This study aims to expand on the various aspects of online banking risks and the risk management methods employed in mitigating these risks. Ongoing hi-tech improvement and rivalry between available banking organizations and latest participants have permitted for a much extensive range of banking products and services to grow to be available and distributed to retail and wholesale clients via an electronic allocation channel jointly referred to as online banking. Nevertheless, the swift improvement of online banking potentials holds threats as well as opportunities and strengths. This study will expand more on various aspects of online banking risks such as strategic risk, transaction risk, compliance risk, reputation risk, information security risk, credit risk, interest rate risk, liquidity risk, price risk and foreign exchange risk, with the risk management methods. These risks should be acknowledged, attended to and controlled by banking establishments in a cautious approach according to the elementary attributes and challenges of online banking services. These attributes consist of the unique pace of change associated to hi-tech and client service improvement, the ever-present and global character of open electronic networks, the incorporation of online banking applications with heritage computer systems and the greater than ever reliance of banks on third parties that make available the required information technology. While not creating innately most modern risks, these attributes amplified and modified some of the traditional risks connected with banking activities, particularly strategic, operational, legal and reputational risks, in so doing influencing the general risk outline of banking. Due to these conclusions, accessible risk management principles stay appropriate for online banking activities and such principles ought to be personalized, adapted and, in some cases, expanded to deal with the precise risk management challenges fashioned by the attributes of online banking activities. These "Risk Management Principles" are not present as total prerequisites. Implementing comprehensive risk management prerequisites in the region of online banking may be counter-productive, if only for the reason that these would be likely to grow to be swiftly outmoded because of the pace of change associated to hi-tech and client service upgrading. Nevertheless, some concerns, such as the organization of outsourcing relationships, security controls and legal and reputational risk management, necessitate more comprehensive values than those articulated to date owing to the distinctive attributes and repercussions of the internet allotment channel.


The repair of pectus excavatum with Nuss procedure (group N) is well established among pediatric surgeons. It named minimally invasive surgery. Studies on adult patients are rare. We compared Nuss procedures and Ravitch procedures (group R) on adult patients, which of them minimally invasive in respect tos cin incisions. We retrospectively analysed 35 adult patients (16 Nuss procedures, 19 Ravitch procedures) from 2007 to 2011. In two groups all patients aged older than 20. Ravitch procedures performed midsternal vertical incision and substernal metal bar. For Nuss procedures three scin incisions was performed, a 10-mm blunt-tip trocar was introduced into the chest. A subcutaneous tunnel was created by blunt dissection to the highest point of the funnel. A long steel introducer was inserted into the chest and pushed behind the sternum anterior to the pericardium. Finally, the bar was rotated 180°, and the sternum was tilted upward. A stabilizer was placed on the left side of the bar. In group R 12.5 cm (10-17 cm) scin incision was performed. Non-steroidal anti-inflamatuar analgesic used for post-operative pain. We did not observe any relaps and major complication. In group N 8.5 cm (7-12.5cm) scin incision was performed. Opioid derived was used for post-operative pain. We observed early bar dislocation at four patients, two haemothoraces, three pneumothoraces and one severe post-operative pain. In Nuss procedures should not require chest wall resection and it may do small scin incisions. But Nuss procedure have lots of complications. In Ravitch procedure, much more effective and less invasive and have little complication. We have lots of question marks.


Aim: Depression is a heterogeneous construct that includes various symptoms (e.g., cognitive, somatic) and is linked to worse diabetes outcomes. We examined the associations of depressive symptom clusters with glycemic outcomes using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data in youth with T1D.
 Methods: Participants (N=120) provided blood samples for HbA1c, completed a validated survey for depressive symptoms (CES-DC) , and wore CGM for one week. CGM glucose metrics were derived: % time in range (TIR) 70-180 mg/dL; % time <70 mg/dL; % time >180 mg/dL; % time >250 mg/dL; mean glucose; and glucose variability (GCV) . CES-DC items were categorized as somatic, cognitive, anhedonic, and interpersonal for analyses.
 Results: Youth (49% male) had a mean (±SD) age of 12.7±2.7 years, T1D duration 6.1±3.5 years, HbA1c 7.9±0.8%. Overall, higher total CES-DC score was associated with higher HbA1c (r=0.21, p=0.02) . In youth with HbA1c ≤8% (n=68) , there were no significant associations between depressive clusters and glycemic outcomes, but several significant associations emerged in youth with HbA1c >8% (n=52) . For those with HbA1c >8%, higher CES-DC total score was associated with higher HbA1c (r=0.55, p<0.0001) , greater % time >250 (r=0.29, p=0.03) , and higher mean glucose (r=0.33, p=0.02) . More symptoms on the cognitive and interpersonal clusters were associated with higher HbA1c (r=0.29, p=0.03; r=0.43, p=0.002, respectively) . More somatic symptoms were associated with greater % time >180 (r=0.34, p=0.01) , less % TIR (r=-0.34, p=0.01) , and higher mean glucose (r=0.31, p=0.03) .
 Conclusions: In our sample of youth with T1D, associations between depressive symptoms and glucose varied according to overall glycemic control, with notable associations in youth with HbA1c >8%. Somatic depressive symptoms were especially related to uncontrolled glucose levels, highlighting the importance of targeting glucose TIR to reduce adverse physical complaints.

 A.Shapira: None. L.K.Volkening: None. L.M.Laffel: Advisory Panel; Medtronic, Roche Diabetes Care, Consultant; Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Dexcom, Inc., Dompé, Insulet Corporation, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Lilly Diabetes, Novo Nordisk, Provention Bio, Inc.

 T32DK007260, P30DK036836, R01DK089349


Fusarium head blight and rot root are among the most devastating plant diseases in modern agriculture. The causal pathogen, Fusarium spp., reduces plant yield and food quality in part because of mycotoxins, suggesting that breeding for resistance to Fusarium is an important control strategy. A simple and low-cost tactic in plant resistance breeding is testing the cultivars for their sensitivity to fungal metabolites and secretion products. We analysed barley cultivars with differential resistance to Fusarium culmorum KF350 for their sensitivity to 5-butylpicolinic acid [syn. fusaric acid (FA)], a product synthesized by Fusarium isolates of the Liseola section of the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex. We found similar sensitivity of first and second leaves of the cultivars to KF350 and to FA, as well as to head blight in the literature. Upon FA treatment, more resistant cultivars, Jolante and Chevron, compared with susceptible cultivars, Carola and Uschi, showed less necrosis and ion leakage in primary leaves and roots, suggesting that FA can possibly be used in breeding programs as a screening compound for improved cultivars. Importantly, sensitivity to H2O2 was not correlated with resistance to KF350 although it accumulated at penetration sites and in lesions associated with Fusarium infection in all cultivars.


Computed Tomography (CT) images are cross-sectional images of any specific area of a human body which allows doctors to see inside of a patient. CT scan is almost always the first imaging modality used to assess patients with suspected hemorrhage. A CT scan provides image reports in the form of grey shades. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between two areas because the shades of grey in a CT image are occasionally similar. CT scan (Particularly "Non-Contrast Head CT Scan") is the current guideline for primary imaging of patients with any head injuries or brain stroke like symptoms. To obtain any findings from the CT image, Radiologists or other doctors need to examine the images. Deep-learning is an important tool used in radiology and medical imaging which provides a better understanding of the image with more efficiency and quicker exam time. The main idea of this project is developing a model using classification algorithms which can be used to classify or detect hemorrhage in a CT image. The dataset consists of both normal CTs and CTs with hemorrhage. Deep learning is used to develop a model that can detect whether a CT image shows a hemorrhage or not.


Abstract This Article recounts my unique adventures in higher education, including being a Princeton University freshman mathematics major at age 14, Harvard University applied mathematics graduate student at age 17, economics and finance faculty at multiple schools, first-year law student at the University of Chicago, second- and third-year law student at Stanford University, and law faculty at multiple schools. This Article also candidly discusses my experiences as student and professor and openly shares how I achieved sustainable happiness by practicing mindfulness to reduce fears, rumination, and worry in facing adversity, disappointment, and setbacks. This Article analyzes why law schools should teach law students about happiness and mindfulness. This Article discusses how to teach law students about happiness and mindfulness. Finally, this Article provides brief concluding thoughts about how law students can sustain happiness and mindfulness once they graduate from law school.


A cyclophosphazene derivative containing multiple cyano groups, denoted as hexa(4-cyanophenoxy)cyclotriphosphazene (CN-CP), was synthesized by a one-step nucleophilic substitution reaction for a phosphorus-nitrogen flame retardant. To meet the strict requirement of safe and environment-protective insulation materials, a series of composites based on low-density polyethylene-poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) containing CN-CP/Mg(OH)2/Al(OH)3 organic-inorganic synergistic flame retardants was fabricated. High-energy electron beam irradiation was subsequently applied to obtain a halogen-free flame-retardant crosslinked system. The relationship between crosslinking degree and irradiation dose was studied, and crosslinking degrees ranging within 63–85% were obtained under 100–190 kGy. Furthermore, the effects of CN-CP filler and irradiation dose on the properties of the composites were carefully investigated. The maximum tensile stress and limiting oxygen index values of most composites irradiated by EB were more than 15 MPa and 28%. Results revealed that the obtained materials had excellent thermal and mechanical, flame-retardant, and insulation properties, thereby suggesting their promising prospects for wire and cable applications.


