission in 24 patients, two patients died. The patients were subdivided into two age groups, one comprising 31 persons between 17 and 39, and the other 11 persons between 41 and 52 years of age. The aim was to ascertain facts which were related to the possibility of haemorrhage in women taking ovulation inhibitors. The first finding, statistically significant, was that the possibility of a cerebro-vascular disturbance increases with the period during which the pill is taken and that this possibility is especially great in the presence of migraine which may also be existent in the family, and in the case of hypertension. The second finding, not significant however, was that the risk was higher in the presence of several factors in one person. These factors include familial factors with a predisposition to migraine and thrombosis, past illnesses of the peripheral vascular system, a predisposition to allergic reactions, obesity and kidney damage. Should one of these situations or both prevail, the patient will be advised to stop taking the pill, and the contraceptive will be discontinued if certain prodromes are observed in a general form, or if focal symptoms occur.


Purpose: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a spectrum of disease of unknown etiology defined by infiltrates of activated and malignant T cells in the skin. In working with blood from CTCL patients, we noticed frequent activation of neutrophils; therefore, we tested the hypothesis that neutrophils are activated in CTCL subjects compared with normal healthy controls. Experimental Design: Using peripheral blood of 44 subjects with CTCL and 15 normal controls, we examined three measures of neutrophil activation. These are the presence of neutrophils of reduced buoyant density, the presence of primed neutrophils in a stimulated chemiluminescence assay, and changes in surface markers by flow cytometry. In addition, we tested plasma interleukin-8 (IL-8) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) levels using ELISA. Results: A significantly larger fraction of hypodense neutrophils was observed in CTCL subjects compared with normals (10.6 ± 1.7% versus 1.5 ± 0.4%). Stimulated chemiluminescence was also significantly increased in CTCL, and analysis of neutrophil surface markers using flow cytometry showed significantly increased CD11b and CD66b and decreased CD62L, consistent with neutrophil activation. These changes were present even in early stages of CTCL. We further found that plasma IL-8 and LTB4 levels are elevated in CTCL, which could form a feedback loop contributing to disease pathophysiology. Conclusions: CTCL is associated with systemic neutrophil activation, even in early disease, and a feedback loop between neutrophils and T cells mediated by IL-8 and LTB4 is a potential contribution to the pathophysiology of CTCL.


Flexible manipulators system is a nonminimum-phase system. This characteristic hinders the asymptotic tracking of a desired tip trajectory with a bounded control input. The outputs of a a two-link flexible manipulator are redefined in dealing with this problem. First, the system is decomposed into input-output subsystem and zero dynamics systems by employing the input-output linearization, and then, a robust sliding mode observer is developed for generating the unmeasured derivative of the flexible modes. An integral sliding-mode control strategy is designed for the input-output subsystem to make them converge in a finite time. Moreover, the zero dynamics system can be asymptotically stable at the equilibrium point by properly adjusting controller parameters. Thus, the whole control system for the two-link flexible manipulator is guaranteed to be asymptotically stable. Furthermore, the control design procedure is simple and easy to be implemented. Simulation results validate the design.


Fluorescent protein sensors have gained great importance in research as they exhibit a number of advantages over synthetic dyes. They can be targeted precisely, large populations of cells can be imaged simultaneously, and they allow for chronic imaging approaches. Many of them however still suffer from comparably low signal changes. Improving fluorescent protein sensors can be tedious and time-consuming. For this reason, great efforts have been made not only to improve existing sensors, but also to develop better strategies to improve them.
In this work, a novel large-scale bacterial based screening assay was established to complement rational design. Sensor expression, stimulation, and screening in bacteria, as well as the handling of large amounts of data created by such a screening assay were optimized.
While the new assay can be adapted for other applications, it is especially well suited for the screening of genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators of the basis of FRET (Forster Resonance Energy Transfer). We used the assay to optimize such sensors, utilizing the Ca2+ binding protein Troponin C fused between the fluorescent proteins ECFP and cpCitrine. The resulting 'Twitch' sensor series exhibited a large dynamic range of up to 1000% FRET ratio change, great sensitivity and fast kinetics.
In a second approach, we attempted to develop a similar sensor deploying red-shifted fluorescent proteins. To this end, further screening was conducted to optimize the orange fluorescent protein mKOκ for FRET, and a FRET sensor deploying mKOκ. The sensor we developed utilized troponin C and the fluorescent protein Dreiklang (photoswitchable) in addition to mKOκ. It was bright and exhibited a FRET ratio change of approximately 170%.
In summary, the screening procedures presented in this thesis, will facilitate the development of a range of genetically encoded biosensors, and were already employed to develop a number of highly effective Ca2+ FRET indicators.


In this paper, we examine the impact of antenna correlation on transmit antenna selection with receive maximal ratio combining TAS/MRC in multiple-input multiple-output multiuser underlay cognitive radio network MIMO-MCN over a Nakagami-m fading environment. The secondary network under consideration consists of a single source and M destinations equipped with multiple correlated antennas at each node. The primary network composed of L primary users, each of which is equipped with multiple correlated antennas. For the considered underlay spectrum sharing paradigm, the transmission power of the proposed secondary system is limited by the peak interference limit on the primary network and the maximum transmission power at the secondary network. In particular, we derive exact closed-form expressions for the outage probability and average symbol error rate of the proposed secondary system. To gain further insights, simple asymptotic closed-form expressions for the outage probability and symbol error rate are provided to obtain the achievable diversity order and coding gain of the system. In addition, the impact of antenna correlation on the secondary user ergodic capacity has been investigated by deriving closed-form expressions for the secondary user capacity. The derived analytical formulas herein are supported by numerical and simulation results to clarify the main contributions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Abstract Syntax Notation X (ASN.X) is an Extensible Markup Language
(XML) representation for Abstract Syntax Notation One (ASN.1)
specifications. This document specifies the ASN.X representation of
encoding instructions for the Generic String Encoding Rules (GSER).
This memo defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet community.


Information Security plays a major role in today's scenario. Cloud computing is a technology that provides access to information and computing resources from anywhere that a network is available. There is a need to secure the data stored on cloud. The main goal behind the design of encryption algorithm must be security against unauthorized attacks. However, for all cloud computing applications, performance and cost of implementation are also major concerns. Encryption algorithm would not be of much use if it is very much secure but slow in performance. The security and performance of encryption algorithms must be balanced. In this paper, encryption algorithms (AES, Blowfish, Twofish) has been discussed to analyze the performance level of each algorithm.


RESULTS: There was a significant effect of time (P = 0.001) but no effect of supplementation on 1,25(OH)2D (group × time interaction, P = 0.345). 1,25(OH)2D was not different between week 1 and 5 (104.8 ± 25.7 pmol∙L, 102.9 ± 26.2 pmol∙L), but increased by week 13 (112.4 ± 3.7 pmol∙L, P = 0.009). There was a significant group × time interaction for 24,25(OH)D (P < 0.001). In OD3 and SSR-D, 24,25(OH)D increased from week 1 (3.4 ± 2.3 and 2.9 ± 2.3 nmol∙L ) to week 5 (5.5 ± 2.5 and 5.1 ± 1.5 nmol∙L, P < 0.001) and week 13 (5.3 ± 1.3 and 5.6 ± 1.4 nmol∙L, P < 0.001). In OP, 24,25(OH)D decreased from week 1 (3.5 ± 2.2 nmol∙L) to week 5 (2.7 ± 1.4 nmol∙L, P < 0.001) and returned to baseline by week 13 (3.6 ± 1.3 nmol∙L). In SSR-P, 24,25(OH)D increased from week 1 (2.4 ± 1.6 nmol∙L) and week 5 (2.6 ± 1.6 nmol∙L) to week 13 (4.0 ± 1.4 nmol∙L , P ≤ 0.027). 24,25(OH)D was higher in the OD3 and SSR-D than their respective placebo groups at week 5 and week 13 (P < 0.001). There was a significant effect of time (P < 0.001) but no effect of supplementation on PTH (group × time interaction, P = 0.059). PTH decreased from week 1 (4.7 ± 1.3 pmol∙L) and week 5 (4.8 ± 1.4 pmol∙L) to week 13 (4.3 ± 1.2 pmol∙L, P ≤ 0.003). CONCLUSION: Oral vitamin D supplementation or simulated sunlight have no effect on the biologically active 1,25(OH)2D, but increase the production of the catabolic metabolite 24,25(OH)D.


One of the most severe deteriorations in reinforced concrete structures is associated with reinforcement corrosion, where the corrosion distribution shows considerable spatial variability. In the existing investigations of spatial variability of corrosion on the reliability of reinforced concrete structures, symbolic expressions are used for the structural performance. However, structural behaviors like stress redistribution and plasticity spread are not captured. In this research, a computational framework is designed to couple the probabilistic analysis with the nonlinear finite element analysis. Random fields is used with the computational framework to represent the spatial variability of corrosion. A 60 m girder of a reinforced concrete bridge is taken as the case study to explore the effect of spatial variability of corrosion on reliability of static indeterminate reinforced concrete structures. The reliability analysis is target on ultimate capacity of the beam to carry the traffic load. The girder is modeled as a 3 span continuous beam. The modelling of corrosion damages on reinforcement (area of cross section and physical properties) is based on assumption of pure pitting corrosion. In the axial direction of the beam, spatial variability is modeled with random field. In order to study the effect of different level of spatial variability, the correlation length of the random field is set from infinite large to 125 mm. Between adjacent bars, extreme cases of fully spatial correlated and totally spatial independent are studied. The case study shows: i) when corrosion develops, pitting corrosion can severely reduce resistance of the structure and localized damage may lead to a brittle structural response. ii) spatial variability of pitting corrosion in the axial direction of the beam leads to higher failure probability of the structure. iii) spatial variability of pitting corrosion between adjacent bars leads to lower failure probability of the structure. iv) the effect of spatial variability of corrosion on reliability of static indeterminate reinforced concrete structure is a collective effect of probabilistic and physical characteristic. In order to facilitate the reliability assessment of corroded reinforced concrete structures, additional efforts are also contributed to: quantification of uncertainty for the bond model of corroded reinforcement; comparison of various reliability methods with the probabilistic nonlinear finite element analysis framework. The thesis fills the knowledge gap of probabilistic nonlinear finite element analysis of reinforced concrete structures with spatial varied corrosion and quantifies the effects of spatial variability of corrosion on the reliability of a static indeterminate reinforced concrete structure. The analysis framework designed in this thesis is also applicable for other reliability assessment of corroded reinforced concrete structures.


