The effects of NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of walnut leaves under water stress were studied. The result showed that the maximum photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), the actual photochemical efficiency of PSⅡ reaction center (φPSⅡ), photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) and the non-photochemical quenching coefficient (NPQ) had the deceasing trend under drought stress. The SNP treatment was able to alleviate the decrease of fluorescence parameters; with increasing SNP lever, the fluorescence parameters were increased. All the above showed that the light energy conversion efficiency, potential activity of photosynthetic reaction center and the non-photochemical dissipation of excess light energy, which resisted the damage on photosynthetic apparatus of environmental stress, were improved.


Chaos occurs in quantum systems if the statistical properties of the eigenvalue spectrum coincide with predictions of random-matrix theory. Chaos is a typical feature of atomic nuclei and other self-bound Fermi systems. How can the existence of chaos be reconciled with the known dynamical features of spherical nuclei? Such nuclei are described by the shell model (a mean-field theory) plus a residual interaction. The question is answered using a statistical approach (the two-body random ensemble): The matrix elements of the residual interaction are taken to be random variables. Chaos is shown to be a generic feature of the ensemble and some of its properties are displayed, emphasizing those which differ from standard random-matrix theory. In particular, the existence of correlations among spectra carrying different quantum numbers is demonstrated. These are subject to experimental verification.


Abstract Let G be a Lie group acting in Hamiltonian fashion on a symplectic manifold M with moment map Φ:M → g*. A function of the form ƒ∘Φ where ƒ is a function on g* is called 'collective'. We obtain necessary conditions on the G action for there to exist enough Poisson commuting functions on g* so that the corresponding collective functions on M form a completely integrable system. For the case G = O(n) or U(n) these conditions are sufficient. This explains Thimm's proof [17] of the complete integrability of the geodesic flow on the real and complex grassmanians. We also discuss related questions in the geometry of the moment map.


Gastrointestinal pharmacology and therapeutics. Friedman G, Jacobson ED, McCallum RW. (Pp 930; illustrated; $183.00.) Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven Publishers, 1997. ISBN 0-397-51625-8.

Considering the major advances in gastrointestinal therapeutics in recent years, it is timely that a new book dedicated to gastrointestinal pharmacology and therapeutics should be published. Gastrointestinal Pharmacology and Therapeutics consists of 59 chapters divided into 15 sections on all aspects of gastrointestinal pharmacology. In fact, there is considerable emphasis on gastrointestinal pathophysiology so the book could easily be called Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics . It is written almost exclusively (apart from a token European), by American based gastroenterologists and pharmacologists and thus has quite an American feel to it.

The opening chapter discusses the fundamentals of gastrointestinal pharmacology. In other general pharmacology text books the section mainly dealing with pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics is generally avoided by students in …


The problem of detecting micropotentials in high resolution ECGs is of great importance to predict ventricular tachycardia. Since both conventional time domain and frequential domain methods present serious limitations, we address this problem using a high resolution time frequency method. The possibilities of the spectrogram and Wigner distribution (WD) are evaluated in order to analyze ECGs acquired both on patients with and without ventricular tachycardia. Furthermore, quantitative features are extracted from those representations in order to discriminate the two classes.


Corner modifications can reduce wind loads acting on supertall buildings and modify the corresponding flow structures. The present study investigated the aerodynamic shape optimization of the corner recession square cylinders with multiple geometric parameters in a large design space via the GA-GRNN surrogate model updating-based multi-objective optimization framework. Six typical optimal aerodynamic shape sections M1~M6 were selected from the Pareto optimal front, and the effects of multiple geometric parameters of these sections on the aerodynamic performance and flow field were analyzed. The results showed that the present multi-objective optimization framework can significantly reduce the computational load and time cost, and significantly improve the optimization efficiency in solving complex engineering problems. The optimal corner recession sections can obviously reduce the mean drag coefficient CD and root mean square lift coefficient CσL while significantly increasing the Strouhal number St of the square cylinder, and it is concluded that the aerodynamic shape optimization can significantly improve the aerodynamic performance of square-sectional supertall buildings. When compared with the benchmark section, the CD and CσL of the optimal section M1 can be reduced up to 45.7% and 84.5%, respectively. Based on the analysis of the flow structures around the optimal sections, the flow mechanism can be attributed to the fact that the corner recession modifications postpone the flow separation, and deflect the separated shear layer towards the side surfaces and suppress the development of vortex shedding in the wake, which leads to significant elongation of the wake length and reduction of the width of the recirculation region. The proposed multi-objective optimization framework in this study can provide an important reference for the aerodynamic shape optimization of building structures and relevant studies.


In our rural areas,with the development of social industrialization and urbanization,young adult labor force shifts toward city step by step,so there are many remaining families which are different from the traditional family patterns.Members of these families can not live together,therefore the lack of core roles results in the fragmentary of family structure.This paper analyzes the reasons of this situation in remaining family,and then explores the defect state of family functions from structure to function.


Portugal established a strong commitment to increase the installed renewable capacity in order to decrease its external energy dependency. These goals are being achieved mainly due to increasing levels of wind power. One of the main characteristics of wind power is the inherent unpredictability and variability. By allowing the energy storage, pumped-hydro units are able to cope with this drawback, promoting the match between generation and consumption. This paper presents a model based on market prices to determine the optimal bidding strategies that enable the total profit maximization of a pumped-hydro unit. It is considered that this unit participates in the Iberian day-ahead electricity market and in the portuguese ancillary services market. The optimal bids of the unit were calculated for scenarios with different levels of wind energy in the day-ahead market. The results showed that most of the income of the pumped-hydro unit was obtained from the spinning reserve market.


Onion is an inevitable part of our food habits. Fungal infection is one of the major reasons of onion spoilage which not only cause economic losses but also may cause public health threat through mycoses and mycotoxicoses. A total 15 onion samples from different places in Chattagram, Bangladesh were collected to assess the fungal contaminants.Onion consumers along with retailers were interviewed to evaluate their awareness about fungal food spoilage and associated health risk. Three different fungal species were identified and isolated by analysing their macroscopic and microscopic features. These isolates were Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, and Penicillium spp. A. niger was the most prevalent and found in 14 samples out of 15. Biochemical characterization of the isolated fungi was also done to assess their ability to produce extracellular enzymes and amylase, protease, and cellulase activities were observed. Survey data showed that only around 20% of the interviewees had some idea about fungal contamination, while nearly about 80% of them believed that washing, sunburn and cooking can make the food safe.
Bioresearch Commu. 8(1): 1068-1076, 2022 (January)


Aspect-based sentiment analysis(ABSA) is a task to identify the sentiment polarity of the given aspect. Usually, attention mechanisms, Convolution Neural Networks(CNN) and Recurrent Neural Network(RNN) are applied to this field. These models can learn the semantic information of sentences but ignore the syntactic information. Dependency tree can help improve this. But in the previous model, it is not treated seriously. In this paper, we propose a model named Dependency Guided Graph Convolutional Network(DGGCN) to tackle the shortcomings of previous models. The model uses different types of dependency information to guide the operation of graph convolutional network and employ a filter layer to enhance the important parts while filtering out the irrelevant parts of the sentence. Experiments on four benchmark datasets demonstrate our model's effectiveness, which significantly outperforms previous state-ofthe-art baselines.


This article presents binary segmentation algorithms for buildings automatic detection on aerial images. There were conducted experiments among deep neural networks to find the most effective model in sense of segmentation accuracy and training time. All experiments were conducted on Moscow region images that were got from open database. As the result the optimal model was found for buildings automatic detection.


Maintaining air quality in a region necessary for the detection and estimation of pollution.Given that our study area was lacking in physical sensors, expensive equipment for its installation we have used the bio-indication. Indeed Flora has lichénique properties Bio-indicators obvious. It can sometimes be a substitute for physical sensors that require a continuous binding. For about five decades, many methods have been developed. Some of them have a qualitative approach to assess the degree of pollution from field observations. Others are based on quantitative formulas mathematics involving different parameters related to the flora lichénique. Of all these methods of studies on the bio-indicators of air pollution by plants lichénique, we opted for a quantitative approach based on calculating a pollution index, the result of mathematical formulas using various parameters relating to the flora lichens. This is the index of atmospheric purity (IAP). This approach allowed us to establish a mapping of air pollution and global Skikda its periphery (Haddaiek, Krouma Hamadi, HamadiHamrouche, Larbi Ben M'Hidi) and its geographical variations. We have identified areas around isopollutions different sources represented by the households in the urban area of Skikda and traffic.


Coronary bypass surgery is a usual therapy for vessel-related diseases as several thousand of this kind of surgery are reported annually. In this surgery, saphenous vein, internal mammary artery or radial artery are grafted to replace coronary vessels. This research aims to evaluate viscoelastic properties of human saphenous vein vessel wall used in bypass surgery using a device designed in our laboratory. The most important feature of this device is its ability to simulate physiological conditions which exist inside humans' bodies. During experiments, variations in both vessel diameter and exerted pressure are recorded simultaneously. After performing measurements at frequencies near to heart beat frequency and finding loss and storage modulus for each frequency, it is found that, in the scanned frequency range, Kelvin model is the best approach to assess viscoelastic behavior of vessels. Remarkably, the results found in this research are in agreement with literature.


Introduction: This work analyzes and describes the behavior of the respiratory system and the system of oxygen con- tribution during a moderate intensity test accomplished in a cycloergometer. Materials and Methods: A sample composed of 10 individuals (age: 17.94±2.51 years old; weight: 69.08±7.32kg; height: 1.73±0.05m), with 4.55±0.72 years of experience in cycling. All of them were submitted to two tests. The fi rst one, an incremental test until exhaustion (Δ of 5W each 12s, starting from 100W), which served to determine the VO 2max , the ventilatory threshold and the workload for the test of stable load in moderate intensity (TSM). In the TSM they worked during 30s with an individually determined load (249.50±18.02W a 3.64±0.38W.kg -1 ). Results: The load in the TSM was 58.82±2.48% of the maximum load reached in the incremental test and 67.60±5.46% of the load reached in the anaerobic threshold in the same test. Discussion: In our study, the VO 2 increased in 8.8ml.kg -1 .min -1 in the beginning of the test, until reaching 90.17±2.9% in the beginning of phase 3 or stable state (5τ). From this point on, the studied individuals showed a smooth and progressive increase of VO 2 , until, approximately, 12min of exercise, when they stabilized the response until the end of the test.


