Enterprises are now connected internally and externally to other Enterprises via the Internet in ways that are increasingly difficult to manage, especially as these interconnections become more dynamic. Current methods of coordinating the effects of change as they propagate through these networks of connections are not likely to scale. What is needed is a new paradigm for how the Internet supports such coordination. Indeed, the Internet should and could provide fundamental coordination functions that are missing today. In this paper, we describe how such a "Coordinated Internet" would work (this paper is an expanded version of [1]). The key functionality of a Coordinated Internet would be that the Internet actively watches what people do (analogous to search completion on desktops today), correlates these activities, and actively notifies people when and how their current tasks affect and are affected by the activities of other people. This would be accomplished by standard coordination functions implemented as a common Internet layer that can be used as a utility by more specialized applications. Such a Coordinated Internet would revolutionize enterprise management, for all enterprises, large and small, corporate and personal. For example, static workflows would become obsolete for all but the the most routine processes. Some solutions provide existence proofs of such a coordination substrate, such as the Redux solution in concurrent engineering, which we describe herein. However, foundational research remains to be done in the new field of Coordination Engineering in order to reach the goal of a future Internet in which coordination functions are fundamental.


An optical fiber based immunosensing platform formed by two identical chirped long period gratings (CLPGs) for sensitive and label-free detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli) is presented. The proposed immunosensor having two CLPGs with an inter-grating space (IGS) works like a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The important feature of this sensor is that by changing the refractive index (RI) induced phase at the IGS region, a corresponding shift in resonance wavelength can be realized without affecting the actual grating region. Additionally, the confining bandwidth of the interference fringes promotes greater resolution in the resonance wavelength analysis of the transmission spectrum. The main aim of this study was the specific and rapid detection of the E. coli bacteria in phosphate buffer saline (detection range: 10 cfu/ml to 60 cfu/ml) by using the bio-functionalized IGS region as a sensing probe of the dual CLPG structure. The observed detection limit was 7 cfu/ml. For specificity analysis, Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus were tested and no significant shift in resonance wavelength was observed. In addition, the proposed immunosensor has the ability to selectively detect E. coli in real samples including lake water. The high specificity, good sensitivity to ambient RI, and robustness of the developed sensing platform will open a new avenue in optical immunosensing technology, and cascaded long CLPG sensors can contribute significantly to the detection of pathogenic bacteria in water and food samples.


The electromagnetical compatibility (EMC) criteria for radio systems engineering are discussed with multiple channel reuse for frequency, time and code division multiple access (FDMA, TDMA and CDMA) schemes in a mobile environment. The BER is usually used as a measure of digital signals transmission quality. In nonlinear radio-channels with multipath propagation, the dynamic BER is used to evaluate the communication range R, which is the basic parameter of cellular radio. The intrasystem interference level is a parameter, which mostly limits the channel reuse in cellular systems. To fulfil the EMC condition, the interference influence should be optimized. We discuss the structural solutions based on the co-channel reuse distance as well as the signals orthogonality, especially for direct sequence CDMA systems.


External guide sequences (EGSs) are RNA molecules that consist of a sequence complementary to a target mRNA and recruit intracellular ribonuclease P (RNase P), a tRNA processing enzyme, for specific degradation of the target mRNA. We have previously used an in vitro selection procedure to generate EGS variants that efficiently induce human RNase P to cleave a target mRNA in vitro. In this study, we constructed EGSs from a variant to target the overlapping region of the S mRNA, pre-S/L mRNA, and pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) of hepatitis B virus (HBV), which are essential for viral replication and infection. The EGS variant was about 50-fold more efficient in inducing human RNase P to cleave the mRNA in vitro than the EGS derived from a natural tRNA. Following Salmonella -mediated gene delivery, the EGSs were expressed in cultured HBV-carrying cells. A reduction of about 97% and 75% in the level of HBV RNAs and proteins and an inhibition of about 6,000- and 130-fold in the levels of capsid-associated HBV DNA were observed in cells treated with Salmonella vectors carrying the expression cassette for the variant and the tRNA-derived EGS, respectively. Our study provides direct evidence that the EGS variant is more effective in blocking HBV gene expression and DNA replication than the tRNA-derived EGS. Furthermore, these results demonstrate the feasibility of developing Salmonella -mediated gene delivery of highly active EGS RNA variants as a novel approach for gene-targeting applications such as anti-HBV therapy.


Global average yields of the world's main food crops have increased over the past 50 years, and these yield increases have varied over time. For most crops, yields have grown significantly faster during periods of higher demand growth, and the contribution of yield growth to output growth has varied between crops. These variations reflect the range of measures available to growers to enhance yields of each crop, which are typically not fully deployed during periods of low demand growth and low relative price. This paper applies two methods using consistent, long‐term historic relationships to demonstrate that crop yield, area and price changes are not independent, and that area changes and yield changes in response to market signals are different for different crops and regions. One of these methods is used to show the expected percentages of exogenous estimates of overall demand growth that will be met by yield growth and by land use change for a range of biofuel crops. The estimated percentage of incremental output growth delivered by yield growth is 78% for EU cereals, with the remainder being met by area growth.


Abstract In February of 2003 Kiama Council launched a preliminary survey to gather community attitudes on the future growth of Werri Beach and Gerringong, NSW (Nelson). The survey focused primarily on what actions Council should take to manage population growth within existing neighbourhoods. This paper aims to support the preliminary survey by proposing that a geodemographic market analysis be conducted to complement the findings of the study published in May 2003 (Wiggins). The use of a Geographic Information System (GIS) can add great value to the strategic decisionmaking process and it is the recommendation of this paper that GIS should become an integral component of Council's day-to-day planning function. This type of analysis does not negate the requirement for community participation in local issues rather it enhances the planner's ability to make more informed decisions using a holistic approach throughout the lifetime of a given project. The findings of this paper indicate that GIS is an important element of any coastal assessment. The process outlined here could be adopted by councils located all along the Australian coastline. Abstract In February of 2003 Kiama Council launched a preliminary survey to gather community attitudes on the future growth of Werri Beach and Gerringong, NSW (Nelson). The survey focused primarily on what actions Council should take to manage population growth within existing neighbourhoods. This paper aims to support the preliminary survey by proposing that a geodemographic market analysis be conducted to complement the findings of the study published in May 2003 (Wiggins). The use of a Geographic Information System (GIS) can add great value to the strategic decisionmaking process and it is the recommendation of this paper that GIS should become an integral component of Council's day-to-day planning function. This type of analysis does not negate the requirement for community participation in local issues rather it enhances the planner's ability to make more informed decisions using a holistic approach throughout the lifetime of a given project. The findings of this paper indicate that GIS is an important element of any coastal assessment. The process outlined here could be adopted by councils located all along the Australian coastline.


This study aimed to analyze the functionality and healthiness of family rules through a relational analysis of the relationship between the rule frequency by sub-family system and the content properties shown in the 'family constitution', It also aimed to examine the relationship between the perception degree of healthy family elements and the family subsystem rules and prepare the project development plans. As a result, it was a found that there were many dysfunctional rules, and healthiness was not satisfied. Project development plans include specific project plans, delivery systems, an orientation for practitioners, the necessity of evaluation and feedback, family health diagnosis, association with other project areas, and small scale operations.


Background: Members of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptors are over-expressed in variety of cancers. The EGFR-mediated activation of signal transduction pathways ultimately induce cellular growth, supress apoptosis and can cause tumor malignancy. On the contrary, TNF-α induces the expression of numerous genes which contribute to the inhibition of growth and the induction of apoptosis. Therefore, we tested the impact of EGF on TNF-α-induced expression of Caspase-1, activation of STAT1 and induction of apoptosis on human cervical carcinoma cells, (ME180). Results: Treatment of ME180 cells with TNF-α (10 ng/ml) induced the expression of Caspase-1 in a time dependent manner. Also, pre-treatment of these cells with EGF (10ng/ml) completely inhibited TNF-induced Caspase-1 induction. Since Caspase-1 induction is mediated by STAT1, the levels of STAT1 activation by TNF was determined. It was found that TNF induces STAT1 activation in these cells. However, pre-treatment of ME180 cells with EGF completely inhibited TNF-α-mediated activation of STAT1. Parallel to these findings, pre-treatment of ME180 cells with EGF for 1 hour completely inhibited TNF-induced apoptosis in these cells. Conclusion: These results suggest that tumor microenvironment created by the tumor or surrounding cells are important in controlling the growth and apoptosis of cancer cells. Therefore, abundance of growth factors and pro-apoptotic cytokines may determine the fate of tumor behavior. Citation Format: Osman N. Ozes. Human Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) supresses Tumor Necrosis Factor-a (TNF-a)-mediated induction of Caspase-1, STAT1 and Apoptosis in human cervical carcinoma cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4269. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4269


One of the main hazards of human life and health is the presence of pesticides in the aquatic system is. The Karun River is the surface water source in the preparation of drinking water for the city of Ahvaz city at the Ahvaz Water Treatment Plant (AWTP) #2. This study was done in order to investigate the statue of qualification and the quantification of the contamination of water entering into (AWTP #2) by selected organochlorine pesticides [(α, β, γ, δ )HCH, heptachlor, alderin, dielderin, (op' , pp' ) DDT, (α, β) endosulfan and metoxychlor], plus the water treatment effects on these pesticide residues removal. For this purpose, one composite sample from each of the water treatment process steps was taken monthly which was comprised of 20 grab samples in 2008. Water samples were acidified to pH < 2, extracted three times with n-hexane, and concentrated using a rotary vacuum evaporator for Florisil column chromatography cleanup and fractioned by elution with three different solvent mixtures of petroleum and diethyl ether. Finally, the elutes were concentrated to dryness using rotary vacuum evaporator and then the residues were dissolved in hexane and analyzed by GC- μECD. All 12 investigated organochlorine pesticides were detected. Results of this study indicated that concentration of investigated pesticides decreased (according to the kind of pesticide) by 20% to 80% and the mean of total concentration was reduced by 49% during water treatment process steps. There was a significant positive correlation (r=97.75%) between variation in the concentration of poisons and the total organic matter (KMnO4 value).


