Activation of pupils is an essential part of the teaching process within our schools. In this endeavour, teachers are not always successful, but in prevalent cases they are able to support students and pupils to read the offered work, which might not correspond with their area of interests by using various methods and approaches, and thus gradually broaden their horizons of their perception of the world around. To support the reading during the tuition, we may use variety of activation and motivation methods that shift teaching into the phase of an active engagement of pupils into the class work and
beyond. Through a discussion, establishing of a problem or a possibility of alternating a literary work, or maybe other forms of work, a pupil moves from a role of a passive recipient of a piece of information to an active participant in the teachinglearning process. By this approach, not only the reading literacy is developed, but the communication and cooperation skills as well. Gestion to reading should be a priority especially for primary school teachers at the first degree. By their work (especially by an active differentiation) and their overview in the field of children´s literature, they can positively align their pupils in choosing a suitable book. Reading is the best way how to non-violently shape and positively influence the psychological and aesthetical development of children and young people.


The present invention provides an improved porous ceramic foam filter and a process for producing the porous ceramic foam filter. The porous ceramic foam filter contains 28% to 78 wt% by weight of alumina; 18% -78% by weight of silica by weight; and 1 wt% to 15 wt% of Group II oxides.


We experienced one patient with insensitivity to pain which caused pathologic fractures and deformity of the extremities. The patient, nine years old girl, has clinical manifestations of insensitivity to pain, which are described in the literatures, as corneal opacity, no response to painfull stimula, scarred tongue, deformity of joint etc.From her clinical history pathologic fractures have easily occurred with no subjective complaint.In this case congenital leucopathia is also observed. It is difficult to prove insensitivity to pain.


Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) of picosecond pulses was investigated in Ba(NO3)2 crystals. The results are in good agreement with transient SRS theory. First and second Stokes conversion efficiencies were measured to be 25% and 5%, respectivly.


As the development of Information Technology Education World is increasingly going to need a problem to solve a problem in the company that is about an existing turnover, using the method of Classification And Regression Tress (CART), Revenue is an important component in information information in the income statement , When the income is higher than the cost that has been charged then the company. Or if the opposite situation is lower than the cost that has been charged then the company suffered losses, For example CV. Moeha Advertising which produces promotional items banners, seen from the type of materials used, the amount of ink used and the size of the banners to be printed, will be determined the price and number of banners that will be appropriate. The existence of day-to-day operational data activities will increase in number. If left alone, then the transaction data is only a waste that is not meaningful. With the support of technology, the ability to collect and process data.


The Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology (ORCMT) and Environmental Systems Corporation (ESC) have collaborated on an effort to develop the optical system for an enhanced particulate emission monitor. The purpose of this effort was to assist a small East Tennessee company in perfecting an instrument that would meet or exceed the performance of competing foreign instruments and provide measurement capabilities necessary to assure compliance of Department of Energy facilities and other industrial facilities with expected EPA regulations. The two parties collaborated on design, assembly, and bench testing of the prototype instrument. The prototype system was targeted to have the capability for measuring micron size particles in concentrations as low as 10 micrograms per cubic meter and to have the added benefit of improving sampling statistics (i.e. measurements will be made over larger regions of the stack) over current instruments. Project deliverables were a prototype optical system and characterization data.


Cyclophanes 3 and 4 were prepared as initiator cores for the construction of dendrophanes (dendritic cydophanes) 1 and 2, respectively, which mimic recognition sites buried in globular proteins. The tetra-oxy[22.214.171.124]paracyclophane 3 was prepared by a short three-step route (Scheme 1) and possesses a cavity binding site shaped by two diphenylmethane units suitable for the inclusion of flat aromatic substrates such as benzene and naphthalene derivatives as was shown by 1H-NMR binding titrations in basic D2O phosphate buffer (Table 1). The larger cyclophane 4, shaped by two wider naphthyl(phenyl)methane spacers, was prepared in a longer, ten-step synthesis (Scheme 2) which included as a key intermediate the tetrabromocyclophane 5. 1H-NMR Binding studies in basic borate buffer in D2O/CD3OD demonstrated that 4 is an efficient steroid receptor. In a series of steroids (Table 1), complexation strength decreased with increasing substrate polarity and increasing number of polar substituents; in addition, electrostatic repulsion between carboxylate residues of host and guest also affected the binding affinity strongly. The conformationally flexible tetrabromocyclophane 5 displayed a pronounced tendency to form solid-state inclusion compounds of defined stoichiometry, which were analyzed by X-ray crystallography (Fig. 2). 1,2-Dichloroethane formed a cavity inclusion complex 5a with 1:1 stoichiometry, while in the 1:3 inclusion compound 5b with benzene, one guest is fully buried in the macrocyclic cavity and two others are positioned in channels between the Cyclophanes in the crystal lattice. In the 1:2 inclusion compound 5c, two toluene molecules penetrate with their aromatic rings the macrocyclic cavity from opposite sides in an antiparallel fashion. On the other hand, p-xylene (= 1,4-dimethylbenzene) in the 1:1 compound 5d is sandwiched between the cyclophane molecules with its two Me groups penetrating the cavities of the two macrocycles. In the 1:2 inclusion compound 5e with tetralin (= 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene), both host and guest are statically disordered. The shape of the macrocycle in 5a–e depends strongly on the nature of the guest (Fig. 4). Characteristic for these compounds is the pronounced tendency of 5 to undergo regular stacking and to form channels for guest inclusion; these channels can infinitely extend across the macrocyclic cavities (Fig. 6) or in the crystal lattice between neighboring cyclophane stacks (Fig. 5). Also, the crystal lattice of 5c displays a remarkable zig-zag pattern of short Br…O contacts between neighboring macrocycles (Fig. 7).


Two driving goals for cognitive radio (CR) techniques are maximizing spectrum utilization and avoiding interference to primary users. In this paper, we deal with the CR concept for legacy primary links optimized for noninterference (singe user) environments. In this type of network, primary destinations are not able to deal with possible interference and a missed cognitive detection significantly reduces the system performance. The enhancement of the primary network with cooperative diversity in addition to the well-known diversity gain for the primary link improves the sensing ability of the system and protects the primary user from possible interference. Both Amplify-Forward and Decode-Forward (DF) cooperative schemes are studied for the problem under consideration and a new DF policy which introduces a cognitive relay behavior is investigated. The proposed technique provides CR benefits without complicated network modifications and seems to be an attractive solution for future legacy networks with flexibility limitations.


Objective To explore the effects of HuangBaiYiLiu decoction on cell proliferation and expression of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA)proteins in human rectal cancer cell line Colo320.Methods Different concentrations of HuangBaiYiLiu decoction were used to intervene Colo320 cells in vitro.MTT assay and growth curve were used to show the influence on Colo320 cell's proliferation.The cell cycle distribution was determined by flow cytometry.The protein level of PCNA was examined by western blot analysis.Results Different concentrations of HuangBaiYi Liu decoction display varying degrees of tumor suppressor.Distribution of cell cycle in cell line Colo320 have had significant changes after 48 h intervening in vitro with HuangBaiYi Liu decoction,which display a sharp decline in the proportion of S phase and a clear increase in G0/G1 phase and G2/M phase,compared with the control group;in addition,PCNA had a significantly reduction.Conclusion HuangBaiYi Liu decoction can inhibit the proliferation of rectal cancer Colo320 cells which maybe one of the important mechanisms of its anti-tumor effect.


Music and speech are both performance arts. While these two art forms may seem distinct, they share a similar objective – to communicate a message that leaves a lasting impact. Our paper examines the relationship between music and speech and identifies the key musical elements that composers and professional speakers use to elicit specific emotional reactions from their listeners. Specifically, we explore five key musical elements – tempo, dynamics, pitch, timbre, and rhythm – in the context of selected musical compositions and public speeches and explain how speakers can layer these elements on top of one another to deliver powerful and memorable messages.


