Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of mortality in people over 65. There is an increased likelihood of co-morbidity in older people and they often have atypical symptoms of disease. For this reason it would be expected that doctors seeing older patients would consider a greater range of differential diagnosis. In this study professional actors portrayed patients who were either 55 or 75. Doctors were asked to view a video of a mock consultation with one of these 'patients'. Any diagnostic inferences the doctors made after watching the video were recorded. Results showed that, although there was overt evidence of ageism, doctors did not take full account of older people's disease predisposition. This amounts to an age-bias in the potential for missing diagnoses. With nurses increasingly being the first point of contact it is important that they are aware of increased complexity of making an accurate diagnosis in older people.


The purpose of this study was to examine how urgent and ready to digitize cooperatives during and through the covid-19 pandemic. Data was collected through literature study, interviews, focus group discussions, and observations. The object of the research is social capital in cooperatives in a number of districts/cities in NTT Province. The research method uses a qualitative approach through a case study. The result of this study is that the social capital of commitment as a healthy, independent, and contemporary cooperative is a stimulant towards the cooperatives digitization. Cooperative social capital from the cultural dimension of adaptation to digitalization still needs to be strengthened by literacy, preparation of resources supported by security of funds and data, and commitment.


Theoretical wavelengths and transition probabilities for the 3S –3P and 3S –4P transitions of Na-like ions are presented. The theoretical data are computed from relativistic Hartree-Fock wave functions. Similar data for additional transitions between low-lying states (n = 3 and 4) of the Fe15+, Mo31+, W63+, and Au68+ ions are also reported. Relativistic effects in the oscillator strengths for the resonance transitions are qualitatively similar to those already observed in the Li sequence. Comparison with available experimental data on wavelengths for Fe15+ and Mo31+ ions shows excellent agreement (1% or better).


This study involved 137 participants who were assessed on 12 relevant predictor variables and then randomly assigned to social support or self-control treatment. Outcome across treatments was predicted by cotinine levels, treatment history, previous abstinence, happiness, self-efficacy, and perceived social support for quitting. Social support treatment was more effective than self-control treatment for participants with high baseline self-control orientation scores and participants with high self-efficacy scores. All other hypothesized Subject x Treatment interaction effects were nonsignificant. The study provided an example of a coherent approach to matching research and demonstrated the difficulty involved in providing treatments that are different enough from each other to benefit different smokers. Matching research has important theoretical value but may have limited potential for improving smoking treatment effectiveness.


SINCE the number of animal bites in the United States exceeds 1 million each year, 1 practicing physicians will at times be forced to make a decision whether to initiate postexposure rabies prophylaxis. The basic guidelines for the treatment of individuals bitten by animals have been outlined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). 2 However, unusual circumstances not well covered by these guidelines occasionally arise. We have recently seen two cases involving animal bites in which the person had previously received one or more courses of rabies prophylaxis. Because the recommendations for repeated rabies prophylaxis in previously unimmunized individuals seem somewhat arbitrary, we are reporting these incidences to stress the importance of the pretreatment rabiesneutralizing antibody titer in directing the length of treatment. Report of Cases Case 1.— A 16-year-old high school student was referred to the University of Iowa, Iowa City, because of a recent potential rabies exposure.


This paper presents a game-theoretical model of the physician-patient relationship. There is a conflict of interest between physician and patient, in that the physician prefers the patient to always obtain a particular treatment, even if the patient would not consider this treatment in his interest. The patient obtains imperfect cues of whether or not he needs the treatment. The effect is studied of an increase in the quality of the patient's private information, in the form of an improvement in the quality of his cues. It is shown that when the patient's information improves in this sense, he may either become better off or worse off. The precise circumstances under which either result is obtained, are derived.


A convergent, complementary, synthetic approach to the contiguously linked tris-oxazole units 10, 11 and 12 in telomestatin (1) and YM-216391 (2) is described. The route involves coupling reactions between oxazole 4-carboxylic acids, viz 16a, 16c, 16d and oxazole 2-substituted methylamines, viz 16b, 16e, 17, leading to the amides 18 and 21, followed by cyclodehydrations to the corresponding bis-oxazole oxazolines, e.g. 19, and oxidations of the latter using well-established protocols. The tris-oxazoles 11 and 12 were next converted stepwise into the hexa-oxazole bis-macrolactams 33. Although the bis-macrolactams 33 (cf. 28) could be converted into the corresponding oxazoline-hexa-oxazoles 34 and to the enamides 35, neither of these intermediates could be elaborated to the hepta-oxazole 30en route to telomestatin 1. Likewise, neither the hexa-oxazole 47 or application of an intramolecular Hantzsch oxazole ring-forming reaction from 44b allowed access to the advanced polyoxazole-macrolactam intermediates 48 and 30a, respectively, towards telomestatin. Combination of the tris-oxazole based methylamine 70 with the dipeptide carboxylic acid 71 derived from D-valine and L-isoleucine, leads to the corresponding amide which, in two straightforward steps, is converted into the -amino acid 78. Macrolactamisation of 78, using HATU, next produces the cyclopeptide 79 which is then elaborated to the thiazole and oxazole based cyclopeptide YM-216391 (2). The synthetic cyclopeptide 2 is shown to be the enantiomer of the natural product isolated from Streptomyces nobilis.


Background: Elastography is an imaging technique which has been used in the last decades and its role in breast masses characterization is well established. However, its value for predicting breast cancer grading is yet to be studied. Objective: To determine the role of strain elastography in the prediction of the grade of mammary ductal carcinoma. Methods: A cross sectional study enrolled 44 female patients with Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) Category 5 breast mass. Complete B-mode and elastographic ultrasound examination of the breast was performed with evaluation of the elastoscore and strain ratio. Correlation with the detailed histopathological report was done for cases that were proved to be ductal type breast carcinoma. Results: Significant correlation was found between the speculated outline of the tumor and grade III tumor (p=0.03). Breast tumors with higher Elastography/B mode size ratio (>1) and with high elasticity score (score 5) were significantly associated with grade III (p=0.02). The mean strain ratio of masses was significantly higher among grade III breast tumors (p<0.001). Conclusion: Elastography is a helpful non-invasive tool that has the potential for predicting breast ductal carcinoma grade and by such predicting the prognosis. Keywords: Breast ductal carcinoma, strain elastography, ductal carcinoma grades Citation: Said TTM, Sheet AT, Nuaman BN. The role of elastography in predicting the grade of mammary ductal carcinoma. Iraqi JMS. 2022; 20(2): 233-238. doi: 10.22578/IJMS.20.2.10


Purpose

Motor skills(MS), physical activity(PA) and physical fitness(PF) are important factors in preschooler's healthy growth. Thus, the aim of this study was to integrate the level of MS、PA and PF,so as to build an evaluation system of preschooler's physical activity index (PAIP). Method: Preschooler (n = 600) from kindergarten in Changsha, the capital city of Hunan Province in Central China were recruited, and a three-axis accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3X-BT) was used to the PA status of them, and the test of gross motor development three edition (TGMD-3) was used to the MS status of them, and national fitness test standard of China was used to PF status of them. We conducted simultaneous path modeling in AMOS to test moderation effects.
Results

Based on the measurements of MS、PA and PF༌a PAIP model was built using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. This model combined physical fitness, physical activity and motor skills together and to reveals that the promotion of motor skills to the physical health of preschoolers has greater benefits than physical fitness and physical activity. At the same time, the evaluation index system and reference level of physical movement ability index of preschool children are developed, which provides an operational way to look forward to the development of physical health of preschool children.
Conclusions

The theoretical structure model of PAIP suggests that kindergarten administrators and physical education teachers should put the multi-directional development and types of motor skills of preschool children in the first place.


Background/Aims Sepsis-3 criteria and quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) have been advocated to be used in defining sepsis in the general population. We aimed to compare the Sepsis-3 criteria and Chronic Liver Failure-SOFA (CLIF-SOFA) scores as predictors of in-hospital mortality in cirrhotic patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) for infections. Methods A total of 1,622 cirrhosis patients admitted at the ED for infections were assessed retrospectively. We analyzed their demographic, laboratory, and microbiological data upon diagnosis of the infection. The primary endpoint was inhospital mortality rate. The predictive performances of baseline CLIF-SOFA, Sepsis-3, and qSOFA scores for in-hospital mortality were evaluated. Results The CLIF-SOFA score proved to be significantly better in predicting in-hospital mortality (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUROC], 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.78–0.82) than the Sepsis-3 (AUROC, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.72–0.77, P<0.001) and qSOFA (AUROC, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.64–0.70; P<0.001) score. The CLIF-SOFA, CLIF-C-AD scores, Sepsis-3 criteria, septic shock, and qSOFA positivity were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.24; 95% CI, 1.19–1.28; aHR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.09–1.17; aHR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.15–1.24; aHR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.42–2.48; aHR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.55–2.72; respectively; all P<0.001). For CLIF-SOFA scores ≥6, in-hospital mortality was >10%; this is the cutoff point for the definition of sepsis. Conclusions Among cirrhosis patients presenting with infections at the ED, CLIF-SOFA scores showed a better predictive performance for mortality than both Sepsis-3 criteria and qSOFA scores, and can be a useful tool of risk stratification in cirrhotic patients requiring timely intervention for infection.


Abstract ePosters (electronic Posters), a modification of traditional paper-based posters have gained popularity in medical education conferences since 2011. ePoster in educational settings differs from the traditional poster in that it allows the ePoster creator to focus on the learning process rather than reporting scientific outcomes. However, there is limited literature comparing ePosters to traditional paper-based posters and their impact on the student learning experience. ePosters as an assessment tool are well suited for online learning. This article presents twelve tips for using ePosters as an active learning strategy in classrooms and describes how to incorporate ePosters as a formative and summative assessment tool in health professions education, at all levels.


Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte levels are influenced by level of regional endemicity, the antimalarial treatment, and the therapeutic response of patients. Few previous studies have related these factors in Colombia. Here, gametocytaemia was evaluated with respect to two treatment schemes (sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine plus chloroquine), the patient response (adequate or failure), and the locality (two areas of varying case frequency). One hundred forty-eight residents of Turbo and Zaragoza (Antioquia), all with uncomplicated malaria, were evaluated. The gametocytaemia and the rates of clinical malaria at the beginning of treatment were greater in Turbo than in Zaragoza. No statistically significant differences in the gametocytaemia by treatment schemes or therapeutic responses were noted, although the patients who received SP had more gametocytes than those treated with SP+CQ. Gametocytaemia was not correlated with asexual parasitemia or sex and age of patient. The difference in the level of gametocytaemia between Turbo and Zaragoza appears to be influenced by the time elapsed between the appearance of symptoms and the beginning of treatment.


Aims: To generate base line data of different otorhinolaryngological manifestations of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) disease in Uttar Pradesh, India. Materials and methods: Fifty cases were selected from OPD setup and diagnosed to be having LPR disease based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. They were then explained the necessary details and purpose of the study and were subjected to further standard protocol. The patients with ear complaints were advised pure tone and impedance audiometry. The findings were charted and data extrapolated. Results: Among various complaints, the most common complaint was lump in the throat; others were frequent throat clearing, cough, choking, hoarseness, and excessive throat mucus. The nasal complaints were nasal discharge and blockage, and ear complaints were otalgia and hard of hearing. Laryngoscopy showed hyperemia of larynx and vocal fold edema, ventricular obliteration, laryngeal edema, posterior commissure hypertrophy, thick endolaryngeal mucus, pseudosulcus vocalis and vocal cord granulations. Nasal findings were rhinitis, congestion, and turbinate hypertrophy. Ear complaints had tube dysfunction. On upper gastrointestinal (UGI) endoscopy most of the patients had normal study; some showed esophagitis or hiatus hernia. Mean body mass index of the study population was in normal range. Conclusion: Globus, a common presenting complaint in ENT outdoors is usually related to reflux. Reflux was found associated with Eustachian tube dysfunction and rhinitis. Results demonstrated that obesity and esophagitis are not associated with LPR. Clinical significance: This study investigated a range of parameters responsible for LPR disease. The understanding of the entity of LPR and its manifestations is far from being completely understood. Present-day thrust is in the direction of increasing importance of LPR being recognized in ENT practice. The results and their analyses created an important base line document for the population of the state of Uttar Pradesh (population about 200 million) and adjoining states who commonly call on the Sir Sunderlal Hospital, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.


Finding the minimum distance of linear codes is a non-deterministic polynomial-time-hard problem and different approaches are used in the literature to solve this problem.
Although, some of the methods focus on finding the true distances by using exact algorithms, some of them focus on optimization algorithms to find the lower or upper bounds of the distance. In this study,
we focus on the latter approach. We first give the swarm intelligence background of artificial bee colony algorithm, we explain the algebraic approach of such algorithm and call it the algebraic artificial bee colony algorithm (A-ABC). Moreover, we develop the A-ABC algorithm by integrating it with the algebraic differential mutation operator. We call the developed algorithm the mutation-based algebraic artificial bee colony algorithm (MBA-ABC). We apply both; the A-ABC and MBA-ABC algorithms to the problem of finding the minimum distance of linear codes. The achieved results indicate that the MBA-ABC algorithm has a superior performance when compared with the A-ABC algorithm when finding the minimum distance of Bose, Chaudhuri, and Hocquenghem (BCH) codes (a special type of linear codes).


Surveys in Indonesia say that half a million children still like to wet the bed. There are about 20% of children under five do not do toilet training and 75% of parents do not view such conditions as a problem. The proximity of parents' interactions with children in toilet training will make children feel safe and confident. Parents readiness factor plays an important role to train children and requires a gradual process and a long time. The purpose of this research is to know the correlation of parents readiness with the ability of toilet training in children aged 18 - 36 months. The research design used was analytical with Cross Sectional approach. Free variable is the readiness of parents, while the dependent variable is the ability of toilet training children aged 18 - 36 months. The sample in this research is mother who have children aged 18 - 36 months. The data used are primary and secondary data. The data collection instrument used is a closed questionnaire. The data obtained were then analyzed by univariate analysis (frequency distribution) and bivariate analysis (Chi Squere). Result of data analysis show p <0,05 meaning there is significant relation and value of Odd ratio equal to 22 mean that mother ready in doing toilet training in child have chance of their child successfully do toilet training 22 times bigger. Conclusion There is a significant relationship between Parental readiness with toilet training ability in children aged 18-36 months.


Objective: Operator experience and scanner type may influence the time taken and obtained accuracy of intraoral scanning. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of operator experience on the scanning time and correlate the accuracy of the scans taken with two different intraoral scanners (TRIOS 3, 3Shape and i500, Medit). Methods: In this trial, a total of 20 subjects who required intraoral scanning for orthodontic treatment were included. Intraoral scanning was done with two different scanners, TRIOS 3 and i500. One operator each with high (group 1), medium (group 2) and low (group 3) levels of experience performed intra-oral scanning with two different intraoral scanners. A One-Way ANOVA test was performed to assess the intergroup difference in scanning time and Kendall's tau's correlation test to determine the correlation between the experience of the operator and accuracy among the three groups using the two scanners. Also Independent samples t-test were performed to assess the intragroup differences in scanning time with two different scanners. Results: The scanning time was influenced by the type of intraoral scanner and operator experience (p<0.05). No significant correlation between operator experience and scanning accuracy in the three groups was noted (p>0.05). Statistically significant intragroup differences in scanning time between the two scanners were noted (p<0.05). Conclusion: Less experienced operators took more time to scan a subject. Accuracy of scanning among three groups using two scanners was not influenced by the experience of the operator. Scanning with i500 IOS took more time than TRIOS.


A carbon dioxide laser coupled with a rigid ventilating bronchoscope has been used to treat 94 patients with symptomatic obstructing lesions of the trachea and main stem bronchi. Fifty-nine patients had malignant disease and 35 had benign disease. The results in the 35 patients with benign disease have been good except for patients with airway deformity who required subsequent reconstruction. The results in the 59 patients with malignant disease have been satisfactory. Six patients died in the immediate postoperative period, five died within 30 days of treatment, and of the remaining, 24 are alive with an average life span of 14.3 months.


In this paper, we present the first full regions-and-effects inference algorithm for explicitly parallel fork-join programs. We infer annotations inspired by Deterministic Parallel Java (DPJ) for a type-safe subset of C++. We chose the DPJ annotations because they give the strongest safety guarantees of any existing concurrency-checking approach we know of, static or dynamic, and it is also the most expressive static checking system we know of that gives strong safety guarantees. This expressiveness, however, makes manual annotation difficult and tedious, which motivates the need for automatic inference, but it also makes the inference problem very challenging: the code may use region polymorphism, imperative updates with complex aliasing, arbitrary recursion, hierarchical region specifications, and wildcard elements to describe potentially infinite sets of regions. We express the inference as a constraint satisfaction problem and develop, implement, and evaluate an algorithm for solving it. The region and effect annotations inferred by the algorithm constitute a checkable proof of safe parallelism, and it can be recorded both for documentation and for fast and modular safety checking.


To the Editor.— In an editorial on July 26 (236:388, 1976), H. H. Hussey described my article in the New England Journal of Medicine (294:1118-1119, 1976) as a spring that ended in a dive rather than a vault. In support of this conclusion, he noted that (1) Harvard's dean had called my action irresponsible, (2) I had apologized, and (3) in the New York Times , President Cooper of the Association of American Medical Colleges had convincingly explained why my charges were not true. On the contrary, now that the initial furor has abated, it seems clear that my message has brought into the open concerns that are widely felt, at least among those who have teaching contact with students and not simply administrative contact with symbols. It is important to recognize these concerns about standards for graduation, for we must ensure that our minority programs succeed, and the greatest threat to


Nitryl chloride (ClNO2) is potentially an important contributor to the troposphere's oxidising capacity in the UK and European context. A lack of observational evidence means the role of ClNO2 is poorly understood, however, with only two prior publications of European ClNO2 observations – one in the UK and one in Germany. This thesis greatly extends the UK dataset with five sets of ClNO2 measurements made on Leicester University's campus and two datasets from coastal locations (Weybourne in North Norfolk and Penlee Point near Plymouth). ClNO2 forms at night from the heterogeneous reaction of dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5), derived from man-made NOx emissions, with chloride-containing aerosol particles (sea spray). ClNO2 photolysis subsequently releases highly reactive chlorine atoms which oxidise volatile organic compounds, enhancing tropospheric ozone production and its associated effects on air quality and climate. A chemical ionisation mass spectrometer operating with iodide reagent ions was used for work in this thesis. This instrument was calibrated for ClNO2 via broadband cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy and for Cl2 via reference standard. Typical sensitivities of 6-13 Hz/pptv were achieved for both ClNO2 and Cl2. The highest ambient ClNO2 concentration observed in this work was 1104 pptv at the Weybourne coastal site, attributed to air from the London outflow. For all sites, air mass back-trajectories showed that high ClNO2 concentrations tended to correlate with chemically-aged air masses that had spent considerable time over land. Indeed ClNO2 was observed almost every night at Leicester, and sea salt was found to be the chloride source even at this inland location. N2O5 availability limited ClNO2 production at both coastal sites. Nitryl chloride displayed strong seasonality. Repeat measurements at Leicester showed ClNO2 was highest in winter and lowest in summer. ClNO2 was also observed to persist throughout the day on several days in December 2014 and February 2016.