Abstract As part of our systematic study on Korean toxic mushrooms, bioactivity-guided fractionation of the MeOH extract of Amanita spissacea (Amanitaceae) fruiting bodies and chemical investigation of its cytotoxic fractions led to the isolation of (9E)-8-oxo-9-octadecenoic acid (1), (10E)-9-oxo-10-octadecenoic acid (2), (9E)-8-oxo-9-octadecenoate methyl ester (3), (9Z)-9-octadecenoate-(2'S)-2',3'-dihydroxypropyl ester (4), (9Z)-9-octadecenoic acid (5), and palmitic acid (6). The structures of the isolates were elucidated by NMR spectroscopic analysis and LC/MS analysis. Among the isolated compounds, compounds 1 and 2 exhibited the most potent cytotoxic activity in all human lung cancer cell lines examined, with IC50 values ranging from 255.7 to 321.0 μM and 250.2 to 322.5 μM, respectively. The cytotoxicity of these compounds was also found to be mediated by apoptosis associated with caspase-3 activation. These findings provide experimental evidence suggesting the potential of A. spissacea as a promising natural source for the discovery of novel anticancer drug candidates. Graphical Abstract


The ecotoxicity of six widely-used adjuvants—namely, Aerotex 3470, Atlox, Cyclosol 63, Dowanol, Nonylphenol and 585 fuel oil—were extensively investigated with respect to an algal and forest seed model system. The adjuvants differentially affected the chemical and biological fate of the pesticides. All but Dowanol (> 1000 μg/mL) had the potential to perturb the growth of Chlamydomonas reinhardtil Dang, and the tree seeds of Jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and Paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh). Aerotex, Cyclosol and Nonylphenol (> 5 μg/mL) were the most active adjuncts tested.


In this paper an improvement of the McEliece cryptosystem based on QC-LDPC codes is considered. The key idea of the improvement is to use soft-decision decoding algorithm of LDPC codes in decryption step. This allows to reduce a public- key size in comparison with the McEliece cryptosystem based on QC-LDPC codes decoded by hard-decision bit-flipping decoder. In addition, the analysis of the dependence between key size and security in bits for the proposed cryptosystem was conducted.


The hydrodynamic behaviour of a commercial ficin preparation was studied by analytical gel chromatography on Sephacryl S-200 HR column under native and under denaturing (in presence of 9 M urea / 6 M guanidine hydrochloride, GdnHCl) conditions. The commercial ficin preparation was fractionated into seven distinct active components (I-VII) under native conditions. The elution of the components (I-III) as compared to α- chymotrypsinogen and the elution of the components (IV-VII) at a volume exceeding the total bed volume were suggestive of the interaction between the protein molecules and the gel. Treatment of ficin with denaturants (9 M urea / 6 M GdnHCl) resulted in its elution in the form of two peaks, indicating the presence of two classes of conformers differing in their stability towards denaturants. Analysis of the chromatographic data yielded the available Stokes radii of ficin (peak I fraction) as 9.2 A (under native conditions), 25.8 A (in presence of 9 M urea) and 40.9 A (in presence of 6 M GdnHCl). A comparison of Stokes radii of ficin obtained under denaturing conditions suggested complete denaturation of ficin in 6 M GdnHCl compared to 9 M urea which produced significantly less conformational alteration.


Despite a tiered system of higher education was introduced in Russia quite a long time ago, there still exist some problems with the training of masters, which reduces the attractiveness of most engineering master degree programmes. The paper introduces an approach to identify and evaluate the factors influencing the attractiveness of the master degree programmes for the students. The main contribution of this research is providing ways to increase, first, the master degree programme attractiveness and, second, the students' motivation.


6034Background: Most head and neck cancer (HNC) patients die of locoregional progression. Surgery is feasible in less than half the patients only and chemotherapy only offers palliation. Locoregion...


Algivorous fishes in North American streams have been largely overlooked by ecologists. Our work indicates that a widespread and abundant grazing minnow (Campostoma anomalum) can strongly influence distribution or standing crop of attached algae in streams; they thus have the potential to significantly impact biological processes fundamental to stream ecosystems. Studies of this species in a southcentral Oklahoma prairie-margin stream (Brier Creek) showed that: (1) Campostoma can control the pool-to-pool distribution of algae, and (2) the presence of predators (Micropterus) influences the distribution of Campostoma. Other streams in the Ozark and Ouachita uplifts in Oklahoma and Arkansas showed very different patterns of bass-Campostoma-algae distributions. In Ozark and Ouachita streams, Campostoma were larger, more abundant, and foraged more freely than in Brier Creek. Grazing by Campostoma in Ozark and Ouachita streams appears to have a strong influence on the kinds and standing crops of attached algae. We review the distribution of other potentially important algivorous North American stream fishes and outline certain interactions between grazing fishes and other ecosystem components that a priori are likely to be important. Recent reviews and conceptual syntheses of stream ecology (Vannote et al., 1980; Barnes and Minshall, 1983; Fontaine and Bartell, 1983) have illuminated the historical dichotomy between those stream ecologists who study fishes and those who do not. These important publications include only two chapters specifically addressing stream fishes, plus a few basic statements about longitudinal distribution patterns of fish in streams. Much contemporary literature in stream ecology ignores the fact that large, active, and abundant fishes may play important roles in system-level processes in streams. Most authors have failed to consider the role that herbivorous fishes can potentially play in influencing the distribution or standing crops of periphyton, the sites or rates of primary production, or the processing of organic matter, as observed for grazing or scraping invertebrates by Cummins (1978), Gregory (1983), and McAuliffe (1984). Important interactions occur between grazing fishes and their plant "prey" in marine habitats such as reefs (Lobel, 1980; Montgomery, 1980; Montgomery et al., 1980; Sammarco, 1983; Meyer and Schultz, 1985), sea-grass beds (Weinstein et al., 1982), intertidal zones (Lubchenco, 1982; Miller, 1982), and tropical freshwaters (Lowe-McConnell, 1975; Goulding, 1980; Power, 1983, 1984b). Hynes (1970) described much of the basic ecology of stream fishes but included little information on the ecology of grazing fishes. Several studies have suggested the importance of carnivorous or detritivorous fishes at the ecosystem level in North Temperate waters (Juday et al., 1932; Hall, 1972; Rickey et al., 1975; Durbin et al., 1979). Nevertheless, native grazing fishes have remained largely ignored as components of temperate stream ecosystems; most studies of organic-matter processing continue to focus on activities of invertbrates, fungi, or bacteria. At least 42 species of stream fish in Noah America are largely herbivorous; 24 of these species feed predominantly by grazing attached algae (Lee et al., 1980). Several species (e.g., Cyprinodon spp. and Gila spp.) occur only in spring or sinkhole systems in the western United States. However, these restricted species are often abundant where they occur and can rival invertebrates as consumers of attached algae or higher plants. Some large, abundant catostoraids that are primarily herbivorous (e.g., Catostomus santannae, which occurs in four river systems of southern California) can comprise a large part of the biomass of certain western streams. Many species of algivorous minnows occur in the eastern half of the United States. Some, such as Notropis pilsbryi and Notropis cerasinus, occasionally have large quantities of


A hybrid plasmon waveguide comprising with metal and dielectric nanowires has been investigated employing the finite element method. At the telecommunication wavelength, strong SPP-dielectric mode coupling in this structure gives rise to capacitor like electromagnetic energy localization in the dielectric gap with extremely low effective area (~λ2/600) and appreciable propagation length. Apart from the fundamental gap mode, the structure has been reported to excite a long ranging hybrid mode with moderate mode size. The feasibility of this structure has been explored in different nanophotonic applications considering the derived modal parameters.


Owing to a combination of domestic, regional and international factors, Russian banks have been strongly influenced by the worldwide financial crisis which started in the second half of 2008. In this paper, we estimate an early warning model for the Russian banking crisis. In a first step, we identify 47 Russian banks which failed after September 2008. Using the Bankscope dataset, we then show that balance sheet indicators were informative as early as in 2006 and 2007 about possible failures of these banks. Especially equity, net interest revenues, return on average equity, net loans, and loan loss reserves are identified as the early indicators with high predictive power.


Data are presented suggesting that alteration of hepatic microsomal metabolism of the mouse by malathion is associated with the ability of this insecticide to bind to or alter cytochrome P-450 content


Due to economic and political turbulencies in Indonesia people are becoming less aware in paying attention to their environment. Younger group might has a better awareness to the environment than the adults ones. This study aims to explore the behavior of younger people's awareness in Semarang City towards the environment. Four hundred and ten students and key-persons such as selected teachers and lecturers, headmasters, and other competent persons had have been interviewed. Descriptive statistics was employed to explain the behavior of respondents in environmental awareness. The study found that respondents in higher school have relatively better attitudes to their environments than respondents in university. It is suggested that we need to reform curriculum and teaching-and-learning processes in conducting formal education with sufficient color of environment. The role of parents and guardians are urgently important to attain the expected environment-awareness.


