Background: The outcome for patients with high risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains poor. Thus new targeted therapies are needed and immunotherapies have the potential to fulfill this need. Adoptive transfer of tumor-specific T cells is one promising approach; however infused T cells do not redirect the large reservoir of resident T cells to tumors. To overcome this limitation we have recently developed a new approach to render T cells specific for tumor cells, which relies on genetically modifying T cells with a secretable, bispecific T cell engager (ENG-T cells). Secretion of bispecific protein should activate infused cells as well as bystander T cells against tumor. Consistent and prolonged synthesis of engagers by T cells should be superior to the intermittent, direct infusion of the recombinant bispecific antibody, not only because these recombinant proteins have short half-lives but also because they do not accumulate at tumor sites. The goal of this project was to generate T cells secreting IL3Rα (CD123) and CD3 bispecific T cell engagers (CD123-ENG T cells) and to evaluate their effector function in vitro and in vivo. Methods: CD123-ENG T cells were generated by transducing T cells with a retroviral vector encoding a CD123-specific T cell engager consisting of an scFv recognizing CD123 linked to an scFv recognizing CD3. The retroviral vector was also fashioned to include an mOrange gene downstream of an IRES element. The effector function of CD123-ENG T cells was evaluated in vitro and in a xenograft model. Results: Transduction of CD3/CD28-activated T cells resulted in mOrange expression in transduced T cells (median transduction efficiency 78%, range 49-92%) The presence of CD123-ENG molecules on the cell surface of both transduced and non-transduced T cells was demonstrated by FACS analysis using an F(ab) antibody that recognizes the CD123 scFv. Coculture of CD123+ AML cells (MV-4-11, MOLM-1, KG1a) and K562 cells genetically modified to express CD123 (K562-CD123) with engager T cells resulted in robust T-cell activation as judged by IFNγ and IL2 secretion. In contrast CD123-negative cells (K562) did not activate T cells. Likewise, control engager T cells (targeting an irrelevant antigen) were not activated when cultured with CD123+ cells. Antigen-dependent recognition was confirmed with cytotoxicity assays, in which engager T cells specifically killed CD123+ AML cells at an effector:target ratios ranging from 40:1-5:1 (p Conclusions: We have generated CD123-ENG T cells with the potential to direct bystander T cells to CD123+ AML in a tumor antigen-specific manner. These CD123-ENG T cells have potent anti-AML activity in vivo, presenting a promising addition to currently available AML therapies. Disclosures Bonifant:Celgene, Bluebird bio: Baylor College of Medicine has a Research Collaboration with Celgene and Bluebirdbio to develop gene-modified T-cell Therapies. MPV, KI, XT, and SG have patent applications in the field of T-cell and gene-modified T-cell Therapy for cancer Other. Torres:Celgene, Bluebird bio: Baylor College of Medicine has a Research Collaboration with Celgene and Bluebirdbio to develop gene-modified T-cell Therapies. MPV, KI, XT, and SG have patent applications in the field of T-cell and gene-modified T-cell Therapy for cancer Other. Velasquez:Celgene, Bluebird bio: Baylor College of Medicine has a Research Collaboration with Celgene and Bluebirdbio to develop gene-modified T-cell Therapies. MPV, KI, XT, and SG have patent applications in the field of T-cell and gene-modified T-cell Therapy for cancer Other. Iwahori:Celgene, Bluebird bio: Baylor College of Medicine has a Research Collaboration with Celgene and Bluebirdbio to develop gene-modified T-cell Therapies. MPV, KI, XT, and SG have patent applications in the field of T-cell and gene-modified T-cell Therapy for cancer Other. Arber:Celgene, Bluebird bio: Baylor College of Medicine has a Research Collaboration with Celgene and Bluebirdbio to develop gene-modified T-cell Therapies. MPV, KI, XT, and SG have patent applications in the field of T-cell and gene-modified T-cell Therapy for cancer Other. Song:Celgene, Bluebird bio: Baylor College of Medicine has a Research Collaboration with Celgene and Bluebirdbio to develop gene-modified T-cell Therapies. MPV, KI, XT, and SG have patent applications in the field of T-cell and gene-modified T-cell Therapy for cancer Other. Gottschalk:Celgene, Bluebird bio: Baylor College of Medicine has a Research Collaboration with Celgene and Bluebirdbio to develop gene-modified T-cell Therapies. MPV, KI, XT, and SG have patent applications in the field of T-cell and gene-modified T-cell Therapy for cancer Other.


[PDF]  [Full Text]  [Abstract] , September 20, 2010; . Cereb. Cortex Xiaoming Jin, John R. Huguenard and David A. Prince Epileptogenic Neocortex Reorganization of Inhibitory Synaptic Circuits in Rodent Chronically Injured [PDF]  [Full Text]  [Abstract] , May , 2011; 21 (5): 1094-1104. Cereb. Cortex Xiaoming Jin, John R. Huguenard and David A. Prince Epileptogenic Neocortex Reorganization of Inhibitory Synaptic Circuits in Rodent Chronically Injured


ABSTRACT. Leidyana canadensis n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) is described from larvae of the eastern hemlock looper, Lambdina fiscellaria (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) collected near St. Stephen, Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada. Gamonts solitary, located between host ventricular peritrophic membrane and ventricular epithelium. Protomerite very broadly ellipsoid with transverse posterior margin; length 43.7 μm, width 42.7 μm; protomerite‐deutomerite septum strongly constricted. Deutomerite narrowly obovoid with anterior transverse margin; length 186.6 μm, width 58.7 μm; total length 227.1 μm. Nucleus spherical to broadly ellipsoid; length 26.3 μm, width 20.2 μm; placement abaxial in the posterior 2/3 of the deutomerite. Nucleus often obscured in late gamonts. Association late, caudofrontal, ephemeral and leading directly to syzygy. Gametocysts roughly spherical; diameter 216.7 μm; hyaline coat increasing diameter to 359.1 μm. Gametocysts mature and dehisce through six short spore tubes within 48 hours. Oocysts axially symmetric, dolioform in dorsal aspect, compressed in the plane perpendicular to the major axis, very uniform in size and shape; length along major axis 5.2 μm, terminal width 1.8 μm, medial width 3.8 μm; extruded in chains.


This article considers the knowledge revolution, the knowledge economy, knowledge, knowledge management and value within global capitalism. It argues that the knowledge revolution is the latest phase of capitalism and that the success of the knowledge revolution depends on the creation of value that is extracted from knowledge, and that this includes the knowledge that is in people's heads. It considers philosophical issues surrounding knowledge. It then considers the meaning of 'value', by first considering some of the current business and information literature, and second, returning to a Marxist analysis of value. It argues that we can only really begin to fully explain and understand the concept of value, as well as its significance within the knowledge revolution, by returning to a Marxist theoretical analysis. The article concludes by arguing that we need to become more conscious of the fact that 'value' is the essential ingredient upon which all forms of capitalism rest, and furthermore, that today value is being extracted from knowledge, particularly in the industrialised world. Once the human race becomes more conscious of this, it can then endeavour to create a better, kinder, fairer social and economic system that does not depend on the extraction of value from and exploitation of human labour.


I am grateful to Dr. L. K. Weresub of the Biosystematics Research Institute, Ottawa, for bringing an error which appeared in the nomenclator of Corniculariella on page 1666 to my attention. The correct synonymy should read as follows.Corniculariella Karsten char. emend. DiCosmo.≡ Cornularia Sacc. [cited as "Karsten"], Sylloge Fung. Vol. 3. p. 598(1884).= Chondropodium Hohnel, Mitt. Sber. Akad. Wiss. Wein, 125: 19(1916).Chondropodium is considered a facultative synonym of Corniculariella and not an obligate synonym.


This linguistic qualitative ethnographic study sought to understand whether immigrant, ESL men who have completed their first year of college at BSU perceive themselves as linguistically prepared for college life. Linguistic preparedness is critical for successful participation in the classroom and completion of required work. The research seeks to identify and analyze the programs BSU has established to assist this population in their adaptation to college life and in acquiring linguistic proficiency. The study employs a multi-tiered methodology, beginning with semi-structured interviews with diversity administrators as well as ESL and Global Language faculty. These interviews were followed by rapport-building, participant and naturalistic observations, and semi-structured interviews with four immigrant male students who had completed their first year of college. Selected by purposive sampling, the resulting case study of Bridgewater State University with respect to linguistic readiness for ESL immigrant students will offer emic (insider) perceptions of students' own linguistic preparedness. Results offer insights into this population and generate recommendations that cater to struggling ESL students. Section I


Records of atmospheric CO2 and 13CO2 can be used to distinguish terrestrial vs. oceanic exchanges of CO2 with the atmosphere. However, this approach has proven difficult in the tropics, partly due to extensive land conversion from C3 to C4 vegetation. We estimated the effects of such conversion on biosphere‐atmosphere 13C exchange for 1991–2000, and then explored how this "land‐use disequilibrium" altered the partitioning of net atmospheric CO2 exchanges between ocean and land using NOAA‐CMDL data and a 2D, zonally averaged atmospheric transport model. Our results suggest sizable CO2 uptake in C3‐dominated tropical regions in 8 of the 10 years; 1997 and 1998, which included a strong ENSO event, are near neutral. Since these fluxes include any deforestation source, our findings imply either that such sources are smaller than previously estimated, and/or the existence of a large equatorial terrestrial CO2 sink.