: Where habitat loss and fragmentation is severe, many native species are likely to have reduced levels of dispersal between remnant populations. For those species to avoid regional extinction in fragmented landscapes, they must undergo some kind of metapopulation dynamics so that local extinctions are countered by recolonisation. The importance of spatial dynamics for regional survival means that research into metapopulation dynamics is essential. In this review I explore the approaches taken to examine metapopulation dynamics, highlight the analytical methods used to get the most information out of field data, and discover some of the major research gaps. Statistical models, including Hanski's INCIDENCE FUNCTION model (IFM) are frequently applied to presence–absence data, an approach that is often strengthened using long-term data sets that document extinctions and colonisations. Recent developments are making the IFM more biologically realistic and expanding the range of situations for which the model is relevant. Although accurate predictions using the IFM seem unlikely, it may be useful for ranking management decisions. A key weakness of presence–absence modelling is that the mechanisms underlying spatial dynamics remain inferential, so combining modelling approaches with detailed demographic research is warranted. For species where very large data sets cannot be obtained to facilitate statistical modelling, a demographic approach alone or with stochastic modelling may be the only viable research angle to take. Dispersal is a central process in metapopulation dynamics. Research combining mark–recapture or telemetry methods with model-selection procedures demonstrate that dispersal is frequently oversimplified in conceptual and statistical metapopulation models. Dispersal models like the island model that underlies classic metapopulation theory do not approximate the behaviour of real species in fragmented landscapes. Nevertheless, it remains uncertain if additional biological realism will improve predictions of statistical metapopulation models. Genetic methods can give better estimates of dispersal than direct methods and take less effort, so they should be routinely explored alongside direct ecological methods. Recent development of metacommunity theory (communities connected by dispersal) emphasises a range of mechanisms that complement metapopulation theory. Taking both theories into account will enhance interpretation of field data. The extent of metapopulation dynamics in human


In everyday conversation, sometimes a speaker may not complete his/her turn, and the recipients do not treat it as problematic. This paper investigates this type of syntactically incomplete turns (henceforth, SITs) in Mandarin conversation. Specifically, this study examines how SITs are used and constructed through multimodal resources in Mandarin face-to-face conversation. Adopting the methodology of conversation analysis, interactional linguistics, and multimodal analysis, the present study examines 8 hours of everyday Mandarin face-to-face conversation. It shows that the SITs are situated in particular sequential environments and triggered by local contingencies. For example, they are used to accomplish socially and interactionally inappropriate actions and display sensitivity to the recipients' disengagement from the ongoing talk and the current participation framework. Also, despite the syntactic incompleteness of the SITs, the prosodic and bodily-visual features involved in their production usually indicate possible turn completion.


AIM
To identify social factors which characterise the household of children with delayed immunisation.

METHOD
The study was done in 15 general practices in the Wellington city region with a case-control design where preschool children who were not up to date (cases) for their immunisations were compared with children who were up to date (controls).

RESULTS
There were 215 cases where immunisation was delayed among 3723 children at the time of audit in June 1996. Ethnic status was available from general practice records in 33% of cases and 40% of controls. There were more Maori and Pacific Island children among the cases compared to controls (39% versus 21%, odds ratio (OR) = 2.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12-5.10, p = 0.022. CASE SAMPLE HOUSEHOLDS COMPARED WITH CONTROLS HAD: (1) more children in the households (mean 2.27 versus 1.98, p = 0.01); (2) more households with a female as the only adult (35% versus 24%, OR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.04-2.51, p = 0.034). There was no difference in the proportions of male only adults (0.02% versus 0.01%, p = 0.70); (3) more mothers who were under 30 years of age (38% versus 25%, OR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.04-2.51, p = 0.034); and more fathers under 30 years of age (20% versus 10%, OR = 2.16, 95% CI 0.97-4.84, p = 0.06); (4) fewer mothers who were up to date with their recorded cervical smear status (66% versus 83%, OR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.23-0.63, p < 0.001); (5) more parents with an active community services card (38% versus 25%, OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.17-2.82, p = 0.007); (6) fewer siblings being immunised (70% versus 94%, OR = 0.14, 95% CI 0.07-0.28, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION
There is a distinct group of New Zealand children for whom immunisation is delayed. Such children live in households which can be characterised by various social factors easily obtainable from general practice records. The identified households could be targeted for efficient preventive care by general practices.


Hopfield networks, a type of recurrent neural network, with a modification of the perceptron learning rule or Hebbian learning as the learning paradigm, may be used as a tool for classification. The usual method of using the Hopfield network as an associative memory has certain shortcomings however. Brouwer (1993, 1994) proposed a method which overcomes these shortcomings. This method avoids the problem of overloading the network that is due to attempting to store all of the elements of the training sets. The training algorithm described there is based upon a further extension of the Widrow Hoff learning rule. The results are quite good, however the connection matrix in case of Hopfield style networks is huge. This paper describes how the original network may be replaced by a much smaller network which is allowed to grow automatically, during training, from a one neuron network to the size required. This paper concludes with the results of applying the method to classification of diabetes patients and classification of cervical cells.


The objective of this paper is to demonstrate that the concept of a recently published social learning distributed network time synchronization (SLDNTS) algorithm under a Global Positioning System (GPS) denial environment can be implementable and perform better than the existing consensus distributed network time synchronization (CDNTS). Practical clock parameters such as time offsets, frequency offsets, phase offsets, and observation noises are referred to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) standard and considered in the evaluation. The Allan deviation criteria is used for the comparison of the proposed SLDNTS with the CDNTS.


User retention refers to a company's efforts and tactics for retaining existing consumers. User retention analytics facilitate these measures by providing predictive data of which consumers are likely to churn, allowing them to be ahead of the game. Since the mid-1990s, user retention has been a hot topic, but little research has been done on the process that leads to high retention rates. The relationship between user retention outcomes, budgeting and accountability, segmentation (targeting specific customers), and the presence of a well-documented complaints-handling process is investigated in this research.


Slags sourced from a derelict zinc–lead–copper–silver–tungsten mine were examined for their bulk elemental composition and mineralogy. pH, oxidation–reduction potential, and the leachability of selected elements (sulphur, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, and lead) were assessed during a 130-day deionised water extraction conducted under oxic conditions. Slags were rich in silicon, iron, copper, zinc, and lead, hosted within minerals including quartz (SiO2), goethite [FeO(OH)], augite [Ca(Mg,AI,Fe)Si2O6], and lead (Pb0). Leachates from the slags increased in analyte concentration throughout the 130-day experiment, with iron, copper, zinc, and lead attaining >5 mg l− 1 in some samples. These findings indicate that this pyrometallurgical waste should not be considered environmentally inert, as leachates emanating from them in the field might pose a significant risk to the environment.


Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) seed shells, the main byproduct of the manufacture of tea seed oil, were used as precursors for the preparation of tea activated carbon (TAC) in the present study. A high yield (44.1%) of TAC was obtained from tea seed shells via a one-step chemical method using ZnCl2 as an agent. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area and the total pore volumes of the obtained TAC were found to be 1 530.67 mg2/g and 0.782 6 cm3/g, respectively. The equilibrium adsorption results were complied with Langmuir isotherm model and its maximum monolayer adsorption capacity was 324.7 mg/g for methylene blue. Adsorption kinetics studies indicated that the pseudo-second-order model yielded the best fit for the kinetic data. An intraparticle diffusion model suggested that the intraparticle diffusion was not the only rate-controlling step. Thermodynamics studies revealed the spontaneous and exothermic nature of the sorption process. These results indicate that tea seed shells could be utilized as a renewable resource to develop activated carbon which is a potential adsorbent for methylene blue.


Different from traditional mode, Haier's marketing innovation mode is identified in this paper. Traditional enterprises always starts from R&D, and ends with customers, with procurement, production, marketing and other departments in the middle. The drawback of this mode comes from that the customers are seen as the end rather than the starting point of the value chain, and each department seems to care only about its own performance. Through long-term tracking, the authors And that, on the basis of traditional labor division, Marketing Process Re-engineering (MPR) serves as the foundation of marketing innovation for Haier, and it builds a marketing system that reacts to market needs rapidly. This paper aims to take Haier's marketing mode as a case study to analyze the formation, path and characteristics of Haier's marketing mode systematically. The marketing innovation mode explored in this study cast high light for Chinese enterprises to enhance competitiveness.


Increasing capacity demands in emerging wireless technologies are expected to be met by network densification and spectrum bands open to multiple technologies. These will, in turn, increase the level of interference and also result in more complex inter-technology interactions, which will need to be managed through spectrum sharing mechanisms. Consequently, novel spectrum sharing mechanisms should be designed to allow spectrum access for multiple technologies, while efficiently utilizing the spectrum resources overall. Importantly, it is not trivial to design such efficient mechanisms, not only due to technical aspects, but also due to regulatory and business model constraints. In this survey we address spectrum sharing mechanisms for wireless inter-technology coexistence by means of a technology circle that incorporates in a unified, system-level view the technical and non-technical aspects. We thus systematically explore the spectrum sharing design space consisting of parameters at different layers. Using this framework, we present a literature review on inter-technology coexistence with a focus on wireless technologies with equal spectrum access rights, i.e., (i) primary/primary, (ii) secondary/secondary, and (iii) technologies operating in a spectrum commons. Moreover, we reflect on our literature review to identify possible spectrum sharing design solutions and performance evaluation approaches useful for future coexistence cases. Finally, we discuss spectrum sharing design challenges and suggest future research directions.


Nanopore-based single-molecule sensors have become an important class of analytical devices that have in some cases already reached the market place. Traditionally operated in a two-electrode configuration, devices with three or more electrodes have emerged recently, for example with a view on switching the transport properties of the nanopore or even tunneling-based detection of analytes with the ultimate goal of inexpensive and ultrafast DNA sequencing. How do these additional electrodes affect the current distribution in the cell and hence the sensor performance? This is significantly less clear and thus in focus here. We use impedance modeling of a prototypical three-electrode nanopore sensor and show that, depending on the conditions, standard experimental device characterization is severely affected by the presence of the third electrode. On the other hand, the simulations also provide guidelines on how to avoid such complications, identify "safe" operating conditions, and design criteria for optimized nanopore sensors.