This study examined Ohio State students' thoughts and feelings regarding the issue of intimate partner abuse (IPA). Items specifically assessed beliefs about which behaviors constitute abuse, agreement with myths and recognition of facts about IPA, perceptions of the frequency and severity of abuse among OSU couples, prior and current experiences as a victim of IPA, and willingness to intervene in a violent scenario or associated reasons for not taking action. Students in our sample were less likely to define items of a psychological/nonverbal nature as abuse, and victims were less likely to rate a variety of items as such. Also, the overall sample agreed more with facts than with myths about IPA, but there were important differences observed between genders and victims/nonvictims on these items. Furthermore, the majority of students indicated that they would take some form of action if overhearing a violent episode, but many also said they would feel reluctant due to concerns about escalation and lack of adequate knowledge regarding how to handle such a situation. Analyses of correlations, implications for education and awareness efforts, and directions for future research are discussed. Attitudes, Beliefs, and Perceptions 3 Attitudes, Beliefs, and Perceptions of Intimate Partner Abuse in a College Sample: Results of a Pilot Study In recent years, the issue of abuse and violence between intimate partners has received increased attention and recognition as a social problem. As these developments have brought to light the severity and urgency of the subject, general disagreement between researchers, theorists, and activists about the specific definition and nature of intimate partner abuse (IPA) has undoubtedly elicited confusion among both professionals and the public as a whole (Kelly & Johnson, 2008). For the purposes of this study, intimate partner abuse refers to behaviors occurring within the context of an intimate, romantic relationship between two individuals for which one or both partners consciously perform actions that cause harm to the other partner. A review of the literature on IPA indicates that abuse between intimate partners is occurring at a high rate among university students (Straus, 2004; Nabors, Dietz, & Jasinski, 2006) and young people in general. For example, the International Dating Violence Study, which examined prevalence rates at 31 universities, reported that 29% of students overall reported having physically assaulted an intimate partner in the previous year (Straus, 2004). Much of the research suggests that younger people, particularly those aged 16-24, are at the highest risk of all age groups for victimization by a dating partner (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2001). It has also been observed that younger people are more likely than older adults to agree with myths and incorrect attributions of IPA and are less likely to correctly identify abusive behaviors as such (Nabors et al., 2006). One possible explanation for these trends is that a system of attitudes and beliefs supportive of partner abuse may contribute significantly to a culture of intimate violence. Because this Attitudes, Beliefs, and Perceptions 4 issue affects so many young people, further investigation into attitudes and beliefs as well as other risk factors associated with IPA is needed. Although research about IPA has become much more inclusive of non-married dating partners over the past 25 years, relatively few studies have extensively investigated the belief systems that may contribute to courtship violence. A two-part study by Carlson and Worden (2005) explored some of these concepts; their overall findings indicated that respondents very often identified acts of physical violence as domestic violence but were less clear about which non-physical acts constitute domestic violence. Similarly, students in other samples identified scenarios as more severe and more of a violation of the victim's rights when the type of abuse was physical compared to psychological (Langhinrichsen-Rohling, Shilen-Dellinger, Huss, & Kramer, 2004; Capezza & Arriaga, 2008). Significant gender effects have also been observed, as research indicates that men exhibit more belief in myths, less identification of facts, and less identification of physical and sexual abuse behaviors (Nabors et al., 2006). Age has been shown to be an influence both on attitudes and beliefs as well as prevalence estimates. Younger respondents (under the age of 30) estimated higher rates of prevalence than older adults, which may be due to higher rates of abuse in this age group (Carlson & Worden, 2005). The second part of this study, which focused on myths and causation endorsements, found that the majority (63%) of respondents agreed with victim-blaming statements, such as the idea that most women could escape an abusive relationship "if they really wanted to" (Worden & Carlson, 2005, p. 1227). When items based on this study were administered to a college sample, participants subscribed to these myths and incorrect attributions at even higher rates for most items, such as 77% Attitudes, Beliefs, and Perceptions 5 for the aforementioned item example (Nabors et al., 2006). However, Nabors and colleagues (2006) also observed that students who were further along in their university education were better at identifying empirically-validated statements and were less likely to endorse myth items. Investigations of prevalence rates in college samples indicate high rates of violence against dating partners (Straus, 2004; Nabors et al., 2006). Some of these research findings are surprising in that they are contrary to commonly accepted beliefs about IPA. For example, Straus (2004) found that women were more often the perpetrator, which is generally consistent with other literature (Makepeace, 1981; Straus, 1999; Archer, 2000; Moffitt, Caspi, Rutter, & Sliva, 2001; Felson, 2002). However, literature points to women also being the victim of physical violence more often and sustaining higher level violence and injury (Makepeace, 1986; Archer, 2000; Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). Research on same-sex couple abuse rates is still developing, but existing literature suggests that rates are similar to those for heterosexuals (Island & Letellier, 1991; Lockhart, White, Causby, & Isaac, 1994). Other behaviors of interest include stalking and sexual assault. Stalking behaviors are important to investigate because of the significant link to intimate relationships and the psychological effects associated with being stalked (Douglas & Dutton, 2001). Sexual assault and rape that occurs in the context of intimate relationships is not a topic that receives much attention, but it is an issue that affects women in particular because women are most often the victims of IPA behaviors of a sexual nature in heterosexual marriages and cohabiting relationships (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). Attitudes, Beliefs, and Perceptions 6 Another area that has not been widely studied is the willingness of bystanders to intervene in situations of intimate abuse. According to one study, females who chose to take action when they overheard an abusive episode were more likely to call upon system intervention (such as calling the police), whereas males who elected to intervene favored personal intervention (such as approaching the couple) (Seelau, Seelau, & Poorman, 2003). Females also reported more of a willingness to take action at all (Seelau et al., 2003). However, there is no literature to date that extensively examines links between general beliefs about abuse (other than seriousness ratings based on gender and orientation) and peer intervention tactics. In this study, we examined specific correlations between items assessing attitudes and beliefs and participants' reported intervention strategies because educational and awareness efforts directed toward changing students' thinking about IPA may be assessed by changes in reported willingness to intervene over time. Interpretation of the data from these measures will allow for a better understanding of the link between students beliefs and their actions, which is necessary information in the development of education and prevention efforts for the program for which this instrument will be used. Based on the findings in the literature about IPA in college communities, it is clear that there is a need for primary prevention and educational strategies on the part of campus departments and services. Since The Ohio State University is consistently among the most populous universities in the United States and has a relatively diverse student body (Office of the University Registrar Official Reports, 2001-2007; Office of Institutional Research and Planning Statistical Summary, Autumn 2008), we are interested in the particular culture of partner abuse in our campus community. This Attitudes, Beliefs, and Perceptions 7 exploratory study was done in collaboration with The Ohio State University Student Wellness Center in partnership with the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence, and was intended to assess the attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of IPA at Ohio State as well as general prevalence rates of abuse among students. We developed a survey instrument and piloted it with a small sample of students in order to assess whether this measure was suitable for use in a larger random sample of OSU students. This instrument will ultimately be administered annually by staff members at the OSU Student Wellness Center with random samples of 10,000 students. Data from these studies will be used to facilitate the development of prevention and education programs based on the needs of the Ohio State community and to assess trends over time. We included in our study items intended to measure beliefs related to myths and attributions, beliefs about what constitutes abuse, and questions about how participants would react in a hypothetical scenario in which they overhear a violent


Organic heterojunction connector(OHC) layers were widely used in tandem organic light emitting diodes ( OLEDs) for their good light transmittance and technological compatibility with OLEDs. In a tandem OLEDꎬ the OHC layersꎬ serving as the charge generation layerꎬ played an im ̄ portant role in tandem OLEDs to function efficiently. In order to obtain the OHC layers with best performanceꎬ the devices with the structure of glass / ITO / tris ( 8 ̄hydroxyquinoline ) aluminum (Alq3)(60 nm) / C60(x nm) / CuPc(y nm) / NꎬN′ ̄bis(naphthalen ̄1 ̄yl) ̄NꎬN′ ̄bis(phenyl) ̄be ̄nzi ̄ dine (NPB)(40 nm) / Al(100 nm) were fabricated. The current density ̄voltage characteristic of the fabricated devices revealed that the OHC layer with the structure of C60 / CuPc can generate charge carriers effectivelyꎬ and show the largest charge carrier generation ability with the structure of C60(30 nm) / CuPc(10 nm). The forming physical mechanism of optimized OHC layer was reasonably explained. The results obtained in this paper can present an in ̄depth understanding of the working 644 发    光    学    报 第 40 卷 mechanism of tandem OLED and help ones fabricate high efficiency OLED.


The presence of genotoxic stress in eight ichthyic species in two tropical lentic environments of Colombia [Cachimbero (Santander) and Ayapel (Cordoba) floodplains lakes] was evaluated by the micronuclei test. After capturing and identifying each specimen, morphometric measurements were taken, and a blood sample drawn through cardiac or caudal vein puncture. Blood smears were stained with Giemsa and the frequency of micronuclei was quantified in 2000 cells per individual. A total of 11 species, 128 individuals, and 256.000 erythrocytes were evaluated. The condition factor for each captured specimen was calculated and a K-W analysis was applied in order to compare the number of MN among the different species in each lentic systems. The results showed a statistically significant relation between the condition factor and the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes for the Ayapel flooplain lake. The less human-intervened floodplain lake (Cachimbero) showed the highest number of specimens with zero micronucleus, being Hoplias malabaricus the most sensitive species. The contrary occurs in the Ayapel floodplain lake contaminated with alluvial gold mining residues, where Ctenolucius sujeta and the native Cyphocharax magdalenae species presented the highest micronuclei averages. Our results further suggest that both sensitive and non-sensitive species should be included as sentinels in biomonitoring studies in Colombia.


Indoor localization is a growing field of the Internet of Things (IoT) which is used in various sensitive applications such as manufacturing chain optimization or location-based authentication. Localization protocols rely on physical properties of the transmitted signals, such as Time-of-Flight or Received Signal Strength, which can be altered or impersonated by various types of attacks. Therefore, classical encryption techniques cannot guarantee the security of these localization protocols. Most off-the-shelf positioning platforms do not address the flaws related to localization. In addition, designers have a limited access to the various protocols, filters and algorithms involved in the localization chain, which poses a considerable obstacle to propose security solutions. This paper presents a prototyping platform called SecureLoc, open at every layer, for evaluating secure indoor localization methods based on Ultra-Wide Band Impulse Response (UWB-IR) technology, with respect to the cost and integration constraints of the IoT. We show the potential of SecureLoc for security evaluation and countermeasures through the case study of a spoofed acknowledgment attack. A novel analysis and evaluation of this attack is proposed. The robustness of SecureLoc localization chain against this attack is evaluated. Insights on future enhancements of this attack and possible low-cost countermeasures are provided.


In this work, we investigate the magnetic properties of the monoclinic α-CoV2O6 by powder neutron diffraction measurements and ab initio calculations. An emphasis has been pointed towards the magnetic structure and the interaction between the Co ions leading to magnetic frustrations in this compound. Neutron diffraction experiments were carried out both in the ground state (zero magnetic field) and under applied external field of 2.5 and 5 T corresponding to the ferrimagnetic and ferromagnetic states, respectively. The antiferromagnetic ground state below 14 K corresponds to k = (1,0, 12 ) magnetic propagation vector in C1 space group. The magnetic structure can be described by ferromagnetic interactions along the chains (b axis) and antiferromagnetic coupling between the chains (along a and c axes). The ferrimagnetic structure implies a ninefold unit cell (3a, b, 3c) in which ferromagnetic chains follow an "up-up-down" sequence along the a and c axes. In the ferromagnetic state, the spin orientations remain unchanged while every chain lies ferromagnetically ordered. In all cases, the magnetic moments lie in the ac plane, along the CoO6 octahedra axis, at an angle of 9.3◦ with respect to the c axis. The magnetic structure of α-CoV2O6 resolved for all the ordered states is successfully related to a theoretical model. Ab initio calculations allowed us to (i) confirm the ground-state magnetic structure, (ii) calculate the interactions between the Co ions, (iii) explain the frustration leading to the stepped variation of the magnetization curves, (iv) calculate the orbital magnetic moment (1.5 μB ) on Co atoms, and (v) confirm the direction of the magnetic moments near the c direction.