UNLABELLED
People with Anorexia Nervosa are often resistant to treatment and can be detained under the Mental Health Act. Detention can be distressing for some client groups; however, there is little research to explore how people with Anorexia Nervosa experience detention and how these experiences impact on recovery. This study utilized a qualitative methodology to develop a model for understanding how people perceive, experience and process detention under the Mental Health Act. Data from 12 participants was analysed using constructivist grounded theory. Four overarching categories conceptualize their experience over time: 'the battle', 'the bubble', 'stepping out of the bubble' and 'the anorexic self'. Within each overarching category are further subordinate categories that represent the nuances of the data. The resultant model is discussed in relation to the literature, whilst recommendations have been made to embed person-centred, recovery practice into inpatient services. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

KEY PRACTITIONER MESSAGE
People detained under the mental health act with anorexia nervosa often respond by engaging in a battle with clinicians. This follows by the person withdrawing into a 'bubble' where the individual starts to feel some relief that they are no longer in control of their eating, but this competes with the lack of self and the emerging anorexic self. Clinicians need to be aware that individuals detained may have mixed feelings about their hospital admission.


Cancer Immunoediting is the process by which the immune system controls and shapes cancer. We originally envisaged that cancer immunoediting would occur in three phases: Elimination (also known as cancer immunosurveillance, the host protective phase of the process), Equilibrium (the phase in which tumor cells that survive immune elimination remain under immunologic growth control resulting in a state of functional tumor dormancy) and Escape (the phase where clinically apparent tumors emerge because immune sculpting of the tumor cells has produced variants that display either reduced immunogenicity or enhanced immunosuppressive activity). Strong experimental data has now been obtained using mouse models of cancer to demonstrate the existence of each phase of the cancer immunoediting process and compelling clinical data suggests that a similar process may also occur during the evolution of certain types of human cancer. Our efforts now focus on elucidating the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie each phase of cancer immunoediting and identifying the critical checkpoints that regulate progression from one phase of the process to the next. This approach has helped identify the nature of antigens seen by immunity in nascent developing cancers and has further shown that immunoselection is a major mechanism of immunoediting. Moreover, we have found that edited tumors can still be controlled by the immune system if natural mechanisms that prevent autoimmunity are suspended. As reported by others, we have confirmed that inhibition of CTLA-4 induces ejection of edited MCA sarcomas. However, we have also found that inhibition of PD-L1 does the same, although by perhaps different mechanisms. These differences will be discussed.

Citation Format: Robert D. Schreiber. The molecular basis of tumor immunogenicity. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology: Multidisciplinary Science Driving Basic and Clinical Advances; Dec 2-5, 2012; Miami, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(1 Suppl):Abstract nr IA2.


The two-channel multiple descriptions problem for an independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) source, with feed-forward to one or both side-decoders is considered. A single-letter achievable rate-region is derived; it enlarges the best known rate-region for multiple descriptions without feed-forward. The proof of the result uses a block-Markov superposition source coding strategy. In point-to-point source coding, feed-forward does not decrease the rate-distortion function of an i.i.d. source. In contrast, an example is provided to show that the derived region can be strictly larger than the optimal multiple description rate-distortion region without feed-forward.


Certain moments in history, especially periods of cultural turmoil and political change, appear to be conducive to the writing of Menippean satire. This text offers an integral study of Menippean satires written in Ireland in the three decades following the declaration of the Irish Free State in 1922. It discusses works by Darrell Figgis, Eimar O'Duffy, Austin Clarke, Flann O'Brien and Mervyn Wall in the context of political and social developments, particularly relating to economic policy, the role of the Church and censorship. Mikhail Bakhtin defines Menippean satire as an unresolved dialogue between actual and/or implied voices to test a truth or philosophical idea. The Irish satirists of the first half of the 20th century use mediaeval Ireland as a setting for addressing contemporary concerns, or borrow characters from mediaeval Irish texts that they place in a modern context. Each satire thus creates a series of dialogues: between the past and present; between characters who represent opposing values and ideologies; and between the older texts and their modern reworkings. This study reveals the double bind at the core of every Menippean satire. Each writer discussed in the book expresses an awareness of the paradox of an author writing in the vaccuum created by official censorship, seeking to engage his audience in the dethroning of the very authorities by whom he is deprived of his audience. By revealing his own ambiguous position, the satirist knowingly subverts his own authority along with that of his opponents. This study should be useful to students and scholars interested in Irish literature, genre studies, the reception of the Middle Ages, and the relationship betwen literature and history.


Film is almost same as drama, in which both of them are performed before audiences. Film is a form entertainment that enacts a story by sound and sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement. People always connect rebellion with bad things or even worst like violence, which should be avoided in this life. However, some people consider that rebellion can be done to get what they deserve in different way.

In this study, the writer is interested in analyzing Anna Fitzgerald's rebellion in Nick Cassavetes' film "My Sister's Keeper". In detail, the writer wants to dig out the kinds, the causes and the effects of Anna's rebellion.

This analysis employs a descriptive qualitative research design because it does not use hypothesis and statistical methods. The approach in this study is objective approach. The object in this study is the main character in "My Sister's Keeper" film, Anna Fitzgerald. The data are collected from the scenes, events, and dialogues which related to the problems of study, they are kinds, causes and effects of Anna's rebellion.

The result of this analysis showed that the kind of Anna Fitzgerald's rebellion was categorized into early adolescence rebellion. While, there are three causes of Anna's rebellion, they are under-pressure, unfair, and proper life for the future. Then, there are two effects of Anna's rebellion to her sister. Firstly, Anna did not want to donate her body organ anymore. Secondly, her sister passed away.


Abnormal activation of calpain is implicated in synaptic dysfunction and participates in neuronal death in Alzheimer disease (AD) and other neurological disorders. Pharmacological inhibition of calpain has been shown to improve memory and synaptic transmission in the mouse model of AD. However, the role and mechanism of calpain in AD progression remain elusive. Here we demonstrate a role of calpain in the neuropathology in amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin 1 (PS1) double-transgenic mice, an established mouse model of AD. We found that overexpression of endogenous calpain inhibitor calpastatin (CAST) under the control of the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II promoter in APP/PS1 mice caused a remarkable decrease of amyloid plaque burdens and prevented Tau phosphorylation and the loss of synapses. Furthermore, CAST overexpression prevented the decrease in the phosphorylation of the memory-related molecules CREB and ERK in the brain of APP/PS1 mice and improved spatial learning and memory. Interestingly, treatment of cultured primary neurons with amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides caused an increase in the level of β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), the key enzyme responsible for APP processing and Aβ production. This effect was inhibited by CAST overexpression. Consistently, overexpression of calpain in heterologous APP expressing cells up-regulated the level of BACE1 and increased Aβ production. Finally, CAST transgene prevented the increase of BACE1 in APP/PS1 mice. Thus, calpain activation plays an important role in APP processing and plaque formation, probably by regulating the expression of BACE1.


Access to hardware devices is an important re- quirement to be fulfilled by Java implementations targeting em- bedded systems because the interaction between the embedded system and the environment where it is inserted on is performed by these devices. In this paper we introduce a method for abstracting hardware devices to embedded Java applications. We have evaluated our method in terms of performance, memory footprint, and portability. The applicability of our method was tested for abstracting simple hardware devices for serial communication and for abstracting more complex components such as a motion estimator for H.264 video coding.


The hearing loss associated with both insulin dependent (Type 1 DM) or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (Type 2 DM) is described as a bilateral and progressive sensorineural type hearing loss. The hearing loss in diabetic patients may be related to microangiopathy, neuronal degenerations or diabetic encephalopathy. The purpose of this study was to establish the effect of metabolic control on the subclinical auditory disfunction related with Type 2 DM by utilizing otoacoustic emission. The metabolic control of the DM was measured by using HbA1c. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) measurements were accomplished in metabolicolly controlled and uncontrolled diabetic patients with hearing levels better than 30 dB in both groups. Twenty-five patients with Type 2 DM were eligible to participate in the study. The patients were seperated into two groups according to the HgA1c levels. Group 1 and Group 2 consisted controlled Type 2 DM cases having HgA1cl6% and uncontrolled Type 2 DM cases with HgA1cg6%. Therefore; the effects of metabolic control of glycemia on the outer hair cells (OHCs) functions were evaluated in the Type 2 DM patients. We aimed to investigate the possible role of metabolic control in diabetic patients on the outer hair cells (OHCs) functions.No statistically significant differences were found in the otoacoustic emission measurements of the patients who have metabolicolly controlled diabetes and uncontrolled group. In this study, by using DPOAE (DPgram and DPOAE I/O) and TEOAE measurements. There was no statistically significant effect of metabolic control on hearing loss in diabetic patients. Further comprehensive clinical investigations shoud be done to reveal the effects of metabolic control in diabetes mellitus on hearing. Key words: Hearing Loss; Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus; Metabolic Control; Otoacoustic Emission.


