The article attempts to define the relationship between cognitive competences and identity styles in different periods of life: adolescence, early, middle and late adulthood. It also examines whether there are differences between the age groups in the dominant style of identity and in cognitive competences (formal and post-formal thinking).
The 495 participants: 192 adolescents, 131 young adults, 91 adults and 81 seniors were tested in a baseline study using the Test of Formal Thinking (Horneman, Longeot) and the Identity Styles Questionnaire: ISI-3 (Berzonsky). In an additional pilot study, 281 participants: 166 adolescents, 87 young adults and 28 seniors were tested by means of the "Everyday problems" method (Sebby, Papini).
The results show that early and middle adults in comparison with adolescents revealed a higher level of formal reasoning. In all age groups, the Informational Style of identity prevailed, followed by the Normative and Diffused styles, but with age the level of Commitment and the intensity of the Informational and Normative Style of identity changed.
Among adolescents, there was a negative correlation between TOF scores and Commitment and Normative Style, while a positive but low correlation was found between the level of formal thinking and the level of Commitment in the senior group.
The analysis of the results of the additional study in which the links between the identity styles and the level of post-formal reasoning were tested indicates that there is a stronger correlation compared to the measurement of the relationship between the identity styles and the level of formal thinking in each age group.


In this paper, the polar decomposition of a deformation gradient tensor is analyzed in detail. The four new methods for polar decomposition computation are given: (1) the iterated method, (2) the principal invariant's method, (3) the principal rotation axis's method, (4) the coordinate transformation's method. The iterated method makes it possible to establish the nonlinear finite element method based on polar decomposition. Furthermore, the material time derivatives of the stretch tensor and the rotation tensor are obtained by explicit and simple expressions.


The present study sought to investigate the effects of narrow reading and a combination of narrow reading and morphological awareness training on intermediate Chinese college English learners' vocabulary acquisition and retention. To these ends, 54 Chinese college English as foreign language learners (EFL) were randomly divided into three groups—a narrow reading group (NR group); a narrow reading plus morphological intervention group (NRMI group), and a control group (CR group). The two experimental groups read the same five thematically-related expository passages over 5 weeks with the NRMI group receiving extra morphological training; while the CR group read five texts on different topics over the same period of time. Linear mixed model analysis results indicated that while two treatment groups performed significantly better than the CR group on both receptive and productive vocabulary tests, the NRMI group improved the most in vocabulary learning.


Accurate determination of the effective thermal conductivity of gas diffusion layers used in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells is very critical for efficient thermal and water management. In this paper, effective thermal conductivity of a diffusion medium material with and without polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) was estimated using a fractal approach. Fractal dimensions were obtained using the measured pore size distributions of the samples. The predicted through‐plane thermal conductivities were in good agreement with the experimentally measured data. It was demonstrated that such a fractal technique can be employed, with slight modifications, to estimate in‐plane thermal conductivity. Besides, application of a random multifractal simulation to obtain the required tortuous fractal dimension is introduced, which can be helpful in the absence of scanning electron microscopy images. It was shown that the tortuous fractal dimension obtained is in good agreement with the reported value in the literature. Finally, variation of the tortuous fractal dimensions with PTFE contents was also determined, which is of practical importance when estimating thermal conductivity of diffusion media with different amount of PTFE contents. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


slice provides additional information: it says for each statement in the slice if the condition c ='\n' will be satisfied or not. (1) read(text); [false] (2) read(n); [false] (3) lines = 1; [c!='\n'] (4) chars = 1; [false] (5) subtext = ""; [false] (6) c = getChar(text); [false] (7) while (c != '\eof') [false] (8) if (c == '\n') [false] (9) then lines = lines + 1; [false] (10) chars = chars + 1; [false] (11) else chars = chars + 1; [false] (12) if (n != 0) [false] (13) then subtext = subtext ++ c; [false] (14) n = n 1; [false] (15) c = getChar(text); [false] (16) write(lines); [c!='\n'] (17) write(chars); [false] (18) write(subtext); [false] Fig. 23. Abstract slice of Figure 1 (a) with respect to 〈16, c ='\n', [(1), text = "hello world!\eof"]〉 Question answered: Under which variable values do the program's statements affect or are affected by the slicing criterion? Main applications: Program comprehension. 2.24 Amorphous Slicing (Harman and Danicic, 1997) All approaches to slicing discussed so far have been based on two assumptions: the slice preserves (part of) the semantics of the program, and it is "syntax preserving", i.e., the slice is a subset of the original program statements. In contrast, amorphous slices [Harman and Danicic 1997] preserve the semantics restriction but they drop the syntactic restriction: amorphous slices are constructed using some program transformation which simplifies the program and which preserves the semantics of the program with respect to the slicing criterion. In the literature (see, e.g. [Ward 2002; 2003; Ward and Zedan 2007], when a slicing technique is restricted to statement deletion it is also referred to as syntactic slicing, as opposed to semantic slicing where only the semantic restriction must be preserved. The syntactic freedom allows amorphous slicing to perform greater simplifications, thus often being considerably smaller than conventional program slicing. These simplifications are very convenient in the context of program comprehension where the user needs to simplify the program as much as possible in order to understand a part of the semantics of the program having the syntax less importance. For instance, consider Program 1 in Figure 24 together with the slicing criterion 〈3, {chars}〉. An intraprocedural static slice of this program would contain the whole program (Program 1). In contrast, an interprocedural static slice would remove statements 4, 5 and 6 (Program 2). Finally, its amorphous slice would be


We disclose the effects of an extra longitudinal degree of freedom on the evolution of perturbations in the framework of mimetic gravity. We consider a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) background and explore the linear perturbations by adopting the spherically symmetric collapse formalism. By suitably choosing the potential of the mimetic field, we are able to solve the perturbed field equations in the linear regime and derive the matter density contrast δ m in terms of the redshift parameter z . We observe that δ m starts growing at the early stages and as the universe expands, it grows faster compared to the standard cosmology. This may due to the extra degree of freedom of the gravitational field which affects the growth of perturbations. We observe that in the presence of a mimetic potential, the growth rate function is smaller than ΛCDM model in small redshifts. We then consider the effects of this potential on the density abundance, the deceleration parameter and jerk parameter. We find out that mimetic potential can play the role of dark energy (DE) and affects the dynamics of matter perturbations and cosmological parameters. We also investigate the mass function and the number count for the collapsed objects in the mimetic scenario. We find that the mass function of models with potential is smaller than model without potential. With decreasing the role of DE, the mass function start to grow in smaller redshifts i.e., halo abundance is formed later. It is found that the more massive structures are less abundant and form at later times, as it should be in the hierarchical model of structure formation.


The aim of this work was to study the corrosion behavior of a Fe-Cr-Ni alloy (310 H stainless steel) in water at a supercritical temperature of 550 °C and a pressure of 250 atm for up to 2160 h. At supercritical temperature, water is a highly aggressive environment, and the corrosion of structural materials used in a supercritical water-cooled nuclear reactor (SCWR) is a critical problem. Selecting proper candidate materials is one key issue for the development of SCWRs. After exposure to deaerated supercritical water, the oxides formed on the 310 H SS surface were characterized using a gravimetric analysis, a metallographic analysis, and electrochemical methods. Gravimetric analysis showed that, due to oxidation, all the tested samples gained weight, and oxidation of 310H stainless steel at 550 °C follows parabolic rate, indicating that it is driven by a diffusion process. The data obtained by microscopic metallography concord with those obtained by gravimetric analysis and show that the oxides layer has a growing tendency in time. At the same time, the results obtained by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements indicate the best corrosion resistance of Cr, and (Fe, Mn) Cr2O4 oxides developed on the samples surface after 2160 h of oxidation. Based on the results obtained, a strong correlation between gravimetric analysis, metallographic analysis, and electrochemical methods was found.


Data mining is to find correlations and rules which ensure meaningful and potentially useful estimations to be carried out for future among vast amount of existing data through computer programs. Today, many commercial or open source software tools are used regarding this matter. In this study, Classfication Analysis comparisons were carried out over the car evaluation data set  consisting of 1728 registers especially on Weka, Orange, KNIME and Tanagra as open source software tools.


textabstractAruba: a handful of stones, white sand, cacti and
divi-divi trees, scorching in the tropical sun,
washed by a sea possessing every possible shade of
blue. An island that is nowhere longer than thirty
kilometres and nowhere wider than eight kilometres,
situated off the Venezuelan coast, whose Paraguana
peninsula can even be seen from Aruba in fair weather.


A multidisciplinary study was performed on 128 elderly subjects living in retirement facilities to correlate the occurrence of neurological signs with the presence of physical or metabolic risk factors, and cognitive impairment. Primitive reflexes were significantly correlated with ankle/arm ratio, Hachinski dementia score, Plutchik GRS score, and hypomimia. The contemporary presence of snout reflex, glabella tap, and palmomental reflex was consistently associated with dementia.


Recent developments in high-concentration erbium-doped fiber (EDF) and waveguide devices for integrated optical circuits applications are reviewed. The uniform upconversion and pair- induced quenching mechanisms that limit the maximum usable erbium ion concentration are discussed. We also present the performance of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers based on high- concentration fibers. The performance of a laser based on a highly-doped EDF and fiber grating is reported.