This study was carried out in Jesse kingdom in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria, to find out the fertility level in the area, its determinants and the implications for the people of the area. Data used in the study were collected from a representative sample of 1030 women mainly in the age group of 15-19 years. Using the multiple regression, the study examined the changes in fertility level due to variation in such factors as level of education, types of occupation, religion/culture and age at first marriage. The findings indicate high fertility levels for the study area. Early marriage, social values placed on children and child bearing, marriage pattern, low use of contraception, low level of education and labour force participation, infant and child mortality as well as political consideration were found to have influenced the fertility behavior in the study area. The socio-economic implications of high fertility in the study area are discussed. Also, the strategies for addressing the issue of high fertility in the study area are suggested.


A cervical varix during pregnancy is a very rare complication. It can lead to hemorrhage and may result in significant morbidity. Furthermore, appropriate management has not yet been established. We present a case of a cervical varix with placenta previa totalis. A 30‐year‐old woman with placenta previa totalis also had a cervical varix without bleeding. At 32 weeks' gestation, massive hemorrhage from the cervical varix occurred. A vaginal pack controlled the bleeding, and a cesarean section was subsequently carried out because of uncontrollable uterine contractions. A 1655 g female infant was delivered; the estimated blood loss was 1814 mL. The cervical varix decreased dramatically in size. In conclusion, presented herein is a rare case of a cervical varix, which had a successful outcome.


CdTe and (Cd,Zn)Te crystals were grown to study the compensation mechanism and the influence on the transport properties. Undoped and doped crystals with Sn, In, and Ge were grown. The crystals showed resistivities up to 10/sup 9/ /spl Omega/cm and higher. The transport properties depended strongly on the dopant and the compensation mechanism. For the doping with a deep donor, the mobility-lifetime product of electrons were 2/spl times/10/sup -5/ cm/V and 4/spl times/10/sup -4/ mcm/sup 2//V for Ge and Sn doped, respectively. The highest values were obtained for In doped (Cd,Zn)Te with 3.3/spl times/10/sup -3/ cm/sup 2//V.


Abstract Background Cocoa flavanols and procyanidins (CF) are flavonoids whose consumption is associated with health benefits, resulting in increasing attention from consumers, industry, researchers, and regulators. Methods that can provide appropriate characterization and quantification of the distinct mixture found in cocoa-based products thus offer important scientific and commercial value. Objective This study validated the precision of AOAC Official Method of AnalysisSM2020.05, which measures CF with a degree of polymerization DP1-7. Method Method precision (repeatability and reproducibility) was evaluated for seven cocoa matrixes in blind duplicates with total CF content from 1.0 to 500 mg/g. Ten of the 12 laboratories from multiple sectors invited to implement the method returned data for statistical analysis. Precision was evaluated per AOAC INTERNATIONAL guidelines for collaborative studies using RSDr and RSDR as indicators of method repeatability and reproducibility. Results RSDr ranged from 1.6 to 4.8%, and RSDR ranged from 5.8 to 22.4%, demonstrating excellent within-laboratory repeatability and good method precision across different laboratories. RSDR values were below 10% with the exception of chocolate, potentially due to very low CF content and sampling inhomogeneity. Conclusions These data demonstrate that acceptable method repeatability and reproducibility is achieved when measuring cocoa flavanols and procyanidins using AOAC Method 2020.05 and support the advancement of the AOAC Official Method of Analysis status to Final Action for evaluated matrixes. Highlights This collaborative study evaluated the repeatability and reproducibility of AOAC Official Method of Analysis 2020.05.


Maz'ja and Sinnamon proved a characterization of the boundedness of the Hardy operator from Lp(v) into Lq(w) in the case 0 < q < p, 1 < p < ∞. We present here a new simple proof of the sufficiency part of that result.


Self-worth refers to people's attitude and feeling about themselves based on their judgment and assessment of their value. It reflects the extent of self-acceptance. In relation to the research in foreign countries, China's research on self-worth starts a bit late, whose research objects are mainly adolescents including the young students. This paper is going to touch upon this topic from three aspects that are theoretical research, correlational research, and strategic research. Conclusions thus will be drawn coupled with implications.


THE AIM of the work was an attempt to reveal criteria of differential diagnostics of chronic pyelonephritis and chronic cystitis on the basis of a retrospective study of the main anamnestic data and clinico-laboratory symptoms of the urinary tract infections (UTI). PATIENTS AND METHODS . A retrospective analysis of medical documentation of 450 UTI women was made. The presence of chronic UTI (> 1 year) without impaired functions of the kidneys and symptoms of obstruction was taken as a criterion of inclusion of the patients in the investigation. The women were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of women with chronic pyelonephritis (CPN) (n=370), the second group – with chronic cystitis (CC) (n=80). Scitigraphic investigation was performed in all CC patients with RFP of different mechanism of elimination: 1) renoscitigraphy with 99m Tc -DMSA – was considered as a "golden standard". 2) renoscitigraphy with 99m Tc-pyrophosphate - for the assessment of accuracy of the diagnosis method. RESULTS. A comparative analysis of differences of absolute frequencies associated with signs of PN has shown that only 2 of them differed considerably in the groups under study. However, the distinctions, found between patients with CPN and CC were of quantitative rather than qualitative character. Renoscitigraphy with 99m Tc-pyrophosphate has shown that in 59 patients (74%) with the diagnosis CC there were classical signs of pyelonephritis – "scars". CONCLUSION. On the basis of using the data of anamnesis and clinico-laboratory characteristics of UTI which are used by physicians in their every-day clinical practice it is not possible to establish the topic of the process (cystitis or pyelonephritis). Renoscitigraphy with 99m Tc-pyrophosphate is an objective method of diagnosing UTI: the sensitivity of the method is 98%, the specificity – 62%. The scitigraphic investigation data demonstrate the presence of signs of PN in 100% of patients with frequent relapses of CC; in 95% of the patients who had only 2 episodes of cystitis during a year there was no involvement of the kidneys in the inflammatory process.


Localized neuropathic pain can be relieved following the topical application of high-concentration capsaicin. This clinical effect is thought to be related to the temporary desensitization of capsaicin- and heat-sensitive epidermal nociceptors. The objective of the present study was to examine whether the changes in thermal sensitivity induced by high-concentration topical capsaicin can be explained entirely by desensitization of capsaicin-sensitive afferents. For this purpose, we characterized, in 20 healthy human volunteers, the time course and spatial extent of the changes in sensitivity to thermal stimuli preferentially activating heat-sensitive A-fiber nociceptors, heat-sensitive C-fiber afferents, and cool-sensitive A-fiber afferents. The volar forearm was treated with a high-concentration capsaicin patch for 1 h. Transient heat, warm and cold stimuli designed to activate Aδ- and C-fiber thermonociceptors, C-fiber warm receptors, and Aδ-fiber cold receptors were applied to the skin before and after treatment at days 1, 3, and 7. Reaction times, intensity ratings, and quality descriptors were collected. The stimuli were applied both within the capsaicin-treated skin and around the capsaicin-treated skin to map the changes in thermal sensitivity. We found that topical capsaicin selectively impairs heat sensitivity without any concomitant changes in cold sensitivity. Most interestingly, we observed a differential effect on the sensitivity to thermal inputs conveyed by Aδ- and C-fibers. Reduced sensitivity to Aδ-fiber-mediated heat was restricted to the capsaicin-treated skin, whereas reduced sensitivity to C-fiber-mediated heat extended well beyond the treated skin. Moreover, the time course of the reduced sensitivity to C-fiber-mediated input was more prolonged than the reduced sensitivity to Aδ-fiber-mediated input.


Motion- based musical interfaces are ubiquitous. With the plethora of sensing solutions and the possibility of developing custom designs, it is important that the new musical interface has the capability to perform any number of tasks. This paper presents the theoretical framework for defining, designing, and evaluation process of a physical gesture acquisition for Guqin performance. The framework is based on an iterative design process, and draws upon the knowledge in Guqin performance to develop a system to determine the interaction between a Guqin player and the computer. This paper emphasizes the definition, conception, and evaluation of the acquisition system.


This article aims to test empirically two popular hypotheses about territorial economic differences in the modern world. According to the first hypothesis, economic differences between countries in the modern world are not as large as regions' differences within countries. According to the second hypothesis, the decline in the degree of economic differences between countries is due to the relatively faster economic development of capital regions. Investigation of the economic differences on various territorial levels realized applying the method of comparing the coefficient of variation of the income of the population. The source of the empirical data for this research is the Sub-national Human Development Index (SHDI) database created by the Netherlands Institute for Management Research of the Radboud University, which contains such indicator as Income index of SHDI in the inner regions of 161 countries in the world for the period from 2000 to 2017. A comparison of economic differences at different territorial levels revealed that in the 21 century, neither in the world as a whole nor in the EU regions' differences within countries are higher than differences between countries. However, starting with 2015 the economic differences between inner regions of the EU countries began to outweigh the economic differences between countries themselves, and this is the specifics of the European Union. In the 21 century, both inter-country and intra-country regional economic differences in the EU countries are significantly lower than in the world as a whole. The economic importance of non-capital regions is gradually increasing in the EU, although for the time being the EU (and probably the world as a whole) still characterized by the economic growth, which is based mainly at the expense of capital regions.


An introduction to the Zwanzig-Mori-G\"{o}tze-W\"{o}lfle memory function formalism (or generalized Drude formalism) is presented. This formalism is used extensively in analyzing the experimentally obtained optical conductivity of strongly correlated systems like cuprates and Iron based superconductors etc. For a broader perspective both the generalised Langevin equation approach and the projection operator approach for the memory function formalism are given. The G\"{o}tze-W\"{o}lfle perturbative expansion of memory function is presented and its application to the computation of the dynamical conductivity of metals is also reviewd. This review of the formalism contains all the mathematical details for pedagogical purposes.