This chapter deals with intermediaries in the financial sector such as banks and institutional investors. These actors are expected to play a central role in economic growth via the funding of investment because they are supposed to match creditors' desires (households) with borrowers' needs (firms) at a macroeconomic level. It aims to reassess the theoretical role of financial intermediation related to the allocation of savings in a context of a structural decline in overall investment for thirty years. To achieve this goal, it studies the evolution of financial intermediaries' behaviour in their capacity to finance investment and identifies the weaknesses of our current financial system which does not allocate optimally savings to firms' productive projects. Then it suggests some policy implications defining new forms of financial intermediation in which public financial intermediaries would have to play a greater role.


The labels of monocular 3D object detection (M3OD) are expensive to obtain. Meanwhile, there usually exists numerous unlabeled data in practical applications, and pre-training is an efficient way of exploiting the knowledge in unlabeled data. However, the pre-training paradigm for M3OD is hardly studied. We aim to bridge this gap in this work. To this end, we first draw two observations: (1) The guideline of devising pre-training tasks is imitating the representation of the target task. (2) Combining depth estimation and 2D object detection is a promising M3OD pre-training baseline. Afterwards, following the guideline, we propose several strategies to further improve this baseline, which mainly include target guided semi-dense depth estimation, keypoint-aware 2D object detection, and class-level loss adjustment. Combining all the developed techniques, the obtained pre-training framework produces pre-trained backbones that improve M3OD performance significantly on both the KITTI-3D and nuScenes benchmarks. For example, by applying a DLA34 backbone to a naive center-based M3OD detector, the moderate ${\rm AP}_{3D}70$ score of Car on the KITTI-3D testing set is boosted by 18.71\% and the NDS score on the nuScenes validation set is improved by 40.41\% relatively.


The bleak expanse of Vangmoor was a dark, forbidding place. One victim had been found there, blonde, her face disfigured, her head shorn close to the scalp - killed without motive or mercy. Then a second woman went missing on the moor, and a sense of utter dread gripped the fifty local men who searched for her. Someone watched them in that treacherous place. Was he a killer? Or was he merely angry that a killer had usurped him? For he, and only he, was the Master of the Moor.


Fe-NTA is a known renal carcinogen. However, little is known about its carcinogenic potential in liver. In this study we for the first time show that Fe-NTA is a potent hepatic tumor promoter. Fe-NTA administration induced dose dependently the hepatic ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity several folds as compared to its activity in the saline-treated rats. Similarly, hepatic DNA synthesis which is measured as [3H]thymidine incorporation in DNA is also increased following Fe-NTA treatment. The effects of Fe-NTA were similar to other tumor promoters not only with respect to inducing ODC activity and [3H]thymidine incorporation in DNA but also in depleting antioxidant armory of the tissue. Fe-NTA depleted levels of glutathione to about 35% of the saline-treated control and activities of antioxidant enzymes catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase decreased significantly (45-55% of saline-treated control). Concomitant with the depletion in antioxidant armory, Fe-NTA augmented hepatic microsomal lipid peroxidation more than three folds. The pretreatment of rats with antioxidants BHA or BHT diminished the observed effects of Fe-NTA. Our data indicate that Fe-NTA is a potent hepatic tumor promoter and acts through a mechanism involving oxidative stress.


Studies have shown that knee alignment parameters differ among races. However, to our knowledge, radiographic frontal plane knee alignment has not been studied in normal northern Nigerian adults. The objective of this study was therefore to determine the frontal plane knee alignment in normal northern Nigerian adults. This study recruited a total of 59 consented subjects (44 males, 15 females). The entire subjects are without any history of lower extremity deformity. Anteroposterior radiographs of both knees with the patella positioned straight ahead were obtained from each participant while standing in a relaxed bipedal stance and placing equal weight on each limb. Alignment was assessed by measuring the tibiofemoral angle (TFA), distal femoral angle (DFA) and proximal tibial angle (PTA). The angles were measured with the aid of a universal plastic goniometre and a plastic ruler. Descriptive statistics of the alignment parameters, independent and paired t-test were computed. In the male population, the mean (standard deviation) obtained were 179.06 (3.87)o for the TFA, 85.94 (3.03 o for the DFA and 89.27 (3.26)o for the PTA. In the female population, the values were 179.53 (3.38)o for the TFA, 86.40 (2.97)o for the DFA and 89.27 (2.15)o for the PTA. No significant mean difference was observed between genders in all the parameters. The TFA does not show any significant difference between the right and left angle regardless of gender. However, significant mean differences were observed in the DFA and PTA of males and combined population. No significant difference was observed in the DFA and PTA of females. Accordingly, northern Nigerian adults may have varus knee alignment compared to other races. Thus, this pre-existing varus alignment should be taken into consideration during clinical examination, preoperative planning and postoperative evaluations of knee deformities in this population.


The present paper deals with the survey conducted on Orchid flora in the Imphal Valley, Manipur. During the survey a total of 52 orchid species belonging to 20 genera were recorded. These comprise of 17 Dendrobium species, 4 Vanda species, 3 of Aerides, 3 species of Bulbophylum, 3 species of Cymbidium, 3 species of Pholidata, 2 species of Acampe, 2 species of Ascocentron, 2 species of Coelogyne and 1 species each in the genera Brachycorythis obcordata, Cleisocentron pallens, Cleisostoma brevipes, Eria flava, Nervilia aragoana, Paphiopedilum hirsutissinum, Phaius wallichii, Phalaenopsis parishii, Pleione praecox, Renanthera imschootiana, Rhynchostylis retusa and Thunia marshalliana.


BACKGROUND
Bronchial asthma is one of the most common illnesses in children. Factors influencing development of asthma have not been studied in rural population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Two thousand school-going children from three schools of Sonapur VDC, Sunsari in the surrounding of industries were screened for the presence of symptoms of asthma using a questionnaire suggested by International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Children (ISSAC).

RESULTS
One hundred twenty children were identified with symptoms of bronchial asthma. For each child with asthma two age and sex matched non-asthmatic control were selected from the study population. History, clinical examination and in-depth interview were carried out for all cases and controls. Factors associated with presence of symptoms of asthma on multivariate analysis were: passive smoking (OR 3.33, 95% CI 1.85-7.65), pets at home (OR 5.5, 95% CI 1.04-29.15), and absence of windows in living rooms (OR 4.03, 95% CI 1.17-13.79). Factors such as family history of asthma, history of worm infestation, fuel used for cooking, location of kitchen and food allergy were not significant in statistical analysis.

CONCLUSION
Thus, passive smoking, inadequate ventilation and domestic animals and pets (dogs and cats) at home are significant risk factors associated with presence of symptoms of asthma in these children.


In addition to attempting to verify gender differences, this study aims to examine the explanatory potential of boys' and girls' attitudes toward mathematics on their performance. The sample comprised 897 students in the 5th and 6th years of primary education (450 boys and 447 girls). The results confirm what previous research has suggested, that girls tended to exhibit less positive attitudes about mathematics than their male classmates, in particular lower motivation, worse perception of competence, and higher rates of anxiety, although in all cases the effect sizes were small. Even though there no significant gender differences in academic performance, as expected, the explanatory power of attitudes toward mathematics was clearly more significant in boys than in girls (R2 = 0.194 and R2 = 0.103, respectively). The results of the regression analysis for each sample reinforce the well-known positive impact of perceived self-efficacy on mathematics performance and introduce the effect of achievement emotions of academic performance. Test anxiety in mathematics seems to only have a negative effect on boys' grades, as this variable does not appear in the regression equation when explaining girls' performance. In the light of control-value theory, we discuss the contingency of perceived competence and its involvement in anxiety and academic performance. Boys' results could be affected by the levels of anxiety inasmuch as they tend to be confident in their abilities, motivated to stand out, and interested in mathematics. Whereas despite girls reporting high rates of anxiety, what may have a negative impact on their results might have more to do with a higher value placed on mathematics, as their perception of control may be low.


Health organisations, charities, pharmaceutical companies, and health services are increasingly delivering information and support by SMS text message to help us change our health behaviours. For example, the British Heart Foundation provide a 'Heart Health' texting support service for people wanting to either become more active, eat healthier or give up smoking. So what do we know about the potential of text messaging to deliver behavioural support?


Acute promyelocytic leukemia is characterized the PML/RARalpha chimeric fusion gene, transcript and protein; the breakpoint cluster regions (bcr) in the PML gene may occur in 3 different sites: Intron 6 (bcr1), exon 6 (bcr2) or intron 3 (bcr3). In a 10-year period in a single institution, we studied prospectively the breakpoint cluster regions of the PML/RARalpha fusion gene in 43 Mexican Mestizo patients with APL, and found that the bcr1 represented 62.7%, the bcr2 9.3% whereas the bcr3 27.9%. The prevalence of the bcr1 subtype is significantly higher than that informed in Caucasians and similar to that in Asians; these data are consonant with those described in other Latin-American patients with APL. Since other Asian genetic markers have been found in the Indian component of the Mexican mestizos, it is possible that the Asian immigration into the Americas through the strait of Behring 12,000 years ago may account for a possible genetic susceptibility to suffer certain forms of APL.


OBJECTIVE
To examine cardiovascular disease risk factors among adult Native American women Inter-Tribal Heart Project participants.

DESIGN
A secondary analysis used controllable risk factors identified by the American Heart Association as the framework to examine cardiovascular disease risk factors in this population.