A novel staired-slitted flag central resonator based wide band bandpass filter with sharp selectivity and super spurious harmonic suppression is proposed in this paper. Input-output ports based on three line edge coupling with ground plane aperture cutting contribute to the rejection of harmonics in the lower stopband. The spurious harmonic at the upper stopband is rejected with the help of embedded open stub suppression cells. The generation of two transmission zeros at the lower and upper cut-off frequencies are due to the staired slitted-flag main resonator, which contributes to the better selectivity of the filter, and it is verified with the help of mathematical equations. The fractional bandwidth of the developed filter is 107.2% with 7.82GHz centre frequency. This work demonstrates the design, theory, and implementation aspects for the realization of bandpass filters with sharp selectivity and very good spurious suppression.


Could the long term trend towards urban extension be affected by the energy issue ? Higher energy prices and greater environmental concerns, especially regarding greenhouse gases, could undermine one of the forces driving periurbanisation, namely the simple and easy use of cars. A survey conducted in three municipalities in the periphery of Ile-de-France (the greater Paris region) indicates that energy issues are indeed leading to potentially important changes in the residential domain. In contrast, as far as mobility is concerned, households do not see any possible alternative to car use, at least in the near future. It would appear that they are willing to incur very significant costs to preserve the advantages of living in low density areas.


Background: Acute abdomen is a common health issue that ranges from trivial to life threatening condition thus requiring hospital admissions, correct diagnosis and treatment. Aim: To determine the etiological spectrum of surgical acute pain abdomen among patients attending emergency department at government hospital-Lahore. Study design: Cross sectional study. Methodology: Present study enrolled both genders (n=154) through simple random sampling technique following ethical approval. All baseline investigations were done at time of enrollment. All information was collected through structured questionnaire. Radiological investigations like ultrasonography (USG) and computer tomography (CT) scan were done on appropriate indication. Data was evaluated by using SPSS v.24. Chi-square test was used to compare the symptoms, diagnosis, treatments and clinical signs between the both genders. A p-value ≤0.05 was considered significant. Results: Mean age of the patients was 41.4±16.5 years. There were 82(53.2%) males and 72(46.8%) females. Symptoms like abdominal pain, burning micturation, diarrhea and guarding were significantly higher in males. The proportion of localized pain was higher in female as compared to male but statistically insignificant. Practical Implication: As there is a high incidence of acute abdomen among our population and there is lack of local data regarding exact epidemiology of this health issue. The findings of this study emphasized the etiological spectrum of acute surgical abdomen. This helped in pointing out the loop holes regarding correct diagnosis while identifying different presentations of serious illnesses. Conclusion: It was concluded that patients present differently with acute abdomen so common diagnosis should be made and prompt examination need to be done. Timely intervention and management can therefore prevent major complications. Keywords: Acute abdomen, Appendicitis, Perforation peritonitis and Surgical Intervention.


A coupled diffusion model based on continuum thermodynamics is developed to quantitatively describe the transport properties of glassy thin films during physical aging. The coupled field equations are then embodied and applied to simulate the transport behaviors of O2 and CO2 within aging polymeric membranes to validate the model and demonstrate the coupling phenomenon, respectively. It is found that due to the introduction of the concentration gradient, the proposed direct calculating method on permeability can produce relatively better consistency with the experimental results for various film thicknesses. In addition, by assuming that the free volume induced by lattice contraction is renewed upon CO2 exposure, the experimental permeability of O2 within Matrimid® thin film after short-time exposure to CO2 is well reproduced in this work. Remarkably, with the help of the validated straightforward permeability calculation method and free volume recovery mechanism, the permeability behavior of CO2 is also well elucidated, with the results implying that the transport process of CO2 and the variation of free volume are strongly coupled.


Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA

Approximately 4% of patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) carry the EML4-ALK chromosomal rearrangement. Crizotinib, a c-MET and ALK inhibitor, has shown significant therapeutic benefit as a single agent with FDA approval for the treatment of patients with ALK-positive NSCLC. Since radiation commonly plays a key role in lung cancer treatment, we sought to evaluate the potential of crizotinib as a radiation sensitizer and the role of ALK in cellular radiation sensitivity. We examined the effect of crizotinib in combination with radiation on ALK signaling, cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution and radiosensitivity in ALK-positive NSCLC cell lines H3122 and H2228 in vitro. We also examined the in-vivo effects of crizotinib in combination with radiation in H3122 and H2228 xenograft models.

Crizotinib blocked phosphorylation of ALK and its downstream effectors and inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. The combination of crizotinib and radiation resulted in increased inhibition of cell growth. Although cells were sensitized to radiation by crizotinib, molecular knockdown of ALK by siRNA had only modest impact on cell radiosensitivity. Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry showed that ALK-siRNA induced G1 arrest. Interestingly, low dose crizotinib induced G1 arrest, while doses above 2µM induced G2 arrest. Combination treatment induced arrest in G1 and G2 phases and decreased the cell population in S-phase. Moreover, in xenograft tumor models, we observed combined treatment to produce additive tumor growth inhibition over that observed with either drug or radiation alone.

We further examined the capacity of crizotinib overcome cetuximab resistance in our established in vitro resistance models. Compared with parental cells, cetuximab-resistant cells showed cross-resistance to radiation. Crizotinib inhibited the growth of cetuximab-resistant cells and resensitized cells to radiation. Compared with single-agent treatment, the combination of crizotinib and erlotinib resulted in increased growth inhibition and further re-sensitization to radiation.

These data suggest that crizotinib in combination with radiation can enhance the inhibitory effect on ALK-positive tumor cell growth in vitro and in-vivo and also suggest the potential value of using crizotinib in combination with other EGFR-targeting therapeutics. Ultimately however, the potential value of crizotinib as a radiation sensitizer requires systematic clinical investigation.

Citation Format: Chunrong Li, Shyhmin Huang, Noah Walters, Eric A. Armstrong, Paul M. Harari. Combination of crizotinib and radiation in the treatment of ALK-positive and cetuximab-resistant lung cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 856. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-856


Understanding the genetic mechanisms controlling columnar-type growth in the apple mutant 'Wijcik' will provide insights on how tree architecture and growth are regulated in fruit trees. In apple, columnar-type growth is controlled by a single major gene at the Columnar (Co) locus. By comparing the genomic sequence of the Co region of 'Wijcik' with its wild-type 'McIntosh', a novel non-coding DNA element of 1956 bp specific to Pyreae was found to be inserted in an intergenic region of 'Wijcik'. Expression analysis of selected genes located in the vicinity of the insertion revealed the upregulation of the MdCo31 gene encoding a putative 2OG-Fe(II) oxygenase in axillary buds of 'Wijcik'. Constitutive expression of MdCo31 in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in compact plants with shortened floral internodes, a phenotype reminiscent of the one observed in columnar apple trees. We conclude that MdCo31 is a strong candidate gene for the control of columnar growth in 'Wijcik'.


This paper is about sparse multi-dimensional arrays in Python. We discuss their applications, layouts, and current implementations in the SciPy ecosystem along with strengths and weaknesses. We then introduce a new package for sparse arrays that builds on the legacy of the scipy.sparse implementation, but supports more modern interfaces, dimensions greater than two, and improved integration with newer array packages, like XArray and Dask. We end with performance benchmarks and notes on future work. Additionally, this work provides a concrete implementation of the recent NumPy array protocols to build generic array interfaces for improved interoperability, and so may be useful for broader community discussion.


BACKGROUND
Simulation is a well-established and proven teaching method, yet its use in renal education is not widely reported. Criticisms of simulation-based teaching include limited realism and a lack of authentic patient interaction.

METHOD
This paper discusses the benefits and challenges of high-fidelity simulation and suggests hybrid simulation as a complementary model to existing simulation programmes.

CONCLUSION
Through the use of a simulated patient, hybrid simulation can improve the authenticity of renal simulation-based education while simultaneously teaching and assessing technologically enframed caring.