Because of the various excellent characteristics of cast basalt materials, such as, anti-corrosion, anti-wearing, good hardness, high chemical stability, of which steel may not possess, the steel-basalt composite pipes are used in severe environments for compensating the defects of steel. However, without sufficient mechanical investigation prior to application, the basalt liners in steel-basalt composite pipes may be cracked and broken or the basalt liners are omitted from steel pipes in applications. In these cases, the merits of basalt materials may disappear and the basalt liners may not play their good roles as expected. Therefore, it is required that mechanical behavior of steel-basalt composite pipes and surrounding environments be fully examined before installation. The limit of bending moment with which steel-basalt composite pipe may safely endure is calculated and the limit curvature of the composite pipe in the safe range is presented in this paper. The temperature distributions and the thermal stresses are also computed and the limit difference of temperatures between inner and outer side of composite pipe is given together.


A highly sensitive and electroactive reduced graphene oxide is achieved by directly reducing the ionic medium supported graphene oxide on the electrode surface. The ionic medium supported reduced graphene oxide (im-rGO) has revealed enhanced electrochemical activity compared to water medium reduced graphene oxide under the same set of conditions. The im-rGO has revealed excellent kinetics. The ionic medium supported reduced graphene oxide modified graphite pencil electrode (im-rGO/GPE) was used for selective trace level quantification of dopamine (DA) in human urine. The developed sensor was comprehensively investigated by field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The im-rGO on the electrode surface has effectively increased the electroactive surface area for DA from 0.063 to 0.631 cm2. The charge transfer coefficient (α) and the apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (ks) were calculated to be 0.61 and 5.81 s−1, respectively. A very low LOD of 95 nM was achieved without using any noble or precious metals in combination. The im-rGO/GPE has shown an excellent capability to sense dopamine in the presence of a high concentration of ascorbic acid. The ionic medium supported reduction of GO is the fastest and most cost-effective approach to enhance the sensitivity of the sensor for dopamine in a short time.


Describes an open-loop pulsed hysteresis graph system that is capable of magnetizing ceramic and rare-earth permanent magnets such as neodymium, samarium cobalt, and Alnico in cylindrical and rectangular shapes. The prototype system relies on an air-core excitation coil with an inner diameter of 3 cm and a length of 10 cm. A pulsed power supply provides a transient current pulse of up to 9000 A into the air-core coil. The pulse duration is typically about 15-20 ms. In addition, a pair of Helmholtz coils records the applied magnetic field strength, whereas a local coil, tightly wound around the permanent magnet, records the magnetic flux density in the sample. Both fields are electronically acquired, digitized, and processed in a computer to obtain the hysteresis graph response of the sample. The processing allows compensation for the presence of the demagnetization field due to the open-loop system configuration. We present an analytical approach to take into account the effect of permeability in cylindrical samples. We propose a numerical approach that can characterize conductive materials such as Alnico, whose eddy-current influence significantly affects the open-loop recording of the B-H curve.


INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES
There is controversy regarding the risk factors associated with early death in geriatric patients undergoing aortic valve replacement. We analyzed the risks in these patients and established an accurate model for predicting in-hospital mortality.

PATIENTS AND METHOD
Univariate and multivariate analyses were made of the risk factors associated with early death in a group of 129 patients older than 70 years who underwent aortic valve replacement (May 1994-June 2001). The variables obtained by multivariate logistic regression were combined to produce an equation for the prediction of early death. The equation was tested using a receiver operating characteristic curve.

RESULTS
Univariate analysis identified four factors related to early death: NYHA III-IV (p < 0.0001), ejection fraction < 40% (p < 0.05), aortic regurgitation (p < 0.05) and high left ventricular mass index (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed three independent risk factors: NYHA III-IV (p < 0.01), aortic regurgitation (p < 0.05), and small body surface area (p < 0.05). A lower mortality was observed in patients with a larger body surface area (0% for > 1.90 m2, 20% for < 1.40 m2). The estimated mortality with the predictive model was 7.06%, which was similar to the observed mortality of 7.80% (area under the ROC curve 0.87) and better than estimates obtained with the EuroSCORE (6.5%; area under the ROC curve 0.56).

CONCLUSIONS
Risk factors associated with early death after aortic valve replacement in geriatric patients include functional status, aortic regurgitation, and small body surface area. Our model based on these factors accurately predicted operative mortality in our patients. Gender, prosthesis size, and pump time were not identified as risk factors.


In 1870, Ansil L. Robinson was charged with the murder of his mistress, Mary Lunsford, in Mansfield, Ohio, U.S.A. Evidence against Robinson included an attempt to match his teeth to bite marks on the victim's arm. Robinson was acquitted after a 3-week trial despite the evidence linking his teeth to the wounds. This trial represents an early and perhaps the first attempt to admit bite-mark evidence in a court of law in the United States. The acquittal resulted in the obscurity that prevented this case from coming to the awareness of the forensic dental and legal communities sooner.


The semi-outdoor cultivation of Spirulina platensis was attempted using an underground-water-based medium. Occurrence of contaminant organisms such as Chlorella sp. and Chlamydomonas sp. was not found from a microscopic observation and bacteria were not detected from denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA during the cultivation, owing to pH control and the high quality of the underground water. The mean productivity was high at 10.5 g/m2/d with a range of 4.2-12.3 g/m2/d despite the unfavorable weather conditions of the rainy season. The cultivated S. platensis included a normal protein content of 58.9%. Consequently, the underground water improved the biomass productivity and the biomass quality because of an abundant supplementation of natural minerals and through a contaminant-free culture.


Journalists increasingly turn to social media sources such as Facebook or Twitter to support their coverage of various news events. For large-scale events such as televised debates and speeches, the amount of content on social media can easily become overwhelming, yet still contain information that may aid and augment reporting via individual content items as well as via aggregate information from the crowd's response. In this work we present a visual analytic tool, Vox Civitas, designed to help journalists and media professionals extract news value from large-scale aggregations of social media content around broadcast events. We discuss the design of the tool, present the text analysis techniques used to enable the presentation, and provide details on the visual and interaction design. We provide an exploratory evaluation based on a user study in which journalists interacted with the system to explore and report on a dataset of over one hundred thousand twitter messages collected during the U.S. State of the Union presidential address in 2010.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
The optimal type of initial permanent access for hemodialysis among the elderly is controversial. Duration of central venous catheter dependence, patient comorbidities, and life expectancy are important considerations in whether to place an arteriovenous fistula or graft. We used an observational study design to compare clinical outcomes in elderly patients who initiated hemodialysis with a central venous catheter and subsequently had an arteriovenous fistula or graft placed.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS
We identified 9458 United States patients ages ≥67 years old who initiated hemodialysis from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011 with a central venous catheter and no secondary vascular access and then received an arteriovenous fistula (n=7433) or graft (n=2025) within 6 months. We evaluated key clinical outcomes during the 6 months after vascular access placement coincident with high rates of catheter use and used a matched propensity score analysis to examine patient survival.

RESULTS
Central venous catheter dependence was greater in every month during the 6-month period after arteriovenous fistula versus graft placement (P<0.001). However, rates of all-cause infection-related hospitalization (adjusted relative risk, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.87 to 0.99; P=0.01) and bacteremia/septicemia-related hospitalization (adjusted relative risk, 0.90; 95% confidence interval, 0.82 to 0.98; P=0.02) were lower in the arteriovenous fistula versus graft group as was the adjusted risk of death (hazard ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.73 to 0.80; P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS
Despite extended central venous catheter dependence, elderly patients initiating hemodialysis with a central venous catheter who underwent arteriovenous fistula placement within 6 months had fewer hospitalizations due to infections and a lower likelihood of death than those receiving an arteriovenous graft.


X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) had been an essential tool to gather spectroscopic information about atomic energy level structure in the early decades of this century. It has also played an important role in the discovery and systematization of rare-earth elements (Rohler, 1987). The discovery of synchrotron radiation in 1952, and later the availability of broadly tunable synchrotron based x-ray sources have revitalized this technique since the 1970's. The correct interpretation of the oscillatory structure in the x-ray absorption cross-section above the absorption edge by Sayers et al. (1971) has transformed XAS from a spectroscopic tool to a structural technique. EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure) yields information about the interatomic distances, near neighbor coordination numbers, and lattice dynamics. An excellent description of the principles and data analysis techniques of EXAFS is given by Teo (1986). XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure), on the other hand, gives information about the valence state, energy bandwidth and bond angles. Today, there are about 50 experimental stations in various synchrotrons around the world dedicated to collecting x-ray absorption data from the bulk and surfaces of solids and liquids.


Abstract Let p ≥ 3 be a prime, S⊆𝔽p2 S \subseteq \mathbb{F}_p^2 a nonempty set, and w:𝔽p2→R w:\mathbb{F}_p^2 \to R a function with supp w = S. Applying an uncertainty inequality due to András Bíró and the present author, we show that there are at most 12| S | {1 \over 2}\left| S \right| directions in 𝔽p2 \mathbb{F}_p^2 such that for every line l in any of these directions, one has ∑z∈lw(z)=1p∑z∈𝔽p2w(z), \sum\limits_{z \in l} {w\left( z \right) = {1 \over p}\sum\limits_{z \in \mathbb{F}_p^2} {w\left( z \right),} } except if S itself is a line and w is constant on S (in which case all, but one direction have the property in question). The bound 12| S | {1 \over 2}\left| S \right| is sharp. As an application, we give a new proof of a result of Rédei-Megyesi about the number of directions determined by a set in a finite affine plane.