A b s t r a c t : The KPB crisis is one of the major biological crises that affected the Earth at Phanerozoic times. There is still an acrimonious debate on the nature and origin of this mass extinction: proponents of the idea that large bolide impacts caused most of the Phanerozoic mass extinctions are opposed to those who favoured a terrestrial origin linked to continental flood basalt eruptions of the Deccan Traps. The major limitations reside in the difficulty to date with precision the stratigraphic position of Deccan traps pulses since direct markers are still missing. Recently, we investigated two KP sections, namely the Bidart section in France and the Gubbio section in Italy, and discovered a low magnetic susceptibility interval, some centimetres below the KPB (i.e. ∼15 kyr younger), containing an enigmatic Cl-rich


Abstract Monthly and 3-hourly precipitation data from twentieth-century climate simulations by the newest generation of 18 coupled climate system models are analyzed and compared with available observations. The characteristics examined include the mean spatial patterns, intraseasonal-to-interannual and ENSO-related variability, convective versus stratiform precipitation ratio, precipitation frequency and intensity for different precipitation categories, and diurnal cycle. Although most models reproduce the observed broad patterns of precipitation amount and year-to-year variability, models without flux corrections still show an unrealistic double-ITCZ pattern over the tropical Pacific, whereas the flux-corrected models, especially the Meteorological Research Institute (MRI) Coupled Global Climate Model (CGCM; version 2.3.2a), produce realistic rainfall patterns at low latitudes. As in previous generations of coupled models, the rainfall double ITCZs are related to westward expansion of the cold tongue of...


Morphological information regarding the optic projection to the tectum of the frog has been obtained by various methods. The projection has been examined using degeneration (Knapp, Scalia & Riss, 1965; Scalia, Knapp, Halpern & Riss, 1968) and other histological techniques (Laizair & Szekely, 1967, 1969; Potter, 1969, 1972). None of these light microscopic methods has provided detailed information on optic fibre terminals and their relationship to dendritic processes in the tectum. By using the electron microscope to observe terminal degeneration, some information can be obtained on the ultrastructure of optic terminals and their relationship to other cell processes, and this may be useful when considering the formation of optic nerve connexions. There has been no ultrastructural description of degeneration in amphibian visual centres, although the ultrastructure of terminal degeneration has been described in the optic centres of mammals and birds. Terminal degeneration has been seen to take one of two forms. The degenerating terminal either fills with neurofilaments, as in the optic tectum of the chick (Gray & Hamlyn, 1962), or the terminal cytoplasm increases in density without proliferation of neurofilaments, as in the lateral geniculate body of the squirrel monkey (Wong-Riley, 1972). Although this study is primarily concerned with the major projection of the retinal ganglion cells, which in the frog is to the contralateral tectum (Bellonci, 1888; Wlassak, 1893; Cajal, 1964) the possibility of a direct projection to the ipsilateral tectum is also of interest. A projection from the retina to the ipsilateral tectum has been described electrophysiologically by several authors (Rensch, 1955; Zagorulko, 1957; Gaze & Jacobson, 1962; Keating & Gaze, 1970). The ipsilateral pathway to the tectum appears to involve an intertectal linkage by way of the post-optic commissural system (Keating & Gaze, 1970). The existence of a direct ipsilateral input has been suggested by the autoradiographic evidence of Goldberg & Kotani (1967). In the present study on the contralateral projection, the ipsilateral tectum was examined in order to demonstrate any direct ipsilateral input. This study has set out to describe the distribution, form and time-course of the terminal degeneration which takes place in the frog tectum following eye removal. This work will form a basis for further study of the formation of retino-tectal connexions.


Several months ago, Devin Drown, Kevin Preuss, and Michael Wade got to talking over coffee and breakfast sandwiches. The men were discussing, as biologists occasionally do, how modes of genetic transmission could give rise to evolutionary patterns. This morning their interest was in mitochondria. Is it possible, they wondered, that the maternal transmission of this one-time symbiont would leave a mark on genetic architecture?


The paper proposes formulas for theoretical calculation of forces when trimming book-edges with a disc knife. The theoretical model is based on experimental data obtained by the authors. The authors calculated the approximation parameters from own experimental studies. The kinematic parameters of the cutting process and the approximated value of the unit cutting force were used in the calculation formulas. Calculation makes it possible to predict value of total cutting force depending on diameter and sharpening angle of knife, value and direction of its angular speed, feed rate, thickness and distance of book block from axis of knife rotation.


Objective To identify the risk factors of fall among the elderly, and to provide evidence of fall prevention in community. Methods Questionnaire investigation and body function assessment were performed to assess the fall among the 124 old people aged 60 to 85 years old and the fall-related factors. Results The incidence of fall of the elderly in a resent year was 30. 6%, and rate of fall injury was 60. 5%. Compared with those aged 60 - 69 years old, there was deterioration of body function in both males and females of 70-85 years old group, especially in females. There was no significant relation of body function with fall of male older persons. For female, there was significant relation between hand-grip stretch and fall (P0. 05). Excretion problem, numb, stumble and slip experience, hospitalization in a resent year, fear for fall and reduction of being out, being unable to balance daily expenses, to save and get money from bank, experience within an inch of fall were closely related with fall of the elderly (P 0. 05,P0. 01). Conclusion Fall was a threat of health and quality of life for the elderly. Risk factors of fall of the elderly were complicated. Community nursing should provide multi-programs to prevent fall in the community.


This paper investigated the membrane fouling potential at the state of passive adsorption which is no permeation with the test modules on COD (Chemical oxygen demand) loading rates, examined the recovery rate and resistance on membrane fouling by three cleaning manners of hydrophobic membrane in a bioreactor. The results showed that high COD loading led to the increase of extra-cellular polymeric substances and filtration resistance. The permeability resistance from 1st day to 63rd day was getting increased, however, the value of permeability resistance after 63th day during the operation period was almost same level at three COD loading rates, it was due that the biomass adhesion on membrane surface at the state of passive adsorption reached to the critical state. Also, the final recovery rates after three cleaning manners were 78%, 72% and 69% at the COD loading concentrations of 250 mg/L, 500 mg/L and 750 mg/L respectively, and then recovery rate by physical cleaning at Run 2 and Run 3 was decreased after 40th day, it proved that biomass cake, which is not easily removed, was formed on the membrane surface because of high COD loading rate and EPS concentration.


The methods described herein provide reduction of intraocular pressure by administering a sustained release formulation including latanoprost and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle and administering an eye drop adjunctive composition to the eye of a patient. The sustained release formulation can release latanoprost continuously for at least 90 days from a punctum plug delivery system. The eye drop adjunctive composition can also include latanoprost.


The method of microscopic characteristics identification of Chinese materia medica is recently proposed.This method is employed to observe microscopic characteristics on the surface of Chinese material medica by using stereomicroscope,biomicroscope,and pocket microscope combining with appropriate software.Chinese crude drugs can be identified according to different characteristics on their surface.This method is different from microscopic identification,and it is the development of characteristics identification along the microcosmic field.


Abstract Purpose To investigate the reliability and validity of Parkinson's Disease-Cognitive Rating Scale (PD-CRS) in Iranian patients with idiopathic PD. Methods One hundred and eighty patients with PD and 60 age-, gender-, and educational level-matched healthy individuals participated in this study. Inter-rater and test–retest reliability of the Persian version of PD-CRS was investigated in 80 patients with PD. To evaluate the construct validity of the PD-CRS, its correlation with the Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's disease-Cognition (SCOPA-Cog), Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Clock Drawing Test, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-Section I, and Quick Dementia Rating System was assessed. To assess the diagnostic accuracy of the PD-CRS, patients with PD were classified as groups with normal cognitive function, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia using the Clinical Dementia Rating. Results Test–retest and inter-rater reliability (ICC > 0.90), as well as internal consistency (α = 0.94) of the Persian version of PD-CRS, were excellent. A high positive correlation was found between the PD-CRS and SCOPA-Cog. A cut-off point of ≤79 (sensitivity 98.15% and specificity 98.04%) and ≤62 (sensitivity 100%, and specificity 100%) on the PD-CRS total score was obtained for detecting MCI and dementia in PD patients, respectively. Conclusions The results of this study showed that the Persian version of PD-CRS is a reliable and valid measure with high sensitivity and specificity to identify MCI and dementia in patients with PD. Implications for rehabilitation The PD-CRS has an excellent test–retest and inter-rater reliability and validity in Iranian patients with PD. The PD-CRS has high sensitivity and specificity for discriminating between different levels of cognitive impairment (i.e. no cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia) in Iranian patients with PD.


Antimicrobial activity of cefuzonam (CZON) against bacteria isolated from intraperitoneal infection and penetration characteristics into peritoneal fluid were studied in 11 patients with cholelithiasis to evaluate the efficacy of CZON for prophylaxis in abdominal surgery. The mean peak concentration of CZON in peritoneal fluid after 1 g iv bolus injection (group 1, n=6) was 33.4±7.6 μg/ml, and 52.0±8.2 μg/ml, after 2 g iv bolus injection (group 2, n=5). In group 1 the area under the curve (AUC) in peritoneal fluid was 86.8 h μg/ml, and that in serum was 60.5 h μg/ml. MIC80s of CZON against Staphylococcus aureus, Esherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were 3.13, 0.2 and 0.1 μg/ml, respectively. In both groups the times above MIC in peritoneal fluid against these bacteria were more than 6 h. It is concluded that CZON will be effective for prophylaxis in abdominal surgery.


This article aims to explain and analyze the dynamics of Muslim-Buddhist relations in social religion in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara Province. This research is a descriptive-analytic field study focused on Mareje Village, West Lombok. The theory of associative and dissociative social relations is used to find and analyze the dynamics of Muslim-Buddhist relations in socio-religious life in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. Data were obtained through direct observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation related to the research objectives. Data analysis was carried out in three stages: data reduction, data verification, and drawing conclusions. The results of this study conclude that the Muslim-Buddhist relationship in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara takes place in an associative manner, which is indicated by a harmonious relationship among the community. At the same time, some conflicts between Muslim-Buddhist often occur but do not lead to disintegration because of the solid associative relations of religious doctrine, family and kinship relations, and neighborly relations.


