It is widely believed that ethical considerations in medical practice belong to the realm of the 'an' of medicine It is true that many such situations have a personal rather than a rational basis, and as a consequence they are not capable of objective evaluation. It is primarily for this reason that they rarely enter into assessments of the quality of medical care. The argument offered to defend this surprising omission is that too many variables are involved, the relative importance of which being essentially a matter of personal judgement and subjective appraisal. Instead, it is generally assumed that the Hippocratic Oath, or some equivalent, binds all doctors to a common code of behaviour and that this alone will ensure a satisfactory standard of practice In view, however, of the growing number of recent advances in medicine which have brought with them new ethical challenges, it is timely to reconsider this position particularly in the light of any implications it may have for medical education. At present it is rare to find any extensive attempts to introduce problems in medical ethics in an organized manner. Lectures on this topic may touch on some of the profound conflicts which inevitably confront physicians, but they rarely attempt to provide a rational basis for their resolution. One result is that students graduate with only a vague understanding of their moral obligations and this must inevitably affect the quality of care they provide. The purpose of this discussion is to explore the extent to which a rational and systematic basis for ethical decisions may be constructed.


The advantages of wild plants to design garden were introduced,and the existing problems of landscape architecture in Tianjin City were analyzed.Based on investigation and looking up relevant information,36 kinds of wild plants with representative and ornamental value were selected,and their applications in landscape architecture were summarized and forecasted.


Abstract : In this report we describe the setup of a collaborative engineering environment (CEE) for performing research on the performance of distributed systems. We provide the basis for implementing a multi-tiered host network that is capable of operating across several different computing platforms without modification to system software. The CEE allows multiple processes to be launched on remote systems taking advantage of distributed processing capabilities. The object broker within the environment provides a platform to test and analyze smart network software. Smart network software includes but is not limited to algorithms and methods to determine which available processor is the best choice for performing a particular task or operation.


A field experiment was conducted at the `Research Farm` of Regional Seed Production Office of Lal Teer Seed Limited, Dinajpur, Bangladesh during November 2008 to April 2009. The study was conducted to investigate the effect of bulb size and planting spacing on seed production of cultivar Taherpuri onion. Three bulb sizes [small (5±2g), medium (10±2g), and large (15±2g)] and four planting spacing [closest 25×15, closer 25×20, wider 30×15, and widest 30×20cm] was considered in this experiment. Number of flowering stalks, length of flowering stalks, number of umbels per plant, number seeded fruits, seed weight per umbel, 1000-seed weight and seed yield per hectare were measured to assess the onion seeds. The results revealed that the highest seed yield (776.67 kg) per hectare was obtained from the large bulb (15±2g) with the closest spacing of 25×15cm followed by small bulb size of same spacing. The maximum number of flowers per umbel (371.39), seed weight per umbel (0.80g) and 1000-seed weight (3.92g) were obtained from the largest bulb size (15±2g) with widest (30×20cm) planting spacing. Hence, large bulb size with closest plant spacing is suggested for onion seed production in northern part of Bangladesh. Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 37(3): 405-414, September 2012 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v37i3.12084


Through analyzing the characteristics of the human finger vein image,this paper presents a method for extracting finger vein features based on searching the valley-shaped regions,which is extracting the finger vein feature adapt the valley characteristics shown on the gray curve profile.In the vein pattern recognition,the traditional template matching method was improved and a finger vein authentication system based on PC was established to test the algorithm.Experiment results proved that the finger vein extracting and matching algorithm proposed herein had high recognition rate and high application value.


Ventricular pre-excitation (Wolff–Parkinson–White pattern) and conduction abnormalities may be discovered during cardiovascular pre-participation screening in athletes. Their prevalence varies between 0.1% (Wolff–Parkinson–White, left bundle branch block) and 1% (right bundle branch block).
 Patients with pre-excitation and paroxysmal palpitations need to be treated before considering their eligibility to participate in sport. An electrophysiological study is required in asymptomatic athletes with the Wolff–Parkinson–White pattern. Subjects are considered ineligible for participation in sport if the RR intervals between pre-excited complexes during induced atrial fibrillation are <250ms.
 Subjects with conduction abnormalities may or may not be affected by heart disease. In the absence of heart disease, athletes with first- or second-degree atrioventricular (AV) block which normalizes during effort are eligible to participate in sport. According to current Italian and US guidelines, athletes with right bundle branch block, left anterior hemiblock, left posterior hemiblock, and left bundle branch block can participate in all sports in the absence of heart disease (including genetic Lenègre disease) and no episodes of AV block.


First-principles study of hydride molecule adsorption on C(001):H reveals unexpected dihydrogen bonding. It implies that H is more electronegative than C, despite that the contrary has been widely used to explain the observed diamond work function reduction due to surface hydrogenation. We resolve this paradox by showing that the replacement of loosely bonded surface pi electrons by more tightly bonded sigma electrons is the real cause for the work function reduction. An interfacial atomistic model based on the dihydrogen bonding is also proposed to explain the observed surface p-type conductivity.


This paper will describe measurements of target signatures performed with a CO2-laboratory laser radar of a homodyne doppler type. In the exneriments performed so far, we have studied receiver sensitivity, dependence on aperture and target signatures. Some studies of imaging and ranging out to 2 km have also been done. The measurements of target signatures refer to signal amplitude spectra, noise and rms signals. Based on these parameters the detection probabilities at various false alarm rates were calculated. Several types of targets were used. Sandblasted Al-plates were typical speckle targets and a corner cube was used to simulate glint targets. Military vehicles were used as well as objects of interest for obstacle avoiding like wires and frame work. Comnarison with theoretical results for speckle and glint targets was made.


Unfed 3rd-instar nymphal Ornithodoros parkeri (UN3s) were arranged into 7 weight classes, fed, and reared to adults. Fed 3rd-instar nymphs (N3s) produced 22.0% males, 3.8% females, and 57.2% 4th-instar nymphs (N4s); 17.0% died or were lost. The resulting N4s were fed and subsequently produced 14.7% males, 56.4% females, and 9.5% 5th-instar nymphs (N5s); 19.3% died or were lost. The N5s were fed and yielded 5.0% males and 70.0% females; 25.0% died or were lost. After rearing all UN3s to the adult stage, the final sex ratio was 0.77♂:1♀ (43.5% ♂, 56.5% ♀). UN3s weighing less than 2.6 mg produced males and N4s but no females after feeding. A few females were produced from N3s heavier than 2.6 mg. N4s resulting from all N3 weight classes developed into males, females, and N5s, and those originating from N3s in the lowest weight class (0.1–1.0 mg) produced more males than females. N4s originating from all other N3 weight classes produced more females than males. In a 2nd experiment, only females ecdysed from fed N4s weighing 25 mg and over, while those weighing 5–9 mg produced only males and N5s. The N5s in both experiments produced females almost exclusively (34 females and 1 male).


The very high spectral resolution in hyperspectral images (HSIs) offers an opportunity to detect subtle land-cover changes. However, the availability of HSIs acquired from different platforms requires the development of change detection (CD) methods capable of processing HSIs with different spatial resolutions. In this article, we propose a general end-to-end subpixel convolution-based residual network (SPCNet) to accomplish the CD task between high spatial resolution (HR) and low spatial resolution (LR) HSIs. To effectively tackle the resolution matching issue, a super-resolution (SR) block with an efficient subpixel convolution layer is introduced to upscale the LR feature maps into HR maps. The subpixel convolution layer can fully explore the subpixel context information by learning an array of upscaling filters. Moreover, the designed SPC module is embedded into the LR branch to generate more discriminative representations. More importantly, the SPC module as a plug-and-play unit has the potential to be embedded into other baseline networks to enhance the feature learning capability. Experimental results on four HSI datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed SPCNet.


Current status of Higgs boson searches at Tevatron is given, with prospects for future searches. Potential of the LHC to find Higgs boson through different decay channel is presented, for both SM and MSSM. Possible measurements of the Higgs boson parameters are also reviewed.


This study explains the relationship between the Kardashians and the American dream that has been championed by Americans to date. It is hypothesized that the more popular culture develops in our lives, the more it will affect the development of our culture. This can be seen from reality shows as a kind of popular culture that many people love. To find out how big the influence is, this study uses the Kardashians as an object to see how they and their reality show influence the community. By using textual analysis and utilizing materialism and capitalism as the theory, this research is expected to reveal the impact of the Kardashians on the development of the American dream. This study takes several texts from the reality show and analyzes them according to the theory used. Then, it is found that technological progress and economic growth, including commercial TV, expose Americans to materialism. The Kardashians commodified it into a captivating moneymaker that reality TV viewers aspire and inspire to consume. In addition, the materialism that they display on reality TV shows also thrives in viewers' minds from which they take advantage by commodifying every aspect of their lives as a form of product to sell so that viewers buy what they advertise. Keywords: American Dream, Keeping Up with The Kardashian, Materialism, Capitalism.


Source code attribution approaches have achieved remarkable accuracy thanks to the rapid advances in deep learning. However, recent studies shed light on their vulnerability to adversarial attacks. In particular, they can be easily deceived by adversaries who attempt to either create a forgery of another author or to mask the original author. To address these emerging issues, we formulate this security challenge into a general threat model, the $\textit{relational adversary}$, that allows an arbitrary number of the semantics-preserving transformations to be applied to an input in any problem space. Our theoretical investigation shows the conditions for robustness and the trade-off between robustness and accuracy in depth. Motivated by these insights, we present a novel learning framework, $\textit{normalize-and-predict}$ ($\textit{N&P}$), that in theory guarantees the robustness of any authorship-attribution approach. We conduct an extensive evaluation of $\textit{N&P}$ in defending two of the latest authorship-attribution approaches against state-of-the-art attack methods. Our evaluation demonstrates that $\textit{N&P}$ improves the accuracy on adversarial inputs by as much as 70% over the vanilla models. More importantly, $\textit{N&P}$ also increases robust accuracy to 45% higher than adversarial training while running over 40 times faster.