The utility model discloses a cantilever-type automatic-copying welding machine for an irregular tank, which comprises a support platform. The bottom of the support platform is provided with a traveling wheel, a vertical support column is installed on the support platform, a beam up-and-down sliding device assembly is installed on the vertical support column, and a first screw rod nut and a cantilever beam are installed on the assembly; a cantilever beam lifting motor and a first screw rod are installed on the vertical support column, and an output shaft of the cantilever beam lifting motor is connected with the first screw rod; a horizontal moving body is installed on the cantilever bean, the back side of the horizontal moving body is installed with a first slide block, and a first sliding rail is installed on the cantilever beam; a welding pistol lifting motor and a second screw rod are installed on the horizontal moving body, a second screw rod nut is installed on the second screw rod, and a lifting and pulling element is installed on the second screw rod nut; a vertical moving body is installed on the horizontal moving body, a second slide block is installed on the vertical moving body, a second sliding rail is stalled on the horizontal moving body, and the back side of the vertical moving body is provided with a boss; and a traveling mechanism and a welding pistol back-and-forth micro-regulating device assembly are installed on the vertical moving body.


SUMMARY Tomato leaf curl virus (TLCV) is a major viral disease in tomato that causes quantitative and qualitative losses to the crop. One hundred and fifty three tomato genotypes were screened for three consecutive years (2006–09) under glasshouse and field conditions for TLCV resistance. The incidence of disease was higher during the Rabi season as compared to the Kharif season trials. The reactions of different genotypes were studied by artificial inoculation. Based on the coefficient of infection, nine genotypes (viz. EC-520049 (Solanum chmielewskii), EC-520058, EC-520060 and EC-520061 (S. habrochaites), EC-520070, EC-520071, EC-520077, EC-520079 (S. pimpinellifolium) and H-88-78-1(S. lycopersicum; a derivative of S. habrochaites f. glabratum) were found to be highly resistant in both environments. H-88-78-1 was used for inheritance studies during 2008–10. Using F2 Mendelian segregation, populations showed a 3 (resistant):1 (susceptible) ratio for TLCV disease and were proposed to have both additive and dominant non-allelic gene interactions for various traits.


Applying the knowledge of economics,the paper analyzes the basic modes of principal-agent relations and causes of principal-agent problems of Chinese professional sport market,discussesthe problems of the equilibrium contracts between professional sport association and professional sportclubs,constructs the referee's Moral Hazard Model under the economic principle.Principal-agent prob-lems are analyzed by applying common incentive systems and special incentive-constraint systems inChinese professional sport market.


The theory of Alfven resonance heating of tokamaks is extended beyond the incompressible MHD model to include finite ..omega../..cap omega../sub i/ effects, which lead to off-diagonal terms in the conductivity tensor, and compressibility, which permits the fast Alfven mode. The finite frequency effects can greatly change the dissipation resulting from the shear Alfven resonance. With an appropriate choice of parameters, the dissipation can vanish allowing high-Q toroidal eigenmodes in large tokamaks such as PLT.


Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), made from autologous blood, is being used to deliver growth factors in high concentration to sites requiring osseous grafting. Growth factors released from the platelets include Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF), Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGF-b) and Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). These factors signal the local mesenchymal and epithelial cells to migrate, divide, and increase collagen and matrix synthesis. PRP has been suggested for use to increase the rate of bone deposition and quality of bone regeneration when augmenting sites prior to or in conjunction with dental implant placement. There is still lack of scientific evidence to support the use of PRP and PRF in combination with bone grafts during augmentation procedures. Further research is warranted.


ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Sub-Antarctic Islands are of considerable conservation importance due to their high endemicity and unique ecosystems. Furthermore, the rich geological and glaciological histories of these islands provide a unique platform to study the biodiversity and biogeography of its biota. Sub-Antarctic islands are divided into three biogeographic regions; the South Indian Ocean Province includes the Prince Edward Islands, Iles Kerguelen, Iles Crozet, Heard Island and McDonald Island. One of the taxa that have long fascinated biogeographers and taxonomists alike is the flightless moth, genus Pringleophaga, which is endemic to the Kerguelen, Crozet and Prince Edward Islands. This study addressed three questions relating to the genus Pringleophaga at various spatial and evolutionary scales.
The original Pringleophaga species' descriptions include only minor morphological differences between P. kerguelensis and P. marioni, with P. crozetensis being more diverse. Anomalies characterize their geographic distributions with P. kerguelensis recognized from Iles Kerguelen and Prince Edward but not from nearby Marion Island. Sequence data from two mitochondrial and two nuclear genes were compared for specimens from across Pringleophaga's range. Parsimony networks as well Bayesian topologies revealed three lineages which correspond to the species' morphological classification. Specimens from Iles Crozet (P. crozetensis) were not monophyletic. This may be because of misidentification of specimens or alternatively, highlight as yet undescribed diversity in the genus. Genetic data confirm the presence of P. marioni, but not P. kerguelensis, on Prince Edward Island.
Marion Island's rich glacial / volcanic history and complex geomorphology has been shown to affect the genetic structure of various arthropod species including springtails, mites and weevils. This study extends previous phylogeographic work by testing the spatial genetic structure in P. marioni in light of previous hypotheses including the recently described geological lineament. In addition to mitochondrial COI data, a species-specific microsatellite library was developed. Analyses of molecular variance indicated population differentiation across the lineament. Evidence for glacial refugia associated with the high elevated locality of Katedraalkrans was provided by high genetic diversity and little differentiation from other localities. The final part of the study was aimed at providing possible explanations behind the high abundance of P. marioni in Wandering Albatross nests compared to other plant communities. Caterpillars gain a thermal advantage from an occupied nest; hence the designation of Albatrosses as thermal ecosystem engineers. Three hypotheses were investigated: 1) Caterpillars or eggs being inadvertently added into the nest during nest construction; 2) Caterpillars moving into nests and 3) Females moths preferentially ovipositing in nests. A genetic relatedness approach comparing individuals from nests with surrounding vegetation showed that…


Purpose: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost of switching to Mydrane™ for anaesthesia and mydriasis during cataract surgery. Methods: The clinical outcomes and cost of using Mydrane™ during cataract surgery in a UK community hospital was benchmarked against published reference standards. 129 patients who underwent routine cataract surgery using Mydrane™ for combined anaesthesia-mydriasis were identified from an electronic database. Pupil dilation was measured using video image analysis. Factors affecting the variation in pupil size immediately prior to capsulorhexis were explored using multi-ple logistic regressions. The cost of changing mydriasis-anaesthetic practice was also assessed. Results: The mean age of patients was 7-years-older compared to the gold standard. Throughout surgery, mydriasis was smaller by 0.5-0.7 mm and was unaffected by tamsulosin use or iris colour. Age and preoperative mydriasis with G tropicamide 1% significantly explained most of the variation in pupil diameter prior to capsulorhexis (p < 0.05). All patients requiring mechanical pupil dilation had pupils that dilated to less than 5 mm preoperatively. The visual results and complication profiles matched that of the reference standard. There was a marginal increase in cost of switching over to the use of Mydrane™. Conclusions: Mydrane™ can provide acceptable anaesthesia and mydriasis in a non-selected group of patients, regardless of iris colour. The higher cost can be offset by removing adrenaline from the infusion fluid and using mechanical dilation if a pupil dilates to less than 5 mm preoperatively.


In passive, remote sensing, it is shown that the same set of measured data may be matched by the zeroth-order and the first-order solutions of the radiative transfer equation if albedo (w) can be selected arbitrarily. This means that substantial error may exist in the estimate of the albedo when approximate solutions are used without regard to their ranges of validity. The regions of validity of the zeroth and first-order solutions are determined in terms of w and optical thickness. It is found that the region of validity of the first-order solution is substantially wider than the zeroth-order. For vegetated media where albedo is usually less than 0.3 (at C-band or lower frequencies) but larger than 0.05, the first-order solution must be used.


A disordered configuration of atoms in a multicomponent solid solution presents a computational challenge for first-principles calculations using density functional theory (DFT). The challenge is in identifying the few probable (low energy) configurations from a large configurational space before DFT calculation can be performed. The search for these probable configurations is possible if the configurational energy E ( σ ) can be calculated accurately and rapidly (with a negligibly small computational cost). In this paper, we demonstrate such a possibility by constructing a machine learning (ML) model for E ( σ ) trained with DFT-calculated energies. The feature vector for the ML model is formed by concatenating histograms of pair and triplet (only equilateral triangle) correlation functions, g ( 2 ) ( r ) and g ( 3 ) ( r , r , r ) , respectively. These functions are a quantitative 'fingerprint' of the spatial arrangement of atoms, familiar in the field of amorphous materials and liquids. The ML model is used to generate an accurate distribution P ( E ( σ ) ) by rapidly spanning a large number of configurations. The P ( E ) contains full configurational information of the solid solution and can be selectively sampled to choose a few configurations for targeted DFT calculations. This new framework is employed to estimate (100) interface energy ( σ IE ) between γ and γ ′ at 700 °C in Alloy 617, a Ni-based superalloy, with composition reduced to five components. The estimated σ IE ≈ 25.95 mJ m−2 is in good agreement with the value inferred by the precipitation model fit to experimental data. The proposed new ML-based ab initio framework can be applied to calculate the parameters and properties of alloys with any number of components, thus widening the reach of first-principles calculation to realistic compositions of industrially relevant materials and alloys.


For the reseach of the natural marine antioxidant, an antioxidant-producing bacterium was isolated from seawater in Jeju costal area. The isolated strain SC2-1 was Gram-positive, catalase positive, oxidase negative, motile and small rods. The strain utilized sucrose, dextrose, fructose, mannitol and maltose as a sole carbon and energy source and NaCl required for growth. The radical scavenging activity of the culture supernatant was detemined by DPPH method. This bacterium was identified based on morphological, biochemical characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence analysis, and then was named Exiguobacterium sp. SC2-1. The optimum conditions of culture for production antioxidnat were , pH 6-8 and NaCl. The stain showed the highest activity and growth cultured in medium which added maltose. Hydroxyl radical activity of the supernatant of Exiguobacterium sp. SC2-1 was . The SOD activity of the culture supernatant was estimated about .