This study examined the role of alterations in the chemoreflex control of breathing, acid-base balance, and their interaction in postmenopausal ventilatory adaptations. A modified iso-oxic hyperoxic and hypoxic CO(2)-rebreathing procedure was employed to evaluate central and peripheral chemoreflex drives to breathe, respectively, in 15 healthy postmenopausal and 20 premenopausal women of similar age. Arterialized venous blood samples were collected at rest for the estimation of arterial Pco(2) (Pa(CO(2))) and H(+) concentration ([H(+)]), plasma strong ion difference ([SID]) and total weak acid ([A](tot)) concentrations, and serum progesterone ([P(4)]) and 17beta-estradiol ([E(2)]) concentrations. In post- compared with premenopausal women, Pa(CO(2)), [SID], and the central chemoreflex ventilatory recruitment threshold for Pco(2) (VRTco(2)) were higher, whereas [P(4)] and [E(2)] were lower (all P < 0.05), with no significant change in central or peripheral chemoreflex sensitivity, peripheral chemoreflex VRTco(2), and [A](tot). The acidifying effect of an increased Pa(CO(2)) was offset by the alkalizing effect of an increased [SID], such that [H(+)] was preserved in post- compared with premenopausal women. Pa(CO(2)) correlated positively with the central chemoreflex VRTco(2) (r = 0.67, P < 0.01), which in turn correlated positively with [SID] (r = 0.53, P < 0.01) within the pooled data. In conclusion, the relative alveolar hypoventilation and attendant arterial hypercapnia in healthy post- compared with premenopausal women could be explained, in part, by the interaction of 1) reduced central, but not peripheral, chemoreflex VRTco(2), 2) increased [SID], and 3) reduced circulating female sex steroid hormone concentrations.


The events of the last few weeks are a watershed for Tunisia, Egypt, and other Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries. The ongoing political events will resonate regionally and globally and, if followed by sound transitions to better governance structures, these events provide a unique opportunity to change MENA's political and social landscape. The root cause of the political turmoil in MENA is fatigue with longstanding authoritarian rule and weak political and economic governance as confirmed by public concerns over voice, social justice, accountability and access to services. The MENA region also has its strengths: its youth, resource base and the resilience shown during the global crisis. The economic and social impact will be significant in the short term with slippages in economic growth, fiscal revenues and tourism and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) receipts. Large parts of the population lack adequate access to jobs, land, services, finance and justice. They may be further affected as inflationary pressures grow depending, among others, on oil and food prices.


The article considers the process of creating the first Soviet government. The author studies the inter-party debate about its composition. Standpoints of the Bolshevik leaders and the leaders of other parties are represented.


1 The use of pulmonary surfactant has been proposed as a vehicle for antibiotic delivery to the alveolar compartment of the lung. This study investigated survival rates of mice with a respiratory Klebsiella pneumoniae infection treated intratracheally with tobramycin using a natural exogenous surfactant preparation as vehicle. 2 At day 1 after infection, animals were injected intratracheally with 20 äl of the following solutions: (1) a mixture of surfactant (500 μg) and tobramycin (250 μg); (2) tobramycin (250 μg) alone; (3) surfactant (500 μg) alone; and (4) NaHCO3 buffer (control, sham‐treatment). A fifth group received no treatment (control). Deaths were registered every 12 h for 8 consecutive days. 3 The results show an increased survival in the group receiving the surfactant‐tobramycin mixture compared to the group receiving tobramycin alone (P < 0.05), the group receiving surfactant alone (P < 0.01) and the control groups (P < 0.01). It is concluded that intratracheal instillation of surfactant‐tobramycin is superior to tobramycin alone in protecting animals from death due to a respiratory Klebsiella pneumoniae infection.


Experimental basic study was performed to understand the characteristics of sub-cooled refrigerant using a cold heat storage system. This system was made up general vapor-compression refrigeration cycle added sub-cooler and ice storage tank. The purpose of this study are to application use of cold-heat storage systems multiplicity of fields and to understand of sub-cooling system. At the condition using ice storage system, the ice making process was operated during night time by electric power. And then, the refrigerant was sub-cooled using stored cold-heat after being discharged from the air cooling condenser during the day time. Comparing the result at general operation with the operation using sub-cooling system. This study showed the effects of the sub-cooled degree. The cooling performance was increased owing to the sub-cooling of refrigerant during day time, and the compressor consume power was a little decreased. Thus the COP was also increased owing to the sub-cooling of refrigerant.


The synthesis and characterisation of the 4-(o-R-C6H4)pzbipy [R = H, CH3 or CF3; pzbipy = 6-(2″- pyrazinyl)-2,2′-bipyridyl] ligands are described. Reaction of the 4-(o-MeC6H4)pzbipy ligand with [Pt(PhCN)2Cl2] in the presence of AgSbF6 affords [Pt{4-(o-MeC6H4)pzbipy}Cl]SbF6 as a marooncoloured microcrystalline solid. The [Pt{4-(o-MeC6H4)pzbipy}Cl]+ cation exhibits low intensity photoluminescence in dichloromethane that maximises at 543 nm and which is assigned to a 3MLCT excited state (τ = 20 ns). The emission spectrum of the cation was also recorded in a frozen DME {1 : 5:5 (v/v) DMF / MeOH / EtOH} glass; a highly structured band is observed with vibrational spacings of ca. 1400 cm−1, indicating emission from an intraligand 3π-π∗ state (τ = 11 μs). Variable temperature solid emission spectra show maxima that occur at significantly lower energies than is observed in fluid solution and that shift to the red when the temperature is lowered; specifically, λ (em)max is 674 nm at 280 K (τ = 80 ns) and 723 nm at 80 K (τ = 1.3 μs). Emission behaviour of this type is typical of emission from a metal-metal-ligand charge transfer (MMLCT) excited state that has its origins in dz² (Pt)-dz² (Pt) orbital interactions in the crystal.


This paper presents a novel method for designing a controller that simultaneously stabilizes a collection of single-input nonlinear systems. The control Lyapunov function approach is used to derive necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of time-invariant simultaneously stabilizing state feedback controllers. Additionally, a universal formula for constructing a continuous simultaneously stabilizing controller when the provided sufficient condition is satisfied is presented. For any collection of second-order (and third-order) feedback linearizable systems in canonical form, global simultaneous stabilization via a single state feedback controller is shown to be always possible. Two examples are included for illustration.


Prominent examples of predator-prey oscillations
between prey-specific predators exist, but long-term data sets showing these oscillations are uncommon. We explored
various models to describe the oscillating behavior of coyote (Canis
latrans) and black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) abundances
in a sagebrush-steppe community in Curlew Valley, UT over a 31-year period
between 1962 and 1993. We tested both continuous and discrete models which
accounted for a variety of mechanisms to discriminate the most important
factors affecting the time series. Both species displayed cycles in abundance
with three distinct peaks at ten-year intervals. The coupled oscillations
appear greater in the mid-seventies and a permanent increase in the coyote
density seems apparent. Several factors could have influenced this
predator-prey system including seasonality, predator satiation, density
dependence, social structure among coyotes, and a change in the coyote bounty
that took place during the course of data collection. Maximum likelihood estimation
was used to obtain parameter values for the models, and Akaike Information
Criterion (AIC) values were used to compare models. Coyote social structure and
limiting resources in the form of density-dependence and satiation seemed to be
important factors affecting population dynamics.


A novel ternary-alkaline red emitting fluoride phosphor K2NaGaF6:Mn4+ was successfully synthesized through co-precipitation method. The crystal structure, morphology, electronic band structure and luminescence properties of K2NaGaF6:Mn4+ phosphors were investigated in details by using Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction data, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), density functional theory (DFT) calculation and different reaction parameters. The K2NaGaF6 host has a cubic unit cell with the space group Fmm and lattice parameters of a = 8.2577 (4) A, Z = 4, Vcell = 563.08 (8) A3. Under blue light excitation, Mn4+ activated K2NaGaF6 exhibits a bright narrow-band red emission. The PL properties of the K2NaGaF6:Mn4+ red phosphors were optimized with different Mn4+ concentrations and aging times. A warm-white LED device was fabricated using a blue LED chip combined with commercial yellow YAG:Ce3+ phosphor and synthesized K2NaGaF6:Mn4+ red phosphor. The color rendering index (CRI, Ra = 81.6) and corresponding color temperature (CCT = 3643 K) easily reached the commercial warm white light LED standards (Ra > 80 and CCT < 4000 K). All these results indicate that K2NaGaF6:Mn4+ phosphor would be a suitable red phosphor candidate for warm-white LED applications.


We introduce a noisy channel approach for language model prompting in few-shot text classification. Instead of computing the likelihood of the label given the input (referred as direct models), channel models compute the conditional probability of the input given the label, and are thereby required to explain every word in the input. We use channel models for recently proposed few-shot learning methods with no or very limited updates to the language model parameters, via either in-context demonstration or prompt tuning. Our experiments show that, for both methods, channel models significantly outperform their direct counterparts, which we attribute to their stability, i.e., lower variance and higher worst-case accuracy. We also present extensive ablations that provide recommendations for when to use channel prompt tuning instead of other competitive models (e.g., direct head tuning): channel prompt tuning is preferred when the number of training examples is small, labels in the training data are imbalanced, or generalization to unseen labels is required.


Leaf slices sampled from winter rape plants (Brassica napus L., var. oleifera L., cv. GorczaanAski), grown in cold (5°C), showed an increase in the dark respiration rate (measured at 25°C) as compared to slices cut from control plants (grown at 20/15°C). The effect of low temperature was most pronounced after 4 days of plant growth in the cold. Oxygen uptake by control slices was 60% inhibited by 1 mM KCN and was insensitive to 2.5 mM salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM). On the contrary, respiration of leaf slices from cold-pretreated plants was more resistant to cyanide (35% inhibition after 4 days of cold treatment) and was 30% inhibited by SHAM. The patterns of cold-induced changes in total respiratory activity and in the estimated activity of alternative pathway were similar. It seems that in leaf slices from plants grown in the cold, the cyanide-resistant, alternative pathway participates in oxygen uptake. Cold treatment of plants also brought about a 4-fold increase in the level of soluble sugars, which reached a maximum on day 4 of exposure to cold. Addition of sucrose to the incubation medium resulted in an immediate increase in oxygen uptake by slices with low endogenous sugar level. The respiration stimulated by sucrose addition was more resistant to cyanide than the basal respiration and it was inhibited by SHAM. It is concluded that the operation of the alternative pathway is responsible for the increased oxygen uptake by the cold-grown winter rape leaves and it may be induced by an increased sugar supply for respiratory processes.