'nonfoundationalist' in his epistemology.... Sweeping charges of 'fideism' usually seem not only to presuppose some sort of foundationalism, but also to overlook the peculiar logical status of any large-scale frameworks that determine, implicitly or explicitly, what is or is not real, possible and significant." (p. 294). Perhaps the reason for the phenomenon of the contemporary Barth renaissance lies in the increasing realization that modernity had unwisely presupposed that reason and experience were sufficient for just about everything in life and in death, and in this respect postmodernity is no more convincing. "Is this all there is?" is an increasingly plaintive cry amidst the manifold human condition. Sealed off as much contemporary society is from the central truth of the human condition, Barth's is a voice that speaks afresh of and to that condition of its highest promise and its deepest peril. These essays make this abundantly plain. As another major contemporary theologian has intimated, the pathos of modern theology, in the technical sense of "modern", is that it always arrives too late. We are indebted to George Hunsinger for showing us how Barth's theology may yet be set to arrive for a new generation who lives the crisis Barth was writing to subvert.


Introduction: This paper explores the kinds of knowledge that Australian General Practitioners (GPs) work with (and without) when making prescribing decisions. This paper aims to explore three types of such knowledge with a view to exploring the roles that GP patient and information resources might play when prescribing decision are being made. Procedure: Twenty (20) general practitioners participated in semi-structured interviews that revolved around four themes. The data was transcribed and then analysed using a qualitative software package, Altas ti. Results: Three ways of understanding how knowledge is managed in GP encounters are considered in this paper. These are clinical knowledges of disease and illness, clinical computing competencies and, user as critical designer. Implications of research findings: It may well be that understanding the dynamic nature of GP-patient-computer relationships is the key to understanding the multiple roles that information technologies such as decision support software might play in the actual clinical context. With this in mind, software developers might design for the complexity of General Practice, rather than design out this complexity.


A gedanken experiment implies the existence of gravitomagnetism and raises a question about what we know about the weak-field limit of the gravitomagnetic field of General Relativity.


The aim of our analysis was to study the association between air pollution and asthma among adults. For this goal, a previously developed "asthma score" was used. Persons aged 25–44 yrs were randomly selected (1991–1993) and followed up (2000–2002) within the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS I and II, respectively). The asthma score was defined from 0 to 5, based on the positive answers to the following symptoms reported for the last 12 months: wheeze/breathlessness, chest tightness, dyspnoea at rest, dyspnoea after exercise and woken by dyspnoea. Participants' home addresses were linked to outdoor modelled NO2 estimates for 2001. Negative binomial regression was used to model the asthma score. The score from ECRHS II was positively associated with NO2 (ratio of the mean asthma score (RMS) 1.23, 95% CI 1.09–1.38, for an increase of 10 μg·m−3). After excluding participants with asthma and symptoms at baseline, the association remained (RMS 1.25, 95% CI 1.05–1.51), and was particularly high among those reporting a high score in ECRHS II. The latter probably reflects incident cases of asthma. Our results suggest that traffic-related pollution causes asthma symptoms and possibly asthma incidence in adults. The asthma score offers an alternative with which to investigate the course and aetiology of asthma in adults.


Further evidence of the effectiveness of commercial weight loss programmes and their superiority to NHS interventions has been provided by a randomised controlled trial in Birmingham.


Labour migration has become a very significant process in Sri Lanka during the past several decades. This process has originated due to various push and pull factors. The difficulty of finding suitable employment at home is the most prominent among push factors and the ability of acquiring better economic status has become most prominent pull factor. To improve economic status income earners have to save a considerable portion of their earnings and invest that in a proper venture. According to this study the majority of the returnees had maintained savings in monetary institutions. Some had kept their savings with themselves and brought them to Sri Lanka on their return. The investments of some returnees seemed successful in improving their economic status. But the majority of the returnees seek to re-migrate as their investments are not sufficient to improve their economic status substantially. Sri Lanka Journal of Population Studies, (August 2003) Vol. 6, pp. 41-60


A boost high-power-factor ac/dc converter is designed. The converter presents a bidirectional power flow capability. A bias capacitor connected in series with the ac source provides a dc voltage boost at the input. Accordingly, a voltage that is always positive is applied at the input of a conventional boost dc/dc converter. A bi-directional dc/dc boost converter is employed to couple the ac side with the dc output. The converter can be controlled with a sinusoidal average current at the ac side that is either in phase or 180 out of phase with the ac source. Therefore, this design can works with an unity power factor in rectification mode or inversion mode. The topology was employed for the design of an ac/dc battery charger with a unity power factor for rated power of 2 kVA. IGBT devices with anti-parallel diodes are used as switches. Replacing the diode bridge it can eliminates crossover distortions that are inevitable in a conventional Active Power Factor Correction (APFC) circuit with diode rectification bridge at its front end. Removing the diode bridge and usage of two bidirectional switches allows for bi-directional instantaneous power flow which makes possible operation in the inversion mode, in which power is transferred from the dc source to the ac source. At any instance of time only one semiconductor device conducts (as opposed to three or two in conventional rectifiers), which results in higher efficiency. The proper design of the control loops guaranties the output voltage regulation and operation with a unity power factor and low harmonic distortion despite to the load variations or the grid harmonic contents.


Voice disorders restrict daily activity and impact the quality of life. The purpose of the study was to find out the impact of voice disorders on functional, physical and emotional condition of teachers with and without self-reported voice disorders. Two hundred thirty-five teachers with self-reported voice problems (Voice disorder group) and 174 teachers with no voice problems (Control group) in anamnesis completed Latvian version of Voice Handicap Index-30 (VHI-30). Teachers with voice disorders demonstrated higher median scores in VHI30 total scale and functional, physical, and emotional subscales (P<0.001). In teachers, voice disorders have a more significant impact on their physical comfort and have a smaller impact on their emotional sphere. 76.4 % of the voice disorder group respondents acquired the total score within 12 to 33 points. In the control group, 75.3 % of teachers had the VHI score of up to 17 points. Conclusions: In teacher population of Latvia mild voice disorders are encountered more often. Activity and participation in everyday life situations are limited in teachers with voice disorders. Voice disorders mostly impact physical comfort in teachers


In this work, an elastic-plastic model with Hill'48 anisotropic yield surface is coupled with the continuum damage mechanics theory and combined with the bifurcation analysis in order to predict strain localization in thin sheet metals. The resulting approach is implemented into the ABAQUS finite element code within the framework of large strains and plane-stress conditions. A sensitivity analysis with respect to hardening and damage parameters is carried out to identify the most influential parameters on strain localization predictions.


Starting material 3-oxo-N-Pyridin-2-yl butyramide have been synthesized by the reaction of 2-amino Pyridine and ethylacetoacetate. This is undergoes cyclization with thiourea & different aromatic aldehyde to yield desired pyrimidines (3a-i). The compounds are expected to have antiviral activity.


The search for possible extinct or existing life is the goal of the exobiology investigations to be undertaken during future Mars missions. As it has been learnt from the NASA Viking, Pathfinder and Mars Exploration Rover mission, sampling of surface soil and rocks can gain only limited scientific information. In fact, possible organic signatures tend to be erased by surface processes (weathering, oxidation and exposure to UV radiation from the Sun). The challenge of the missions have mostly been getting there; only roughly one third of all Mars missions have reached their goal, either an orbit around the planet, or landing to the surface. The two Viking landers in the 1970's were the first to touch down the soil of Mars in working order and performing scientific studies there. After that there was a long gap, until 1997 the Pathfinder landed safely on the surface and released a little rover, the Sojourner. In 2004 other rovers came: the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit and a while after that, the sister rover Opportunity. These five successful landings are less than half of all attempts to land on Mars. Russia, Europe and the United States have all had their landers, but Mars is challenging. Even Mars orbit has been tough to reach by many nations' orbiters. It is then understandable that of these five successful landings, performed by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), there have not yet been very complicated mechanical deep-drilling instruments onboard. The risks to get there are great, and the risk of malfunctioning of a complicated instrument there is also high. Another reason to avoid a deep-driller from the lander payload is simply the mass constrains. A drill is a heavy piece of payload, and the mass allocations for scientific instruments are small. In the launch window of 2009, both European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA have their plans to send a rover to Mars. Both of them will include some means to analyse the subsurface material. ESA's rover, called the ExoMars rover, will carry a deep-driller onboard in its Pasteur payload. At the time of writing this thesis, an exact definition of the Pasteur drill has not yet been defined. The author of this thesis has studied the driller instruments in his past work projects and in his doctoral studies. The main focus of this thesis is to analyse the feasibility of different drill configurations to fit to the requirements of the ExoMars' Pasteur payload drill by using the information gathered from the past projects. In this thesis, the author introduces a new concept of a robotic driller, called the MASA drill. The MASA drill fulfils the needs for the drill instrument onboard the Pasteur payload. The main study in this thesis concentrates on design work of the MASA drill, as well as analysis of its operation and performance capabilities in the difficult task of drilling and sampling.