NEAR SURFACE MOUNTED CFRP LAMINATES FOR SHEAR STRENGTHENING OF CONCRETE 1 BEAMS 2 3 J. A. O. Barros and S. J. E. Dias2 4 1 Associate Prof., Dep. of Civil Eng., School of Eng., Univ. of Minho, Azurém, 4810-058 Guimarães, Portugal 5 2 PhD Student, Dep. of Civil Eng., School of Eng., Univ. of Minho, Azurém, 4810-058 Guimarães, Portugal 6 7 ABSTRACT 8 A Near Surface Mounted (NSM) strengthening technique was developed to increase the shear resistance of concrete 9 beams. The NSM technique is based on fixing, by epoxy adhesive, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) 10 laminate strips into pre-cut slits opened in the concrete cover of lateral surfaces of the beams. To assess the efficacy 11 of this technique, an experimental program of four-point bending tests was carried out with reinforced concrete 12 beams failing in shear. Each of the four tested series was composed of five beams: without any shear reinforcement; 13 reinforced with steel stirrups; strengthened with strips of wet lay-up CFRP sheets; and two beams strengthened with 14 NSM precured laminate strips of CFRP, one of them with laminates positioned at 90o and the other with laminates 15 positioned at 45o in relation to the beam axis. Influences of the laminate strip inclination, beam depth and 16 longitudinal tensile steel reinforcement ratio on the efficacy of the strengthening techniques were analyzed. 17 Amongst the CFRP strengthening techniques, the NSM with laminate strips at 45o was the most effective, not only 18 in terms of increasing beam shear resistance but also in assuring larger deformation capacity at beam failure. This 19 technique was also faster and easier to apply than the externally bonded one. The performance of the ACI and fib 20 analytical formulations for the EBR shear strengthening was appraised. In general, the contribution of the CFRP 21 systems predicted by the analytical formulations was slightly larger than the values registered experimentally. 22 Performance of the formulation by Nanni et al. for NSM strengthening technique was also appraised. Using bond 23 stress and CFRP effective strain values obtained in pullout bending tests with NSM CFRP laminate system, the 24 formulation by Nanni et al. predicted a contribution of this CFRP system for the beam shear resistance of 72% the 25 experimentally recorded values. 26 27


For today it is difficult to imagine medical practice without modern visualization methods of instrumental diagnostics. At the same time, according to the estimates of the World Health Organization, two-thirds of the world population is deprived of such opportunities. Ultrasound diagnostics with intravenous contrasting (CEUS), which requires minimal financial costs and technical equipment, has a great potential to remedy this situation. At present, there is a growing interest in the use of echography with contrast enhancement in order to improve the efficiency of detecting focal pathology and the accuracy of differential diagnosis, incl. in surgical hepatology. Difficulties in planning the surgical tactics in patients with metastatic colorectal liver cancer are well known (discrepancy in the data of preoperative methods of radiation diagnosis about the number and segmental location of foci in the liver, the probability of additional foci). The "gold standard" of the diagnostic evaluation, which combines palpation of the liver and the performance of intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS), is now supplemented by the possibility of contrast enhancement during intraoperative echography. In this article, we present a description of the method of ultrasound diagnostics with intravenous (IV) contrasting, illustrating the possibilities of investigation by clinical cases of intraoperative ultrasound diagnostics with contrast enhancement in patients with metastatic liver cancer. Our impressions about the possibilities of ultrasound with intravenous contrast in the intraoperative diagnosis of tumor foci in patients with metastatic liver cancer we build on this little experience.


A173 Previously, we have seen that calorie restriction (CR) can delay mammary tumorigenesis in p53 heterozygous (p53+/-) MMTV-Wnt-1 (Wnt-1) transgenic mice, while treadmill exercise of a moderate intensity hastens tumorigenesis in these same mice. We hypothesized that exercise may be detrimental due to the p53 deficiency, and therefore sought to determine the global changes in mammary gland gene expression in p53+/+ and p53 +/- mice with and without exercise. We further examined whether there was an interaction between exercise and p53 genotype. Thirteen-week-old female p53+/+:Wnt-1 and p53+/-: Wnt-1 transgenic mice were singly housed and randomly assigned to either moderate exercise treadmill training or non-exercise control groups. At the end of the six-week treatment period gene expression profiles of mammary tissue from 3-5 tumor-free mice/group were compared using Affymetrix 430 2.0 GeneChips and analyzed using R, Bioconductor, and Ingenuity Pathway analysis software. There was a significant interaction between p53 status and exercise for 775 genes (p


By using the entry-driving machine, the side was expanded to the support-setting width in one time, and the working face's roof was controlled with advanced supporting method, and the cuthole support was completed in one step.


Our previous work supports a major role for ACE‐independent intrarenal ANG II formation on microvascular function in type II diabetes (db/db mouse). Studies were conducted to test the hypothesis that ACE plays a minor role, whereas chymase plays a major role in intrarenal ANG II formation in diabetes. Afferent arteriole (AA) diameter responses to the intrarenal conversion of an ACE‐specific, chymase‐resistant ANG I analogue ([Pro10]ANG I) to ANG II were significantly enhanced in control compared to diabetic kidneys. AA diameters were significantly reduced by 12±2, 18±5, and 16±4% (10–1000nM [Pro10]ANG I) in control kidneys (n=7; p<0.05), but not in diabetic kidneys (n= 9). AA vasoconstrictor responses to a chymase‐specific, ACE‐resistant ANG I analogue ([Pro11, DAla12]ANG I) were significantly enhanced in diabetic compared to control kidneys. AA diameters were reduced by 9±2, 15±3, and 24±3% in diabetic kidneys (10–1000nM [Pro11, DAla12]ANG I; n=8; p<0.05), but not in control kidneys. [Pro11, DAla12]ANG I AA responses were significantly attenuated by a chymase‐specific inhibitor [Suc‐Val‐Pro‐PheP (OPh)2; 0.1mM intraluminal] in diabetic kidneys (n=6). In summary, diabetic kidneys exhibit a lack of ACE activity and heightened chymase activity compared to control. Chymase may serve as a new target for reducing diabetic renal vascular disease. Funding NIDDK & AHA


Aim of the current comparative study was to evaluate the production and reproduction efficiency in indigenous Turcana and endangered Ratca sheep breeds. Milk yield for the two breeds was on average 68.23±2.33 kg for Ratca ewes and 76.81±2.99 kg in Turcana, respectively, differences between two breeds were significant (p≤0.01). Conception rates were of 97.7±0.87% in Ratca and of 94.8±0.65% in Turcana ewes, respectively, differences were significant between the two flocks (p≤0.05), with the Ratca ewes achieving better fertility rates, compared to their counterparts, the Turcana breed. For prolificacy, the Turcana ewes outperformed significantly (p≤0.01) the Ratca, with an average litter size of 124.2±1.86% and 110.1±1.44%, respectively. Lambs survival and adult ewe culling rates were not affected by the breed factor (p>0.05). Adult ewes body weight when put to ram was significantly (p≤0.05) influenced by the breed, with Turcana ewes having on average 53.8±2.89 kg, compared to 48.0±3.22 kg for the Ratca ewes. The average farm yearly incomes were estimated to be of 150.32 EUR for Ratca ewe-unit and of 144.97 EUR for the Turcana ewe-unit. Although the Turcana outperformed the Ratca ewes, the annual revenue was higher for the Ratca, due to the state conservation subsidy for rare and endangered breeds.


ABSTRACT A novel image reconstruction approach to terahertz pulsed imaging for detecting malignant and fibrous cells within healthy tissue is presented. The non-ionizing effect of the terahertz radiation on healthy tissue makes it a future diagnosis method in medical imaging. The implemented method is based on the convolutional time-reversed FDTD algorithm in the terahertz range. It is computationally efficient and accurately reconstructs images of malignancies from reflected terahertz signals. Besides, the technique is capable of differentiating malignant, fibrous, and fatty cells through the variations of their electrical properties at the terahertz frequency range and well reconstructing their images in 3D. The images created in this method are in high resolution, even for cell-sized malignancies. Furthermore, the proposed technique is compared with conventional terahertz imaging methods and found to have more sophisticated outcomes.


Abstract When Raman spectroscopy is used for material analysis, a laser is focused on the sample by a lens. Dark materials have a stronger ability to absorb light and hence the laser may heat these samples to the ignition point. Thus, Raman spectroscopy of dark materials is a challenging problem. High-frequency surface scanning technology based on a digital mirror device and Lissajous pattern modulation is presented in this study. The scanning was performed according to a given path in the detection process and the sampling area was changed from point source detection to area source detection. In addition, the optical structure of the handheld Raman spectrometer was optimized by changing relevant optical components. In addition, the detection efficiency and detection limit were improved so that its performance was significantly enhanced.


In this paper, we propose three novel modalities of actuation for mobile devices: pressure, moisture, and atmosphere. We review the relevant literature and give a description of the employed technology. We propose three areas of application: Ergonomics, Input/Output, and Telepresence. We then discuss the proposal, pointing to possible concerns and implications on future designs.


The growing market of wearables is expanding into different areas of application such as devices designed to improve and monitor sport activities. This in turn is pushing research on low-cost, very low-power wearable systems with increased analysis capabilities. This paper proposes integrated energy-aware techniques and a convolutional neural network (CNN) for a cardiac arrhythmia detection system that can be worn during sport training sessions. The dynamic power management strategy (DPMS) is programmed into an ultra-low-power microcontroller, and in combination with a photovoltaic (PV) energy harvesting (EH) circuit, achieves a battery-life extension towards a self-powered operation. The CNN-based analysis filters, scales the image, and using a bicubic technique, interpolates the measurements to subsequently classify the electrocardiogram (ECG) signal into normal and abnormal patterns. Experimental results show that the EH-DPMS achieves an extension in the battery charge for a total of 14.34% more energy available, which represents 12 consecutive workouts of 45 min without the need to manually recharge it. Furthermore, an arrhythmia detection precision of 98.6% is achieved among the experimental sessions using 55,222 images for training the system with the MIT-BIH, QT, and long-term ST databases, and 1320 implemented on a wearable system. Therefore, the proposed wearable system can be used to monitor an athlete's condition, reducing the risk of abnormal heart conditions during sports activities.


