Abstract. The core satellite of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission provides precipitation observations measured with the Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR). The precipitation can only be estimated from the radar data, and therefore independent validations using direct precipitation measurements on the ground as a true reference need to be performed. Moreover, the quality and the accuracy of satellite observational data depend on various influencing factors, such as altitude, topography and rainfall type. In this way, a validation may help to minimise those uncertainties. The DPR Level 2 algorithms provide three different sets of radar rain rate estimates: Ku-band-only rain rates, Ka-band-only rain rates, and a product using both the Ku and Ka band. This study presents an evaluation of the three GPM-DPR surface precipitation estimates based on the gridded precipitation data of the WegenerNet, a local-scale terrestrial network of 153 meteorological stations in southeastern Austria. The validation is based on graphical and statistical approaches, using only data where both Ku- and Ka-band measurements are available. The focus lies on the resemblance of the rainfall variability within the whole network and the over- and underestimation of the precipitation through the GPM-DPR. The analysis rests upon 15 rainfall events observed by the GPM-DPR over the WegenerNet in the last 4 years; the meteorological winter is excluded due to technical challenges of snow measurements. The WegenerNet provides between 8 and 12 gauges within each GPM-DPR footprint. Its biases are well studied and corrected; thus, it can be taken as a robust ground reference. This work also includes considerations on the limits of such comparisons between small terrestrial networks with a high density of stations and precipitation observations from a satellite. Our results show that the GPM-DPR estimates basically match with the WegenerNet measurements, but absolute quantities are biased. The three types of radar estimates deliver similar results, where Ku-band and dual-frequency estimates are very close to each other. On a general level, Ka-band precipitation estimates deliver better results due to their greater sensitivity to low rainfall rates.


Considerable challenges remain in functional assignment in Indonesia - some introduced by the recent revisions, during the second round of reform in the period 2004-2007. The Government of Indonesia (GoI) has accepted the offer from donors to undertake a study to delve more deeply into the progress made to date, the challenges that remain, and the opportunities to fashion a more robust, effective and stable assignment of functions. The study aims to help the GoI and donors in exploring new avenues for reform in this field. The term functional assignment in the study denotes a broad concept that captures the overall architecture of roles between levels of government and the specific construction of functions. The robustness of functional assignment is seen to derive from the judicious choice of elements suited to the local context, particularly how these elements come together to form a sound and consistent architecture. In assessing functional assignment, the study made use of academic and other stakeholder views on both substantive issues and the capacity development approach needed to develop a policy network in this field in the future. The possible supporting role of donors is also indicated, within the discussion of each issue in the main part of the report, and in condensed form at the end of this summary.


The experiment reported here was an attempt to demonstrate that the solution of specific discrimination problems is based on rules rather than on differences in associative strengths. With positive and negative patterning as examples, we examined whether or not the solution of the discrimination problem depends on the number of reinforcements for each individual stimulus when the total number of reinforcements is kept constant. This was achieved by manipulating the number of stimuli used. We also examined the transfer to new stimuli. Forty subjects took part in a 2 x 2-factorial experiment with anticipatory skin conductance responses as the dependent variable. All the results were in accordance with the assumption of rule based problem solution. The amount of discrimination was independent of the number of reinforcements for each stimulus. Furthermore, according to results of concept formation studies, an asymmetry in transferring the solution to new stimuli was observed.


The Chinese political fabric appears to be under great stress, with reports of nearly 200,000 "mass incidents" every year, especially from workers with labor disputes and ordinary people whose property is often seized by corrupt officials. Such incidents are fuelled by public dissatisfaction nationwide as well as the disenchantment of Chinese State policies among ethnic groups, who occupy at least a third of Chinese territory. China has so far been able to keep its peripheral communities under control (or in the case of Taiwan, to ensure a degree of restraint) through its clear willingness to use force, which has aggravated the unease. A democratic China, however, would find it difficult to adopt such a repressive posture. Drawing on Linz and Stepan and Yadav's theoretical and empirical elaboration, the article examines the characteristics of Chinese federalism and the lessons that can be learnt from a large multinational state like India. The article suggests a dual mechanism of federalism on the Chinese mainland and confederation with peripheral communities for addressing China's territorial and political development. A confederal arrangement for China's peripheral communities would provide a reliable umbrella of national laws and institutions under which these communities could be brought together in the "statenation" vision. The viability of such an arrangement hinges on the presence of a strong judiciary for third-party dispute resolution and for implementing confederal agreements


In today's era each and every company is toiling to produce the optimize outcome. Optimization is the key decision theory for numerous purposes to infer an important outcome. The goal and aim of every engineering application is to produce the amenities which can be optimized for efficient and proficient communication. Evolutionary computation is one of the most preferred theories which use any scientific, mathematical or logical means regarding optimized results in different operations. A novel scheme for optimization of numerous problems using bacterial foraging based heuristic techniques is discussed in this paper. The power of proposed methodology is illustrated with the help of flow diagram.


This paper presents a 5.4-Gb/s clock and data recovery circuit using a seamless loop transition scheme which has minimal phase noise degradation. The proposed scheme enables the CDR circuit to change the operation mode without output phase noise degradation or stability problems. A modified half-rate linear phase detector reduces the phase error between the data and clock. A tested chip is manufactured using 0.13-μm CMOS technology. The rms jitter of the proposed CDR circuit is 5.98 ps-rms, which is 2.61 ps lower than the CDR circuit with the conventional scheme. The measured power dissipation is 138 mW with output drivers and an embedded 2:1 MUX at 5.4-Gb/s data rate.


Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a recently discovered type of covalently-closed circular non-coding RNAs, mainly formed by non-sequential back-splicing of precursor mRNAs (pre-mRNAs). Recent studies have demonstrated that circRNAs can have either oncogenic or tumor-suppressor roles depending on the cellular context. CircRNA mitochondrial tRNA translation optimization 1 (circMTO1), a recently reported circular RNA originating from exons of MTO1 located on chromosome 6q13, was proved to be abnormally expressed in many malignant tumors, such as hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric carcinoma and colorectal cancer, resulting in tumor initiation and progression. However, there are no reviews focusing on the roles of circMTO1 in cancer. Here, we first summarize the main biological characteristics of circMTO1, and then focus on its biological functions and the possible underlying molecular mechanisms. Finally, we summarize the roles of circMTO1 in cancer and discuss future prospects in this area of research.


The use of flexible polyurethane foam (FPUF) is severely limited due to its flammability and dripping, which can easily cause major fire hazards. Therefore, choosing an appropriate flame retardant to solve this problem is an urgent need. A coating was prepared on the FPUF surface by dipping with phytic acid (PA), Fe2(SO4)3·xH2O, and laponite (LAP). The influence of PA-Fe/LAP coating on FPUF flame-retardant performance was explored by thermal stability, flame retardancy, combustion behavior, and smoke density analysis. FPUF/PA-Fe/LAP has a good performance in the small fire test, which can pass the UL-94 V-0 rating and the limiting oxygen index reaches 24.5%. Meanwhile, the peak heat release rate values and maximum smoke density of FPUF/PA-Fe/LAP are reduced by 38.7% and 38.5% compared with those of neat FPUF. After applying PA-Fe/LAP coating, the value of fire growth rate index decreases from 10.5 kW/(m2·s) to 5.1 kW/(m2·s), dramatically reducing the fire risk. Encouragingly, the effect of PA-Fe/LAP coating on cyclic compression and permanent deformation is small, which is close to that of neat FPUF. This work provides an effective strategy for making a flame-retardant FPUF with antidripping and keeping mechanical properties.


Background: Rituximab with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine (VCR), and prednisone (R-CHOP) chemotherapy is the standard regimen for newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). VCR has been widely used in the treatment of lymphoid malignancies and is included in R-CHOP. However, VCR causes peripheral neuropathy (PN), which is one of major toxicities that reduce quality of life. VCR-induced PN (VIPN) is associated with the VCR dose, vincristine cumulative dose, age, and comorbidities (e.g., impaired glucose tolerance). During the last decade, more than 10 gene polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with VIPN in studies of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who were treated with VCR-containing regimens. Among these polymorphisms, CEP72 rs924607 TT, MTNR1B rs12786200, and ETAA1 rs17032980 were associated with VIPN in both children and adult patients (pts) with ALL in a North American cohort. In a few studies of children with ALL outside the US, the CEP72 rs924607 TT genotype was not associated with VIPN, suggesting an ethnic deviation in the association. Recent studies including children with ALL have also reported that CYP3A5 rs776746, rs7963521, and rs1045644 are associated with VIPN. Little is known about the association between these gene polymorphisms and VIPN in adult pts with B-cell lymphoma. The present study aimed to elucidate the relation between VIPN in adult pts with lymphoma and the CEP72 rs924607, MTNR1B rs12786200, ETAA1 rs17032980, CYP3A5rs776746, rs7963521, and rs1045644 polymorphisms.
 Methods: This study included 36 pts with mature B-cell lymphoma diagnosed according to the 2008 WHO classification between 2003 and 2017 at Mie University Hospital and who received R-CHOP-like chemotherapy as a first-line therapy. VIPN was graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events ver. 3.0 from 2003 to 2011 and ver. 4.0 from 2012 to 2017. The specimens used in this study were obtained from the oral mucosa or lymphoma tissue of the pts. Mutation analysis was performed by direct sequencing. CEP72 rs924607, MTNR1B rs12786200, ETAA1 rs17032980, CYP3A5rs776746, rs7963521, and rs1045644 were analyzed in this study.
 Results: The median age of pts was 64 years (range, 30-78). All pts were Japanese. Five pts had impaired glucose tolerance with no compliant of PN before chemotherapy. Twenty-two pts were diagnosed as having DLBCL, 13 had follicular lymphoma, and one had marginal zone B-cell lymphoma. All pts with the exception of one were treated with R-CHOP. In the remaining patient who had atrial fibrillation, pirarubicin was used instead of doxorubicin in R-CHOP. The total number of cycles of chemotherapy was 6 in 16 pts, 7 in one patient, and 8 in 19 pts. The median cumulative dose of VCR was 12 mg/m2 (range, 2-16). In all 36 pts, 24 pts (67%) experienced any grade of VIPN during chemotherapy and 4 (11%) developed grade 2-4 VIPN. Grade 1 VIPN was observed in 20 pts (56%). Age, impaired glucose tolerance, and the VCR cumulative dose were not associated with the incidence of VIPN. The number of cycles of chemotherapy was significantly associated with the incidence of any grade VIPN (P = 0.04). The CEP72 TT genotype was detected in 7 pts (19%). Four (57%) of 7 pts with the CEP72 TT genotype and 20 (69%) of 29 pts with the CEP72 CT or CC genotype experienced any grade VIPN (P = 0.7). Frequencies of the other gene genotype were as follows: MTNR1B rs12786200 CC in 12 (33%), CT in 18 (50%), and TT in 6 (17%); ETAA1 rs17032980 AA in 22 (61%), AG in 12 (33%), and GG in 2 (6%); CYP3A5rs776746 AA in 4 (11%), AG in 15 (42%), and GG in 17 (47%); rs7963521 CC in 3 (8%), CT in 9 (25%), and TT in 24 (67%); and rs1045644 CC in 21 (58%), CG in 15 (42%), and GG in 0 (0%) of 36 pts. There was no significant association between the incidence of VIPN and these five gene polymorphisms.
 Conclusions: Our results suggest that the CEP72, MTNR1B, ETAA1, CYP3A5, rs7963521, and rs1045644 polymorphisms analyzed in this study are not associated with the incidence of VIPN in adult pts with mature B-cell lymphoma who received R-CHOP-like chemotherapy. To reduce VIPN in pts who receive R-CHOP, a strategy that devises a VCR administration may be more effective than targeting genetic polymorphisms analyzed in this study. Gene polymorphisms associated with VIPN need to be identified in adult pts with lymphoma.