This paper presents the GIFT smartphone app, an artist-led Research through Design project benefitting from a three-day in-the-wild deployment. The app takes as its premise the generative potential of combining the contexts of gifting and museum visits. Visitors explore the museum, searching for objects that would most appeal to the gift-receiver they have in mind, then photographing those objects and adding audio messages for their receivers describing the motivation for their choices. This paper charts the designers' key aim of creating a new frame of mind using voice, and the most striking findings discovered during in-the-wild deployment in a museum -- 'seeing with new eyes' and fostering personal connections. We discuss empathy, motivation, and bottom-up personalisation in the productive space revealed by this combination of contexts. We suggest that this work reveals opportunities for designers of gifting services as well as those working in cultural heritage.


whose larval form dines on the rattlebox plant), many insects, amphibians, and even birds use acquired toxins for protection from predators. The practice of sequestering toxins is a fascinating but little-known side of nature. It holds lessons about evolution and even about medicine. Usually, the sequestered compounds come from food sources. But with Utetheisa, only the larvae feed directly on their toxic arsenal. Once they become moths, the males retain a trace of the rattlebox plant's alkaloid. But the females do not have their own store and must add to their medicine chests in a more "adult" way--through sex. The male Utetheisa moth gives the female a dose of chemical protection as part of the procreative act. After copulating for a period of approximately 9 hours, during which the alkaloid is taken up into all parts of the female's body, "she emerges from the liaison a protected female," Eisner says.


2537 Thrombotic complications are the second most common cause of mortality in cancer patients and fibrin deposition in the tumor microenvironment might play a key role in tumor progression and inference with tumor chemotherapeutic uptake. Treatments that target these processes may result in improved uptake of chemotherapeutic agents and subsequent inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis. Tissue Factor (TF) is frequently associated with aggressive behavior and poor outcome in tumors. We have previously demonstrated potent anti-tumor efficacy for various mechanisms that interfere with TF/VIIa. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) and sulfated non-anticoagulant LMWH (S-NACH) on tumor chemotherapeutic uptake.

STUDIES
(1) Nude mice xenograft A549 human lung carcinoma: LMWH or S-NACH at 10 mg/kg S.C. daily effectively limited tumor growth. (2) LCC6 human lung tumor xenograft model: Paclitaxel alone or in combination with Tinzaparin or S-NACH on tumor re-growth after discontinuation of treatment: Paclitaxel + S-NACH treatment showed significant (P<0.01) tumor growth suppression and improved survival when compared to Paclitaxel. (3) Biodistribution studies: animals were injected with LMWH S.C. daily for 5 days (10 mg/kg) then injected i.v. with [124-I]-Paclitaxel. LMWH increased [124-I]-Paclitaxel uptake into LCC6 tumors with tumor: muscle ratios several fold greater than that of [124-I]-Paclitaxel alone at 24 hrs post injection. This is a highly significant result in the light of the fact that the FDA criterion for a clinically meaningful effect is a 15% increase in uptake. (4) HPLC studies of tumor uptake of Doxorubicin (DOX in mice treated with 10 mg/kg of LMWH or S-NACH for 10 days followed by Doxorubicin (2.5 mg/kg). Both LMWH and S-NACH significantly (P<0.01) increased the uptake of chemotherapeutic agent DOX in MCF7 DOX resistant tumors by 1.5-2 folds but not in heart or lung tissues, confirming the findings obtained with another agent [124-I]-Paclitaxel.

CONCLUSIONS
LMWH or S-NACH increased chemotherapeutics uptake and hence chemoresponse. Protocols utilizing adjuvant or neo-adjuvant therapy with LMWH or S-NACH could lead to increase tumor chemo responsiveness and overcoming tumor chemo resistance. No significant financial relationships to disclose.


The goal of this major qualifying project is to improve upon the search and rescue process with the utilization of a drone-integrated sensor suite. Currently, search and rescue techniques are outdated, and improvements can be made with the application of drone technology. This design uses multimodal sensors to help search and rescue teams to identify, locate, communicate with, and deliver supplies to distressed individuals in the wilderness via drone until further help arrives. Table of


Foodservice corporations have come to recognize that to ensure the competitiveness and differentiation is not possible by simply benefits and product features. So, as one of the changes in the marketing strategy, experiential marketing has emerged. A Additionally, with an increasing emphasis on the importance of customer experience, foodservice flagship store has emerged as one of the trend. In this study, this researcher performed an empirical analysis on the structural relationship between experiences in foodservice flagship store and brand attitude on the basis of strategic experiential modules(SEMs) theory proposed by Schmitt. In addition, we tested whether brand attitudes formed through experience could explain customers' behavioral intention for foodservice flagship store as well as other stores. With the results of the study, we have proposed important implications for the management of the foodservice flagship store. In this study, the survey was performed from 14 October to November 12, 2013. We distributed 400 questionnaires to consumers who experienced foodservice flagship store. Among them 352 were used in the final analysis. For the analysis, frequency analysis, reliability analysis, factor analysis, correlation analysis, structural equation modeling analysis were conducted by means of SPSS Win Ver. 18.0 and AMOS Ver. 18.0. The results of this study are presented as follow. First, experiences in foodservice flagship store (sense, feel, think, act and relate) significantly affected brand attitude. Second, Brand attitude significantly affected behavioral intention(repurchase intention, recommendation intention).


A microwave test chamber for measuring the dielectric constant of thin films on substrates using the cavity perturbation technique is described, Special emphasis is placed on testing biochemical ph...


Space on construction sites is not abundant as may be thought. In fact, workspace planning could become increasingly challenging at times. Moreover, improper workspace planning may lead to congestion and, hence, potential safety and productivity issues. Workspace planning aligns with Lean thinking through reducing wastes in workers' productivity, waiting time, double handling, and different types of flow. Meanwhile, there is generally a scarcity of research studies in this area especially in industrial projects. As such, this paper presents a narrative literature review of research conducted on workspace planning in construction. Specifically, the review aims to answer the following questions: What is a workspace? What are some methods used for workspace planning? What are the challenges faced in workspace planning? What decisions are essential for workspace planning? The last question tackles fundamental concepts in workspace planning such as flow types, area patterns, workspace classification structure, and spatial-temporal conflict identification and resolution. The study concludes with considerations to be scrutinized and adopted during the process of developing a well-thought-off workspace planning system.


The tire (14) is of the semi-hollow for an agricultural machine type, notably for a machine comprising a roller equipped with a series of tires mounted on a horizontal tube (12). Each tire comprises a central sleeve (26) and at least a portion of bearing dome-shaped profile comprising a tread (24) connected to the sheath (26) by two sidewalls (28, 30) so as to delimit a hollow annular space (32) of reduced cross section relative to the cross section of the dome profile. It further comprises a plurality of peripheral studs (34) formed projecting on the tread (24) and distributed in the circumferential direction at the top of the dome profile. Alternatively, the tire can equip an individual wheel.


abstract Two new, sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric and spectrophotometric methods have been devel-oped for the determination of the -amino- n -butyric acid derivative pregabalin (PGB) in bulk drug andcapsule. Pregabalin, as a primary amine compound, reacts with 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzofurazon (NBD-Cl)which is a highly sensitive fluorogenic and chromogenic reagent used in many investigations. Accord-ing to this fact, spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric methods for the determination of pregabalinin capsules were developed for the first time. The relation between the absorbance at 460nm and theconcentration is rectilinear over the range 0.5–7.0 1gmL − . The reaction product was also measuredspectrofluorimetrically at 558nm after excitation at 460nm. The fluorescence intensity was directly pro-portional to the concentration over the range 40–400ngmL −1 . The method was applied successfully tothe determination of this drug in pharmaceutical dosage form. The mean recovery for the commercialcapsules was 99.93% and 99.96% for spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric study, respectively. Thesuggested procedures could be used for the determination of PGB in pure and capsules being sensitive,simple and selective.© 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.


By analyzing the special points of economic analysis method,We had a profound understanding of the most important achievement,Law Economics,in the last half of zoth century.


Violence and abnormal behavior detection research have known an increase of interest in recent years, due mainly to a rise in crimes in large cities worldwide. In this work, we propose a deep learning architecture for violence detection, which combines both recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and 2-dimensional convolutional neural networks (2D CNN). In addition to video frames, we use optical flow computed using the captured sequences. CNN extracts spatial characteristics in each frame, while RNN extracts temporal characteristics. The use of optical flow allows to encode the movements in the scenes. The proposed approaches reach the same level as state-of-the-art techniques and sometimes surpass them. The techniques were validated on three databases achieving very interesting results.


Invention of the Q-switch advanced laser method is the most effective methods of tattoo removal compared to other methods of i.e. chemical, mechanical and surgical. In this study, we are reporting black pigment tattoo removal by comparing two wavelengths 532 nm and 1064 nm of Q-switched Nd-YAG laser. Using a single-pulse laser at 1064 nm wavelength, the maximum laser fluence for skin damage is 3.04 J/cm 2 with pulse energy 0.55 J. While, at 532 nm wavelength, maximum laser fluence is 0.5 J/cm 2 with pulse energy 0.42 J at 8-10 ns for tattooed skins. Moreover, after 1064 nm and 532 nm laser irradiations, skin biopsy of black tattooed rat's skin demonstrates the ink granules local redistribution. Microscopic study indicates that black ink particles become smaller and vanished from the skins after 1064 nm laser treatment. The findings of this study indicate that 1064 nm wavelengths of Q-switched Nd-YAG laser treatment with 0.55 J pulse energy, is one of the significant methods of black tattoo removal with remarkable differences.