The effect of substrate thickness and its Debye temperature on the bolometric response of the freestanding-membrane type of superconductor transition-edge detectors is investigated. The investigation is based on the calculation of the variation of the specific heat per unit volume and the heat conductivity using the finite-size scaling method for different Debye temperatures and micron size thickness of substrate. We also calculated the heat capacity and time constant for various materials with Debye temperatures in the range of 600-1400 K. The calculated results are compared with previously reported response values obtained theoretically and experimentally for the thermal-based infrared (IR) detectors. The IR response versus substrate thickness of these types of devices for different modulation frequencies is also presented. This inspected response at low thicknesses of substrate shows anomalistic behavior with respect to the previously reported results of response analyses. Here, we also obtained the optimized substrate thickness and Debye temperatures for maximum responsivity of these types of devices.


Anorexia nervosa is best construed as a phobic avoidance response to the psychosocial maturational implications of adolescent weight. Within this state, surrender to the impulse to eat and consequent weight gain is associated with panic, depression and sometimes specific intense fear of loss of control. So long as the avoidance posture can be maintained the experience of such turmoil is largely avoided. Complicated ritualistic behaviour may arise to promote and secure the posture. However, its unrewarding and lonely nature still increasingly leaves the individual liable to the experience of depression. Established treatment procedures often assist recovery from the illness but intractable cases arise and it is amongst these that the majority of deaths occur either from inanition or suicide. The basis for the changes characteristically induced by leucotomy is complex. The procedure often leads to reduced tension and release of appetitive behaviour. This is taken to be due to some direct effect of the cerebral lesion and possibly the intervention may also be construed by some patients as a licence to behave differently. In patients with anorexia nervosa such appetitive release can be expected to promote considerable weight gain. However, the adverse psychological implications of such weight gain for the patient do not appear always to be so immediately or easily relieved. They may still experience panic, shame or depression and new patterns of social avoidance, or vomiting behaviour may develop. Intensive help of a psychotherapeutic and rehabilitative kind is then still required if the patient is to have the best chance of adjusting healthily to her newly found potential for a more normal nutritional status. Four patients who have undergone such treatment are described in this paper. It is concluded that leucotomy has a small but definite place in the treatment of patients with intractable anorexia nervosa.


Mastery of many sorts emerges in new configurations in Peter Burger's book: as an idea developed by Hegel in the master-slave dialectic in his "Phenomenology of Spirit"; as a quality embodied in the work of certain 20th century "master-thinkers"; and, not least, in the expertise of Burger himself, as he negotiates and clarifies a critical intersection of contemporary French and German thought. Burger here considers what several seminal thinkers - Bataille, Blanchot, Barthes, Foucault, Lacan, Derrida, Heidegger, as well as novelist Michel Tournier - owe to Hegel's dialectic, and measures their accomplishment against the avant-garde project. Each of his essays in this volume stands alone as a valuable exposition of a significant strain of postmodern thought. Together, they illuminate much of the landscape of 20th-century intellectual and cultural history. This work also constitues a departure for Burger, marking a shift from a Marxist-Hegelian model of thought to one that opens up to the heterogeneous energies of avant-garde thinking and writing.


Abstract We analyse the influence of the recent wave of migration on the incidence of poverty among stayers in Ecuador. We draw our data from a survey that provides detailed information on migrants. The analysis reveals a significant negative effect of migration on poverty among migrant households. This effect is substantially smaller than the one that we find focusing on recipient households. We explore the factors that account for this divergence. Our analysis entails that the existing empirical evidence on the relationship between remittances and poverty does not need to be informative about the size of the direct poverty-reduction potential of migration.


The article discusses the relationship between education and democracy in a dialogue between the fields of education and political science. It postulates social capital as a conceptual and procedural mediation in the development of educational practices and more effective political actions, challenging both an education that domesticates and a polyarchic democracy as processes that are not sufficient to promote an emancipatory and full citizenship.


We report on a tunneling study of underdoped submicron Bi2Sr2−xLaxCuO6+δ (La-Bi2201) intrinsic Josephson junctions (IJJs), whose self-heating is sufficiently suppressed. The tunneling spectra are measured from 4.2 K up to the pseudogap opening temperature of T* = 260 K. The gap value found from the spectral peak position is about 35 meV and has a weak temperature dependence both below and above the superconducting transition temperature of Tc = 29 K. Since the superconducting gap should have a value of 10–15 meV, our results indicate that the pseudogap (~35 meV) plays an important role in the underdoped La-Bi2201 intrinsic tunneling spectroscopy down to the lowest temperature of 4.2 K. However, the contribution of the superconducting gap can be separated by normalizing the spectra to the one near and above Tc, which shows that the IJJs can be a useful tool for the study of the electronic properties of the La-Bi2201 cuprate superconductors.


We describe the noise performance of thin-film YBa2Cu3O7 RF SQUIDS fabricated on MgO substrates with single step-edge Josephson junctions. A substantial range of noise levels has been observed for devices having similar electrical parameters (inductance, critical current, RF frequency). The best devices have white-noise levels below 10-4 phi 0 Hz-1/2 when operated at a frequency of 170-200 MHz and have 1/f noise corners of a few hertz. Measurements of the VRF versus LRF characteristics of one SQUID, indicate that intrinsic device noise dominates the measured total noise of these devices. The white noise of all devices exceeds the predictions of the theory of Kurkijarvi at al. by a large factor, apparently because of non-ideal behaviour of step-edge Josephson junctions.


This study examined how middle science teachers perceive the textbooks they use and how their perceptions varied with their personal attributes and professional backgrounds. A questionnaire was sent to 79 middle school science teachers in Missouri, and 66 responded. The questionnaire was designed to determine the teachers' perceptions about the quality, usability, and congruency of their respective textbooks. The data indicated a general positive acceptance by the teachers towards their textbooks. However, 30 percent did not feel that their current textbook was congruent with the state-mandated objectives. About 25 percent of respondents thought their text book did not provide activities that encouraged the student-as-the-worker or provided for active learning. It also appeared that teachers who had attended a national science conference within the previous 3 years approached their curriculum more critically. Teachers who were involved in a team plan tended to have a more positive outlook on their textbook's ability to provide a proper mix of lower and higher order questions. Also, female teachers appeared to be less critical of their textbook and less confrontational about district policy issues. Overall, the research indicated that teachers who participated in professional conferences were more critical and more aware of the needs of the learner. The appendix contains the survey instrument and data tables. (Contains 16 references.) (JB) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHERS' PERCEPTION OF TEXTBOOK CONGRUENCY WITH CLASSROOM NEEDS A Research Report Presented at the Missouri Unit of the Association of Teacher Educators (MUATE) Conference Osage Beach, MO


Rats were randomized into sea level group and hyoxic group. Erythrocyte filtration index (IF), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), erythrocyte [pH]i, [Mg2-]i, [Ca2+]i and [K+]i/[Na+]i were investigated in our studies. The results were as follows: 1. IF was increared in hypoxic group (0.234 +/- 0.060) 2. [Ca2+]i of hypoxic group (7.02 +/- 1.66) was evidently increased and correlated with its IF (r = 0.7386, P < 0.01), but [Mg2+]i had no obvious changes, [K+]i/ [Na+]i ratio of hypoxic group was reduced and negatively correlated with IF (r = -0.3957, P < 0.05), meanwhile, [pH] of hypoxic group increased evidently. 3. There was no statistic difference between MCHC of hypoxic and sea level group, but MCV of hypoxic group increased. These findings suggest that the changes of [Ca2+]i, [K+]i/[Na+]i ratio, [pH]i and MCV may play important role in erythrocyte deformability injury during hypoxia.


Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by some fungi  that may occur in certain vegetable food like corn, cereals or nuts that have not been stored properly. They occur more often in countries with tropical weather and the three main fungi genera that produce them are Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium. The most common mycotoxines are aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxin, zearalenone and deoxynivalenol. These compounds are toxic and they can produce health disorders in people or animals fed with contaminated food. Aflatoxines are considerated the most powerful cancerogenic natural compounds. The high toxicity of mycotoxins has forced setting maximum limits by governments. Several methods are used for detection and quantification of mycotoxins. ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay) tests are sensitive and relatively rapid methods. There are specific commercial kits for each type of mycotoxins, which detect levels within the legal limits for each mycotoxin. In this project, the samples processing, extraction and implementation of the tests used to detect the various mycotoxins are described. It is intend a research project to develop an improved ELISA kit to detect several mycotoxins  while maintaining the sensitivity and efficiency. This improvement will be based on the use of different chromogens, to distinguish between the different mycotoxins that could be detected by the test.


Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) has been widely used in cropping systems to study nitrogen (N) cycles and inform N management on various spatial scales, from a single plant to the globe. Although the number of NUE studies is growing, interpretation of results is unfortunately hindered by widely differing definitions and quantification methods among studies, suggesting a pressing need for harmonization of approaches. Here, we proposed a conceptual framework to understanding the differences and connections among three major approaches for determining NUE, namely, the difference approach, 15N tracer approach, and N balance approach. Using the Chinese cereal cropping system as an example, we demonstrated that the results of those NUE assessments could be very different even for the same cropping system (0.32, 0.24, and 0.52, respectively). Such a difference is attributable largely to the soil legacy effect and could be reduced by extending the observations for a longer term. This study provides the necessary understanding to reconcile NUE values from different approaches and consequently to better inform N management in cropping systems.