Agriculture is one of the sectors contributing to large greenhouse gas emissions, thus impacting ecosystems vitality, public health and climate change. It is also a very climate-sensitive sector, which is expected to face many challenges (especially economic damages) due to climate change impacts, mainly in developing countries. Even though agriculture is considered a national priority for Kosovo's economic development, there are still many prevalent challenges, including agricultural land loss and management (due to urbanization and economic developments), agricultural land contamination and pollution, high dependency on irrigation, old farm buildings and equipment, lack of knowledge on contemporary production techniques, and incompliance with the EU standards. With current agricultural and food production practices being inefficient and resource-consuming, coupled with potential future climate change impacts in the country, it is crucial to move towards more climateresilient and sustainable practices. As Kosovo integrates its development and climate adaptation considerations in policy and technical changes, it is crucial to strengthen the rural, peri-urban and urban linkages towards ensuring food security and increased communities resilience. While climate adaptation require a mixture of capital and behavioural changes, lack thereof may increase adverse impacts on food security, public health, poverty reduction and economic development. Sustainable agriculture and food production practices can contribute to improved livelihoods and local economic development, food security, poverty reduction, social inclusion, health and sustainable and climateresilient city development. In this regard, this paper presents current issues in the agricultural sector (land management and food production practices) and suggests respective recommendations for policy and practice improvements (including protection of agricultural land and its sustainable management, expanded irrigation network, nutrients use and manure management, shift to more climate-resilient produce, promotion of urban agriculture, enhanced institutional support and incentives) towards communities' future sustainable and resilient development in Kosovo.


Learning analytics and educational big data refers to the analysis and interpretation of educational data, such as the logs recorded in learning management systems, the interactive contents recorded in online discussion forums, or the learning process captured on video, to provide constructive feedback to learners, instructors or educational policy makers (Hwang, Hsu, Lai, & Hsueh, 2017; Hwang & Wang, 2004; Siemens & Long, 2011). These technologies, processes, and analyses play an important role of optimizing students' outcomes, teachers' learning designs as well as the improving the learning environment (Greller & Drachsler, 2012; Hwang, Chu, & Yin, 2017).


2046 Background: Although the Stupp protocol (radiotherapy + temozolomide (TMZ)) remains the mainstay of glioblastoma (GBM) first line treatment after extended surgery, the prognosis is still poor. PARP inhibitors, such as olaparib, may improve GBM outcomes by enhancing cytotoxic effects of ionizing radiation and TMZ. The non-dividing nature of normal brain cells allows a dedicated tumor radiosensitization. We implemented a phase I/IIa trial to assess safety and efficacy of olaparib combined with TMZ concomitant with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) as a first line treatment in unresectable GBM patients (pts). We herein present results of the phase I step. Methods: Based on the Stupp protocol, 2 treatment periods were considered. The radiotherapy period (RT) occurs after surgery: pts received IMRT (60 Gy/30 fractions/6 wks), oral TMZ (75 mg/m²) during IMRT, and olaparib orally given at the same dose until 4 wks after the end of IMRT. For the maintenance period (MT) from 4 wks after IMRT, pts received TMZ (150 mg/m², days (D) 1-5 every 28 days, for 6 cycles) plus olaparib at the MT dose level up to disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The phase I included 2 sequential dose escalations (DE1, DE2) of olaparib to split both periods for DLT (Dose Limiting Toxicities) assessment. Olaparib dose levels (DL) were: 50 mg Q12H D 1-3 (DL1), 100 mg Q12H D1-3 (DL2) or D1-5 (DL3), 200 mg Q12H D1-3 (DL4) or D1-5 (DL5) or 200 mg Q12H continuously (DL6). Pts in DE1 received olaparib only during RT to determine the MTD1 (Maximum-Tolerated Dose), by assessing DLT on this period. Next, after olaparib administered at MTD1 during RT, pts in DE2 received olaparib during MT to determine MTD2 (≤MTD1) during the MT period, assessing DLT from the first 2 cycles. DE1 and DE2 were performed by a TITE-CRM (TIme-To-Event Continual Reassessment Method). Results: From 2017 to 2021, 30 pts were enrolled: 20 (67%) men, median age 59 yrs [range 25-70]. 16 and 11 pts were assessable for determining MTD1 and MTD2, respectively. In DE1, 2 pts received olaparib at DL1, 6 at DL2, 6 at DL3, 1 at DL4 and 1 at DL5. 4 pts observed DLT (3 at DL3, 1 at DL5): thrombocytopenia G3-4 (n=4) + neutropenia G4 (n=2). MTD1 was defined as DL2 with estimated probability of DLT of 22.1% [95%CI 8-40.5]. In DE2, 2 pts were treated at DL1, 9 at DL2. 1 pt observed DLT at DL2: thrombocytopenia G4. MTD2 was defined as DL2 with estimated probability of DLT of 13.3% [0.2-0.35]. No interruption of IMRT for toxicity was observed. Excepted DLT, permanent olaparib discontinuation for toxicity was observed in 1 pt during RT and 2 pts during MT. Toxicity induced temporary TMZ interruption in 4 pts, none with permanent discontinuation. No toxic death was observed. Conclusions: Olaparib 100 mg Q12H D1-3 in concomitant with the Stupp protocol has an acceptable safety profile in unresectable GBM pts: it warrants efficacy determination, in the ongoing phase IIa step. Clinical trial information: NCT03212742 .


J MMUNOLOGICAL studies of viruses have shown clearly and uniLformly that virucidal properties are developed in the serum of animals following an attack of the disease and in some instances following injection of the killed virus. The demonstration of agglutinins, precipitins or complement-fixing antibodies has not been so convincing and, in contrast to bacterial antigens, doubt exists whether the viruses, as a class, are capable of stimulating such antibodies. Fairly clear-cut evidence, both for and against their existence, has been recorded. Gordon' has described specific complement-fixation and flocculation with vaccinia and variola, and Burgess, Craigie and Tulloch' have utilized the flocculation test as a practical diagnostic procedure for the differentiation of smallpox and chicken pox. Takaki and Koref8 used complement-fixation to identify the viruses of herpes, rabies and encephalitis. Ciuca' reports successful complement-fixation experiments with the virus of foot and mouth disease and Bedson and Bland, in addition to a number of other investigators, have confirmed Gordon's results with vaccinia. Recently, Frobisher' has reported complementfixation reactions with the virus of yellow fever and the serums of men and monkeys. In contrast to these findings, indicating that viruses are similar to bacterial antigens in the production of antibodies, Schultz, Bullock and Lawrence,7 among others, were unable to demonstrate any other than specific neutralizing antibodies in the serum of rabbits immunized agaiist vaccinia. Ward' reports negative complement-fixation experi-


This paper describes a practical and reliable image analysis and tracking algorithm to achieve automated instrument localization and scope manoeuvring in endoscopic surgery.


This paper introduces a change management case study using Product Data-Driven Analysis scenarios from TIGER [TIGER, 97] ‐ a supply chain case study - and an associated mapping to a STEP data model, a standard format product data model terminology. The case study describes supply chain scenarios that involve prime with contractors, subcontractors and consulting entities. The core activity within these scenarios is an engineering analysis of Printed Wiring Boards (PWB) with a focus on modeling product analysis data. Analysis of PWB can involve an iterative process that translates to changes to the product data. Application protocol 208 [STEP, Part 208/CD] is an underdeveloped part of the STEP standard and deals with product life cycle and change management. These changes are incorporated into the case study scenarios and the capability of AP 208 to capture them is evaluated.


Sub-ophiolite metamorphic rocks (garnet amphibolites) found as clasts in late Early Miocene to late Middle Miocene melange formed at high pressures and temperatures are interpreted as derived from a metamorphic sole underlying the Darvel Bay Ophiolite Complex, formed during subduction of ocean crust and the emplacement of the ophiolite complex in Sabah. Mineral chemistry and bulk rock geochemistry of the garnet amphibolites show that they are MORB tholeiites and represent oceanic crustal materials. These rocks were metamorphosed as pyroxene granulites and garnet amphibolites at high temperatures and pressures characteristic of upper mantle and were deformed and recrystallised with mylonitic textures in the amphibolite facies. A KlAr age of 76 ± 21 Ma obtained from garnet amphibolite during the present study coincides with the Late Cretaceous-Palaeogene age of subduction beneath the Darvel Bay Ophiolite inferred from the stratigraphic evidence.


The success of any marketing program relies on data: the ability to collect it, analyze and organize it, and drive action with it. In the information era, those abilities are made possible by technology. As audiences evolve and customer expectations change, marketers are presented with numerous opportunities and challenges to meet demand. We hope the data presented in this report provides you with insights into those opportunities and challenges and demonstrates steps your peers are taking to create successful marketing teams and programs. No matter where your organization is in its data journey, these survey insights reveal some key next steps that will allow you to repeat other marketing professionals' successes and avoid their pitfalls. These are actions that can be done in the next quarter.


ABSTRACT R 2 cells are 3T3 cells derived from mouse embryos with a targeteddisruption of the type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-IR)genes. R 2 cells are refractory to transformation by a variety of viral andcellular oncogenes, including an activated Ras. R 2 cells stably transfectedwith an activated Ha-Ras (R 2 Ras cells) fail to form colonies in soft agar.An IGF-IR truncated at residue 1245 cannot transform R 2 cells, evenwhen strongly overexpressed. However, the combination of the truncatedIGF-IR and an activated Ras induces transformation of R 2 cells. We showhere that the Ras oncoprotein is rapidly degraded when R 2 Ras cells aregrown under anchorage-independent conditions and that signaling fromthe truncated IGF-IR stabilizes Ras. In monolayer cultures, Ras levelsremain constant regardless of the presence or absence of IGF-IR signal-ing. These results directly explain why Ras cannot transform mouseembryo fibroblasts devoid of IGF-IR. They also suggest a more general-ized, alternative mechanism for transformation by Ras and, implicitly,another possible way for targeting Ras in tumor cells.


Objective:To analyze the outcomes using absorbable screws with or without Kirschner wire in treatment of limbs or pelvic fractures.Methods:From Jan 2003 to Mar 2008,87 cases of limbs or pelvic fractures registered to our hospital were randomized to receive treatment using absorbable screws plus Kirschner wire(Group A,n=41) or absorbable screws alone(Group B,n=46).The outcomes and early rupture of absorbable screws were compared between these two groups.Results:Over the follow-up for 5 to 52 months(median:15.5 months),excellent or good outcomes were noted in 38 cases(92.7%) of group A,compared with 42(91.3%) of group B.Within 8 weeks after operation,none of group A but 6 cases of group B experienced early rupture of the absorbable screws.Conclusion:While absorbable screws may be useful for fractures at non weight-bearing sites,combined use of absorbable screws and Kirschner wire may prevent early rupture of absorbable screws,and may be considered for fractures occurring at some of weight-bearing regions.