A 3D numerical model of the flow in estuaries and coastal seas has been developed. Several options have been included for the turbulence closure. The first part of the paper describes the model and its validation against existing models. The model is then applied to the Hauraki Gulf and the second part of the paper describes this application and the development of a field work program for calibration. The model has been developed as a tool for predicting wind generated surface currents. This will provide a tool for determining water quality issues in a body of water, which is used as a major recreation area.


The report summarizes research conducted on the conceptual and experimental development of Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) during the period from 1968 to 1975. The work considered not only the technical and operational aspects of the PRT concept, but also included estimates of PRT capital and operating costs, analyses of system safety and reliability, analyses of urban applications and associated economics, evaluation of PRT energy utilization, development of PRT planning methodologies, and assessments of PRT deployment impacts. Technology shortfalls associated with the possible future implementation of the specific PRT concept are identified, and research and development activities to overcome these shortfalls are recommended.


The term megalopolis was first used in 1940 by Lewis Mumford to refer to the great 'metropolis growing uncontrollably.' Manuel Castells(1996), a leading urban sociologist has called the rise of these mega cities of 8 million or more people as the specific feature of the third millennium urbanization. In another ten years there will be 26 of these giant cities in the world. These mega cities "leapfrogs in all directions" (Stren, 2001:2) bridging towns and villages and creating what McGee calls desakota zones (Stren, 2001). South Asia is undergoing a rapid process of urbanization. In India alone there has been an 11 fold increase of urban population in the last century. What is more important is the rise of mega cities in South Asia. In 1950 there was only one large city-Kolkata, which was among the top ten cities in the world. In 2000 four of the largest 15 cities of the world were situated in South Asia. By 2015 five of the largest cities will be from this region. Mumbai will be the second largest city of the world with about 23 million people. Delhi will move to the third position with 21 million. Dhaka will rank 7 with 18 million people. Kolkata will emerge as the 10 largest city surging with 17 million souls. Karachi will be in the 11 position with a population of about 16 million. These five cities together will contain nearly 100 million people. These cities have swollen up through migration from the countryside and many of these migrants are poor. In the backdrop of massive wealth of these cities the poor lead a subhuman life in slums or squatters, in its informal economy and in its underworld without shelter, safe water or medicare and often jobs.


Abstract This paper describes 'generate and situated transformation' as a paradigm for models of computational creativity that can lead to novel questions and methods of enquiry. It describes the need for systems that can move towards a frame within which a design solution can be found. The term situated transformation is defined, with reference to Boden's notion of transformation and ideas from situated cognition, as a change of frame that is based upon experience. The paper then provides a demonstration of simple systems with generate and situated transformation that embody this idea. It then elaborates upon these models showing parallels within established systems in the literature. The paper concludes with a discussion of research questions and avenues of enquiry that are apparent within this paradigm.


Much environmental studies have widely examined the relationship between environmental regulation and innovation, but scholars do not reach a consensus. Different from the homogeneous and static view in prior studies, this paper uses a heterogeneous and dynamic perspective by splitting the relationship of environmental regulation and innovation into two sub processes, from environmental regulation to portfolio change of technology sourcing channels, then to innovation outputs, and considering the moderate effect of management efficiency in the second sub stage. Using a dataset of 36 Chinese industrial sectors between 2009 and 2014, we find that firms respond to strict environmental regulation by shifting the portfolio of technology sourcing channels (dissimilarity), but such kind of dissimilarity decreases innovation outcomes. Furthermore, it is found that, in efficient industries, the degree of negative effect of the portfolio change of technology sourcing channels on innovation outputs is lower than in inefficient industries. Taken together, we thus propose a process view of the environmental regulation-innovationrelationship.


Objective:To analyze the risk factors and complications of late preterm infants,provide a basis for prevention and treatment. Methods:The clinical data and perinatal complications of 137 late preterm infants and 329 term infants were analyzed and compared. Results:There was significant difference in Apgar score,birth weight,hospitalization time and maternal high risk factors during perinatal period between the two groups(P0.05).The incidences of neonatal jaundice(92.0%),low blood glucose and low temperature(31.3%),respiratory system diseases(17.5%) and feeding intolerance(8.8%) in study group were significantly higher than those in control group(83.59%,6.99%,2.43%,0)(P0.05).The incidence of multiple neonatal complications in study group was 85.40%,which was significantly higher than that in control group(19.45%)(P0.05).The incidences of complications among late preterm infants from high to low were listed as follows: jaundice(92.0%),cardiovascular system diseases(33.6%),low blood glucose and low temperature(31.3%),respiratory system diseases(17.5%),intracranial hemorrhage and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(16.8%),infectious diseases(14.6%) and feeding intolerance(8.8%). Conclusion:Low Apgar score and maternal high risk factors during perinatal period may become risk factors of complications among late preterm infants,the monitoring of high bilirubin,electrocardiogram and blood glucose should be enhanced in clinic for early detection and timely treatment.


Positron Emission Tomography (PET)-based molecular imaging represents one of the most powerful tools to measure tumor biology variations and tumor microenvironment heterogeneity, which are major factors impacting cancer treatment failure. In this respect, Spatiotemporal Distribution Models based on Partial Differential Equations can provide an informative picture of in vivo cancer biology, ultimately improving clinical decision-making. In fact, PET tracer diffusion simulations can be used to optimize imaging protocols and interpret PET cancer data for staging purposes, enabling an accurate assessment of the tumor burden and thus informing optimal therapeutic strategies. In this study, we propose a spatiotemporal convection-diffusion model to simulate F18-fluorothymidine ($[^{18}$F]FLT) uptake in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tissues. We develop a tissue-aware diffusivity map to generate a more realistic estimation of the tracer concentration. We correlate the dynamic spatial estimates of the $[^{18}$F] FLT uptake with the tumor proliferation map enabling the investigation of the relationship between the dynamic changes in $[^{18}$F] FLT uptake and the rate of cellular proliferation in PDAC tissues. These results could serve as guidance for optimizing the imaging process and inform the research on the effectiveness of novel tracers.


Leptospirosis, a zoonosis with worldwide distribution, is caused by pathogenic spirochetes belonging to the genus Leptospira. Bacterial outer membrane proteins (OMPs), particularly those with surface-exposed regions, play crucial roles in pathogen dissemination and virulence mechanisms. Here we characterized the leptospiral Membrane Protein L36 (MPL36), a rare lipoprotein A (RlpA) homolog with a C-terminal Sporulation related (SPOR) domain, as an important virulence factor in pathogenic Leptospira. Our results showed that MPL36 is surface exposed and expressed during infection. Recombinant MPL36 (rMPL36) showed high plasminogen (PLG)-binding ability determined by lysine residues of the C-terminal region of the protein, with ability to convert bound-PLG to active plasmin. Using Koch's molecular postulates, we determined that a mutant of mpl36 has a reduced PLG-binding ability, leading to a decreased capacity to adhere and translocate MDCK cell monolayers. Using recombinant protein and mutant strains, we determined that the MPL36-bound plasmin (PLA) can degrade fibrinogen. Finally, our mpl36 mutant had a significant attenuated phenotype in the hamster model for acute leptospirosis. Our data indicates that MPL36 is the major PLG binding protein in pathogenic Leptospira, and crucial to the pathogen's ability to attach and interact with host tissues during infection. The MPL36 characterization contributes to the expanding field of bacterial pathogens that explore PLG for their virulence, advancing the goal to close the knowledge gap regarding leptospiral pathogenesis while offering a novel potential candidate to improve diagnostic and prevention of this important zoonotic neglected disease. Author Summary As part of their diverse virulence machinery, bacterial pathogens bind to human plasminogen (PLG) providing them with a proteolytic platform that promotes invasiveness, dissemination, and virulence. Leptospirosis is the leading zoonotic disease in morbidity and mortality worldwide. The burden of this neglected disease will continue to raise given the effects of climate change and social inequality, important drivers of disease. Furthermore, the gap of knowledge regarding leptospiral pathogenesis has negatively impacted the development of sensitive diagnostic tools and effective prevention methods. Previous studies have shown that pathogenic Leptospira, the causative agent of leptospirosis, can interact with PLG through different protein candidates. In this work, we characterized one of those candidates, Membrane Protein L36 (MPL36), as the main leptospiral plasminogen binding protein. Using genetically modified mutants, in vivo, and in vitro assays we provided evidence that MPL36 can bound PLG, promotes adherence to host cells and subsequent translocation, and degrades fibrinogen by converting bound-PLG to PLA, thus essential to leptospiral virulence. This work contributes to the growing field of bacterial pathogens exploring PLG to increase their virulence, while highlighting important new knowledge on leptospiral pathogenesis. MPL36 is an important candidate to be explored on the continued effort to improve diagnostic and prevention of this important zoonotic disease.


No matter how well-known colleges are, there will always be concerns that people have during the application process and even after they have been accepted. The college hosts a variety of events, ranging from departmental activities to club activities. Not everyone is likely aware of all events. Chatbot bridges gap between people and information. The world is becoming more automated, and people expect services to become more automated as well. A chatbot is software that responds to user questions and provides information from a knowledge base. The purpose of this project is to create a chatbot for VNRVJIET that will answer queries raised about fests, departmental activities, events, clubs, infrastructure, placement data, admission procedure, and others. The proposed methodology consists of a chatbot built using Deep Neural Networks and speech recognition capabilities. The information is delivered in both speech and text modes using the proposed methodology. Data is collected and formatted in JSON format initially. The prepared data is preprocessed and then the bag of words algorithm is applied to it. The bag of words algorithm is most influential method for object categorization. The key aspect of using this algorithm is for converting the word vector to a numerical data set for machine to do a deeper analysis. A deep neural network is created using tensor flow API, and the speech recognition function is defined for the input query and output response. Finally, chatbot function is defined and utilized for generating responses for any given query.