Graph Partition quality influences the final execution of parallel diagram reckoning frameworks. The character of a diagram section is measured by the feat variable and edge cut proportion. Associate in Nursing adjusted Graph allotment with very little edge cut proportion is for the foremost half favored since it decreases the extravagant system correspondence value. All the same, as indicated by Associate in Nursing empirical study on Graph, the execution over a great deal divided Graph is also even twice additional too bad than basic discretionary allotments. This can be on the grounds that these frameworks upgrade for the fundamental section procedures and cannot proficiently handle the increasing work of close message making ready once a good diagram allotment is employed. During this paper, a system tend to propose a unique allotment conscious Graph reckoning motor named PAGE, that prepares another message processor and a dynamic concurrency management model. The new message processor at the same time forms close and remote messages during a brought along manner. The dynamic model adaptively conforms the concurrency of the processor taking into consideration the web measurements. The explorative assessment exhibits the predominance of PAGE over the diagram allotments with totally different qualities.


In literature and R&D organizations alike, project success consists in minimizing the deviations from set targets in terms of quality, cost and time. The main management task is to execute and monitor progress to reduce risks – assuming that project attributes are known, necessary resources can be estimated and a reasonable time table can be agreed upon. In such a context, evaluating project success is easy. However, in an innovative context, setting project targets initially is difficult and the contributions of the projects sometimes are of an unexpected nature. This paper investigates if projects can be evaluated in terms of how they contribute to the building of innovative capabilities of the firm instead of independently. Based on a case study at the Re´gie Autonome des Transports Parisians and the theoretical framework of innovation fields, a framework for evaluating projects from an additional perspective is proposed. Based on the following four criteria: financial resources, the development of a structured, refined and expanded strategic vision, developed competences (with related suppliers) and identification of knowledge gaps (occasionally with related partners for knowledge production), this framework shows how seemingly failed R&D projects can instead be considered as invaluable to the overall innovation process.


This paperwork presents a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) speed controller for an electric mini-baja-type car. A battery-fed 1-kW three-phase induction motor provides the electric vehicle traction. The open-loop speed control is implemented with an equal voltage/frequency ratio, in order to maintain a constant amount of torque on all velocities. The PWM is implemented by a low-cost 8-bit microcontroller provided with optimized ROM charts for distinct speed value implementations, synchronized transition between different charts and reduced odd harmonics generation. This technique was implemented using a single passenger mini-baja vehicle, and the essays have shown that its application resulted on reduced current consumption, besides eliminating mechanical parts.


The multiple endocrine adenomatosis, type 1 (MEA-1) syndrome, first described 75 years ago, includes the simultaneous or sequential occurrence of tumors of the parathyroid, pancreas, and pituitary glands. More recently the familial nature of the syndrome with the typical autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance has been recognized. 1 Most of the pituitary tumors in this syndrome have been considered to be of the nonfunctioning chromophobe variety. Occasional reports of functioning pituitary tumors causing acromegaly or hypercortisolism as part of the MEA-1 syndrome have appeared, but in the latter cases proof of involvement of the pituitary gland has been inferential. Within the last decade, four major advances have increased the clinician's awareness of the frequency of prolactin-secreting pituitary tumors. First, reliable radioimmunoassays for prolactin measurements are now readily available. Second, increased sensitivity in detecting microadenomas has been achieved with introduction of polytomography. In addition, revival and refinement of the transseptal transsphenoidal


Abstract The theory of risk exchange is applied on the allocation of financial risk in capital markets. It is shown how the shape of individual payoff functions depends on risk tolerance and cautiousness. For the special case where the Neumann-Morgenstern utility functions of all individual investors belong to the HARA class and have non decreasing risk tolerance it is proved that generalized versions of "portfolio insurance", "tactical asset allocation" and "collars" are the only strategies occurring in price equilibrium.


Subsurface fluvial deposits in coastline‐proximal settings record the spatiotemporal evolution of the coastal landscape and may be viable repositories of sediment for future coastal restoration projects. However, quantitative linkages between the geomorphic form and stratigraphic expression of coastal plain fluvial elements remain lacking, complicating coastal stratigraphic interpretations and subsurface resource assessment. This study explores the expression and preservation of fluvial coastal plain geomorphic features through outcrop‐scale seismic stratigraphic analysis of ultra‐high‐resolution chirp acoustic reflection data from the north‐western Gulf of Mexico inner continental shelf, offshore the Brazos River, Texas, USA. The chirp data exhibit decimetre‐scale vertical resolution within the upper 35 m of the shelf, evincing the preservation of two distinct types of coexisting fluvial channel‐forms: Type 1, a 1 km wide and 9 m deep single‐storey channel belt filled with sand‐rich lateral accretion deposits and channel fills; and Type 2, numerous 10 to 800 m wide and 1 to 20 m deep incisional floodplain channels filled with extensive drapes of overbank‐derived sediments. The chirp data resolve fluvial geomorphic elements including lateral accretion surfaces, levées, floodplain deposits and abandoned channel fills. Rollover of lateral accretion surfaces, widespread draping of seismic reflectors within channel fills, and quantitative comparison between the interpreted stratigraphic forms and analogous features on the nearby Texas Coastal Plain suggest near‐complete stratigraphic preservation of the geomorphic form of both channel belt and floodplain channel elements. Rapid aggradation of the coastal plain by the Brazos River in this region during the Holocene transgression is hypothesized as a mechanism for the high degree of preservation achieved. This study proposes the first recognition criteria for the seismic stratigraphic expression of coastal floodplain channels and provides direct linkages between the geomorphic and stratigraphic expression of a coastal plain fluvial landscape, promoting improved coastal stratigraphic interpretations and assessment of subsurface lithofacies distributions.


In this work the proton irradiation influence on Multiple Gate MOSFETs (MuGFETs) performance is investigated. This analysis was performed through basic and analog parameters considering four different splits (unstrained, uniaxial, biaxial, uniaxial+biaxial). Although the influence of radiation is more pronounced for p-channel devices, in pMuGFETs devices, the radiation promotes a higher immunity to the back interface conduction resulting in the analog performance improvement. On the other hand, the proton irradiation results in a degradation of the post-irradiated n-channel transistors behavior. The unit gain frequency showed to be strongly dependent on stress efficiency and the radiation results in an increase of the unit gain frequency for splits with high stress effectiveness for both cases p- and nMuGFETs.


Abstract. For oceans to become a significant source of primary organic aerosol, sea spray must be highly enriched with organics relative to the bulk seawater. We propose that organic enrichment at the air-sea interface, chemical composition of seawater, and the aerosol size are three main parameters controlling the organic fraction of sea spray aerosol (OCss). To test this hypothesis, we developed a new marine primary organic aerosol emission function based on a conceptual relationship between the organic enrichment at the air-sea interface and surface wind speed. The resulting parameterization is explored using aerosol chemical composition and surface wind speed from Atlantic and Pacific coastal stations, and satellite-derived ocean concentrations of chlorophyll-a, dissolved organic carbon, and particulate organic carbon. Of all the parameters examined, a multi-variable logistic regression revealed that the combination of 10 m wind speed and surface chlorophyll-a concentration ([Chl-a]) are the most consistent predictors of OCss. This relationship, combined with the published aerosol size dependence of OCss, resulted in a new parameterization for the organic carbon fraction of sea spray. Global marine primary organic emission is investigated here by applying this newly-developed relationship to existing sea spray emission functions, satellite-derived [Chl-a], and modeled 10 m winds. Analysis of model simulations show that global annual submicron marine organic emission associated with sea spray is estimated to be from 2.1 to 5.3 Tg C yr−1. This study provides additional evidence that marine primary organic aerosols are a globally significant source of organics in the atmosphere.


The first phage known to adsorb to bacterial flagella was isolated by Sertic & Boulgakov (1936a), who found it attacked motile but not non-motile strains of various enterobacteria. Since then, such phages have only been reported in 1941, when three isolates were obtained from the East River, New York, by Rakieten & Bornstein (1941). Flagellar phages nevertheless appear to be very common in sewage, for we have found them in 5 of 18 samples examined for I phages (Lawn et al. 1967). All the new phages are closely related to the original flagellar phage named x (Sertic & Boulgakov, 1936b), which we therefore propose to name x1, the new phages being x2 to 6 as the phages isolated by Rakieten & Bornstein (1941) are no longer available (M. L. Rakieten, personal communication).
The method of selection consisted of incubating 1 ml. of sewage, clarified by centrifugation for 15 min. at 700 g, with 9 ml.


Keloids are skin tumours caused by aberrant growth of dermal fibroblasts. Cellular senescence contributes to aging and various pathological conditions, including cancer, atherosclerosis, and fibrotic diseases. However, the effects of cellular senescence and senolytic drugs on keloids remain largely unknown. This study investigated senescent fibroblasts in keloids and assessed the effects of dasatinib on these cells. Tissues acquired from keloid removal surgery were analysed for senescence-associated β-galactosidase-positive cells, p16 expression, and the effects of dasatinib treatment on keloids. Keloid tissue was xenotransplanted into mice, and the effect of intralesional dasatinib injection on keloid growth was observed. The results showed that the numbers of β-galactosidase-positive and p16-expressing cells were higher in the keloids compared with in the controls. Dasatinib induced selective clearance of senescent cells and decreased procollagen expression in cultured keloid fibroblasts. In this xenotransplant keloid mouse model, intralesional injection of dasatinib reduced gross keloid tissue weight and the expression of both procollagen and p16. In addition, dasatinib-treated keloid fibroblasts conditioned medium reduced procollagen and p16 expression in cultured keloid fibroblasts. In conclusion, these results suggest that an increased number of senescent fibroblasts may play an important role in the pathogenesis of keloids. Therefore, dasatinib could be an alternative treatment for patients with keloids.


Power electronics is one of the fastest changing "enabling infrastructure technologies" in electrical engineering. It has made and continues to make a significant impact on power and energy infrastructures, which constitute one of the pillars of the foundation of our society and the rest of the world. Power electronics-based transmission controllers are the key elements for transforming a transmission system from being a "passive" to be an "active" system, i.e., flexible, controllable and securely utilizable up to its thermal capacity. Currently, the power electronics-based transmission controllers are at a technological crossroad towards improving operating reliability, lowering development costs, and introducing innovative technical functionality and controllability options. This paper presents an overview for technology evolution of transmission & distribution controllers, from thyristor-based technology to the voltage-sourced converter-based technology. The paper also outlines a "roadmap" for future developments.