SETTING
Three Native American Reservations in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

PARTICIPANTS
866 adult Native American women who participated in the Inter-Tribal Heart Project cardiovascular health research study.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Descriptive, correlational, bivariate, and multivariate analysis provided findings on cardiovascular disease risk factors in this population.

RESULTS
Cardiovascular disease risk factors are high among this population. For every additional risk factor, the odds of self-reported cardiovascular disease increases 1.2 times (95% confidence interval: 1.1-1.3). Participants who self-reported cardiovascular disease were older, less educated, employed less, and reported more Indian ancestry (higher blood quantum) and had higher prevalence rates of diabetes, higher systolic blood pressure, and body mass index in comparison to women who self-reported an absence of cardiovascular disease.

CONCLUSIONS
A key to decreasing cardiovascular disease lies in preventing and controlling cardiovascular disease risk factors with concerted efforts specific to the culture and life ways of the Native American woman.


Esophageal, gastric, and pancreatic cancers frequently present with extensive local regional disease, which can be difficult to resect or to definitively control with radiation therapy given as a single modality. In addition, these patients are at high risk for the development of distant metastasis. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a promising experimental approach for the use of combined modality treatments that involve a systemic component. The theoretical background for the use of chemotherapy followed by an operation or chemotherapy plus radiation in these tumors has been extensively described. For esophageal cancer, many phase II trials have demonstrated tolerance to systemic chemotherapy; chemotherapy plus radiation prior to operation has more toxicity. Definitive phase III studies testing the hypothesis that this approach is superior to operation alone have recently been performed in the United States and Europe. These data are currently being analyzed. For the use of combined modality therapy of chemoradiation, random assignment trials have demonstrated an improvement in cure rate for patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the esophagus. Preliminary data suggest a similar outcome for adenocarcinoma, but the number of patients who have been studied is smaller. Newer phase III studies involve the use of new systemic agents that have demonstrated activity in metastatic disease (such as paclitaxel) or the use of higher doses of radiation therapy. For gastric cancer, a substantial number of phase II trials have again demonstrated tolerance to preoperative chemotherapy with no increase in operative morbidity or mortality. Small-scale phase III trials have been performed that suggest an improvement in outcome. Definitive studies are in the planning stage. Finally, for pancreatic carcinoma, in which local control is an even more difficult issue, a major stumbling block remains the development of newer systemic therapies that have activity in this disease. The recent identification of gemcitabine as having modest activity as a single agent and its potential use with radiation therapy is being explored in the neoadjuvant setting.


This article examines the recent transformation of Myŏng-dong, which has been brought about by a constellation of global forces. The number of retail stores selling affordable cosmetics has mushroomed since 2008, and they are now the area's primary occupants despite its notoriously high rent, which has led to the area's becoming identified as Cosme Road. An enormous number of foreign tourists, driven by Korean entertainment, now demand budget cosmetics. Consequently, the agglomeration of cosmetics stores and the consolidation of a place identity have reinforced each other, which has attracted even more customers, and because the pace of tourist mobility and the size of the crowds matter to the area's turnover rates, various measures are practiced to hasten customer circulation so that they consume Hallyu images and then quickly exit the area. This article interprets the phenomenon in Myŏng-dong in terms of multidirectional global flows, which have transformed the area's materiality and cultural meanings: the outward Hallyu, the construction of Korean beauty inspired by Hallyu, the global reach of the cosmetics industry that employs Hallyu, and Hallyu-driven transnational tourism. Multirealm global connections have not only reconfigured the place dynamics of Myŏng-dong but also complicated its place meanings by turning the area into a site for the projection of Hallyu desires associated with capital accumulation.


This paper develops an approach to learn a policy of a dynamical system that is guaranteed to be both provably safe and goal-reaching. Here, the safety means that a policy must not drive the state of the system to any unsafe region, while the goal-reaching requires the trajectory of the controlled system asymptotically converges to a goal region (a generalization of stability). We obtain the safe and goal-reaching policy by jointly learning two additional certificate functions: a barrier function that guarantees the safety and a developed Lyapunov-like function to fulfill the goal-reaching requirement, both of which are represented by neural networks. We show the effectiveness of the method to learn both safe and goal-reaching policies on various systems, including pendulums, cart-poles, and UAVs.


Scedosporium apiospermum is a mold that is increasingly being recognized as an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised patients, and treatment is complicated by intrinsic resistance to several antifungal agents. In our hospital, two cases of S. apiospermum infection occurring within 2 weeks were successfully treated with voriconazole. Since both patients were infected with an uncommon pathogen, a search for a common nosocomial source was performed. As environmental cultures yielded no S. apiospermum, and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting showed that the patients' strains were genotypically unrelated, we considered a common nosocomial source of S. apiospermum to be unlikely.


Cascade impaction is a standard test method for characterizing the quality of inhalable drug products. The sizes of the nozzles on each stage of the impactor are the critical dimensions for the performance of the impactor. Compendial reference methods call for periodic measurement of the size of the nozzles on each stage, a procedure known as stage mensuration. There is however currently no guidance on acceptable mensuration criteria. We aim to remedy this situation by providing a sound basis for understanding and using mensuration data, be it for acceptance criteria for new impactors or for the setting of mensuration tolerances for in-use impactors. We first show that multi-nozzle impactor stages behave as if all of the nozzles are equal in size to an effective diameter, , that is composed of the area-mean and areamedian diameters, W* and , calculated directly from the individual nozzle diameters for all nozzles on a given stage (equation 1): W= (W*)(2/3) x (W)(1/3) (1). Hence, the effective diameter provides an intuitive and technically sound basis for setting acceptance criteria for new and in-use impactors. We tabulate these criteria for the Mark II eight-stage Andersen cascade impactor and the Next Generation Pharmaceutical Impactor in a manner similar to the tables of critical impactor dimensions published in EP Supplement 5.1 and in USP 28. For two different impactors or for one impactor measured at two different times (e.g., at manufacture and in use), we find that the D50 values of a given stage are related to the effective diameters by D(50,2)/D(50,1)= (W(2)/W(1))(3/2) (2). Using the stage mensuration data for new, as-manufactured NGIs, we compare the D(50 )values of the first 125 as-manufactured NGIs with those of the archivally calibrated NGI. We further establish that the archivally calibrated NGI has D(50) values within 0.3% of an entirely perfect, hypothetical NGI with all nozzles equal to the nominal nozzle diameters. We also apply the equations to a specific mensurated impactor to show that a used impactor with some nozzles outside of the original manufacturing specifications can have the same aerodynamic performance as a new impactor.


Background: Mental illness stigma continues to be a major barrier for individuals with mental illness. Methods: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among the mentally ill patients attending Out Patient Department (OPD) in a tertiary care hospital of Dhaka city of Bangladesh, during the period from May 2013 to November 2013. The objective of the study was to assess the family support and stigma among the respondents. A total of 151 patients of 18 to 60 years attending in the OPD, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Dhaka were selected purposefully to conduct the study. An informed consent was taken from the patients or care givers. Information about socio-demographic and psychosocial data was collected using the questionnaire designed by the researcher based on Factors Influencing Neuroleptic Medication Taking Scale (FNIMTS). Diagnoses of mental illness were done according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) by psychiatrists. Results: The commonest diagnoses among the respondents were the schizophrenias (56.3%), bipolar mood disorders (23.8%) and substance related disorder (6.6%). Most were insightful into their mental illness (89.4%). Most of the respondents rated their perception of family support as good (66.2%). Most of the respondents believed that they would be treated differently if people knew they had a mental illness (57.6%) or on drugs for mental illness (54.3%). Among the presently employed respondents (21.85%) most (57.75%) were uncomfortable with the idea of telling employer about mental illness or being on drugs for it. Conclusion: A bridge for communication between people with mental illness, their families, and health care practitioners, may be a useful framework for guiding efforts to reduce stigma. Community-based participatory research principles and lived experiences are crucial elements in stigma reduction endeavors. Birdem Med J 2017; 7(2): 148-154


The quality of the urban living environment is strongly related to the provision and planning or design of public facilities, of which NIMBY, not-in-my-back-yard, facilities are often resisted by residents. Therefore, selecting the location for NIMBY facilities has become more and more difficult and time consuming. In Taiwan in particular, when the tenure landholding system is adopted, along with financial difficulties, frequent mass protests take place in relation to environmental issues, and consequently lead to financial development issues for the country. Hence, the interaction between the government and the public becomes critical and urgent. O'Hare believes that NIMBY facilities can be seen as a prisoner's dilemma game in game theory, and Camerer also points out that public issues such as environmental concerns are also a type of prisoner's dilemma game. This research adopts an alternative methodology to that of Axelrod, in which a computer simulation was used to compare interactive strategies in prisoner's dilemma games. On the basis of a deductive analysis comparing different interactive strategies in prisoner's dilemma games, in this research an experiment was conducted to verify empirically the results of that analysis in the context of siting NIMBY facilities. The experiment has once again proven that tit-for-tat is indeed a comparatively more effective strategy than the others, not only for the player under consideration, but also for the society as a whole, with the assumption of symmetric information, and it can be used as a reference when political decisions are to be made from the government regarding NIMBY facilities.


As many companies enter into the Internet business world, the World Wide Web (the Web) has become a "strategic necessity." One way an organization can differentiate itself from others is by enhancing customer satisfaction. However, the environment of the Web is different from that of the traditional business. Transactions in this environment are service encounters but do not include direct contact by customer contact employees. The model proposes that attractiveness and informativeness will affect customer satisfaction which lead to overall service quality.