As far as students' academic performance in the West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examination is concerned, coverage of syllabus among other factors has been identified as key. The purpose of the study was to investigate the perceived factors that influence core mathematics syllabus coverage in Senior High Schools in Ghana.  A qualitative research approach with case study design, guided by four research questions and semi-structured oral interview guide as well as questionnaire were used in the study. Participants were selected using a purposive and convenient sampling techniques. The data was analysed in themes and presented on frequency tables. The study found that national education policies, Covid 19 pandemic, school programs, and teacher/students-related issues were the perceived factors that influenced coverage of the core mathematics syllabus. The study employed the Goal Setting and self-Efficacy theories. The instrument was pretested by the researcher to determine its validity. It was therefore recommended that government should provide schools with textbooks, furniture, teaching and learning materials, more classrooms, library, laboratories as well as motivate teachers with better conditions of service.


In the paper the analysis of the new interdisciplinary research field of «Philosophy of Education» is considered. «Philosophy of Education» explore the educational system in its correlation with a cultural paradigm. Importance humanitarization of educational process is underlined in ХХІ century and similarly necessity of the national system of education with the use of traditional forms of teaching and education


Carrier recombination in single and double abrupt bipolar transistors (HBTs) is analysed. The numerical results performed on InP based structures show that the recombination rate in the neutral base of double abrupt HBTs is higher than in single abrupt HBTs owing to the electron confinement in the base region.


We describe the design of a small thermal desalination unit for use in refugee camps or in emergency situations that might be found after natural disasters. The thermal evaporation and condenser stages are separated for higher efficiency and the process is powered by low-cost PMMA concentrating Fresnel lenses. The overall concept is explained, and the detailed design is presented. The durability of the PMMA lenses is discussed. The design is calculated to produce up to 100 litres of fresh water per day in MENA regions with DNI>700 W/m2 over 8 hours, assuming 50% efficiency. Two manufactured prototypes are to be built in Israel and deployed in Palestine and Jordan for field testing.We describe the design of a small thermal desalination unit for use in refugee camps or in emergency situations that might be found after natural disasters. The thermal evaporation and condenser stages are separated for higher efficiency and the process is powered by low-cost PMMA concentrating Fresnel lenses. The overall concept is explained, and the detailed design is presented. The durability of the PMMA lenses is discussed. The design is calculated to produce up to 100 litres of fresh water per day in MENA regions with DNI>700 W/m2 over 8 hours, assuming 50% efficiency. Two manufactured prototypes are to be built in Israel and deployed in Palestine and Jordan for field testing.


the purpose of the flaps is to generate more lift at slower airspeed, which enables the airplane to fly at a greatly reduced speed with a lower risk of stalling. Shock wave-vortex interaction that is generated in external flows (Aerofoil or wing) and internal flows (inlets, nozzles, and combustors) is a complex and often unsteady phenomenon. For analyzing external flow around supersonic solar aircraft with wings of large sweep and small aspect ratio this classical problem in theoretical gas dynamics is very important. Generation of a vortex sheet near the leading edge of the wing and its subsequent rolling into two isolated vortices is the important feature of such flows. These vortices interact with shock waves formed on the aircraft surface elements. Interaction of a supersonic vortex with an oblique shock wave is an important phenomenon because of strong acoustic levels and its adverse effect in aerodynamic performance in high speed fluid flows through flap wing as Wake Turbulence in supersonic aircraft. When a plane shock wave meets a vortex, disturbance is generated, which propagates along the shock wave and results in its deformation. Behind the curved shock wave, the flow field is compressed and rarefied locally and forms acoustic waves. These interesting phenomena are closely related to the shock–turbulence interaction, which is one of the major sources of noise. So this study and investigation will be a good solution to reduce these noise and find the best position of flap where the vortex will still attached to the flap and it is need to analysis the dynamics of Shock-Vortex Interaction of Flap wings by computational fluid Dynamics and it is important to predict the aerodynamics behavior of Shock-Vortex Interaction on flap wings including effect of drag force & lift force and others aerodynamics & thermal factors by flowing air around flap wings and Wake Turbulence for aircraft and then results will be applied to better design the flap wing of aircraft and further this study also can be apply for flap wing of solar power airplane. By choosing proper angle of attack, angle of flap and using software by which different parameters can be generate for geometry of aerofoil. Ansys Fluent can be used which is a simulator for aerofoil. With this software investigation can be do that how an aircraft Flap wing produces lift and drag by changing the values of different factors that produce aerodynamic forces and how flap wing will produce the dynamics of Shock-Vortex interaction and what will be the optimize condition to reduce hazard on flap wing aircraft as Wake turbulence. The objective of this study was to research to assess the levels of acoustic pressure and wake turbulence at different angle of attack with different Mack numbers especially at high Mack number and different flap deflection angle through Flap Wing by a CFD tool and validate the CFD results to Scaled flap wing model of an aircraft by wind tunnel/ PIV system or Numerical Method.


Based on the third Chinese Arctic Expedition cruise in the summer of 2008,the distribution patterns of pico-and nano-plankton and bacterial abundances were studied in the Chukchi Sea.Pico-and nano-phytoplankton abundances ranged from 0.01×103 to 5.51×103 cells·mL-1 and from 0.01×103 to 5.51×103 cells·mL-1,respectively.The lowest numbers of bacteria in the entire water column were recorded at station R17 at 100 m depth(0.21×106 cells·mL-1),and the highest concentration was observed at station R09 at 10 m depth(9.61×106 cells·mL-1).Our results demonstrate that melting sea ice affects the physical characteristics of the Chukchi Sea by reducing the salinity of the surface mixed layer which,in turn,results in greater hydrodynamic stability of the water column.These changes were accompanied by increasing bacterial concentrations.Pacific warm water brought high nutrient concentrations into the Chukchi Sea,which led to higher abundances of bacteria and nano-phytoplankton compared to other regions of the Arctic Ocean.However,the number of pico-phytoplankton in the Anadyr Water related well to chlorophyll a,and the number was greater than those in the other two water masses.The structure of pico-and nano-plankton communities,coupled with the water masses in the Chukchi Sea,can be considered indicators of the inflow of Pacific warm water into the Chukchi Sea.


This article proposed an autoencoder‐decoder architecture with convolutional long‐short‐term memory (ConvLSTM) cell for the purpose of learning topology optimization iterations. The overall topology optimization process is treated as time‐series data, with each iteration as a single step. The first few steps are fed into the encoder to generate encoder embedding, which is fed into the decoder. The decoder uses the encoder embedding as input and generates the result at each future step until the end of iteration. To train the proposed neural network, a large dataset is generated by a conventional topology optimization method, that is, solid isotropic material with penalization for intermediate densities, with randomly picked boundary conditions, load conditions, and volume constraints. Unlike other deep learning models introduced before, the proposed method can learn each topology optimization step iteratively and present the full optimization path. Furthermore, the proposed method can be extended to give solutions to unseen boundary and load conditions with a significant reduction in computation cost in a little sacrifice on the performance of the optimum design.


An investigational study of the impulse-electric field on an increase in the potential of nerve membranes, increased ion absorption of Na, K, Cl, has been conducted. The aim of this study is not only to observe the performance of the electric field as a source of energy but also to look the effective, efficient and non-thermally disabling, disinfecting the microorganisms. Based on the result of research, qualitatively with object of parasitic nematode, there is tenfold increase possibly in critical nervous membrane from normal potential, in intensity of electrical field of 13.33 – 18.66 kV/cm in angle, θ is 44.41˚, and comparative membrane dielectric decreased to 0.2, it led to dielectric rupture, non-active effects, and needs an energy only 0.64 mJ for twenty triggers, with condition of electrode potential of 6.3 kV.


The invention provides a method used for searching a path of a live power cable. The method comprises the following steps: firstly, a signal source outputs a sinusoidal signal of 1 KHz to 100 KHz, and an annular coil is used to add sinusoidal signal induction to a ground wire of a detected cable or a cable terminal; and secondly, the path of the detected cable is determined through a special signal receiver on the ground. The method has the characteristics of accurate and rapid search and strong anti-interference.


Agricultural runoff caused great pollution on water environment. In present study, contraposing the purification efficiency for 3 kinds of sward-buffer to runoff pollutant. The results showed that: Exposed riparian land has no reduce effect for SS in runoff, and the ratio for a 19 meter one is above 80%, the most efficacious sward is Cynodon dactylon, the reduce ratio can reach 84%, and the following are Trifolium repens and Festuca Arundinacea, the reduce ratio of which are respectivly 81% and 73%; when the influent TN concentration is lower than 10 mg·L-1, the effluent TN concentration of seepage water of four buffer strips all lower than 2 mg·L-1, which all reach the Grade V of Surface Water Environmental Quality Standards (Chinese EPA, 2002); when the influent TP concentration is almost 0.9~1.0 mg·L-1, the effluent TP concentration of seepage water of four buffer strips is almost 0.08~0.34 mg·L-1, which all lower than Grade V of Surface Water Environmental Quality Standards (Chinese EPA, 2002); through the simulating formula, the optimal width for 3 kind of sward-buffer is 16.1~20.4m when the the decrease ratio of ss is 80%, in which Cynodon dactylon is the most efficacious one.