Objective To explore radiotoxicity of 125I labeled nerve growth factor (125I-NGF) in U251. Methods Absorbance values of U251 treated with 18.5, 37.0, 74.0, 148.0, 296.0, 592.0,1184. 0, 1480. 0, 1850. 0, 2590. 0, 3330. 0, 3700. 0 kBq/ml 125I-NGF were detected by MTT assay. The corresponding minimum concentration of 125I-NGF tending to the minimum absorbance value was selected as minimum effective concentration, and was adopted in follow-up experiments. Plate colony-forming assay was adopted to compare the proliferation ability of cells treated with complete culture medium, 592 kBq/ml Na125I, 1 mg/L NGF and 592 kBq/ml 125I-NGF. Distribution of silver particles within the cells was observed by autoradiography to respond the existence of 125 I-NGF inside the cells. DNA damage was evaluated by comet assay and micronuclei forming assay. The proportion of cells in G0/G1 or S p hase was determined by flow cytometry. Results Minimal effective concentration of 125I-NGF was 592. 0 kBq/ml. Under thisconcentration, 125I-NGF could be transported to the nuclei of U251 and caused DNA damage. Being treated with 125I-NGF, U251 clone forming rate was (0. 02 ± 0. 01 ), compared to control group (0. 33 ± 0. 02),the proliferation of U251 was inhibited remarkably (P <0. 01 ). The proportion of cells in S phase ( 10. 69± 0. 02) was decreased, but that in Go/G1 phase ( 75. 10 ± 0. 22 ) increased remarkably ( P < 0. 01 ).Conclusion After being iodinated with 125I,125I-NGF can be transported to nuclei and causes DNA damage in U251. 125I-NGF has specific lethal effect on U251 cells in S phase.

Key words:
Radionuclide;  Targeted therapy;  Glioma


Vaccines are widely used as a preventive measure against influenza virus infection. However, these vaccines gain concerns regarding their biosafety due to implementing the highly pathogenic avian influenza in the production process. A breakthrough that uses insect cells due to their ability to produce protein rapidly, especially viral antigens for the potential avian influenza outbreak, is being extensively researched. Insect cells infected by baculovirus (BV) are utilized to express proteins known as virus-like protein (VLP). The objective of this review is to assess the production of the avian influenza vaccine (i.e., H5N1 and H7N9 strains) made from VLP by utilizing a baculovirus-insect cell (BV-IC) expression system. A narrative review was conducted by screening international indexed journals from the last 10 years about the topic. The result shows that VLP vaccine development using BV-IC expression can be a cheaper and safer alternative to conventional vaccines while also producing a high yield. The upstream process consists of the IC infection by the BV and BV-IC cell cultivation inside the bioreactor. The downstream process consists of the purification of the VLP product until it becomes a functioning vaccine. The VLP vaccine has improved immunogenic quality, enabling a more specific immune response than other vaccines. However, studies performed on avian influenza vaccines produced by the BV-IC expression system are still lacking. Therefore, further studies are required to improve the current VLP vaccine production processes.


: In this text, which is part of a research of master's in education, we analyze the conceptual aspects of media literacy (BUCKINGHAM, 2010) concerning the "news" genre in three editions of a school newspaper produced, in 2017, by a group of elementary students named Clube do Jornal at a public school from Fortaleza – Ceará - Brazil. When analyzing those "news", we observed that the writing focuses on the experiences from students' socioeconomic context. Students' writing presents some grammatical fragilities, although they maintain objectivity in the genre and adequate linguistic resources of style. In addition, the "news" genre emphasizes conventional narratives of the school environment, because the members of that school are students' main audience. Therefore, students' practice of writing converges towards a more endogenous and intuitive media literacy, with characteristics of school literacy, because the Clube do Jornal needs a greater pedagogical assistance by their teachers.


This paper makes the local university-ShangYang Unversity As An example,has explored the training pattern and the building of the courses system of innovative talent in the speciality of management science.


The H1N1 influenza A 2009 pandemic caused a global concern as it has killed more than 18,000 people worldwide so far. Studies that have found cross-neutralizing antibodies between the 1918 and 2009 pandemic flu elicit a basis of pre-existing immunity against the 2009 H1N1 virus in old population. The cross-reactivity occurs due to conserved antigenic epitopes shared between the two pandemic viruses. However, evolutionary mutation can enable the virus to elude human immunity system, making these antibodies probably no longer effective. In our study, we found that a possible mutation in B-cell epitope (the sequence PNHDSNKG) could be the chance for the virus to escape the 1918 antibody recognition. Hence, this finding can be helpful for further vaccine designs against the H1N1 2009 influenza A virus.


Objective To compare the efficacy of intracoronary administration of combined high-dose adenosine and tirofiban versus intracoronary tirofiban during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute myocardial infarction.Methods Consecutive 258 patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) underwent primary PCI,treated with thrombus aspiration and then intracoronary tirofiban,and were randomly divided into adenosine group (n=130) and con-


30Yaks in non-estrus were used to conduct the correlation analysis of the follicle development in ovaries with 17β-estradiol content in plasma.The results showed that there was the negative correlation of the follicle numbers in left and right ovaries wyth 17β-estradiol content in plasma(P0.05)when the size of follicle was 1.0~5.9mm(recruited follicle);there was the significant positive correlation of the follicle numbers in left ovary with17β-estradiol content in plasma(P0.05),but there was the very significant positive correlation of the follicle numbers in right ovary with the 17β-estradiol content in plasma(P0.01)when the size of follicle was 6.0~8.9mm(selected follicle);there was the sigmficant positive correlation of the follicle numbers in left and right ovaries withe the 17β-estradiol content in plasma(P0.05)when the size of follicle was 9.0~15.0mm(dominant follicle).


The Performance predictions of centrifugal compressors take a very important part in the field of turbomachinery research and application. Traditional methods for the Performance Predictions are based on computations from limited experiment measurements of the machine or limited data obtained from its models. The computed results are incorrect. The paper proposed an alternative method, neural network technique. The method has been applied to some typical performance prediction tasks. The numerical results are quite satisfactory.


The dynamic behaviour of clamped circular plates subjected to the concentrated blast loading is studied. The load is applied at a non-central point of the plate, non-axisymmetric deflections are taken into account. An approximate theoretical procedure developed earlier is applied for the evaluation of residual maximal deflections. The solution technique is based on the idea of equality of the power of the internal and external work, respectively. As it was shown earlier this concept leads to results which are close to exact ones in the case of axisymmetric loading of circular plates, also in the case of circular cylindrical shells.


Based on the defining the concept of coordinated development evaluation of the ecosystem health and tourism economy,this paper established an indicator system of coordinated development evaluation of the ecosystem health and the tourism economy of islands destination. By using an improved TOPSIS algorithm,this paper carried out a quantitative evaluation of Zhoushan Islands from 2000 to 2012 in terms of the coordinated development status of its ecosystem health and islands tourism economy. To be specific,an obstacle degree model was firstly used to analyze the obstacles of the coordinated development,and then a Logistic model was used to predict the status of the coordinated development from 2013 to 2015. The results showed that: 1). Between 2000 and 2012, the static and dynamic coordinated development coefficients of ecosystem health and the tourism economy of Zhoushan islands had been increasing consistently with the static coordinated coefficient rising from 0. 6453 to 0. 7301,and the dynamic coordinated coefficient rising from 0. 6453 to 0.6874; 2) between 2000 and 2012,the coordinated development of the ecosystem health and the tourism economy of Zhoushan Islands had evolved from a primary coordinated stage to an intermediate coordinated stage. To be specific,the primary coordinated stage were found located between 2000 and 2007,and the intermediate coordinated stage were found located between 2008 and 2012; 3) The ocean economy / GDP ratio,the qualification rate of the offshore environmental function zone,the environmental protection cost / GDP ratio,the density of the road network,the urbanization rate are the major obstacles influencing the coordinated development of the ecosystem health and the tourism economy of Zhoushan islands; 4) It is forecasted that between 2013 and 2015,the predicted static coordinated coefficients of ecosystem health and the tourism economy of Zhoushan islands will be 0. 8335,0. 8442 and 0. 8543,and the dynamic coordinated coefficients will be 0. 6885,0. 6916 and 0. 6947,which means the coordinated development between both will keep improving consistently.


Abstract The Krell–Ericson transformation provides a local potential that is exactly equivalent to the nonlocal Kisslinger-type potential. The associated scattering wave functions are related by a Perey factor. We examine the properties of examples of these local potentials, based upon low-order multiple scattering theory, at energies ranging from 20 to 291 MeV. The radial shapes of the potentials may display considerable structure in the nuclear surface. The general characteristics of the local real potentials reproduce the five features identified by Friedman from his model-independent analysis of pion scattering data. The Perey factors show a simple, mostly monotonic, behavior.


The relatively long history of the study of phonetics has produced a variety of transcription systems which can cause some bewilderment to a student undertaking further reading in the field. From an intellectual viewpoint, there is of course no harm in the existence of competing systemsindeed, it would appear to be a healthy and necessary part of the growth of phonetics as a science. It means, however, that anyone who cares to proceed beyond the most elementary stage of phonetics must acquire literacy in more than one phonetic alphabet. Teachers of phonetics are, in general, fully aware of the multiplicity of transcription systems and it is not at all uncommon for a teacher to introduce students to alternative phonetic alphabets. At the same time, it is not uncommon for teachers (and textbooks) to trivialize the problem of alternative alphabets. It is my purpose here to argue that, far from being a peripheral and relatively uninteresting aspect of such courses, a discussion of such matters, even in an elementary phonetics


This study is based on an inductive approach where the collected empirical data has been categorized in themes on which we have based the discussion in this paper. Using a qualitative method, nine ...