The rotational temperature evaluation method based on only the partially resolved (0,0) emission band of B2 Sigma u+-X2 Sigma g+ of the N2+ molecule at 391.44 nm is proposed when a low- or medium-resolution power (R=4000 to 12000) transportable spectral instrument has to be used, i.e. to diagnose an industrial plasma source. The band was simulated for large temperatures and apparatus width ranges, and six local peaks on the simulated spectrum were found to be quite sensitive to the temperature evolution; they are composed of the line P26 or complex lines P26+R1, P30+R3, P32+R5, P34+R7, and P36+R9. These local intensity maxima are compared to the band head peak and a practical formula which takes into account the band head shape is proposed for the temperature range of 2000-7000 K. The accuracy on temperature evaluation should be about 6% near 7000 K when the relative peak intensities are known within 3% error. The presented method can be easily used by a spectroscopist not involved in molecule structure.


Abstract.  Inga pitmanii K. G. Dexter & T. D. Penn., a new species of Inga Mill. from Madre de Dios, Peru, is described for the Fabaceae (Mimosoideae). Morphologically it is closest to I. chartacea Poepp. & Endl., with which it shares a broadly winged rhachis, spicate inflorescence, glabrous leaves, nine to 10 pairs of secondary veins, and similar calyx indumentum. Inga pitmanii differs from I. chartacea in the leaflet number (four pairs vs. usually two or three pairs), the foliar nectaries (cyathiform vs. patelliform), and the larger flowers (with corollas 9–11.5 mm vs. 4.5–7 mm). Phylogenetic analyses show this species belongs to a clade including I. acreana Harms and I. chartacea. This species was discovered during field surveys for an ecological study of the genus Inga at the Los Amigos Biological Station in Madre de Dios, Peru. These field surveys uncovered several potentially novel species of the genus Inga, none of which matched any known species based on vegetative characters and the majority of which are genetically distinct. Here we describe I. pitmanii as this is the only species that was collected in a fertile state. Given current and future limitations in taxonomic expertise and funding, we advocate consideration of nonconventional approaches to species discovery, such as combining biodiversity surveys with large-scale DNA sequencing. This would in turn allow ecologists, who often collect plants in poorly known regions, to make a greater contribution to the species-discovery process.


Abstract. The relationship between terrestrial water storage (TWS) and atmospheric processes has important implications for predictability of climatic extremes and projection of future climate change. In places where moisture availability limits evapotranspiration (ET), variability in TWS has the potential to influence surface energy fluxes and atmospheric conditions. Where atmospheric conditions, in turn, influence moisture availability, a full feedback loop exists. Here we developed a novel approach for measuring the strength of both components of this feedback loop, i.e., the forcing of the atmosphere by variability in TWS and the response of TWS to atmospheric variability, using satellite observations of TWS, precipitation, solar radiation, and vapor pressure deficit during 2002–2014. Our approach defines metrics to quantify the relationship between TWS anomalies and climate globally on a seasonal to interannual timescale. Metrics derived from the satellite data were used to evaluate the strength of the feedback loop in 38 members of the Community Earth System Model (CESM) Large Ensemble (LENS) and in six models that contributed simulations to phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). We found that both forcing and response limbs of the feedback loop in LENS were stronger than in the satellite observations in tropical and temperate regions. Feedbacks in the selected CMIP5 models were not as strong as those found in LENS, but were still generally stronger than those estimated from the satellite measurements. Consistent with previous studies conducted across different spatial and temporal scales, our analysis suggests that models may overestimate the strength of the feedbacks between the land surface and the atmosphere. We describe several possible mechanisms that may contribute to this bias, and discuss pathways through which models may overestimate ET or overestimate the sensitivity of ET to TWS.


Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is being developed for thin film of the X-Ray detector recently. But a rough surface of the CdTe should be improved for resolution and signal speed. This paper shows the study on the improvement of surface roughness and removal rate by applying Chemical Mechanical Polishing. The conventional potassium hydroxide (KOH) based colloidal silica slurry could not realize a mirror surface without physical defects, resulting in low material removal rate and many scratches on surface. In order to enhance chemical reaction such as form oxidized layer on the surface of cadmium telluride, we used hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as an oxidizer. Consequently, in case of 3 wt% concentration of hydrogen peroxide, the highest MRR (938 nm/min) and the lowest surface roughness (Rp-v = 10.69 nm, Ra = 0.8 nm) could be obtained. EDS was also used to confirm the generated oxide of cadmium telluride surface.


In order to design a tubular joint to carry a larger load and to possess a longer life, the prime objective of design would be to reduce stress concentration factor at the intersection of the joint; one method to achieve the same is to stiffen the joint with internal ring stiffeners. This paper presents results of the stress analysis for stress distribution, along the intersection of internally ring-stiffened tubular T-joints, under the action of axial and in-plane/out-of-plane (bending) loads, using degenerate shell elements. The stress analyses results are obtained using the general-purpose finite element package called ABAQUS. Post-processing of results has been facilitated by other small programs developed for the purpose. The nominal brace stress and the maximum principal stress values have been used for stress concentration factor computations. The effects of stiffener size, location, number, thickness ({tau}) and thinness ({gamma}) ratios have been investigated, and the results validated with known analytical and experimental investigations. A comparison of the results obtained from finite element analysis, and experimental results of the Canadian Cooperative Fatigue Studies Program, carried out at Memorial University and University of Waterloo, is also made. The results obtained indicate that stiffening can considerably reduce the stress concentration inmore » joints, and thus increase the load-carrying capacity of tubular T-joints.« less


Antibodies (Abs) are emerging as an important class of therapeutic agents for the treatment of various human diseases, often conjugated to drugs or toxic substances. In recent years, the incidence of cancer and infectious diseases has increased dramatically, making it imperative to discover new effective therapeutic molecules. Among these, small peptides are arousing great interest. Synthetic peptides, representative of variable and constant region fragments of Abs, were proved to exert in vitro, ex vivo and/or in vivo anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-tumour and/or immunomodulatory activities, mediated by different mechanisms of action and regardless of the specificity and isotype of the Ab. Some of these synthetic peptides possess the ability to spontaneously and reversibly self-assemble in an organised network of fibril-like structure. Ab fragments may represent a novel model of targeted anti-infective and anti-tumour auto-delivering drugs.


SUMMARY The twist gene is known to be involved in mesoderm formation in two of the three clades of bilaterally symmetrical animals: viz. deuterostomes (such as vertebrates) and ecdysozoans (such as arthropods and nematodes). There are currently no data on the spatiotemporal expression of this gene in the third clade, the lophotrochozoans (such as mollusks and annelids). To approach the question of mesoderm homology across bilaterians, we decided to analyze orthologs of this gene in the gastropod mollusk Patella vulgata that belongs to the lophotrochozoans. We present here the cloning, characterization, and phylogenetic analysis of a Patella twist ortholog, Pv‐twi, and determine the early spatiotemporal expression pattern of this gene. Pv‐twi expression was found in the trochophore larva in a subset of the ectomesoderm, one of the two sources of mesoderm in Patella. These data support the idea that twist genes were ancestrally involved in mesoderm differentiation. The absence of Pv‐twi in the second mesodermal source, the endomesoderm, suggests that also other genes must be involved in lophotrochozoan mesoderm differentiation. It therefore remains a question if the mesoderm of all bilaterians is homologous.


No one would, I am sure, disagree that the subject of war in the Hebrew Bible is both fascinating and vast, offering up a plethora of possible topics for scholarly engagement. The recent SBL volume, Writing and Reading War, certainly goes some way to reflecting this, as the reader is treated to a collection of essays which are impressive in their diversity of both subject matter and methodological focus. Together, they explore the ways in which the ancient Hebrew biblical writers dealt with the subject of war, asking how these war-related texts have been received and understood, not only by their original audience, but also within later Jewish and Christian contexts. The essays are organized into three sections, reflected in the subtitle of the volume: the rhetoric, gender, and ethics of biblical warfare. As Victor H. Matthews outlines in his introduction, within all three sections, the reader is invited to consider both theoretical and practical aspects of ancient warfare, such as the definitional difficulties intrinsic to studying war in Ancient Israelite literature, the theology of 'holy war', the gendered depiction of military conquest, and the material and ethical costs of war. Furthermore, a number of essays extend beyond the boundaries of the Hebrew Bible, drawing upon extrabiblical textual and iconographic sources in order to widen our understanding of the Ancient Near Eastern representation and rhetoric of war. Overall, this volume ought to whet many a scholarly appetite for further study of a subject that is undoubtedly both absorbing and, as Susan Niditch notes in her Foreward, of timeless relevance.


Infection by an oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV), in particular HPV16 and 18, is a high risk factor for developing cervical cancer; however, viral infection alone is not sufficient for cancer progression. Autophagy is hypothesized to be an important process during carcinogenesis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between autophagy and high-risk HPV (hrHPV) infection in human cervical squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), and to analyze the clinical significance of this association. Quantum dot (QD)-based immunofluorescence histochemistry was used to detect the expression of autophagy markers, Beclin-1 and microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3B (LC3B) proteins, in 104 cases of cervical cancer (including 80 SCCs and 24 adenocarcinomas) and 20 normal cervical tissues. hrHPV (HPV16/18) infection was detected by QDs based fluorescence in situ hybridization in cervical cancers. The results revealed that the expression levels of Beclin-1 and LC3B were significantly lower in cervical cancer cells when compared with those of normal cervical squamous epithelial cells, and were found to negatively correlate with hrHPV infection. The expression levels of Beclin-1 and LC3B were not associated with age, tumor grade, tumor stage, tumor node metastasis stage or lymph node metastasis. However, a positive correlation was identified between Beclin-1 and LC3B protein expression. In addition, the absence of autophagy in combination with hrHPV infection may accelerate the progression of cervical SCC. In conclusion, decreased expression of Beclin-1 and LC3B may be important in cervical carcinogenesis. The hrHPV-host cell interaction may inhibit autophagy, which may aid virus duplication and infection, as well as cervical cancer development.