Lionel Penrose was born in London. His father, James Doyle Penrose a portrait painter, and his mother, Elizabeth Josephine (née Peckover) Penrose, were both members of the Society of Friends (Quakers) as their ancestors had been for 200 years. As Dr Harry Harris F.R.S., a colleague and author of Penrose's memoir in Biographical Memoirs of the Royal Society, observes, Lionel and his three brothers 'were brought up strictly according to the religious principles of the Society of friends ... in later life though he remained a member of the Society of Friends he was not particularly zealous about religious meetings. However, his Quaker upbringing no doubt played an important part in determining his extreme dislike of show and pretensiousness and his pacifist outlook. Also he never acquired a taste for fiction'.


The general objective of this work was to analyze the state of technology, inocuity and commercialization of cantaloupe melon of private farmers in Mapimi, Dgo. County, Mexico, to identify opportunities and constraints to export melon of Mapimi to the United States market. To gather information on technology, safety and marketing, was designed and implemented a survey of major producers in the Mapimi County, which by their production volumes have greater export potential. In general it was found that private farmers of Mapimi have a good technological level emphasizing the use of hybrid seeds, plastic mulch, drip tape and pollinating bees. In the case of inocuity producers have an idea of the subject of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), but they need more training. In the commercialization it is perceived a need of meetings with potential buyers of the United States to see possible contracts of sale.


This paper examines the Suzhou Industrial Park project, a collaborative venture between the China and Singapore governments between 1992 and 2002. The collaboration represented a convergence of the two governments' development strategies. The aim was to jointly benefit from foreign direct investment (FDI) by attracting industrial transnational corporations to locate operations within the Park. To achieve this, the China government invested strong political support for the project, while the Singapore government invested capital and administrative expertise. This paper finds that between 1992 and 1997, the collaboration was relatively successful, as the Suzhou Industrial Park experienced some of the highest levels of foreign direct investment in China. However, between 1997 and 1999, the project faced several problems including the effects of the Asian Financial Crisis outside China and competition from other industrial estates within China. This ultimately led the Singapore government to announce its dise...


Cavity resonance antennas with dielectric superstrate are considered with different ground plane types namely, perfect electric conductor (PEC), perfect magnetic conductor (PMC), and artificial magnetic conductor (AMC). Radiation properties of these antennas are computed using transverse equivalent network (TEN) model. It is shown that the effects of angular and polarization dependency of artificial ground planes can be beneficial or detrimental to the antenna performance in directivity.


Reports on the School Meals Campaign and its calls for national nutritional guidelines for school meals. Outlines a school meals project in East Berkshire. Gives a brief historical review of Government legislation on school meals and the effects of the 1980 Education Act on the nutritional standards. Notes comments from various groups which support the idea of providing meals at school to nutritional guidelines.


A study was conducted to reveal the characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of Fischoederius elongatus derived from cows in Shanghai, China. Results indicated that the complete mt genome of F. elongatus was 14,288 bp and contained 12 protein-coding genes (cox1-3, nad1-6, nad4L, atp6, and cytb), 22 transfer RNA genes, and two ribosomal RNA genes (l-rRNA and s-rRNA). The overall A + T content of the mt genome was 63.83%, and the nucleotide composition was A (19.83%), C (9.75%), G (26.43%), and T (44.00%). A total of 3284 amino acids were encoded by current F. elongatus isolate mt genome, TTT (Phe) (9.84%) and TTG (Leu) (7.73%) codon were the most frequent amino acids, whereas the ACC (Thr) (0.06%), GCC (Ala) (0.09%), CTC (Leu) (0.09%), and AAC (Asn) (0.09%) codon were the least frequent ones. At the third codon position of F. elongatus mt protein genes, T (50.82%) was observed most frequently and C (5.85%) was the least one. The current results can contribute to epidemiology diagnosis, molecular identification, taxonomy, genetic, and drug development researches about this parasite species in cattle.


The glycophoryn A (GPA) assay evaluates somatic in vivo mutations. It is considered a cumulative biodosimeter for genotoxic exposures and is under evaluation in cancer risk assessment. GPA, a polymorphic membrane protein of the erythrocytes, determines the MN blood groups. The N0 and NN variant frequencies (VF) may be detected in MN subjects (about 50% of the population) by flow cytometry using two differently labelled antibodies. We explored if GPA N0 and NN VF might be relevant to the assessment of individual lung cancer risk and susceptibility, in a small population with a high prevalence of heavy tobacco smokers: 8 lung cancer patients and 16 subjects with non‐malignant lung diseases associated with increased risk of lung cancer. There was a wide interindividual variability and complete overlap between non‐neoplastic and neoplastic patients. A significant positive correlation was seen with smoking duration in N0 VF (p=0.04, age‐adjusted). Current smokers (n=12) displayed higher N0 values than never (n=1) or ex‐smokers (n=11), 36.3±18.2 and 21.0±13.2, respectively (p < 0:01). No association was shown with occupational exposure. The present exploratory study suggests that assessment of individual lung cancer risk and susceptibility by the GPA assay does not seem to be feasible. The assay appears to provide a biomarker of longterm exposure to tobacco smoke.


A two-layer structure (PbOx/In2O3/Pb alloy) in lead alloy thermal oxides has been verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) analyses in combination with a reoxidation technique. Following initial formation of oxides to a thickness of about 20 AA at 4*10-2 Torr oxygen at room temperature, a 7 AA surface region is removed by a sophisticated short-time sputtering technique. Reoxidation is then performed at 5*10-2 Torr oxygen in a time range below 215 min, resulting in the formation of a single layer of In2O3 having the same thickness as the initial In oxide. The two-layer formation mechanism is discussed with reference to the uneven nature of the PbOx-In2O3 and In2O3-alloy interfaces.


ABSTRACT Clostridium ultunense strain Esp belongs to the functional group of syntrophic acetate-oxidizing bacteria (SAOB), which have been identified as key organisms for efficient biogas production from protein-rich materials. Genome analysis and comparative genomics might aid us to define physiological features that are essential for maintaining this particular syntrophic lifestyle.


Oral examination (viva) has been used as an important tool to evaluate various orders of cognitive domain amongst medical students for decades. However, its objectivity and reliability have been increasingly questioned by experts. Standardised oral examination is considered superior to traditional viva with higher overall and inter-rater reliabilities. In view of the nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19, we designed an online format of clinical assessment called 'structured online viva examination' (STOVE), based on the principles of structured oral assessment. The 20-min STOVE comprised of a set of three clinical case scenarios, with each scenario having a subset of 8–10 tailor-made questions to address core clinical competencies of our curriculum. Appropriate weightage was given to clinical knowledge, focused history-taking skill, steps of bedside examination and clinical/laboratory data interpretation to ensure the validity of the examination. The scenarios reflected the real clinical cases that students were likely to encounter during their forthcoming internship. Blueprint was used to map course learning outcomes and to ensure alignment with graduate attributes. In addition to assigning a checklist score, each of the two examiners assigned a global rating score for candidate's knowledge and organisation. A practice session was conducted for students to train in the online process of the examination which included mock viva and role plays with the faculty acting as the simulators to replicate the actual conditions during the online examination. A calibration meeting of the examiners was held prior to the examination. We used the online virtual meeting platform Cisco WebEx (Cisco Systems, Inc., San Jose, CA, USA). Nine (21%) out of the total 42 students took examinations from outside the country. The global inter-rater reliability score was 0.78 (Cohen's κ: 0.47) which is comparable to that reported in the literature. Minor technical issues experienced during the examination included interruption in internet connectivity (n = 1) and problems with video streaming (n = 2). Feedback interviews indicated that students found the online exam well-organised, fair and largely acceptable (n = 42, 100%). The majority of students (n = 40 (95%)) felt that facility to record the online examinations reduced examiner bias. Examiner feedback suggested that STOVE was more objective than traditional viva (n = 6, 100%) but could limit the flexibility to move from one subtopic to another in the given case scenario and restrict examiners' style of asking questions (n = 2, 33%). Our experience suggested that the STOVE format was successful in assessing the 'knows how' level of Miller's pyramid. It is a useful online method to assess the depth and breadth of students' knowledge and other clinical competencies except psychomotor skills. STOVE has good inter-rater reliability and is well accepted by faculty and the final-year medical students for summative assessment. Acknowledgements


The hepatoprotective effects of theanine on acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity were investigated in vivo and in vitro. The effects of theanine on liver toxicity induced by APAP were assessed by blood biochemical and histopathological analyses. APAP treatment (400 mg/kg) caused severe liver injury in mice as indicated by their significantly elevated plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Pretreatment with theanine for 3 days attenuated the increase in ALT and AST when challenged with APAP. These protective effects of theanine against APAP-induced toxicity were consistent with the results from the histopathological examinations. We next examined the effects of theanine on the GSH concentration in liver plasma. The hepatic GSH level was significantly elevated in a dose-dependent manner by theanine treatment. The results suggest that the protective effects of theanine APAP-induced hapatotoxicity by antioxidative effect and GSH induction, implying that theanine should be considered a potential chemopreventive agent.