In this article, the practical comparison of the operational performance of the modular (or multiport) and non-modular bidirectional buck/boost (bi-BB) DC/DC converter is realized. The main contribution of the work is the evaluation of both concepts based on various aspects, considering the qualitative indicators of the systems relevant for microgrids. Here, we discuss efficiency, electrical properties, costs, and component values. At the same time, critical comparisons are provided for converters based on SiC and GaN technology (non-modular high-voltage SiC-based dual-interleaved converter and modular low-voltage GaN-based). The concepts are specific with their operating frequency, whereby for each solution, the switching frequency is different and directly influences relevant components. The efficiency, overall system volume, output voltage ripple, and input current ripple are compared mutually between both concepts with a dependency on power delivery. These factors, together with overall volume and costs, are very important considering modern converters for microgrid systems. The summary of pros and cons is realized for each of the proposed converters, whereby the evaluation criterion is reflected within the electrical properties targeting microgrid application.


The article noted that financial security is a multifaceted, multifaceted, systemic phenomenon. As a system, it consists of a large number of elements, has a hierarchy of levels of the organization, able to generate new levels in the development process, while the new level back affects the previous levels, rebuilds them, resulting in a new integrity. It is determined that giving the development of the national economy taking into account its sustainable financial component is the most important task of the state economic policy, the implementation of which under the modern paradigm of financial security management is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon and recover from external negative influences. Determine the level of resilience of financial security to external negative influences.


An obstacle to process improvement is like a river. You can always see the other side: your vision of what your day would be like when you finally get past this obstacle. It is perfectly easy to continue on without crossing the river, and many people are content to do just that. Many stand on the banks and talk about how it would be great if they were on the other side of the river. If only they had the tools and the knowhow, they might figure out a solution. They stand and talk, but they continue working the same way they always have. Then, a few break off from the group gathered on the bank, concentrate on amassing the resources needed, and start building the bridges. After them, everyone follows. Interlibrary loan is an example of this bridge-building phenomenon. It is staffed by tinkerers and innovators who discuss their ideas for improved workflows in the hallways and lunch breaks of conferences. We are competitive and appreciative, taking what we've learned back to our libraries and trying to do even better (see Figure 1). A look at the literature, listservs, and conference presentations shows a community focused on constant improvement and problem solving, looking for obstacles to overcome and never completely satisfied. The desired attributes of an interlibrary loan staff, according to interlibrary loan managers, includes enjoying problem solving, loving a fast-paced environment, and adapting well to change (Shrauger, Radnor, & Santiago, 2012). And while some may hang around on the riverbank longer than others, eventually our entire community gravitates to the next big solution, as evidenced by the cresting wave of listserv notifications from libraries who are discontinuing service with Ariel in favor of better options (Deschenes, 2012). We are a group that appreciates innovation and embraces the benefits of our ever changing business. Just this summer there have been multiple reports from bridge-builders. Rapid Returnables (RapidR) promises to combine the request speed and automated processing of RAPID ILL with full loan capabilities. The service release date is July 1 (M. Richins, personal communication, June 4, 2014). This expansion of RAPID services to loan delivery creates the most far-reaching competition to OCLC resource sharing, yet. Working together with OCLC, European libraries have solved the conundrum of abiding by their national copyright laws while transporting


Natural gas resource security is an important component of national energy security.It concerns the development of economy and society as well as the security of political and military affairs,and can safeguard and promote the construction of a moderately prosperous society and a harmonious society.In order to guarantee the security of natural gas resource,China must perfect measures in the technic,economic,administrative and legal aspects as soon as possible,and establish and improve the security guarantee legal system of natural gas resource effectively.At present,we should combine China's national conditions and the requirements of the development of gas industry,and build a security guarantee legal system of natural gas resource which covers upstream,midstream and downstream industry chain from the legislative level.In particular,it can be divided into resource security guarantee legal system of natural gas production(upstream),resource security guarantee legal system of natural gas flow(midstream),and resource security guarantee legal system of natural gas consumption(downstream).


Information technology (IT) organizations, especially software development organizations, are knowledge-intensive firms where the knowledge is mainly embedded in human beings and is largely in the form of tacit knowledge. Managing knowledge in global software teams in very critical as knowledge is a source of competitive advantage for these organizations. They have adopted emergent team-based structures as a response to changing business needs and are globally distributed. Sharing of tacit knowledge requires more people-to-people interaction which is impossible in these organizations. Due to this reason, it is essential to manage certain critical knowledge during the progress of the projects related to achieving the performance goals and the learning goals to consistently sustain and improve project performance. This study identifies the following critical knowledge areas related to the learning goals: user requirements knowledge functional domain knowledge technical knowledge project status knowledge project experience knowledge. A five-layered knowledge management framework has been applied to model the software team knowledge. This model is suggested as a process approach to team knowledge management to strengthen knowledge management in software teams. As per the knowledge management framework, all the identified knowledge related to the project are not well managed. One of the reasons for not managing well a particular type of knowledge is the absence of knowledge management processes. The global software teams share knowledge through a virtual space as against real physical platform with proper IT infrastructure in place. Due to the distributed nature of the teams, rules, conventions, and sharing of norms is already put in place. It, thus, helps in managing project status knowledge, domain knowledge, and technical knowledge. It also promotes management of requirements knowledge and project experience knowledge. However, only ad hoc processes which are immature are in place to manage the knowledge areas. The tools of team knowledge management and leadership commitment are the next two layers of the model to manage the software team knowledge. This study summarizes the status of the following critical knowledge areas related to the learning goals: The most critical knowledge area is the user requirement knowledge. Though newer processes are introduced to manage the same, managing user requirements still remains a challenge for the members of the global software teams. Functional domain knowledge and technical knowledge are managed well by companies but technology updates have put pressure in identifying the gaps and bridging it during the project execution. Project status knowledge has been well managed in the global software teams with the help of formal procedures and documentation. The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) certification requirement of IT organizations is facilitating this knowledge management area. Capturing and reusing the project experience knowledge of the existing projects and clients is still an open issue. The layered knowledge management framework will help in implementing knowledge management processes for each critical knowledge area.


Estate of John Doe v. Paul Revere Insurance Group, 86 Haw. 262, 948 P. 2d 1103 (Hawaii Supreme Ct. Dec. 18, 1997). Dentist John Doe (a pseudonym used to protect the privacy of the plaintiff in this coverage action) applied for disability insurance with Paul Revere in October 1985, completing a pre-printed application, and was issued a policy on October 22, 1985. In November 1991, Doe sought benefits for total disability due to HIV infection. Revere made three monthly benefit payments, stopped, and demanded a refund, claiming the AIDS-related disability was not covered due to its manifestation prior to the issuance of the policy. Doe died in September 1997 and this estate pursued the coverage claim. In his 1985 application, Doe fully disclosed his history of doctor visits and made his medical records available to the insurer by signing a release. However, Revere did not obtain records of Doe's visits to Dr. E. Blossom Wang during 1983 when Doe complained of swelling of the lymph glands, occasional diarrhea, and fatigue, which Dr. Wang diagnosed as amebiasis (a parasitic infection) or Lymphadenopathy (disease of the lymph nodes), which could have resulted from any number of factors, including allergies, mononucleosis, or Hodgkin's disease as well as AIDS. Doe also had an abnormal decrease of white blood corpuscles. Although Dr. Wang's examination revealed some concern about Doe's T cells, extensive lab tests led the physician to conclude that Doe did not have AIDS. Referral to an infectious disease specialist revealed no diagnosis of AIDS. Both Wang and the specialist essentially concluded that, at least in 1983, Doe was healthy. In January and July 1985, further examination and testing by Wang showed significant improvement for Doe and suggested Doe "looked well physically and had no complaints". Although Doe's disability policy had been in effect more than six years prior to his disability claim, Revere challenged the claim as one resulting from a pre-existing condition that should have been disclosed to the insurer. However, the Revere policy stated that it became incontestable after two years. In addition, Hawaii Revised Statutes sec 432:10A-105(2)(A)(1993) provided that all accident or sickness policies must include the following language: After three years from the date of issue of this policy, no misstatements, except fraudulent misstatements, made by the applicant in the application of this policy shall be used to void this policy or to deny a claim for loss incurred or disability (as defined in the policy) commencing after the expiration of the three-year period. No claim of loss incurred or disability (as defined in the policy) commencing three years from the date of issue of this policy shall be reduced or denied on the ground that a disease or physical condition not excluded from coverage by name or specific description effective on the date of loss had existed prior to the effective date of coverage of this policy. [policies with rights of continuation for premium payment may contain the following provision in lieu of the forgoing:] "Incontestable: After this policy has been in force for a period of three years during the lifetime of the insured (excluding any period during which the insured is disabled), it shall become incontestable as to the statements contained in the application." 86 Haw. at 272. The Hawaii law making policies incontestable for any statements made in connection with the application and underwriting is similar to those of virtually all states for life, health, and disability policies. …


Abstract : In this report we summarize the main concept and features of the LEKF (Section 2). We provide a brief summary of the results of our experiments with the global forecast models (Section 3) and the regional forecast model (Section 4). A list of papers (Section 5) and list of talks on our ARO sponsored research are also included.


one particular kind of adult response to a child's naming attempt: a prosodically-matched repetition of it. The paper discusses the important difference between imitation and repetition a distinction which has often been overlooked in consideration of adults' utterances. Following Keenan (1977) writing in respect of children's utterances it is argued that while repetition is a formal relation holding between two utterances, imitation is an attempt to copy. Taped extracts of picture book sequences, involving children aged between 1;6 and 2;3 and their caretakers, are presented. Different kinds of adult response to a child's labelling attempt are considered, along with the interactional outcomes of those choices. It is argued that an adult's prosodically-matched repetition of a child's label may justifiably be classed an imitation (an attempt to copy), on the grounds that it can be demonstrated not to be performing certain other kinds of interactional work carried out by repetition in discourse. In the context of a consideration of repetition as one pervasive way in which linguistic concerns are addressed in adult-child interaction, it is suggested that such imitations are a resource available to the adult for designedly not working on the linguistic aspects of a child's talk.