Despite a significant surge in the number of investigations into chirality at the nanoscale, especially thiolated chiral molecules capping gold clusters, only limited knowledge is currently available to elaborate the alloying effect on chiroptical behavior of bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs). Also, few successful cases as to the efforts toward the development of chirality-dependent applications on the optically active nanomaterial have been made. Herein, as a positive test case for chiral alloy nanoparticle synthesis, the stable and large chiroptical ultrafine Au-Ag alloy NPs were prepared by reduction of different molar fractions of HAuCl4 and AgNO3 with NaBH4 in the presence of d/l-penicillamine (d/l-Pen). Compared with those of monometallic Au and Ag counterparts with comparable size, the Au-Ag alloy NPs (Ag mole fraction, 70%) obviously displayed the largest optical activities with the maximum g-factors of ∼1.6 × 10-3. Impressively, the Pen-mediated synthesis of chiral Au-Ag alloy NPs possesses a colorimetric self-recognition function and can be used as an incisive circular dichroism (CD) probe toward d- and l-Pen enantiomers. The plasmonic CD signal amplification (ΔICD) shows good linearity with the amount of Pen over the range of 5.0-80.0 μM with a detection limit (3σ) of 1.7 μM for l-Pen and 1.5 μM for d-Pen, respectively. In addition, the sensing system exhibits good selectivity toward d- and l-Pen in the presence of other enantiomers; therefore, it is highly expected that the approach described here would open new opportunities for design of more novel enantioselective analyses of important species related to biological processes.


A composite film via deposition of chitosan/platinum nanoparticles was constructed on a gold electrode using electrichemical methods.Glucose biosensor was formed with glucose oxidase immobilized in composite immobilization membrane matrix,which was composed of chitosan and platinum nanoparticles by using glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking agent.The response time of biosensor is only about 8s,with a linear range from 1×10-5 to 1×10-3mol/L and a detection limit of 1.4×10-5mol/L(S/N =3.0).Meanwhile,the biosensor has higher sensitivity and longtime stability.


Gene expression microarray data collections contain information that can shed light on a variety of systems-level biological problems, including the functional roles of proteins and the regulatory networks governing their transcription and translation. However, the analysis of these data is complicated by unusual noise characteristics and variation between experimental protocols and technologies. Many of the efforts to confront these difficulties utilize additional pre-processing strategies to adjust the input data and/or alter parameter choices of their algorithmic approach. Here, we examine the effect of some of these techniques in the context of the SPELL similarity search algorithm. Our results demonstrate that pre-processing and parameter choices can greatly affect the performance of this approach. As such, these choices should be carefully considered and evaluated when performing a broad range of analyses of gene expression data.


worldwide breast cancer considered the most conmen type of malignancy among females Avoiding the risk factors can reduce its incidence, and adhering to screening and early detection can reduce its mortality In Iraq, breast cancer is the most common type of malignancy among Iraqi women. It accounts approximately one third of the registered female cancers according to the latest Iraqi Cancer Registry which shows a trend for the disease to be affected younger age groups. Objectives: To assess attitudes of nurses toward early detection of Breast Cancer and to determine the relationship between the socio demographic characteristics & attitudes. Methodology: A descriptive analytic design was conducted on Probability ( purposive sample) of (107) nurses at Babylon Teaching Hospital for maternal and Children & Hilla general Teaching Hospital in Hilla City . A questionnaire has been used as a tool of data collection for the period form 1 st of May to July 20 th 2015, consists of three part ;including : Socio Demographic data, Health History, and Attitudes . A descriptive and inferential statistical analyses are used to analyze the data . Results: The results of the study revealed that (50.47%) of women aged (20 - 26) years, (50.5%) were secondary school graduates ; (72.9%) were married; (79.4%) resident in urban areas; (78.50%) have years of experience of (1-10) year; (45.8%) were registering enough economic status , and (82.2%) were not smoking, according to the family history of the sample ( 78.51%) they don't have one of the family member has tumors, (47.83%) was mothers, according to the nurse medical history (7.5%) affected with one type of tumors, while (22.4%)developed One of breast problem previously,(54.17%)they have an infection in the breast ,(54.17%)in the right breast,( 50%)were medically dealing with infection . There is no significant relationship at P≤ 0.05 with all attitudes and demographical characteristics . Recommendations: Nurses need to change their attitude toward the treatment of the cancer and activate their role as health educators in their work place.


The present doctoral thesis encompasses the design and synthesis of new enantiopure phosphine-phosphite (P-OP) ligands and the further application of the new and previously discovered P-OP ligands in the development of efficient catalytic systems for different enantioselective transformations that could be used for the preparation of synthetically relevant molecules with pharmaceutical, biological or agrochemical interest. In this context, we first directed our efforts to the preparation of new narrow bite angle phosphine-phosphite ligands incorporating a stereogenic phosphino group (the (S)-tert-butyl(methyl)phosphino motif) and a spacer between the phosphino and phosphite groups containing only one carbon atom. We envisaged that such ligands would provide an asymmetric and rigid environment around the metal center. The synthetic strategy for preparing these ligands consisted of the base-mediated O-phosphorylation of an enantiomerically pure phosphino alcohol borane complex with enantiopure chlorophosphites derived from BINOL (i.e. 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol) or 3,3'-diphenyl-substituted H8-BINOL (i.e. octahydro-1,1'-binaphtalene-2,2'-diol) followed by cleavage of the borane protecting groups (overall isolated yields ranging from 28 to 44%). Furthermore, the ability of these ligands to form stable metal-complexes with the typical Rh-precursors for asymmetric hydrogenations and hydroformylations was as well studied. In this context, cationic rhodium(I) complexes with the formula [Rh(nbd)(P-OP)]BF4 could be efficiently prepared and isolated by reacting stoichiometric amounts of the ligand and [Rh(nbd)2]BF4. Regarding the coordination with typical rhodium(I) precursors for asymmetric hydroformylations (i.e., [Rh(acac)(CO)2]), the formation of the expected metal complexes with formula [Rh(acac)(P-OP)] was confirmed by standard spectroscopic techniques. The catalytic performance of the rhodium complexes in asymmetric hydrogenations was evaluated in a set of structurally diverse functionalized alkenes: high catalytic activities (up to >99% conversion) and enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee) were achieved. The ligand that provided the best results in terms of enantioselectivity in asymmetric hydrogenations was the one that incorporated an (S)-configured phosphino group and the sterically hindered 3,3'-diphenyl substituted (R)-H8-BINOL phosphite fragment. The new narrow-bite angle P-OP ligands were also screened in the asymmetric hydroformylation of a set of structurally diverse terminal alkenes. In this particular reaction, moderate to high values of activity and regioselectivity were generally obtained (up to 99% conversion and branched to linear product ratios up to 97/3) though the enantioselectivities of the resulting branched aldehydes were only moderate (up to 64% ee). Coinciding with the main aim of developing efficient catalytic systems for hydrogenative asymmetric transformations and considering the excellent catalytic properties achieved by the Rh-complexes derived from phosphine-phosphite ligands developed by the group in asymmetric hydrogenations of standard functionalized alkenes, we then directed our investigations toward the development of new asymmetric hydrogenative transformations with the objective of preparing synthetically relevant products. In this context, optically pure sulfoxides represent a valuable class of optically active compounds that have broad applicability in several areas such as in asymmetric synthesis (as chiral auxiliaries or ligands) and in biologically related sciences (as natural or synthetic bioactive compounds). Among the approaches that asymmetric catalysis offers, kinetic resolution of racemic sulfoxides can be considered an appealing method for the preparation of two optically active sulfoxides in only one synthetic step. For that purpose, we focused our studies in developing a catalytic methodology for hydrogenatively resolving racemic unsaturated sulfoxides by asymmetric hydrogenations using Rh-complexes derived from P-OP ligands. After ligand and reaction condition optimization, we found that the P-OP ligand that incorporated the 3,3'-diphenyl-substituted (S)-H8-BINOL fragment was the optimal ligand for this transformation. With the optimal catalyst in hand, we optimized specific reaction conditions for obtaining the recovered starting material and hydrogenated product with the highest possible yield and enantioselectivity. In general, regardless of the nature of the substrate, both recovered and hydrogenated products were isolated in notable yields (up to 80% isolated yields for recovered and resolved products referred to half the amount of starting material), with high enantioselectivities (up to 99% and 97% of ee for recovered and resolved products, respectively) and with remarkably high selectivity factors (s values up to 148). Moreover, coordination studies between the Rh-precatalyst and both racemic and enantiopure vinyl sulfoxides were performed in solution. The NMR data obtained from those studies gave us some insight about the favored stereodifferentiating routes of the catalytic reaction and we could tentatively propose a possible reaction pathway for the hydrogenative kinetic resolution of vinyl sulfoxides using Rh-(P-OP)+ complexes. Further studies on this catalytic methodology were performed in order to study the effects of precisely positioning alkyl or aryl substituents at the alpha-, E- and Z-positions of the double bond in the (stereo)chemical outcome of the reactions. As the selective synthesis of some of racemic unsaturated sulfoxides constituted a challenge, we also developed interesting synthetic protocols for the preparation of unsaturated sulfoxides that can be useful for the synthetic community (i.e. (Z)-selective hydrogenations of allenyl sulfoxide derivatives). After some experimentation, efficient and selective catalytic conditions were identified. The presence of substituents at the vinyl moiety was well tolerated, and moderate to excellent enantioselectivities were observed for both recovered and resolved products (up to 99% and 93% of ee for recovered and resolved products, respectively) with high selectivity factors (s up to 91). Moreover, the practicality of this kinetic resolution methodology was further demonstrated by preparing a number of advanced synthetic intermediates of biologically active molecules containing sulfoxide groups ((R)-sulforaphene, (S)-sulforaphane and a histone deacetylase inhibitor), which could be efficiently obtained and isolated with moderate to high values of enantioselectivity (50-94% of ee). Following our efforts in developing highly efficient catalytic systems derived from phosphine-phosphite ligands, we became interested in developing enantioselective catalysts for the hydrogenative desymmetrization of achiral 1,4-dienes, as the resulting products can be considered versatile building blocks for the construction of more complex molecules. After reaction condition optimization and further ligand screening, we observed that the use of a ligand incorporating the (S,S)-TADDOL (i.e. ((2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4,5-diyl)bis-(diphenylmethanol)) moiety provided the best results in terms of activity, chemo- and enantio-selectivity, so that was selected as the optimal ligand for this transformation. With the optimal catalyst in hand, the scope of the reaction was expanded to a set of structurally diverse 1,4-dienes. The presence of substituents at the 2 and 4 positions, or even the presence of disubstitution at the 3 position of the 1,4-diene, did not produce detrimental effects in the outcome of the catalytic reaction, and the reaction products could be selectively obtained (selectivity >92%) with high values of enantioselectivity (up to 92% ee).