Pre-service teachers need to be adequately prepared to teach, they are expected to engage with research into teaching and learning during their training as well as reflect on their practice. They need to see themselves as evidence-based practitioners of a research informed profession. In accordance with topics outlined in the Life Sciences Grade 10-12 Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document, the study sought to identify areas in Life Sciences where pre-service students encounter learning problems as well as ways to enhance effectiveness of their Life Sciences learning. This study followed an interpretivist approach and social constructivism of knowledge. A convenience sample comprising 58 first year Natural Sciences pre-service teachers (22 males, 36 females) enrolled for the Life Sciences major was used in the study. Qualitative data were collected by means of five focus group discussions with pre-service teachers on their experiences on Life Sciences learning. The following topics were identified as the difficult to learn: Genetics and inheritance and energy transformations to sustain life and cited amongst others that the nature of the topic and teaching strategies employed by their former teachers made it difficult for them to make meaning of the subject matter. Suggestions to overcome these learning difficulties in Life Sciences were made. Teacher preparation needs to focus on highly discipline-specific programs with emphasis on Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) as well so as to effect a deeper and more effective learning process, as well as strengthening the active role of the teacher as a researcher and developer of his/her own practice.


In education, it is common to put the condition of 'safety' around public race dialogue. The authors argue that this procedural rule maintains white comfort zones and becomes a symbolic form of violence experienced by people of color. In other words, they ask, 'Safety for whom?' A subtle but fundamental violence is enacted in safe discourses on race, which must be challenged through a pedagogy of disruption, itself a form of violence but a humanizing, rather than repressive, version. For this, the authors turn to Frantz Fanon's theory of violence, most clearly outlined in The Wretched of the Earth. First, the article outlines the basic assumptions of Fanon's theory of revolutionary, as opposed to repressive, violence. Second, we analyze the surrounding myths that an actual safe space exists for people of color when it concerns public race dialogue. Third, we critique the intellectualization of racism as part of the concrete violence lived by people of color in the academy, which whites continually reduce to an idea. We pedagogically reframe the racial predicament by promoting a 'risk' discourse about race, which does not assume safety but contradiction and tension. This does not suggest that people of color are somehow correct by virtue of their social location. In addition, it does not equate with creating a hostile situation but acknowledges that violence is already there. Finally, we consider the practical import of intellectual solidarity, where understanding racism becomes the higher good rather than whether or not one leaves the dialogue looking more or less racist than before.


This paper explores algebraic aspects of two modifications of the usual account of first-order quantifiers. Standard first-order quantificational logic is modelled algebraically by cylindric algebras. Prime examples of these are algebras whose members are sets of sequences: given a first-order model U for a language that is based on the set {υκ: κ < α} of variables, each formula φ is represented by the set of all those α-length sequences x = 〈xκ: κ < α〉 that satisfy φ in U. Such a sequence provides a value-assignment to the variables (υκ is assigned value xκ), but it may also be viewed geometrically as a point in the α-dimensional Cartesian spaceαU of all α-length sequences whose terms come from the underlying set U of U. Then existential quantification is represented by the operation of cylindrification. To explain this, define a binary relation Tκ on sequences by putting xTκy if and only if x and y differ at most at their κth coordinate, i.e., Then for any set X ⊆ αU, the set is the "cylinder" generated by translation of X parallel to the κth coordinate axis in αU. Given the standard semantics for the existential quantifier ∃υκ as it is evident that


Background. Little data exists concerning the reasons for using complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies by seniors. Therefore, the aim of this study is to learn about motives of German seniors for using CAM therapies and their wishes for health care in general. Methods. One focus group and one "World Café" following a semistructured interview guide were conducted. All discussions were recorded digitally, transcribed, and analyzed according to Qualitative Content Analysis using the software MAXQDA. Results. In total 21 seniors participated (eighteen female, three male, mean age 72.5 ± 4.3 years). Most of the participants had lifelong experiences with medicinal herbs and home remedies due to unavailable conventional care during childhood. Also important for them were nutrition and exercise. These methods were often used as self-care to enhance wellbeing, to prevent and to cure illnesses. The participants would welcome an integration of CAM in health care services. They asked especially for more empathic physicians who are better trained in CAM and respect their experiences. Conclusion. The importance of life experience in regard to health care by senior can be seen as a resource. Qualitative studies investigating physician-patient relationships and intergenerational aspects in CAM use could be of interest for further studies.


This paper investigates synchronization problem of nonlinearly coupled dynamical networks, and an effectively impulsive control scheme is proposed to synchronize the network onto the objective state. Based on the stability analysis of impulsive differential equations, a low-dimensional sufficient condition is derived to guarantee the exponential synchronization in virtual of average impulsive interval. A numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed methods and results.


Tetraazafulvalene 1 has found broad application in reduction and other related transformations and is conveniently generated from bis-propyl bis-imidazolium salt 4 with a strong base in a non-protic solvent. The proposed mechanism for the formation of 1 involves initial deprotonation at C(2) to give a mono-carbene 9 followed by intramolecular reaction at the second azolium centre. Herein, we report the second-order rate constants for deuteroxide-catalysed exchange in aqueous solution of the C(2)-hydrogens of bis-propyl bis-imidazolium di-iodide salt 4 and related monomeric dipropyl imidazolium iodide 10 of kDO=1.37×104 and 1.79×102M-1s-1, respectively, and used these data to calculate pKa values of 21.2 and 23.1. The greater C(2)-H acidity of the doubly bridged bis-propyl bis-imidazolium salt 4 relative to 10 may be attributed to the inductive or electrostatic destabilization of the conjugate acid dicationic azolium ion 4 relative to the monocationic carbene 9, which is enhanced by bis-tethering. Formation of tetraazafulvalene 1 was not observed under the aqueous conditions employed highlighting that carbene reprotonation significantly outcompetes dimerization under these conditions.


This paper presents a study outcome whereby the method of analyzing the stability with regard to the skid of wheeled vehicles with the consideration of variable velocity value along the curvilinear sections of the way and longitudinal angular oscillations of the sprung part has been developed. The longitudinal angular oscillations of the sprung part reduce the critical speed value of steady motion; accelerated movement of the vehicle along the curvilinear section of the way for larger values of acceleration of the front axle skid occurs at lower velocity values (rear for the larger ones), for slow motion on the contrary. As for the impact of the power characteristics of the sprung system, then for the same values of all other parameters (amplitudes of longitudinal angular oscillations, static deformations, acceleration (deceleration)), the progressive characteristic of the sprinkler system corresponds to the greater value of the critical speed of the stable motion as a regressive one. The theoretical contribution of the reported study in that the obtained results can serve as a base for study the influence of the kinematic parameters of the vehicle's motion on its controllability.


This paper conducts a detailed analysis of the evolution of the employment situation in Egypt over the period from 1998 to 2012, paying special attention to the impact of the economic crisis accompanying the January 25th 2011 revolution. Data from the Egypt Labor Market Panel Survey of 2012 is used and compared to the 1998 and 2006 survey rounds. Trends in job creation, employment status, sector, industry, and occupation are examined. This paper also investigates job mobility between statuses from 2006 to 2012 and compares this to patterns of mobility from 1998 to 2006. Additionally, we examine changes in the conditions of work, including characteristics such as stability, formality, hours, benefits, and firm size. Employment in the private sector continues to be dominated by small firms and informal work. Irregular wage work—the type of employment that is most closely associated with vulnerability and poverty—has risen substantially as of 2012. Overall, there appears to have been a substantial deterioration in employment conditions in the private sector, but stability, if not improvement, in conditions for those employed in the public sector.


AbstractThe exacerbated (economic and ecological) crisis and the failure of conventional theories and policies aiming at eco-regulation and sustainable development of capitalism make it imperative to consider this socio-ecological crisis from an anti-systemic, communist perspective. This article is an attempt to articulate a unified and integrated interpretation of this socio-ecological crisis, based on a dialectical conception of the relationship between society and nature. The over-accumulation, rising organic composition of capital, and falling rate of profit play a central role in the analysis of this crisis and the articulation of its particular forms. As argued, capital's strategic response to crisis and the deep restructuring of capitalism cannot ensure ecological and social sustainability, and more importantly the requirements of a socially acceptable human development. While there is some evidence of a recurrent accumulation and crisis, we are rather witnessing a secular downturn of capitalism and all attempts or tendencies towards "dematerialization" or "decoupling" of capitalist production (and growth) from its detrimental ecological impact fail to effectively encounter the root causes of crisis. An attempt is finally made to draw the "broad contours" of an alternative, communist outlook in overcoming this socio-ecological crisis, and a working-class strategy ensuring the conditions of sustainable human development and an ecologically compatible society.


In the course of revision of Marchantiales for the Russian Far East, Wiesnerella denudata, the only species of the monotypic family Wiesnerellaceae is recorded for the first time in Russia. The plant has been found in Iturup and Shikotan Islands of South Kurils), and this is the northernmost locality in the world, the nearest previously known locality being in Honshu in Japan and on the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula. The morphological description and figures based on specimens from Russia are provided.