For the construction of National Computer Experiment Teaching Demonstration Center, taking "raising the level, leading and demonstrating" as the guiding ideology, the model of "One Body and Two Wings" for the construction of National Computer Experiment Teaching Demonstration Center was explored. In the aspect of the internal construction of Demonstration Center, the implementation of the experiment teaching reform and research activities of "Two Projects", "Three Systems" and "One Engineering" improved the level of experiment teaching; in the aspect of external construction of Demonstration Center, "Two Test Fields" was implemented to play the exemplary role of the Demonstration Center. Practice has proved that the exploration of such an innovative development model plays an important role in improving the level of experiment teaching and demonstrating its effect for Demonstration Center. 探索计算机实验中心一体两翼的创新发展模式,提高教学水平,发挥 示范作用 邢建川*, 周世杰, 廖建明, 韩宏, 罗蕾, 徐洁, 崔金钟, 唐勇, 吉家成


OBJECTIVE
To study the role of cycline dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) in the malignant transformation of human fetal lung diploid fibroblast cell (2BS) induced by silica.

METHODS
Recombination vectors with antisense pXJ41-CDK4 were constructed, and then were transfected into the malignant transformed cells induced by silica. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze the expression of CDK4. Cell growth curve, doubling time, cell cycle distribution and the growth capacities on soft agar were analyzed before and after antisense CDK4 RNA was transferred into malignant transformed cells induced by silica.

RESULTS
During the malignant transformation of 2BS cells induced by silica, CDK4 gene was overexpressed. Antisense pXJ41-CDK4 transduction suppressed CDK4 gene expression in the antisense pXJ41-CDK4 transfected cells. Antisense CDK4 RNA led to cell cycle arrest, resulting in lengthened G1 phase (the percentages of cells in the G1 phase increased from 45.1% to 58.0%), and eventually attenuated the proliferation of malignant transformed cells induced by silica. At the 8th day, the suppression rates decreased by 77.43%. The doubling time prolonged from 21.0 h to 42.7 h. The growth capacities on soft agar of cells transfected by antisense pXJ41-CDK4 were decreased.

CONCLUSION
CDK4 might play an important role in maintaining the transformed phenotype of the cancer cells.


In a 20 year old woman, sudden death due to hemopericardium ensued on osteosynthesis with Kirschner wire of a dislocated sternoclavicular joint. The wire moved to the aorta ascendens and to the right auricle thus causing lethal bleeding into the pericardium. The pathogenesis of the wandering wire is discussed and compared with observations in the literature describing causes, history and clinical phenomena. Wandering after osteosynthesis due to dislocation of the sternoclavicular joint is particularly dangerous, whereas in the case of broken clavicle, dislocation of the acromioclavicular joint, fracture of the humereus or in the region of the hips, no serious complications occur as a rule. Present-day text-books on surgery do not make sufficiently detailed reference to the wandering wire syndrome.


This study examines the changing status and roles of the All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) in industrial disputes. It also examines unionization, union autonomy, workers' organizations and their governance and unions' prospects under the transitional economy. Although a consistency with past studies emerges from the findings, the extent and direction of change in Chinese industrial relations is revealed. It distinguishes trade unions at the enterprise from those at the higher level. Trade unions at the enterprise level are part of and represent the interests of the management of the enterprise. Trade unions at the higher level are subordinate to and part of the Party-state, and represent both workers and employers, acting as 'messengers' and 'mediators' in resolving labour disputes. Trade unions at enterprise level, as part of enterprise management, mediate between workers and management or suppress worker's actions in labour disputes. Independent trade unions and collective bargaining appear to be unlikely to emerge in the near future of China in the current political framework.


Background: Malaria remains a major health threat worldwide. Endemic regions for malaria are endemic for other infectious diseases that might affect the malaria infection. Methods: A systematic search was conducted where it included published data about HBV, HCV and malaria. Published data on epidemiology, pathogenesis and consequences of HBV, HCV and malaria, were extracted from relevant studies. Epidemiology of co-infection has not been well studied, and studies in this concern will definitely draw the attention of decision makers towards such problem. Results: Younger age and male gender were risk factors for co-infection. There were no protective effects of HBV vaccine against malaria. The interaction between malaria parasites and HCV among chronic HCV carriers might slow the emergence of the former and that could help in determining new therapeutic approaches to defeat malaria. Conclusion: Strategies to improve currently available diagnostic techniques, researches dealing with therapeutic and prophylactic agents and protocols, vector control procedures, vaccine bringing up evolution, and other operational tools and approaches are needed.


The Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product model provides clients to outsource software application processing requirements. Customer satisfaction is an important problem facing SaaS firms. Marketing theory suggests that customer satisfaction is affected by perceived value, but this relationship has not been examined in the SaaS context. This study argues for the mediating role of perceived value in the relationship between traits of the SaaS product and customer satisfaction. Our model builds on prior studies and success theories to consider whether service quality, service response, security, and information quality are mediated in their relationship to customer satisfaction. This study posits that perceived value serves as the primary mediator and trust as a controlling mediator in a model tested using a survey of ASP client firms.


Purpose: The purposes of this study were to compare postmortem fetal MRI findings with autopsy findings and to assess whether postmortem MRI can replace autopsy. Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of 13 stillborn fetuses, seven that died immediately after birth, and five terminated because of anomalies seen on prenatal sonograms. A total 17 were male, and eight were female, and their gestational ages were from 20 to 41 (average; 28.2) weeks. Spin-echo T1-and T2-weighted axial, sagittal, and coronal MR images were obtained, and autopsy findings were divided into major and mi-nor. A major finding was defined as an anomaly or syndrome which caused fetal death or termination of the pregnancy; minor findings were classified, on the basis of gross inspection, as internal or external. MR images were retrospectively analyzed by two radiologists unaware of the autopsy findings, and by comparison with these, the postmortem MRI detection rates for major and minor findings was then determined. Results: In seven of 25 fetuses, MR imaging revealed major findings, a detection rate of 100%. There were two cases of anencephaly, two of trisomy-18, and one each of hydrops fetalis with large cystic hygroma, diaphragmatic hernia, and Dandy-Walker malformation. Twenty-three of 60 minor findings (38.3%) were detected by MRI. The detection rates for external and internal findings were 29.6%(8/27) and 45.5%(15/33), respectively. Conclusion: Although a limitation of our study is the low detection rate for minor findings, postmortem fetal MRI may help diagnose the major cause of fetal death.


This paper presents four case studies that highlight how Indonesia and Timor-Leste remain intricately entwined at the social, political, cultural and personal levels. Abstract Since 1999, when a United Nations (UN) transitional administration was established in the wake of the East Timorese vote for independence from Indonesia, the case of Timor-Leste has been a relative mainstay in research and policy debates on post-conflict reconstruction. Timor- Leste is often characterised by scholars as a 'postconflict' country and, as a consequence, compared to other countries that have recently emerged from political strife. While this focus is understandable, it has also meant that surprisingly little scholarly attention has focused on the connections, points of similarity and interrelations between Timor- Leste and its near neighbour and former occupier Indonesia. Only recently have researchers begun to explore the multiple dimensions of Timor-Leste/ Indonesian relations and unpack the relationship across a range of disciplines.


In the context of therapeutic human-robot interaction, it is important to detect human contribution in interaction with robots, thus to auto-tune a robot to compensate or resist based on such input. A passive orthosis is used to evaluate interaction based on kinematic data and energy flow model to identify human-contributions during interaction experiments with healthy subject and stroke patient. The results identified presence of abnormal synergies between wrist and fingers, showed a skewness apparent in stroke patient performance which seemed to decrease over-time after the rehabilitation practice and indicated lack of fine control. We hypothesise that the presented methods can be used as potential performance benchmarks allowing to identify subject's contribution during an interaction session but also to observe extent of fine motor control over time.


Abstract Mapping species' distributions is a primary challenge when managing cryptic lineages of conservation concern. In the case of unisexual Ambystoma salamanders, mapping geographic distribution of genotypes can also help us understand the evolutionary dynamics of one of the most intriguing vertebrate reproductive systems. We combined a mitochondrial sequencing technique with existing nuclear microsatellite methods to map genotypes in 15 Ambystoma populations throughout Massachusetts. We found that the host species A. jeffersonianum and A. laterale have disjunct east/west distributions, whereas unisexuals are distributed widely in Massachusetts. We did not find both host species at any single locality. In our samples, unisexuals outnumbered either host species in 11 of 15 populations. Ambystoma jeffersonianum nuclear genomes were present in at least 97% of unisexual salamanders in regions where A. laterale and unisexuals exist but A. jeffersonianum mitochondria were absent. If previous studies of the unisexual reproductive mode are correct, our observations suggest that natural selection favors hybrid nuclei in these populations.