Abstract In this paper, the coating on glass slides by ultrasonic irradiation in the aqueous ZnO solution is discussed. We investigate the effect of irradiation location on the amount coating, and the role of heat on the coated slide. The structure and morphology of the thin film were obtained by using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The results showed that average diameter deposited particles on the glass slides (In beside and front of the ultrasonic probe), before and after heating is in the nanometer range.


Chorea is characterized by the continuous flow of random brief involuntary muscle contractions. The movements can involve any body part, including the face, limbs, trunk, or neck. The unpredictable nature of chorea is a feature that distinguishes it from tremor and dystonia. It can be due to multiple causes. Here, we report a case of chorea that was secondary to uremia.


Summary and Conclusions (1) The biological activity of ethinylandrostanediol and its Δ 5 -analog has been found to be predominantly estrogenic rather than androgenic. The relative testicular growth suppressing (TGSp) activity effected by these ethinyl-diols was considerably greater than observed for equivalent estrogenic doses of estradiol-17β or ethinylestradiol. (2) Low molecular weight esters (less than 6 carbon atoms) of these non-phenolic steroids were more active than their parent alcohols, but the degree of estrogenicity (UGSt) diminished more abruptly than did TGSp activity as the size of the ester group was increased. Of the compounds tested, the 3a-ethylbutyrate of ethinyl-Δ 5 -androstenediol effected the greatest degree of testicular growth suppression (TGSp) per unit of estrogenicity (UGSt-ED50), when 35-40 gram immature in tacts rats were used.


Objective To investigate the infl uences in perioperative variations in serum levels of HBV DNA in patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), and to observe the differences in postoperative recovery of liver function between the antiviral treatment group and the non-antiviral treatment group of patients. Methods From Jan. 2012 to Aug. 2013, 65 patients whose preoperative serum levels of HBV DNA below the recommended level of antiviral treatment were included into the study. The serum levels of HBV DNA, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-27 preoperatively and on postoperative day 3 were measured. Using the postoperative serum levels of HBV DNA, the patients were divided into 2 groups: the high level group and low level group. Patients in the high level group received antiviral treatment, but the low level group did not. The changes in preoperative and postoperative liver function and other data of the patients were recorded and analyzed by the SPSS 17.0 software. Results The reactivation rate of serum HBV DNA in the HBsAgpositive HCC patients was 37%(24/65). In patients with a preoperative HBV DNA level 1 × 104 IU/ml the postoperative HBV reactivation rate was up to 75%(18/24). Logistic regression analysis showed tumordiameter(P = 0.006) and injecting anhydrous alcohol into the resection margin(P = 0.004) were independent risk factors of postoperative HBV reactivation. Postoperative serum IL-10 elevation was associated with HBV reactivation(P = 0.001). On the contrary, serum IL-6 level elevation was associated with HBV reactivation(P 0.01). When compared with the low level group, postoperative serum alanine amimotransferase, total bilirubin and albumin in the high level group showed no significant difference(P 0.05). Conclusions Hepatectomy could reactivate HBV replication during the perioperative period. A close monitoring of HBV DNA during the perioperative period was necessary, especially in patients with low HBV DNA levels. The tumor diameter and injecting anhydrous alcohol into the resection margin were independent risk factors of postoperative increase in HBV DNA. Changes in serum IL-10 and IL-6 levels after hepatic resection might be related to the elevation of HBV DNA level. In addition, reactivation of HBV did not aggravate damages in postoperative liver function. Antiviral treatment did not promote recovery of liver function in the early stage.


The application of 3D–2D image registration can be enormously helpful for different clinical purposes, such as image-guided surgery and the kinematic analysis of bones in knee and ankle joints. A limitation of this approach is the need to recalculate the voxel values in the 3D volume for every iteration of the registration procedure prior to generating a digitally reconstructed radiograph. In this paper we propose a new multi-phase 3D–2D image registration algorithm which uses partial 3D volumes to estimate out-of-plane rotations. In our proposed algorithm, only one full 3D update is used to generate a 2D projection during the registration procedure. Experimental results show that our proposed method can provide a registration accuracy similar to the commonly used approach which employs 3D updates at every iteration. As a result of reducing the number of 3D updates, the proposed approach reduces the time required to carry out the registration by a factor of 10–20 without any accompanying loss of registrat...


Two important puzzles characterize the development of pre-modern Eurasian polities. First, most rulers convened councils of nobles, but only European monarchs expanded them to create parliaments. Second, war was common throughout Eurasia, but only in Europe did it correlate with the formation of parliaments. We advance a new argument about the emergence of parliaments that accounts for both stylized facts while integrating the literature highlighting the rulers' need to finance wars with that emphasizing the importance of the medieval communal revolution. Using novel data, we document a 'no communes, no parliaments' rule: monarchs established parliaments only after they had fostered the creation of self-governing towns (aka communes). We also show that war was a significant predictor of parliamentary births across medieval Europe – but only during a window of opportunity that opened after a polity had experienced the communal revolution.


There are varied reports in the literature linking joint movement dysfunction or imbalances and overuse injuries from repeated sport participation over a prolonged period of time. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a correlation between mobility and stability of collegiate gymnasts and their pain ratings during a competitive season. The study was conducted with 19 female collegiate gymnasts. Prior to the beginning of the competitive gymnastics season, each participant completed a pre-test that included four out of seven Functional Movement Screen (FMS) assessments as well as the Thomas Test. During the competitive season, each subject rated their pain over the course of 10 weeks. At the end of the gymnastics season, the same assessments were then completed as the post-test. Average FMS scores as well as Thomas Test pass or fail ratings were compared to average pain data to determine that there was a significant correlation between the post-test FMS scores and the overall average pain data. No other significant correlations were found. Overall, while some trends were found between some FMS scores, Thomas Test scores, and the pain data, there was only a significant correlation between the post-test FMS scores and the overall average pain. Acknowledgments: I would like to thank Ms. Mary Winfrey Kovell for all of her help, advice, and patience during this project. This project would not have been possible without her guidance and support. I would also like to thank the gymnastics team at Ball State University for allowing me to conduct my experiment with their team and their willingness to help me accomplish my goals.


This study assesses the influence religious beliefs had on the political opinions and voting intentions of whites likely to vote in the 1994 Virginia Senate general election. Analysis of survey data indicated that Protestant Biblical Literalists were significantly more conservative in their political views than other religious segments of the Virginia electorate. Protestant Biblical Literalism was also discovered to be the single most important predictor of a declared intention of voting for Oliver North in the general election. The study provides evidence pointing to the continuing importance of religion as a factor in southern electoral politics.


Hammamet Marina is the most important touristic port in the Gulf of Hammamet (Tunisia). The present work is a contribution to the knowledge of the functional diversity and structure of the malacofauna community in this area. Three different stations (A, B and C) within the port were sampled seasonally for a year (2005-2006). The mollusc assemblage studied was represented by 14 species (in totally 2669 ind. were found). Among the four mollusc classes recorded, bivalves were the best represented (73.76% of the total number species), followed by gastropods (22.02%), cephalopods (2.42%) and polyplacophores (1.80%). Atlanto-Mediterranean (42.85%) and Endemic Mediterranean (39.28%) taxa prevailed in the community, followed by Indo-Pacific (7.14%) and cosmopolitan species (3.57%). A clear spatial zonation was distinguished. The station B hosted the highest abundance of gastropods (309±19.92 ind. m) and a species richness of 6±0.40. The station station A hosted the most equilibrated trophic structure, with a higher bivalve abundance (1378±99.23 ind. m) and a species richness of 6±0.1. Station C, located close to the mooring boats, presented the lowest abundance (230±17.47 individuals m) and the most affected assemblage. This station seemed to be affected by the higher anthropogenic pressure assessed compared to the other two stations, mainly oil pollution, due to the large quantities of hydrocarbon discharged from the boats.


Objective of the study. To carry out a comparative analysis of the frequency of PAI-1 gene G43A polymorphism in citizens of Chernivtsi region who suffer from various forms of ulcer disease, and to study the possible relationship between different types of genotype and the development of complications. Material and methods. 60 patients with ulcer disease were examined: 42 (70%) men, 18 (30%) women. 37 (61.67%) patients had a duodenal ulcer, the rest ones (38.33%) had a gastric ulcer. Uncomplicated ulcer disease was diagnosed in 12 (20%) patients. 5 (8.33%) patients were found to have an ulcer perforation. In 43 (71.67%) patients there was an ulcer complicated by acute bleeding. In 29 (67.44%) patients the bleeding was stopped. In 14 (32.56%) patients there was a relapse of bleeding. PAI genotyping by G43A mutation was performed by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR amplification of the corresponding RAI gene fragment was performed by using a specific pair of primers 5'-CCA ACA GAG GAC TCT TGG TC-3' and 5'- CAC AGA GAG AGT CTG GCC ACG-3'. PCR was performed by using a CFX96 amplifier (Bio-Rad, USA). PCR results were carried out by electrophoresis in 2% agarose gel using a tris-borate buffer. For DNA fragments visualization the gel was stained with ethidium bromide and photographed using ultraviolet light on the GelDoc 2000 installation (BioRad, USA). To determine the length of the obtained fragments, their electrophoretic mobility was compared with the mobility of the DNA marker Gene Ruler DNA Leader Mix (Thermoscientific). The statistical dependence between the values was tested by determining the Fisher criterion, χ2-criterion by Pearson, in particular, the correspondence of the genotype distribution to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Results. 94.12% patients without acute bleeding and 91.67% patients without acute complications were found to have GG genotype. One female patient (8.33%) without any acute complications was found to have homozygous AA genotype by the mutant allele. No patient with an ulcer perforation was a carrier of allele A. None of the patients without bleeding had a heterozygous GA genotype. GA genotype was found in 25.58% of patients with an acute ulcerative bleeding, which is statistically significantly higher than in patients without any bleeding. Allele A was more common among patients with recurrent bleeding than in ones without it. Conclusions. 1. Among patients with ulcer disease without acute complications of Chernivtsi region 91.67% of whom have homozygous GG genotype by polymorphism G43A РАІ-1 gene, and 8.33% – AA genotype; no heterozygous genotype GA was found in any case. 2. All examined patients with a perforated ulcer had the GG genotype. 3. Patients with acute ulcerative bleeding, 27.91% of whom are carriers of mutant allele A (among them 25.58% have heterozygous GA genotype, and 2.33% – homozygous AA genotype), which is statistically significantly higher than in patients with ulcer disease without any bleeding and it shows the role of hereditary disorders of the PAI-1 gene in the development of ulcerative hemorrhages. 4. Accounting for G43A polymorphism of PAI-1 gene may become a component of the whole complex for predicting the occurrence of ulcerative bleeding in clinical conditions.