Disruption of the polyubiquitin gene Ubc leads to a defect in fetal liver development, which can be partially rescued by increasing the amount of ubiquitin. However, it is still not known why Ubc is required for fetal liver development and the nature of the defective cell types responsible for embryonic lethality have not been characterized. In this study, we assessed the cause of embryonic lethality with respect to the fetal liver hematopoietic system. We found that Ubc was highly expressed in the embryonic liver, and the proliferation capacity of fetal liver cells was reduced in Ubc−/− embryos. Specifically, Ubc was most highly expressed in hematopoietic cells, and the proliferation capacity of hematopoietic cells was significantly impaired in Ubc−/− embryos. While hematopoietic cell and hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) frequency was maintained in Ubc−/− embryos, the absolute number of these cells was diminished because of reduced total liver cell number in Ubc−/− embryos. Transplantations of fetal liver cells into lethally irradiated recipient mice by non-competitive and competitive reconstitution methods indicated that disruption of Ubc does not significantly impair the intrinsic function of fetal liver HSCs. These findings suggest that disruption of Ubc reduces the absolute number of HSCs in embryonic livers, but has no significant effect on the autonomous function of HSCs. Thus, the lethality of Ubc−/− embryos is not the result of intrinsic HSC failure.


The success in discrete cosine transform(DCT) image coding is mainly attributed to recognition of the importance of data organization and representation. In this paper, we proposed an embedded image coder based on quadtree set partition in DCT domain (EZDCT) which is suitable for many kinds of DCT coefficients reorganization schemes. The experimental results show that it is among the state-of-the-art DCT-based image coders when compared with the famous DCT-based image coders, such as EZDCT and MRDCT. For example, for the Barbara image, EQDCT outperforms JPEG EZDCT and MRDCT by 3.3,1.71,1.70 dB in peak-signal-to-noise ratio at 0.25 bpp, respectively.


Abstract Domestic, US and Australian beef, which are differentiated by country of origin, are sold in Korea. In this differentiated product market, tariff reductions through Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are expected to strengthen the competitiveness of imported beef and, therefore, to mitigate the effects arising from the market power of domestic marketers. The present study develops a simulation model that evaluates this mitigating effect by explicitly reflecting the market structure that domestic beef marketers constitute. The simulation results indicate that the farm-retail marketing margin would decrease by 10.59% or 6.79% due to the Korea–US and Korea–Australia FTAs, respectively, if domestic beef marketers formed a cartel or an oligopoly market (i.e. the degree of market power is 0.5), while the marketing margin under a competitive market scenario is simulated to have no change. The value of beef production would decrease by 1009 million dollars if the marketers form a cartel and hence exercise monopoly power. The FTAs are simulated to reduce the value of beef production by 564 million dollars under the competitive market scenario.


Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of luxury buyers' awareness of a luxury brand's corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities together with its individual brand-related sustainable dimensions (in terms of economic, societal and environmental) and luxury values on purchase intention for luxury products and, as a result, highlight the potential implications of these relationships for the luxury industry.

Design/methodology/approach
A luxury purchase intention model, which assumes an impact from traditional luxury values and CSR, was indicated based on the authors' previous qualitative research and corresponding literature review. To validate the model by proving that the suggested relationships are statistically significant, (1,100) luxury customers over the age of 18 were approached, and (253) valid responses were entered and analyzed using SEM to confirm the indicated theoretical model's hypothesized causal relations.

Findings
The findings suggest a positive and significant relationship between buyers' awareness of a specific luxury brand's CSR-related activities and their purchase intention; however, certain demographics and gender both moderate this relationship. The moderating role of general attitudes toward CSR and sustainability on this relationship was not confirmed. Furthermore, awareness of the brand's CSR positively mediates the relationship between both the societal/environmental and economic parts of the brand-related individual sustainable dimension and purchase intention.

Originality/value
The results of this study are based on actual purchases of branded luxury items and validate the authors' indicative model based on earlier qualitative research by claiming a significant relationship between the purchase intention for a brand and awareness of its CSR activities amongst luxury shoppers.


Few would dispute that highway projects in the United States have had impacts on land use and local growth. Beginning in the 1950's, the spreading interstate roadway system abruptly increased access to land and communities that had been relatively untouched by development. As transportation infrastructure has reached maturity, current projects are usually small improvements to existing roads, and the influence of transportation projects on local growth has become much less obvious. In 1990, the state of Washington became the seventh state to adopt a Growth Management Act as a prescription for controlling growth by affecting density, zoning, mixed uses, and development timing. Since enaction, GMA has accommodated growth rationally by emphasizing the compaction of residential and commercial development within Urban Growth Areas separated by areas zoned for limited development. The Maltby, Washington, UGA is typical of this GMA product. Facing increased congestion and public safety issues, the Washington State Department of Transportation recently developed plans to expand the capacity and two rural intersections of State Route 522, which transects the Maltby UGA. The GMA directs that state and local agencies develop transportation systems that complement land-use goals, and the question arose of whether the project would induce growth beyond that planned under GMA. If the project induces growth beyond that already planned, agencies are responsible to offset the potential for these indirect project effects to sensitive habitat and species. In order to assess indirect effects, an analysis must quantify the proportion of future (anticipated) development that is a result of the specific roadway improvement beyond what is already planned, or that is ascribable to the individual roadway section. WSDOT and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted an exhaustive search of local planning commission files, interviews with relevant stakeholders, and information available through GIS databases to address the proportion of local growth attributable to the SR 522 project. The analysis provided estimates of future changes in Total Impervious Area and other environmental impacts based on GMA-based projections, but was not able to assign a percentage of these impacts to the current expansion project. Federal agencies concluded that the current project would not individually affect sensitive species and habitat. Long-term actions such as the gradual change from rural to urban land use patterns in Washington and other Growth Management states may incrementally degrade the environment of species sensitive to minor changes, but it is not possible to assign a percentage of that growth to an individual project or a project that upgrades an existing roadway.


4156 Background: The hedgehog pathway plays a critical role in embryonic development, tissue polarity and carcinogenesis. It is estimated that activation of this pathway is associated with almost all basal cell carcinomas and in nearly 30% of non-skin cancers. Whereas mutations of human homologue of patched 1 (PTCH1), smoothened (SMO) or suppressor of fused [Su(Fu)] contribute to the development of BCCs and medulloblastomas, whereas elevated expression of the ligands- hedgehog molecules may be responsible for activation of hedgehog signaling in prostate, breast, lung and gastrointestinal cancers. However, the molecular basis for SMO signaling regulation, the essential event in pathway activation, remains unclear. Therefore, identification of novel regulators of SMO will further our understanding of hedgehog-mediated carcinogenesis. Results: Through yeast two hybrid screening using SMO as bait, we identified a Smooothened Interacting Protein, SIP. In cultured cells, we showed that SIP co-immunoprecipitated reciprocally with SMO. Using GST pull-down studies, we showed that the cytoplasmic tail of SMO is responsible for the interaction with SIP. We found that stability of SMO protein, but not Gli1 protein, can be enhanced with ectopic expression of SIP in a dose-dependent manner. To demonstrate whether inactivation of SIP is sufficient to inhibit growth of cancer cells with activated hedgehog signaling, we treated cancer cell lines with SIP siRNA or control siRNA and measured DNA synthesis and softagar growth. We found that SIP siRNA inhibited DNA synthesis and softagar growth of PLC/PRF/5 cells, which have activated hedgehog signaling, but had no effects on HepG2 cells, which have no detectable hedgehog signaling. Conclusion: We have identified a novel regulator of SMO, SIP. We find that SMO interacts with SIP through its c-terminal tail. The protein stability of SMO is enhanced by the presence of SIP. Inactivation of SIP by specific siRNA, just like SMO antagonist cyclopamine, reduced DNA synthesis and cell growth of cancer cells with activated hedgehog signaling. Thus, targeted inhibition of SIP may have significant implications in cancer therapeutics.


The enantioselective direct Mannich-type reaction of ketimines with α-isocyanoacetates has been developed. Excellent yields and enantioselectivity were observed for the reaction of various ketimines and α-isocyanoacetates using cinchona alkaloid/Cu(OTf)2 and a base. Both enantiomers of the products could be obtained by using pseudoenantiomeric chiral catalysts. This process offers an efficient route for the synthesis of α,β-diamino acids.


Aim: The aim of the study was to retrospectively analyze long-term results of surgical treatment of patients diagnosed with primary inguinal hernia up to 15 years after a Desarda pure tissue repair. Methods: The study was conducted on a group of adult patients with primary inguinal hernia who underwent elective surgery at our center during 2005-2006. Patients' data and hernia and surgery characteristics were recorded. Incidence of postoperative complications was assessed seven days after surgery. An attempt was made to contact all patients 15 years after the procedure regarding recurrence, possible surgical re-treatment, pain, and satisfaction. Results: Desarda procedure was performed in 341 patients. Fifteen years after the surgical procedure, a follow-up was successful in 215 (63%) patients, of whom 198 (58.1%) answered all of the questions. In the early perioperative period, minor postoperative complications were found in 5.6% of patients. After 15 years of followup, three recurrences were found (1.5%). Recurrences occurred 2, 3, and 5 years after the surgery. All patients expressed their satisfaction with the treatment. Twenty-eight patients (14.4%) reported a rare occurrence of mild pain while performing certain activities. Three patients reported persistent chronic pain (1.5%). Page 2 of Mitura et al. Mini-invasive Surg 2021;5:22 https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2574-1225.2021.19 10 Conclusion: Surgical repair of primary inguinal hernia using the Desarda technique is a simple, feasible, repeatable procedure, using the patient's own tissues, and with a low learning curve. It seems that the Desarda repair can still be a safe alternative to other non-mesh surgical techniques, especially when the patient refuses the use a synthetic mesh.