The postoperative health status of an obesity patient indicates the outcome of the surgical treatment. By each postoperative revisit, physicians need to go through the previous patient records to recall the patient status and to evaluate the postoperative risk of readmission. In order to support in this process, we develop a method to extract indicators and to analyse weight changes, so that potential complications and risks of clinical readmission can be recognized timely. In this paper, we will compare two approaches that are based on traditional machine learning and neural networks. Relevant aspects referring to a health status change or treatment-relevant aspects are extracted from the outpatient medical records as they are generated for each postoperative revisit. The performance of traditional machine learning on the task of obesity-related entity extraction is compared with one variation of attentive recurrent neural networks. The ensemble classifier of binary attentive bi-LSTM with the data balancing using conditional generative adversarial networks (CGAN) has achieved F1 measure of 86.5% on the task of classification of eight classes of obesity-related entities. We conclude that for processing a small data set using neural networks, a data balancing method should firstly be applied to achieve an extended corpus and a general representation, which can apparently increase the differentiability of the input data. A fine-tuning in the networks can provide further enhancement of the performance.


Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease at both the clinical and molecular levels. This heterogeneity may give rise to different therapy responses. Molecular profiling has facilitated identification of signatures for stratifying patients who would potentially benefit from given therapies. Previously, we reported on a subset of genes with the potential for predicting response of primary breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Herein, we report that patients with luminal (estrogen receptor α [ERα]‐expressing) breast cancer were enriched for nonresponders. To identify novel factors that contribute to the survival of breast cancer cells, a loss‐of‐function screen was performed with a subset of genes overexpressed in patients with disease resistant to chemotherapy. This approach led us to identify protein phosphatase 1, regulatory subunit 15B (PPP1R15B) as a factor with a potentially essential role in the survival of ERα‐positive breast cancer cells. Functional analyses showed that PPP1R15B depletion results in impaired proliferation due to unsuccessful transition of cells from G1 to S phase of the cell cycle, and apoptosis induction. Moreover, our data revealed a regulatory role for PPP1R15B in activating ERα. Furthermore, a high level of PPP1R15B mRNA expression was associated with poor outcome following tamoxifen‐based therapy. Accordingly, knockdown of PPP1R15B expression sensitized tamoxifen‐resistant MCF‐7 breast cancer cells to tamoxifen while reducing ERα abundance in these cells. Our findings reveal a novel role for PPP1R15B in the survival and therapy response of ERα‐positive breast cancer and may open new avenues for tumor subtype‐specific therapeutic strategies in the era of personalized medicine.


In the constant race for more efficient Li-ion batteries, extensive research has focused on the design of new, more competitive cathode materials, currently limiting the battery performance. The improvement of cathode materials demands the detailed understanding of the complex structural mechanisms at play during battery operation, that is, when Li+ ions are inserted and extracted from the cathode. Moreover, new cathode designs involve more and more disordered/nanosized materials for enhanced Li+ cation diffusion and larger specific surfaces. This trend poses new challenges for the structural investigation methods employed, which mostly rely on the periodic and long-range ordered nature of the compounds under study. This is specially the case of the recently discovered nanostructured Li4Mn2O5 high capacity cathode material, which shows record reversible capacities superior to the state-of-the-art Li-Mn-O electrodes and displays a strongly disordered rock salt-type structure. This last feature, mainly due ...


This paper describes the analysis and design of a low cost three phase inverter brushless dc motor (BLDC) drive. The proposed method is a cost effective sensorless method employed for four switch BLDC motor. The absence of hall sensors give rise to a sensorless control in which the commutation instants are obtained from the zero crossing points (ZCP) of three voltage functions that are derived from the filtered stator terminal voltages Vao and Vbo. Hence phase shifters are not required that are common in conventional sensorless methods. The average terminal voltages are calculated using two low pass Butterworth filters. The phase currents are controlled using direct phase current (DPC) control scheme. The simulation results give the performance of developed sensorless technique.


_______________________ *Correspondence Address: firstname.lastname@example.com Abstract: An excellent religious attitude can direct students to think and act following the religious values they adhere to in their personal and social lives. This study aimed to analyze the environmental factors in the formation of students' attitudes toward diversity. This study used a qualitative method. The data had been obtained from all informants at SDIT Muhammadiyah, SD Trihasil, and MI Nahdlatul Ulama that met the specified requirements. The data had been collected through interviews, observation, and documentation techniques to be analyzed descriptively. The results showed that the factors forming students' attitudes toward diversity were the family environment, school environment, and community environment. For example, factors that formed the religious attitude of SD Trihasil students were religious education and the family environment. The parents provided religious education through daily habituation and invited their children to daily and monthly recitation. On the other hand, factors that formed students' attitudes toward diversity at SDIT Muhammadiyah were the family through habituation and the Muhammadiyah organization. Furthermore, students' attitudes toward diversity MI Nahdatul Ulama were influenced by family factors and their community. Thus, internal and external environmental factors influence the students' attitudes toward diversity.


The worldwide incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) is increasing, and AAA remains a major source of mortality in our population. With a mortality rate of over 80% for AAA rupture, diagnosis and treatment of AAAs, although still asymptomatic, is imperative. Current techniques for eval uation of AAAs include clinical exam and radiologic modalities, which include contrast arteriography, ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic reso nance imaging. Controversy exists as to the most cost-effective technique(s) for timely diagnosis and management of AAAs. This article reviews the role of the various diagnostic techniques available for screening, nonoperative surveillance, and both open and endovascular repair of AAAs.


This paper examines the use of sampling procedures as a solution methodology for large combinatorial problems. Three sampling strategies are investigated: random sampling (each alternative is equally likely), biased sampling (alternatives' probabilities are biased by specified criteria), and improvement sampling (alternatives' probabilities are dynamically changed based upon new information). These three methodologies are illustrated and compared on the basis of solution quality and computer time requirements.


Novels, plays and autobiography present experiments in egalitarian processes - collaboration, solidarity and friendshihp - that strengthen individual and relieve them of previous forms of docility. These examples mirror and imagine the transition from autocracy to republicanism and the changing roles of the family and its members.


This chapter talks about Jacques Monod, who became Director of the Pasteur Institute in April 1971. It talks about the outer and inner man. Shortly after his arrival in Lwoff's attic, Jacques Monod had collaborated with Elie Wollman in a study of the effect of phage infection on β-galactosidase synthesis. The scientists, technicians, and secretaries who worked with him could always count on his sympathy, advice, and support; in return, he received an unreserved loyalty and devotion from nearly all of them. If Jacques Monod's faults have been evoked here, that is because one cannot write other than honestly about such a man. At the risk of eliciting sniggers from readers for whom the very notion of the hero is a medieval anachronism, it must be said that he was of heroic stature. The author hopes that this is evident from the preceding account of his life. One common French quality which Monod did not share was the Latin brand of sentimentality. Desperately searching as Director for solutions to the problems ofthe Institute, he hit on the notion of rebuilding it on the suburban campus at Garches, financing the operation by the sale of the very valuable land which it occupies in Paris.


Mn(1–x)S:Ax/ZnS(A:Eu,Pr) nano-crystallines were synthesized by a chemical precipitation method,which appeared a zinc blende structure and their average grain size was about 4 nm.The photoluminescence spectra of the nano-crystallines revealed that there existed several new emission bands except for the peak of defects of ZnS and Mn2+.The emission peaks at 575 and 617 nm were due to 5D0→7F1,5D0→7F2 of Eu3+.In addition,Mn(1–x)S:Ax/ZnS nano-crystallines exhibited enhanced luminescence properties at 580 nm,compared to the pure Mn(1–x)S:Ax nano-crystallines.


Headache Society has published diagnostic criteria for this complication3 and several authors have proposed definitions for severity.4,5 Large observational studies are still needed to obtain sufficient numbers of PDPH. Researchers need to report the diagnostic criteria, onset, severity, duration, and therapeutic interventions used. Only then will clinicians be able to determine whether PDPH from a small gauge pencil-point spinal needle, such as the Whitacre 25-gauge, is self-limiting within a short period of time.


Battelle-Geneva is one of the five divi sions of Battelle Memorial Institute which was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1923 by Gordon Battelle. In his will, Gordon Bat telle left a part of his estate to found an In stitute «.. .for the purpose of education in connection with the encouragement of creative and research work and the making of discoveries and inventions...». Today this Institute, combining the Battelle Research Laboratories with a total staff of 7100 people, is amongst the largest in dependent research organizations in the world. Battelle-Geneva, created in 1953, employs some 400 people, nearly 300 of whom are researchers and technicians representing more than 20 different na tionalities. Research is concentrated into three specialized areas which are adapted to the needs of industry: Industrial Technology, Toxicology and Biosciences, and Applied Economics. In contrast with the other divisions, Battelle-Geneva works essentially for private industry. Research is funded by sponsors, on an individual or group basis, usually to solve specific pro blems or to develop approaches and ideas suggested within Battelle. Several fields in the Battelle-Geneva laboratories have a high content of physics, optics and electronics research. As typical examples one can cite flash spec trophotometry for biomedical sample analysis, UV gas lasers, solar energy panels, displays, electronic signal analysis and actuator engineering. This article covers only the research in fibre optics and seeks to convey, by a few chosen examples with a physics background, the way in which the work in the laboratories com bines a response to industrial needs with a creative contribution from individual researchers, within the context of the nor mal evolution of research.


Hans Viertler, a visionary, an example of institutional commitment, a great scientist, excellent and dedicated teacher, highly respected as a professional and admired for his leadership, wisdom, generosity, good humor, professional capacity, and balance. A life dedicated to the consolidation of Chemistry in Brazil, the teaching chemistry, the IQ-USP, the Brazilian Chemical Society (SBQ) and the CRQ-fourth region. Hans, a friend with a heart bigger than himself!