 Sawaki: Kyowa Hakko Kirin: Research Funding; Ono Pharmaceutical: Research Funding; Astellas Pharma: Research Funding; Chugai: Honoraria. Miyazaki:Kyowa Hakko Kirin: Honoraria, Research Funding; Chugai: Honoraria; Ono Pharmaceutical: Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria; Eisai: Honoraria; SymBio Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Nippon Shinyaku: Honoraria; Astellas Pharma: Research Funding; Janssen Pharmaceutical: Honoraria. Imai:Chugai: Honoraria. Tawara:Astellas Pharma: Research Funding; Ono Pharmaceutical: Research Funding; Kyowa Hakko Kirin: Honoraria, Research Funding. Yamaguchi:Ono Pharmaceutical: Research Funding; Astrazeneca: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sorrento: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Teijin Pharma: Honoraria; MSD: Honoraria; Meiji Seika Kaisha: Honoraria; Janssen: Honoraria; Kyowa Hakko Kirin: Honoraria, Research Funding; Eisai: Honoraria; Chugai: Honoraria, Research Funding; Astellas Pharma: Research Funding. Katayama:Taisho Toyama Pharma: Honoraria; Sysmex: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria; Alexion Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria; Chugai: Honoraria; Nippon Shinyaku: Honoraria, Research Funding; Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma: Honoraria; Ono Pharmaceutical: Research Funding; Novo Nordisk: Honoraria; Shionogi Pharmaceutical: Honoraria; Shire: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Astellas Pharma: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria; kyowa hakko kirin: Honoraria, Research Funding.


ABSTRACT Background Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) is a phospholipid-rich component of dairy fat that might explain the benefits of full-fat dairy products on cardiometabolic risk. Preclinical studies support that MFGM decreases gut permeability, which could attenuate gut-derived endotoxin translocation and consequent inflammatory responses that impair cardiometabolic health. Objectives To describe the rationale, study design, and planned outcomes that will evaluate the efficacy of MFGM-enriched milk compared with a comparator beverage on health-promoting gut barrier functions in persons with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods We plan a double-blind, randomized, crossover trial in which people with MetS will receive a rigorously controlled eucaloric diet for 2 wk that contains 3 daily servings of an MFGM-enriched bovine milk beverage or a comparator beverage that is formulated with nonfat dairy powder, coconut and palm oils, and soy phospholipids. Compliance will be monitored by assessing urinary para-aminobenzoic acid that is added to all test beverages. After the intervention, participants will ingest a high-fat/high-carbohydrate meal challenge to assess metabolic excursions at 30-min intervals for 3 h. Nondigestible sugar probes also will be ingested prior to collecting 24-h urine to assess region-specific gut permeability. Intervention efficacy will be determined based on circulating endotoxin (primary outcome) and glycemia (secondary outcome). Tertiary outcomes include: gut and systemic inflammatory responses, microbiota composition and SCFAs, gut permeability, and circulating insulin and incretins. Expected results MFGM is expected to decrease circulating endotoxin and glycemia without altering body mass. These improvements are anticipated to be accompanied by decreased gut permeability, decreased intestinal and circulating biomarkers of inflammation, increased circulating incretins, and beneficial antimicrobial and prebiotic effects in the gut microbiome. Conclusions Demonstration of improvements in gut barrier functions that limit endotoxemia and glycemia could help to establish direct evidence that full-fat dairy lowers cardiometabolic risk, especially in people with MetS. The clinical trial associated with this article has been registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03860584).


The effect of intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy with adriamycin (ADM), with special references to its pharmacokinetic behavior and also the tissue concentrations, was studied in 8 patients with locally advanced breast cancer. A high clinical response rate (CR + PR) of 70.0% was obtained by the treatment, and also remarkable degenerative changes of tumor cells were histologically noted in 5 out of 9 surgical specimens (55.6%). Side effects such as alopecia (100%), leukopenia (87.5%) and stomatitis (85.5%) were frequently observed, but none of them delayed the following mastectomy. Pharmacokinetic studies of intra-arterial administration of ADM showed a low serum concentration and its rapid clearance from serum. ADM also seemed to have a great affinity to the regional lymph nodes (1.21 micrograms/g tissue), compared to cancer (0.61 micrograms/g) and normal breast tissues (0.51 micrograms/g). These results suggested that intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy with ADM might be applicable not only for the preoperative treatment of locally advanced breast cancer, but also for the control of lymph node metastasis.


This article highlights the role parents can play as advocates for their own children. A mother who is interviewed describes a nurse's support in helping her claim her baby as her own in the midst of the NICU environment and how that claiming led her to become involved in his care and a strong advocate for his needs. She shares advice for parents and health care providers. A physician who is interviewed discusses working with this mother and other parents, and describes ways health care professionals can support parents as advocates.


Mammograms, specimen radiographs, and pathology reports of 51 women with ductal cancer in situ (DCIS) in 54 breasts were retrospectively analyzed. Reason for presentation was known for 44 women, including six with symptoms due to DCIS and 16 who either had been previously treated for or had (contralateral) breast cancer. Mammographic patterns of DCIS were microcalcifications in 37 of 54 (68%) lesions and calcifications within a mass in 16 (30%). Multifocal DCIS, evidenced radiographically by patterns of more than one mass, more than one cluster of microcalcifications, or parallel linear, irregular intraductal calcifications, was seen in 35 of 54 (65%) breasts but only on specimen radiographs in four of these. In 22 (41%) lesions maximum tumor expanse was greater than 2.5 cm, and all were multicentric. Multicentricity of tumor and tumor size greater than 2.5 cm may indicate need for therapies more radical than simple excision. Breast irradiation has been shown to significantly diminish recurrence rates in these patients. Mammography and specimen radiography with magnification may be appropriate in these cases to identify all possible tumor sites in the involved breast.


BACKGROUND
The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought about change in the work environment, increasing remote and hybrid mode of work, presenting a compelling need to study visual ergonomics in this new work environment.

OBJECTIVE
To assess computer vision symptoms and visual ergonomics in remote and hybrid work settings during the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on eye to screen relationship.

METHODS
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System 17 questionnaire and questions about human factors and ergonomics were included in the survey conducted in September 2021. Sixty-six working professionals (mean age 37 years±5), working from home (n = 44) or in hybrid mode (n = 22) were included in the study. Cramer's V was used for the correlation coefficient between two categorical variables for assessing eye health in changing work environments.

RESULTS
Compared to our previous study, the correlation between computer vision syndrome (CVS) symptoms is markedly higher. The population working in hybrid mode experienced eye heaviness with strain to see well (V = 0.6872, p = 0.002) and dryness in the eyes (V = 0.5912, p = 0.0179). The population working from home who are bothered by surrounding lights also report dryness in the eyes (V = 0.3846, p = 0.0005). Screen use hours are higher in work from home situations (43% work more than 9 hrs) than those in hybrid mode of work (4% work more than 9 hrs).

CONCLUSION
A definite increase in CVS in most of the population working remotely or in hybrid environments is established through this study. User-friendly strategies for raising awareness of applied visual ergonomics can prevent rampant onset of CVS in the working population.


In this paper the features of grain size distributions are shown on the Senzu, the Kuze, the Nateuse and the Odomari reservoirs described in the 1st and 2nd Reports.The Wentworth's grade scale of grain size and the Shepard's nomenclature based on the sand-silt-clay ratios being used, the sediments are found to range in the sandy-silty-clayey materials from upstream to downstream in reservoirs. The Krum-bein's Phi scale of grain size and the Inman's descriptive parameters being used, the Phi median diameter has the wide range of 1.0-8.5 with the tendency to increase from upstream to downstream in reservoirs, but the sorting has little variation range which centers 1.50 in the Phi deviation measure in the Senzu and Kuze reservoirs, or the complicated distribution with the range from very well sorted to poorly sorted degree in the Nat suse and Odomari reservoirs. In the Senzu reservoir, Sand is deposited in the topset bed, Silty Sand and Sandy Silt in the foreset bed, and Siilt n the bottomset bed of the delta.It is found, that silty and clayey sediments corresponding to suspension load described by Harrison spread over the whole bottom, whereas sandy sediments corresponding to traction load are deposited from the river mouth to the dam in reservoirs.