PURPOSE: To attain the high speed of a processing by using an address generated for reading a user instruction and the operand, and executing air operation for the designated operand by an emulator assist unit. CONSTITUTION: A host processor 10 reads and executes a host instruction, and reads the instruction of an emulator assist unit 13, and transfers the instruction to the emulator assist unit 13. In this way, the host processor 10 and the emulator assist unit 13 shares an emulator task, and the emulator assist unit 13 executes those tasks which are the most difficult to the host. Thus, the high speed of the processing can be attained. COPYRIGHT: (C)1991,JPO


$\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{u}}_{x}\mathrm{B}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{e}}_{3}$ is known for superconductivity due to Cu intercalation in the van der Waals gaps between the quintuple layers of $\mathrm{B}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{e}}_{3}$ at $xg0.10$. Here we report the synthesis and transport properties of Cu-doped $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{u}}_{x}\mathrm{B}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{e}}_{3}$ films prepared by the chemical-vapor-deposition (CVD) method with $0.11\ensuremath{\ge}x\ensuremath{\ge}0$. It is found that the insulatinglike temperature-dependent resistivity of polycrystalline $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{u}}_{x}\mathrm{B}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{e}}_{3}$ films exhibits a marked metallic downturn and an increase of carrier concentration below \ensuremath{\sim}37 K. There is also a time-dependent slow relaxation behavior in the resistance at low temperature. These effects might be related to the strong hybridization between $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{u}}^{+}$ and $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{u}}^{2+}$ conduction bands from the intercalated $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{u}}^{+}$ and substituted $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{u}}^{2+}$ sites in $\mathrm{B}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{e}}_{3}$ films. The findings here have important implications for the understanding and development of doping-induced superconductivity in topological insulators.


The utility model discloses a neck and neck bracket for operation and belongs to medical assistant appliances; the structure of the head and neck bracket comprises a base, a head bracket and a neck bracket; an arc bracket is arranged at the bottom part of the circular head bracket, and the bottom part of the bracket is connected with a lifting pole 1, and the lower part of the lifting pole 1 is assembled together with a fixing pole 1 fixed on the base; the cambering neck bracket is arranged at one side of the head bracket, and the bottom part of the neck bracket is connoted with a lifting pole 2, and the lower part of the lifting pole 2 is assembled together with a fixing pole 2 fixed on the base. Compared with the prior art, the neck and neck bracket for operation has the characteristics of reasonable design, simple structure, convenient usage, safety and comfort, and firm fixation and the like.


The application provides ion-selective sensors capable of selectively measuring ions, e.g., Na+, K+, Cl-, etc., in the cytosol of a single living cell. The sensor comprises one or more quantum dots or a fluorescent dye, a pH-sensitive dye, and an ion-selective component such as an ionophore disposed in a polymer matrix. The polymer matrix comprises an internalizing moiety which enables the sensor to localize within the cytosol of a cell. The internalizing moiety comprises a small molecule or peptide such as an amine, antepennepedia, mastoparan, or melittin that react under acidic conditions to release a sensor from the confines of a endosome. Once in the cytosol the sensors may detect ionic analytes by selective ion extraction by the polymer, thereby inducing a pH change within the sensor which in turn changes the absorbance of the pH-sensitive dye. The change of absorbance may in turn attenuate the intensity of detectable emissions, e.g., fluorescence, from the quantum dot or dye by directly absorbing its fluorescence emission.


The presence of two key autoantibodies, coupled with lower disease damage, strongly predict clinical improvement in patients treated with rituximab for refractory myositis.


To raise public awareness and to create a demand for safe schools and hospitals, a campaign which was dubbed as 'One Million Safe Schools and Hospitals' was conceptualized and launched through the initiative of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR). The campaign was designed to have a simple message, 'Make a pledge, save a life.' For this purpose, the campaign focused on pledging - promoting actions that can be taken by various stakeholders in their own way. This paper presents the concept of the campaign which is basically pledging online through a website. The campaign principles, mechanics and medium are presented. The contents of the website are also described. Various ways on how civil engineers, in particular, can contribute in the campaign are also highlighted.


The macro-morphology and the histology of the testis of Liza dumerili are described with special reference to the various types of spermatogenic cells. L, dumerili possesses typical teleost testes. The only peculiarity is the conspicuous main sperm duct, which runs on the surface (medio-ventral) along the entire length of each testis. Testicular lobules contain cysts in which highly synchronized spermatogenesis takes place. Three generations of spermatogonia are evident, although further subdivisions are possible. Four types of primary spermatocytes are recognized. Typical interlobular Leydig cells appear in close association with small blood vessels. "Lobule-boundary cells" seem to be present but were only evident in I µm Epon sections.


Bright light therapy can improve winter seasonal affective disorder (SAD), but only in some patients. To examine an alternative treatment,


The developmental biology of root border cells in higher plants is one of the newly emerged research fields. The viability, number, induction, and response to temperature of border cells were investigated during seed germination in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Humai 8). The viability of border cells attached to the root tip was (95±3)% using FDA-PI method (Fig.1A). CC medium and 0.5 mol/L mannitol solution were beneficial to border cell survival (Fig.1B). During normal seed germination, the first formation of border cells occurred almost synchronously with primary root tip emergence in barley. The number of border cells increased with root elongation, and reached its maximum value (about 1 400) when the root was 20-25 mm long (Fig.2A). When a full set of border cells was removed, a new set of border cells was induced within 48 h (Fig.2B). Further studies showed that there existed no specific extracellular inhibitor in border cell secretions (Fig.2C). Compared with 25℃, 15 and 35℃ could significantly inhibit root elongation, but not border cell development (Fig.3). Changes in pectin methylesterase (PME) activity in root caps were closely related with border cell separation in barley (Fig.4). These results revealed that the response of root elongation to temperature was more sensitive than border cell development in barley, which was an induced process and whose separation was mediated via PME activity expression in root caps.


Wireless power transfer technology via electromagnetic resonant coupling shows the probability of removing wires. Many researches have been published and have shown promising results. However, there were few efforts to lower resonance frequency. A low operating frequency in a system is a very important parameter because the lower operating frequency could reduce a system price. We lowered a self-resonant frequency until 500KHz by using a toroidal ferrite core and measured transmission parameter by a vector network analyzer. We achieved a transmission parameter of over 0.5 in a range of antenna diameter and improved the efficiency in the short range with rotating antenna angle.


The influence of grid division and turbulent model to resistance,wave ship and precision of flow prediction has been investigated by selecting ship model DTMB5415 as calculated object and using RANS method and VOF model.First,coarseness,middle and huge grid division have been designed to calculate wave flow field.By comparing resistance and wave ship date of the test with calculating data,the results show that middle count grid divisions can obtain veracity of calculate results and higher calculate efficiency.Second,three turbulent flow models have been used to compute total resistance and ship wave.The SST k-ω turbulent flow model can satisfy calculated results accuracy under high calculate rate.Finally,middle grid division and SST k-ω turbulent flow model have been selected to calculated ship wave.The results showed that the calculated results have been agreed with the experiment data.


T HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED that the philosophical development which l can be traced through Melville's novels has important ramifications in the tales as well. Six of the tales in particular become more meaningful if viewed as a group and as an extension of one of the major philosophical preoccupations of the novels. "Cock-a-DoodleDoo!," "The Lightning-Rod Man," "I and My Chimney," "Jimmy Rose," "The Apple-Tree Table," and "The Piazza" all treat what might be called the "Ishmael" theme. After the wild defiance of the quest and after what we are led to believe is the acceptance of moral ambiguity which saves him, what is the future of Ishmael? That is to say, how can such an individual without sacrificing his complexity of vision adjust himself, as he must, to "home"? Melville answers that question indirectly in these particular tales by creating a series of domestic adventurers, widely different in personality, each of whom stands in a more or less mature relationship to his environment.' The tales have several common denominators. The most conspicuous is domesticity as it is embodied in wives and children, hearths, attics, cellars, rambling country homes, pastoral vistas, and old age. The narrators share certain important characteristics: like Ishmael, they come to terms with reality without denying its ambiguity. Like him, their orientation is humanistic-they share a reverence for the past, a love of meditation, a feeling of kinship with nature and divinity, and an enjoyment of friendship and mirth. In some way, these narrator-protagonists are all forced to defend their values against an encroaching modernism which threatens the spaciousness of their experience; but aside from this outside threat, the narrators are notably secure. The agonizing introspection, the search for the "phantom of life" which dominates the novels, is conspicuously absent from these tales.


The investigated area forms an axis from the archipelago of Nordvestlandet in South Norway along the peninsula Tingvollhalvoya to the mountain area south of Trollheimen (Fig. 1). Sediment cores from a number of sites were examined and for 7 localities pollen diagrams arc presented together with 15 radiocarbon dates of 15 sediment samples. Due to great similarities in the development of vegetation at 5 sites (Pl. 1), the development from pioneer stages to Boreal Chronozone is described as a whole. Pioneer vegetation in the area is dominated by the Rumex/Oxyria type. Salix appears also with high values from the lowermost spectra. Then a more complex herb flora develops. The values for Ericales (most frequently Empetrum) rise to a maximum at a time well into Allcr0d. This is followed by a maximum for Betula pollen, probably dominated by Betula nana, towards the end of Allerod. This increase for Betula is most conspicuous in mid- and inner fjord areas. A climatic deterioration is seen as a series of spectra w...


We describe the basic notions of co-induction as they are available in the coq system. As an application, we describe arithmetic properties for simple representations of real numbers.