We e present a combined experimental and theoretical analysis of the transport properties of silicon nanowire (NW) transistors. The NWs are grown by catalytic chemical vapour deposition and are later deposited on pre-patterned oxidized silicon substrates that provide the device source and drain electrodes. A back gate configuration is used for our study. Through a controlled nickel diffusion, parts of the nominally undoped NWs are turned into nickel silicide NWs. thus providing a direct metallic nanolead to the semiconducting wire. The transistors obtained with NWs of 10-30 nm diameters display p-type behaviour, current densities up to 0.8 MA/cm2 and on/off current ratios of up to 107. The subthreshold characteristics show a strong hysteresis. The simulation based on a drift-diffusion approach indicates that traps at the interface between the NWs and SiO2 are responsible for such behaviour. (8 References).


Human papilloma virus (HPV) is now attributable to most of the oropharyngeal squamous cell cancers (OPSCCs) occurring in western world. The HPV-associated OPSCC effect younger, otherwise healthy population and is typically associated with better outcome. Traditional treatment strategies, while successful, are associated with significant long-term morbidity and poorer quality of life. This has led to various trials and investigations to de-escalate the treatment in this patient population while maintaining excellent outcome. The objective of this review is to discuss various de-escalation strategies and trials.


The invention relates to a crank and a rod actuator for moving a seat back. A reclining actuator for moving a seat back relative to a seat bottom includes a mounting plate and a crank supported on the mounting plate for movement relative thereto. A rod is provided having a first end and a second end. The first end is connected to the crank and the second end is adapted to engage a seat back. A driver is provided for moving the crank relative to the mounting plate. A seat assembly includes a seat having a seat back and a seat bottom. The seat back is moveable relative to the seat bottom. A crank is connected to a driver for movement. A rod is connected between the crank and the seat back such that movement of the rod causes movement of the seat back.


Procedure for obtaining vWF or high purity factor VIII / vWF complex by immunoaffinity chromatography, in which a vWF or an FVIII / vWF complex linked to an immunoadsorbent is eluted with an eluent containing as an essential active component an amphoteric ion, preserving the molecular integrity of the vWF or of the factor VIII / vWF complex, characterized in that the amphoteric ion is an amino acid or an amino acid analogue with an isoelectric point between 3, 2 and 9, 6 and because the vWF or the factor VIII / vWF complex linked to the immunoadsorbent dissociates without the use of chaotropic agents.


Objective To provide the basis for distributing properly the limited resources of sanitary supervision and bringing the better effect of supervision.Methods Work out the unified plan. Take kinds of measures such as inspecting the scene, consulting the data, collecting some samples and so on, to supervise the sanitary conditions of canteens in 3 counties and 4 zones, including school cafeterias, work-site canteens and mess rooms for staffs.Results 581 canteens were checked altogether. Among 498 collective canteens, 87.75% had sanitary administrators. Obviously, school cafeterias and mess rooms for staffs were better than work-site canteens. Among school cafeterias, cafeterias in primary and middle schools had the lowest qualification rate.Conclusions The examination of sanitary administrator's qualifications should be regarded as an important content. The focal point of sanitary supervision on work-site canteens should be put on the healthy conditions of the staffs and certificates for trading food. County agency of sanitary supervision should put the stress of supervision to catering trade on schools in countryside.


Highly water-soluble mixed monolayer protected "rippled" gold nanoparticles were synthesized through a one step reaction with sodium 11-mercaptoundecanesulfonate and octanethiol ligands at various ratios.


[1] The wind stress forcing of the Oregon coastal ocean during June–August 1999 is estimated from a regional mesoscale atmospheric model and from satellite scatterometer observations, supplemented by moored and coastal surface data and by a land-based wind profiler. Both the mean and variable components of model alongshore wind stress increase by factors of 3–4 from north to south along the Oregon coast. There is evidence of orographic intensification near Cape Blanco, which is supported by previous aircraft and ship observations during August 1995. The systematic southward increase of southward stress will drive enhanced ocean upwelling along the southern Oregon coast and suggests the new hypothesis that systematic variations in local wind stress may contribute to the observed offshore displacement of the coastal upwelling jet in this region. It is inferred from an analysis of the model and surface data that ocean upwelling modifies coastal surface air temperatures by 1–5°C over timescales of 12–24 hours.


Chronic granulomatous disease is a genetic defect in phagocytosis. There is an absence of reactive oxygen species which are essential for the destruction of microorganisms. There are two types of chronic granulomatous disease according to the inheritance pattern, the X-linked recessive and autosomal recessive; the former is the most frequent and severe. There are different techniques for screening the disease. They are based in measuring the production of reactive oxygen species in neutrophils. The reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium and dihydrorhodamine 1,2,3 tecnique are widely used. The latter has the advantage that in addition to be useful as an screening test, it is also useful for detecting the pattern of inheritance and post-transplant chimerism. In this paper we describe the experience of using the dihydrorhodamine in chronic granulomatous disease in Mexico.


Radiation therapy treatment planning for many clinical situations requires wedgeshaped isodose distributions. The wedged dose distributions can be generated through the use of physical wedges (PWs), motorized wedges and the synchronization of jaw or multileaf collimator dynamic motion with accelerator dose output. Modern medical accelerators are usually equipped with a dynamic wedge (DW) option. The DW makes use of dynamic movement of one pair of independent jaws on a linac and generates dose distributions equivalent to those produced by a PW placed in static fields. The segmented treatment tables (STTs), which are implemented on Varian linacs, are used to control the dose rate and jaw movement for producing a set of DWs. Each STT contains information on the moving collimator position versus cumulative weighting of monitor units (MUs). The enhanced dynamic wedge (EDW), the second generation of DW for Varian linac, uses a single STT to generate all the other STTs for all field sizes and wedge angles (1). The clinical advantages of using DWs have been reported by many investigators (2-7). EDW is preferred over PW because it is not limited in length and does not create additional low energy electron and photon scatter that increases both surface and peripheral dose (8, 9). However use of DW requires more complex dosimetry and quality control procedures (10). During commissioning activity, care must be exercised to ensure that dynamic wedges are


Banking books contain numerous implicit options such as prepayment options on mortgages, early withdrawal options etc. As these options may be exercised in response to market changes, they induce significant liquidity risk and interest rate risk. We propose here a behavioral model for estimating and measuring prepayment risk which is both tractable and sufficient realistic.


Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma is a benign tumor with rich blood flow, usually observed in young males. Though it should be excised surgically, the operation requires a broad operation field to achieve less blood loss, and a functionally and cosmetically sound method. Here, we report an extensively relapsing juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma, excised with midfacial degloving and Le Fort I osteotomy. A 16-year-old boy was admitted to our hospital with a right side relapsing juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma. The tumor extended to the infratemporal fossa, sphenopalatine fossa, paranasal sinus and the nasopharynx. Preoperative embolization of the feeding artery could not be performed because his right external carotid artery was ligated in a previous operation 1 year earlier. We performed a midfacial degloving and a Le Fort I osteotomy. The tumor was completely excised. Blood loss was 2250 g, and no scar was noted on his face.


Flexible job shop scheduling problem is a kind of typical production scheduling problems. There are more constraints exists in practical circumstance. This paper has a deep research on flexible job shop scheduling problem with sequence dependent setup time and different type of machines in one workgroup. At first, problem formulation is given; then we construct the mathematic model for the multi-constraints scheduling problems; design the encoding and decoding scheme of problem solution; at last, experiments have done for algorithm validation. Experiments results show that two-stage tabu search algorithm proposed in this paper can get better solution than many classic algorithms and the algorithm is fit for large scale multi-constraints flexible job shop scheduling problems.


RESulTS: Technical survival rates were 89.1%, 84% and 74.1% in the first, third and fifth year, respectively. The technique complication incidence was higher in patients where the catheter were placed percutaneously (31.3%) than those who had undergone surgical catheter placement (19.5%) (p=0.27). Incidence of exit site infection was lower in patients who were catheterized by the percutaneous technique (20.1.%) than those catheterized by the surgical technique (47.3%) (p<0.001). Herniation incidence was lower in patients where the catheter was placed percutaneously (3.6%) than surgically (17.2%) (p=0.001). There was no relationship between catheter placement method and peritonitis, leakage or revision requirement.


Mid-Cretaceous turbidites with large proportions of sponge spicules are widely distributed in the Silesian Nappe of the Outer Carpathians, giving rise to diversified types of sediments, from spiculites to spicule-bearing siliciclastics and calcarenites. Part of this succession, Middle–Late Cenomanian in age, was transformed into cherts. A microfacies study showed that these turbidite sediments underwent several stages of calcitization and silicification, which took place during Mid-Cretaceous times in different sedimentary environments, i.e., on a northern shelf bordering the Silesian Basin and on a deep sea floor. The first diagenetic changes were related to changes to the biotic components of the turbidite layers, dominated by siliceous sponge spicules. This process, which took place in the spiculitic carbonate mud on the shelves, was related to the calcitization of sponge spicules. Calcareous clasts and calcified skeletal elements also were corroded by bacteria. After transportation down the slope, the biogenic and siliciclastic particles were deposited below the carbonate compensation depth. Taphonomic processes on the basin floor and alternating phases of carbonate and silica cementations, recrystallization and dissolution occurred in these sediments and were related to the diversification in composition of successive turbidite layers. Silicification was related to the formation of quartz precipitates as fibrous chalcedony or microcrystalline quartz, which were derived from the earlier dissolution of amorphous silica, originating mostly from siliceous sponge spicules and radiolarian skeletons. However, a source of silica from hydrothermal vents was also possible. The initial silica precipitation could have taken place in a slightly acidic  environment, where calcite was simultaneously dissolved. A number of silicification stages, visible as different forms of silica precipitate inside moulds after bioclasts, occur in the particular turbidite layers. They were related to changes in various elements of the pore-water profile after descending turbidity-current flows. A very low sedimentation rate during the Middle–Late Cenomanian in the Silesian Basin may have favoured the sequence of initial calcitization and silicification stages of the turbidite sediments.