Automated sequence annotation is a major goal of post-genomic era with hundreds of genomes in the databases, from both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. While the number of fully sequenced chromosomes from microbial organisms exponentially increased in the last decade above 600, presently we know the whole DNA content of only 25 eukaryotic organisms, including Homo sapiens. However, the process of genome annotation is far from being completed. This is particularly relevant in eukaryotes, whose cells contain several subcellular compartments, or organelles, enclosed by membranes, where different relevant functions are performed. Translocation across the membrane into the organelles is a highly regulated and complex cellular process. Indeed different proteins and/or protein isoforms, originated from genes by alternative splicing, may be conveyed to different cell compartments, depending on their specific role in the cell. During recent years the prediction of subcellular localization (SL) by computational means has been an active research area. Several methods are presently available based on different notions and addressing different aspects of SL. This review provides a short overview of the most well performing methods described in the literature, highlighting their predictive capabilities and different applications.


Lead tin sulphide (Pb-Sn-S) thin films (TFs) were deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates via the electrochemical deposition process using lead (II) nitrate [Pb(NO3)2], tin (II) chloride dehydrate [SnCl2.2H2O] and thiacetamide [C2H5NS] precursors as sources of lead (Pb), tin (Sn) and sulphur (S). The solution of all the compounds was harmonized with a stirrer (magnetic) at 300k. In this study, we reported on the improvements in the properties (structural and optical) of Pb-Sn-S TFs by varying the deposition time. We observed from X-ray diffractometer (XRD) that the prepared material is polycrystalline in nature. UV-Vis measurements were done for the optical characterizations and the band gap values were seen to be increasing from 1.52 to 1.54 eV with deposition time. In addition to this, the absorption coefficient and refractive index were also estimated and discussed.


An adaptive system for Voiced/Unvoiced (V/UV) speech detection in the presence of background noise is presented. The results were compared with a non-adaptive classification system and the V/UV detectors adopted by three important speech coding standards: LPC10, ITU-T G. 723.1 and ETS1 AMR. In all cases the adaptive V/UV classifier outperformed the traditional solutions.


Two trials were conducted to determine the suitability of soybean products for baby pigs. For trial 1, 40 weanling pigs were orally infused with .01 lb/pig/d of either dried skim milk (control), soybean meal (48% CP), soy protein concentrate, extruded soy protein concentrate, or soy protein isolate from d 7 to 12 of age, weaned at 21 d of age, and fed a diet containing the corresponding protein source until d 7 postweaning. Sows were fed a corn-corn gluten meal-based diet supplemented with lysine and tryptophan to avoid exposure of pigs to soybean proteins. All pigs were sacrificed at 28 d of age. In Trial 2, 48 pigs were utilized, with preweaning treatments identical to those in Trial 1 except the soy protein isolate was not used as a treatment. They were fed a diet containing the same protein source for 2 wk postweaning, then fed a common diet with 4% soybean oil and 1.25% lysine for 3 wk. Growth performance was measured. Results indicated that pigs fed diets containing soybean meal had lower villus height and rate of gain than pigs on any other treatments. There were no differences in villus height and crypt depth among soy protein concentrate, extruded soy protein concentrate, and soy protein isolate. In the growth trial, pigs fed the diet containing extruded soy protein concentrate had the highest ADG compared to other soybean products tested. Decreased villus height and increased serum anti-soy IgG titers, coinciding with inferior performance and presence of residual antigenic protein in the digestive tract of baby pigs fed soybean meal, indicate that conventionally processed, commercial soybean meal retain antigens that cause immunological changes in early-weaned pigs.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 16, 1989


Integration in the European Union jeopardizes our democracy; the European Constitution will not stop the substantial erosion of the constitutional institutions of the member states, in particular the parliaments. It will not put an end to the lack of democracy and of separation of powers, nor to inappropriate centralization. Its rejection in France and the Netherlands creates the opportunity to assign to the Union appropriate and transparent structures close to the citizens. This is heavy stuff. It is presented to us by authors who are not known to be Euro-phobes or populists. They don't lose themselves in well-meaning clouds of criticism concerning the length of the Constitution, or in putting the blame on 'the people in Brussels'. Their concerns have to be taken seriously. That is why their suggestions need to be addressed, both as to principle and detail.


This thesis focuses on the antidepressant effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and how these are reflected by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). To this end, we have assembled a large data set of placebo-controlled SSRI trials in major depression, and used this for a series of post-hoc patient-level analyses. Thus, in a population of 8 262 patients treated with either of four SSRIs (citalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine, or sertraline) or placebo, we have assessed (1) to what extent the various symptoms included in the HDRS separate between active treatment and placebo, and contrasted this to the sum-score of all HDRS items, which has been the conventional effect parameter, (2) whether the effects of SSRIs are dose-dependent, (3) whether side effects are necessary for SSRIs to outperform placebo, (4) if SSRIs increase or decrease suicidal ideation, and (5) whether only patients with high baseline depression severity respond to treatment with SSRIs. We found that the influence of drug treatment on individual HDRS items differs vastly with regard to both the size and direction of effect. While depressed mood and other core symptoms of depression are consistently improved by SSRI treatment, HDRS items that may reflect typical SSRI side effects, such as e.g., gastrointestinal symptoms and sexual symptoms, respond, on average, negatively. The HDRS sum-score thus represents an aggregate of beneficial effects on core depression symptoms and detrimental effects on possible side-effect related items. Further, we suggest that the balance between these domains vary with time under treatment, with side-effects being relatively more influential early in treatment, thereby obfuscating significant positive effects otherwise evident as early as after one week of treatment. We also found evidence for a dose-response relationship, i.e., very low SSRI doses were more effective than placebo, but less effective than higher doses; this relation plateaued at the low to mid-range of currently recommended doses. We did not find any evidence in support of the hypothesis that side effects be an indispensable prerequisite for antidepressant efficacy, or that side effect severity moderates response. We could replicate previous studies showing SSRIs to decrease suicidal ideation in subjects ≥ 25 years of age, but could not detect a significant influence of SSRIs in either direction in young adults (18 ≤ age < 25). We found baseline symptom severity to be positively associated with SSRI efficacy when measured by the HDRS sum-score. This was however not the case for core depression symptoms where instead patients improved equally regardless of baseline severity. We suggest this to be partly due to non-core symptoms being absent in low-severity patients, thus leaving less room for improvement and more room for worsening on side-effect related items. Most of these observations were replicated in a population of 3575 patients from studies of the serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor duloxetine. We conclude i) that the sum-score of the HDRS rating scale is an insufficient and insensitive measure of antidepressant efficacy, ii) that the use of this outcome parameter has led to an underestimation of the true efficacy of SSRIs and SNRIs, particularly at the early phase of treatment and in subjects with relatively mild depression, iii) that normal doses of antidepressants are superior to low doses but not inferior to high doses, iv) that antidepressant effects are not, as has been suggested, secondary to side effects breaking the blind, and v) that the net effect of antidepressants on suicidality is beneficial, at least in subjects ≥ 25 years of age. In conjunction, the results rebut many of the claims that have been put forward by those questioning the usefulness of antidepressants.


For the first time, we leverage the 2.5D interposer technology to establish system-level security in the face of hardware- and software-centric adversaries. More specifically, we integrate chiplets (i.e., third-party hard intellectual property of complex functionality, like microprocessors) using a security-enforcing interposer. Such hardware organization provides a robust 2.5D root of trust for trustworthy, yet powerful and flexible, computation systems. The security paradigms for our scheme, employed firmly by design and construction, are: 1) stringent physical separation of trusted from untrusted components and 2) runtime monitoring. The system-level activities of all untrusted commodity chiplets are checked continuously against security policiesvia physically separated security features. Aside from the security promises, the good economics of outsourced supply chains are still maintained; the system vendor is free to procure chiplets from the open market, while only producing the interposer and assembling the 2.5D system oneself. We showcase our scheme using the Cortex-M0 core and the AHB-Lite bus by ARM, building a secure 64-core system with shared memories. We evaluate our scheme through hardware simulation, considering different threat scenarios. Finally, we devise a physical-design flow for 2.5D systems, based on commercial-grade design tools, to demonstrate and evaluate our 2.5D root of trust.


Let A be a standard Koszul standardly stratified algebra and X an A-module. The paper investigates conditions which imply that the module Ext* A(X) over the Yoneda extension algebra A* is filtered by standard modules. In particular, we prove that the Yoneda extension algebra of A is also standardly stratified. This is a generalization of similar results on quasi-hereditary and on graded standardly stratified algebras.


The recent identification of maedi-visna virus infection in three commercial flocks of indigenous sheep in Britain is described. In one flock the evidence suggested that overt clinical disease was present. The implications of the findings are discussed.


The COVID-19 pandemic impacted all schools throughout the world. Because of this experience, student's learning may have been affected. This study sought to find if there could have been an effect in student achievement and development after a year of distance learning. Specifically, does an ELL student's english acquisition, self-regulation and social skills scores lower after a year of distance learning? If there is a negative impact, do these lower scores get bridged to meet expectations after a year of in-person instruction and intervention? In this study, 16 teachers from PK to 2nd grade at ASFM in Monterrey, Mexico were surveyed regarding their observations of students' achievement. There were 12 questions total in a Likert scale format; 6 questions regarding students right after distance learning in September, and 6 questions about the students in May. The questions were about their observations on the student's: reading comprehension, writing expression, listening comprehension and oral expression in English, as well as their self-regulation and social skills. After conducting t-tests to analyze our data and test for significance, we found significantly lower scores than expected in all areas for September, and nonsignificant differences than the expected scores for May. Our results support our hypothesis that a year of distance learning did have a negative effect in the 4 areas studied, and that with a year of instruction and intervention in-person, students were able to bridge that gap and achieve expectations of their grade level in May.