Background/introduction Gonorrhoea prevalence is increasing among men who have sex with men (MSM) worldwide. Studies suggest pharyngeal infection may be central to transmission and is the site of acquisition of resistant genes. With condom use falling, other interventions to reduce the transmission of gonorrhoea are urgently required. Aim(s)/objectives To determine whether Listerine, a commercial mouthwash product, has an inhibitory effect against N. gonorrhoeae. Methods MSM who tested positive for pharyngeal gonorrhoea by nucleic acid amplification test between May-2015 and February-2016 and returned for treatment within 14 days, were enrolled in the study. They were randomised to gargle either Listerine or saline for 60 seconds. Pharyngeal swabs were taken before and after gargling, and tested by culture. Only men who tested positive by culture before gargling were included in the analysis. The proportions of men who tested positive for pharyngeal gonorrhoea after gargling in both groups were calculated. Results Of the 197 MSM who enrolled, only 58 MSM (33 in Listerine arm and 25 in saline arm) tested positive by culture on the day of recruitment. 17 (52%) MSM in the Listerine arm remained culture positive versus 21 (84%) in the saline arm after gargling the solution (p = 0.013). The odds of being culture positive were 4.4 (95% CI: 1.4–17.7) times higher among men who gargled saline compared to those gargled Listerine. Discussion/conclusion This data suggest Listerine could reduce the viable numbers of N. gonorrhoeae on pharyngeal surface which may prevent transmission. Further trials to look at efficacy over time are warranted.


The aim of the article is to identify and explain the mythical images used in Saulius Tomas Kondrotas' novel "The Look of a Grass-Snake". By transforming pagan and Christian mythical systems, the writer contrasts them with rational thinking. In "New Age" there is no place for myths and the meanings of figurative language. The mythical dimension in the work is understood as a way of perceiving the world that contradicts the modern idea of progress. S. T. Kondrotas also transforms the meanings of archetypal figures such as fire, sun or grass-snake in his novel. The concepts of life, death, or rebirth gain the different perspectives from archaic and modern world. New mythical dimension allows us to reconsider existential phenomena of human existence in a new light. In this way, the Baltic worldview extends its life in works of art, and the literature, which contains mythical elements, becomes a modern version of the myth.


The β-O-4 aryl ether linkages represent about 50% of all ethers in various lignins. At least three enzymatic steps are required to break them down: a NAD+-dependent C-α dehydrogenase (such as LigD and L), a glutathione lyase that releases guaiacol (i.e., a β-etherase such as LigE and F), and a glutathione-dependent lyase (i.e., LigG). In this work the LigD, L, E, F, and G from Sphingobium sp. SYK-6 were overexpressed in E. coli and purified with high yields. After characterizing the stability and kinetic properties of LigD and L on the lignin model compound GGE (1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)propane-1,3-diol) and the thermostability of all five recombinant Lig enzymes, the experimental conditions for GGE bioconversion could be optimized (i.e., pH 9.0, 25 °C, ≈0.1 mg mL−1 of each enzyme, and 0.5 mM racemic substrate). Under optimal conditions, and by recycling NADH using the L-lactate dehydrogenase–pyruvate system, GGE was fully converted into the final products 3-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)propan-1-one and guaiacol in <2 hours. Differently from what was previously reported, this result and chiral HPLC analyses demonstrated that LigG catalyzes the glutathione-dependent thioether cleavage of both β(R)- and β(S)-isomer intermediates produced by LigE and LigF β-etherases: this allowed, for the first time, reaching 100% conversion of GGE. Altogether, the recombinant five-enzyme Lig system represents a component well suited for a multienzymatic process, comprising well-known ligninolytic activities (such as peroxidases and laccases), devoted to transforming selected lignins into aromatic compounds as an alternative to the oil source.


In developing a high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for thiopental [5-ethyl-5-(1-methylbutyl)-2-thiobarbituric acid], a thiopental isomer [5-ethyl-5-(1-ethylpropyl)-2-thiobarbituric acid] was found. This isomer occurs (6-7%) in supposedly pure thiopental and in the commercially available thiopental sodium administered to patients for induction of anesthesia. A similar type of isomer also occurs in pentobarbital, the oxybarbiturate analogue of thiopental. Because the disposition and anesthetic potency of the isomer is unknown, its pharmacokinetic properties were determined in humans and its anesthetic potency in mice. In five surgical patients, the terminal elimination half-life, clearance, and volume of distribution at steady state of the isomer were not statistically different from those of thiopental. In mice, the isomer proved to be as effective as thiopental for induction of anesthesia. The LD50 and sleep time at one-half the LD50 did not statistically differ between the two compounds in mice. The close structural similarity of thiopental and the isomer results in similar pharmacokinetic and anesthetic properties. It does not appear critical that the isomer be separated from thiopental in subsequent pharmacological research.


Apartheid imposed a rigid racialised system of unequal resource distribution on South African society, resulting in one of the highest rates of inequality in the world. Since apartheid ended in 1994, this aggregate income inequality has not improved. The persistence of extraordinarily high levels of poverty and inequality makes the definition and measurement of the 'middle class' particularly challenging. A review of previous work on the middle class, both in South Africa and in other developing countries, illustrates the difficulty of addressing this challenge. Recent research showing growth in the South African middle class often classifies as 'middle class' households which either fall below the basic-needs poverty line or are vulnerable to poverty. This notion of economic insecurity conflicts with the sociological understanding of the middle class as an 'empowered' class. In this paper, we attempt to develop a conceptually and empirically rigorous approach to defining and measuring the middle class in South Africa. Arguing that the notion of 'empowerment' is central to the social and political meanings of 'middle class', we propose an empirical strategy that uses (in)vulnerability to poverty as the key criterion defining middle class status. Using the panel dimension of the nationally representative National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS), we present a probability model that predicts the risk of staying in or falling into poverty over a six-year time frame, depending on a broad array of initial household conditions and resources. We select the expenditure level associated with a maximum risk to poverty of 10 percent as the lower bound of the middle class and the expenditure level associated with effective invulnerability to poverty as the upper bound. This gives us a monthly per capita expenditure range of R3,104 to R10,387 (January 2015 prices). Using these thresholds, we find that the middle class in South Africa is smaller than previous research has suggested (with a population share of about 13.5 percent in 2014), and has grown sluggishly since 1993. Despite this, there has been considerable demographic transformation within the middle class, with Africans now outnumbering whites by a significant margin.


This paper reports the first microwave-assisted synthesis of diaminoglyoxime (DAG) and diaminofurazan (DAF). The synthesis involved the vicarious nucleophilic substitution of H of glyoxime using hydroxylamine hydrochloride under microwave irradiation for 2 to 3 min to obtain DAG, which on further irradiation in alkali solution for 20 min yielded DAF. Conversion of glyoxime into DAF was also achieved in a one pot sequence in good overall yield using microwave irradiation.


The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the lack of resources and oversight that hinders medical care for incarcerated people in the United States. The US Supreme Court has held that "deliberate indifference" to "serious medical needs" violates the Constitution. But this legal standard does not assure the consistent provision of health care services. This leads the United States to fall behind European nations that define universal standards of care grounded in principles of human rights and the ideal of equivalence that incarcerated and non-incarcerated people are entitled to the same health care. In this paper, we review a diverse legal and policy literature and undertake a conceptual analysis of policy issues related to the standard of care in correctional health; we then describe a framework for moving incrementally closer toward a universal standard. The expansion of Medicaid funding and benefits to corrections facilities, alongside a system of comprehensive and enforceable external oversight, would meaningfully raise the standard of care. Although these changes on their own will not resolve all of the thorny health problems posed by mass incarceration, they present a tangible opportunity to move closer to the human rights ideal.


Malnutrition among older people is a common health problem. It is well known that malnutrition is associated with a poor clinical outcome. Especially older individuals in catabolic crisis require comprehensive nutritional management to improve clinical outcome not only recovery of disease itself but also maintain physical and cognitive function. Intensive nutritional therapy in acute care is important since nutritional status is closely related to long-term clinical outcome and quality of life in the older people. (Korean J Gastroenterol 2019;73:196-201)


The objective of this study was to determine the influence of vehicles on the penetration of octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), as a UV absorber, to the stratum corneum by the stripping method. The experimental formulations consisted of a conventional o/w emulsion and multilamellar and small unilamellar liposomes (MLVs and SUVs) containing OMC. MLVs containing OMC were prepared by the fusion method and then converted to SUVs by probe sonication. Various formulations were then applied onto the midvolar forearms of six volunteers at a dose of 2 mg/cm2. After determined timepoints, the stripping method was conducted whereby 22 tape strips were applied and subsequently divided into different stripping groups. The sunscreen agent was assessed by HPLC while the SPF (sun protection factor) of the formulations was determined in human volunteers in accordance with the Australian standard. Overall the results indicate that skin accumulation of OMC in MLVs was significantly greater than in the o/w emulsion and SUVs. Furthermore, SUV's penetration into the deeper skin layers was significantly greater than MLV's and that of a conventional o/w emulsion. Also, higher amounts of OMC were recovered from the upper layers of the stratum corneum than from the deeper layers in all the formulations tested. Finally, the SPF of the liposomes containing OMC was slightly greater than that of the control lotions at a similar concentration of OMC. In conclusion, the result of this study indicates that an MLV prepared by the fusion method could be a better vehicle for OMC as a sunscreen since it has a slightly better SPF compared to a conventional formulation and more remains in the stratum corneum, reducing its penetration to the deeper layers.


Levels of HIV-1 core polypeptide were assessed in serum and in lymphocyte cultures obtained from ARC and AIDS patients enrolled in a prospectively randomized, placebo-controlled study of zidovudine (AZT). Because these data have special features uncharacteristic of most laboratory data, a comprehensive account of statistical methods appropriate for their analysis is contained in this paper. Standard methods are described for the analysis of HIV-1 antigen in serum collected repeatedly over time in the same individual. For the analysis of lymphocyte culture data, more sophisticated statistical techniques based on nonparametric survival analysis methods are proposed. Using microcomputer software available upon request and developed to implement this statistical procedure, a significant decline in lymphocyte HIV-1 virus expression was noted between pretreatment and 3 months after the initiation of therapy among AZT-treated patients (p = 0.0017) that was not seen in placebo-treated patients (p = 0.25). Statistically significant between-group differences were also noted in the change from baseline at 3 months in HIV-1 antigen serum data (p = 0.040). We conclude that HIV-1 core polypeptide is an important measure of the antiretroviral activity of AZT and that the demonstrated clinical efficacy of AZT relative to placebo parallels its antiretroviral effect.