© AME Medical Journal. All rights reserved. AME Med J 2020 | http://dx.doi.org/10.21037/amj-20-23 A 21-year-old man presented to an outpatient clinic with an 8-month history of hematochezia, abdominal pain, tiredness, and weight loss. His abdomen was soft, with mild left lower quadrant abdominal tenderness and active bowel sounds. Laboratory evaluation revealed a hemoglobin level of 10.4 g per deciliter (normal range, 13.5 to 17.5). Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed thickened wall of colon sigmoideum and rectum (Figure 1A). The colonoscopy showed congestion, edema and ulcer in the same location (Figure 1B), and mucosal Images in Clinical Medicine


'The pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis'. for the best oral on 'Demonstration of tumour necrosis factor in pancreatic acinar cells by in situ hybridisation in a model of acute pancreatitis'. The following abstracts presented: We have reported very low concentrations of vitamin C, selenium, and glutathione (GSH) in admission samples from patients with AP (Digestion 1991; 49: 14; Biochem Soc Trans (in the press)). We now report serial analysis in an attempt to further elucidate whether low antioxidant levels are solely due to consump-tion from inflammation or may also reflect premorbid lack. Blood samples from 13 consecutive patients (aged 21-80 years) were studied, whose attacks commenced six hours to six days before presentation (median 48 h); 10 mild, 3 severe by Ranson criteria. Admission, 48 h+one week samples were analysed. The results are as shown: values (range); the evolution of pancreatitis. potent PAF antagonist, after induction of acute pancreatitis alters the progression of acute pancreatitis in this model. complications than in those with an uncomplicated course. The results of this study suggest that increased cytokine release by activated leuco-cytes plays an important part in the patho- physiology of the systemic complications of severe acute pancreatitis. TNF is an important mediator ofseptic shock and has also been implicated in the pathogenesis of adult respiratory distress syndrome. The role of TNF in the pathogenesis ofsystemic complica- tions in severe acute pancreatitis (AP) is unclear. The aim ofthis study was to determine the systemic TNF response in a rat model of severe AP. AP was induced in 24 male Wistar rats (250-350 g) by injection of 0-2 ml of 5% sodium taurochalate at 30 mm Hg into the pancreatic duct. Control rats (n=18) received a saline injection. The pancreatitic process was verified by plasma amylase, haematocrit, and histo- logical scoring of the pancreas. Blood sampling was carried out 2, 3, and 12 hours after induction of pancreatitis by open cardiac puncture. Samples were assayed for TNF using the WEHI clone 13 bioassay and an in house ELISA and endotoxin by the chromo- genic LAL assay. All samples were negative for Immunoreactive significantly raised at both 2 and 12 hour (pan- protein) is structurally identical to reg protein, found in regenerating islets. Litho- statin prevents calcium carbonate crystal formation and growth. Lithostatin expression is said to be reduced in chronic pancreatitis. Using a monoclonal antibody against reg protein for immunohistochemistry, we have studied the expression of lithostatin in normal adult (n=7) and infant (n=7) human pancreas, in chronic pancreatitis (n=9), and in a novel porcine model of acute pancreatitis (n= 10). Normal human pancreas showed very faint expression of lithostatin, which was expressed abundantly in normal infant tissue. Lithostatin was clearly expressed in all but one case of chronic pancreatitis (focal in four, diffuse in four). Normal pig pancreas showed minimal expression with increasing intensity of expression of lithostatin correlating with severity of inflammation. These results suggest that lithostatin expres- sion may be up regulated in acute and chronic pancreatitis, and that lithostatin may have a role in pancreatic growth.


The city of Medan constitutes one of the cities that has the potential for the development of freshwater fish farming, this is because it can help the economy and income for fish farmers. However, the lack of understanding of tilapia farmers on poor water quality conditions resulted in slow fish growth. Then the lack of monitoring time carried out by fish pond cultivators makes harvest yields also not optimal due to water conditions that can change at any time due to various factors, coupled with the maintenance process also causes a decrease in production yields, one of which is when infectious or non-infectious diseases occur. The objective of this program is to find out about understanding water conditions, pH, and water levels, as well as to assist the process of monitoring tilapia pond water automatically using a smartphone. The stages carried out, begin with problem investigation, problem analysis. Then design the measuring instrument and finally do the simulation/analysis of the tool. The results of this program have succeeded in making a smartphone-based pH and water level measuring instrument with simulation results showing the water level in the fish pond with an average of 2.4 and the average pH value of fish pond water being 7.1. However, in the development of further tools, it is necessary to manufacture a signal transmitter that supports the amplification of measuring devices in sending data to smartphones.


This paper discusses the load solving model of Horizontal Machining Center's structures,which uses the linear motion rolling guide and screw as the connection parts.For the complexity of the Machine structure,this paper supposes a Deformation Compatibility and establishes the parameter load solving modal of bed,column and spindle box.Then compare the rigid body with flexible body load solving model in structure stiffness,load conditions and constraints conditions.Some experiments were done to validate the Deformation Compatibility.From these,this paper proved the load solving model of rigid body can be used in the structure's analysis and optimization.This paper also developed a software of load solving model with the analysis of the parameters of Horizontal Machining Center.


The development in the field of synthesis of butyl butyrate and the catalysts adopted such as sulfonic acid,inorganic salts,solid super-acid,heteropoly acids,enzyme catalysts were summarized.Features with respect to the reaction conditions,properties of catalysts and synthesis process were described.The predominance of every catalyst on the product yield,reaction time,post treatment process,whether the catalyst can be reused,whether water stripping agent is to be used,whether the catalyst is easy for use and conserve were discussed.The development of highly effective and environmental friend catalyst system loaded on solid carriers and without the use of water stripping agent is the trends of the research work in this field.


The primary objective of this study is to explore the impact of gender factor on the perception of undergraduate Psychology students of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Tanjung Malim towards transgender. The overall perception of this sample and the correlation between factors of instruments, which are Interpersonal Comfort, Sex/Gender Beliefs, and Human Value are investigated in this research, as well. In this quantitative research, a crosssectional, online survey questionnaire was participated by 209 students (S=209) which consisted of 53 males (25.36%) and 156 females (74.64%) from the Faculty of Human Development of UPSI participants through a Google Form link. The Transgender Attitude and Beliefs Scale (TABS) instrument is used to explore the perception of the participants. As result, the independent sample t-test analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the scores for male students (M=142.48, SD=32.26) and female students (M=136.37, SD=36.46) conditions; t (207)=1.11, p=0.270. Moreover, the simple mean comparison analysis revealed the mean scores of males and females are 142.48 and 136.37, respectively. Also, the Pearson correlation analysis among the three factors of perceptions ranged from 0.44 to 0.61. Thus, the gender of students has no significant effect on perception towards transgender. Generally, this sample showed less positive perception and less supportive attitudes towards transgender. The correlational strengths among the factors are from moderate to good. The implication of this study is the revelation of students' perception towards transgender, especially Psychology students. Future studies should focus more on the perception of students from Psychology courses in Malaysia.


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory having a floating gate comprising: an element isolation region and the gate insulating film is formed in the semiconductor substrate through; forming a first gate material in the above-described roof element isolation region and said dielectric film; above the upper element isolation region isolating first gate material, leaving the first gate material to form the first gate electrode; above the upper element isolation region, a recess is formed wider than the width between the gate electrode of the first isolation narrower; above above the isolating region under the first gate electrode upper recess end element isolation region is formed of potholes; pits are formed between the gate insulating film embedded in the element isolation region in the concave portion of the element isolation region and said first gate electrode on top depression; and forming a second gate electrode between the top of the gate insulating film.


Preface Helen Berry and Elizabeth Foyster Anthony Fletcher R. I. Moore 1. Introduction Helen Berry and Elizabeth Foyster 2. Marriage, separation and the common law in England 1540-1640 Tim Stretton 3. Republican reformation: family, community and the state in interregnum Middlesex, 1649-60 Bernard Capp 4. Keeping it in the family: crime and the early modern household Garthine Walker 5. Faces in the crowd: gender and age in the early modern English crowd John Walter 6. 'Without the Cry of Any Neighbours': a Cumbrian family and the Poor Law authorities, c. 1690-1730 Steve Hindle 7. Childless men in early modern England Helen Berry and Elizabeth Foyster 8. Aristocratic women and the ideas of family in the early eighteenth century Ingrid Tague 9. Reassessing parenting in eighteenth-century England Joanne Bailey.


The process parameters of electroslag hot-topping(ESHT)for the manufacture of large cast steel backup rolls are studied by means of numerical simulation.The mathematical models including the heat transfer,phase transformation and moving heat flux are established and solved by using of the software ProCAST.The influence of process parameters on the porosity is estimated and the optimal parameters are obtained.The simulation results are in good agreement with that of the practical products.And the large-scale cast steel backup rolls have successfully been produced in a heavy machinery company by using of this ESHT simulation result,which approves that this model can be used to guide the manufacture of heavy casings with ESHT.