The invention relates to a device (1) for measuring the length, thickness or similar linear dimensions of an object (2), in particular push or Schraublehre, with a measuring device (13) and having an alignment member (14) (against a base body 4) the device (1) is movable (for application to the object to be measured 2) and (where necessary, to align the device 1) with respect to the object to be measured (2) or vice versa, characterized in that the device (1 ) further comprises (from the alignment member 14) separate probe contact (16) for scanning the object to be measured (2), that the probing element (16) with the measuring device (13) is connected, and that the probing element (16) by means of a drawing device (12) is coupled for movement with the alignment member (14), but against the alignment member (14) is movable within predetermined limits.


The following constitutes a summary of this paper: on-orbit identification methodology starts with nonparametric techniques for a priori system identification; development of the nonparametric identification and model determination experiment software has been completed; the validation experiments to be performed on the JPL Control and Identification Technology Validation Laboratory have been designed.


Part of the Diplomatic History Commons, Ethics and Political Philosophy Commons, International and Area Studies Commons, International Law Commons, International Relations Commons, Jurisprudence Commons, Law and Politics Commons, Law and Society Commons, Legal Commons, Legal History Commons, Legal Theory Commons, Peace and Conflict Studies Commons, Political History Commons, and the Politics and Social Change Commons


The invention relates to a method for personalizing documents (132), wherein each of the documents has an integrated electronic circuit (130) comprising the following steps: - receiving input data (110) for the personalization of the documents by means of a computer system (102) of a high-security environment (100), - generating a key pair comprising a public key and a private key (142) for each of the documents, - generating a data structure (140) from the input data and one of the public keys for each of the documents, - generating control data (112) for personalizing the documents with a respective one of the data structures and the private key assigned to the relevant data structure, - transmitting the control data from the computer system to a personalization device (114) of a production environment (101), - transmitting the data structures and the respectively assigned private keys from the personalization device to the documents in accordance with the control data, - storing the data structures in each case in a memory area (138) of the integrated electronic circuit, wherein the storage is effected under an access condition, - storing the private key assigned to the respective data structure in a memory area (138) of the integrated electronic circuit, wherein the storage is effected in such a way that the private key cannot be accessed externally.


Based on the discussion of relationship between sustainable developmental level and bearing capacity of regional water resource, an assessment model of sustainable development level of regional water resource (SDLRWR) using artificial neural networks (ANN) was put forward and applied to assess the SDLRWR of Hanzhong Basin.The case study shown that the presented model was more reliable and the assessed results were more reasonable and practicable than that of other methods such as fuzzy and comprehensive mathematics, attribute recognition method etc.The SDLRWR of Chenggu county was low-level and the SDLRWR of other five counties was medium-level.The SDLRWR of Nanzheng county was best in the five counties, and that of Mianxian worst.In the seven evaluation indexes, investigated in this paper, influencing on the SDLRWR, the utilization ratio of water resource was the most important index, then the irrigation ratio of irrigated area to land area, and the eco-environmental water-consumption ratio of the amount of water used in eco-environment to total water was the lest important index.


Clostridium perfringens is the main cause of sudden death in dogs and currently there is no vaccine to prevent it. In this study, a canine C. perfringens type A strain was used to prepare a vaccine. C. perfringens was inactivated by formaldehyde and adjuvants were added. The safety and immunological characteristics of the inactivated C. perfringens vaccine were evaluated in mice and dogs. The results showed that the C. perfringens vaccine was safe and had immunoprotective activity. The serum antibody titre of immunized mice reached up to 6·25 × 104. Both single immunization of 4 ml and dual immunizations of 2 ml each provided good immune protection, with five of five immunized dogs surviving. This study also studied a detoxified crude α‐toxin extract vaccine. The results showed that a single immunization with 0·5 ml of the detoxified crude α‐toxin extract vaccine provided immune protection, with five of five immunized dogs surviving. The inactivated C. perfringens type A vaccine can be used to prevent canine C. perfringens infections.


Automotive embedded systems comprise several domains, such as in software, electrical, electronics, and control. When designing and testing functions at the top level, one generally ignores the uncertainties arising from the electrical and electronic effects, which could lead to an irregular behavior and deteriorate their performance even using the appropriate methodology for designing the embedded control systems. Then, the studies and comparison on the effect of uncertainty in the automotive domain are important to improve the overall performance of those control systems. Here, we explored the uncertainty in control systems using the Monte Carlo (MC) and unscented transform (UT) methods. These methods have been applied to a mobile seat platform (MSP) and a light emitting diode (LED) used for lighting of heavy-duty vehicles. The UT for embedded control systems has shown better performance when compared to the Monte Carlo method, in order to reduce the number of required variables and computational resources in the simulation of failures and test-case generation. Finally, this investigation brings another application for the UT, in order to exemplify its applicability and advantages when compared with the other methods.


Increasing water use efficiency in agriculture is a multi-faceted optimization problem which could benefit from the use of a pro-active planning process. Simulation models are tools that can facilitate such planning, but their parameterization may be a difficult and costly task. Pedotransfer functions (PTFs), however, can provide important soil physical data at relatively low cost. Few studies, however, explore what contributions PTFs can make to land-use planning, in terms of being applied to evaluate the expected outcome of changes in management. We use an exploratory research approach using simulation modeling to evaluate benefits and risks posed while using different irrigation scenarios to a heterogeneous field. We also evaluate the applicability of pedotransfer functions to parameterize the simulation model for this task. Using this research approach we provide quantitative answers to several "what if" type questions, allowing the distinction of trends and potential problems. The approach may help increase water use efficiency while evaluating potential associated risks.


The cosmological solutions of the non-minimal [Formula: see text] theory, which are compatible with FRW spacetime, are investigated. In order to avoid the isotropy violation of a vector field, it can be considered that the presence of a triplet of vector fields satisfy SO(3) symmetry or the average of randomly oriented electromagnetic fields over the sufficiently large volume. By considering the symmetry arguments, the inflation driven by the non-minimally coupled vector fields is studied. Then the cosmological solutions and corresponding models are obtained with the power-law, hyperbolic and hybrid scale functions.


Cell culture methods have been employed in the search for plants tolerant to herbicides. Cell culture is valuable in screening for variant types. The increase in genetic variation that is frequently associated with the regeneration of mature plants from undifferentiated callus tissues and single cells offers benefits for crop improvement by the selection of useful variants and the application of genetic engineering2). The further development of tissue culture techniques for the reliable induction and maintenance of callus, with regeneration of plants, is therefore imperative if such techniques are to be successfully applied and crop varieties bred which are tolerant to an herbicide. Bensulf uron methyl (BSM), glyphosate (GLY) and glut osinate (GLU) act to interrupt nitrogen metabolism in plants. BSM and GLY are highly potent inhibitors of enzymes for biosynthesis of brancned-chain amino acids6) and aromatic amino acids1,5), and GLU is an inhibitor of an enzyme for ammonia assimilation3). BSM-, GLYor GLU-tolerant cells which had approximately 500-1000 fold tolerance to each herbicide were obtained from carrot cell suspension culture after several passages of inoculation7,8). Regeneration of plants from tolerant calluses selected on agar medium containing the herbicide was attempted in this


Due to the complexity of the production process, short-term scheduling for refineries is one of the most challenging problems. To address large-scale industrial refinery scheduling problems, a spatial Lagrangian decomposition approach is proposed to decompose the whole problem into several production processing subproblems and one blending and delivery subproblem. Some auxiliary constraints are added in the subproblems to accelerate the convergence of Lagrange multipliers. An initialization scheme of Lagrange multipliers, a hybrid method to update the Lagrange multipliers, and a heuristic algorithm to find feasible solutions are also designed. Computational results on three cases with different lengths of time horizons and different numbers of orders show that the proposed Lagrangian scheme is effective and efficient.


reinforcing their centrality even in the act of critique. This is a difficult conundrum that confronts all scholars working at the limits of prevailing conceptual vocabularies and attending to the violence that conceptual givens too easily sustain. The aim of Tazzioli's project, as I understand it, is to interrupt that violence, and to look to those who suffer that violence most acutely to see how they resist it and what happens, conceptually, when they do. The trouble here, is that while her purpose is to highlight multiplicities that extend forms of subjectivity beyond crude binaries of migrant and non-migrant, all of her empirical attention is given to migrants as such—and specific kinds of migrants at that: asylum seekers in the European context. On one hand this makes perfect sense. Tazzioli is concerned with those confronting extreme forms of violence and neglect under the auspices of a European and global border regime, and attempting to highlight strategies of resistance in that context. On the other, this casts a somewhat narrow view of emergent subjectivities that stretches only to that which emerges within pre-given terms of reference. I do not wish to criticize Tazzioli's book for what it has not done, so much as extend its insights and approach to where it hasn't yet gone. If we are looking for subject forms that exceed the given terms of migrant and migration—and I agree with Tazzioli that this should be our focus, then it seems me that some of these subject forms are likely to emerge in contexts and struggles that are less recognizable from the perspective of migration or mobility as organizing frames. I am thinking here of social movements arising at the intersection of multiple struggles that burst open established ways of registering what movements are about in the first place as well as who they concern. Abolitionist struggles for example, are not migrant struggles as such; nor are they framed in exclusive terms of citizenship. But they do attend to the specific and transnational ways in which incarceration, detention, and racialized policing—including border policing—affect certain kinds of migrants and certain kinds of citizens without placing either subject form at the center of their organizing frame. (That Boochani insists on calling refugees on Manus Island prisoners, implicitly signals these complex connections.) These kinds of intersections, I want to suggest, might draw our attention to other pressing arenas, beyond migrant struggles as such, to which we might look for what lies in excess of the figure of the migrant and the category of migration.