The use of tenofovir-emtricitabine as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) represents the latest strategy to prevent the acquisition of HIV by uninfected individuals. Despite clinical trials exhibiting significant risk reductions with PrEP, several limitations may hinder its real-world effectiveness. PrEP functions as one component of a comprehensive prevention program, which should also include intensive counseling on the importance of adherence, reduction of high-risk behaviors, and continued use of traditional preventative methods. Additionally, the greatest impact of PrEP, both clinically and financially, will likely arise from careful application in select high-risk populations. If properly implemented, PrEP has the potential to significantly reduce the incidence of new HIV infections.


This paper describes a methodology to assess the energy performance of residential buildings starting from the semantic 3D city model of Vienna. Space heating, domestic hot water and electricity demand are taken into account.

The paper deals with aspects related to urban data modelling, with particular attention to the energy-related topics, and with issues related to interactive data exploration/visualisation and management from a plugin-free web-browser, e.g. based on Cesium, a WebGL virtual globe and map engine.

While providing references to existing previous works, only some general and introductory information is given about the data collection, harmonisation and integration process necessary to create the CityGML-based 3D city model, which serves as the central information hub for the different applications developed and described more in detail in this paper.

The work aims, among the rest, at developing urban decision making and operational optimisation software tools to minimise non-renewable energy use in cities.

The results obtained so far, as well as some comments about their quality and limitations, are presented, together with the discussion regarding the next steps and some planned improvements.


Measuring temperature in cells and tissues remotely, with sufficient sensitivity, and in real time presents a new paradigm in engineering, chemistry and biology. Traditional sensors, such as contact thermometers, thermocouples, and electrodes, are too large to measure the temperature with subcellular resolution and are too invasive to measure the temperature in deep tissue. The new challenge requires novel approaches in designing biocompatible temperature sensors-nanothermometers-and innovative techniques for their measurements. In the last two decades, a variety of nanothermometers whose response reflected the thermal environment within a physiological temperature range have been identified as potential sensors. This review covers the principles and aspects of nanothermometer design driven by two emerging areas: single-cell thermogenesis and image guided thermal treatments. The review highlights the current trends in nanothermometry illustrated with recent representative examples.


CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2008 Abstracts

Abstract #1075

Background: Screening mammography has increased the frequency of diagnosis of small (≤1 cm) invasive breast cancer (BC), for which the prognosis after locoregional therapy remains controversial. Patients and methods: We have performed a retrospective analysis of 882 patients with ≤1 cm BC and positive or negative-nodes, treated in our Institution from 1990 to 2005. Risks of axillary nodes involvement (ANI), relapse-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed according to: age, tumor size, histologic type and grading, ER and PgR status and MIB-1, HER-2 and p53 immuno histochemical expression. Results: Median age at diagnosis was 57 years (range: 20 - 86 years). Tumor size was: 71 Tmic (a single focus of invasive carcinoma ≤ 2 mm or up to 3 foci ≤1 mm in greatest dimensions, according to Silver and Tavassoli), 225 T1a (>2 -5 mm) and 586 T1b (>5–10 mm). ANI was found in 122 cases (13,8%): only 1 inT1mic (1,4%), 21 in T1a (9,3%) and 100 in T1b (17%). Tumor size, young age, poor differentiation and ductal histology were significantly associated with ANI (p=0.01). Local relapses were: 3 in Tmic pts(2 DCIS and 1 invasive), 13 in T1a, 22 in T1b. Distant metastases were: 1 in Tmic pts, 11 in T1a, 17 in T1b. At a median follow up of 92 months, RFS was 86,4% (Tmic: 86,8%, T1a: 86,2%; T1b: 86,2%). BC-specific mortality was 2% for T1mic, 3,3% for T1a, 3,8% for T1b accounting for an OS of 96,6%. Nodal involvement was the more relevant prognostic factor for survival, followed by young age, poor differentiation, high MIB-1 and p53. Conclusions : In pts with 1 cm or smaller Invasive Breast Carcinoma, the risk of ANI is low, but not negligible, particularly for T1b tumors. Furthermore, the prognosis of these pts is influenced by high histological grade and young age.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 1075.


Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are the most prevalent kind of gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumour . Gain-of-function mutations in KIT or plateletderived growth factor receptor (PDGFRA) cause the carcinogenesis of GISTs, resulting in constitutive activation of the tyrosine kinase and its downstream signalling cascades. The KIT/PDGFRA inhibitor imatinib is the standard of therapy for patients with metastatic GISTs, and oncogenic KIT or PDGFRA mutations are attractive therapeutic targets for the treatment of GISTs. However, clinical resistance to imatinib and other tyrosine kinase inhibitors develops in the majority of GIST patients. Five mechanisms of resistance have been characterized: (1) acquisition of a secondary point mutation in KIT or PDGFRA; (2) genomic amplification of KIT; (3) activation of an alternative receptor tyrosine kinase; (4) loss of KIT oncoprotein expression; and (5) wild-type GIST. Sunitinib is being used as a second-line therapy for individuals who have failed imatinib, and regorafenib has been approved for patients who have failed both imatinib and sunitinib . Phase II/III trials are currently in progress to evaluate novel inhibitors and immunotherapies targeting KIT, its downstream effectors such as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, protein kinase B and mammalian target of rapamycin, heat shock protein 90, and histone deacetylase inhibitor. ETV1, AXL, insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, KRAS, FAS receptor, protein kinase c theta, ANO1 (DOG1), CDC37, and aurora kinase A have all been identified as potential targets. These candidates should be tested in the clinic as potential new GIST treatment targets.


How head patterning is regulated in vertebrates is yet to be understood. In this study, we show that frog embryos injected with Noggin at different blastula and gastrula stages had their head development sequentially arrested at different positions. When timed BMP inhibition was applied to BMP-overexpressing embryos, the expression of five genes: xcg-1 (a marker of the cement gland, which is the front-most structure in the frog embryo), six3 (a forebrain marker), otx2 (a forebrain and mid-brain marker), gbx2 (an anterior hindbrain marker) and hoxd1 (a posterior hindbrain marker) were sequentially fixed. These results suggest that timed interactions between BMP and anti-BMP are involved in patterning the vertebrate head progressively in time and space. Since the above genes are not expressed sequentially, there may be a BMP dependent gene sequence during head patterning that can be arrested by BMP inhibition and regulate the specification of positional values in the head.


Three kinds of leaf-surface waxes were extracted from different trees, and their chemical compositions were analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS). A MFT-R4000 tester was employed to investigate the tribological performances of samples, and the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) were used to characterize the morphologies and chemical compositions on the worn surfaces, respectively. The result showed that waxes can effectively improve the friction reduction and anti-wear abilities of base oil, and different composition of waxes have different improve degree. This can be attributed to the chemical compositions and degree of chemical action.


Rationale: The old Monteggia fracture is an uncommon lesion pattern in adult, which may lead to the potential complications such as recurrent dislocation of the radial head, heterotopic ossification of the elbow, nerve palsy, malunion of the ulna, and residual forearm deformity. However, the secondary distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) dislocation is rarely reported in the similar lesion. Here we present a unique reoperation of old Monteggia fracture combined with secondary DRUJ disruption after the initial operation failure. Patient concerns: A 38-year-old male presented to our hospital outpatient office complaining of left elbow stiffness and ongoing wrist dysfunction with a history of injury to the left forearm caused by a forklift accident that occurred 5 months previously. Diagnosis and interventions: At the local hospital, the patient underwent successively fasciotomy and decompression, ulnar open reduction, and internal fixation due to osteofascial compartment syndrome and a misdiagnosed ulnar fracture. Upon examination, the secondary dorsal dislocation of the DRUJ was obvious both clinically and radiographically. We performed a revision surgery called ulnar osteotomy, radioulnar ligament repair, and temporary fixation of the DRUJ with a Kirschner wire. Outcomes: The patient received a satisfactory result without observed redislocation and relapse according to the 1-year follow-up. Lessons: Considering the notoriously poor outcomes, the importance of early recognition and accurate treatment should be emphasized repeatedly in similar lesions. Paying close and continuous attention to the clinical and radiographic examinations of the elbow and wrist joint is necessary to avoid misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.


The Yangian symmetry Y(su($n$)) of the Calogero-Sutherland-Moser spin model is reconsidered. The Yangian generators are constructed from two non-commuting su($n$)-loop algebras. The latters generate an infinite dimensional symmetry algebra which is a deformation of the $W_\infty$-algebra. We show that this deformed $W_\infty$-algebra contains an infinite number of Yangian subalgebras with different deformation parameters.


Combinational circuits implemented with exclusive-or gates are used for on-chip generation of deterministic test patterns from compressed seeds. Unlike major test compression techniques, this technique doesn't require test pattern generation with don't cares. Experimental results on industrial designs demonstrate that this new XPAND technique achieves exponential reduction in test data volume and test time compared to traditional scan and significantly outperforms existing test compression tools. The XPAND technique is currently being used by several industrial designs.


In this article a new context-aware architecture is proposed for the integration of body sensor networks and social networks through the IP Multimedia Subsystem. Its motivating application scenarios are described. The benefits and main research challenges for an efficient communication using the proposed architecture are outlined.


Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the predictors of marriage outlook for university students in Korea. Method: A convenience sampling method was used and 438 university students were studied for final analysis. Data collection was conducted through the use of questionnaires which were constructed to include Marriage outlook scale, Family-of-origin Scale-55 and Sexual Knowledge & Attitude Test. Results: Marriage outlook for university students didn`t demonstrate a positive point of view. There were positive correlations between marriage outlook, health of the family of origin and sexual awareness. The significant factors influencing marriage outlook of university students were current dating, health of the family of origin, gender, and religion. These factors explained 10.6% of marriage outlook of university students. Conclusions: These results support that special programs are needed in inducing a change in marriage outlook to overcome the low birthrate of Korea. These programs need to consider personal factors including the health of the family of origin, gender and religion.


An artificial neural network (ANN) approach was used to model the wheat production. From an extensive data collection involving 40 farms in Canterbury, New Zealand, the average wheat production was estimated at 9.9 t ha -1 . The final ANN model developed was capable of predicting wheat production under different conditions and farming systems using direct and indirect technical factors. After examining more than 140 different factors, 6 factors were selected as influential input into the model. The final ANN model can predict wheat production based on farm conditions (wheat area and irrigation frequency), machinery condition (tractor hp ha -1 and number of passes of sprayer) and farm inputs (N and fungicides consumption) in Canterbury with an error margin of ±9% (±0.89 t ha -1 ).


3D printing and Building Information Modelling (BIM) are two technologies that have become increasingly popular and changed a wide variety of applications in a significant manner. 3D printing enables the design, prototyping and manufacture of items that were previously impossible or infeasible to do. Similarly, BIM is changing the way building and civil infrastructure projects are conceived, designed, delivered and maintained with a push towards a digital, wholly collaborative construction environment. This paper examines how 3D printing and BIM can be used in a complimentary manner to help visualise and communicate important aspects of a project to the relevant stakeholders and personnel involved. By using the BIM model that has been developed for a specific project and segmenting key components of this model we can then use 3D printers to create a scaled model of the job and educate the concerned parties in the construction methodology, main risk areas, and ongoing concerns for maintenance and end-of-life deconstruction.


Mineral aerosols play multiple roles in the global system, but the magnitude of their impact on climate and global biogeochemical cycles remains uncertain. The extent to which atmospheric dust concentrations warm or cool the climate is still poorly quantified, as it depends on factors such as the physical and radiative characteristics of dust. Dust-cycle models must be improved before dust impacts can be more reliably predicted. Progress in this direction is hindered by a shortage of global data sets to determine model input parameters on multiple spatial scales and data sets to comprehensively validate model simulations. A workshop, which was recently held in Germany, brought experts together to formulate strategies for using existing global data sets and creating new data sets to improve model parameterizations and model evaluation.


Food in tourism is becoming an important subject to researchers in the field of tourism and food service. Food and its related tourist activities have been ascribed into a new category of tourism called food tourism in which the motivation for traveling is to obtain special experiences from food. However, limited attention has been paid to explore precisely what factors influence food tourists' destination choices. The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to explore food tourists' motivations using push and pull theory. The sample was drawn from a food event in the southwestern United States. The development of the instrument begun with literature review and was followed with a pretest on graduate students who have attended food events. After the pretest, a review of the instrument was conducted by tourism and foodservice experts. A pilot test was employed to ensure the reliability and clarity of the research instrument before actual survey. The final instrument was used to gather 305 usable questionnaires. Three factors emerged from the 14 push items: Knowledge and Learning, Fun and New Experiences, and Relaxation with Family. Three factors were generated from the 14 pull items: Area Quality and Value, Quality of Event, and Food Variety. The instrument can be tested and further validated in other food tourism settings.


Oxygen consumption, ATP, ADP, and reduced and oxidized pyridine nucleotide were measured in liver slices which were taken from fed, fasted, and refed rats and subjected to varying durations of anoxia. Oxygen consumption was low in slices from fasted rats and was increased after anoxia in all three groups of rats. Liver slices from fasted rats were also characterized by low concentrations of adenine nucleotides and oxidized pyridine nucleotide. These decreased during anoxia in all groups. Reduced pyridine nucleotide was low in fasted rats, intermediate in fed, and high in refed rats. There was an increase in concentration after 5 min of anoxia. The relationship among these variables is discussed in regard to the concept of nucleotide control of oxygen consumption.


Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL

Modification of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) in the tumour microenvironment can have a significant influence on tumour cell behavior, tumour growth and metastasis. HSPG play an important role in shaping the integrity of the extracellular matrix, and cell surface HSPG are determinants of cell-cell interactions and receptor function. Heparanase (Hpa1), an endoglycosidase, cleaves the glycosidic bonds within heparan sulfate domains resulting in HSPG with impaired or altered functionality. Elevated expression of heparanase has been correlated with disease progression and poor survival in a number of human cancers. Using Xenomouse™ technology and immunising with recombinant human Hpa1, we have generated fully human monoclonal antibodies that bind to heparanase with high affinity (<100pM). A number of antibodies were shown to inhibit recombinant human, murine and cynomolgus heparanase activity in a HTRF (homogeneous time resolved fluorescence) heparan sulfate degradation assay with IC50s in the nM range (0.2-3nM) for human Hpa1. The antibodies also inhibited cell surface localised heparanase activity and appeared to interfere with secretion and activation of heparanase. Targeting heparanase activity with an inhibitory therapeutic antibody may be a promising alternative strategy to the use of heparan sulfate mimetics.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 558. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-558


This paper presents preliminary evaluation of the hybrid parallelization of the Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method based on Open Computing Language (OpenCL) and the Message Passing Interface (MPI). Due to the portability of OpenCL, developed code targets not only distributed shared memory computer clusters based on multi-core central processing units (CPUs), but also clusters accelerated by graphics processing units (GPUs). The computational domain is decomposed along the slowest direction, and electromagnetic field boundary data is shared between neighboring subdomains using either OpenCL or MPI communication. The communication overhead between GPUs is proportional to the area of the boundary and represents the rate-limiting step of the method. This paper subsequently shows results of numerical tests aimed at evaluation of the hybrid OpenCL-MPI FDTD solver in electromagnetic simulations.


During the 80's, the restoration of forest areas with the Pinus spp ., Cupressus sp. , Casuarina sp. and Eucalyptus sp. was started in the Valle de Mezquital, Hidalgo state, Mexico. After 25 years, good results were accomplished with P. greggii . Models were fitted to predict the total stem volume for this species from plantations established in the ejido Fontezuelas, Meztitlan municipality, Hidalgo, Mexico. From stem analysis, a sample of 87 trees was processed in the diameter range of categories from 10 to 35 cm. The models that were used for adjusting Schumacher, Combined Logarithmic Variable, Arithmetic Combined Variable and Meyer. According to the statistical and analytical graphics applied, the four models were shown to be statistically useful to estimate the standing volume. The fittest of the fit and parsimony were combined Variable Logarithmic and Schumacher. From the equations obtained from these two models, their corresponding two entry tables were designed, that stand for the total barkless stem volume, expressed in m 3 , for P. greggii forest plantations with trees of different age and a BHD between 5 and 55 cm, which can be applied to plantations of this species that are established in the study area. The models allow to estimate the volume of total standing barkless stem, including the stump.


The serum immunoglobulin E concentration was determined in groups of patients with immunologic deficiency diseases that were secondary to a variety of pathophysiologic mechanisms including decreased synthesis, accelerated catabolism and excessive loss of immunoglobulins.
 The geometric mean IgE level of normal adults was 105 ng/ml with a 95% interval of 5 to 2045. All of the patients with a generalized reduction in immunoglobulin production had a markedly reduced level of IgE. In nine of 10 patients with idiopathic-acquired hypogammaglobulinemia the IgE level was undetectable (i.e., < 4 ng/ml) and was only 5 ng/ml in the remaining patient. Similarly, IgE was undetectable in the serum of seven of eight patients with thymoma and hypogammaglobulinemia and was only 8 ng/ml in the remaining patient.
 The IgE levels of groups of patients with hypogammaglobulinemia secondary to a shortened immunoglobulin survival were found to be normal in contrast to the markedly reduced IgE levels seen in the patients with a generalized defect in immunoglobulin synthesis. The geometric means of the serum IgE concentrations of the 10 patients with myotonic dystrophy, low IgG concentration and short IgG survival, the two patients with familial hypercatabolic hypoproteinemia and a short survival of many serum proteins, and the 10 patients who had intestinal lymphangiectasia and generalized loss of serum proteins into the gastrointestinal tract did not differ significantly from normal.
 The 12 patients with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome had markedly elevated IgE levels with a geometric mean value of 3475 ng/ml. These high IgE levels may reflect chronic stimulation of the IgE synthesizing system by antigens that cannot be processed adequately and eliminated by these patients.


Chronically elevated glucocorticoids (GCs) and a high-fat diet (HFD) independently induce insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). GCs have been linked to increased food intake, particularly energy-dense "comfort" foods. Thus we examined the synergistic actions of GCs and HFD on hepatic disease development in a new rodent model of chronically elevated GCs. Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats received exogenous GCs, via subcutaneous implantation of four 100-mg corticosterone (Cort) pellets, to elevate basal GC levels for 16 days (n = 8-10 per group). Another subset of animals received wax pellets (placebo) to serve as controls. Animals from each group were randomly assigned to receive a 60% HFD or a standard high-carbohydrate (13% fat and 60% carbohydrate) diet. Cort + HFD resulted in central obesity, despite a relative weight loss, a 4-fold increase in hepatic lipid content, hepatic fibrosis, and a 2.8-fold increase in plasma alanine aminotransferase levels compared with placebo + chow controls. Hepatic injury developed independent of inflammation, as plasma haptoglobin levels were reduced with Cort treatment. Insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis occurred with Cort alone; these outcomes were further exacerbated by the HFD in the presence of elevated Cort. In addition to fatty liver, the Cort + HFD group also developed severe insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertriglyceridemia, which were not evident with HFD or Cort alone. Thus a HFD dramatically exacerbates the development of NAFLD and characteristics of the metabolic syndrome in conditions of chronically elevated Cort.