Low abundance phosphotyrosine (pTyr)-mediated signaling protein complexes play critical roles in cancer signaling. The precise and comprehensive profiling of these pTyr-mediated protein complexes remains challenging due to their dynamic nature and weak binding affinity. Taking the advantage of the SH2 domains modified with trifunctional chemical probes and genetic mutations (termed Photo-pTyr-scaffold), we developed a Photo-pTyr-scaffold-based forward-phase protein array for specifically capturing by engineered SH2 domain, photoaffinity crosslinking, and antibody-based measuring weak pTyr-mediated protein complexes from complex biological samples in 96-well microplate format. This platform demonstrated good precision for quantitation (R2 = 0.99) and high sensitivity by which only 5 μg of whole cell lysates are needed. We successfully applied the technology for profiling the dynamic EGF-stimulation depended EGFR signaling protein complexes across four different time courses (i.e. 0, 2, 5, 10 and 30 min) in a high-throughput manner. We further evaluated the modulation of EGFR-GRB2-SHC1 protein complexes by FDA-approved EGFR kinase inhibitor erlotinib, demonstrating the feasibility of this approach for high-throughput drug screening. The Photo-pTyr-scaffold-based forward-phase protein array could be generically applicable for exploring the dynamic pTyr signaling complexes in various biological systems and screening for related drugs in a high-throughput manner.


In the context of Indonesia, this work appears as inspired by democratization movement that have been experiencing popularity due to the success of people overthrew an authoritarian regime in 1998. Since then, the 1999 elections were observed as the first free and fair elections of second phase of Indonesia's democratic governance after its Independence in 1945. Coming along with the spirit of democracy, Indonesian women have also echoed the importance of women's political participation and demand equal political representation in the legislatures. This emerging women demand got stronger when Indonesia was approaching the second elections in 2004. During this situation, this work was carried out by mainly interviewing women in Indonesia's Parliament elected from the 1999 elections. The results of the work shows that the revealing pathways of women getting to Parliament have clearly proved that each strongly connected to their stands in Parliament, thus, as a reflection to the future of women's equal participation and representation in Indonesia.


Background RA patients have a higher risk of vascular events, especially cardiac ones. Besides, mortality in these patients is 54% higher than the general population. Nowadays, we have non-invasive techniques that allow us to detect subclinical vascular damage. Objectives To describe subclinical vascular affection in a sample of RA patients and to explore its relationship with mortality and with the development of vascular events. Methods Ambispective observational study with analytical components. We included, consecutively, RA patients controlled in a tertiary hospital. We gathered demographic (sex, age, body mass index [BMI]), clinical (traditional vascular risk factors, previous vascular events), and analytical variables (atherogenic index, glomerular filtration [GF] [MDRD], CRP, ESR). Other variables were collected retrospectively from the electronic medical record. We estimated the modified SCORE. We explored the extracranial branches of the carotid artery with an Esaote MyLab70XVG ultrasound device with a linear probe (7–12mHz) and an automated program measuring intima media thickness (IMT) by radiofrequency ("Quality intima media thickness in real-time, QIMT"), and the presence of atheroma plaques, as per the Mannheim consensus, was registered. We also determined pulse wave velocity (PWV) by a validated MobilOGraph® device. We considered an IMT>900 μand a PWV≥10m/s as pathologic values. We prospectively collected mortality and the development of new vascular events over three years. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0 software. Results We included 198 patients, excluding 13 because of previous vascular events. The mean age was 65,8 years (DE 13,3) and most of them were women (76,2%). The mean BMI was 27,29 (DE 4,84). 27% were smokers, 42,7% hypertensive, 46,7% dyslipemic and 10,8% were diabetic. The mean duration of RA was 17,37 years. 74,6% of patients were seropositive (RF and/or ACPA) and 75, 5% had erosions. 74,6% received glucocorticoids, 58,4% NSAIDs, 98,9% DMARDs and 35,7% biologic therapies. The mean CRP and ESR were 9,45mg/L (DE: 32,2) and 14,04mm/h (DE:14,46), respectively. The mean modified SCORE was 1,81 (DE: 1,79). Regarding the vascular study, 48,6% of the patients had atheroma plaques, 31,7% had a pathologic PWV with a mean value of 9,13 (DE 2,12), and 16,7% had a pathologic IMT with a mean value of 754 μ(DE 168,52). During 3 years of follow up, we registered 26 (14,1%) vascular events: 9,7% cardiac, 2,1% cerebral and 2,2% peripheral. There were 5 deaths: 3 vascular, 1 infectious and 1 respiratory. The development of vascular events was related with the presence of atheroma plaques (p 0,008) and with pathologic PWV (p 0,028), as well as with the presence of erosions, GF, HTA and dyslipidemia. The appearance of cardiac events was related, also, with the use of NSAID (p 0,041). The presence of a pathologic IMT (p 0,032) and HTA (p 0,044) were the only variables related with death from any cause. Conclusions A combination of carotid ultrasonography and arterial stiffness study can help us to best identify patients with RA who have an increased risk of dying or developing a vascular event. Disclosure of Interest None declared


We propose a new algorithm based on a widely used routing scheme of ad hoc network - dynamic source routing (DSR), which is bandwidth guarantee source routing (BGSR). In this scheme, with admission control, the flooding overload is effectively decreased. And with resource reservation, quality of service (QoS) is guaranteed. Also a new bandwidth calculation algorithm - available bandwidth measurement algorithm (ABMA) - is presented in detail. Then the simulation results further illustrate the achievements of BGSR.


The Islamic Culture's sociology engulfs all socio mores of human way of living. The criterion and nature of this society is to regulate the individual's conduct both in person and with other human beings, basing on his Creator's moral fiber for ultimate success. This edict of living is marvelous which distinguishes itself from manmade experiences and evolution in its application. This is divinely ordained, tangible and everlasting for all related situations. It standardizes all living obligations of human life like faith, rituals, education, matrimonial, legal, social, political, economics and behavioral ethics. It provides guidance for every obligation of life including all societal issues of peace and war times, national/international. The main sources of guidance are the 'Quran and Sunnah' with two supplementary sources: Ijmaa and Qiyas: (Drawing analogy from the essence of divine principles and preceding by the jurists/learned people for all religious and socio living). These rulings open the doors of cosmopolitan culture for peace and progress. This sociology provides solution for all new issues of life on earth with respect to other religion's values. The example is "The truce of Madina by the Prophet of Islam (saw)" in 634 AD. The Islamic way is of tolerance and peace, it presents a moral, spiritual human civilization force which made and is making positive contribution for the development of human living. The present adversary of other cultures/ religions' followers against Muslims and Islamic culture is addressed in this paper.


Globalization, internationalization, interdependence and legislation in international relations and international law, which occurred after the end of the Cold war, brought changes into the existence and functioning of international intergovernmental organizations. Their special, autonomous, independent will is getting stronger and is becoming confirmation of their independent legal personality. The main result of the independent roll of international organizations are their decisions, which is why studying and following their internal practice is of crucial importance, although it neglected to a large degree. For that reason, this paper tends to point at several elements of that internal practice, throughout the conducts of members (primarily states) in decision-making and expending competences of the permanent organs, as well as at new phases and new participants in the decision-making process in international organizations. The list of these novelties is certainly not exhausted and new questions arise from the discussion about the responsibility of international organization for their conducts.


Magnetic reconnection between Earth's magnetosphere and the solar wind results in several modes of response, including the impulsive substorm and the quasi-steady mode known as steady magnetospheric convection (SMC). SMC events are theorized to result from balancing the dayside and nightside reconnection rates. The reasons the magnetosphere responds with different modes are not fully known. This dissertation comprises statistical data analysis of the SMC mode to investigate the solar wind conditions and magnetospheric properties during these events. A comprehensive list of SMC events is selected from 1997-2011. In the first of three studies, an association between SMCs and solar wind stream interfaces (SI) is identified in the declining phase of Solar Cycle 23. SMC occurrence peaks 12-24 hours after an SI if the solar wind is geoeffective. The subset of SI-associated SMCs occurs during fast solar wind velocity, in contrast to previous results, but the driving electric field imposed on the magnetosphere (Ey) is the same for SI-associated and unassociated SMC events. Therefore the magnitude and steadiness of Ey is the most important solar wind parameter for an SMC to occur. The second study shows that magnetotail convection is significantly different for SMC events, compared to quiet intervals and isolated substorms. Fast flows transporting enhanced magnetic flux are deflected toward the dawn and dusk flanks during SMC. Flow diversion is due to a broad high pressure region in the inner magnetosphere. The interval preceding SMC events is found to set up the magnetotail conditions that assist balanced reconnection. In particular inner magnetosphere pressure before SMCs is enhanced from substorm levels but not as high as SMC levels. The final study shows that nearly all SMCs are preceded by a substorm expansion. In rare cases when an SMC occurs without a preceding substorm, we hypothesize that the distant x-line is able to balance a weak solar wind driver. These results help explain how quasi-steady magnetospheric convection occurs. A southward turning of the solar wind and positive Ey leads to dayside reconnection and a substorm onset occurs. Plasma injections from the near-Earth nightside x-line increase the pressure in the inner magnetosphere. If positive Ey continues to drive dayside reconnection, the nightside x-line will stabilize to match it. Tail flux is diverted towards the flanks by pressure gradients and returns to the dayside. This convection pattern keeps the magnetosphere in its balanced reconnection mode.


In order to save natural resources, recycling necessarily becomes a top priority for all of us, to save exhaustible resources, produce green energy and preserve the environment.In this perspective, we are trying to valorize a waste of animal origin, largely neglected by the actors of materials, through an industrial transformation into a biological charge to make new sustainable bio-composite materials.Using a tensile test bench, we try to mechanically characterize this biomaterial of renewable resources that, unlike eco-composites, has been neglected by the material actors.Obtained from waste, with a high recycling potential and from renewable resources, the bio-charge to be analyzed will be injected, later in different polymer materials in order to support the evolution of their physicochemical properties: resistance to elongation, wear, heat, corrosion, etc.Consequently, we will be able to contribute to an eco-design of sustainable materials with safeguarding exhaustible resources and preserving our environment


This study examined the issues of lobbying and advocacy for improved library development and services in Anambra state, Nigeria. It investigated the involvement of the librarians and their willingness to be trained on the strategies of lobbying and advocacy. It also identified the challenges that affect lobbying and advocacy. The descriptive survey research design was adopted using designed questionnaire for data collection. The members of Nigerian Library Association, Anambra State Chap ter working in the library schools and other libraries in the state constituted the population of the study. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency counts and mean. The study found total non - involvement of librarians in lobbying pr ogram, although, some librarians are engaged in advocacy activities. They also indicated their willingness for capacity building. Also revealed was the identification of infrastructure, budget allocation, positive legislation for library development and se rvices as the areas that should be on priority list. It was found out among other things that time, expenses, fatigue, impede effective lobbying and advocacy. The study recommended that Nigerian Library Association should engage all sectors of libraries in articulating the best practices and areas that need immediate lobbying and advocacy.