Lanthanum chloride can promote expression efficiency of rscu-PA-32k gene in yeast. 2 and 5 mmol·L-1 LaCl3 increase the activities of the expression product by 13% and 20% (from 14.6 to 16.5 and 17.5 U·ml-1). Cerium chloride can decrease the activity of expression product. 2 and 5 mmol·L-1 CeCl3 decreases the activities of the expression product by 21% and 33% (from 14.6 to 11.5 and 9.8 U·ml-1).


: In managing public procurement the main principles of the law of public procurement should be used with particular emphasis on the rules of fair competition and equal treatment of contractors. The aim of the article is to examine and evaluate chosen activities of the contracting entity in the proceedings of the public procurement. The analysis has been conducted on the basis of data coming from the verdicts of National Appeals Chamber and reports of the Public Procurement Office for the years 2014-2015. Examples of verdicts prove that limitation of risks of unfair competition and non-equal treatment during the process of public procurement depends not only on procurers but also on contractors of public activities.


Abstract This paper is aimed to describe extracuricular advocacy activity at Islamic Primary School Bahagia, Wonokromo, Surabaya, as a community service conducted by team of lecturers of Universitas Negeri Surabaya. This school is particularly chosen because it has a unique social-economy background and limitations. The advocacy provided was to improve teachers' soft-skills and creativity to be able to design supplementary activities to help students grow their interest and soft-skill as well. The final outcome is to see students' growth in self-confidence, team work, respct and toleration to each other, which also support their academic achievement.


The informal finance in our country has its profound background of times.The development of non-state economy will internally produce the requirements to informal finance.Therefore,analyzing the reasons of informal financial existence and its negative effect by using system economic principle,exploring the informal finance development space will be helpful for the government to make sensible choice on guidance and assistance strategies.


Aim: To determine the frequency of hypocalcaemia among children aged 2 to 60 months presenting with afebrile seizures.
Study Design: A cross sectional study.
Place and Duration: Department of Pediatrics, Liaquat University of medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro, from February to August-2020.
Methodology: A total of 130 children aged 2 to 60 months, having afebrile fits with birth weight more than 2.5 kg were enrolled. After taking full history, detailed examination was done. Two ml blood sample was taken from each patient and was sent to diagnostic laboratory of the institution to find out calcium levels. In case of proven hypocalcaemia, injection calcium gluconate 100 mg/kg was administered. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for quantitative variables while frequency and percentages were noted for qualitative variables. Frequency of hypocalcaemia was recorded and study variables were compared between children with and without hypocalcaemia.
Results: Majority of the patients, 69 (53.1%) were male, 64 (49.2%) less than or equal to 12 months of age, 28 (21.5%) had maternal educational status as illiterate, 78 (60.0%) belonged to rural areas, 59 (45.4%) belonged to middle socioeconomic status, 69 (53.1%) had poor exposure to sunlight, 80 (61.5%) had malnutrition, 82 (63.1%) had child spacing of less than 2 years, 79 (60.8%) with less than 5 episodes of fits per day and 88 (67.7%) had duration of fits per day as less than 5 minutes. Frequency of hypocalcaemia was noted in 81 (62.3%) cases.
Conclusion: We concluded that hypocalcaemia is the frequent cause of afebrile seizures in children aged 2 to 60 months.


By testing TBA,TVB-N,total number of colonies and sensory evaluation,and studying the expirations at different temperatures(35,20,4℃)of braised pork products packaged by composite edible film I and II made of bovine collagen and soybean protein,we have got the results as follows.The expirations of group I and II were 40 and 50 days respectively at 35℃,comparing to 30 days of the comparison group;under the condition of 20℃,the expirations of each group were 120 and 140 days,comparing to 80 days of the comparison group;it changed to 200 and 210 days at 4℃,while the comparison group was 140 days.The experimental results showed that the expirations of braised pork products packaged by composite edible film made of bovine collagen and soybean protein were longer than the expiration of comparison groups,and the preservation durability and effect of bovine collagen was superior to soybean protein.


Duplex stainless steels are characterized by their biphasic, ferritic-austenitic microstructure. The ideal volumetric fraction of these phases in duplex stainless steels, is of 50% ferrite and 50% austenite, however, this condition is difficult to be obtained when arc welding these materials. A detailed analysis of the effect of relative plate thickness in the heat flow and, consequently, in the cooling rate during welding of duplex stainless steel is of fundamental importance. The correct adjustment of the welding parameters leads to an optimum cooling rate of the joint, which guarantees a good balance of the volume fractions of ferrite and austenite, and results in acceptable mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. In this work, the best welding practices to the duplex stainless steel UNS S32750 (Super Duplex) were studied, guaranteeing welded joints that showed the ideal volumetric fractions of ferrite and austenite and, consequently, the mechanical properties according to the project. Complementary techniques of microstructural analysis were used, such as optical emission spectrometry, optical microscopy and quantitative image analysis.


ALLEY, TIMOTHY D., M.A., June 2007, Film GAMERS AND GOREHOUNDS: THE INFLUENCE OF VIDEO GAMES ON THE CONTEMPORARY HORROR FILM (79 pp.) Director of Thesis: Adam Knee Over the past decades, the horror genre has depicted terror coming from various sources. Even a video game console can serve as a potential source of antagonism. Video games allow players the opportunity to essentially become another person in another world. As this technology continues to improve, the line between reality and fiction continues to blur. The first part of this thesis looks at horror films from 19901999 that focus on video games representation. These are storylines that only portray video game technology as the villain as opposed to a beneficial asset to society. The second part of this thesis will focus on films from 2002-2005, all of which are video game adaptations. There is a distinct shift in the content of video game horror films at the start of the new millennium where video game technology is no longer portrayed as an antagonist, but as legitimate source material. Approved: _____________________________________________________________ Adam Knee Assistant Professor of Film 4 Table of


The status and future of niobium metal and alloys are discussed by comparison with molybdenum, tantalum, and tungsten. Particular emphasis is placed on the application, fabrication, properties, and weldability of the alloys. (N.W.R.)


Understanding the complex relationships among social identities, long-distance exchange, and migration has long been an important issue in archaeology. In the central Andes, archaeologists have grappled with these issues to understand highland–coastal interaction. We present a case study of these relationships in the coca-growing zone of the Moche Valley (chaupiyunga zone, 200–1,200 m asl) during the Early Intermediate period (400 BC–AD 600). We focus on reconstructing the social identities of the people who lived at Cerro León, a large hill town situated astride an important access route into the chaupiyunga from the highlands. Unlike most sites in the chaupiyunga, the site is dominated by highland-style pottery. Petrographic analysis indicates that the sources of the highland-style pottery were in the adjacent highlands. Our analysis of daily domestic activities, vernacular architecture, personal adornment, and ritual practices, including burial practices, indicates that most of the residents of Cerro León were immigrants from the highlands. We argue that these immigrants produced and reproduced a distinctive highland (Culle) identity throughout the occupation of the site, which lasted 100 to 200 years. Evidence demonstrates that site residents had extensive exchange relationships with coastal Yunga communities in the lower and middle Moche Valley.


The paper presents the experimental data on ore gold distribution in a field, which is characterized by highly uneven mineralization up to nesting, presence of coarse gold and lack of clear rock control. It considers the main problems of exploration and assessment of similar fields, provides and justifies solutions making it possible to avoid or reduce interpretation errors of exploration and sampling, to increase the delineation reliability of ore bodies.


An 89-year-old Japanese man was referred to us with a six-month history of a growing mass on his right wrist. He had intensively used cutting oil with his bare hands in a metal-cutting workplace for 15 years since he was 18 years of age. There was no history of exposure to tar or pitch and no ingestion of arsenic. Clinical examination revealed multiple keratotic, pigmented lesions on the back of his hands and forearms (Fig. 1a). There was an ulcerated tumor, 3.5 cm in diameter, on the ulnar aspect of his right wrist (Fig. 1b). He had no lymphadenopathy, and a computed tomography scan showed no metastatic lesions. The tumor on the wrist was surgically removed. Histologically, the excised specimen showed that tumor nests consisted of atypical squamous cells and horn pearls and invaded into the dermis and subcutis (Fig. 1c), representing squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Skin biopsy specimens taken from other keratotic lesions on the dorsal aspects of the hands disclosed anisocytotic epidermal keratinocytes and pleomorphic basal keratinocytes (Fig. 1d). We diagnosed the patient as having cutting oil keratoses conforming to bowenoid keratoses and finally evolving into SCC. The multiple keratotic lesions were treated with photodynamic therapy using topical 20% aminolevulinic acid. Currently, the SCC metastasized to the axillar lymph nodes, which were surgically dissected. To evaluate the general immunological state of the patient, we examined the percentages of circulating lymphocyte subset. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stained with monoclonal antibodies to CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, and CD25 (Becton Dickinson, San Jose, CA, USA), and intracellularly with Foxp3 (eBioscience, San Diego, CA, USA) and subjected to flow cytometric analysis. The percentages of subsets were within normal ranges as follows: CD3, 74.8%; CD4, 50.7%; CD8, 19.9%; and CD20, 6.8%. However, when CD4 cells were gated and further examined for the expression of CD25 and Foxp3, the percentage of regulatory T-cell (Treg) subset was elevated to 5.7% (Fig. 2a,b) as compared with normal subjects (mean, 0.95%, range 0.39–1.48%, n = 6).