The present invention relates to a method for the in vitro diagnosis of colorectal cancer by determining the presence of leukocyte elastase inhibitor tumor marker biological sample obtained from a patient suspected of having colorectal cancer. The method early diagnosis of colorectal cancer screening, for follow-up treatment and prognosis can be used to further the diagnosis of recurrence.


which, although militarily minor, held great symbolic significance, and who remained a major irritant until the last years of the Ilkhanid regime. Dismissed as double-regicidal lowlifes by the Ilkhanid princes who, after their conversion to Islam, assumed the leadership of the umma, the Mamluk sultans legitimized themselves as ghāzī sultans defending Islam from the forces of the infidels. The war of words between Ibn Taymiyya and the Ilkhanate in fact inflicted greatest hurt on the Iranians than did the military assaults. Interestingly, one paper assesses the reaction to Ghazan's inclusion of Christian troops in his army which allowed the Mamluks to question the sincerity of his conversion. Unfortunately, Aigle does not consider Dorothea Krawulsky's papers on the nature of jihād as perceived by Rashīd al-Dīn and Ibn Taymiyya, which expand the topic of Islam and Ghazan Khan. The collection closes with a reflection on the post-Chinggisid Mongol empire. It is often overlooked that after the collapse of the Chinggisid khanates, a number of Turkic regimes continued to rule and prosper, and despite being Muslim they claimed their legitimacy from their Chinggisid heritage. Aigle's absorbing epilogue examines the persistence and continuity of this heritage through rulers such as Timur and dynasties such as the Qaraqoyunlu and Aqqoyunlu up until the present day, providing a very satisfactory close to an engrossing book.


Hypertension is a multifactorial and polygenic disorder where several susceptible genes interact with the environmental factors. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) produces nitric oxide (NO) which is involved in many physiologic regulatory functions. Variable number of tandem repeats in intron 4 of endothelial nitricoxide synthase gene are reported to be associated with blood pressure regulation. In the present study, we examined possible association between the 27 base pair (bp) repeat polymorphism in intron 4 of the eNOS3 gene and hypertension in a Kurdish population from Erbil city. Fifty eight patients with hypertension and 42 apparently healthy controls were included in the study. Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The genotype frequencies for eNOS4b/b, eNOS4a/b and eNOS4a/a were 55%, 23.8% and 21.2% in control group, and 70.7%, 24.2% and 5.1% in hypertensive group, respectively. The eNOS bb genotype (70.7%vs 55%) was found to be significantly associated with hypertension (P=0.000, OR= 7.14: 95% CI; 3.025-16.85) which indicated that the odds of hypertensive is about seven times higher in bb genotype compared to control (OR= 2.38,95% CI;1.55-3.64), whereas eNOS aa were significantly more frequent in controls (21.2 % vs. 5.1 P=0.014) which indicated that this genotype associated with decrease in the risk of having hypertension. (P=0.014)


In the design of switching control systems, the choice of realizations of controller transfer matrices and the choice of initial states for controllers (at switching times) are of critical importance, both to the stability and performance of the system. Substantial improvements in performance can be obtained by implementing controllers with appropriate realizations. We consider observer form realizations which arise from weighted optimizations of signals prior to a switch. We also consider realizations which guarantee stability for arbitrary switches between stabilizing controllers for a linear plant. The initial value problem is of crucial importance in switching systems, since initial state transients are introduced at each controller transition. A method is developed for determining controller states at transitions which are optimal with respect to weighted closed-loop performance. We develop a general Lyapunov theory for analyzing stability of reset switching systems (that is, those switching systems where the states may change discontinuously at switching times). The theory is then applied to the problem of synthesizing controller reset relations such that stability is guaranteed under arbitrary switching. The problem is solved via a set of linear matrix inequalities. Methods for choosing controller realizations and initial states are combined in order to guarantee stability and further improve performance of switching systems.


Sixty specific-pathogen-free(SPF)chickens were randomly divided into two groups(30 chickens for each group)to determine the effect of swine gut antimicrobial peptides(SGAMP)on intestinal mucosal immunity.All chickens were raised in negative-pressure isolators and fed the same diet.The results were as follows:(1)In the SGAMP group,the number of mast cell were increased markedly in the duodenum from day 21 to 49(p 0.05),and similar results were observed in the jejunum and ileum after treated with SGAMP(p 0.05).However,fewer mast cells were observed in those same tissues in the control.(2)Intraepithelial lymphocytes(IELs)in the duodenum,jejunum and ileum were increased significantly from day 21 to 49 in the SGAMP group compared with the control(p0.05).(3)Compared with the control,goblet cells were increased significantly in duodenum and jejunum from day 35 to 49(p 0.05)after SGAMP treatment,and in the ileum were increased from day 21 to 49(p 0.05).(4)SGAMP upgrade the expression of secretary IgA(sIgA)at different sites within the intestinal tract.The results strongly support that SGAMP can enhance the intestinal mucosal immune parameters of SPF chickens.Our research contributes to the further understanding of immunoregulatory mechanisms of intestinal mucosal immunity and the contribution of SGAMP to this process.


The evolution of the chordate body plan is still unresolved. Notochord evolution can be studied with two tunicates—the tailed M. oculata and the tailless M. occulta. The tailed M. oculata has 40 notochord cells that are converged and extended. The tailless M. occulta does not form a tail in their larval stage as it only has 20 notochord cells that have not converged or extended. A hypothesis for the loss of notochord cells in M. occulta is that the notochord cells are being destroyed by apoptosis (programmed cell death). In this study, preparations for studying programmed cell death (PCD) using two genes Programmed cell death 2 (PDCD2) and Programmed cell death interacting protein 6 (PCDIP6) were made for in situ hybridizations. A cell death assay and in situ hybridizations will be done in the future on a variety of developmental stages of both the tailed and tailless species to assess differential regulation of the PCD genes. These studies elucidate if differential regulation of PCD is potentially the cellular mechanism for the loss of a tail in M. occulta. Introduction A fundamental question in the evolution of development is the origin of the chordate body plan. Evolution of chordate features such as notochords, dorsal nerve cords, and pharyngeal slits can provide insights into how complex evolutionary traits are created and/or lost. Evolution of the notochord in particular can be studied using a unique pair of organisms—Molgula oculata (a tailed ascidian) and Molgula occulta (a tailless ascidian). These species are found sympatrically in sand flats near the Roscoff Marine Lab Station Biologique in France. Ascidians are tunicates/urochordates, a subphylum of chordata. Ascidians have all of the chordate features mentioned above during their larval phase (Terajima, et al, 2003). Like the majority of ascidians, M. oculata undergoes tailed larval development and has 40 notochord cells that have converged and extended (Figure 1A). In contrast, its sister species M. occulta undergoes a modified larval development in which the tail does not develop, and it only has 20 notochord cells which have not converged or extended (Figure 1C). As a result of the tailless larval development, M. occulta and other tailless ascidians lack chordate features like the neural sensory organ known as the otolith, and a tail with both a notochord and striated muscle (Swalla, et al, 1999). The two species develop similarly until neurulation, when the tailed species undergoes convergence and makes a long tail. After hatching, the tailed M. oculata has a free-swimming stage, then absorbs the tail and undergoes metamorphosis. The tailless species, however, goes straight to metamorphosis after hatching. The absence of a tail in M. occulta has been shown to be a result of loss of function mutations, rather than a tailless species being the ancestral chordate muscle (Swalla, et al, 1999). The tailed and tailless species can be cross-hybridized to create an intermediate hybrid phenotype (Figure 1B). If sperm from the tailed species fertilizes an egg from the tailless species, some of the resulting larvae show the missing chordate features: both the otolith and the tail with the notochord and the striated muscle cells—however, the tail is shortened (Swalla, et al, 1999). A potential cellular mechanism for the loss of notochord cells may be apoptosis, which is programmed cell death (PCD). PCD may be the cause as the tailless species and the hybrid have less notochord cells, which could have been the result of cell death. PCD is a cell suicide mechanism that aids in the normal development of organisms and maintenance of Tasneem
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 tissue. Disruption of PCD, however, can cause developmental delays and lethality in certain embryos (Mu, et al, 2010). PCD has been seen to occur in ascidians during metamorphosis, and in general, PCD occurs in all multicellular organisms (Terajima, et al, 2003). Studying PCD in ascidians may provide insights into the evolution of programmed cell death networks and shed light on the mechanisms by which PCD can cause developmental abnormalities like the loss of notochord cells. PCD might be differentially regulated to cause the loss of a tail. Takada, et al, previously showed that the gene Brachyury is expressed in notochord lineage cells, and expression of this gene disappears prematurely in the tailless M. occulta compared to the tailed M. oculata (Takada, et al, 2002). Brachyury specifies the notochord and activates the transcription of downstream genes (Takada, et al, 2002). PCD genes are downstream of Brachyury (Takada, et al, 2002), and the change in Brachyury expression may be causing differential regulation of PCD genes, which in turn causes the loss of a tail/notochord cells by killing the cells. Research on the expression of PCD genes in the tailless species and the M. oculata x M. occulta hybrid will look to see if notochord cells are being created only to be destroyed by apoptosis. Previous Work Hausch and Swalla have data suggesting that there is a heterochronic shift in metamorphosis in Molgula to make it earlier as compared to Boltenia villosa (Hausch and Swalla, 2011). They tested this by assessing expression levels of metamorphosis genes at different stages of development from transcriptome data obtained from Michigan State University through collaboration between the Brown lab and the Swalla lab at University of Washington (Hausch and Swalla, 2011). The results from the transcriptome data show that Molgula had metamorphosis genes expressed earlier in developmental stages compared to Boltenia (Hausch and Swalla, 2011). Their hypothesis is that if Molgula enter metamorphosis early and their larval stage is cut short compared to Boltenia, there may be less time for development, which may make it easier for the tail loss (Hausch and Swalla, 2011). The tail loss may be caused by a shift in timing for the PCD genes. Hausch studied PCD with two genes – PDCD2 (programmed cell death gene 2) and PCDIP6 (programmed cell death interacting protein 6). PDCD2 is an evolutionarily conserved gene in chordates that is expressed in many larval and embryonic tissues (Baron, et al, 2010). In Drosophila, PDCD2 promotes cell proliferation and self-renewal of pluripotent embryonic cells, while PDCD2 mutants have developmental delays (Mu, et al, 2010). In humans, PDCD2 is associated with the pathogenesis of tumors, and it was found to induce apoptosis via a caspase cascade (caspase inhibitors can block apoptosis though) (Baron, et al, 2010). PCDIP6 is also known as Bv-Aip in Boltenia villosa (Vito, et al, 1999). Bv-Aip has a role in the regulation of apoptosis. Aip (Alg-2 interacting protein) is associated with the Alg2, a gene that is directly involved with controlling programmed cell death (Vito, et al, 1999). Together, they need calcium to become active for apoptosis (Vito, et al, 1999). Studies by Vito, et al have shown that overexpression of Aip deletion mutants can protect a cell from apoptosis (Vito, et al, 1999). Hausch used transcriptome data from M. oculata and M. occulta to do protein alignments for PDCD2 and PCDIP6 with 5 other species: Saccoglossus kowalevskii Tasneem
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 (hemichordate), Danio rerio (Actinopterygii), Ciona intestinalis (ascidian), Mus musculus (mammal), and Homo sapiens (mammal) (Hausch and Swalla, 2011). Regions of high conservation were used to make primers for PCR (discussed in methods section). Hausch has shown that both genes are expressed in the embryos of the Molgula species based on transcriptome data. In order to study the programmed cell death genes, in situ hybridizations need to be done to view the expression of the two genes (PDCD2 and PCDIP6) at various time points. This manuscript will discuss the preparations for in situ hybridizations as well as preparation and results from morphological staining the Molgula oculata, Molgula occulta, and hybrid embryos. Materials and Methods Embryo Collection Molgula oculata and Molgula occulta were collected from sand flats near the Roscoff Marine Lab Station Biologique in France by Dr. Billie Swalla. The gonads of the molgulids were dissected to retrieve gametes from both species. The gametes were fertilized with sperm from the same species. Hybrids were also created using M. oculata sperm and M. occulta eggs. Embryos developed to a certain stage and were then dechorionated and fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde. Some embryos were then embedded into polyester wax. Gastrula stage cDNA libraries were created from for M. oculata and M. occulta embryos, and genomic DNA was obtained. Swalla collected and fixed all embryos. Primer Creation for PCR Hausch created two sets of primers for PDCD2 and PCDIP6 using two different methods: the program primer3 and manually, by choosing highly evolutionarily conserved regions of the gene sequence from transcriptome data (Hausch and Swalla, 2011). A third set of primers for PCDIP6 was created using highly conserved regions between the molgulid transcriptome data and sequences of Ciona Intestinalis from NCBI. Primers for PDCD2 are shown in figure 3 and primers for PCDIP6 are shown in figure 4. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) PCR was done using gastrula stage cDNA libraries from M. oculata and M. occulta and genomic DNA from M. oculata. The program used was as follows: Denature 94° 4 minutes Denature 94° 1 minute Anneal 38° 1 minute 35 cycles


The Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC; Ratts et al., 2015) offer guidelines for counselors to deliver culturally responsive care to clients. Although the MSJCC broadly describe effective communication, specific skills are not included. This article provides counselors with strategies for discussing topics of race, ethnicity, and culture with clients. These strategies build on the MSJCC and are based in research on multicultural counseling best practices. Case examples are used to illustrate the application of these skills with diverse clients.


Slope is an important factor in terrain mapping and can be determined from contour maps or aerial photographs. Previously methods have been proposed to reduce the time element using contour maps. This paper describes and demonstrates a technique whereby aerial photographs can be used effectively when photogrammetric equipment and reliable contour maps are not available. Accuracy with the method is illustrated by comparison to slope determined from a contour map and a single computation sheet is provided for inclusion in a handbook or field guide. Key words: Slope measurement, terrain analysis, pedotechnical interpretations, aerial photos, photo interpretation, photogrammetry


Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of internal jugular vein (IJV) Doppler ultrasonography in predicting hypovolemic shock in polytrauma patients. Methods This prospective observational study was conducted on 75 multiple trauma patients (injury severity score >15) with a mean age of 33.00±9.57 years. IJV Doppler ultrasonography was performed in all patients with stable vital signs and a negative extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma. Jugular pulsatility index (JPI) values were calculated using the equation (Vmax-Vmin)/Vmax. Clinical and laboratory indices of hypovolemic shock were recorded at the time of admission. Patients were subsequently divided into those with hemorrhagic shock (n=36) and those without (n=39) based on the occurrence of hemorrhagic shock within 6 hours after admission. The results were compared between these groups. Results IJV Doppler ultrasound parameters (JPI, Vmin, and Vmax-Vmin) showed significant differences between the two groups. The JPI values of patients with hemorrhagic shock were significantly lower than those in the control group (0.43±0.21 vs. 0.78±0.24, P<0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, and discriminant ability (area under the curve) of JPI with a cutoff of 0.58 in detecting hemorrhagic shock were 86.11%, 82.05%, and 0.853 (P<0.001), respectively. Conclusion IJV Doppler ultrasonography can reliably predict hemorrhagic shock in polytrauma patients with stable vital signs. Ultrasonography can be used in combination with clinical signs and laboratory findings to diagnose patients at risk of hypovolemic shock.


Requirements engineering activities demand adequate conceptual modeling support to be effective and efficient, especially in complex domains such as ubiquitous computing. The main objective of this work is to use modeling and analysis techniques adopted from a framework based on Non-Functional Requirements (NFRs) to support elicitation, analysis, and operationalization of these requirements for ubiquitous systems. Such systems operate within ever-changing environments, rely on a growing list of heterogeneous devices, assume user mobility and content server distribution, and require adaptability and context awareness. The chapter presents a NFR catalogue for ubiquitous systems and a method for using it to guide systematic requirements engineering. The chapter also reports on experiences in the construction and use of the catalogue in several projects.


Anita Nair was born in Kerala. She is a famous poet, short story writer and journalist. In Ladies Coupe Anita Nair focuses on men and women relationship, marriage and divorce, social and cultural, and psychological issues. Here the character Margaret Shanthi is a chemistry teacher who got married to Ebenezer Paulraj. He is an example of male dominance. He changed her life because of the power he had in her life. She wanted to do Ph.D. but he asked her to complete B.Ed. Finally she changed herself in an artistic way to win her freedom from her husband. Janaki, another fellow passenger of Ladies Coupe, is an example for old age tradition. According to her a woman should be a good daughter, sister, wife, mother and so on. Indian society also believes that woman should always depend on some man in their life. Sheela is a fourteen year old girl, who is very sensitive with a deep insight. At the very young age she understands what is meant by life. Her grandmother also teaches her a negative picture of male domination. Her father used to control her whenever she began to talk. Marikolundhu is another passenger who comes from a poor family. She and her mother work as coolies n Chettiar's house. She was seduced by one of the Chettiar's son Murugesan. Marikulundhu shows her love and affection towards Chettiar's grandson but she hates her own son Muthu, the one who escaped form many attempts of abortion.


The High Agri Valley (southern Italy) is one of the largest intermontane basin of the southern Apennines affected by intensive agricultural and industrial activities. The study of groundwater chemical features provides much important information useful in water resource management. In this study, hydrogeochemical investigations coupled with multivariate statistics, saturation indices, and stable isotope composition (δD and δ18O) were conducted in the High Agri Valley to determine the chemical composition of groundwater and to define the geogenic and anthropogenic influences on groundwater quality. Twenty-four sampling point ( including well and spring waters) have been examined. The isotopic data revealed that groundwater has a meteoric origin. Well waters, located on recent alluvial-lacustrine deposits in shallow porous aquifers at the valley floor, are influenced by seasonal rainfall events and show shallow circuits; conversely, spring waters from fissured and/or karstified aquifers are probably associated to deeper and longer hydrogeological circuits. The

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 -mode factor analysis shows that three factors explain 94% of the total variance, and F1 represents the combined effect of dolomite and silicate dissolution to explain most water chemistry. In addition, very low contents of trace elements were detected, and their distribution was principally related to natural input. Only two well waters, used for irrigation use, show critical issue for NO3- concentrations, whose values are linked to agricultural activities. Groundwater quality strongly affects the management of water resources, as well as their suitability for domestic, agricultural, and industrial uses. Overall, our results were considered fulfilling the requirements for the inorganic component of the Water Framework Directive and Italian legislation for drinking purposes. The water quality for irrigation is from "good to permissible" to "excellent to good" although salinity and relatively high content of Mg2+ can occasionally be critical.


The American Cancer Society predicted that 334,500 new cases of prostate cancer would be diagnosed in 1997, but the prediction was revised to 209,000 cases to reflect the 24% decline between the years of 1992 and 1994. Between 1976 and 1994, prostate cancer rates doubled. The rise in new cancer cases may be explained by many factors, including an increase in longevity for men, an increase in disease prevalence due to environmental carcinogens, an acceptance of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, and improvements in techniques such as transrectal ultrasonography and prostate biopsy. Although the cancer rates have risen at all age levels, of particular note is the percentage of men under 70 years of age, with increases from 38% to 47% from 1986 to 1993.3 With the advancing age of the population, prostate cancer will remain a significant worldwide health care issue into the 21st century.