Transverse-regularity is a point-wise manipulator property, ensuring that the singular set Σ is locally a smooth manifold. A generic manipulator is one which is transverse-regular in any configuration. The contribution of this paper is a necessary and sufficient condition for transverse-regularity. The condition is based on the manipulator's joint screws and their screw products. An expression for the tangent space to Σ at transverse-regular singularities is derived. It is shown that a manipulator is non-generic if it can attain a pose where the rank of the manipulator's screw system together with the screw products is not the maximal rank of the Jacobian. A necessary and sufficient criterion for degree-one singularities is given in terms of the mechanism' joint screws. In particular, any non-redundant manipulator is transverse-regular in a degree-one singularity.Copyright © 2007 by ASME


AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To study serum homocysteine levels in cerebrovascular accidents as risk factor for stroke and compare its level in normal subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All 50 patients were subjected to history, physical examination, underwent CT Brain and serum homocysteine levels and 50 normal subjects were selected and their serum homocysteine levels were estimated. OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS: Among 50 patients, 43 patients were having infarct in CT BRAIN and their mean homocysteine level was 26.30(+13.80), hemorrhage in 3patients with mean homocysteine level of 39.97 (+ 14.60), 4patients showed normal CT with serum homocysteine level 11.39(+6.450). Normal subjects had mean serum homocysteine levels of 9.31. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION: In conclusion the present study revealed that hyper homocysteinemia appears to be an important risk factor for cerebrovascular accidents. It is therefore important to use serum homocysteine level as an important tool to investigate all cases of cerebrovascular accidents and also in those who are at risk of developing stroke.


Results of digital processing of airborne X-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data acquired over Dade County, Florida, and Acadia Parish, Louisiana are presented. The goal was to investigate the utility of SAR data for land cover mapping and area estimation under the AgRISTARS Domestic Crops and Land Cover Project. In the case of the Acadia Paris study area, LANDSAT multispectral scanner (MSS) data were also used to form a combined SAR and MSS data set. The results of accuracy evaluation for the SAR, MSS, and SAR/MSS data using supervised classification show that the combined SAR/MSS data set results in an improved classification accuracy of the five land cover classes as compared with SAR-only and MSS-only data sets. In the case of the Dade County study area, the results indicate that both HH and VV polarization data are highly responsive to the row orientation of the row crop but not to the specific vegetation which forms the row structure. On the other hand, the HV polarization data are relatively insensitive to the orientation of row crop. Therefore, the HV polarization data may be used to discriminate the specific vegetation that forms the row structure.


The aerodynamic performance of freely flying birds is inherently difficult to measure directly without interfering with their natural flight. Many current methods thus combine kinematic parameters derived from high-speed video with theoretical force and power models. However, these methods often require manual tracking of points in each frame of a video to obtain kinematic data. This project utilizes image processing techniques to automatically extract kinematic data (stroke angle and wingbeat timing) from high speed videos of Pacific parrotlets flying from perch to perch. To analyze aerodynamic performance, this data is then combined with actuator disc theory to estimate the induced power during each wingbeat. Keywords—bird flight; image processing; aerodynamic performance; wingbeat; actuator disc


Experiments to determine effects of chlorimuron, clomazone, and imazaquin applied the year before planting corn, cotton, and sorghum were conducted at three locations in Georgia. Corn injury was <20% in 1987 and 1988 and yield was not affected. In 1988, imazaquin applied at a high rate or sequentially the previous year to late-planted soybeans injured corn more than applications to the early-planted soybeans. Cotton was the most sensitive crop to herbicides applied the previous year. However, seed cotton yield was not decreased due to herbicides applied the previous year. Sorghum growth and yield 8 weeks after planting was not affected by soybean herbicide application the previous year. Sicklepod, corn, and wheat bioassays did not detect any of the herbicides in soil samples obtained the season after treatment. Bioassays accurately predicted potential injury in corn and sorghum but not cotton.


Changes introduced into the ANISN code in order to make available an option for solving neutron-transport problems with volumetric sources that may depend on space and angle are described. The usefulness of this new capability is illustrated for the case of a slab subject to a monodirectional external flux.


A technique without state feedback control of the free link is proposed for the swing-up and the stabilization at the upright position of the free link in a two-link underactuated manipulator (the first and second links are active and free, respectively) moving in the plane inclined from the horizontal plane. The proposed method is based on the utilization of the bifurcation phenomena in the second link under high-frequency sinusoidal excitation for the first link. By the change of the configuration of the first link with respect to the direction of the gravity effect, various bifurcation phenomena (super-critical and sub-critical pitchfork bifurcations and their perturbations) emerge in the second link. An appropriate actuation of the perturbations of the bifurcations by the change of the configuration realizes the swing-up and stabilization without feedback control. Experimental results indicate the validity of the proposed method for the underactuated manipulator.


Hallward's neo-Kantian 'universalisability'. This is something of an ironic twist and, we might venture to suggest, one that risks rendering Nesbitt's entire project one of intellectual neocolonialism. Yet, if Caribbean Critique teaches us anything, it is to resist easy readings or modes of critique which shut down further thought and action. Consequently, his engagement with Hallward constitutes the most honest affirmation of the symbiotic relationship between European (together with North American) and Caribbean discourse as these continue to be folded into one another. Finally, Nesbitt's concluding statements about the current state of postcolonial studies indicate his sensitivity to potential accusations of academic imperialism and, moreover, his attempt to subject his own scholarship to the rigorous methodology of his counter-mapping project.


We are on the brink of a therapeutic revolution. There has been a rapid expansion in the use of peptides as drugs over the last decade, and this is likely to continue. Peptides regulate most physiological processes, acting at some sites as endocrine or paracrine signals and at others as neurotransmitters or growth factors. They are already being used therapeutically in such diverse areas as neurology, endocrinology and haematology.

Most peptides cannot be administered orally as they are rapidly inactivated by gastrointestinal enzymes, so that subcutaneous or intravenous administration is required. Therefore, research is focussing on alternative routes of delivery, including inhaled, buccal, intranasal and transdermal routes, as well as novel delivery systems such as the use of protective liposomes. Neuropeptide systems in the brain are being examined as potential targets for therapeutics, providing an exciting future development area. The dual problems of local targeted delivery and the blood-brain barrier, prevent administered peptides from readily gaining access to the required site of action, although as we will discuss, solutions are on the horizon.

Peptides act by binding to specific cell surface receptors. The perfect therapeutic agent would be a small-molecular-mass chemical mimic of the receptor ligand, which would be cheap to manufacture and could get to the site of action after oral administration. However, receptors are large with many binding sites, and peptides have a complex tertiary structure, both of which improve specificity as well as affording protection from simple invading molecules, like bacterial toxins. Consequently, production of successful peptide mimics using chemical libraries is largely unsuccessful and we still rely on the native peptide for therapeutics.

The list of peptides as potential drugs is huge; space does not permit discussion of them all. It is beyond the scope of this article to focus on older peptide therapies such as …


One of the important paths to renew traditions of Eastern culture and of Western culture in the era of globalization is to selectively retain, absorb and identify with rational elements or quintessence in both sides' traditions, into which organic integration and creative development are added. The path contains the following four aspects: integrating the rational elements of Eastern holism with the positive elements of Western individualism; integrating the values of respecting family in Eastern cultural tradition with the values of respecting self-dependence of individual in Western cultural tradition; integrating the positive elements of the values of "rule by morality" in Eastern cultural traditions with the values of "rule by law" in Western cultural traditions; integrating Eastern "static civilization" with Western "dynamic civilization".


AbstractThis study describes instrumentation to Measure the adhesion of tablets to the lower punch face by means of a strain gaged cantilever beam affixed to the feed frame in front of the sweep-off blade. The tablet is detached from the lower punch by striking this blade. The adhesion force is the total force measured by the beam less that due to the momentum of the tablet. Tableting was performed on a Stokes RB-2 press previously instrumented to monitor compression and ejection forces. Generally, the higher the compression force, or the lower the magnesium stearate concentration, the higher the adhesion in three direct compression fillers (compressible sugar, microcrystalline cellulose, lactose). With microcrystalline cellulose (0.1% magnesium stearate), adhesion decreased with Increased tablet thickness or decreased tablet diameter (constant thickness) ac constant compression pressure Simultaneous measurement of ejection forces revealed that differences in true lubricant efficiency did not necessarily ...


The formation of central martensite in SWRH82B wire rods is mainly attributed to the central segregation of C,Mn and Cr in billet during casting process.The segregation causes phase transformation delay of CCT curves which leads to martensite transformation.The central martensite can be remarkably reduced and even eliminated due to the decreased central segregation index in billet in virtue of optimizing casting process,and to the optimized Stelmor controlled cooling process based on the CCT curves.Thus,the quality of SWRH82B wire rods can be greatly improved.


It has been acknowledged that gender discourse in organizations has shifted from Affirmative Action (AA), to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), onto Diversity Management (Edelman, Fuller and Mara-Drita 2001; Kelly and Dobbin 1998; Liff 1999; Sinclair 2000; Smithson and Stockoe 2005; Strachan Burgess and Sullivan 2004). Edelman et al. (2001), conceptualise this shift as the 'managerialisation of law' whereby the rise of diversity rhetoric occurs in tandem with a decline in the popularity of the legally driven principles of AA and EEO, creating a 'see-saw effect' (Bacchi 2000). Although this was demonstrated to have occurred in the professional management literature, Edelman, et al., (2001) acknowledge they did not investigate the extent to which this 'managerialisation' occurs in organizations. This paper discusses the findings of an ongoing study into gender discourse across different sectors of the economy under Australia's EEO regulatory framework. It will be argued that although diversity management may have risen in importance, particularly in the private sector, it does not necessarily dominate discourses of gender equity. This necessitates a contextual understanding of how organisations 'managerialise' law and the effect this may have on gender equity outcomes.