Mobile ad hoc Network (MANET) consists of autonomous mobile nodes without any centralized control. These mobile nodes move arbitrarily within the self-configurable MANET environment. Each of these mobile nodes can act as router while receiving and forwarding information. Secure routing is an important issue in MANET as mobile nodes are prone to attacks from malicious nodes and the overall performance of the network depends on it. In this setting, three routing protocols have been analyzed and compared: OLSR, DSR and AODV. The metrics are being used are Packet Delivery Ratio, Delay and Throughput. Network Simulator (NS2) has been used as tool for the experiments. The performance analysis of these protocols also compared for power usage using two trust-based models: Node based Trust Management (NTM) Scheme and TLEACH. Simulation results show that OLSR protocol performs well compared to AODV and DSR.


Community pharmacists are increasingly expected to improve disease management both by aiming to improve the effective use of medicines and by reducing the occurrence and severity of preventable adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The current PhD research began by assessing the challenges to the medicines reconciliation from patients' perspectives. A questionnaire based audit identified two important risk factors for reporting ADRs: being unaware of why medicines were prescribed and not recalling prior warnings about possible ADRs. These findings led to the evaluation of pharmacists' engagement with patients within pharmacy services such as the New Medicine Service (NMS).

A questionnaire-based service evaluation of the NMS provided support for this service as an opportunity to improve identification and management of ADRs. This evaluation also highlighted the poor contribution of pharmacists towards reporting of ADRs. The findings led to the evaluation of ADR reporting by community pharmacists. This audit-based study identified lack of time and uncertainty about the seriousness of ADRs as the main barriers towards spontaneous reporting. The reporting of ADRs linked to high blood pressure medicines in this study indicated the need to assess the role of community pharmacists in the management of high blood pressure. A systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that pharmacist-led interventions made a significant impact on the management of systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Learning from two audits, a service evaluation and a systematic review led to the development of a randomised controlled trial that assessed the impact of written pharmacistled education on patients with high blood pressure. Interventions by pharmacists working in community pharmacies were associated with improvements in the control of hypertension, however, the mean difference in blood pressure between the intervention and control group was not statistically significant. Compared to participants in the control group, there was a significant improvement in the knowledge about hypertension and its treatment in the intervention group. The participants in this study gave a positive response about the involvement of pharmacists in the management of long-term medical conditions such as hypertension.

The UK government wants to see a central role for pharmacists in patient care. The evidence presented in this research suggests that pharmacists have the potential to play a bigger role in patient care. Patients also recognize this potential and appear to be willing to seek pharmacists' advice on health-related issues. Pharmacists would need to identify their specific learning needs to help them deliver a more patient-centred care. They would also require the support and recognition from other stakeholders in particular the GPs.


[1] Sixteen children participated in the first annual AGU Take Your Child to Work Day, held on 21 April 2011 at AGU headquarters in Washington, D. C. AGU chief executive officer and executive director Chris McEntee kicked off the event by talking to the children—who are children, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews of AGU staff—about the importance of science. Then AGU member Lindsay Knippenberg, currently an Einstein Fellow in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Education, engaged the children in a discussion about earthquakes, plate tectonics, and the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami. The children enthusiastically participated in her tsunami demonstration, which made use of Fruit Roll-Ups, graham crackers, and cake icing.


Diversity of most above-ground organisms increases with decreasing latitude, but the biogeographical and macroecological diversity patterns of below-ground animals have been poorly studied. We investigated the latitudinal diversity gradient in a primarily below-ground living soil taxon, oribatid mites. Furthermore, oribatid mite species richness from islands and mainlainds was tested for correlation with the size of the respective area (island or mainland) to evaluate if their species-area relationships are similar to those of above-ground taxa. The results suggest that for oribatid mites 1) diversity increases from the boreal to the warm temperate region but not further to the tropics, and 2) species-area relationships for islands and mainlands are similar to those of above-ground taxa, but this is mainly caused by very small islands, such as Cocos islands, and very large islands, such as Madagascar. When these islands are excluded the species-area relationship strongly differs from those of typical islands. The results support the view that below-ground animal taxa are generalists that inhabit wide niches. Most small islands have relatively rich oribatid mite faunas, supporting the observation that a large number of species can coexist in a small area (high α-diversity).


—Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys in the area between Sherashevo and Inkino villages provide insights into the structure of the Delta Fault and allow estimating the amount of vertical slip caused by the M = 7.5 Tsagan earthquake of 12 January 1862. The surveys with shielded AB-90 and AB 250-M antennas of an OKO-2 georadar along five profiles spaced at 25 m reveal normal slip from 2.6 to 4.5 m in different segments of the main seismogenic fault. The surface rupture caused by the 1862 event is traceable in interpreted radar images together with subsidiary faults; some possibly resulted from the 1959 Middle Baikal earthquake (M = 6.8). The GPR data are used to construct a 3D model of the area, which illustrates the evolution of the Delta Fault scarp since the Tsagan earthquake. Much of surface rupture during the Tsagan event is due to gravity sliding, judging by the amount of displacement estimated from GPR, structural, and field data of different years. Comprehensive understanding of the displacement pattern along the seismogenic fault requires further study extended to other segments of the fault zone.


[1] With the discovery by the Cassini spacecraft of an oxygen atmosphere over Saturn's main rings, and a strong source of water products from the plumes of Saturn's moon Enceladus, our picture of the physics of Saturn's magnetosphere from the main rings to inside the orbit of Enceladus has changed dramatically. This region contains oxygen ions from the ring atmosphere and water-group ions from the Enceladus torus. The purpose of this study is to examine ion densities, temperatures, and composition from several equatorial periapsis passes from 2004 to 2010 for the region from 2.4 to 3.5 Saturn radii (∼60,300 km) in addition to Voyager 2 in order to separate contributions from Saturn's ring atmosphere from the water products in the Enceladus torus and to describe the temporal variations in the plasma. Because of the high background due to so-called penetrating radiation in this region, only six orbits are used in this study. Our analysis indicates that large variations in ion density, temperature, and composition occurred between the Voyager 2 flyby, 2004, and 2010. Although the Enceladus plumes may be variable, we propose that the large change in the ion density from 2004 to equinox near 2010 is due to the seasonal variation in the ring atmosphere. Our interpretation of the plasma data is supported by a simple photochemical model, combining the water products from Enceladus and the seasonal variations in the ring atmosphere.


Endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness are nontraditional risk factors of chronic kidney disease (CKD)-related cardiovascular disease (CVD) that could be targeted with exercise. This study investigated the effect of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise on vascular function in nondialysis CKD. In this randomized, controlled trial, 36 nondialysis patients with CKD (means ± SE, age: 58 ± 2 yr, estimated glomerular filtration rate: 44 ± 2 ml·min-1·1.73 m-2) were allocated to an exercise training (EXT) or control (CON) arm. The EXT group performed 3 × 45 min of supervised exercise per week at 60-85% heart rate reserve for 12 wk, whereas the CON group received routine care. Outcomes were assessed at 0 and 12 wk. The primary outcome, microvascular function, was assessed via cutaneous vasodilation during local heating measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry coupled with microdialysis. Participants were instrumented with two microdialysis fibers for the delivery of 1) Ringer solution and 2) the superoxide scavenger tempol. Conduit artery function was assessed via brachial artery flow-mediated dilation. Aortic pressure waveforms and pulse wave velocity were acquired with tonometry and oscillometry. Microvascular function improved after EXT (week 0 vs. week 12, EXT: 87 ± 2% vs. 91 ± 2% and CON: 86 ± 2% vs. 84 ± 3%, P = 0.03). At baseline, pharmacological delivery of tempol improved microvascular function (Ringer solution vs. tempol: 86 ± 1% vs. 90 ± 1%, P = 0.02) but was no longer effective after EXT (91 ± 2% vs. 87 ± 1%, P = 0.2), suggesting that an improved redox balance plays a role in EXT-related improvements. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation was maintained after EXT (EXT: 2.6 ± 0.4% vs. 3.8 ± 0.8% and CON: 3.5 ± 0.6% vs. 2.3 ± 0.4%, P = 0.02). Central arterial hemodynamics and arterial stiffness were unchanged after EXT. Aerobic exercise improved microvascular function and maintained conduit artery function and should be considered as an adjunct therapy to reduce CVD risk in CKD.


SUMMARY
The First Nations people of British Columbia experience reincarnation as a revitalization of their culture. This article documents the perseverance of reincarnation experiences among the Beaver, Witsuwit'en, and Gitxsan peoples of British Columbia, as well as my own growth in understanding such experiences. It recounts examples of rebirth cases. It explains what rebirth experiences mean to the First Nations people. It describes how these experiences are embedded in their perception of this world and embodied in their beliefs of spiritual realms, which include the interconnected and parallel worlds of fish and land animals, on this world and in spiritual dimensions. While the rebirth worldview contrasts with that of the Western scientific world, this is a worldview I have come to endorse.


Purpose Central nervous system (CNS) involvement of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) is relatively uncommon. The incidence of clinical disease is approximately 10%. Patients at highest risk of CNS involvement include younger patients and those with monocytic variants, hyperleukocytosis, or an inversion of chromosome 16. The median overall survival in patients with clinical CNS disease is 3-4 months. This case illustrates a rare outcome for this disease. Methods A 20 year old previously healthy female presented with a sore throat, generalized weakness, subjective fevers and heavy menstrual cycle. CBC showed a WBC count of 306,000, a hematocrit of 15%, and a platelet count of 22,000. There were 97% blasts with occasional Auer rods seen on the peripheral smear. A bone marrow aspirate confirmed the diagnosis of ANLL. The patient underwent leukopheresis and induction chemotherapy with intravenous (IV) cytarabine and daunorubicin. A bone marrow aspirate at two weeks showed no blasts present. The patient subsequently received two cycles of consolidation chemotherapy with the same agents. Two months after completion of consolidation chemotherapy, she presented with meningismus and a WBC count of 146,000. A lumbar puncture showed a WBC count of 684 with an elevated opening pressure and the diagnosis of relapsed ANLL with CNS involvement was made. Results The patient received re-induction chemotherapy with IV cytarabine and daunorubicin as well as intrathecal (IT) methotrexate. Her prolonged hospital course was complicated by the development of bowel and bladder incontinence as well as bacteremia requiring intensive care unit transfer. CSF examination prior to hospital discharge showed no blasts. The patient was then seen in the hematology clinic for weekly IT methotrexate for one month followed by monthly IT methotrexate for one year. She was also treated with monthly IV vincristine, IV cytarabine, and oral prednisone, which were continued for five years. Repeat examinations of CSF remained free of blasts. This patient is now thirteen years out from her initial diagnosis of ANLL and remains in complete remission. Conclusions Although the usual prognosis for ANLL involving the CNS is dismal, this patient attained a complete remission, which has persisted for 13 years. The maintenance regimen of chemotherapy continued for 5 years and may be the basis for her distinctly uncommon outcome.