Time‐warping pattern‐comparison algorithms are widely used in speech recognition. Two words or syllables being compared are described by a series of time frames each containing values of a set of acoustic parameters. After time alignment, the squared distance between the patterns is summed over the parameters within a frame and then across frames. The sum obtained is assumed to be proportional to the log probability of the two patterns having the same identity. This assumption is generally invalid, but it may be made substantially true by analyzing the variability between different examples of the same syllable and adjusting the metric accordingly. Variability is estimated both as a function of frame position within the syllable as a function of the acoustic parameters. In the latter case, within‐ and between‐class covariance matrices can be estimated and standard linear discriminant analysis methods applied. This permits the combination of disparate acoustic parameters into a single distance measure. In particular, combining frame and frame‐difference parameters allows one to use time development information and to take inter‐frame correlations into account.


A case presenting severe hypoplasia of islets of Langer hans and diffuse diabetic glomerulosclerosis is described in which panhypopituitarism due to craniopharyngioma prevented the overt manifestation of diabetes.


e21043 Background: Molecular testing is mandatory in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) due to prognostic and therapeutic implications. Correlation between blood and tissue next-generation sequencing (NGS) has recently been demonstrated. Methods: A retrospective observational study of two cohorts of NSCLC patients who underwent liquid biopsy at the time of advanced disease diagnosis was conducted. In cohort 1 (N = 129), liquid biopsy was performed using a 74 genes panel (Guardant360 CDx). In cohort 2 (N = 149), NGS was performed in peripheral blood using a 63 genes panel (FoundationOne Liquid CDx). For tissue NGS analysis, Oncomine Precision Assay and Oncomine Focus Assay, with 50 and 52 genes, respectively, were performed. Data were analyzed in both cohorts independently, and compared by statistical descriptive methods. Results: In cohort 1, 74/129 (57.4%) were men and 55/129 (42.6%) were non-smokers or had a ≤ 20-pack-year tobacco history. The most frequent histology was adenocarcinoma (99/129; 76.7%). In 14/129 (10.9%) patients, a second determination of NGS in peripheral blood was necessary and 1/129 (0.8%) had a total of three determinations. Tissue NGS was not performed in 32/129 (24.8%) because of insufficient sample. In cohort 2, 99/149 (66.4%) were men and 48/149 (32.2%) were non-smokers or had a ≤ 20-pack-year tobacco history. The most frequent histology was adenocarcinoma (99/149; 66.4%). Tissue NGS was not performed in 40/149 (26.8%) due to insufficient sample (26/40; 65%) or technical difficulties to perform a biopsy (14/40; 35%). In cohort 1, pathogenic mutations were detected in 119/129 (92.2%) and in 62/97 (63.9%) patients (p < 0.001), with median time to obtain results of 11 (IQR 9-14) and 29 (IQR 22-39) days for blood and tissue NGS, respectively (p < 0.001). Actionable mutations included alterations of levels I-II according to ESCAT and were found in 40/129 (31%) and 33/97 (34%) patients using blood and tissue NGS, respectively (p = 0.63). In cohort 2, circulating tumor DNA was not detected in 5/149 (3.5%) patients. Pathogenic mutations were found in 123/149 (82.6%) and in 71/109 (65.1%) patients (p = 0.001), with median time to obtain results of 15 (IQR 14-15) and 27 (IQR 16-27) days for blood and tissue NGS, respectively (p < 0.001). Actionable mutations were detected in 41/149 (27.5%) and 41/109 (37.6%) using blood and tissue NGS, respectively (p = 0.08). Targeted therapy was given to 31/129 (24%) and 39/149 (26.2%) patients in cohort 1 and 2, respectively. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first retrospective observational study where liquid biopsy and tissue NGS are compared in two different cohorts of patients with advanced NSCLC. Time to obtain results was shorter for blood NGS than tissue sequencing, and liquid biopsy provided molecular information in cases in which tissue NGS is not available. Further studies to identify patients in which liquid biopsy could replace tissue analysis are needed.


Background: Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are a diverse group of hematopoietic stem cell disorders. JAK2V617F gain-of-function is the most prevalent mutation, accounting for more than 60% of MPNs. PRMT5 was initially identified as a JAK-binding protein. Its enzymatic function catalyses the symmetric di-methylation of arginine on a variety of substrates, including histones and proteins of the splicing apparatus. It has been proposed that mutant JAK2 can phosphorylate PRMT5, leading to loss of methylation activity and promotion of erythropoiesis (Liu F. et al. Cancer Cell 2011). Based upon this study, it was proposed that enhancing PRMT5 activity may be a useful therapeutic measure (Skoda RC et al. Cancer Cell 2011).
 Aim: To determine the role of PRMT5 in JAK2V671F mutant hematopoiesis.
 Hypothesis: Inhibition of PRMT5 will exacerbate JAK2V617F hematopoiesis
 R esults: Using a conditional null allele, we deleted Prmt5 in embryonic development with the hematopoietic-specific VavCre transgene. This led to embryonic lethality at E9.5 due to absence of erythropoiesis but not other lineages. Similar embryonic lethality was observed using the erythroid specific EpoRCre transgene.
 Following a 350,000-compound library screen, we developed a potent and selective SAM-dependent inhibitor (CTx034) of PRMT5 similar to that reported by Chan-Penebre E. at al. Nat. Chem. Biol. 2015. Consistent with the genetic evidence that PRMT5 is most important for erythropoiesis, CTx034 was a potent inhibitor of erythropoiesis in cultures derived from healthy human CD34+ cells. This suppression of erythropoiesis was associated with activation of p53. However, progenitor assays of bone marrow cells from patients with MPN showed that JAK2V617F erythropoiesis was more sensitive to CTx034 than normal erythropoiesis. We established JAK2V617F bone marrow chimeric mice to directly compare the in vivo effects of PRMT5 inhibition on mutant and wild-type erythropoiesis within the same animal. Remarkably, these studies showed normalization of spleen size and erythropoiesis, comparable to the current standard of care, Ruxolitinib (Figure 1A-B). Importantly, CTx034 was well tolerated in healthy animals with no suppression of hematopoiesis.
 One of the major therapeutic challenges for MPN is the eradication of the malignant clone, which is rarely achieved with Ruxolitinib. The addition of MDM2 inhibitors, which activate p53, are currently in trial. Importantly, CTx034 not only suppressed JAK2-mutant erythropoiesis but also activated p53 in JAK2-mutant progenitors, unlike Ruxolitinib (Figure 1C). This result strengthens the therapeutic rationale for PRMT5 inhibitors in MPN.
 To understand how CTx034 inhibits erythropoiesis, we initially considered direct methylation effects on JAK-STAT signalling and p53. Challenging previous reports, we could find no evidence that JAK alters PRMT5 activity, no evidence that PRMT5 inhibition perturbs JAK-STAT signalling and no evidence that PRMT5 methylates p53. To look more broadly, we performed RNA-seq analysis of CD34+ cells following 72 hours exposure to CTx034. Globally, this demonstrated a potent 'starvation' signal with suppression of protein synthesis despite activation of the upstream mTOR signalling pathway. This suppression of protein synthesis could be linked to three mechanisms. First, CTx034 inhibited methylation of the Sm core complex of the spliceosome, leading to alternate splicing (skipped exons and retained introns) affecting the elongation initiation factor 2 (EIF2) pathway. Second, PRMT5 directly interacts with the translation initiation complex (eIF4A, eIF4B, eIF4E and the poly(A)-binding protein 1, PABP1. Moreover, mass spectrometry identified PABP1 as a new target of PRMT5. Treatment with CTx034 did not alter protein abundance of any of these factors but decreased the RNA binding capacity of PABP1, thereby preventing the correct formation of the initiation of translation complex. Finally, CTx034 perturbed polysome formation with loss of methylation of RPS10.
 C onclusion: Challenging previous reports, we show that PRMT5 inhibitors are an attractive and novel therapeutic for JAK2V617F MPN by targeting initiation of translation, ribosome biogenesis and activation of p53.

 Sonderegger: CRC Cancer Therapeutics: Research Funding. Cerruti:CRC Cancer Therapeutics: Research Funding. Toulmin:CRC Cancer Therapeutics: Research Funding. Lane:Novartis: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy. Stupple:CRC Cancer Therapeutics: Employment. Street:MERCK: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; CRC Cancer Therapeutics: Employment, Patents & Royalties. Jane:CRC Cancer Therapeutics: Patents & Royalties. Altura:MERCK: Employment. Nicholson:MERCK: Employment. Curtis:MERCK: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; CRC Cancer Therapeutics: Patents & Royalties, Research Funding.


A plasma with a modulated density of n/n=8% was produced by illuminating a grating with a ruby laser at an intensity of 1010 W/cm2. A CO2 laser of intensity 3×1011 W/cm2 then irradiated this modulated plasma and generated plasma waves. The phase speeds of the waves are vph = ±ω0/kg, where kg is the wave number of the grating and ω0 is the frequency of the CO2 laser. Electrons were injected at an energy of 92 keV in one of the plasma waves. In order for the phase speed of the wave to synchronize with the accelerating electrons, a grating with constantly increasing line spacing (chirped) was used. Some electrons accelerated by 70 keV in 70 μm (gradient of 1 GeV/m) were detected, but the number of accelerated electrons was three orders of magnitude less than the expected value. This discrepency is the result of a large electric field perpendicular to the surface of the grating, which deflects the electrons onto the grating. This detrimental field is produced when fast electrons are emitted by the plasma, an...