We previously reported that dental stem cell–mediated bioengineered tooth root (bio-root) regeneration could restore tooth loss in a miniature pig model. As a potential new method for tooth restoration, it is essential to compare this method with the widely used commercial dental implant–based method of tooth restoration. Tooth loss models were created by extracting mandibular incisors from miniature pigs. Allogeneic periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) and dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) were isolated and cultured. A PDLSC sheet was prepared by adding 20.0 µg/mL vitamin C to the culture medium; in addition, a hydroxyapatite tricalcium phosphate (HA/TCP)/DPSC graft was fabricated and cultured in a 3-dimensional culture system. A total of 46 bio-root implantations and 9 dental implants were inserted, and crown restorations were performed 6 mo after implantation. Histological, radiological, biomechanical, and elemental analyses were used to evaluate and compare tissue-engineered bio-roots and dental implants to the natural tooth roots. After 6 mo, both computed tomography scans and histological examinations showed that root-like structures and dentin-like tissues had formed. Three months after crown restoration, clinical assessments revealed that tooth function was equivalent in the regenerated bio-root and the dental implant. Biomechanical testing showed that the bio-roots were similar to natural tooth roots in compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, and torsional force; however, these properties were significantly higher in the dental implants. Elemental analysis revealed a higher similarity in elemental composition between bio-roots and natural tooth roots than between bio-roots and dental implants. However, the dental implant success rate was 100% (9 of 9) and the bio-root success rate was only 22% (10 of 46). Taken together, we showed that an allogeneic HA/TCP/DPSC/PDLSC sheet could successfully build a bio-root with structure and function similar to the natural tooth root; however, tissue engineering procedures must be optimized further to improve the success rate.


Cysticercosis in humans is caused by an infestation by larvae of Taenia solium. The neck is a rare site of the infestation. Here, we present the case of cysticercosis situated in the neck of a 12-years-old child. The midline neck swelling present in the child since 2 years mimicked thyroglossal cyst, both clinically and radiologically. There were no other systemic complaints. Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) of the swelling was done for reaching the final diagnosis. Hence, in all inflammatory/cystic lesions, particularly in endemic areas, the possibility of cysticercosis should be taken into consideration irrespective of age, location, and the size of the lesion.


The personal perspectives, professional concerns, and visual models that influenced Horatio Greenough in crafting paired busts of "Lucifer" (ca. 1841–42) and "Christ" (ca. 1845) reveal both the aesthetic concerns of his era and the transnational nature of his sculptural enterprise. Examining links between objects and their beholders and the fraught relationships between sculpture and spirituality, past and present, in the United States, this article highlights Greenough's ambitious efforts to produce a spiritual spectacle through this little-studied pair. As later iconoclastic reactions to Greenough's busts also suggest, particularly in America embodied images possess the power to disturb or enthrall.


Neural networks can be powerful function approximators, which are able to model high-dimensional feature distributions from a subset of examples drawn from the target distribution. Naturally, they perform well at generalizing within the limits of their target function, but they often fail to generalize outside of the explicitly learned feature space. It is therefore an open research topic whether and how neural network-based architectures can be deployed for systematic reasoning. Many studies have shown evidence for poor generalization, but they often work with abstract data or are limited to single-channel input. Humans, however, learn and interact through a combination of multiple sensory modalities, and rarely rely on just one. To investigate compositional generalization in a multimodal setting, we generate an extensible dataset with multimodal input sequences from simulation. We investigate the influence of the underlying training data distribution on compostional generalization in a minimal LSTM-based network trained in a supervised, time continuous setting. We find compositional generalization to fail in simple setups while improving with the number of objects, actions, and particularly with a lot of color overlaps between objects. Furthermore, multimodality strongly improves compositional generalization in settings where a pure vision model struggles to generalize.


We study the impact of using different priority queues in the performance of Dijkstra's SSSP algorithm. We consider only general priority queues that can handle any type of keys (integer, floating point, etc.); the only exception is that we use as a benchmark the DIMACS Challenge SSSP code [1] which can handle only integer values for distances. Our experiments were focussed on the following: 1. We study the performance of two variants of Dijkstra's algorithm: the well-known version that uses a priority queue that supports the Decrease-Key operation, and another that uses a basic priority queue that supports only Insert and Delete-Min. For the latter type of priority queue we include several for which high-performance code is available such as bottom-up binary heap, aligned 4-ary heap, and sequence heap [33]. 2. We study the performance of Dijkstra's algorithm designed for flat memory relative to versions that try to be cache-efficient. For this, in main part, we study the difference in performance of Dijkstra's algorithm relative to the cache-efficiency of the priority queue used, both in-core and out-of-core. We also study the performance of an implementation of Dijkstra's algorithm that achieves a modest amount of additional cache-efficiency in undirected graphs through the use of two cache-efficient priority queues [25, 12]. This is theoretically the most cache-efficient implementation of Dijkstra's algorithm currently known. Overall, our results show that using a standard priority queue without the decrease-key operation results in better performance than using one with the decrease-key operation in most cases; that cache-efficient priority queues improve the performance of Dijkstra's algorithm, both in-core and out-of-core on current processors; and that the dual priority queue version of Dijkstra's algorithm has a significant overhead in the constant factor, and hence is quite slow in in-core execution, though it performs by far the best on sparse graphs out-of-core. ∗Supported in part by NSF Grant CCF-0514876 and NSF CISE Research Infrastructure Grant EIA-0303609. †National Instruments Corporation, Austin, TX. ‡Department of Computer Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX. Email:firstname.lastname@example.com. §Department of Computer Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX. Email:firstname.lastname@example.com. ¶Google Inc., Mountain View, CA. ‖Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA.


The cystic artery varies in origin, course and number and it is important to recognise it during operative procedure. Insufficient recognition of its anatomical variation may contribute to a dangerous situation, especially during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. To prevent iatrogenic injuries of the vessels and bile ducts, correct preparation with clear identification of the anatomic structures is essential. Special attention must be given to the course of the cystic artery through the hepato-billiary triangle (Calot's triangle). The assumption of the present study was recognition of the vasculature of the gallbladder in human foetuses. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the origin of the cystic artery and its relation to Calot's triangle. In this study the cystic artery was most often (97.06%) a single vessel and only in one case (2.94%) was it a double vessel. It arose most often (82.34%) from the right proper hepatic artery, rarely from its trunk (8.82%) or its left branch (5.88%) and most rarely (2.94%) from the gastroduodenal artery. In all but one case the cystic artery coursed within Calot's triangle. Its exceptional course out of Calot's triangle concerned a cystic artery originating from the gastroduodenal artery (2.94%). The cystic artery most frequently (67.66%) runs behind the common hepatic duct, rarely (29.40%) over the common hepatic duct and most rarely (2.94%) on the left side of the cystic duct. In the material examined the cystic artery was not observed running in front of the common hepatic duct. The short type of cystic artery trunk (52.93%) was observed more frequently than the long one (44.13%).


Recent demonstrations of high dynamic range (HDR) television have shown that superb images are possible. With the emergence of an HDR television production standard (ITU-R Recommendation BT.2100) last year, HDR television production is poised to take off. However research to date has focused principally on HDR image display only under "dark" viewing conditions. HDR television will need to be displayed at varying brightness and under varying illumination (for example to view sport in daytime or on mobile devices). We know, from common practice with conventional TV, that the rendering intent (gamma) should change under brighter conditions, although this is poorly quantified. For HDR the need to render images under varying conditions is all the more acute. This paper seeks to explore the issues surrounding image display under varying conditions. It also describes how visual adaptation is affected by display brightness, surround illumination, screen size and viewing distance. Existing experimental results are presented and extended to try to quantify these effects. Using the experimental results it is described how HDR images may be displayed so that they are perceptually equivalent under different viewing conditions. A new interpretation of the experimental results is reported, yielding a new, luminance invariant model for the appropriate display "gamma". In this way the consistency of HDR image reproduction should be improved, thereby better maintaining "creative intent" in television.


Objective: To investigate the association of CAG repeat numbers in the androgen receptor (AR) gene with female pattern hair loss (FPHL) in a Chinese population. Methods: A total of 200 Han Chinese patients with FPHL (142 Ludwig II and 58 Ludwig III cases) and 200 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The polymorphism of CAG repeat numbers was analyzed by the fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism technique. Results: The CAG biallelic mean length was 23.73 ± 2.04 repeats in Han Chinese FPHL patients and 23.90 ± 2.13 repeats in healthy controls, without any significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.481). In addition, neither the shorter nor the longer CAG repeat numbers were significantly different between FPHL and control subjects (p = 0.726, p = 0.383). Conclusion: The polymorphism of CAG repeat numbers of the AR gene may not be the genetic marker of FPHL in a Chinese population.


This study examined the role of initial skill in moderating intervention effects of a 50-lesson mathematics intervention program, ROOTS, for at-risk kindergarten students focused on developing whole-number concepts and skills. The study utilized a randomized block design with at-risk students (n = 592) within classrooms (n = 60) randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions (a small group of two to five students) or control condition. Proximal and distal measures were collected in the fall (pretest), spring (posttest), and winter of first grade (delayed posttest). Analyses examined the moderating effects of initial student achievement level on mathematics outcomes. Results indicated that initial skill moderated student outcomes but the relationship did not differ by group size. Implications for tiered mathematics instruction are discussed.


PURPOSE
To report the outcomes of toric posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens (PIOL) implantation in children for the treatment of amblyopia due to anisometropia with astigmatism.