Objective:To observe the effects of cordyceps sinensis mycelium combined with enalapril on proteinuria in patients with early diabetic nephropathy.Method: Sixty-eight patients with early diabetic nephropathy were randomly divided into control group treated with enalapriland treatment grouptreated with enalapril and Ccordyceps Sinensis Mycelium,each group was treated for 12 weeks.The urinary albumin ejection rate(UAER),24-hour urine protein,urine α1-microglobin(α1-MG),β2-microglobin(β2-MG) and glycosylated hemoglobin(HbAlc) were measured before and after the treatment.Result: After treatment UAER,24-hour urine protein,α1-MG,β2-MG in both groups were significantly decreased compared with that before treatment(P0.05)and the difference in combination group was significantly greater than that in single medication group(P0.05).The difference of HbA1c before and after treatment had no statistical significance in both groups.Conclusion: The treatment with both cordyceps sinensis mycelium and enalapril can decrease proteinuria of Patients with early diabetic nephropathy markedly,and is better than the treatment with enalapril only.


In episode five of the Students Advising Students Podcast Series you learn how to use the university's document exchange platform DuEPublico effectively.


The enlargement of the European Union to 25 Member States is having a particularly strong impact on the work of the Council. It has made it all the more important to streamline and better coordinate the Council's configurations and preparatory bodies. The increase from 11 to 20 official languages poses unprecedented practical challenges, and it remains to be seen whether the new linguistic regime will make it possible to cope. New guidelines for the presidency and delegations have been adopted concerning preparation and management of meetings. Other innovations are being explored under the Dutch Presidency. The first months of experience in EU 25 suggest that continuing efforts will be required to ensure that Council business can be managed efficiently and effectively in the coming years.


This article analyzes present situation of art design speciality,pay attention to creative design ideas,thoughts,ideas,to solve problems such as subject,materials,combining series artistic design education target,promote quickly practice ability.Through the basic teaching,students' ability training and practice teaching,teacher team construction,this article discusses China to realize the university art design curriculum system reform the ways and methods.


We observed an ambipolar behavior in multiwalled carbon nanotubes in a backgate configuration, which allowed us to perform systematic inspection of the low-temperature transport properties against gate voltage. The results revealed that a power-law temperature-dependent conductance, which is a sign of an unconventional metallic state, disappears when a high gate voltage is applied, and conductance becomes temperature independent, indicating a normal Fermi liquid state. This demonstrates a field effect tuning of electronic states in nanoscaled materials.


The reconstruction of the Polish linguo-cultural view of wheat proposed here rests on the principles of the cognitive definition, which goes beyond the tenets of structural linguistics, takes into account all the connotations evoked by a given expression, as well as the relationship between the object's name and the object itself. It is non-encyclopedic in nature. The data analysed here are of the linguistic type (lexis, phraseology, and stereotypical texts of various genres, such as riddles, proverbs, auguries, songs, tales, legends, written poetry), as well as of the co-linguistic type (ethnographic records of beliefs and practices), and come from the archives of the Dictionary of Folk Stereotypes and Symbols. The dictionary's volume on plants is now under preparation.


Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) is a collection of standards that extend Ethernet to support safety-critical and real-time applications. TSN integrates multiple traffic types, i.e., Time-Triggered (TT) traffic scheduled based on Gate-Control-Lists (GCLs), Audio-Video-Bridging (AVB) traffic that requires bounded latencies, and Best-Effort (BE) traffic, for which no guarantees are provided. This paper proposes a Network Calculus-based approach to determine the worst-case end-to-end delays of AVB traffic in a TSN network with both non-preemption and preemption modes. We consider the effects of TT traffic due to GCLs, "guard bands", i.e., time windows that block other traffic from transmitting, and preemption overhead on the service for AVB traffic. We provide a proof of non-overflow condition for AVB credit, which is used to control the AVB traffic transmission. The analysis method is evaluated on realistic test cases, and compared to related work.


BACKGROUND: Malachite green (MG) is widely used in fishery, since it is easily adsorbed by fish during waterborne exposure and is rapidly metabolised into leucomalachite green (LMG). However, both MG and LMG are potential carcinogens, teratogens and mutagens. In this study the LMG derivative bearing an amino group on the phenyl ring was synthesised and coupled to carrier proteins. An LMG polyclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed and characterised.

RESULTS: The ELISA standard curve was constructed with concentrations of 0.1–100 ng mL−1. The IC50 value for nine standard curves was in the range 0.9–2.6 ng mL−1 and the limit of detection at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 was 0.02–0.10 ng mL−1. The cross-reactivity values of the LMG antibody with MG, crystal violet and leucocrystal violet were 95.25, 29.07 and 212.38% respectively, while less than 0.2% cross-reactivity was found with eight other compounds. For LMG-spiked water and fish samples, recoveries were 76.2–95.0% and the correlation coefficient of ELISA with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was 0.9752 (n = 7). For (LMG + MG)-spiked fish samples the results of ELISA were similar to those of HPLC.

CONCLUSION: The proposed ELISA can be utilised as an analytical tool for detecting the sum of MG and LMG in water and fish muscle samples. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry


In this paper, we generalized the Evaluation Model for Secure Coding Rule Selection Optimized on the System Characteristics to the existing domestic e-government secure coding rule evaluation area and validated the effect. And verify and use that weighted value of existing e-gov secure coding rule by re-evaluating existing e-gov secure coding rule.


The inclusion of embedded flash memory in systems-on-chip designs enables the addition of many new features. However to enable designers to embed flash memory in an efficient and competent manner, they must have the capability to simulate full circuit operation. Therefore a flexible flash EEPROM model is required. An accurate and numerically efficient model for the transient and DC characteristics of Fowler Nordheim (FN) based Flash EEPROM cells has been developed. The model has been extensively validated, using read, program and erase operations. The model has also been applied to several applications, in a typical structure. These display the ability of the model to accelerate the design cycle for applications which require flash memory.


Mobile phones have been present in our lives for over 20 years during which they have become indispensable. Due to the hardware and software characteristics of the smartphones, these devices are suitable to work as terminals for accident guidance and reporting system. The goal of the paper is to present the design and implementation of such a system, able to give a set of information from the user, information that is associated with a location using a GPS Tracking system and creates an accident report. The system sends the GPS coordinates of the person, display the coordinates on a map and computes the shortest route to the accident site. Also, the system is able to automatic detect an accident when occurs. The paper focuses on the mobile part of the system.


This article examines the characteristics of collisions involving injured drinking drivers, to determine how these factors predict the type of charges laid against a driver. The most likely outcome for both injured and non-injured drivers is a non-criminal charge. Injury severity and remoteness of location inhibit charges being laid against drinking drivers. However, likelihood of a Criminal Code charge is not well differentiated by collision characteristics. (A) For the covering abstract of the conference, see ITRD Abstract No. E201067.


The concentrations and the forms of N and P in the porewater from the sediment in Dianchi Lake were measured, and the results showed that the distributions of P in the porewater were the similar with that in the water body of Dianchi Lake. The total P in the porewater from the middle and the south consisted mainly of the dissolved inorganic P, while in the north dissolved organic P were also an important part. In the porewater N consisted mainly of NH+_4-N, the concentration of which was higher two orders of magnitude than that of NO-_3-N. The concentrations of N and P of the porewater were much higher than that of the corresponding water body in the whole Dianchi Lake, and thus there was the trend of release from sediment to water. Further study indicated that there was not evident relativity between the total N and the total P in the porewater, but the total P, and organic P was negative relativity with NO-_3-N.


As gravitation and electromagnetism are closely analogous long-range interactions, and the current formulation of gravitation is given in terms of geometry, we expect the latter also to appear throug the geometry. We look for the formally most simple expression for the law of gravitation in the absence of an electromagnetic field, and then the most natural generalization of this law. This theory contain Maxwell's theory in first approximation. In the following we outline the scheme of the general theory and then show in which sense this contains the law of the pure gravitational field and Maxwell's theory.


Thailand adopted a value added tax in 1992. This article describes the broad nature of the tax, its administration and its economic effects in that country.


The recent excavations at Ḥorvat Tevet and the finding of ca. 260 Late Iron IIA cylindrical holemouth jars provided an unparalleled opportunity to study these relatively unknown vessels. This article offers a comprehensive analysis of cylindrical holemouth jars and includes a study of typology and morphology, alongside the analysis of provenance and distribution patterns. By shedding new light on these vessels, this paper provides the opportunity to understand and illustrate the economy of early monarchic Israel in a new and innovative way.


TDR‐315 sensors could be calibrated using conventional TDR methodologies. Soil water content calibrations using conventional TDR and TDR‐315 were comparable. Measured travel time using TDR‐315 was insensitive to soil electrical conductivity.


A rare adenocarcinoma that arises from the gastric mucosa and is characterized by the presence of large polygonal malignant cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm resembling hepatocytes.