Patient gender age at resection tumor type TNM metastases during follow-up? COPD Gold py (smoker) radio therapy (RT) and/or chemo therapy (ChT)


The rattle noise of automobile transmission is always a difficult problem to solve, it seriously affects the comfort and quality of vehicles. A lot of technical researches have been carried out on this academic field, mainly using dynamic software to analyze and solve the problem by changing parameters to reduce rattle force then reduce the rattle noise, which is often time-consuming. Due to the theoretical research is not perfect at present stage, there is no clear solution. In this paper, mathematical model based on dynamic system combined with Adams software is used to obtain inherent law between the rattle force and the related parameters.


Kant distinguishes the interest of theoretical reason from the interest of practical reason and tries both to the interest of reason as such, which he conceives of as ultimately «practical». Fichte links the interests of practical and of theoretical reason more closely than does Kant and connects his account of the fundamental interest of reason to his general theory of the «divided self» always struggling for an (inobtainable) unity. For Fichte, there is no real conflict between the interests of theoretical and of practical reason, nor can there be any genuine conflict between reason and interest. On the contrary, reason is always «interested», and the «life of reason» is one of active engagement with the world in a process of endless striving.


Abstract : Battelle performed a two-phase assessment of the technical feasibility and operational impacts of locating a 40,000 barrel-per-day Coal-to-Liquids (CTL) plant on Eielson Air Force Base (AFB) near Fairbanks, Alaska. It also assessed what could be done in terms of engineering solutions to mitigate the impacts of building and operating that plant. Phase I: Evaluation of the feasibility of situating a CTL plant on Eielson AFB through an enhanced use lease (EUL) of base property, the engineering challenges associated with such a facility, and the mitigation of the adverse impacts on the base; Phase II: WATER -- Assess the options and strategies to mitigate impacts to ground water and surface water in the vicinity of the proposed CTL plant at Eielson AFB; NOISE -- Assess noise and visual impacts on the local environment; and AIR -- Conduct ambient PM 2.5 sampling near the proposed CTL site within Eielson AFB to better determine potential impacts from the plant on the nearby PM 2.5 nonattainment area.


Electro-reforming of renewable biomass resources is an alternative technology for sustainable pure H2 production. Herein, we discovered an unconventional cation effect on the concurrent formate and H2 production via glycerol electro-reforming. In stark contrast to the cation effect via forming the double layers in cathodic reactions, the presence of residual cations at the anode were discovered to interact with the glycerol oxidation intermediates to steer its product selectivity. Through a combination of product analysis, transient kinetics, crown ether trapping experiments, in situ IRRAS spectroscopy and DFT calculation, the aldehyde intermediates were discovered to be stabilized by the Li+ cations to favor the non-oxidative C-C cleavage for formate production. The maximal formate efficiency could reach 81.3% under ~ 60 mA/cm2 in LiOH. This work emphasizes the significance of engineering the microenvironment at the electrode-electrolyte interface for efficient electrolytic processes.


The effects of current profiles on the n = 1 internal kink mode, the infinite n ballooning mode and the infernal mode in a tokamak are analysed numerically. The stabilities of plasmas with a circular cross-section and a peaked pressure profile are investigated for three types of current profile, that is parabolic, flat and hollow with an inverted q profile. In a low beta state (ϵβp < 0.5), the influence of the current profile on the n = 1 internal kink stability is small. However, the infernal mode appears in plasmas with a hollow current profile, although it is stable in plasmas with a parabolic profile. In a high beta state (ϵβp > 0.5), the growth rate of the n = 1 internal kink mode for the plasma with the hollow current profile becomes larger, and the unstable region spreads to the region of higher qmin (qmin > 2). When the plasma has a more peaked pressure profile in the hollow part of the current profile, the unstable regions of the n = 1 internal kink mode and ballooning mode shrink, and the infernal mode disappears


Remote scientific visualization, where rendering services are provided by larger scale systems than are available on the desktop, are becoming increasingly important as dataset sizes increase beyond the capabilities of desktop workstations. Uptake of such services relies on access to suitable visualization applications and the ability to view the resulting visualization in a convenient form. We apply five rules from the e-Science community to meet these goals with the porting of a commercial visualization package to a large scale system and the integration of this code with the Access Grid. Example use cases from Materials Science are considered.


Abstract : Although several theoretical investigations have been carried out on the non-stationary parametric response of structures, experimental evidence is far from adequate in many cases and is even non-existent in some cases. In this context, an experimental study of the non-stationary parametric response of simply-supported non-linear rectangular plates was performed. Special attention was paid to satisfy the boundary conditions assumed in the analytical model so as to draw conclusions with sufficient degree of confidence. Experimental data have been compared with analytical predictions to form a qualtitative and quantitative verification of the solution.


Advertisements are one of the most influential means of increasing a company's share in the overall market. They employ several cultural values so as to shape people's purchase habit and create a positive attitude toward advertized products. Thus, this study investigated the verbal content of banking advertisements with a focus on cultural values they presented. The data were elicited from TV advertisements telecasted on Turkish TV channels throughout 2012. The study found that the common method used in the advertisements was to set a pessimistic scene in which advertized products appeared as a panacea. Furthermore, it yielded several cultural values, some of which were rigorously promoted while others were criticized in some way. These comprised collectivism, familial relations, patriarchy, patriotism, religious values, social conventions, wisdom on the one hand, and achievement, competitiveness, consumption, distrust, easy life, globalization, hedonism and individualism on the other. Finally, this study revealed that the traditional versus modern dichotomy constituted a prevalent conflict in Turkish society.


Offshore oil and gas installations, located on the offshore fields are exposed to intense heat. The result is a change of temperature condition and having variable thermal stresses that cause fatigue damage and reduce resource. The paper proposes a method which allows to simulate the processes of heating and cooling offshore oil and gas installations in various environmental conditions, and proves the necessity of taking into account the thermal effects in the evaluation of their resource.


Hudson pear (Cylindropuntia rosea (DC.) Backeb.) is an invasive cactus of Mexican origin that has naturalised in a variety of habitats in north-western NSW and continues to spread. It seriously degrades invaded land and ecosystems and has the potential to reduce the viability of agricultural enterprises and impact on the biodiversity of native fauna and flora. Cylindropuntia rosea has spines which can penetrate footwear and even vehicle tyres. The spines can cause serious injury to humans, livestock and working animals such as horses and dogs and may present a severe impediment to mustering operations. The presence of C. rosea on flood plains is particularly worrying as a major flood event could result in a significant increase in its distribution including movement into the Darling River system. Cylindropuntia rosea was first detected in Australia in the Lightning Ridge area during the late 1960s and is believed to have spread from a cactus nursery at Grawin. The current Australian distribution of C. rosea is north-western NSW (primarily around the opal mining areas of Lightning Ridge, Grawin and Glengarry and at Cumborah, although infestations have also been reported from Brewarrina, near Coonamble and Goodooga), South Australia (from the Flinders Ranges south to Morgan), in Western Australia, in the Northern Territory and in Queensland. Estimates of the area of NSW infested range from 60,000 to in excess of 100,000 hectares. Climate matching of the current Australian distribution of C. rosea using the Match Index function in CLIMEX ® indicates large areas of inland Australia have a similar climate to the current core infestations of C. rosea and are therefore potentially at risk of invasion. Control of C. rosea using herbicides is made more difficult by the types of terrain and vegetation in which infestations are located. C. rosea spreads by the movement of segments and fruit that root where they come into contact with the ground. As the plant occurs over an extremely large area it is not possible to successfully locate and destroy all potential Prospects for Hudson pear biological control in Australia


Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by proliferation of abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow that interferes with the production of normal blood cells, resulting in leukopenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. The second most prevalent blood cancer after non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, it represents approximately 1% of all cancers and 2% of all cancer deaths.1 In the United States, approximately 30,330 new cases of MM (17,900 in men and 12,430 in women) will be diagnosed in 2016; the lifetime risk of MM is one in 143 (0.7%). Approximately 12,650 deaths from MM (6,430 in men and 6,220 in women) are predicted in 2016.2 Presentations of the disease vary from asymptomatic to severely symptomatic, with complications such as kidney failure, bone lesions, hypercalcemia, and spinal cord compression.3,4 The relative five-year survival rate of MM, which is higher in younger than older populations, is approximately 46.6%.5–7

Lenalidomide (Revlimid, Celgene) is a thalidomide derivative introduced in 2004 as an immunomodulatory agent for the treatment of various cancers such as MM, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and lymphoma. Lenalidomide, despite its known toxicities, has significantly improved the once-poor prognosis and survival rates of MM.8 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the existing indication for lenalidomide in combination with dexamethasone to include newly diagnosed MM in February 2015, based on safety and efficacy results from a phase 3 study of 1,623 newly diagnosed patients who were not stem-cell transplant candidates.9 This study evaluated continuous lenalidomide in combination with dexamethasone until disease progression versus melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide for 18 months as the primary analysis.10 Although lenalidomide has other approved indications, this article focuses on MM.


The purpose of this mixed methods sequential explanatory study was to understand the effect of lean manufacturing on operations performance and business performance in the context of manufacturing companies in Indonesia. In the first phase, a quantitative research was conducted to investigate the relationship among the variables. 174 large manufacturing companies were involved in the quantitative phase. Structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was applied to test all the hypotheses. The findings of the quantitative data analysis indicate that all the lean manufacturing practices are highly correlated and interdependent. The results provide evidence that lean manufacturing should be implemented holistically, because the practices are mutually supportive and complement each other. Lean manufacturing is also positively related with operations performance and business performance. More importantly, operations performance complementary mediates the relationship between lean manufacturing and business performance. A qualitative research based on a case study method was conducted in Toyota Indonesia to explain, elaborate, and triangulate the quantitative findings. The outcomes of the qualitative research are consistent and supporting the quantitative results. This study provides a deeper insight regarding the relationship between lean manufacturing, operations performance, and business performance. Therefore, this study could expand the boundary of the existing literature, and contributes to the body of knowledge related to the effect of lean manufacturing theoretically, practically, and methodologically.