METHODS
Six eyes of 6 amblyopic patients aged 5 to 15 years underwent toric PIOL (Visian Toric ICL; STAAR Surgical Company, Monrovia, CA) implantation for refractory anisometropic amblyopia. Preoperative and postoperative clinical evaluation included slit-lamp microscopy, visual acuity, anterior/posterior segment examination, and cycloplegic refraction.

RESULTS
After a mean follow-up of 23 months (range: 15 to 34 months), mean spherical equivalent cycloplegic refraction improved from -10.21 ± 4.62 diopters (D) (range -7.5 to -19.5 D) preoperatively to -0.42 ± 0.39 D (range: -0.625 to +0.125 D) postoperatively. Corrected distance visual acuity ranged from 20/40 to 20/200 preoperatively and 20/20 to 20/60 postoperatively. Five of the 6 eyes gained more than 3 lines of corrected distance visual acuity with a maximum gain of 8 lines in one eye. One eye showed an improvement of more than 2 lines (change in preoperative visual acuity of 20/100 to 20/60 postoperatively). No patients lost any lines of visual acuity. All eyes remained quiet. All PIOLs remained well centered throughout the follow-up period.

CONCLUSION
Toric PIOL implantation may be a viable therapeutic modality in children with clinically significant anisometropic ametropia and astigmatism with secondary amblyopia who have been refractory to medical treatment including spectacles or contact lenses. Longer follow-up visits with larger sample populations will evaluate more effectively the long-term efficacy and late-onset of complications.


Kīlauea Volcano has attracted visitors to Hawai'i throughout the history of Hawai'i's tourism industry. From the 1870s to the 1910s, Kīlauea offered the experience of using volcanic heat and molten lava to cook food, melt postcards onto cavern walls, enflame items, and obtain souvenirs including scorched postcards, rocks, olivine, and Pele's hair. Writers shared their experiences in publications, and traveling presentations showed American audiences images of visitors scorching postcards at Kīlauea. Marketing campaigns on the U.S. Mainland promoted Hawai'i as a tourist destination and promoted cooking with Kīlauea's heat. In 1907, U.S. Congressmen toured Kīlauea Caldera, ate dinner cooked with Kīlauea's heat, and learned about Kīlauea's geodiversity. These experiences likely influenced Congress to establish the Kīlauea, Haleakalā, and Mauna Loa Volcanoes as the Hawaii National Park (now known as the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park). Today, the U.S. National Park Service maintains the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, and it offers geological, biological, and cultural resources for recreation and education. For destination marketing, Kīlauea provided Hawai'i a comparative advantage for tourism.


Hypertension is a major health problem addressed by nurses in all settings. This article reviews long-term hypertension outcomes and asserts the need to use intermediate outcomes focusing on prevention and early detection to effect change in the prevalence of hypertension and its complications. The Nursing Classification Outcome of Risk Control is presented as a framework to evaluate the state of the science and to develop a research agenda related to hypertension "Risk Control."


We review various III–V compound semiconductor nanowires grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy, micro-photolumine-scence and micro-Raman spectroscopy have been used to understand the crystal structure, light emission and band structure.


This catalog contains preliminary analyses of residues of hypervelocity projectiles that encountered gold substrates exposed by instrument A0187-1 on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). This instrument was on LDEF's trailing edge where relative encounter speeds should be lowest for any non-spinning platform in low Earth orbit (LEO). Approximately 0.6 m(exp 2) of Au substrates yielded 198 impact craters greater than 20 micrometers in diameter. Some 30 percent of the craters were made by natural cosmic dust particles and some 15 percent by man-made objects. Some 50 percent of all features, however, have residues, if any, that are beyond the detection threshold of the SEM-EDXA method used. The purpose of this catalog is to provide detailed evidence and criteria that may be used to arrive at specific particle types on a case-by-case basis and to group such particles into compositional classes. Clearly this is a somewhat interpretative undertaking. For that reason, we encourage and solicit critique and comments from those interested in the systematic analysis of all impact features on LDEF.


In the last few years, fuel cells have gained more interest as a vehicular on-board clean source of energy. The fuel cell is a low-voltage current intensive source, it produces electricity directly from hydrogen and oxygen. Fuel cells combined in high voltage stack can be used in a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). The key issue in FCEV's powertrain is to interface a non-linear fuel cell stack with the vehicle main dc-bus. In FCEV, volume, weight, cost and efficiency of the dc-dc converter are the major constraints. In this paper new dc-dc converter topologies called floating-interleaving boost converters (FIBC) will be presented. These topologies will be compared to the conventional boost converter from inductor and capacitor volume and weight, input current ripple, and efficiency point of view. This analysis will permit to choose the most suitable topology among the proposed topologies responding to the specified constraints.


Acid-fast bacilli were isolated from lymph nodes of an immunocompetent child presenting with unilateral cervical lymphadenitis. The slowly growing mycobacterium could not be identified by traditional methods. Direct sequencing of the enzymatically amplified 16S rRNA gene revealed a unique sequence belonging to a previously unrecognized mycobacterium. Direct 16S rDNA sequencing enables definitive identification of mycobacterial isolates. The method is useful for rapid recognition of previously unrecognized pathogens.


The purpose of this article is to explore the market reactions and determinants to 180 investor presentations by the German DAX 30 companies illustrating half-year and year-end results from 2010 to 2012. Therefore, an event study is conducted. In line with previous studies, the article finds significantly Abnormal Returns (ARs). For 57 of 180 presentations, the most significant presentation impact is realized directly on the presentation dates, with a similar distribution of half-year and year-end presentations. Nearly two thirds refer to significantly positive ARs, which is in line with the general DAX performance in the examined three years period. Pre-market or delayed market reactions do not exist. Furthermore, Operating Cash Flow (OCF), as a possible market reaction determinant is tested. The change of OCF shows a significant medium correlation. The article indicates that investor presentations are informative events, where the preparation and the surroundings play a minor role.


Platelets aggregate with thrombin-free activated protein C in concentrations higher than physiological levels. Aggregation was dependent on an intact release mechanism since inhibition of aggregation occurred with adenosine or EDTA. However, activated protein C reduced the sensitivity of platelets to aggregate in the presence of thrombin. Probably, activated protein C competes for membrane sites sensitive to thrombin.


Abstract. Leaf size influences many aspects of tree function such as rates of transpiration and photosynthesis and, consequently, often varies in a predictable way in response to environmental gradients. The recent development of pan-Amazonian databases based on permanent botanical plots has now made it possible to assess trends in leaf size across environmental gradients in Amazonia. Previous plot-based studies have shown that the community structure of Amazonian trees breaks down into at least two major ecological gradients corresponding with variations in soil fertility (decreasing from southwest to northeast) and length of the dry season (increasing from northwest to south and east). Here we describe the geographic distribution of leaf size categories based on 121 plots distributed across eight South American countries. We find that the Amazon forest is predominantly populated by tree species and individuals in the mesophyll size class (20.25–182.25 cm2). The geographic distribution of species and individuals with large leaves (>20.25 cm2) is complex but is generally characterized by a higher proportion of such trees in the northwest of the region. Spatially corrected regressions reveal weak correlations between the proportion of large-leaved species and metrics of water availability. We also find a significant negative relationship between leaf size and wood density.


The transfer ionization process offers a unique opportunity to study radial and angular electron correlations in the helium atom. We report calculations for the multiple differential cross sections of the transfer ionization process p + He → H + He++ + e−. The results of these calculations demonstrate the strong sensitivity of the fully differential cross sections to fine details of electron correlation in the target atom. Specifically, angular electron correlation in the ground state of helium results in a broad peak in the electron emission spectra in the backward direction, relative to the incoming beam. Our model explains some of the key effects observed in measurements of multiple differential cross sections using the COLTRIMS technique.


Protecting poultry flocks from contamination by undesirable micro-organisms is an extremely important component of commercial poultry production. The introduction of a highly pathogenic, contagious disease organism into poultry flocks could result in serious economic consequences for the whole society. Salmonella are intestinal bacteria that can be transmitted by all animals, including humans. Out of total 2500 serovars the two host-adapted serovars, Salmonella pullorum (pullorum disease) and S. gallinarum (fowl typhoid) mainly affect the poultry. Salmonella can be transmitted both vertically from parent flocks to progeny and horizontally from contamination in the environment to the birds. Good management and bio-security can reduce the risk of introduction and persistence of infections to minimal levels.


ABSTRACT With the rapid development of high voltage direct current transmission, the possibility of health effects associated with static electric field (SEF) has caused wide public concern. To examine the effects of long-lasting, full-body exposure to SEF on cognition, Institute of Cancer Research mice were exposed to SEF for 35 d. The intensities of SEF in experimental group I (EG-I), experimental group II (EG-II) and control group (CG) were 2.30∼15.40 kV/m, 9.20∼21.85 kV/m and 0 kV/m, respectively. The performance in learning and memory of mice were tested by Morris water maze (MWM) on days 2∼6, 16∼20 and 30∼34 during the exposure period. The concentrations of hippocampal amino acid neurotransmitters were evaluated on days 7, 21 and 35. Results showed that the latency in the MWM test had no significant difference among the EG-I, EG-II and CG (P > 0.05) during the exposure period. The percentage of time spent in the target quadrant was significantly decreased in the EG-II on day 34 during the exposure period (P < 0.05), whereas the percentage of time spent in the opposite quadrant increased markedly (P < 0.01). The glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid concentrations showed no significant differences among the EG-I, EG-II and CG (P > 0.05) during the exposure period. These results indicated that long-lasting, full-body exposure to SEF with certain intensity would not cause significant influence on learning ability, but it might associate with memory impairment of receptors. Meanwhile, this effect of memory impairment was dose-dependent and not causally linked to the glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid levels in the hippocampus.