Federation is generally used to denote collaboration between IT systems in different administrative domains to achieve common goals. Different administrative domains are typically distinct and loosely coupled by definition. While domains may have some degree of self-awareness, their awareness of other domains may be weak or non-existent. Hence, there is a fundamental challenge concerning how to build and establish a federation among domains that is self-integrating and self-improving without relying on a priori information. Note the "self" we are referring to here is the aggregate federation, and not necessarily any one domain. This position paper endeavors to identity the key issues for managing a posteriori federations, i.e., ones that do not rely on a priori information.


A growth assay was conducted with rats to determine if copper-induced growth depression is related to dietary sulfur amino acid concentration. In the absence of added copper, methionine addition to the basal diet had no effect on either gain or gain/feed. However, the growth depressing effect of 750 mg/kg copper was totally alleviated with the addition of 0.18% methionine.


The development of biocomposites and their applications are important in material science due to environmental and sustainability issues. The extent of degradation depends on the nature of reinforcing filler, particle size and their modification. In this article, we tried to focus on the biodegradation of composites of Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) reinforced with Peanut Shell Powder (PSP) by soil burial test. The composites of SBR with untreated PSP (UPSP) and silane modified PSP (SPSP) of 10 parts per hundred rubber (phr) and 20 phr filler loading in two particle size were buried in the garden soil for six months. The microbial degradation were assessed through the measurement of weight loss, tensile strength and hardness at definite period. The study shows that degradation increases with increase in filler loading and particle size. The chemical treatment of filler has been found to resist the degradation. The analysis of morphological properties by the SEM also confirmed biodegradation process by the...


In this paper, we describe the enhancements made to an existing General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network OPNET model. These enhancements to the existing model are the implementations of the Logical Link Control (LLC) layer, the Base Station Subsystem (BSS), and the cell update procedure. We first present an overview of the GPRS network, the LLC layer, and the existing OPNET model. We then describe the implementation of the LLC layer, the BSS consisting of a Base Station (BS) and a Base Station Controller (BSC), and the autonomous cell reselection procedure performed by the mobile station. Four simulation scenarios were used to verify the accuracy of the OPNET implementation. We conclude by suggesting possible further enhancements to the GPRS OPNET model.


The ion energy distribution in an orbitron device has been measured by means of a retarding field analyzer. The influence of the main geometric and electric parameters of the device on the ion spectra is reported here. The observed distributions show that, because of the electrostatic field configuration, the ionizing efficiency is much smaller near the reflector plates than in the central part of the device. In all cases the ion energy distribution is continuous and broad with a single maximum. Implications of the electron distribution in the orbitron are discussed. Particularly, it results from these investigations that the radial electron density distribution is a monotonically decreasing function of the radial position in the orbitron. These results are interpreted in terms of electron trajectories.


The grafting copolymerization of chitosan (Cts) and methacrylic acid (MAA) was carried out using radiation source ()~(60)Co.The synthesis product could be used as a carrier of fenoprofen calcium (FC). The influences of proportions of methacrylic acid (MAA), radiation dosages on performance of graft polymerization, were studied, and the grafted copolymer was identified by FT-IR. The examination of release rate of drugs in intestinal fluid showed that fenoprofen calcium in tablets was released slowly.


Abstract The Quantity Theory in its simplest form is the theory that defines money value by the relation between the amount of money and the quantity of goods. This theory originated in Italy in the 16th century where Davanzatti, rightly or wrongly, is credited as its author. Isolated hints about the available quantity of goods being a deciding factor in establishing the value of money can, indeed, be traced much earlier in the literature, but one cannot speak of there being a scientific theory before the 16th century, even if then. The Quantity Theory got its first real form at the end of the 17th century through J. Locke, whose compatriots generally adopted it in the following century and circulated it to the whole of cultivated Europe. It was then that it came to Sweden, since when it has played an important role in the discussion of the money theory problem.


Obstetrics Gynecology 2020 which is scheduled to
take place in Geneva, Switzerland during June 18-19,
2020 takes the pleasure to invite all the participants,
speakers, students, delegates, sponsors, exhibitors from
all over the globe to attend our conference
These events cover wide range of critically important
sessions that deals with the current research
development in the field of Obstetrics Gynecology,
Reproductive medicine and Women Health care and,
about the new treatment methods which are researched
by scientists to treat various diseases in easier way.
These conferences act as a best platform for attendees
to learn about the recent trends in Healthcare as The
healthcare supply chain management market is
projected According to projections of a TMR report, the
worldwide gynecological gadgets market will clock 4.8%
CAGR somewhere in the range of 2017 and 2023. This
will interpret openings in the market to produce an
income of US$22,589.9 mn by 2023 from US$17,015.9mn
in 2017. As far as gadget type, gynecological careful
gadgets hold noticeable quality in the market. Rising
commonness of single cut laparoscopic medical
procedures and advances in customary endoscopic
medical procedures represent progresses in
gynecological careful instruments. Topography shrewd,
North America is a rewarding business sector for
gynecological gadgets because of the early appropriation
of cutting edge gynecological gadgets.


A large segment of the history of family functioning is dominated by the traditional family model, which is initially associated with existence in rural areas and it has been characterized with authoritarianism, predictability, repeatability, and solidarity. However, with the processes of industrialization and urbanization, the family is facing new challenges and problems. Following such social changes, the need for a functional family reorganization is inevitable. New urban living prosperity way of living created a model of a modern nuclear family with their own characteristic. The processes of globalization clearly affect the changes of the primary group, ie its functions on a global level. However, the question is whether today, taking into account all these changes and influences, different family models are still observed in urban and rural areas. This research is aimed to analyze the impact of urban and rural areas on the characteristics of family models. A quantitative survey of 30 families will be conducted, of which 15 from urban and 15 from rural areas. The analysis of the answers will be used to determine the similarities and differences of family models that exist in different environments.


In recent years, the number of digital projects aimed at documenting and preserving communities' intangible cultural heritage (ICH) has grown considerably. Nevertheless, most of these resources do not provide a user-friendly interface which allows non-professional people to contribute to them. As a result, professional accounts of cultural heritage might miss out the finer-grained knowledge about communities' customs and traditions. This paper tries to show how the creation of community digital archives allowing an 'anyone can edit' approach on wiki software gives a better representation of communities' ICH, as well as representing an affordable and sustainable interactive digital presence for historical communities. This project has been developed from my doctoral studies and is closely related to the CURIOS Project at the dot.rural Digital Economy Research Hub (University of Aberdeen), which has been taking a different approach to how communities can maintain their digital presence.


Abstract 4709 Background: The diagnosis of a hematological malignancy and its treatment potentially lead to severe symptoms and signs that negatively affect quality of life (QoL). In spite of its importance, there is very limited data about QoL in hematological malignancies in our country, Turkey. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and predictors of symptoms and problems in a representative group of hematological malignancy patients in northwestern part of Turkey. In addition, we investigated the relationship between QoL and clinical features in these patients. Methods: Our center is a university hospital which functions as a tertiary referral center. It is located in northwestern part of Turkey and serves a population of approximately one million people. Most of them are from rural areas. Our center is equipped with all the facilities needed to diagnose and follow-up patients with all types of hematological malignancies. Hematological malignancy patients who had been diagnosed and treated at our hematology department within the last 5 years were included. Local ethical committee consent was obtained. We reviewed the medical records of all patients and we obtained clinical data about their demographical features, diagnosis, and treatment status. Patients who had a known serious cognitive dysfunction or had a severe psychiatric comorbidity were not included. For assessing QoL, all hematologic malignancy patients were asked to respond to the EORTC QLQ-C30. For the five function scales and global health status or QoL, higher scores represent better functioning. For the nine symptom scales, higher scores correspond to more symptoms. In addition, all subjects were administered the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results: The study sample consisted of 332 hematological malignancy patients. One-hundred patients had nonHodgkin9s lymphoma (NHL), 89 patients had multiple myeloma (MM), 53 had chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), 44 had acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 32 had Hodgkin9s lymphoma (HL) and 14 had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The symptom with the highest mean score was fatigue (40.9±28.4), followed by pain (30.5±31.8), insomnia (28.2±33.9) and appetite loss (25.9±33.7). The function scale with the lowest mean score was financial function (29.9±34.4). Using the cutoff values (for symptom scale ≥33, for function scale ≤67), 73.1% of the patients had decreased financial function, 39% of the patients had decreased physical function, 28.7% patients had reduced role function and social function, 24.5% of the patients decreased emotional function, 15.4% patients had decreased cognitive function. In addition, 26.5% patients had fatigue, 24.1% of the patients had insomnia, 22.3% patients had pain (severe), 23% of patients had appetite loss, 13.5% of patients had constipation, 5.7% of patients had nausea, 5.3% of patients had diarrhea. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, factors having negative effect on physical function were older age, the presence of anxiety and depression; factors negatively affecting role function were similarly anxiety and depression; factors having negative effect on financial function were the presence of depression and lower educational level. Multivariate analysis showed that the presence of anxiety and depression were independent factors negatively affecting fatigue which was quite frequent. The presence of depression, on the other hand, was an independent factor which negatively influenced the presence of severe pain. The mean global quality of life score was 60.6±25.8. We observed the highest global QoL scores in CML (73.5±20.7) and in CLL (71±21.4) patients; and the lowest scores in ALL (52.8±33.6) and NHL (58.5±24.5) patients. However, their differences were not significant. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that independent factors which influenced global QoL score were anxiety according to HADS-A score (OR: −6.6, 95%CI: −1.2, −12.04, p=0.018); and depression (OR=−22.2, 95%CI: 15.4, −28.8, p Conclusions: In our center which mainly serves hematological malignancy patients from rural areas, the most important loss of function was in financial function. Anxiety and depression had negative influence on functional parameters; and positive influence on symptom scores. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


The preparation and identification of tetraalkyl methylenebisphosphonates {XYC[P(O)(OR)2]2; X = Y = H, Cl or Br and R = alkyl} have been studied. Detailed procedures are given for the synthesis of XYC[P(O)(OR)2]2(X = Y = H; R = hexyl; X = Y = Cl or Br and R = Me). 1H, 13C and 31P NMR data are reported including 1JCH, 2JCP, 3JCP and 2JPP coupling constants. The fragmentation of 19 XYC[P(O)(OR)2]2 has been studied in the gas phase. The solid state structures are given for two compounds (X = Y = Cl, R = Pri and X = Y = Br, R = Me).