The invention discloses a network-assistant management system and method of an electrical power system. The network-assistant management system comprises a scan module, an analysis module, a storage module, a data interface and a client, wherein the scan module is used for scanning data of a network channel, an exchanger, a router and DHCP device, and interacted with other modules; the analysis module is used for synthetically comparing and analyzing data input of the scan module, the data interface and a manager to conduct analysis and statistic so as to acquire the design result. The network-assistant management system uses a B/S structure. The network-assistant management system and method of the electrical power system have the advantages that 100% control of internal and external network desktop terminal access is achieved, network interrupt caused by a Beijing VRV desktop terminal ARP mechanism is avoided, and hidden troubles of viruses of the ARR are solved; real-time alarming of network device failures is achieved; real-time statistics of unit network device and module are achieved; data analysis of unit network resources is achieved; internal network device management tools are integrated, and efficiency is improved; the multithreading design is adopted to acquire data in real time and then achieve real-time control, identification backup, restoration and the like.


The utility model discloses a lifting stirring device used in the mine selecting industry, and belongs to the technical field of machinery. The lifting stirring device mainly comprises a transmission device arranged on a container groove rack, a stirring shaft driven by the transmission device, and an impeller mounted at the lower end of the stirring shaft. The stirring device is structurally characterized in that a support is arranged on a housing of the transmission device; a lead screw lifter is arranged on the support; a lead screw is fixedly connected with an upper shaft of the stirring shaft through a pin shaft; the upper shaft of the stirring shaft is fixedly connected with a lower shaft of the stirring shaft through a coupler. The stirring device is suitable for wider industrial and mineral condition ranges.


The use of echocardiography in the diagnosis of suspected myocardial infarction has been classified as appropriate. The use of regional strain which is a dimensionless measurement of deformation, expressed as a fractional or percentage change from an object's original dimension, greatly enhances the accuracy of detecting the regional wall motion abnormality in a scale (-20 to +20) ten times that of eye balling. Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) is a novel technique which has emerged as one of the best methods that analyses motion and strain by tracking natural acoustic reflections and interference patterns within an ultrasonic window. In patients with acute myocardial infarctions (MIs), accuracy for the prediction of global functional improvement as well as LV remodelling by 2D STE is comparable with that of late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) has evolved as one of the most robust parameter, and this has been shown to identify subclinical LV dysfunction.3D STE has emerged as an alternative non -invasive technique to assess LV rotation. In anterior wall myocardial infarction, systolic twist is decreased, and diastolic untwisting is depressed in accordance with LV systolic dysfunction. These results suggest the significant impact of global LV systolic function on LV twist and twist-displacement loops in patients with anterior wall MI. Although to date, no prognostic information exists on the role of rotational parameters of LV function, further ongoing studies would shed more light on this important technique.


Pressure-letdown valve combines quasi-porous-plug and vortex-chamber in one controllable unit. Valve useful in fossil-energy plants for reducing pressures in such erosive two-phase process streams as steam/water, coal slurries, or combustion gases with entrained particles. Quasi-Porous Plug consists of plenums separated by perforated plates. Number or size of perforations increases with each succeeding stage to compensate for expansion. In Vortex Chamber, control flow varies to control swirl and therefore difference between inlet and outlet pressures.


The article is devoted to the problem of the absence of the conventional definition of terrorism at the present stage. In particular it is substantiated that international law is the most powerful instrument in fighting terrorism and that it is necessary to have international law definition of terrorism for effective struggle against it.


Summary Recent research into the effects of woodland on the value of property is presented. Reviews of techniques available to measure the amenity value of trees are followed by a brief description of the data sources and the hedonic price method (HPM); the analytical technique adopted in the study. The results of the study are then outlined. The paper concludes with a brief discussion which places the amenity value of trees in context.


Waste dump stability has long been a major concern in open-pit mine production. This paper describes the landslide morphology in detail, based on a summary of the geological conditions of the Dagushan Waste Dump. The modified Mohr–Coulomb strength criterion, which is more suitable for the deformation and failure behavior of waste materials, was adopted based on the limit equilibrium theory to study waste dump stability under complex working conditions such as dumping, vibration, and basement softening, as well as the parameter sensitivity of the main influencing factors. The test results revealed that: (1) the safety factor of the Dagushan Waste Dump first decreased from 1.343 to 1.238 when the waste dump increased from +150 m to +201 m. Thereafter, it decreased from 1.238 to 1.129 because of the weakened basement of silty clay. Afterward, it decreased from 1.129 to 1.029 because of the toe excavation of the waste dump. Finally, the mechanical vibration at the slope toe made the safety factor of the waste dump change periodically every 6 s. The lowest safety factor of the waste dump under mechanical vibration was 0.747, which can eventually result in landslides. (2) The dump stability was moderately sensitive to the third-grade slope angle, basement cohesion, and mechanical vibration strength; however, it was highly sensitive to the third-grade slope height, basement friction angle, basement moisture content, and first-grade slope excavation angle. The dump stability decreased with an increase in the third-grade slope height and angle, basement moisture content, first-grade slope excavation angle, and mechanical vibration strength. The dump stability increased as the basement friction angle and basement cohesion increased. (3) Slope reshaping is proposed as a remedial measure because it was discovered to be effective in maintaining slope stability. These results can be used as a reference point for further dump stability studies.


The review summarizes scientific publications that reveal current problems in the field of legal regulation of confidentiality and data protection. It is noted that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is essential for the work of international organizations. At the same time, its action gives rise to questions about the relationship between EU law and public international law. Attention is focused on those legal values that are decisive in the formation of national and international approaches. The proposed in the scientific literature models of legal regulation of confidentiality and data protection, aimed at achieving international convergence.


The utility model relates to a Chinese traditional herbal plant oxygen bin for health care and treatment. The utility model comprises a bin body (2) with a bin door (1). The utility model is characterized in that a plant rack (3), a bed (4) and a seat chair (5) are fixed in a bin, and a fluorescent lamp (6) is arranged on the plant rack. An air inlet (7) and an air outlet (8) are arranged on the bin body. The utility model can effectively and fully utilize fragrance, medicinal sapor, oxygen, moisture, etc. emitted by Chinese traditional and herbal plants and absorbed by human bodies to treat and prevent diseases.


Bridges and Fowler (2022) collected survey data regarding grocery shopping attitudes and behaviors prior to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and followed up by collecting similar data during the pandemic. This allowed for comparisons of grocery shopping habits before and during
 COVID-19; in addition, survey respondents were asked how they anticipated they would readjust their grocery shopping practices following the pandemic.


This article explores the interface between our theological confession, spiritual formation and intellectual efforts in the context of theological exegesis and theological education. In the broader discourse about theological exegesis and methods attendant to these concerns, a central task in the process of reading and interpreting Scripture has not received the attention it deserves and demands. This task, or posture, is prayer. The bulk of the article is given to listening to Karl Barth's formulations of this matter in Church Dogmatics I.2 . For Barth, all of one's theological exegetical labours from beginning to end must take place in the context of prayer.


The present invention provides a power circuit, the converter structure and wind power generation system. The circuit includes a first power converter having AC input side and DC output side; a second inverter having a DC input side and the output side of the AC; DC output and the DC bus storage unit, electrically connected to the first converter side and a second DC input side converter, the level number, switch type, and / or in the form of a first inverter circuit connection is different from the second inverter. According to the present invention, by an asymmetrical structural design of the first and second converters can be flexibly design the respective switching frequencies of the first and second inverters of the power circuit. Further, the power circuit is applied to the converter structure of the wind power generation system, and the make-side current side current are sinusoidal current, harmonic content and smaller, further preferably harmonic current is suppressed and EMI interference and reduce costs.


The optical transmission through a porous superlattice is modulated by capillary condensation and evaporation of ethanol. The system exhibits optical bistability, with the two stable states characterized by a different amount of liquid ethanol in the pores. Switching between states is controlled by the input power of the incident light beam. By tuning the input power at various speeds, we study the dynamics of condensation and evaporation and study the behavior of the hysteresis and switching thresholds. We find that the time response of the system is limited by the condensation process, which is faster in pores with lower radius. We also report on the dependence of the hysteresis loop on vapor concentration.


Based on the experiment of six concrete beams strengthened with CFRP sheet,the strengthening effect is studied under the scenario analysis of different initial cracking states,different prestress levels and different anchorage styles.The experimental results show that both the yield load and the ultimate load of the beams can be improved after they are strengthened with CFRP sheet,and the strengthening effect of the prestressed CFRP sheet is better than the non-prestressed CFRP sheet.In addition,whether using prestressed CFRP sheet or not,and no matter what the initial state of beams are,have less obviously effect on ultimate load when the final failure form of the strengthened beams represents the tensile failure of CFRP shect.By using suitable anchorage system it can avoid sudden debonding failure of the beams,increase the ultimate load,and improve the flexivity.


In practice, the classification algorithms and the initialization of the clusters and the initial centroid of clusters have great influence on the st abili y of the algorithms, dealing time and classification results. Some algorithms are used co mm nly in data classification, but their disadvantages are low accuracy and unstability such as k-Means algorithm, c-Means algorithm, Iso-data algorithm. This paper proposes a method of combining fuzzy probability and fuzzy clustering algorithm to overcome these disadvantage s. The method consists of two steps, first to calculate the number of clusters and the centroid o f clusters based fuzzy probability, then to use fuzzy clustering algorithm to land-cover classifica t on. The results showed that, the accuracy of the land cover classification using multispectral s tellite images according to the developed method significantly increases compared with variou s algorithms such as k-Means, Iso-data. Keyword: satellite imagery, probability, fuzzy c-means clus tering.