Considers the impact of information technology (IT) applications on one important aspect of property asset management at a strategic level: the management of information arising from the development of property registers and building condition appraisal for large estates. Explains the potential productivity and cost savings which can be achieved from an IT approach, and appraisal of large estates in the public and private sectors in the UK. Addresses owners of large property stock faced with problems of handling vast amounts of building related data, and advocates an IT database approach. The hardware and software solutions for the development and management of property databases and strategic condition appraisals already exist. A clear understanding of their cost savings potential is less apparent. Aims to heighten this awareness to property owners and managers of large property estates.


Frege Arithmetic (FA) is the second-order theory whose sole non-logical axiom is Hume's Principle, which says that the number of F s is identical to the number of Gs if and only if the F s and the Gs can be one-to-one correlated. According to Frege's Theorem, FA and some natural definitions imply all of second-order Peano Arithmetic. This paper distinguishes two dimensions of impredicativity involved in FA—one having to do with Hume's Principle, the other, with the underlying second-order logic—and investigates how much of Frege's Theorem goes through in various partially predicative fragments of FA. Theorem 1 shows that almost everything goes through, the most important exception being the axiom that every natural number has a successor. Theorem 2 shows that the Successor Axiom cannot be proved in the theories that are predicative in either dimension.


Both the t(14; 18) and the t(11; 14) chromosomal translocations are associated with human B-cell neoplasms. Sequence analysis of the regions on chromosomes 18q- and 11q- involved in the joining of chromosomes 14 and 18 and of chromosomes 11 and 14 during their respective translocations indicates the involvement of the DH region. There is a deletion of the region between the involved D segment and the JH region, and extranucleotides are present at the joining sites on the 18q- and on the 11q- chromosomes. We have previously reported that the joining region on chromosome 14q+ involved in both the t(11; 14) and the t(14; 18) translocations are structurally identical. We now report that the joining regions on chromosomes 11q- and 18q- involved in these two different translocations are also identical. Thus, these translocations arose by the same mechanisms. The deletions of the region between the involved segment and the JH region must likely occur during either a D-J recombination event on the 18q- and 11q- chromosomes following the translocations or, alternatively, during the D-J recombination event that results in the translocation.


The increasing use of data analytics in the accounting profession necessitates development of instructional cases that teach students how to use data analytics tools to solve common accounting problems. While there has been an emphasis on data analytics cases for graduate education, we recognized a need for such cases at the undergraduate level to prepare students for internships, careers, and graduate education. This case meets this important need by introducing Alteryx in a typical tax setting—the calculation of Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) depreciation. The learning objectives are to: (1) extend knowledge of data analytics; (2) develop skills using Alteryx to extract, transform, and load data; (3) demonstrate understanding of tax rules for computing depreciation; and (4) develop effective written communication skills.


Marine protected areas (MPA) potentially offer a wide range of use and non-use benefits. These include critical habitat protection, conservation of marine biodiversity, recovery of threatened and endangered marine species, and increased biomass of targeted marine species. To assess whether such benefits exceed the potential costs, we provide the first-ever comprehensive ex-ante, socio-economic guide to MPA evaluation. Our framework shows how to quantify four key values of MPAs: consumptive, non-consumptive, indirect, and non-use values. The framework also shows how to use decision tools to determine the desirability of establishing MPAs. Overall, the guide offers the promise of improved information and better decision making for marine protected areas.


Abstract The existence and properties of the logarithmic layer in a turbulent streamwise oscillating flow are investigated through direct numerical simulations and wall-resolved large-eddy simulations. The phase dependence of the von Kármán constant and the logarithmic layer intercept is explored for different values of the Reynolds number and the depth-ratio between the water depth and the Stokes boundary layer thickness. The logarithmic layer exists for a longer fraction of the oscillating period and a larger fraction of the water depth with increasing values of the Reynolds number. However, the values of both the von Kármán and the intercept depend on the phase, the Reynolds number and depth-ratio. Additionally, the simulations characterized by a low value of the depth-ratio and Reynolds number show intermittent existence of the logarithmic layer. Finally, the Reynolds number based on the friction velocity does not support a previously mentioned analogy between oscillatory flows and steady wall-bounded flows.


The mainstream flow past the stationary nozzle guide vanes and rotating turbine blades in a gas turbine creates an unsteady non-axisymmetric variation of pressure in the annulus radially outward of the rim seal. Ingress and egress occur through those parts of the seal clearance where the external pressure is higher and lower, respectively, than that in the wheel-space; this non-axisymmetric type of ingestion is referred to here as externally-induced (EI) ingress. Another cause of ingress is that the rotating air inside the wheel-space creates a radial gradient of pressure so that the pressure inside the wheel-space can be less than that outside; this creates rotationally-induced (RI) ingress, which — unlike EI ingress — can occur even if the flow in the annulus is axisymmetric. Although EI ingress is usually dominant in a turbine, there are conditions under which both EI and RI ingress are significant: these cases are referred to as combined ingress. In Part 1 of this two-part paper, the so-called orifice equations are derived for compressible and incompressible swirling flow, and the incompressible equations are solved analytically for RI ingress. The resulting algebraic expressions show how the nondimensional ingress and egress vary with Θ0 , the ratio of the flow rate of sealing air to the flow rate necessary to prevent ingress. It is shown that e, the sealing effectiveness, depends principally on Θ0 , and the predicted values of e are in mainly good agreement with available experimental data. Part 2 (ASME GT2009-59122) concentrates on the solution and validation of the orifice equations for EI and combined ingress.Copyright © 2009 by ASME


The inspection robot for thin coal seam can replace workers to make the daily inspection in fully mechanized mining surface. Based on the narrow and poor environment of thin coal seam, we design a joint swing arm inspection robot, which is able to adapt to the unstructured terrain in thin coal seam. The structure of the moving mechanism of the inspection robot has been designed. It can be realized that there are two DOF for moving on a single drive central axis through design of the shaft inside and shaft sleeve outside. The strength check and the modal analysis about the key parts of the moving mechanism such as the hollow shaft sleeve and the drive shaft are made by Ansys Workbench. According to the analysis results, the maximum stress caused by internal load and external impact load is far less than the yield strength of the material. The modal shape diagram shows that, when the meshing frequency and the external excitation frequency is much less than the first-order natural frequency of the parts, there will be no resonance and noise. The analysis results show that the design is reasonable and reliable.


ABSTRACT Manganese (Mn2+) is an essential trace element within organisms spanning the entire tree of life. In this review, we provide an overview of Mn2+ transport and the regulation of its homeostasis in bacteria, with a focus on its functions beyond being a cofactor for enzymes. Crucial differences in Mn2+ homeostasis exist between bacterial species that can be characterized to have an iron- or manganese-centric metabolism. Highly iron-centric species require minimal Mn2+ and mostly use it as a mechanism to cope with oxidative stress. As a consequence, tight regulation of Mn2+ uptake is required, while organisms that use both Fe2+ and Mn2+ need other layers of regulation for maintaining homeostasis. We will focus in detail on manganese-centric bacterial species, in particular lactobacilli, that require little to no Fe2+ and use Mn2+ for a wider variety of functions. These organisms can accumulate extraordinarily high amounts of Mn2+ intracellularly, enabling the nonenzymatic use of Mn2+ for decomposition of reactive oxygen species while simultaneously functioning as a mechanism of competitive exclusion. We further discuss how Mn2+ accumulation can provide both beneficial and pathogenic bacteria with advantages in thriving in their niches.


The New Zealand economy is noteworthy in policy circles for its turnaround during the 1980s and early 1990s. Starting from a state of semi-autarky in the early 1980s, the country now has a much more flexible and efficient economic structure. In the 15 years to 1999, successive governments reformed its institutional environment by injecting high doses of deregulation and opening the economy to the world. Following these changes, New Zealand climbed up various indexes of economic freedom: its score increased from 5.9 in 1985 to 8.2 in 2003 on the Fraser Institute measure (Gwartney and Lawson 2005). Strong employment growth from the early 1990s and productivity gains increased economic growth. Yet its average growth rate in the past decade does not compare with that of the Asian tigers, Singapore and Hong Kong, or that of Ireland, Estonia and Luxembourg, countries that share some of the highest ranks in the index. Recent performance and the modest growth prospects for the years ahead have fuelled the debate about the success of the New Zealand reforms. Some economists think that the less than stellar economic performance results from the failure to complete the reform process. Others believe that the current situation is the result of too much reform: New Zealand has been a 'laboratory' for free-market policies, and they went too far. Some maintain that it is now time to go back to more middle-of-the-road policies, taking into account not only economic efficiency but also income distribution, the environment and other issues said to have been left out in the reform process. In this view, better 'management' of the economy should help to improve growth prospects. The Labour-led government espoused this opinion when it was elected in 1999. Still others think that owing to New Zealand's cultural heritage, its inhabitants are relatively uninterested in high levels of economic growth. New Zealanders, it is said, do not need much money to be happy because they hold dear some egalitarian ideas that go back to the nineteenth century, reflected today in the romantic search for a peaceful and green New Zealand and perhaps also in the revival of Maori tikanga. The paper describes the context in which New Zealand's reforms took place and then considers the five main reforms that did most to improve economic performance. Finally it examines the reasons why New Zealand is not performing like an Asian tiger and discuss some policy implications.