The fate of fluorescently labeled pre‐nsL‐TP (Cy3‐pre‐nsL‐TP) microinjected into BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts was investigated by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The protein exhibited a distinct punctate fluorescence pattern and colocalized to a high degree with the immunofluorescence pattern for the peroxisomal enzyme acyl‐CoA oxidase. Proteolytic removal of the C‐terminal leucine of the putative peroxisomal targeting sequence (AKL) resulted in a diffuse cytosolic fluorescence. These results indicate that microinjected Cy3‐pre‐nsL‐TP is targeted to peroxisomes. The association of nsL‐TP with peroxisomal enzymes was investigated in cells by measuring fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the microinjected Cy3‐pre‐nsL‐TP and Cy5‐labeled antibodies against the peroxisomal enzymes acyl‐CoA oxidase, 3‐ketoacyl‐CoA thiolase, bifunctional enzyme, PMP70 and catalase. The technique of photobleaching digital imaging microscopy (pbDIM), used to quantitate the FRET efficiency on a pixel‐by‐pixel basis, revealed a specific association of nsL‐TP with acyl‐CoA oxidase, 3‐ketoacyl‐CoA thiolase and bifunctional enzyme in the peroxisomes. These observations were corroborated by subjecting a peroxisomal matrix protein fraction to affinity chromatography on Sepharose‐immobilized pre‐nsL‐TP. Acyl‐CoA oxidase was retained. These studies provide strong evidence for a role of nsL‐TP in the regulation of peroxisomal fatty acid β‐oxidation, e.g. by facilitating the presentation of substrates and/or stabilization of the enzymes.


This paper presents a slightly different concept of energy harvesting method as compared to the conventional energy harvesters. The new energy harvester of interest is known as Hybrid Energy Harvester (HEH). It comprises of the Piezoelectric and Magnetostrictive/Electromagnetic transducers integrated into a system. Theoretically, the hybrid energy harvester device developed is targeted to expand the vibration bandwidth as compared to the standalone energy harvesters, hence higher output power will be generated. To develop the hybrid energy harvester, mathematical models of each respective transducers are formulated, then simulations are carried out using the MATLAB/Simulink analysis tool. Next, a macro-scale prototype device is designed, fabricated and validated. From the experimental characterizations, it is unveiled that the maximum open circuit output voltage produced by the hybrid energy harvester is 6.23 V at a resonant frequency of 59.6 Hz.


The view of Noah as being 'the first prophet of punishment' is stated categorically in both editions of the Encyclopaedia of Islam, and Bell includes the Noah story under the heading 'Stories of Punishment' in his Introduction to the Qur'an. More recently, David Marshall, in describing the punishment story in his article on the subject in the recently published Encyclopaedia of the Qur'an, remarks that 'It is to be noted that these stories depict a punishment inflicted by God in this world rather than in the afterlife', and comments that 'their primary purpose was to warn of a punishment from God that would fall upon the Meccan unbelievers if they did not repent and accept Muhammad's message', before going on to claim that such accounts are 'linked to form a chain of punishment stories suggesting that human history has been a sequence of such encounters between God, messengers and unbelievers'. However, a close reading of the Qur'anic accounts of the Noah story shows that such a view of the Qur'anic appro...


Box-girder decks are very effective solutions for long span cable-stayed bridges, due to their high torsional stiffness and streamlined profile, which usually lead to a good aerodynamic behaviour. A study on the optimization of such structural system is presented in this paper. The deck is modelled through the assembly of planes of plate-membrane elements. A multicriteria approach is considered for the optimization itself, with constraints on maximum stresses, minimum stresses in stays and deflections under dead load condition. Two illustrative examples are shown. q 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.


: Background: To inculcate awareness about the importance of thorough screening of the patients presenting with giant cell lesions in the jaw bones for clinical, biochemical and radiological features of hyperparathyroidism. Material and Methods: The history, physical examination, laboratory values, imaging and pathologic findings are described in a 32-year-old woman, presenting with brown tumour lesion in mandible, due to primary hyperparathyroidism. A systematic review of published literature from PubMed is added, which highlights the importance of a thorough diagnostic workup and selection of appropriate treatment modality. Results: In the case presented, after Parathyroid adenoma excision, within thirty minutes, the serum values of Parathormone and Calcium returned to normalcy and spontaneous regression of the brown tumour was noted. Also, the review of literature emphasized the need for systemic investigations of suspected giant cell jaw lesions and established that parathyroidectomy can be considered the primary treatment modality for brown tumours of the jaw due to hyperparathyroidism. Conclusion: Radiolucent lesions of the jaws showing giant cells on histopathology should raise suspicion of hyperparathyroidism. This case emphasizes the importance of a detailed systemic investigation for all lesions in the maxillofacial region. [Lalit S NJIRM


WOOT is a new distributed algorithm to collaboratively edit a linear structure. This algorithm can be deployed on a P2P overlay network since its time and space complexity is polynomial and does not depend on the number of editing sites. In this presentation, we will focus on our use of model checking method to verify correctness of the algorithm in terms of benefit and limitations. We will also present the main open issues (hierarchical structures, access control, ...) in P2P collaborative editing and our expectations about automated formal methods' help on these issues.


Cardiovascular diseases represent a significant cause of death and disability worldwide.1 The decline of cardiovascular mortality as a result of modern medicine and surgery has in turn led to a rapid increase of patients having heart failure, with the only definite cure being heart transplantation. However, many patients are unable to undergo transplantation surgery because of complications from existing comorbidities, and among suitable patients, the procedure is plagued by limited donor supply, high costs, and the need for chronic immunosuppressant therapy. Hence, recent advances in cardiac regenerative therapy have emerged as an attractive alternative.

Article, see p 52

Currently, there are several methods to achieve cardiac regeneration. Endogenous cardiac repair that involves generation of new cardiomyocytes from differentiation of cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) or renewal of pre-existing adult cardiomyocytes is one such approach, albeit a rare and inefficient process to cope with the loss of cardiomyocytes after myocardial infarction or other cardiac diseases.2 Alternatively, functional myocardium may be salvaged or replenished through transplantation of exogenous stem cells.3,4 However, the poor long-term engraftment and survival in current transplantation have largely precluded substantial cell replacement, and instead supports the paracrine hypothesis that the release of external factors contributes to myocardial salvage or repair.

Historically, the paracrine hypothesis is thought to be mediated primarily by chemical and physical signals, such as soluble proteins, gene products, lipids, and gases. Indeed, various studies have demonstrated that stem cells produce and secrete a broad range of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors that are involved in cardiac repair.5 Strong support of a paracrine hypothesis came from experimental studies in which the administration of conditioned medium from stem cells was able to confer beneficial effects without the physical presence of stem cells within the infarcted heart.5,6 There is a …


Purpose: The treatment priority in management of Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) pain is directed towards the causative factor along with symptomatic treatment. In this process many times psychological aspect is overlooked. Hence with this pilot study, importance of psychological aspect of Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD) is emphasised. Methods and Material: 15 patients suffering from pain in TMD region who qualify under myalgia pain in DC/TMD Axis I category were selected. Patients were divided into 3 groups; Ibuprofen, placebo and occlusal splint with 5 patients in each group. Pain assessment was done at the first visit, 7th day visit and 14th day visit using a VAS scale. Statistical Analysis Used: Friedman Test was applied to determine overall relief from pain in the three groups. Wilcoxon sign rank test evaluated pain relief between each time interval. Kruskal Wallis Test compared different groups for relief from pain at each time interval. Key Finding: Wilcoxon sign rank test showed a significant pain relief in all three groups from I day to I follow up day and I day to II follow up day. However Pain relief from I follow up to II follow up day was significant only in placebo group. Conclusions: Management of TMD myalgia requires a comprehensive understanding of physical and psychological aspect. This will aid us in formulating a treatment plan comprising pharmacotherapy, placebo or physical therapy or combination of any of these.


Abstract We have investigated theoretically a variety of burner-stabilized and freely propagating NH3/2 and NH3/H2/2. flames. The agreement between theory and experiment is generally good except, perhaps, for very rich flames, where it appears that the kinetic model may be missing important pyrolysis steps. Nevertheless, the important NO and N2 formation reactions can be identified. In lean flames, nitric oxide is produced primarily through the nitroxyl (HNO intermediate, formed either by the reaction of NH2. with oxygen atoms or NH with hydroxyl and oxygen molecules. Similarly, in lcan flames conversion of NO to N2. is by reaction with NH2 or NH, forming NNH or N2.O as intermediates. Under richer conditions NH2.and NH are rapidly converted to nitrogen atoms, and the extended Zel'dovich mechanism becomes responsible for NO formation and the conversion of NO to N2. In addition to our analysis of the nitric oxide production and destruction paths, we find from a sensitivity analysis that the most important r...


Since placental lactogens have been implicated in the control of fetal metabolism, and in the release of somatomedins (SM) by fetal tissues, we examined the actions of human placental lactogen (HPL) on the growth of isolated human fetal myoblasts, fibroblasts and cartilage explants, and on their release of immunoassayable SM-C. Myoblasts were derived from skeletal muscle and fibroblasts from the skin of abortuses delivered between 12 to 17 weeks after prostaglandin induction. Costal cartilage explants were obtained from one hemithorax. After myoblasts and fibroblasts were plated at low density (0.3 × 105 cells per well) HPL (50-1000 ng ml−1) caused a dose-dependent increase in cell number over a 7 day incubation, becoming statistically significant between 50 and 250 ng/ml with individual experiments. After sub-confluent mycblasts and fibroblasts were growth-restricted by exposure to medium containing 1% fetal calf serum, HPL caused a significant increase in [3H] thymidine uptake during a subsequent exposure at similar concentrations. Human growth hormone (HGH) failed to increase thymidine incorporation by myoblasts or fibroblasts, while neither HPL or HGH affected isotope uptake by cartilage explants. Culture medium conditioned for 44 h by exposure to myoblasts or fibroblasts was assayed for SM-C by RIA after extraction with acid-ethanol. The SM-C present in conditioned medium was significantly elevated after exposure of cells to HPL (250 ng ml−1) but not HGH. The results show that HPL is mitogenic for cultured human fetal myoblasts and fibroblasts and that this may be due partly to an increase in SM-C release by the cells.