An ideal companion to the popular book of the same name, this DVD is loaded with progressively complex intermediate and advanced plyometric exercises designed to improve strength, power and speed. Provides the tools needed to create a customised 12-week programme with a range of exercises for a total body workout, or to target specific body regions.


# 2007 International Union of Crystallography All rights reserved The title racemate, C11H16O3, displays two different hydrogenbonding modes in the crystal structure. The chosen asymmetric unit consists of two molecules of identical handedness that differ in the rotation of their carboxyl groups and are linked by an acid-to-ketone hydrogen bond [O O = 2.7219 (17) Å and O—H O = 174 ]. The remaining carboxyl forms a centrosymmetric dimer with a second such unit [O O = 2.6368 (15) Å and O—H O = 174 ], while the ketones at the extremities of this four-molecule aggregate remain unengaged. Five intermolecular C—H O close contacts were found.


The author analyses provisions of the Russian Federation Constitution dealing with budgetary State activity and with controlling of inter-budgetary relations. The experience of foreign countries in controlling of inter-budgetary relations on the constitutional basis is considered in the article


We investigated the potential of phytophagous insects to transmit Clavibocter xyli subsp. cynodonitis to bermudagrass and maize. Neither leaf-chewing nor xylem-sucking insects transmitted the bacterium after feeding on colonized plants. C. x. cynodontis was readily transmitted to bermudagrass and maize by mechanical inoculation of their stems, and Schistocerca nitens (Orthoptera: Acrididae) transmitted the bacterium to bermudagrass when concentrated cell suspensions were applied to their mouthparts and feeding was restricted to stems. The factors limiting the transmission of C. x. cynodontis by chewing insects under natural feeding conditions include the low susceptibility of leaves (vis-a-vis stems) to C. x. cynadontis colonization, the small numbers of the bacterium acquired by insects fed colonized foliage, and the retention of relatively few viable bacteria on the mandibles of insects


Organic farming has grown in importance during the last 20 years in Italy. Weed management is generally more critical in organic than in conventional farming, as only non-chemical means can be applied. In these conditions, the knowledge of the effect of organic cultural system on weed population dynamics appears essential to optimize weed management. The aim of this study was to determine at field scale the weed evolution in time, in conventional and organic cultural systems. The study was carried out in north western Italy over the period 20042007, in a crop-rotation including wheat, pea, maize and wheat. The following three cultural systems were compared: conventional (CONV; reference system); organic system based on the use of farmyard manure (OFM); organic system based on the use of a combination of green manure and intercropping (OGI). In both organic systems weed management was carried out applying stale seed bed technique combined with mechanical interventions with spring tine harrowing, inter-row harrowing and ridging. In conventional system weeds were controlled by means of herbicides. Over the period of the study, seed bank resulted quite stable in the conventional system, while it increased by about 5 % in both organic. Weed density assessed in OFM increased during the monitored period: in wheat it increased, by about 300% (from 74 to 254 plants/m2), while in pea an increase of about 30% (from 220 to 340 plants/m2) was recorded. Weed density increased also in OGI, both in wheat (56%) and pea (300%). A clear effect on weed density in maize due to the cropping system was not observed. In this crop the weed presence was more influenced by weather conditions. The year with the highest infestation was 2005 which had a density roughly twice that recorded in the other years, in all cropping systems. Weed composition did not vary remarkably in the conventional system while an important increase of perennial weeds, such as Cirsium arvense, Sorghum halepense, Convolvulus arvensis was observed in organic systems. A notable increase of annual grasses, such as Echinochloa crus-galli, Panicum dichotomiflorum and Setaria viridis, has also been recorded, in particular in organic maize, because of the limited activity of the mechanical means against these weeds. 15th EWRS Symposium 12-18 July 2010, Kaposvár, Hungary


The density of wood inside the stick varies greatly according to the diameter and height of the tree. The development of a non-destructive method of predicting an average density of wood in all specific breed stem-base density in parts of the tree is of great practical importance. For this purpose, the research was conducted to identify the patterns of wood density dynamics against the height and the diameter of birch trees growing in the conditions of the Middle Volga Region in Russia. Fourteen model birch trees (Betula pendula) were selected as research material on two plots in the plantations of the Scientific-Experimental Forest District of the Volga State University of Technology (VSUT) in the Republic of Mari El of Russia. From each felled model tree 50.0 mm cross-section discs were carved at a distance of 1.3 m from the root collar and at relative heights of 0.25H, 0.5H, and 0.75H. Prototypes in the form of 20x20x30 mm rectangular prisms (long side along the wood grain) were made from their north and south sides at a distance of 0.25R, 0.5R and 0.75R from the stem core along the NS diagonal. Density studies were conducted by measuring the density of the wood sample immersed in liquid against the buoyant force. It has been revealed that there are both differences and patterns of change in density in the longitudinal and cross-section directions of the trunk of a birch tree growing in the conditions of the Middle Volga Region in Russia. Based on the results obtained, a mathematical model of these laws has been formulated. Сlose relationship between the average density of the stick and its diameter at breast height (DBH) cross-section average density, i.e. ρtree=178.52+0.641ρdbh (r=0.922) has been revealed. By applying a well-known method of determining the density of crosssection radial core extracted from the wood by an age borer at this height, wood density of the birch trees growing in the Middle Volga Region can be calculated according to this equation.


The invention relates to a method for operating a con tactless and batteryless chip card. The chip card is sup plied with energy via an alternating field by a write/read unit. The bidirectional data transfer is achieved by modulation of the energy-transmitting alternating field. The chip card includes, inter alia, an antenna coil for receiving the alternating field, an input circuit generat ing the supply voltage from the coil current, and a voltage detector for detecting blanking gaps in the al ternating field. By the method in accordance with the invention the voltage detector compares the two volt ages at the coil ends with one another and then supplies an output signal, provided both the voltages are sub stantially equal in size for longer than a predetermined period. Furthermore, a chip card is described that con tains a voltage detector permitting operation according to the method described.


PI471938, introduced from the US, is a soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] variety with tolerance to wilting. In order to know and use this germplasm, the shoot and root traits of PI471938 and two other varieties (Dare and Fengshouhuang) were investigated under either routine irrigation or drought stress conditions in this study. The crosses were made and segregating populations were analyzed for the inheritance of root and shoot traits by using the major gene and polygene mixed inheritance models. The results showed that the dry root weight, root volume and tap root length of PI471938 were significantly higher than those of Dare and Fengshouhuang under both routine irrigation and drought stress conditions, indicating that large root system especially the deep rooting is one of the major reasons for PI471938 to be tolerant to wilting. Both plant height and shoot dry weight of the parents and progenies were positively correlated with root dry weight and volume, which made it possible to use these shoot traits to indirectly select the root traits. In the F2 population of the cross Dare×PI416937, root dry weight was found to be mainly controlled by minor-effect polygenes under both routine irrigation and drought stress conditions. The root volume was controlled by polygenes under routine irrigation but by two pairs of additive-dominance-epistasis major genes plus additive-dominance polygenes under drought stress, and the heritability of major genes was as high as 54.63%. Under drought stress, the root dry weight and root volume in the segregating populations of the cross Fengshouhuang×PI471938 were mainly controlled by polygenes. Using the F2 population derived from Dare × PI471938 grown under drought condition, QTL mapping was conducted and five major-effect QTLs conferring the plant height, root dry weight, shoot/root ratio and tap root length were located on three linkage groups, which could explain 16.07%–38.44% of the total phenotypic variation.


AbstractHuang Zunxian, member of the staff of the Qing legation in Tokyo (1877–82), became acquainted with prominent Japanese literati ( bunjin ). His experiences provide a window of information and insight into the cultural atmosphere of early Meiji Japan and the attitude of progressive and Chinese intellectuals then resident there. With the skills of a literatus, Huang had access to the modes of discourse and thought of his hosts, so formed discriminating views of almost all aspects of Japanese life in an era of change. His experience is captured in some 200 quatrains in the two editions of his Riben zashi shi (Poems on miscellaneous subjects from Japan, 1879 and 1890), whose contents overlap to include different poems and different versions of same poems. The poems were intended to have more than literary impact—to enlighten those in power in China by casting Japan in a positive light and promote Japan as a model for reform and modernization. Huang linked Japanese tradition with the Chinese, which he did in poems emphasizing their common high culture. The scope of the poems is quite broad: Japanese history and geography, Sino-Japanese cultural relations, Chinese culture in Japan, poetry ( kanshi ) and prose ( kanbun ), painting and calligraphy, Confucianism and Buddhism, the Meiji Restoration and modernization, new political and social institutions, the Diet, local government, political parties, museums, taxation, education reform, women's education. Many subjects were unknown to earlier tradition but now topical and urgent as China began to shed old ways and embrace the new.


Purpose – This study proposes integrating the perceived risk and social influence literatures on online group buying (OGB) intentions with the basic TAM variables (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use).Design/methodology/approach – Based on an empirical survey of 304 online adopters of OGB in Taiwan, the paper uses structural equation modeling to confirm the research model.Findings – The results reveal that perceived critical mass had the largest total effect on intention to use group buying websites. The findings also indicate that perceived usefulness and a sense of virtual community (SOVC) have significant effect on OGB intention. In addition, both perceived ease of use and website quality influence perceived usefulness. As expected, perceived risk has negative effect on OGB intention.Research limitations/implications – This study only considered buying intention with regard to foodstuffs, and it is unclear whether these analytical results can be generalized to other items. Further research c...