The study of the surface topography added details regarding the disposition of male caudal papillae, spicules and area rugosa apart from vulva and oral aperture. The occurrence of this nematode in the state of Amapá represents a new geographical distribution.


Low frequency, low intensity ultrasound was demonstrated as an effective inhibitor of barnacle cyprid settlement. When the same substratum vibration amplitude (10.05 nm) and acoustic pressure (5 kPa) were applied, ultrasound at a frequency of 23 kHz significantly reduced cyprid settlement. The mechanism appeared to differ from the ultrasonic cavitation induced inhibition previously reported as no increased mortality was observed, and no change in the exploratory behaviour of cyprids was observed when they were exposed to this continuous ultrasonic irradiation regime. The application of ultrasound treatment in an intermittent mode of '5 min on and 20 min off' at 20–25 kHz and at the low intensity of 5 kPa produced the same effect as the continuous application of 23 kHz. This energy efficient approach to the use of low frequency, low intensity ultrasound may present a promising and efficient strategy regarding irradiation treatment for antifouling applications.


1 We set out to elucidate the pharmacological mechanisms by which α2‐adrenoceptor and 5‐HT‐receptor ligands affect the haemodynamic response to acute central hypovolaemia in conscious rabbits. 2 Acute central hypovolaemia was produced by inflating an inferior vena caval cuff so that cardiac output fell at a constant rate of ∼8.5% of its baseline level per min. 3 Drugs were administered into the fourth cerebral ventricle in either 154 mm NaCl (saline) or 20% w/v 2‐hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CDX). After vehicle treatments, the haemodynamic response to acute central hypovolaemia had the usual two phases. During Phase I, systemic vascular conductance fell in proportion to cardiac output so that mean arterial pressure fell by only 8 mmHg. Phase II commenced when cardiac output had fallen to ∼60% of its baseline level, when vascular conductance rose abruptly and arterial pressure fell to ≤ 40 mmHg. The haemodynamic response was not dependent on the vehicle used (saline or β‐CDX). 4 Methysergide delayed the occurrence of Phase II in a dose‐dependent manner, and prevented it at a dose of 30– 600 nmol (geometric mean = 186 nmol). The effects and potency of methysergide were not dependent on the vehicle used, indicating that β‐CDX can be used as a vehicle for fourth ventricular administration of lipophilic drugs to conscious rabbits. Clonidine (10 nmol) reversed the effects of a critical dose of methysergide. 5 Phase II was also prevented by 8‐hydroxy‐2‐(di‐n‐propylamino)tetralin (5‐HT1A‐selective agonist, geometric mean critical dose (range) = 13.1 (10–30) nmol), sumatriptan (5‐HT1D‐selective agonist, 72.1 (10–300) nmol), mesulergine (5‐HT2/1c‐selective antagonist, 173 (30–1000) nmol), idazoxan (α2‐adrenoceptor‐selective antagonist, 548 (100–3000) nmol), and mianserin (5‐HT2/1c‐selective antagonist, 548 (100– 3000) nmol). It was not affected by MDL 72222 (5‐HT3‐selective antagonist, 300 nmol) or ketanserin (5‐HT2/1c‐selective antagonist, 3000 nmol). 6 To characterize the nature of α2‐adrenoceptors in rabbit brainstem, we examined the binding of [3H]‐rauwolscine to membrane homogenates of whole brainstem. [3H]‐rauwolscine bound to a population of sites with the characteristics of α2A‐adrenoceptors. 7 From these results we suggest that activation of 5‐HT1A receptors in the brainstem can prevent Phase II of the response to acute central hypovolaemia in conscious rabbits. Our results do not support the notion of an endogenous 5‐hydroxytryptaminergic mechanism mediating Phase II. The mechanism by which the α2‐adrenoceptor antagonists yohimbine and idazoxan prevent Phase II remains to be elucidated. However, their potency relative to other 5‐HT‐receptor ligands indicates that an agonist action at 5‐HT1A‐receptors is more likely than an antagonist action at α2‐adrenoceptors.


CONTEXT
Germline mutations in SDHx genes cause hereditary paraganglioma.

OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to assess the indications for succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) genetic testing in a prospective study.

DESIGN
A total of 445 patients with head and neck and/or thoracic-abdominal or pelvic paragangliomas were recruited over 5 yr in 20 referral centers. In addition to classical direct sequencing of the SDHB, SDHC, and SDHD genes, two methods for detecting large genomic deletions or duplications were used, quantitative multiplex PCR of short fluorescent fragments (QMPSF) and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA).

RESULTS
A large variety of SDH germline mutations were found by direct sequencing in 220 patients and by QMPSF and MLPA in 22 patients (9.1%): 130 in SDHD, 96 in SDHB, and 16 in SDHC. Mutation carriers were younger and more frequently had multiple or malignant paraganglioma than patients without mutations. A head and neck paraganglioma was present in 97.7% of the SDHD and 87.5% of the SDHC mutation carriers, but in only 42.7% of the SDHB carriers. A thoracic-abdominal or pelvic location was present in 63.5% of the SDHB, 16.1% of the SDHD, and in 12.5% of the SDHC mutation carriers. Multiple paragangliomas were diagnosed in 66.9% of the SDHD mutation carriers. A malignant paraganglioma was documented in 37.5% of the SDHB, 3.1% of the SDHD, and none of the SDHC mutation carriers.

CONCLUSIONS
SDH genetic testing, including tests for large genomic deletions, is indicated in all patients with head and neck and/or thoracic-abdominal or pelvic paraganglioma and can be targeted according to clinical criteria.


The purpose of this paper is to present an improvement of the Needham-Schroder public key protocol. This new protocol will use partial quotients issue from the continued fraction expansion of some irrational numbers to secure the authentication between two principals. We introduce a new approach in the use of pseudorandom numbers, because besides using these numbers to provide uniqueness and timeliness guarantees, we use them to ensure that nobody can guess the identity of the sender. We also keep this new protocol secure against the Lowe attack, without taking the solution suggested by Lowe. This protocol remains fast although we compute some partial quotients during the authentication process.


All available genus- and family- group nomina for the Gyrinidae (Coleoptera: Adephaga) are listed along with original citation, original and current status, type nominal taxon with method of designation, and known synonymies and incorrect subsequent spellings. The nomina included follow the most current classification. Discussion is provided clarifying numerous nomenclatural problems with original spellings, correct authorship and type designation. Dineutini Ochs, 1926 syn. nov. is found to be a junior homonym of Dineutini Desmarest, 1851, and Enhydrini Régimbart, 1882 syn. nov. and its justified emendation Enhydrusini (Anonymous 2012) are here synonymized with Dineutini Desmarest, 1851.


The sense of presence and cybersickness are key-factors to have into account when referring to Virtual Environments (VE). To achieve high levels of presence and minimize cybersickness, it is important to ensure that the user's stimulation is coherent with the contents that are being delivered. In this paper, it is presented a pilot study addressing the usage of both objective and subjective metrics to measure the sense of presence and cybersickness in VE in order to study possible correlations between these two evaluation approaches. On top of that, the pilot study includes two body positions to allow evaluating if the stimulation of the vestibular study has impact on the sense of presence and cybersickness. To evaluate presence and cybersickness, it was developed a VE that consists in a hill where participants ride a bicycle. To broaden the scope of the study, there were studied two body positions: standing and sitting on the bicycle. The equipment EMOTIV epoc+ was used to register the objective metrics. The subjective metrics were registered using the Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ) and the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ). To complement the collected data, the levels of fatigue and stress before and after the experience were also registered through self-evaluation. Results show that objective metrics Interest and Stress and the subjective metrics Realism, Fatigue and Stress have a positive interaction regarding the sense of presence. Results further suggest that there is a positive interaction between the objective metric Focus and the subjective metric Involvement.


Trajectory generation in confined environment is crucial for wide adoption of intelligent robot manipulators. In this paper, we propose a novel motion planning approach for redundant robot arms that uses a hybrid optimization framework to search for optimal trajectories in both the configuration space and null space, generating high-quality trajectories that satisfy task constraints and collision avoidance constraints, while also avoiding local optima for incremental planners. Our approach is evaluated in an onsite polishing scenario with various robot and workpiece configurations, demonstrating significant improvements in trajectory quality compared to existing methods. The proposed approach has the potential for broad applications in industrial tasks involving redundant robot arms.


This paper deals with a multiagent path-planning problem where several robots track humans to obtain detailed information on human behaviors and characteristics. For this, agents' paths are planned on the basis of the similarity between the predicted positions of humans and the agents' field of view. The long-horizon path planned on the basis of an accurate long-horizon prediction improves the tracking performance. However, it requires heavy computation and is less useful if the prediction is inaccurate. Since the accuracy of the prediction depends on the situation, the prediction term is determined by the similarity between the current and previous predictions. The results of computer simulation showed that our path-planning method works well for trajectories of humans in a dynamic environment by changing the horizon length of the path planning.


Eighteen mature nulliparous rabbit does with initial body weight between 1600g-2500g were used to evaluate the effect of body weight at first mating on reproductive performance of rabbit does. These rabbits were assigned into three treatments, with T1, T2 and T3 weighing (1600-1900), (1901-2200) and (2201-2500) respectively. The study lasted for 5weeks. The does were mated with buck at ratio 1:3. The reproductive parameters evaluated were number of does that kindled, litter size at birth, breeding efficiency, litter size at weaning, preweaning loss. All data collected were subjected to descriptive statistical representation. The highest number of kindled does was 5 in T2 and T3; T1 had the lowest number (3). Breeding efficiency of 83.33% was recorded in T1 and T2 while T3 had 50.00%. T3 had highest average birth weight (49.51g) and T2 had the least (41.51g); litter size at birth and weaning ranged from 18 -28kits and 15-24kits, respectively. T2 does recorded highest value in both parameters, T3 does recorded same value (28kits) for litter size at birth. Highest preweaning loss of 7kits was recorded from does in T3 while T1 and T2 recorded 4kits. It was therefore concluded that does with weight range 1901g – 2200g had better reproductive performance with highest breeding efficiency and lower pre-weaning loss.