Summary
Two common endocrine disorders, pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction and equine metabolic syndrome, predispose horses and ponies to laminitis and may even induce the condition. The exact mechanisms involved in endocrinopathic laminitis have not been elucidated but hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance are currently being investigated. Obesity and regional adiposity may also contribute to laminitis susceptibility through the release of inflammatory cytokines and adipokines. In the case of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, glucocorticoid excess is likely to weaken hoof structures, alter vascular dynamics within the foot and induce or exacerbate insulin resistance. This review will summarise current theories regarding the pathophysiology of endocrinopathic laminitis and provide recommendations for the diagnosis and management of these common equine endocrine disorders.


From flash‐photolysis experiments it has been determined that the blue, phototropically produced substance from α‐(2,4‐dinitrobenzyl)pyridine fades to the colorless form by at least two mechanisms. The rate of the slower process, which is controlling in neutral and slightly basic solution, is first order in the blue substance and is apparently independent of the nominal hydrogen‐ion concentration. The faster process is rate controlling in the acidity range, [H+]=5×10—7 to at least 5×10—1, and follows a rate constant which is linear in [H+] over some 5 or 6 orders of magnitude, i.e., a half‐life from ∼10 to ∼3.5×10—5 sec. Similar behavior is displayed by the γ isomer.The large solvent dependence reported earlier is now ascribed to slight acid impurities in the sensitive 10—6—10—7[H+] range.These and related findings are discussed in terms of possible structural and mechanistic details.


The Khmer Rouge under their leader Saloth Sar ("Pol Pot") were in power in Cambodia between April 1975 and January 1979. They came into control of the country after a long and brutal civil war and by overthrowing the regime of General Lon Nol, who himself had staged a coup against the government of Prince Norodom Sihanouk in 1970. After seizing control in Phnom Penh, the Khmer Rouge immediately evacuated the capital and all major cities. They transformed Cambodia into an agrarian society based on an extreme version of Maoist collectivism. In fact Cambodia became a huge labour camp and state-sized prison. During the regime of the Khmer Rouge Cambodia was widely isolated from the outside world. Constitutional and judicial structures were not functional; the whole state operated on the basis of the orders of "Angkar" ("organization"), which was a synonym for the revolutionary party or even Pol Pot himself. Early reports on the killings and dying in Cambodia were initially often criticized as exaggerations, but now it is undisputed that during the regime of the Khmer Rouge many Cambodians lost their lives because of system-related reasons. Numbers are controversial. A number most often mentioned is 1.7 million system-related fatalities, which is a horrific number considering the fact that the whole population was probably not much more than six million people in 1975. Most people died of starvation and diseases for which no treatment was available, but many were directly murdered. "Killing fields" have been found afterwards all over the country. In Phnom Penh the Khmer Rouge established a special prison which became known as "S-21" or (from its location) "Tuol Sleng." About 14,000 people, often victims of the inner-party purges within the increasingly paranoid regime, were tortured here and killed on the spot or on the "Choeung Ek" killing field outside town. Only seven survivors are documented among the prisoners of Tuol Sleng, but the photos and skulls of thousands of victims are now displayed in Tuol Sleng Museum and a stupa at Choeung Ek Genocide Journal of Genocide Research (2007), 9(2), June, 215–233


Finite elements for beams in space, using Lagrangian interpolation of cross-sectional translations and rotations, are developed for static and dynamic nonlinear analysis of space frames, The elements can have initial curvatures and torsion. Examples of geometrically
nonlinear static analyses and natural frequency calculations are presented.
It is shown that serious limitations arise in the modelling
of shear deformation effects, specially with regard to torsion, Such deficiencies have received little attention in the literature, because most applications have been limited to plane bending. Sugestions for improvement of such elements are presented.


Sustainable development is present in almost every aspect of today's life. The European Green Deal is characterized by a holistic approach that covers both energy sectors and other spillovers for European Union countries. Implementing the European Green Deal requires many different activities in three main areas. In the countries of the European Union, policies are being implemented to reduce the negative impact of economic activity on the natural environment, because it also affects human health and may even threaten the vitality of some populations. In this article, the research conducted was aimed at identifying actions taken by businesses in order to implement the guidelines of the European Green Deal and the factors hindering and motivating the implementation of eco-changes. It is a program that should be implemented in countries and visible in the activities of enterprises. However, what is its real impact on the pro-ecological and pro-social activities of enterprises? Answers to the listed questions were obtained on the basis of the opinion of an inter-national group of professionals. The study is international, and is a comparative analysis. Operational activities undertaken by businesses in order to implement the guidelines of the European Green Deal and of environmental protection, as well as factors hindering and motivating the implementation of environmental changes, were identified and then verified in the study.


INTRODUCTION Evaluations for calving ease (also known as dystocia) have been calculated in the US since 1977 (Berger, 1994). Initially, evaluations were from a best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) sire model. In 1988, an ordered categorical analysis using a threshold model was implemented (Berger, 1994). The National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) has funded the research, data collection and calculation of calving ease evaluations. In 1999, calculation of the evaluations was moved from Iowa State University to the Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory. The goals of this shift were to integrate the data collection and processing with the national data for yield and pedigree, and to facilitate the development and implementation of a sire-maternal grandsire (MGS) model. Adding a MGS effect to the model is expected to improve accuracy by partially accounting for the genetic merit of the mates of the bull, and differences in the maternal ability of the dams. Ramirez-Valverde et al. (2001) found that a sire-MGS model gave similar accuracy to an animal model for sires with > 50 records. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of a sire-MGS model applied to the large US data set and to quantify the differences in sire evaluations between the two models.


Cure of thrombosis of a cavernous sinus prior to the advent of sulfonamide compounds was exceptional. Schall 1 advocated the combined use of heparin and chemotherapy, with a resultant increase in the number of cures over that with the use of sulfonamide compounds alone. In the case to be reported, in which sulfadiazine apparently was not benefiting the patient, immediate and marked improvement resulted from the use of penicillin and heparin in the presence of a Staphylococcus aureus infection. REPORT OF A CASE A white man aged 25 entered a regional station hospital on Feb. 28, 1944 with a diagnosis of cellulitis of the nose. His chief complaint was swelling of the nose for four days. Ten days before entry he contracted a "cold," with nasal discharge and stuffiness. There was no history of trauma. On the day before admission he was seen as an outpatient, and an impression of herpes


Studying effects of mobile phone base station signals on health have been discouraged by authoritative bodies like WHO International EMF Project and COST 281. WHO recommended studies around base stations in 2003 but again stated in 2006 that studies on cancer in relation to base station exposure are of low priority. As a result only few investigations of effects of base station exposure on health and wellbeing exist. Cross-sectional investigations of subjective health as a function of distance or measured field strength, despite differences in methods and robustness of study design, found indications for an effect of exposure that is likely independent of concerns and attributions. Experimental studies applying short-term exposure to base station signals gave various results, but there is weak evidence that UMTS and to a lesser degree GSM signals reduce wellbeing in persons that report to be sensitive to such exposures. Two ecological studies of cancer in the vicinity of base stations report both a strong increase of incidence within a radius of 350 and 400 m respectively. Due to the limitations inherent in this design no firm conclusions can be drawn, but the results underline the urgent need for a comprehensive investigation of this issue. Animal and in vitro studies are inconclusive to date. An increased incidence of DMBA induced mammary tumors in rats at a SAR of 1.4 W/kg in one experiment could not be replicated in a second trial. Indications of oxidative stress after low-level in vivo exposure of rats could not be supported by in vitro studies of human fibroblasts and glioblastoma cells. From available evidence it is impossible to delineate a threshold below which no effect occurs, however, given the fact that studies reporting low exposure were invariably negative it is suggested that power densities around 0.5–1 mW/m2 must be exceeded in order to observe


This study examines the impact of vendorship on the distribution of clinical social work services within the various sectors of the mental health and social service systems and within different types of private practice. Social workers in Massachusetts were surveyed in 1982 and 1983, four and eighteen months following enactment of a state vendorship law. Study findings indicate that social workers have not left organized settings for private practice and that no major increase occurred in the volume of mental health services delivered. The major impact of vendorship is an increase in the proportion of social workers in solo private practice.


A new approach for natural radioactivity evaluation in environmental samples was presented. The method was based on the combination of GRAVEL unfolding code and Monte Carlo simulation. The NaI(Tl) detector model was validated by comparing the simulated data with the experiment using a calibration point source. Then, the response matrixes at 1.46 and 1.76 MeV corresponding to 40K and 238U respectively, was used to restore the incident γ spectra. The measured activities were used to estimate the biological activities and the annual absorbed doses. The annual absorbed doses are lower than the worldwide reference value of 1 mSv·y-1.


Schoemaker is the first Professor of Architecture in Indonesia. His works are the basis of modern architectural design in Indonesia. The the aim of this work is to find out Schoemaker's concepts through scruntinizing the facades of his work. An architectural survey method is used in collecting the architectural data among several Schoemaker's buildings in Bandung. Artifact measuring is conducted to build the 3D models of each of his building works, to analyze the architectural thinking of his. The result is showing that Schoemaker is using many concepts of early Dutch Architects used, including the Indo-European Architecture, the Art Deco and in time, combining it with the ornaments, materials, and patterns of local tradition.