As the education fees are becoming more expensive, more students apply for scholarships. Consequently, hundreds and even thousands of applications need to be handled by the sponsor. To solve the problems, some alternatives based on several attributes (criteria) need to be selected. In order to make a decision on such fuzzy problems, Fuzzy Multiple Attribute Decision Making (FMDAM) can be applied. In this study, Unified Modeling Language (UML) in FMADM with TOPSIS and Weighted Product (WP) methods is applied to select the candidates for academic and non-academic scholarships at Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga. Data used were a crisp and fuzzy data . The results show that TOPSIS and  Weighted Product FMADM methods can be used to select the most suitable candidates to receive the scholarships since the preference values applied in this method can show applicants with the highest eligibility.


This study was conducted to investigate whether different dietary Cyberlindnera jadinii levels affect growth performance, serum immunity, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal microbiota in growing raccoon dogs. Forty-five healthy male raccoon dogs were randomly assigned to three treatment groups, with 15 raccoon dogs per group. Each raccoon dog was housed in an individual cage. The raccoon dogs in the three groups were fed diets supplemented with Cyberlindnera jadinii at dosages of 0 (N group), 1 × 109 (L group) and 5 × 109 CFU/g (H group). A 7-day pretest period preceded a formal test period of 30 days. The results showed that Cyberlindnera jadinii in the L and H groups improved average daily gain (ADG) (P < 0.05) and decreased the ratio of feed to weight (F/G) (P < 0.05). Serum immunoglobulins A and G levels were increased in the L and H groups compared to the N group (P < 0.05). Cyberlindnera jadinii in the L and H groups increased serum superoxide dismutase activity (P < 0.05), and serum glutathione peroxidase activity was increased in the L group compared to the N group (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of Firmicutes and Actinobacteriota were increased, and the relative abundance of Bacteroidota was decreased in the L and H groups compared to the N group (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria was increased in the H group compared to the other two groups (P < 0.05). The ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes in the Cyberlindnera jadinii supplementation groups increased compared with the N group (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of Megasphaera and Bifidobacterium were increased, and the relative abundance of Prevotella was decreased in the L and H groups compared to the N group (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of Dialister was increased, while the relative abundance of Blautia was decreased in the H group compared to the other two groups (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of Agathobacter was decreased in the H group compared to the N group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with Cyberlindnera jadinii increased growth performance, serum immunity, antioxidant capacity, and improved intestinal microbiota in growing raccoon dogs. Cyberlindnera jadinii can therefore be used as a growth promoter in raccoon dogs.


Gypsum is being applied to ameliorate subsoil acidity and to overcome the problem of very slow lime movement from surface lime applications. Reduced Crude Conversion Spent Lime (RCCSL) containing anhydrite was evaluated for use as a liming material with specific consideration given to the movement of sulfate into the acid subsoil. Agricultural lime and RCCSL were applied at 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 times the lime requirement of 6.72 Mg ha to an acid Trappist silt loam (Typic Hapuldult). Corn [Zea mays (L.)]was grown following lime material application and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]was grown in the second year. Soil pH increased rapidly with the addition of the RCCSL material. Over time there was no difference in soil pH between the materials but there was with increasing rate. None of the observed changes in plant nutrient concentration had an impact on yield. Grain yield was higher for the RCCSL amended treatments in the first year but not in the second. There was a significant increase in soybean grain yield from the full lime requirement treatments over no lime. Keywords—Soil acidity, corn, soybean, liming materials.


This note considers the stabilization problem of an underactuated surface vessel. Three global smooth time-varying control laws are proposed with the aid of different techniques. The first proposed control law makes the state of the closed-loop system asymptotically converge to zero, while the second and the third control laws make the state of the closed-loop system globally exponentially converge to zero. Moreover, the exponential convergence rate of the state of the closed-loop system can be arbitrarily assigned with the third control law. Simulation results show that the proposed control laws are effective.


JC virus (JCV) is a common human polyomavirus that infects over 70% of the population worldwide. JCV has a restricted cell tropism that is caused partly by the initial interaction between the virus and sialic acid-containing host cell receptors. To identify the molecular interactions between the virus and its cellular receptor, we used a combined approach of site-directed mutagenesis and homology-based molecular modeling. A model of the major viral capsid protein VP1 based on sequence alignment with other closely related polyomaviruses allowed us to target specific amino acids in the extracellular loops of VP1 for mutagenesis. An analysis of the growth rates of 17 point mutants led to the identification of VP1 amino acids that are critical in virus-host cell receptor interactions. Molecular dynamics simulations were then used to build and confirm a model of the interaction between VP1 and the sialic acid component of the JCV receptor.


This paper presents the lives and early feminist works of two modernist era poets, Laura Riding Jackson and Muriel Rukeyser. Despite differences of style, the two poets shared a common theme of essentialist feminism before its popularization by 1950s and 60s second wave feminists. The two poets also endured periods of poetic silence or self censorship which can be attributed to modernism, McCarthyism, and rising conservatism. Analysis of their poems helps to remedy their exclusion from the common canon.


Framenets as an incarnation of frame semantics have been set up to deal with lexicographic issues (cf. Fillmore and Baker 2010, among others). They are thus concerned with lexical units (LUs) and the conceptual structure which categorizes these together. These lexically-evoked frames, however, do not reflect pragmatic properties of constructions (LUs and other types of constructions), such as expressing illocutions or being considered polite or very informal. From the viewpoint of a multilingual annotation effort, the Global FrameNet Shared Annotation Task, we discuss two phenomena, greetings and tag questions, which highlight the necessity both to investigate the role between construction and frame annotation on the one hand and to develop pragmatic frames describing social interactions which are not explicitly lexicalized.


Corporate heritage brands represent a valuable source of insight into brand longevity. The complexity and omnitemporality of these entities present a unique set of managerial challenges. Therefore corporate heritage brands require a specific brand management approach. However, corporate heritage brands and their management are surprisingly under-researched. Moreover, in a corporate branding context the practices that protect and renew corporate brand heritage are unclear. However, the work of a few pioneering academics has been a source of inspiration and a theoretical foundation for this research. These studies include but are not limited to Urde et al (2007), Balmer (2011a, 2011b, 2013), Hakala et al (2011) and Hudson (2011).
The context of this research is corporate heritage brands and its positioning is corporate heritage brand management. The research was comprised of two discrete studies. The aim of Study 1 was to examine how luxury organisations manage corporate heritage to recover and enhance the corporate heritage brand. Study 1 presents a longitudinal, retrospective study of two corporate heritage brands, Tiffany & Co. and Burberry that experience structural corporate heritage brand decline followed by recovery. The analyses of the cases identified turning points that delineated three periods, specifically the foundational years; an interval of crisis; and subsequent ascendance. Three brand constructs are significant, they underpin the rise, fall and rise of Tiffany and Burberry; brand vision, brand values and core competencies. The study demonstrates how long-established corporate heritage brands can overcome structural brand crisis, by restoring corporate heritage.


CONTEXT
Service-learning programs are reported to benefit students, faculty, higher education institutions, community agencies and the relationships among these groups. An interprofessional service-learning paradigm may strengthen these benefits. Community settings can expose students to social and cultural determinants of health, in addition to those biomedical determinants more commonly addressed in health sciences curricula. These experiences can also enhance student understanding of the complexities underlying treatment and prevention of modern health problems, particularly chronic diseases.

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this initiative was to create and deliver interprofessional service-learning innovations that would enhance student learning and addictions recovery. To address this initiative, the University of Washington's Health Science Partnerships in Interdisciplinary Clinical Education (HSPICE) and the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) began a community-campus partnership in 1997. Innovations took into account student educational objectives established by HSPICE which included: participation in interdisciplinary teams, in conjunction with community partners to identify and reduce population-based health issues, realization and articulation of biases regarding issues faced by the participating community, acquiring an understanding of the broader determinants of health and developing an understanding of why the complexity of population health requires interdisciplinary strategies for cost effectiveness.

DISCUSSION
Findings are reported from evaluations, needs assessments and ongoing feedback of men recovering from addictions, as applied to health education materials and presentations developed for the ARC. Future directions are highlighted, including the need for further research and evaluation efforts aimed at rigorously assessing cost savings and student knowledge, skills and cultural sensitivity, among others.


Abstract:This article explores how Kwame Nkrumah and subsequent Ghanaian leaders used Ghana's state dance ensemble to create and solidify a sense of unity among this nation's citizens by propagating ideologies of African Personality and Pan-Africanism. Performing a diverse repertoire of dances, the Ghana Dance Ensemble has continually encouraged individuals to cross ethnic and national boundaries. Examining how artists variously interpret, embody, and express nationalism through music and dance performance, I interrogate processes by which performers reconcile national identity within themselves as it comes into contact with a pre-existing set of beliefs, identities, memories, and ontologies. I argue that while nationalism largely pushes individuals into an objectifying unitary identity, it is nevertheless embodied subjectively, according to the will of individuals.


Drawing on evidence from semistructured interviews and an original survey, this article examines the policy influence of Provincial People's Congress deputies and reveals how deputies who lack substantial power enhance their influence. Deputies mainly use two types of strategies: improving the persuasiveness of policy suggestions, which includes gathering information and providing specific and feasible solutions, and strengthening interactions with other political actors, through face-to-face persuasion, pressuring relevant departments, gaining support from congress leaders, and seeking support from public opinion. The article demonstrates how such strategies help some of the deputies make a difference in China's policy-making process.