This naturalistic study aimed at evaluating the implementation of an additional symptom-oriented intervention program for patients with panic disorder and/or agoraphobia in a psychodynamic inpatient setting. Patients receiving this intervention showed a significantly better therapy outcome as measured by the symptom-specific scales of the SCL-90-R compared to anxiety patients who had not undergone this additional treatment. This specific improvement was stronger than the general improvement found in therapy outcome over time. Our findings show that the combination of different treatment strategies in one setting may prove effective. However, some problems are discussed which may emerge in clinical practice.


The increasing internationalization of Industrial Districts (IDs) is affecting the system's production organization and the institutional context surrounding it, raising concerns about the role of localized industries for the development of local societies. To explore the impact of international openness on IDs, we focus on the endogenous cognitive processes occurring within the local system and resulting from the absorption and transformation of internal and external knowledge inputs. Using a conceptual and empirical approach, we contribute to enhance the current understanding of the issue by analyzing the transformations of IDs in terms of the variations on the stock of knowledge embedded into the system, namely the stock of systemic knowledge. In the First Chapter, we develop a conceptual frame to describe the endogenous cognitive processes determined by internationalization. We define three types of processes affecting systemic knowledge: "learning", contributing to the increase of systemic knowledge; "forgetting", determining the decrease of systemic knowledge; and "unlearning", corresponding to the case in which the changes of the ID knowledge endowment lead to both learning and forgetting processes. In the Second Chapter, we apply the conceptual frame to a quantitative analysis referred to a dataset of Italian industrial firms between 2008 and 2015. The aim of the analysis is to measure how the type of internationalization undertaken by the mass of firms in the region, affects the innovation strategies of the ID firms located in the same territory. Based on the distinction between knowledge-seeking and knowledge-exploiting internationalization strategies, the analysis confirms that internationalization affects the innovation strategies of ID firms in different ways. We expect this is because, by modifying the system's endowment of knowledge, internationalization can either support or constrain the emergence of external economies of learning, affecting local innovation. Chapter Three presents another application of the conceptual frame based on the case study of the Macerata-Fermo footwear IDs. The analysis has the purpose to explore the endogenous cognitive processes triggered by international openness, and to disentangle the potential development paths that the systems are undertaking. In so doing, we also consider the contextual factors affecting the system's development path, such as the institutional background. In addition to informing us about the learning, forgetting and unlearning effects in the Macerata-Fermo IDs, the findings highlight that the degree of industrial diversification within the system is key to define its development path, favoring unlearning processes towards other industries in response to structural shocks.


This study examined the factors associated with follow-up non-attendance (FUNA) and mortality among the adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Data on 57780 T2DM patients from the 2009 diabetes registry were analyzed using multinomial logistic mixed model. Out of 57780 patients, 3140 (5.4%) were lost to follow-up and 203 (0.4%) patients had died. Compared with patients who were under active follow-up, men (OR 1.37), neither on insulin (OR 1.72), nor on antiplatelet agents (OR 1.47), having higher HbA1c (OR 1.15), higher LDL-C (OR 1.18) and complications (OR 1.33) were associated with FUNA. Older age (OR 1.09) and higher LDL-C (OR 2.27) have higher mortality. Across the four different health facilities, medication use (insulin and anti-platelet agents) to achieve better disease control in the younger age when diabetes complication is absent would not cause FUNA and might reduce mortality.


Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are frontline immune effectors involved in the early stages of host defense and maintenance of tissue homeostasis, particularly at mucosal surfaces such as the intestine, lung, and skin. Canonical ILCs are described as tissue-resident cells that populate peripheral tissues early in life and respond appropriately based on environmental exposure and their anatomical niche and tissue microenvironment. Intriguingly, there are accumulating reports of ILC "plasticity" that note the existence of non-canonical ILCs that exhibit distinct patterns of master transcription factor expression and cytokine production profiles in response to tissue inflammation. Yet this concept of ILC-plasticity is controversial due to several confounding caveats that include, among others, the independent large-scale recruitment of new ILC subsets from distal sites and the local, in situ, differentiation of uncommitted resident precursors. Nevertheless, the ability of ILCs to acquire unique characteristics and adapt to local environmental cues is an attractive paradigm because it would enable the rapid adaptation of innate responses to a wider array of pathogens even in the absence of pre-existing 'prototypical' ILC responder subsets. Despite the impressive recent progress in understanding ILC biology, the true contribution of ILC plasticity to tissue homeostasis and disease and how it is regulated remains obscure. Here, we detail current methodologies used to study ILC plasticity in mice and review the mechanisms that drive and regulate functional ILC plasticity in response to polarizing signals in their microenvironment and different cytokine milieus. Finally, we discuss the physiological relevance of ILC plasticity and its implications for potential therapeutics and treatments.


Variation and when to ignore it Recognising that two objects or concepts are 'the same but different' ought to present a major philosophical problem; the phrase itself seems self-contradictory. However, in practice we categorise elements of our world in just this way on an everyday basis. A two-year-old can grasp the fact that his right shoe and left shoe are very similar, but actually belong on different feet; and as adults, we have no difficulty in recognising that lemons and limes are different but both citrus fruits, or that misery and happiness are different but both emotions. This sort of hierarchical classification is exactly what is at issue when we turn to the notion of the phoneme. Humans excel at ignoring perceptible differences which are not relevant for particular purposes. To illustrate this, take a piece of paper and write your normal signature six times. There will certainly be minor differences between them, but you will still easily recognise all those six signatures as yours, with the minor modifications only detectable by uncharacteristically close scrutiny. Perhaps more to the point, someone else, checking your signature against the one on your credit card, will also disregard those minor variants, and recognise the general pattern as identifying you. There are exceptions, of course: some alterations are obvious, and usually environmentally controlled, so if someone jolts your elbow, or the paper slips, you apologise and sign again. On the whole, however, the human mind seems to abstract away from irrelevant, automatic variation, and to focus on higher-level patterns; though we are typically unaware of that abstraction, and of the complex processes underlying it. This relatively high tolerance level is why mechanical systems constructed to recognise hand-written or spoken language are still elementary and highly complex, and why they require so much training from each potential user. Conditioned variation in written language Since we are more used to thinking explicitly about written language than about our speech, one way of approaching this issue of abstraction is through our conscious knowledge of the rules of writing. When children learn to write, they have to master the conventions governing the use of capital and lower-case letters.


This paper investigates general hybrid function projective synchronization using adaptive method, the drive and response systems discussed in this paper can be strictly different dynamical systems (including different dimensional systems). By Lyapunov stability theory, the adaptive control law and the parameter update law are derived to make the state of two chaotic systems hybrid function projective synchronized. Numerical simulations are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive controllers.


Hodgkin disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) represent a spectrum of malignant neoplasms arising from the lymphoid system with an incidence of around 8% of all malignancies. Although they are generally known as tumors of lymph nodes, 25% to 40% of HD/NHL tumors, especially NHL, arise at extranodal sites along the gastrointestinal tract, head and neck, orbit, central and peripheral nervous system, thorax, bone, skin, breast, testis, thyroid, and genitourinary tract. Extranodal involvement is an important pretreatment prognostic factor for patients with lymphoma and its incidence has increased in the past 2 decades. Imaging plays an important role in the noninvasive pretreatment assessment of patients with extranodal lymphoma. This involvement can be subtle and may be overlooked during computed tomography (CT). Positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) has evolved into an important imaging tool for evaluation of lymphomas, facilitating the detection of affected extranodal sites even when CT shows subtle or no obvious lesions. Familiarity with extranodal manifestations and suggestive PET/CT features in different sites is important for accurate evaluation of lymphoma. This article reviews the extranodal PET/CT imaging findings regarding HD and NHL.


The common law tradition: lawyers, books and the law. By J. H. Baker. London: Hambledon, 2000. Pp. xxxiv+404. ISBN 1-85285-181-3. £40.00. Lawyers, litigation and English society since 1450. By Christopher W. Brooks. London: Hambledon, 1998. Pp. x+274. ISBN 1-85285-156-2. £40.00. Professors of the law: barristers and English legal culture in the eighteenth century. By David Lemmings. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. Pp. xiv+399. ISBN 0-19-820721-2. £50.00. Industrializing English law: entrepreneurship and business organization, 1720–1844. By Ron Harris. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Pp. xvi+331. ISBN 0-521-66275-3. £37.50. Between law and custom: 'high' and 'low' legal cultures in the lands of the British Diaspora – the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, 1600–1900. By Peter Karsten. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Pp. xvi+560. ISBN 0-521-79283-5. £70.00. The past few decades have witnessed a welcome expansion in historians' understanding of English legal cultures, a development that has extended the reach of legal history far beyond the boundaries circumscribed by the Inns of Court, the central tribunals of Westminster, and the periodic provincial circuits of their judges, barristers, and attorneys. The publication of J. G. A. Pocock's classic study, The ancient constitution and the feudal law, in 1957 laid essential foundations for this expansion by underlining the centrality of legal culture to wider political and intellectual developments in the early modern period. Recent years have seen social historians elaborate further upon the purchase exercised by legal norms outside the courtroom. Criminal law was initially at the vanguard of this historiographical trend, and developments in this field continue to revise and enrich our understanding of the law's pervasive reach in British culture. But civil litigation – most notably disputes over contracts and debts – now occupies an increasingly prominent position within the social history of the law. Law's empire, denoting the area of dominion marked out by the myriad legal cultures that emanated both from parliamentary statutes and English courts, is now a far more capacious field of study than an earlier generation of legal scholars could imagine. Without superseding the need for continued attention to established lines of legal history, the mapping of this imperial terrain has underscored the imperative for new approaches to legal culture that emphasize plurality and dislocation rather than the presumed coherence of the common law.