Background Current evidence supports the use of wearable trackers by people with cardiometabolic conditions. However, as the health benefits are small and confounded by heterogeneity, there remains uncertainty as to which patient groups are most helped by wearable trackers. Objective This study examined the effects of wearable trackers in patients with cardiometabolic conditions to identify subgroups of patients who most benefited and to understand interventional differences. Methods We obtained individual participant data from randomized controlled trials of wearable trackers that were conducted before December 2020 and measured steps per day as the primary outcome in participants with cardiometabolic conditions including diabetes, overweight or obesity, and cardiovascular disease. We used statistical models to account for clustering of participants within trials and heterogeneity across trials to estimate mean differences with the 95% CI. Results Individual participant data were obtained from 9 of 25 eligible randomized controlled trials, which included 1481 of 3178 (47%) total participants. The wearable trackers revealed that over the median duration of 12 weeks, steps per day increased by 1656 (95% CI 918-2395), a significant change. Greater increases in steps per day from interventions using wearable trackers were observed in men (interaction coefficient –668, 95% CI –1157 to –180), patients in age categories over 50 years (50-59 years: interaction coefficient 1175, 95% CI 377-1973; 60-69 years: interaction coefficient 981, 95% CI 222-1740; 70-90 years: interaction coefficient 1060, 95% CI 200-1920), White patients (interaction coefficient 995, 95% CI 360-1631), and patients with fewer comorbidities (interaction coefficient –517, 95% CI –1188 to –11) compared to women, those aged below 50, non-White patients, and patients with multimorbidity. In terms of interventional differences, only face-to-face delivery of the tracker impacted the effectiveness of the interventions by increasing steps per day. Conclusions In patients with cardiometabolic conditions, interventions using wearable trackers to improve steps per day mostly benefited older White men without multimorbidity. Trial Registration PROSPERO CRD42019143012; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=143012


author suggests that building healthier societies will remain an intensely political and fascinating part of the EU story, and favours – with rather surprising enthusiasm – the common European effort that is required both to improve health and health services. Randall's book is written to an easy-going formula with a user-friendly format including an index, that makes it useful as a textbook. It also poses some far-reaching questions for social-policy scholars in a growing field of complex comparative research, often dealing with vexed (e.g. BSE) but in many ways crucial issues. The reader is left with the impression that Randall handles his subject with sensitivity and respect. The analysis considering European health politics is clear, but not theoretically sophisticated. Though starting from broad political questions about health care, a sustained discussion of some potential issues involving, for example, the modern state and its intersection with capitalist and medical power is missing. Randall stops well short of providing his own analysis of the issues or their implications, leaving the reader with prior knowledge of them rather frustrated. This is not to forget that it is certainly an achievement to have covered so much ground so comprehensively. Above all, as Randall puts it, this book is an account of European collaboration in the field of health, and an exploration of the case for strengthening existing cooperation so that health issues can be better integrated into all that the EU does. But one cannot help concluding that the author rarely critically evaluates the literature; the preference for broad over deep analysis is clear, resulting in a lack of originality in the way in which he has approached his task. The strength of Randall's book lies thus in providing an extremely useful and well-documented guide to the health-policy process in the EU but it does not significantly advance our understanding of the dynamics of healthpolicy development in Europe. A variety of academics teaching public and social-policy courses, as well as JESP readers with an interest in European health policy, will find it valuable as a significant introduction to the area.


1. Size (pixels) 2. Contrast (grey levels) 3. Speckle edge sharpness (contrast gradient) 4. Speckle density and distribution (coverage) discuss DIC speckles and their optimum size. This article will discuss in detail the next speckle property: Contrast. Contrast is here defined as the difference in grey values between the dark speckles and the bright speckles. There is of course a theoretical limit to this value, dictated by the bit depth of the camera. But more often there is a practical limit set by the lighting and paint quality. So the real question is: How much contrast is enough? 1Wang, Y.Q., et al. Strain, 2009. 45(2): p. 160–178. 2Pan, B., Z.X. Lu, and H.M. Xie, Optics and Lasers in Engineering, 2010. 48(4): p. 469–477. 3Roux, S. and F. Hild, International Journal of Fracture, 2006. 140(1–4): p. 141–157.


A series strengthening processes of heat treatment for CuNiBeZrRE alloy were studied.The results show that:after 940 ℃×1 h solution,40% cold-working and 490 ℃× 3 h aging,the hardness is 248 HB,electrical conductivity is 50%IACS,tensile strength reaches 860 MPa,yield strength is 720 MPa,elongation is 14%,softening temperature is 550 ℃.The mechanical and physical properties can meet the requirements of the turbogenerator rotor slot wedge in harsh terms.


Background
Few studies have examined the causes or mechanisms of oral-maxillofacial (OMF) injury among deployed military populations. This study reports causes of OMF injuries to U.S. Department of Defense personnel deployed to Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) or to Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND). This study provides follow-on analysis of a previous report of OMF injury rates among U.S. military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014.

Methods
The populations studied were military personnel deployed to Afghanistan in OEF or Iraq in OIF and OND, who sought care at a level III military treatment facility for one or more OMF injuries. Injuries were identified in the Department of Defense Trauma Registry using diagnosis codes associated with OMF battle and non-battle injuries. Causes associated with these injuries were identified by evaluation of the data field "dominant injury mechanism." All OMF injuries incurred from October 19, 2001, to June 30, 2014, were included.

Findings/Results
Approximately 89% of all OMF battle injuries in both OIF/OND and OEF were due to explosives or explosive devices. The three leading causes of OMF non-battle injuries for both OIF/OND and OEF were motor vehicle crashes/accidents (MVCs), falls, and "other blunt" trauma. MVCs as well as other blunt trauma accounted for a greater percentage of OMF non-battle injuries in OIF/OND than in OEF (p < 0.01). OMF non-battle injuries due to falls were more likely to occur in OEF (p = 0.05). Helicopter/plane crashes were responsible for a significantly higher percentage of OMF non-battle injuries in OEF compared with OIF/OND (p < 0.01).

Discussion/Impact/Recommendations
Across both theaters of war, Iraq and Afghanistan, the main causes of OMF battle and non-battle injuries were consistent. Battle injuries were primarily due to explosives or explosive devices and the three main causes of non-battle injuries were MVCs, falls, and other blunt trauma. However, the distribution of causes differed by war theater. Future studies should focus on potential reasons for cause distribution disparities in MVCs and helicopter/plane crashes as they can only be partially explained by topography and infrastructure differences between Iraq and Afghanistan. Further surveillance is needed to understand the scope of OMF injuries in military-armed conflicts and operations.


Background: The global prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is steadily increasing. Diabetes mellitus is associated with acute and chronic complications including erectile dysfunction (ED). Erectile dysfunction is commoner among men with diabetes mellitus than their non-diabetic counterparts. This has been attributed to various factors among which are hormonal abnormalities and poor blood glucose control. There is paucity of data on diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction in south eastern Nigeria, hence this study. Aims: To determine the pattern of serum testosterone (ST) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) among adult males with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and ED. Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical. Study 2015 2016. Methodology: 200 adult men with T2DM and 100 non-diabetic men were recruited consecutively. Socio-demographic characteristics and relevant medical history were obtained using questionnaires while ED was diagnosed using the international index of erectile function 5 (IIEF-5) questionnaire. Blood pressure and anthropometric indices were also measured. Serum total testosterone (ST), HbA1c and lipid profile were equally assessed. Data analysis was with SPSS version 22 and P – value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The prevalence of ED was 86.0% among the T2DM participants and 52.0% among those without DM ( P < 0.01). The mean ST levels were 4.83 ± 2.66 ng/ml and 6.13 ± 3.00 ng/ml among the T2DM participants and non-diabetic controls respectively ( P < 0.01) while mean ST among T2DM participants with ED and those without ED were 4.89 ± 2.66 ng/ml and 4.46 ± 2.70 ng/ml respectively ( P = 0.44). The mean HbA1c was 8.0 ± 2.4 % and 7.3 ± 2.2 respectively among T2DM participants with ED and those without ED ( P = 0.13). Conclusion: Serum testosterone levels were significantly lower among adult males with T2DM than those without DM. However, there is no significant difference in the levels of ST between adult T2DM men with ED and those without ED. Similarly, there is no significant difference in the levels of HbA1c between adult T2DM males with ED and those without ED.


By methods of spherical tensor algebra and applying the dipole-induced dipole (DID) model, a general expression is derived with accuracy to within the second order of statistical perturbation theory for the effective polarizability and Rayleigh-scattered light intensity for liquids composed of unlike anisotropic molecules. The results have permitted the application of a computer simulated binary distribution function to calculate the scattered light intensity. The roles of various contributions to the integral intensity are discussed. Numerical calculations are performed for liquid Br2 and N2 pointing to an essential role of angular-radial correlations and cross terms. The general expressions are shown to simplify easily in the particular case of radially but not angularly correlated molecules.


Objective To study the application of color Doppler ultrasonography in diagnosis and interventional treatment of outflow occlusion after reduced sized liver transplantation.Methods For two child patients having outflow occlusion after RSLT,the changes in ultrasonography and hemodynamics after and before interventional treatment were analysed.Results One child had hepatic vein stenosis,which shoused by ultrasonography the vein less than 2.5 mm in diameter,15 mm in length,and as high as 115.0 cm/s in blood flow rate,accompanied with serious ascites and splenomegaly.After balloon dilatation,the blood flow in hepatic vein was slightly slower than before,and returned to previous state a week later.After a metallic stent was inserted,it displayed normal blood flow,and ascites disappeared.the other child had stenosis of inferior vena cava,which showed the posterior hepatic vena cava less than 3.0 mm in diameter,slenderer than inferior hepatic vena cava,and higher than 200 cm/s in flow rate.Conclusions Color Doppler ultrasonography plays an important role in the diagnosis of outflow occlusion and monitoring the changes in hemodynamics following interventional treatment after reduced sized liver transplantation.


This series covers ageing of many body systems and includes a wealth of knowledge in very readable accounts. The series starts with two general papers "Malnutrition and ageing" (see …


Being overweight or obese in early pregnancy is associated with increased risk for childhood epilepsy in offspring, a nationwide study in Sweden has reported.1

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders of childhood, but its cause is poorly understood, and no definitive cause is identified in more than 60% of cases. Several studies have found increased risks of intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, …