In order to solve the minimum tardy task problem(MTTP),the genetic algorithm was led into the solution of it.The solution method of MTTP based on genetic algorithm was discussed by using penalty function.By analyzing and comparing the results of experimental runs of three evolutionary algorithms genGA,ssGA,cGA,it was obtained that the genGA is better than others when solving MTTP with large scale.


There is a very large number of persons from Russia and other east European countries working in China. Their presence, we were told, has no political significance; but they had come to give technical training and for supplying the essential know-how to the Chinese workers. Their living conditions are far better than those of the ordinary Chinese; they are supplied with many amenities which cannot be made available to their Chinese counterparts. This admixture of foreigners is a necessity which cannot be avoided, but we were told that they were not permanent fixtures; rather, they moved from place to place, as and when their services were needed.


Objective:To investigate the risk factors of induced rupture hemorrhage of intracranial aneurysm(ICA) and its nursing countermeasures.Methods:The cases of induced rupture hemorrhage of ICA treated in our department were investigated retrospectively,the risk factors were analsed and the nursing countermeasures were proposed.Results:This disease was closely correlated with emotional strain,strenuous exercise,smoking,drinking and the convertion of season.Conclusion:Stabilizing the emotion of the patients,controlling the blood pressure doing all the nursing care to prevent intracranial hypertension are very important.


Action recognition is an important research topic in computer vision. It is the basic work for visual understanding and has been applied in many fields. Since human actions can vary in different environments, it is difficult to infer actions in completely different states with a same structural model. For this case, we propose a Cross-Enhancement Transform Two-Stream 3D ConvNets algorithm, which considers the action distribution characteristics on the specific dataset. As a teaching model, stream with better performance in both streams is expected to assist in training another stream. In this way, the enhanced-trained stream and teacher stream are combined to infer actions. We implement experiments on the video datasets UCF-101, HMDB-51, and Kinetics-400, and the results confirm the effectiveness of our algorithm.


The Pu Sam Cap high-potassic alkaline rocks are located in western part of the southern segment of Ailao Shan-Red River shear zone,including high-potassic alkaline trachyte,lamprophyre,syenite and alkaline granite. There into,the trachyte lays unconformably upon the Upper Cretaceous sedimentary rocks. The syenite and alkaline granite intruded the Triassic terrigenous sedimentary rocks,Jurassic rhyolite and amphibole-bearing granitic intrusion of 40~35Ma. The Pu Sam Cap potassic alkaline rocks are geochemically characterized by relatively low TiO2 (0.8%),P2O5 (0.64%) and FeO* (7.74%) and high Na2O (1.41%~4.5%) and K2O (5.22%~9.4%),coupled with high contents of incompatible trace elements. They are ultrapotassic or shoshonitic enriched in LILE,LREE and compatible elements,and have marked Nb,Ta and Ti depletion,which is similar to a subduction related component and has the characteristics of post-collisional arc type potassic igneous rocks. Zircon LA-ICPMS U-Pb dating gives the emplacement age of 32.70±0.24Ma for high-potassic syenite and 35.1±0.06Ma for alkaline granite. Their eHf(t) values are-2.8~2.5 and-4.9~0.1 with two-stage Hf model ages of 950~1286Ma and 1107~1421Ma,eNd(t) values of-5.63~-3.26,high 87Sr/86Sr(0.706254~0.707273) and low 143Nd/144Nd (0.512336~0.512447). It is suggested that the Pu Sam Cap high-potassic alkaline rocks were resulted from mixing between mantle and crust-derived magmas and may be derived from an EM2 mantle. The remnant of the subduction of Yangtze plate beneath the Indochina plate during the closure of the Mojiang Paleotethyan oceanic basin,and the Cenozoic continental collision between Indian and Eurasian plates provide a broad tectonic background for the Pu Sam Cap potassic alkaline magmatism.


The scat contents of feral dogs (Canis.12imiliaris) were compared between two periods (1973-1975 and 1993-1994) befbre and after an increase of sika deer population in Nikko, central Honshu, Japan. Among five fbod items, sika deer (Cervus n4zpon) was fbund to be the main staple fbod during both periods. In the first period, befbre the population increase of sika deer, however, the occurrence ofsika deer in scats decreased from 66% in winter and spring to 19% in summer and fa11, next to human leftovers. In the second period after the recent population increase of sika deer, sika deer comprized 78-96% and was ranked at the top throughout he year, while human leftovers declined to only seyeral percent. Thus, sika deer and human leftoyers were 1ikely in a trade-off relation. Small mammals occupied a small portion. Natural plant fractions may have been eaten with the digestive organs ofsika deer,


This paper solves side-roll equation of a submersible to give the transfer function of maneuvering motion parameters by means of Laplace'S transform. The method for steering index K, T and frequencycharacteristic of 4th-order system is given both in time domain and in frequency domain. Examples are given in this paper to show submersibles' stability and maneuverability in side and roll motion.


Solid nitrogen tetroxide reacts at low temperatures with hydrogen atoms to form nitrogen trioxide. Intermediates or products formed by a different reaction path are also obtained.


Nonlinear target impedance is proposed for robot compliant motion control. The target impedance is designed by adding a nonlinear damping term to conventional linear target impedance to suppress undesired energy. A robust control method, time delay control, is used to achieve proposed target impedance, and the stability of closed loop dynamics is proved by using Popov's hyper-stability theory. Through experiments on 1-DOF arm with friction, the proposed target impedance has been compared to linear impedance to confirm its effectiveness. Compared to linear target impedance, nonlinear target impedance is better for tracking discontinuous trajectory, and more robust against Coulomb friction in free space motion control. The nonlinear target impedance intelligently absorbs impact energy when the robot collides with the environment


Over recent years, much attention has been paid to the performance evaluation of industrial-type burners. The ignition and stable combustion process are of great significance in assessing the quality of burner. The planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique can be applied to heavy oil boilers, extending this technique to engineering applications. Considering the complex environment of the bench test, measures such as temperature control and moisture proofing are made to improve the possibility of detection using PLIF. In this paper, an experimental investigation of flame growth following ignition is reported. A wrinkled structure could be observed from the configuration of the ignition flame; its trajectory will be depicted. The results showed that the wrinkled structure developed downward, i.e., by deviation from the direction of the airflow. The displacement velocity of the flame was used to describe the combustion rate. Good agreement was obtained for the flame shapes of both forced ignition and autoignition. In addition, the center of combustion deviated from the center of boiler, possibly due to some irregularity in the burner's assembly which was critical to the design of the combustion chamber.


During recent years, with the increase of material living standard, people have paid more and more attention to the physical conditions. Thus the massage manipulation teaching which can impose certain impact on people's health has also gradually attracted wide attention. Especially during the 10year integral moving of Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, our university has developed the Massage Manipulation—interscholastic course of Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center. To give the lecture well among those students having no medical foundation and let them actually master the essentials, further to apply the knowledge to daily life and safeguard health, it requires students to possess skillful massage manipulation. Therefore, teaching of massage manipulation has just become the key teaching content. On the basis of briefly illustrating the countermeasures of promoting teaching quality of massage manipulation, it takes the staged teaching method as an example and analyzes the concrete method of applying the teaching method to massage manipulation, with the hope of offering corresponding support and reference for the development of massage manipulation teaching.


This paper presents a feasibility study for a very high data rate receiver operating in the K/Ka-band suitable to future Moon exploration missions. The receiver specifications are outlined starting from the mission scenario and from a careful system analysis. The designed architecture uses a low noise front-end to down-convert the incoming K/Ka-band signal into a 3.7 GHz intermediate frequency (IF). For maximum flexibility, a software defined radio (SDR) is adopted for the I/Q demodulation and for the analog to digital conversion (ADC). The decoding operations and the data interface are carried out by a processor based on field programmable gate array (FPGA) circuits. To experimentally verify the above concepts, a preliminary front-end breadboard is implemented, operating between 27.5 and 30 GHz. The breadboard, which uses components off the shelf (COTS) and evaluation boards (EVBs), is characterized by a 46 dB gain, a 3.4 dB noise figure and a − 37 dBm input-referred 1 dB compression point. Finally, a 40 Msym / s quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) signal is demodulated by means of a commercially available SDR, demonstrating the above concept. The importance of these results is that they have been obtained exploiting a class of miniaturized and low cost microwave integrated circuits currently available on the market, opening the way to a dense communication infrastructure on cislunar space.


Background: Lung cancer is the most common cancer and a leading cause of cancer related deaths worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common histological type. The aim of our study was to analyze clinico-pathological profile, treatment outcome and survival of NSCLC patients at a tertiary care centre. Methodology: A total of 50 patients diagnosed histopathologically to have NSCLC were included in the study. This study was done at J.S.S Medical College and Hospital, Mysore. All patients were prospectively followed up for 6 months. Clinicopathological profile, treatment outcome, overall survival and performance status were analyzed using Cox Proportional hazard model. Results: Our study included a total of 50 cases with 44 male (88%) and 6 (12%) female patients with a median age of 65 years (range 42-90 years). 27 cases were adenocarcinomas (54%), 14 Squamous cell carcinomas (28%), 7 poorly differentiated carcinomas (14%) and 2 large cell carcinomas (4%). Overall survival (OS) among patients receiving treatment was significantly better [HR=2.44(95% CI 1.14-5.22) p=0.02]. Patients treated with Chemotherapy (Carboplatin-Paclitaxel ± Gefitinib) showed significant better survival compared to patients who did not receive chemotherapy [HR=2.73(95% CI 1.03-7.25) p=0.004]. Performance status as measured by both Karnofsky score [HR=5.02(95% CI 1.51-16.67) p=0.008] and ECOG scores [HR=0.26(95% CI 0.09-0.69) p=0.006] were significantly associated with better survival in patients who took treatment. Conclusions: NSCLC patients who took chemotherapy have a significant better survival and good quality of life.