Stegemann (1914) described pathological changes in the myocardium and nervous system of the heart. Siegmund (1931) found inflammation chiefly in the thebesian vessels. Brody and Smith (1936) found pathological changes in the heart of 90 per cent. of the fatal cases. They described three types of myocarditis: 1. Focal or diffuse interstitial myocarditis. 2. Arteritis or periarteritis of the smaller coronary arteries. 3. An infiltration of the coronary veins or of the endocardium of the ventricles. Albert (1938) found myocarditis in four cases among eight children who died of scarlet fever. Toomey (1942) found haemorrhages in the bundle of His in a case of auriculo-ventricular block. Five cases of double infection of scarlet fever and diphtheria were examined by the same author: myocarditis was found in two cases. Among the clinical reports Nobecourt's paper (1918) must be mentioned; he found two out of seven soldiers who had clinical signs of endocarditis and developed signs of permanent damage in the heart. Thursfield (1929) found carditis especially in cases of scarlet rheumatism and he noticed permanent damage in some of the cases. The cardiac complications due to scarlet fever without scarlatinal rheumatism are regarded by him as temporary and he did not see permanent damage in these cases. Rolleston (1912) noticed a fall in blood pressure in 25 per cent. of the cases after an initial rise in the beginning of the disease. He found (1929) the incidence of endocarditis below one per cent.; myocarditis was more common and this was manifested by rapid and small pulse, feeble heart sounds and gallop rhythm, but no data of its incidence could be given. Stoeber (1935) described his main clinical findings in myocarditis in scarlet fever as: cardiac enlargement, soft systolic apical murmur and arrhythmia. He attributed sudden death in scarlet fever to an acute myocarditis. Wyborn (1934) out of a series of 2,300 cases at the South Eastern Hospital discovered only four cases of arrhythmia, one being a case of auricular fibrillation and the other three just simple arrhythmia. Out of 600 cases of scarlet fever Faulkner (1935) had seven that developed signs of chronic valvular disease. In two of his cases the signs of endocarditis developed in hospital before discharge.


This dissertation adopts a quantitative approach to investigate the determinants of residents? perceptions of neighbourhood crime, focusing specifically on a series of structural factors at the community level, in accordance with the social disorganisation model. Using different statistical models, including correlations, linear regression, multilevel models and spatial regression analyses, and several Spanish data sources, in particular the 2001 Population and Housing Census and a nationally representative survey conducted in 2006, the research confirms the relevance of its exogenous sources in explaining perceived neighbourhood crime. These include classical variables, such as neighbourhoods? socioeconomic status, residential stability, ethnic diversity, family disruption and degree of urbanisation, but also other features related to the time, skills and resources deployed by residents in their residential areas such as commuting time to work, the number of working hours and the availability of a second home. For its part, other local conditions traditionally associated specifically with perceived neighbourhood crime, such as social incivilities and physical decay, act as mediators of other contextual effects, in particular of the number of retail shops and offices.The research also demonstrates the urban nature of the social disorganisation theory. That is, that the local conditions typically associated with social disorganisation, urban unease and the various social problems that can affect neighbourhoods, are better predictors of residents? perceptions of crime in town and large cities than in rural areas, operationalized as municipalities of less than 5,000 inhabitants. Small municipalities seem particularly successful in controlling their younger residents for neither the proportion of adolescents and young adults, nor the number of children per family exert an important effect on residents? perceptions of neighbourhood crime.Among these local conditions, special attention has been devoted to measures of diversity and immigration demonstrating that their effect on residents? perceptions of neighbourhood crime, except for the positive impact of Asians, is not necessarily robust to different model specifications and statistical methods. This erratic immigrant effect is surprising given how consistent the belief in a crime-immigration nexus is among Spaniards.Precisely on this point, the dissertation has investigated why the belief in a crime-immigration nexus varies significantly between individuals and across communities. Three variables have been identified as determining factors: contextual parochialism, right-wing ideology and the media. In rural areas with high residential stability, a significant presence of elderly population and a low socioeconomic status, residents are more likely to unconsciously associate immigration and crime, even when individual attributes are adjusted for and, more importantly, even if few migrants live in the surroundings. Not surprisingly, right-wing residents are more likely to associate both phenomena yet, in contrast to many statements by scholars and pundits, the media in Spain seems to exert a moderator effect.


INTRODUCTION

On June 2,1993 an earthquake of magnitude 4.7, followed by numerous aftershocks, occurred in Kuwait near the Minagish oil field. In spite of its modest magnitude, the earthquake was widely felt and caused panic in the city of Kuwait. The source parameters of this event were poorly determined by the U.S. Geological Survey using the data from a few regional seismograph stations. Bou-Rabee (1994) presented a table with a map for the source parameters of seven earthquakes located in Kuwait. Only one of the numerous aftershocks of the June 2, 1993 earthquake was instrumentally reported in this table due to the absence of local earthquake monitoring in Kuwait.

Consequently, the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) decided to establish the Kuwait National Seismograph Network (KNSN) to initiate earthquake monitoring in the State of Kuwait. The network is designed to start with seven three-component, short-period seismic field stations together with...


The article focused on views associated with the deployment of mobile enterprise policy in terms of ensuring security policy. The objective way to evaluate the management of mobile devices and applications and ensure their adequate security, including the positive and negative aspects associated with the deployment of mobile policy in the business. The paper is to evaluate the results of the survey to evaluate a current state of implementation of mobile policy in enterprises in the Czech Republic.


Human is one of the best assets to invest. Education is a crucial factor in changing social structure. Literacy makes humans well civilized and integrated into the process of globalization, privatization, and modernization. The literacy rate and sex ratio are the two demographic measures of the population. This research paper is an attempt to reveal the study of change in sex ratio & literacy rate in Haryana as per the Census 2011. Sex ratio will easily control through higher literacy levels by spreading awareness among the various sections of the society. But the surprising thing is that there is a moderate negative correlation (-. 689) that occurs between the literacy level and sex ratio. As some places where has a higher sex ratio (907) have lower literacy level (54.08%) like in Mewat; Gurugram which is known as the Cyber City of India are having higher literacy level (84.70%) but with a lower sex ratio (854). With the passage of time, various districts showing a significant change. The research work discussed a very vital aspect specifically about the social ideology of education as well as the birth of a person.


PURPOSE
Arachidonate release contributes to prostate tumor progression as arachidonate is metabolized into prostaglandins and leukotrienes, potent mediators of immune suppression, cellular proliferation, tumor motility, and invasion. The group IIa sPLA2 (sPLA2-IIa) can facilitate arachidonate release from cellular phospholipids. We therefore sought to determine whether sPLA2-IIa expression might be related to the development or progression of prostatic adenocarcinoma (CaP).

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
sPLA2-IIa expression was examined by Western blot analyses of CaP cells and xenografts and by immunohistochemistry of benign prostatic hyperplasias and primary human CaPs (n = 101) using a sPLA2-IIa-specific polyclonal antibody.

RESULTS
sPLA2-IIa expression was increased dramatically in the androgen-independent CWR-22R and LNAI CaP cells versus the androgen-dependent CWR-22 and LNCaP cells. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that sPLA2-IIa expression was also significantly increased with CaP development and advancing disease (trend analysis; Pearson correlation coefficient, P = 0.016). High-grade CaPs showed intense, uniform staining for sPLA2-IIa that was significantly different from that in adjacent benign prostatic hyperplasias (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.021) or low-grade CaP (P = 0.013), both of which showed only focal or weak sPLA2-IIa staining. Further, uniform sPLA2-IIa expression was directly related to the increased proliferative index that typifies advancing disease (P = 0.001). Most significantly, enhanced sPLA2-IIa expression was inversely related to 5-year patient survival (P = 0.015).

CONCLUSIONS
These data show that sPLA2-IIa expression increases with progression to androgen-independence and is highest in the most poorly-differentiated, highest-grade primary human CaP samples.


Background Several studies have reported dialysis-related headache in adults. We investigated headache and its characteristics in pediatric and adolescent patients with chronic kidney disease and patients treated with dialysis, and compared characteristics of patients with and without headache in the entire cohort and separately among dialysis and among chronic kidney disease patients. Methods Patients and their parents who attended a nephrology clinic and hemodialysis unit were interviewed regarding the existence of headache and its characteristics. We reviewed hospital files for medical history, blood test results, and pharmacologic treatment. Headache was defined according to International Headache Society criteria. Results The cohort comprised 60 patients: 39 with chronic kidney disease without hemodialysis and 21 treated with hemodialysis; 39 were males, mean age 11.9 ± 5.3 years. Twenty-six (43.3%) reported experiencing headaches. The hemodialysis group had a higher rate of headache than the chronic kidney disease patients, at 76.2% vs. 25.5%, p < 0.001. In the hemodialysis group, 15 out of 16 reported dialysis-related headache; 14 (87.5%) of these had migraine characteristics. For the entire cohort, headache was associated with hemodialysis, chronic kidney disease grade, lower glomerular filtration rate anemia and a higher parathyroid hormone level. In logistic regression analysis, glomerular filtration rate was significantly associated with headache, odds ratio 2.74 (95% CI 1.56–4.82, p < 0.001). Conclusions A high rate of headache, mostly migraine type, was reported by hemodialysis patients. Hemodialysis, anemia, higher parathyroid hormone levels, phosphate, and lower glomerular filtration rate are strongly associated with headache among chronic kidney disease pediatric and adolescent patients.