Amongst the soil and water conservation (SWC) measures adopted in Burkina Faso and Mali, contour vegetation barriers (CVB) constitute a cheap option in terms of labour and material requirements. In order to understand the actual adoption and maintenance of CVB, labour requirements of five commonly adopted CVB species were evaluated: Andropogon gayanus, Ziziphus mauritiana, Piliostigma reticulatum, Euphorbia balsamifera and Jatropha curcas. Labour requirements for the installation of 100 m CVB varied from 7-8 man-days when using cuttings or direct sowing to 15 man-days when installed from nursery seedlings, excluding 8 days for the installation of a dead fence. Maintenance takes 2-4 days per 100 m. Phasing the installation over several years is an option to overcome labour constraints. Low labour requirements for establishment and management do not explain the rather low adoption and poor maintenance of vegetation barriers. Labour requirements for CVB are lower than for stone rows, but the establishment of barriers coincides with the start of the growing season. Farmers mostly choose CVB species and planting methods with low labour requirements but prefer species with additional benefits such as thatching grass, oil for soap making and fodder and fruits.


An important research area in computer vision is developing algorithms that can reconstruct the 3D surface of an object represented by a single 2D line drawing. Previous work on 3D reconstruction from single 2D line drawings focuses on objects with planar faces. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to the reconstruction of solid objects that have not only planar but also curved faces. Our approach consists of four steps: (1) identifying the curved faces and planar faces in a line drawing, (2) transforming the line drawing into one with straight edges only, (3) reconstructing the 3D wireframe of the curved object from the transformed line drawing and the original line drawing, and (4) generating the curved faces with Bezier patches and triangular meshes. With a number of experimental results, we demonstrate the ability of our approach to perform curved object reconstruction successfully.


Test or prototype boards are used extensively in RFICs to integrate monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), bypass networks for biasing, external matching networks, and connectors. In the design and layout of the test boards, accurate EM simulation is sometimes only considered as an afterthought. In this paper, a design methodology for testboards including EM effects such as parasitics and coupling using Sonnet is given. A hybrid simulation is proposed whereby an EM model is used in a circuit simulator at RF frequencies (> 100 MHz) while an equivalent circuit model is used for envelope frequencies and DC. Case studies are included to show effects such as slot line modes and identify resonance behavior. The fabrication of RFIC's requires the integration of several components onto a single board. The main component is the MMIC, which includes most of the active circuitry. Surface mount components (SMTs) are also used for tuning and to provide bypassing of the bias networks. Bond wires and microstrip lines are used as interconnects. Due to this complexity, multiple inter-operable simulation platforms are required to design and model these circuits. Unfortunately, the prototype or test board design is often an afterthought and is prone to effects such as over-moding due to the presence of CPW, slotline, and microstrip propagation modes. In addition, other effects such as coupling and parasitic inductance and capacitance due to bond wires and solder pads must also be considered. Sonnet TM (1) is a powerful EM simulation tool that can be used in the design of design test boards. Sonnet allows internal ports to be included which are then used in a standard circuit simulator to include effects of SMTs, bond wires, and the MMICs. This is advantageous in that the designer can layout a test board, EM simulate it, and then optimize the SMT values for optimum performance. This procedure can be carried out using only one or two EM simulations of the test board and is similar to tuning methods (2). Sonnet uses co-calibrated ports in the interior of the circuit. During the simulations, these ports are de-embedded so that the coupling between the ports is removed. This allows for external components like chip inductors, capacitors, and resistors to be connected to the circuit outside of the Sonnet environment. This is useful in the test board design because it allows a wide range of SMTs having different values from different vendors to be considered in the test board design. Test board design can be easily over-constrained in that the SMTs, MMIC die, bond wires must all be accommodated. As a result, the effects of parasitics and coupling can result in unwanted resonances. These effects cannot always be detected using the built-in or "canned" models in circuit simulators.


This study examines the impact of the presence of hygroscopic ammonium sulfate (AS) on the heterogeneous OH oxidation of 3-methylglutaric acid (3-MGA) particles at 85% relative humidity (RH). Complementary microscopy measurements show that 3-MGAAS particles are in a single liquid phase prior to oxidation at high RH. The effective OH uptake coefficient for 3-MGA-AS particles is determined to be smaller than that for 3MGA particles by about a factor of∼2.4. The OH oxidation products are found to be the same for both particle systems investigated using Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART). The observation of smaller reactivity for 3-MGA-AS particles is explained by a higher surface concentration of water molecules and ammonium and sulfate ions, which are chemically inert to OH radicals. This may lower the collision probability between the


Marble stones obtained from a quarry in Okpella, Edo State, were manually ground, sieved into fine dust and tested under laboratory conditions in Sapele. Delta State. Nigeria, for efficacy against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Morsch. At the rates of 2, 5 and 109 per 100 g maize. the marble dust effectively controlled adult S zeamais and reduced progeny production significantly (P<0.05). Weevils avoided contact with grains treated with the dust. In pilot scale study over 12-month duration, all rates of dust significantly (P < 0.05) suppressed S zeamais population growth and damage. Chemical analysis of the dust did not detect the presence of poisonous heavy metals such as lead (II) (Pb2+) and cadmium (II) (Cd2+). Prospects of integrating marble dust with other pest control measures were discussed.


Additional properties for new class called totally n-∗-paranormal operators are obtained. Invariant subspaces, reducing subspaces of such operators are discussed. An asymmetric Putnam-Fuglede theorem for totally n-∗-paranormal operators are studied.


The electrical properties of 200 nm thick As-doped polysilicon films epitaxially realigned by rapid thermal annealing in the 975-1150 degrees C temperature range have been monitored by incremental sheet resistance and Hall effect measurements. It is seen that, for As concentrations exceeding the solid solubility limit, the carrier density is constant and uniform through the whole thickness of the realigned films regardless of the non-uniformities of the dopant profile. The corresponding carrier densities are found to be equilibrium concentrations, showing that equilibrium conditions are reached during the rapid thermal annealing process and the simultaneous realignment transformation. Rutherford backscattering, channelling analysis and transmission electron microscopy show that part of the excess dopant forms nanometre-scale precipitates. In the case of non-realigned layers, dopant segregation at grain boundaries reduces the electrical activation. If the polysilicon films undergo a high-temperature heat treatment before the As implant, the thermal budget (i.e. the amount of thermal energy) needed to induce the epitaxial realignment is reduced. It is thus possible to form shallow junctions and at the same time to realign the poly-Si layer.


How can groups elicit and aggregate the information held by their individual members? The most obvious answer involves deliberation. For two reasons, however, deliberating groups often fail to make good decisions. First, the statements and acts of some group members convey relevant information, and that information often leads other people not to disclose what they know. Second, social pressures, imposed by some group members, often lead other group members to silence themselves because of fear of disapproval and associated harms. The unfortunate results include the propagation of errors; hidden profiles; cascade effects; and group polarization. A variety of steps should be taken to ensure that deliberating groups obtain the information held by their members. Because of their ability to aggregate privately held information, information markets substantial advantages over group deliberation. These points bear on discussion of normative issues, in which deliberation might also fail to improve group thinking.


Thermal emission spectra of exoplanets provide constraints on the chemical compositions, pressure-temperature (P-T) profiles, and energy transport in exoplanetary atmospheres. Accurate inferences of these properties rely on the robustness of the atmospheric retrieval methods employed. While extant retrieval codes have provided significant constraints on molecular abundances and temperature profiles in several exoplanetary atmospheres, the constraints on their deviations from thermal and chemical equilibria have yet to be fully explored. Our present work is a step in this direction. We report HyDRA, a disequilibrium retrieval framework for thermal emission spectra of exoplanetary atmospheres. The retrieval code uses the standard architecture of a parametric atmospheric model coupled with Bayesian statistical inference using the Nested Sampling algorithm. For a given dataset, the retrieved compositions and P-T profiles are used in tandem with the GENESIS self-consistent atmospheric model to constrain layer-by-layer deviations from chemical and radiative-convective equilibrium in the observable atmosphere. We demonstrate HyDRA on the Hot Jupiter WASP-43b with a high-precision emission spectrum. We retrieve an H2O mixing ratio of log(H2O) = -3.54^{+0.82}_{-0.52}, consistent with previous studies. We detect H2O and a combined CO/CO2 at 8-sigma significance. We find the dayside P-T profile to be consistent with radiative-convective equilibrium within the 1-sigma limits and with low day-night redistribution, consistent with previous studies. The derived compositions are also consistent with thermochemical equilibrium for the corresponding distribution of P-T profiles. In the era of high precision and high resolution emission spectroscopy, HyDRA provides a path to retrieve disequilibrium phenomena in exoplanetary atmospheres.


This study investigates different autonomous job rotation types to analyze their impacts on productivity, accident rate, and worker's satisfaction. The subjects of research were 422 assembly‐line units in 3 production plants from an automobile company. The preferred rotation types and workers' satisfaction scores in the 422 units were surveyed by the average worker's experience and work productivity, quality and accident rate scores were traced over a 5‐year period. Results showed that workers with little work experience preferred to work in shorter cycles composed of a small variety of tasks, whereas workers with more experience preferred longer cycles composed of a larger variety of tasks. In addition, autonomously chosen rotation systems proved to boost productivity and work satisfaction when compared to units that did not implement job rotation. In contrast, only 4 out of 10 rotation types showed improvements in decreased number of accidents. Of the 10 rotation types, ones with daily cycles with a small range of tasks and weekly cycles with a wide range of tasks displayed the most promising results for productivity, work satisfaction, and accident prevention. This study implies that the preferred types of rotation do not necessarily lead to higher productivity, safety, and satisfaction. The results of this study are expected to serve as a basic guideline for job design.