Severity Scale was distributed in 9 secondary schools in 6 towns. Results: In all, 2731 students participated in the study (593 males and 2138 females, 932 in the fi rst phase and 1799 in the second phase). The methods used for weight reduction and pathological questionnaire scores are more prevalent in female students. The prevalence of these eating-related pathological phenomena increased over a ten-year period. The prevalence of both clinical and subclinical anorexia and bulimia got signifi cantly higher in the females during the study period (form 0.12% to 0.68%). Conclusions: The results of the study indicate that the prevalence of symptoms and syndromes of eating disorders has risen signifi cantly among female Hungarian secondary school students during the study period. The increased prevalence rates are likely to be associated with the growing signifi cance of physical appearance and the ideal of slenderness in this age group.


The concept of "State in Society" provides a framework for analysis of relationship between state and society at the micro level and at the level of action.Based on the concept of "State in Society",this paper discovers that the political resources of Women's Federation have organizational characteristics in terms of elements,tools and stages.These mean that the political resources do not definitely lead to resources dependence.It is,thus,important for women's federation to make good use of political resources and to improve organizational structures and capability once positioning itself to its best advantage and clarifying its development goals.


Abstract Team-building/personal-challenge activities are powerful tools for achieving affective learning goals. However, successful use of these activities often depends on asking the right questions.


Long term follow up of heart patients in Leicester leads us to believe that there is a need for another form of communication with patients, their families and friends. The "Yourheart" Web site was developed as a combined effort of De Montfort University and local health professionals. The technical and legal aspects were particularly challenging. A year after its launch, it has proved to be very popular with patients. Informed patients are not only less anxious about forthcoming treatment but also take more responsibility for their own health care. There is also a demand for expansion of the service to provide up to date information for doctors and nurses in the community.


Major advances have been made in the treatment of hepatitis B during the past 5 years. However, much remains to be accomplished because current drug therapy does not eradicate infection. As a result, virologic responses are not always durable and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) generally remains positive. The management of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative hepatitis B remains particularly problematic because this disorder is associated with high rates of virologic relapse after interferon or several years of nucleoside analogue treatment.1 The latter observation has led to the belief that continuous viral suppression is generally necessary and HBsAg clearance is the most reliable treatment endpoint.2 HBsAg clearance comes as close to a clinical cure of disease as one can expect to achieve in hepatitis B. Support for this comes from natural history studies demonstrating increased length of survival, lower rates of hepatic decompensation, and reduction in the frequency of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis who clear HBsAg.3 Molecular studies using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) have shown extremely low levels of covalently closed circular DNA (0.002 copies/hepatocyte) in patients who have cleared HBsAg.4 This in turn explains the reduced risk of reactivated hepatitis B when anti-HBc–positive/HBsAg-negative patients are treated with chemotherapy for malignancy.5 Despite the added clinical importance of HBsAg clearance, however, this event has not been included as a primary endpoint in treatment trials because of the low frequency of its occurrence. The majority of nucleoside analogue studies, even with prolonged therapy, have demonstrated rates of HBsAg clearance comparable to those observed naturally (between 1%-2% annually for western hepatitis B virus [HBV] carriers and 0.5%-1% in Asian carriers).6,7 Interferon therapy can result in HBsAg clearance, but this only occurs in a small percentage of cases when evaluated 6-12 months after therapy. In HBeAgpositive hepatitis, HBsAg loss has been reported in 3%10% of patients without a clear relationship to the length of treatment.8 Interferon-induced HBsAg loss tends to occur even less frequently in HBeAg-negative hepatitis, which is reflective of the generally lower rates of sustained virologic response (SVR) in this disorder. For example, Marcellin and associates recently reported the disappearance of HBsAg in 3% of a large cohort treated with 48 weeks of pegylated interferon alfa-2a, either given alone or combined with lamivudine.9 Fortunately, the proportion of patients with SVR who undergo clearance of HBsAg increases with length of follow-up in both HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative hepatitis.7,10 In the HBeAgnegative population reported by Marcellin et al. above, HBsAg clearance was observed in 11% of patients with an initial response to interferon by posttreatment year 4.11 From a conceptual standpoint, the degree of decline in HBsAg level during treatment might provide useful information on the probability of an SVR or eventual HBsAg clearance, and for the reasons described above, this would be particularly well suited to the treatment of HBeAgnegative hepatitis. Fortunately, ways of addressing these issues recently have become available due to the development of several commercial assay systems that can quantify HBsAg concentration (Elecsys II, Roche Diagnostics; Architect, Abbott Diagnostics; ADVIA Centaur HBsAg assay, Bayer; Hepanostika HBsAg, Biomerieux). These are now widely available in Europe and have provided an opportunity to compare the kinetics of HBsAg decline during interferon and nucleoside analogue therapy. Small clinical trials with these assays as well as a more cumbersome dilutional immunoassay have shown that serum HBsAg levels decline much more quickly during treatment with interferon as compared to nucleoside analogue treatment, a substantial decline in levels can be observed after 12 to 24 weeks of interferon, and major changes in HBsAg concentration appear to be confined to virologic responders.12,13 In this issue of HEPATOLOGY, two articles provide further important insights into the value of measuring HBsAg concentration in HBeAg-negative hepatitis durAbbreviations: HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antigen; HBeAg, hepatitis B e antigen; HBV, hepatitis B virus; SVR, sustained virologic response. Address reprint requests to: Robert P. Perrillo, M.D., Hepatology Division, Baylor University Medical Center, 3500 Gaston Avenue, Dallas, TX 75246. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com; fax: 214-820-8168. Copyright © 2009 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hep.22932 Potential conflict of interest: Nothing to report.


A patient case with malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of the gallbladder is presented. This rare malignancy is occasionally found within the abdominal cavity. However, to our knowledge this is the first report of this tumor within the biliary tract. Diagnostic, therapeutic, and etiological aspects are discussed.


Objective: To evaluate the association between cumulative doses of gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) administration and increased signal intensity (SI) within the dentate nucleus (DN) on MRI unenhanced T1-weighted images (WI) in patients with early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Background: Recently, several studies reported increased SI of the DN on unenhanced T1-WI as a possible consequence of multiple applications of GBCA. However, previous studies did not account for all GBCA doses received form the disease onset, and did not include patients in the very early phase of the disease. Design/Methods Two hundred and three (n=203) early RRMS patients and 262 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC) were selected for this retrospective study. RRMS patients had to have been followed in our center from disease onset, and had to have Results: The mean follow-up from first to last MRI scan was 53.2 months, and the mean number of scans with GBCA was 9.2 (median 8, interquartile ratio 8). The mean DPSIR in RRMS patients was 1.055 vs 1.038 in HC (p=0.002) and the mean DPSIR was 1.064 in 109 RRMS patients who received >8 Gd-DTPA doses vs. 1.045 in 94 patients who received ≤7 Gd-DTPA doses (p=0.005). There was a significant correlation between number of Gd-DTPA doses and DSIR (r=0.26, p Conclusions: Dentate nucleus T1 hyperintensity in early RRMS patients is associated with cumulative Gd-DTPA administration. Disclosure: Dr. Zivadinov has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Robert Zivadinov received personal compensation from EMD Serono, Genzyme-Sanofi, Claret Medical, Celgene and Novartis for speaking and consultant fees.. Dr. Zivadinov has received research support from RZ received financial support for research activities from Genzyme-Sanofi, Novartis, Claret Medical, Intekrin-Coherus and Quintiles IMS.. Dr. Hagemeier has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bergsland has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ramasamy has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kolb has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Channa Kolb has received speaker honoraria and consultant fees from EMD Serono, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Acorda, Novartis, Genzyme and Biogen-Idec.. Dr. Weinstock-Guttman has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Bianca Weinstock- Guttman received honoraria as a speaker and as a consultant for Biogen Idec, Teva Pharmaceuticals, EMD Serono, Genzyme&Sanofi, Novartis and Acorda.. Dr. Weinstock-Guttman has received research support from Dr Weinstock-Guttman received research funds from Biogen Idec, Teva Pharmaceuticals, EMD Serono, Genzyme&Sanofi, Novartis, Acorda.. Dr. Hojnacki has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with David Hojnacki has received speaker honoraria and consultant fees from Biogen Idec, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., EMD Serono, Pfizer Inc, and Novartis..


Background and Objective Diagnosis and management of primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) have changed dramatically in the last decade. The aim of the study was to obtain information about the opinion of the Spanish ITP Group (GEPTI) members regarding the best clinical practices for diagnosis and management of adult patients with ITP. Materials and Methods A two-round Delphi method was carried out by sending to 129 experts a 90-item questionnaire developed by 11 specialists, with a 4-point Likert scale ("never," "sometimes," "frequently," and "always") for the assessment of responses. Results Forty out of the 129 experts participated in the survey (participation rate 30.2%) and 39 completed the questionnaire (response rate 97.5%). Salient consensus points included the following: the need to indicate workup studies from a sustained platelet count < 100 x 109/L in the absence of a clear etiology; bone marrow aspiration in elderly patients with suspected ITP; beginning treatment in asymptomatic patients with a platelet count < 20 x 109/L; not exceeding 6-7 weeks of corticosteroid therapy; switching from corticosteroids to one thrombopoietin receptor agonist (TRA); switching to other TRA or other options as combinations of them with immunosuppressive drugs in case of failure; how to reduce tapering TRA; treating patients with symptomatic persistent ITP and platelet count > 20 x 109/L; and considering mucosal or severe bleeding as a basic criterion for hospital admission. Conclusions The present consensus document provides a reference framework for the management of patients with ITP in clinical practice.