Human recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) has been shown to be an effective and safe agent for coronary thrombolysis in patients with acute myocardial infarction. However, thrombolysis is associated with a high rate of acute reocclusion after discontinuation of rt-PA. The goals of the present study were to assess whether reocclusion after thrombolysis is caused by intracoronary platelet aggregation and to determine the role of thromboxane A2 (TxA2) and serotonin (5HT) in mediating this phenomenon. Accordingly, coronary thrombosis was induced in anesthetized, open-chest dogs by insertion of a copper coil into the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). LAD blood flow was monitored throughout the experiment by means of a Doppler flow probe placed proximally to the coil. Thrombolysis was achieved with rt-PA (0.05 mg/kg bolus + micrograms/kg/min infusion) in 23 +/- 3 min. rt-PA was then discontinued and each animal received a bolus of heparin (150 U/kg) every hour. Reperfusion was followed by repeated cycles of gradual occlusions followed by spontaneous restorations of blood flow (cyclic flow variations, CFVs) before a persistent occlusion recurred. In control dogs (n = 6), heparin alone did not prevent CFVs and reocclusion time was 25 +/- 4 min. Administration of an intravenous bolus of 0.2 +/- 0.06 mg/kg SQ29548, a TxA2/prostaglandin H2-receptor antagonist, and an intravenous bolus of 0.2 +/- 0.04 mg/kg ketanserin, a 5HT2-receptor antagonist, completely abolished CFVs in six of six dogs and reocclusion time was greater than 158 +/- 14 min (p less than .01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


In this paper a modular distributed control architecture for robotic exoskeletons is presented. On a research environment, an exoskeleton can be used for experimental studies on several fields, such as motor control, assistive technologies or ergonomics. However, robotic exoskeletons are usually very expensive and time demanding to build, leading to a limited number of existing prototypes. A modular open system may enable the use of a single exoskeleton device for different several simultaneous researches leading to a better resource utilization. A first step in the development of an open modular exoskeleton is the design of a distributed and modular control architecture for these devices. The presented architecture was divided into tree modules: central processor, nodes and network system. Although this approach is not completely novel, it is innovative on the fact that these three modules follow a standardization in order to enable direct replacement without modification on the other modules. The network system is the only application independent and a custom network was designed in order to be simple to implement without requiring advanced technical knowledge and without a loss of performance. In addition to the advantage of being flexible and easy to modify, the presented architecture enables the implementation of bio-inspired hierarchical control routines, thus being suitable to validate theories and mathematical models.


The thesis examines the background, theory and effects of imprisoning young, male adult offenders (aged 18-21) with adult male offenders (over 21 years). The Introduction forms Chapter 1. The initial 'needs analysis' is described here; how Young Adult Offenders are currently being incarcerated with adults, from a little established research base evaluating the practice. The Systematic review is described in Chapter 2 and scopes the literature from journals held in selected databases of published research relating to the topic of integrating young offenders with adults in adult prisons. Searches yielded reports of the target population imprisoned with adults and these informed on the effects of mixing the different-aged populations. This included a qualitative study examining the young people's views, and quantitative research reporting how they conducted themselves and coped in prison. Seven papers were included in the final review and each was critically appraised based on type of study and methodology followed. The Empirical research study is set out in Chapter 3 and follows qualitative methodology, specifically Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). From analysis of the participants' views, it details over-arching themes concerning locus of control, coping styles and issues relating to the development of identity. The results highlighted five main themes: 1. Elements of vulnerability; how the self and others are perceived and protected and how weaknesses are exploited, 2. The complexities of adjusting to prison, 3. Being concerned about safety in prison, 4. How activities are perceived and utilised and 5. How help is identified and accessed. These are discussed in terms of the literature and theory. Limitations are discussed. A Psychometric assessment: the Emotional Problems Scales (EPS: Prout & Strohmer, 1991) is critiqued in Chapter 4, selected for its utility with the target age group. The Discussion of the whole thesis is presented in Chapter 5, with practical implications for future practice and effective management of young people held in adult prisons.


ROGER C. LYNDON. The representation of relation algebras, II. Annals of mathematics, ser. 2 vol. 63 (1956), pp. 294-307. This article has two purposes. First, an error in an earlier paper of the author (see XVI 279) is pointed out: Contrary to what is stated in that paper, Tarski has shown in XXI 405 that the class of representable relation algebras is equational. Lyndon carefully points out where the error occurred, and itemizes the changes in XVI279 needed to retain some of its results; the main result, that non-representable relation algebras exist, is not affected. The purpose of the second part of the present paper is to give explicit axioms for the class of representable relation algebras. The axioms are rather complicated, as is the proof that they work. (These axioms are lent more significance by a later result of the reviewer that no finite set of axioms suffices; see XXXI 508. The problem mentioned at the end of the paper under review has since been solved by McKenzie; see review following.) J. DONALD MONK


Quantum computers have the potential to solve certain problems faster or with more precision than classical computers. Therefore, quantum computing saw a rise in popularity and consequently much research is performed to achieve quantum advantage. However, today's quantum computers are not capable of executing most of these algorithms with reasonable instance sizes. To benefit from current hardware, algorithms are split into a classical part and a quantum part, such that recent quantum computers can execute it. This abstract idea of splitting is formulated in the Quantum-Classic Split pattern. This thesis examines these hybrid algorithms with a focus on Variational Quantum Algorithms and their split-points. Different implementations of the Variational Quantum Eigensolver and Quantum Approximation Optimization Algorithm are tested with several components. Many classical components are reusable. If the split-points are set well, Classical optimizers, classical pre-processing and classical post-processing can be tested and implemented by classical software engineers. The benefit of splitting algorithms are, that the implementation can be distributed between software engineers and quantum experts and the classical parts can be reusable. The guidelines on how to set split-points are structured similar to patterns as pattern-candidates.


This paper presents a decentralized control strategy for the autonomous (islanded) operation of parallel connection of two distributed generation (DG) units. The DG units are electronically interfaced to the host grid at the same point of common coupling (PCC), where the local load is also supplied. In the grid-connected mode, the voltage-sourced converter (VSC) of each DG unit controls the exchange of real and reactive power components with the host grid, based on the conventional dq-current control strategy. In the islanded mode, one of the DG units provides voltage and frequency control for the island, and the other DG unit continues to operate with the pre-islanding dq-current control strategy. The performance of the proposed decentralized controller is validated based on a laboratory scale experimental setup. The experimental results show that the proposed decentralized controller provides robust voltage control for the islanded two-parallel DG system and can sustain the stability of the system against the load perturbations and the external disturbances.


The recent approach of comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock (1983d) to within 5 million km of earth on May 11, 1983, was an unprecedented opportunity to study processes occurring within the coma close to the nucleus of a comet (Eos, June 28, 1983, p. 429). It was also a formidable observational challenge since, at closest approach, the angular motion of the comet was 40° per day. The International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) Observatory (Eos, June 3, 1980, p. 481) operated from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center, was able to meet the challenge and provided Paul D. Feldman of the Johns Hopkins University and Michael F. A'Hearn of the University of Maryland with an unexpected discovery—the presence of S2 in the comet.


We have recently reported the chondrogenic effect of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) in high density cultures of the mouse multipotent mesenchymal C3H10T1/2 cell line and have shown the functional requirement of the cell-cell adhesion molecule N-cadherin in BMP-2-induced chondrogenesisin vitro (Denker, A. E., Nicoll, S. B., and Tuan, R. S. (1995) Differentiation 59, 25–34; Haas, A. R., and Tuan, R. S. (1999) Differentiation 64, 77–89). Furthermore, BMP-2 treatment also results in an increased protein level of β-catenin, a known N-cadherin-associated Wnt signal transducer (Fischer, L., Haas, A., and Tuan, R. S. (2001)Signal Transduction 2, 66–78), suggesting functional cross-talk between the BMP-2 and Wnt signaling pathways. We have observed previously that BMP-2 treatment up-regulates expression of Wnt-3A in high density cultures of C3H10T1/2 cells. To assess the contribution of Wnt-3A to BMP-2-mediated chondrogenesis, we have generated C3H10T1/2 cell lines overexpressing Wnt-3A and various forms of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), an immediate cytosolic component of the Wnt signaling pathway, and examined their response to BMP-2. We show that overexpression of either Wnt-3A or kinase-dead GSK-3β enhances BMP-2-mediated chondrogenesis. Furthermore, Wnt-3A overexpression results in decreases in both N-cadherin and GSK-3β protein levels, whereas Wnt-3A as well as kinase-dead GSK-3β overexpression increase total and nuclear levels of both β-catenin and LEF-1. Direct cross-talk between Wnts and BMP-2 was also indicated by the up-regulated interaction between β-catenin and SMAD-4 in response to BMP-2. These results suggest that Wnt-3A acts in a manner opposite to that of other Wnts, such as Wnt-7A, which were previously identified as inhibitory to chondrogenesis, and is the first BMP-2-regulated, chondrogenesis-enhancing member of the Wnt family.


Author(s): Shaw, Lucas | Advisor(s): Hopkins, Jonathan B | Abstract: The purpose of this research is to increase the speed with which holographic optical tweezers (HOT) can individually assemble microscale particles for fabricating useful volumes of mechanical metamaterials in reasonable build times. HOT systems are unique among other additive manufacturing approaches in their ability to create true-3D structures with multiple materials, microscale features, and overhanging geometries. To scale up HOT-based fabrication, this research focuses on four primary goals: (1) scaling the number of particles that can be handled simultaneously using scanning holographic optical tweezers (SHOT), (2) developing efficient path planning and automation algorithms for efficiently delivering particles to their destinations within the fabricated structure, (3) modeling the dynamics of discretely-stepped optically-trapped particles to reliably handle them at high speeds, and (4) efficiently joining adjacent particles to produce a permanent structure. In addition, this work also demonstrates a proof-of-concept system that combines the HOT approach with the two-photon lithography approach, which allows for simultaneous fabrication and manipulation of microscale mechanisms in the same system for the first time. By improving the number and speed of particles that can be handled with the HOT approach, this work provides a promising path towards automated and scalable manufacturing of materials with extraordinary properties, such as microgranular lattices or microstructures with embedded strain energy.


A girl with Philadelphia chromosome-positive CML (Ph1-positive CML) was treated with busulfan from the age of 10 years 11 months to 16 years. Before treatment she had no evidence of pubertal development and no sexual development has occurred over the ensuing 5 years. Endocrine evaluation revealed that the child had ovarian failure. The pubescent female appears to be prone to develop gonadal failure with resultant lack of sexual development when treated with busulfan during this period in her life.