In this paper we propose a new finite-time state observer for a nonlinear space launch vehicle with flexible dynamics and uncertain parameters. Indeed, flexible states are required to ensure nonlinear control objectives of both reference path tracking and bending mode damping. Our main contribution is to show that it is enough to observe a sublinear uncertain system to ensure a finite-time convergence of the whole state. For that purpose, a Luenberger observer is mixed with a parameter and initial state estimator, based on algebraic estimation tools. Closed loop simulations show the effectiveness of the observer in combination with a backstepping control design (extended to flexible systems).


Ensemble-based debiasing methods have been shown effective in mitigating the reliance of classifiers on specific dataset bias, by exploiting the output of a bias-only model to adjust the learning target. In this paper, we focus on the bias-only model in these ensemble-based methods, which plays an important role but has not gained much attention in the existing literature. Theoretically, we prove that the debiasing performance can be damaged by inaccurate uncertainty estimations of the bias-only model. Empirically, we show that existing bias-only models fall short in producing accurate uncertainty estimations. Motivated by these findings, we propose to conduct calibration on the bias-only model, thus achieving a three-stage ensemble-based debiasing framework, including bias modeling, model calibrating, and debiasing. Experimental results on NLI and fact verification tasks show that our proposed three-stage debiasing framework consistently outperforms the traditional two-stage one in out-of-distribution accuracy.


Using a sample of 1.31 x 10(9) J/Psi events collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, we study the decays of J/Psi -> KSKL and KSKS. The branching fraction of J/Psi -> KSKL is determined to be B(J/Psi -> KSKL) = (1.93 +/- 0.01 (stat) +/- 0.05 (syst)) x 10(-4), which significantly improves on previous measurements. No clear signal is observed for the J/Psi -> KSKS process, and the upper limit at the 95% confidence level for its branching fraction is determined to be B(J/Psi -> KSKS) < 1.4 x 10(-8), which improves on the previous searches by 2 orders in magnitude and reaches the order of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen expectation.


One of the key challenges in natural language processing (NLP) is to yield good performance across application domains and languages. In this work, we investigate the robustness of the mention detection systems, one of the fundamental tasks in information extraction, via recurrent neural networks (RNNs). The advantage of RNNs over the traditional approaches is their capacity to capture long ranges of context and implicitly adapt the word embeddings, trained on a large corpus, into a task-specific word representation, but still preserve the original semantic generalization to be helpful across domains. Our systematic evaluation for RNN architectures demonstrates that RNNs not only outperform the best reported systems (up to 9% relative error reduction) in the general setting but also achieve the state-of-the-art performance in the cross-domain setting for English. Regarding other languages, RNNs are significantly better than the traditional methods on the similar task of named entity recognition for Dutch (up to 22% relative error reduction).


Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a promising strategy to break COVID-19 transmission. Although hydroxychloroquine was evaluated for treatment and post-exposure prophylaxis, it is not evaluated for COVID-19 PrEP yet. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of PrEP with hydroxychloroquine against placebo in healthcare workers at high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection during an epidemic period.Methods: We conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial in three hospitals in Barcelona, Spain. From 350 adult healthcare workers screened, we included 269 participants with no active or past SARS-CoV-2 infection (determined by a negative nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 PCR and a negative serology against SARS-CoV-2). Participants allocated in the intervention arm (PrEP) received 400mg of hydroxychloroquine daily the first four consecutive days and subsequently, 400mg weekly during the study period. Participants in the control group followed the same treatment schedule with placebo tablets. Results: 52.8% (142/269) of participants were in the hydroxychloroquine arm and 47.2% (127/269) in the placebo arm. Both groups showed similar proportion of participants experiencing at least one adverse event (AE) (p=0.548). No serious AEs were reported. Almost all AEs (96.4%, 106/110) were mild. Only mild gastrointestinal symptoms were significantly higher in the hydroxychloroquine arm compared to the placebo arm (27.4% (39/142) vs 15.7% (20/127), p=0.041). Given the national epidemic incidence decay, only one participant in each group was COVID-19 diagnosed. Consequently, our study design deemed underpowered to evaluate any benefit regarding PrEP efficacy.Conclusions: First month follow-up analysis displayed that PrEP with hydroxychloroquine at low doses is safe.Trial registration: This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04331834) on April 2nd 2020. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04331834?term=NCT04331834&draw=2&rank=1


In recent years, interest in natural energy has grown because of increased environmental concerns. Many kinds of inverter circuits and their control schemes for photovoltaic (PV) power generation systems have been studied. In a conventional system, the PV array in which many PV modules are connected in series is used to obtain sufficient DC-bus voltage for generating an AC utility line voltage from an inverter circuit. However, the total power generation of the PV array is sometimes decreased remarkably when a few modules are partially covered by shadows, thereby decreasing its inherent current generation, and preventing the generation current attaining its maximum value on the array. To overcome this drawback, an AC module strategy has been proposed. In this system, a small power DC-AC utility interactive inverter is mounted on each PV module individually. This inverter operates so as to generate the maximum power from its corresponding PV module. This paper proposes a novel flyback-type utility interactive inverter circuit suitable for AC module systems. The features of the proposed system are that it: (1) is small in volume and lightweight; (2) allows stable AC current injection into the utility line; (3) enables the stable parallel operation without AC current sharing control; and (4) enables the capacitance of the DC capacitor to be small. The effectiveness of the proposed system is clarified through simulation and experiments.


Protocols that involve a freezing process are frequently used for the preservation of fungi, but there have been few studies to assess the physiological and genetic stability of isolates after preservation. In this study, the effects of cryopreservation and lyophilisation on the viability, physiology and genetic stability of isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae, Fusarium oxysporum and Serpula lacrymans were examined. It was found that preservation regime influenced the characters of some of the test isolates. Secondary metabolite profiles and extracellular enzyme production can be affected by preservation. Polymorphism's were detected after PCR fingerprinting in replicates of 2 isolates of Metarhizium that had been preserved by cryopreservation and lyophilisation. The results indicated a need to improve existing preservation protocols. Research is being undertaken to develop novel cryopreservation regimes for recalcitrant micro-organisms. Biochemical and molecular techniques will be used to assess the effectiveness of preservation.


We present the first measurements of nitryl chloride (ClNO2) over continental Europe. Significant quantities of ClNO2, up to 800 pptv, were measured at a mountaintop field site in Hessen, southwest Germany. ClNO2 was detected during the majority of nights between the 15th August and 16th September 2011, its largest mixing ratios being associated with air masses influenced by sea salt and anthropogenic NOx emissions. ClNO2 persisted in measurable quantities until early afternoons on days with low photolysis frequencies. As a consequence, early morning production rates of Cl atoms could significantly exceed the production of OH via ozone photolysis, likely leading to increased O3 production.


We report the case of a 56-year-old man who developed bacterial mediastinitis with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus after undergoing heart transplantation. He had a history of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and prior cardiac surgery. To find the source of nosocomial infection, we cultured nasal swab specimens from all hospital personnel involved in this operation. We used antibiotic sensitivity profiling and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to subtype the involved microorganism. The S. aureus isolates from the patient and the perfusionist were identical to each other and were different from the strains previously found in our hospital. It is almost certain that the S. aureus mediastinitis in this patient was transmitted from the perfusionist. We recommend obtaining cultures from hospital staff members when there is an outbreak of staphylococcal infection.


To the Editor. —In the introduction to their Commentary, Drs Guyatt and Cook 1 reveal the powerful prejudices that have resulted in centuries of devaluation of the lives of persons with physical disabilities. While giving lip service to "Gill and Feinstein's 2 message that people's values differ," Guyatt and Cook identify paraplegia as the epitome of a situation in which quality of life "would be rated low." Under the cloak of platitudes about the person who "transcends" loss to find "new meaning in life," the authors reinforce negative societal stereotypes about the "suffering," "calamity," and "tragedy" that they believe is the lot of the individual who is "paraplegic or even quadriplegic." Thus do they underscore the absolute necessity for critical appraisals of quality-of-life measurements, as advocated by Gill and Feinstein. 2 For until the insidious assumption is challenged that the quality of life of an individual with a disability is


The clustering of patients in a representative family as well as relatively high concordance rate in monozygotic twins strongly indicate that genetic factors play a crucial role in modulating primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) by conferring susceptibility to, or providing protection from, the disease. Therefore, much like other autoimmune diseases, intensive investigations have attempted to elucidate which genes are incriminated in the etiology of PBC. So far, a number of genes, including major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II, cytokines and cell surface molecules, have been examined to seek the possibility of whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of the gene might be associated with susceptibility to PBC. Nevertheless, it appears that methodologicaldifficulties, mainly the limitation of the number of individuals tested in each study, hamper the detection of a convincing and reproducible link between genetic polymorphisms and the etiology of PBC. Also, the difference in genetic background among several ethnic groups may play a role in concealing the association. In this review, I will highlight the genetic association in PBC, and review the association of genetic polymorphisms with the etiology of PBC, which have been reported in various ethnicities.