Abstract Educators are often keen to promote the idea of students taking an active role in the classroom. Discussion classes, such as seminars, are a forum in which students can take an active role. Here students may initiate academic exchanges and ask questions as well as respond to the tutor's questions. Tutors may wish to identify and analyse students' questions. This paper reviews descriptions of questions in educational contexts. A description of the questions students asked in university discussion classes in one department is presented. Classification is made on the basis of function and ideas content. "... That is the best questioning which best stimulates action on the part of the learner; which gives him a habit of thinking and inquiring for himself; which tends in great measure to render him independent of his teacher; which make him, in fact, rather a skilled finder than a patient receiver of truth." (Fitch 1879, quoted in Ramsden 1992) Introduction Educators are often advised to encourage talk as a means of understanding ideas and information (Lewis and Starks 1998). Furthermore, they are advised ot encourage students to take an active role in the learning process. One way educators can achieve this is through discussion classes. Here students as well as faculty can initiate talk, select topic and control the discourse. However, educators may have vague expectations of discussion classes and lack a clear idea of what they expect to occur when students are engaged in talking for learning situations (Berril 1991). For example, they may not have a clear idea of what kinds of questions students ask and the forms these typically take. Discussion classes have a tendency to fall short of expectations. The failure of students to participate is one source of disappointment. Discussions are inclined to degenerate into a forum in which `star speakers' dominate and most students become increasingly reluctant to speak. One `star speaker' may be the tutor. Brown & Alkins (1988) report on research showing tutor talk made up 86% of talking time in the highest instances and student-student interaction was as low as 8% in seminar discussions. The level of discussion can also se a source of disappointment. Whereas expectations are generally held for interchanges revealing higher level cognitive processes at work, studies have found that the thinking level tends to stay around recall rather than higher level activities such as synthesising or generalising. The nature of interaction may disappointingly incline toward the transmission of information with questions seeking the simple recall of further information (Brown and Alkins 1988, Brown 1993). Student questions may vary across class types. Tapper (1992) investigated four different types of university class (laboratory, Freshman English classes, lectures and conference sessions) The 'study found that most student-initiated exchanges were initiated by questions in lecture, laboratory and freshman English classes but by offers in laboratory classes and that exchanges instigated by student initiations had various lengths. For example, in lectures fewer student-initiated developed beyond two-part exchanges compared to the other types of instruction. One general expectation is however that students at least in part drive the interaction and therefor ask questions, not merely respond to the tutor's questions. One interest of educators therefore in discourse in discussion classes is identification of the types of questions students ask. Various typologies of questioning have been developed. The remainder of this section outlines three of these. Firstly, classifications have been based on the cognitive demands made on the person questioned by the type of question used. This has led to the distinction between higher and lower cognitive questions (Redfield & Rousseau 1981). Higher cognitive questions or divergent questions are those that require the student to manipulate pieces of information to create or support an answer with logically reasoned evidence. …


Since the discovery in the 1800s that the addition of carbon dioxide to water makes it effervescent and pleasant, carbonation has gained popularity for its enjoyable taste and has become an important ingredient of sparkling drinks such as sodas. In recent years, there has been an exponential rise in the consumption of sweetened, carbonated drinks, which has been linked to increasing rates of obesity and increasing prevalence of metabolic diseases.1 Surprisingly, the consumption of diet sodas, which have reduced or zero calories because of the noncaloric sweeteners, is also linked to the risk of obesity and poor health outcomes.2 The question arising then is: What is the culprit for the carbonated drinks-related health issues–the carbonation itself, the sweeteners, or both? In the present issue of Gastroenterology, Di Salle et al3 have used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in humans to examine the brain regions activated in response to naturally or artificially sweetened carbonated beverages to determine the effect of carbonation on the perception of sweetness and whether carbonation differentially affects the perception of natural and artificial sweeteners. This is a critical question to begin to understand where and how chemosensory detection of sweetened drinks affects food intake. Studies relying on fMRI approaches have shown that the brain is capable of distinguishing natural and artificial sweeteners4 and that distinct responses to different sweeteners are influenced by the level of consumption of diet soda.5 The Di Salle group went further and asked whether carbonation directly affects sweetness perception. Carbonation activates different sensory systems, including the gustatory system, and the pathway through which carbonation is tasted and how it differs from other tastes have been recently discovered.6


In cognitive radio networks, a slotted time structure is widely adopted. Accordingly, the slot length is a factor that can largely affect the performance of cognitive radio networks. In this paper, a slot length configuration scheme is proposed. In the proposed scheme, we assume imperfect spectrum sensing. The spectrum sensing result is considered when configuring the slot length. Therefore, slots with different sensing results have different slot lengths. This setting fully takes into account the fact that the sojourn time of channel idle state and busy state are usually different. An optimization problem to find out the optimal slot length configuration is formulated (which maximizes the secondary throughput) and analyzed. In the formulated problem, primary activities are protected by limiting the percentage of time that the primary activities are interfered with, and the energy efficiency of the secondary system is guaranteed by limiting the percentage of time for spectrum sensing. After a theoretical analysis of the problem, an algorithm is proposed to solve it. In the case of perfect spectrum sensing, another algorithm with low complexity is developed to solve the problem. The numerical results demonstrate that, by having different slot lengths with different sensing results, largely improved performance can be achieved. Impacts of system parameters on the secondary system performance are also discussed.


Background There is a paucity of evidence and guidance for genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinicians on the management of cervical warts (CW). These patients are either treated in a routine clinic without colposcopy examination (CE) or referred to gynaecology. Aim To describe the management of patients in a GUM diagnostic colposcopy service where a CE (×7 magnification) performed before and after application of 5% acetic acid to the cervix to identify flat acetowhite epithelium (AWE) in addition to the CW. Methods Notes of patients who attended the service with a diagnosis code of C11 between June 2006 and December 2011 were reviewed and 48 patients with CW were identified. Details of demographics, presenting features, associated STI, cervical cytology, biopsy results, treatment and follow-up were analysed. Results Median age of 48 patients was 24 years (range 16–63); 23 (47.9%) were Caucasians, 16 (33.3%) Afro-Caribbeans. 25 patients had no prior cervical cytology as they were under 25 years of age. Of the 23 patients who had a previous cervical cytology, six had a history of abnormal smears. 17 (35.4%) had CW alone, 31 (64.6%) also had vulvo-vaginal/perianal warts. Seven (14.3%) had other concomitant STIs.15 (30.6%) had AWE that on biopsy showed histopathological evidence of HPV and, 10/15 (66.7%) also had evidence of CIN1/2. Of the 33 patients with no AWE, histopathology was available on 23 CW which showed CIN1/2 in 16/23 (69.5%). 10/48 (20.8%) patients were treated with electrocautery, 11 (22.9%) with excision biopsy and 26 (54.2%), with both. 31 patients responded after the first treatment; nine had a further 1–3 treatments. One recurred after 6 months. 26 patients with associated CIN were referred to gynaecology. Discussion We report a high prevalence of CIN in CW and in associated subclinical lesions in this predominantly young cohort of women, suggesting the need for colposcopy to assess cervical warts or more careful follow-up with cervical cytology.


The invention concerns a refractory tile having two aligned fixing points, any two adjacent fixing points of the alignment being spaced apart by a constant distance A, first (44) and last (46) fixing points of the alignment being remote, in the direction of the alignment, by distancesE1 and E2 from the first (40) and second (42) edges of the tile extending proximate the first (44) and last (46) fixing points, respectively. The tile is characterized in that 0 < A-(a1+a2). The invention is applicable to gasifiers.


Introduction: The spread of the coronavirus, its high transmission rate, and lack of a definitive treatment for the novel disease have led to psychological disturbances in societies. Nurses are exposed to numerous psychological issues as they are on the frontline in the battle against COVID-19. The present study aimed to compare nurses and midwife personnel in terms of the anxiety caused by COVID-19. Material and Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 130 nursing staff and midwife personnel working in the teaching hospitals affiliated to Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The participants were selected via convenience sampling. Data were collected using a corona disease anxiety scale, which was completed in a self-report manner. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 16 using descriptive statistics (tables, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics. Results: The mean anxiety level of the nurses and midwife personnel was estimated at 30.33 ± 7.6 and 31.11 ± 9.03, respectively. However, the Mann-Whitney U test was indicative of no significant difference in this regard (P=0.08). Conclusion: According to the results, the nursing and midwife personnel had similar levels of COVID-19 anxiety. Given the moderate anxiety level of the healthcare staff regardless of their work environment, it is recommended that special programs be considered by hospital managers to psychologically support the staff.


Evans JP. (2018) Fertilization in the Oviduct. In: Encyclopedia of Reproduction 2nd Edition, Ed: MK Skinner. Elsevier. Vol 3:300-304. Deguchi R, Hirohashi N. (2018) Fertilization, Comparative. In: Encyclopedia of Reproduction 2nd Edition, Ed: MK Skinner. Elsevier. Vol 6:344-349. Cha JM, et al. (2018) Aspects of Rodent Implantation. In: Encyclopedia of Reproduction 2nd Edition, Ed: MK Skinner. Elsevier. Vol 2:291-297. Lu J, Kong S, Wang H. (2018) Uterine Receptivity: The Status of Uterus for Implantation. In: Encyclopedia of Reproduction 2nd Edition, Ed: MK Skinner. Elsevier. Vol 2:394-399.


Large variations in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between Sn and growth substrates provide a highly reliable and fast method to grow whiskers. The CTE effect can be enhanced by thermal cycling during whisker incubation, which is able to reverse reductions in whiskering due to small amounts of dopant atoms in the Sn (e.g., Pb). Investigated substrates with CTE close in value to Sn (0 < %ΔCTE < 25) were Al, Ag, and brass; intermediate in value to Sn (25 < %ΔCTE < 75) were Zn, Ni, and Ta; and far in value to Sn (75 < %ΔCTE < 100) were semiconductors Si, GaAs, and InP. A thickness of 0.5 micron of sputtered Sn was deposited on each coupon. The thermal cycling range was −40°C to 125°C, with 2 hour ramps and 4 hour dwells, for a total of 12 hours per cycle. A second, comparative set of specimens underwent isothermal annealing at 100°C ± 5°C. All samples were incubated for 37 days (74 cycles) before observation. Samples with a %ΔCTE > 75% resulted in drastically higher whisker densities (when cycled) compared with those with %ΔCTE < 75%. There appears to be a critical activation (or nucleation) threshold CTE mismatch which "turns on" fast whisker growth when using semiconductors as substrates.