Cloud Computing is widely spread technique which has emerged a new technology that provides large amounts of computing and data storage capacity to its users with a promise of increased scalability, better availability, and reduced administration and maintenance costs. Because the use of cloud computing environments increases, it becomes crucial to understand the performance of this environment. So, to assess the performance of computing clouds in terms of various metrics is of great importance, such as the overhead of acquiring and releasing the virtual computing resources, and other virtualization and network communications overheads. To address these issues, we have presented the architecture of the framework and discuss several cloud resource management alternatives. Then finally we have designed and implemented load balancing algorithm for performance increase. we state the requirements for defining such algorithm to assess the performance of computing clouds. Secondly, a new VM load balancing algorithm has been proposed and designed for an IaaS framework in cloud computing environment; i.e. 'Modified Weighted Active Monitoring Load Balancing Algorithm' on cloud, for the Datacenter to effectively load balance requests between the available virtual machines assigning a weight, in order to achieve better performance parameters such as response time and Data processing time.


This article presents first systematical procedure results on traditional usage of wild, edible, vitaminous, and aromatic plants in the nutrition of human population in Bosnia and Herzegovina (W. Balkan peninsula; SE Europe). By method of an ethnobotanical interview, which comprised of over 250 persons, whose average age was 55, and by research on edible wild flora all around Bosnia and Herzegovina that extended over many years, detected were 308 plants belonging to 73 plant families that are being used in nutrition and diet of indigenous population. Edible wild plants are used as delicious vegetables, fruits, peer and spices, in either fresh, raw, or dried condition. Plants are being used for the making of cooked food (33%), fresh salads (19%), mush and bread (17%), or as fresh, wild fruits and drinks (13%) or as spices and ethno-pharmacological potions (10%). The majority of identified, wild edible plants may satisfy the daily human need for elementary nutrition material, particularly those of vitamins ...


The freedom-addict, nonconformist Beatnic writer and poet Diane Di Prima has led a legendary political and social activism, which set a sample life style not only at a feministic level but also at a domain of literary craft that represents best of her generation.She has forty-three published books which have been translated into as many as twenty languages. And her candid, unequivocal and experimental poetry as well as her strong and self-assured precision for human nature receives a continious attention of the readers of Beat Generation. With an iconoclastic, wry and meditative style, Di Prima represents the voice of the feminine and the maternal alternative of the Beat Generation. Her quest is for self-definition and a clear expression of feminine poetics; exploring female perspectives of bohemian life, love, motherhood, community and independence. Using parody, satire, and a humorous ironic language, she reflects on the voiceless communication between men and women and the alienated self living in the crowd of outer world. This article aims to analyze and illustrate the protest voice of Diane Di Prima and to exemplify her feminine poetics as a female Beat poet.


Background Postmenopausal breast cancer (PMBC) is the most commonly diagnosed and the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the US. Research examining the association between PMBC and education level has been inconsistent; no study in the US has examined how educational level impacts PMBC mortality in Asian American women, a largely immigrant population with above-average educational attainment. Methods California Vital Statistics data from 2012–2017 were analyzed to derive age-adjusted mortality rate ratios (MRRs) by education level (associates degree or above referred to as "higher education", high school, less than high school) and race [Non-Hispanic White (NHW), Asian/Pacific Islander (Asian), and its two largest subpopulations: Chinese and Filipino] from negative binomial regression models. Results PMBC mortality for both NHWs and Asians was greater among women with higher education compared to those who did not complete high school: NHWs had 22% higher PMBC mortality (MRR 1.22; 95% CI: 1.14–1.31) and Asians had 2.6 times greater PMBC mortality (MRR 2.64; 95% CI: 2.32–3.00) than their counterparts who did not complete high school. Asians in the lowest education level had 70% lower mortality than NHWs (MRR 0.30; 95% CI: 0.27–0.34). This mortality advantage among Asians was greatly reduced to only 27% lower among the highest educated (MRR 0.73; 95% CI: 0.68–0.78). For higher educated Filipina women, no mortality advantage was evident compared to NHWs (MRR 0.96; 95% CI: 0.88–1.05). Conclusion PMBC mortality for higher educated Asian women is elevated in comparison to their counterparts with less education. Given that PMBC survival is greater among those with higher education, our findings strongly suggest an excess in the incidence of PMBC (more than double) among higher educated Asian women; this warrants more research into potentially modifiable causes of PMBC in this burgeoning population.


This article discusses a principle possibility of extrapolating medical knowledge in prevention and treatment of human diseases of various nature, including those caused by external anthropogenic impacts, on protecting the environment and Biosphere, particularly the methodological aspects of the problem. It is based on an assumption of a principle similarity of processes underlying the existence and development of a human organism, the Biosphere and their major subsystems.


Soil fertility in agricultural landscapes is driven by complex interactions between natural and anthropogenic processes, with organic matter (OM) inputs playing a critical role. Asymmetric allocation patterns of these resources among communities and within individual farms can lead to soil fertility gradients. However, the drivers and consequences of such patterns in different socioecological contexts remains poorly documented and understood. The objective of this study was to address this gap by assessing asymmetric OM allocation patterns and the associated consequences for soil fertility management in three indigenous communities located in the Central Ecuadorian Andes. We found that both distance from homestead and perception of fertility were associated with asymmetric OM allocation patterns to fields as well as with soil fertility gradients within farms. For example, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), and exchangeable potassium (K) all decreased with distance from the homestead, while SOC, total N, and available P were positively correlated with a farmer's perception of soil fertility. We note that these fertility gradients remained even in the case of increased farm‐level OM inputs. Overall OM allocation patterns differed significantly among communities and were associated with significant differences in soil fertility, with the highest levels of available P and exchangeable K found in the community with the highest OM inputs. The results of this study indicate the importance of asymmetric OM allocation patterns encountered at different scales, both within farms and among neighboring communities, in rural Andean landscapes and their significant interactions with soil fertility gradients.


The skin provides protection against external stimuli; however, solar radiation, including ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB), can result in profound influences on skin structure and function, which eventually impairs its molecular characteristics and normal physiology. In the current study, we performed proteome tools combined with an immunohistological approach on nude mouse skin to evaluate the adverse responses elicited by UVA and UVB irradiation, respectively. Our findings indicated that UVA significantly promotes oxidative damage in DNA, the breakdown of collagen fiber in the dermis, and the apoptosis of fibroblasts, which leads to inflammation. Meanwhile, UVB administration was found to enhance the carbonylation of various proteins and the proliferation of keratinocyte. Particularly, raspberry extract, which has been confirmed to have antioxidative efficacy, could effectively attenuate ultraviolet (UV) radiation-caused cell death. Network analysis also implied that UVA and UVB induce quite different responses, and that UVA results in cell death as well as inflammation mediated by caspase-3 and activator protein 1/nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (AP-1/NF-κB), while UVB predominantly increases the risk of skin carcinogenesis involved with oncogenes such as p53 and c-Myc. Taken together, functional proteomics coordinated with histological experiments could allow for a high-throughput study to explore the alterations of crucial proteins and molecules linked to skin impacts subjected to UVA and UVB exposure.


Abstract Background: APOL1 risk variants (G1 and G2) are associated with increased susceptibility to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in African population. However, the two risk mutations were not found in Chinese FSGS patients. In this study, we explored the association between the copy number variation (CNV) of APOL1 gene and FSGS. Methods: APOL1 copy number variations were detected by quantitative real-time PCR with TaqMan probes and compared between 133 FSGS patients and 123 controls. The association between CNV of APOL1 gene and clinical parameters was also investigated. Results: The distribution of APOL1 CNV did not show significant difference between FSGS patients and controls. The creatinine and proteinuria in the high copy number group (CN ≥ 3) were higher than the other two groups, but the difference was not significant (p > .05). The FSGS pathological types were different among the three groups. Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the distribution of APOL1 gene copy variants between FSGS patients and normal controls, and there was no significant correlation between the APOL1 gene CNV and the FSGS patients' clinical manifestations. APOL1 CNVs may be not associated with susceptibility to FSGS.


The brain is capable of elaborating and executing different stages of information processing. However, exactly how these stages are processed in the brain is still unknown. Discovery of the P300 event-related potential (ERP) stimulated the use of brain recording methods to assess human cognition. The P300 wave is considered to reflect an information processing cascade associated with attention and memory mechanisms. The P300 wave is a positive wave deflection in the human event related potential. The P300 wave is commonly elicited in an Oddball paradigm when a subject detects an occasional target stimulus in a regular train of standard stimuli. The P300 wave only occurs if the subject is actively involved in detecting the target stimuli. Its amplitude varies with the improbability of the target. Its latency varies with the difficulty to discriminate the target with standard stimuli. In patients with decreased cognitive ability, amplitude is smaller and latency is longer than age matched control subjects. The P300 is comprised of P3a that results from an early attention related process stemming from a working memory representational change, and P3b occurs when the attention-driven stimulus signal is transmitted to temporal and parietal structures. The exact neural origin of P300 wave is not known and its role in cognition is not clearly understood. The P300 wave may have multiple intracerebral generators including hippocampus and various association areas of neocortex. As the relationship between neurotransmitter function and the concomitant neuro electric signals recorded at the scalp are clarified, articulating how these variables interact will fulfil the cognitive promise that the P300 inspired when it was discovered over 40 years ago.