WordNet-like resources are lexical databases with highly relevance information and data which could be exploited in more complex computational linguistics research and applications. The building process requires manual and automatic tasks, that could be more arduous if the language is a minority one with fewer digital resources. This study focuses in the construction of an initial WordNet database for a low-resourced and indigenous language in Peru: Shipibo-Konibo (shp). First, the stages of development from a scarce scenario (a bilingual dictionary shp-es) are described. Then, it is proposed a synset alignment method by comparing the definition glosses in the dictionary (written in Spanish) with the content of a Spanish WordNet. In this sense, word2vec similarity was the chosen metric for the proximity measure. Finally, an evaluation process is performed for the synsets, using a manually annotated Gold Standard in Shipibo-Konibo. The obtained results are promising, and this resource is expected to serve well in further applications, such as word sense disambiguation and even machine translation in the shp-es language pair.


In this paper we extended the original model of heterogeneous agent model by introducing smart traders and changes in the agents sentiment to the model. The idea of the smart traders is based on endeavor of the market agents to estimate the future price movements. By adding smart traders and sentiment changes we try to improve the original heterogeneous agents model so it will be able to come to closer description of the real markets. The main result of the simulations is that probability distribution functions of the price deviation changes signi…cantly with adding smart traders to the model, and it also changes signi…cantly with introduction of the sentiment changes. We use also Hurst exponent to measure the persistence of the price deviations and we …nd that the hurst exponent is signi…cantly increasing with smart traders in simulations. This means that the introduction of smart traders concept into the model results in signi…cantly higher persistence of the simulated price deviations. On the other hand, introduction of changing sentiment in the proposed form does not change the persistence of simulated prices signi…cantly.


Indigenous languages are becoming extinct. Loss of language relates to loss of culture. In an attempt to save their Indigenous language, the Menominee Nation of Central Wisconsin instituted Menominee Language Revitalization Programs (MLRPs). This study investigated the impact of intergenerational language transmission on Menominee identity and MLRP sustainability. Using qualitative research methodologies involving observations and interviews this study included four elders, eight speakers and sixteen learners participating in the MLRPs.

The study is set within a post-colonial framework to historicize events leading to the present status of the Menominee language. Narrative inquiry is used as a method to privilege the voices of the language participants. The researcher created and used the concept of Indigenous Discourses as an analytical tool in the analyses of the narratives. Within identified themes of representation, power, voice, and authorship, sub-themes of language, land, and culture emerged.

The following implications were made: (a) historical conditioning of each generation influenced their teaching/learning of the language and (b) the experience of language learning was a move toward (re)building a Menominee national culture. The tension between these first two resulted in (c) a sense of obligation to sustain the Menominee language and culture. Implications for participant-research collaboration and culturally relevant pedagogy were made when participants identified the importance of Indigenous epistemologies as strategies in the language learning process.


Borrelia burgdorferi survives in an enzootic cycle, and Dps proteins protect DNA against damage during starvation or oxidative stress. The role of a Dps homologue encoded by Borrelia in spirochaete survival was assessed. Dps‐deficient spirochaetes were infectious in mice via needle‐inoculation at the dose of 105 spirochaetes. Larval ticks successfully acquired Dps‐deficient spirochaetes via a blood meal on mice. However, after extended periods within unfed nymphs, the Dps‐deficient spirochaetes failed to be transmitted to a new host when nymphs fed. Our data suggest that Dps functions to protect the spirochaetes during dormancy in unfed ticks, and in its absence, the spirochaetes become susceptible during tick feeding. dps is differentially expressed in vivo– low in mice and high in ticks – but constitutively expressed in vitro, showing little change during growth or in response to oxidative stress. Borrelia Dps forms a dodecameric complex capable of sequestering iron. The Dps‐deficient spirochaetes showed no defect in starvation and oxidative stress assays, perhaps due to the lack of iron in spirochaetes grown in vitro. Dps is critical for spirochaete persistence within ticks, and strategies to interfere with Dps could potentially reduce Borrelia populations in nature and thereby influence the incidence of Lyme disease.


Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC

Introduction. Sipuleucel-T is an investigational autologous immunotherapy for the treatment of prostate cancer. Product potency is measured in part by antigen presenting cell (APC) expression of CD54. Previous data have shown that CD54 upregulation correlates with APC activation (Sheikh 2008). This study investigated the ex vivo activation profile of T cells from men with metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer enrolled in a Phase 3 study (D9902B, IMPACT) evaluating the safety and efficacy of sipuleucel-T treatment. Methods. Sipuleucel-T was prepared by incubating mononuclear cells isolated from leukapheresis obtained at Wks 0, 2, and 4 with PA2024 (a recombinant fusion protein comprising prostatic acid phosphatase and GM-CSF) ex vivo for 2 days, after which washed cells were infused. 512 subjects were randomized to sipuleucel-T or placebo (2:1). As part of product characterization efforts, fresh pre- and post-culture (final product - FP) T cells were evaluated in sipuleucel-T products by flow cytometry. The culture supernatant was evaluated for the production of APC and T cell activation-associated cytokines by multiplex luminex assay. Results. APC activation as measured by CD54 upregulation increased from Wk 0 to Wk 2 (P < 0.001) and persisted at the third dose (P < 0.001, Wk 0 vs Wk 4). An analysis of the culture supernatant at each week showed increases in both APC activation-associated cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-23, IFNγ, and TNFα) and T cell activation-associated cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-17, IFNγ, and TNFα). CD134 (OX40), CD137 (4-1BB), CD278 (ICOS), and CD279 (PD-1) expression increased in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells at Wk 2, with expression diminished at Wk 4. Conclusion. Following The Wk 0 dose, sipuleucel-T products demonstrate evidence of increased APC and T cell activation markers as well as production of T cell activation-associated cytokines. These data provide strong evidence that sipuleucel-T activates APCs ex vivo and facilitates in vivo and ex vivo priming of T cells.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5608.


Over the last 18 months, Office of Experiments, led by artists Neal White and Steve Rowell, have engaged in the Overt Research Project gathering together original documentation of sites of experimentation, intelligence and knowledge not normally accessible to the public. This research brings together a range of issues concerning the UK and its techno-scientific and military complex, and the role of the artist in an experimental society. The outputs of this work have been aggregated into a database, and the first version of this - 'A Fieldguide to Dark Places - South Edition' was part of the larger exhibition that White co-curated at John Hansard Gallery in 2009-10. In addition to discussing the act of documenting sensitive sites such as Corsham Computer Centre, ISEEE and Porton Down, Neal White will also introduce the first archive to be obtained by the Office of Experiments as a part of this project. Donated by the campaigner and activist Mike Kenner, it contains catalogued material of over 30 years of personal research and requests for information to Porton Down, the Cabinet Office and others implicated in experiments involving the spraying of the public with alleged toxic materials. Kenner's work has been so sustained over such a long period, that his knowledge has in turn been co-opted by Porton Down administration, who forward awkward enquiries on to him directly. This tactic turns Kenner into part of the machine that he resists. The talk will reflect on the issues raised by the work of artists and activists operating as independent researchers in a broader context of examining experimental systems, and in a context of
socially-engaged arts practices.


Porphyromonas gingivalis ( P. gingivalis) is a common periodontal pathogen. Recently, there has been increasing evidence suggesting that P. gingivalis is not only a common pathogen in the oral cavity, but is also closely associated with non-oral diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, premature birth and non-alcoholic hepatitis, etc. Herein, we reviewed the developments in recent years in research on the relationship between P. gingivalis, a periodontal pathogen, and non-oral diseases, which will help determine whether P. gingivalis could be used as an auxiliary diagnostic biomarker or a potential therapeutic target for these non-oral diseases, thus contributing to the development of treatment strategies for the relevant diseases.


Micro manipulation tasks with micro tweezers were operated in different configurations. This paper discusses the main issues of pick and place operations with micro tweezers as geometric consideration, grasping force and quality of the contact surfaces. This study is based on positioning repeatability measurements and success rate of the tasks operated automatically on our micro manipulation setup. Results for a MEMS micro gripper show a high reliability of more than 90% of success rate and positioning repeatability under the micrometer.


OBJECTIVE
To characterize the effects of pressor doses of norepinephrine and low-dose dopamine (3 micrograms/kg/min) on renal hemodynamics in man, as well as to determine the clinical relevance of combining dopamine with norepinephrine.

DESIGN
Prospective, single-blind, randomized study.

SETTING
Clinical research unit of a tertiary care hospital. SUBJECTS. Six healthy male volunteers ranging in age between 20 and 28 yrs.

INTERVENTIONS
The subjects were assigned randomly to four treatments (1 wk apart) in which renal hemodynamics and electrolyte excretion were assessed. Treatments consisted of 180-min infusions of the following: a) 0.9% sodium chloride (control); b) pressor doses of norepinephrine; c) dopamine at 3 micrograms/kg/min; and d) pressor doses of norepinephrine and dopamine at 3 micrograms/kg/min. Pressor doses of norepinephrine was defined as doses required to increase mean arterial pressure (MAP) by 20 mm Hg.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS
Glomerular filtration rate and renal blood flow were derived from inulin and para-aminohippurate clearances, respectively. Urine output and urine solute excretion were also determined. The mean norepinephrine dose required to increase MAP by 22 +/- 2 mm Hg was 118 +/- 30 ng/kg/min (range 76 to 164). After the addition of dopamine, similar doses of norepinephrine resulted in an MAP increase of 15 +/- 4 mm Hg. Glomerular filtration rate and urine output were comparable under all conditions. The infusion of norepinephrine decreased renal blood flow from 1241 +/- 208 to 922 +/- 143 mL/min/1.73 m2 (p = .03). The addition of dopamine returned renal blood flow to baseline values. The clearance of urine sodium increased significantly with the infusion of dopamine alone (p = .03). All subjects completed the four treatment periods. Adverse events, manifested mostly as palpitations and flushing, were rare and self-limiting.

CONCLUSIONS
The addition of dopamine (3 micrograms/kg/min) to pressor doses of norepinephrine normalized renal blood flow in healthy volunteers. These hemodynamic changes were not reflected in urine output and glomerular filtration rate; hence, these monitoring parameters may be unreliable indicators of renal function in the setting of vasopressor therapy. In addition, systemic effects were observed with dopamine (3 micrograms/kg/min), as indicated by a decrease in MAP.