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Spectrum of urinary stone composition in Northwestern Rajasthan using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Materials and Methods: A prospective study of 1005 urolithiasis patients was carried out in two tertiary care centers from September 2012 to September 2016. Chemical composition of urinary stones was analyzed using FTIR spectroscopy, and a subgroup study based on the patient's age was done (8-12 years - Group A, 13-18 years - Group B, and > 18 years - Group C).Conclusion: In Northwestern Rajasthan, calcium oxalate is the most common composition of urinary stones in all age groups. Mixed stones are more common than pure ones. The incidence of calcium oxalate stone increases while that of struvite, uric acid, and cystine stone decreases with age.Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition of urinary stones and pattern of changes according to the patient's age in Northwestern Rajasthan using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.Results: Out of 1005 patients, 59 were in Group A, 104 in Group B, and 842 in Group C. Male predominance was found in all age groups. Mixed composition stones were much more common than pure one (74.83% vs. 25.17%). Overall, combination of calcium oxalate monohydrate with dihydrate was the most common composition (58.0%). Calcium oxalate was the predominant chemical composition in 91.54% of stones, followed by uric acid in 4.28%, struvite in 2.29%, calcium phosphate in 1.49%, and cystine in 0.4%. The proportion of calcium oxalate stone was increasing while that of struvite, uric acid, and cystine stone was decreasing with age. Most of the vesical calculi in pediatric age group (Group A; 8-12 years) patients were made up of combination of struvite, calcium phosphate, and uric acid. A total of 85.11% of staghorn calculi were of oxalates. | [
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To the Issue of the Public Education System on the Territory of the Caucasian Educational District in 1848-1917. Part 2. The source base for the study was the annual \\'The Reports of the trustee of the Caucasian educational district on the state of educational institutions of the Caucasian educational district\\'. These reports were published in the period of 1884-1914. They reflected data on the system of public education subordinate to the Ministry of Public Education.In conclusion, the authors state that the system of public education on the territory of the Caucasian educational district at the beginning of the 20th century continued to develop dynamically. For 14 years from 1900 to 1914 the number of educational institutions and the number of students increased by 2.5 times. The greatest successes were in the field of secondary and primary education, where the number of educational institutions increased by 3 times, lower education developed less dynamically.As for the gender balance among students, the female education during this period made a significant breakthrough in primary school, where the proportion of girls increased from 25 to 33 %. At the same time, in secondary school by 1914, almost parity was already observed between boys and girls. All this testified, in the authors' view, that public education has firmly entered the way of life of the population in the Caucasus.The article examines the system of public education in the Caucasus (the territory of the Caucasian Educational District) on the basis of extensive statistical material. This part analyzes the development of the system of public education in the period of 1900-1917. | [
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Preferred and undesirable genotypes of bGH and bIGF-1 genes for the milk yield and quality of black-and-white. Conclusion: The results showed that the bGH-AluI(LV) genotype was preferred for the black-and-white breed. The study demonstrated that genotype determined the relevant qualities, while the conditions of feeding. maintenance. and industrial technology provided the manifestation of this genotype. Thus, cows of the same (Wis Burke Ideal) line, having common ancestors in close (IV-V) ranks but living in different farming conditions, had large differences in milk productivity level. The variation was 2046 kg or 67.6% of milk per lactation.Results: The black-and-white cows with the bGH-AluI(LV) genotype had significantly higher milk yield in 305 days (3174.5 +/- 157.2 kg) than those with the bGH-AluI(LL )(2940.0 +/- 152.6 kg) and bGH-AluI(VV) genotypes (2964.0 +/- 36.0: p<0.05). The milk fat content of cows with genotypes bGH-AluI(LV) and bGH-AluI(LL) (121.8 +/- 6.5 and 120.6 +/- 10.2, respectively) was significantly higher than those with bGH-AluI(VV) genotype (109.8 +/- 10.8; p<0.05). The black-and-white cows with the bGH-AluI(LV) genotype (96.7 +/- 5.3) had significantly more milk protein than those with the bGH-AluI(LL) (90.3 +/- 5.6) and bGH-AluI(VV) (86.9 +/- 4.6) genotypes (p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the indicators of milk productivity of cows with different genotypes of bIGF-1-SnaBI polymorphism.Background and Aim: The market demand for the quality of milk and dairy products, in particular in terms of such indicators as fat content, the amount and composition of milk protein, etc., is growing. Thus, the need for the selection of dairy herds using genetic markers associated with qualitative traits of milk productivity is becoming urgent. This study aimed to determine the preferred and undesirable genotypes of the AluI polymorphism of the growth hormone gene and SnaBI polymorphism of the insulin-like growth factor-1 gene associated with milk productivity and quality indicators of the black-and-white breed. The genotypes of animals were determined by polymerise chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).Materials and Methods: Samples of the black-and-white breed from Kazakhstan served as the research subjects. The polymorphism of the growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 genes was determined by PCR-RFLP. The relationship of bGH-.AluI and bIGF-1-SnaBI polymorphisms with productivity was assessed (fat, protein, and milk yield for 305 days of lactation, live weight, somatic cells, and milk production coefficient) by analysis of variance using Statistica 6.0 software. | [
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Gradient-based multi-focus image fusion method using convolution neural network. Due to limitation of optical lenses, obtaining all-in-focus images is difficult. However, lots of multi-focus image fusion methods cause undesirable artifacts around the focused and defocused boundaries in fusion images. Usually, these boundaries are at the edges of objects in images while the gradient information can reflect edge information intuitively. Based on the above ideas, a Gradient-based method using convolution neural network (CNN) is proposed to produce all-in-focus image. Specifically, we transmit the original images and corresponding four kinds of gradient images into five CNN models to generate the five initial focus score maps, respectively. Then, the final segmented focus map is obtained via merging the initial focus score maps. Finally, we combine the final segmented focus map and source images to obtain the fused image. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method has a better performance on both quality and quantitative evaluations than other state-of-the-art methods.Due to limitation of optical lenses, obtaining all-in-focus images is difficult. However, lots of multi-focus image fusion methods cause undesirable artifacts around the focused and defocused boundaries in fusion images. Usually, these boundaries are at the edges of objects in images while the gradient information can reflect edge information intuitively. Based on the above ideas, a Gradient-based method using convolution neural network (CNN) is proposed to produce all-in-focus image. Specifically, we transmit the original images and corresponding four kinds of gradient images into five CNN models to generate the five initial focus score maps, respectively. Then, the final segmented focus map is obtained via merging the initial focus score maps. Finally, we combine the final segmented focus map and source images to obtain the fused image. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method has a better performance on both quality and quantitative evaluations than other state-of-the-art methods. | [
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Endogenous Education and Long-Run Factor Shares. We study the determinants of factor shares in a neoclassical environment with capital-skill complementarity and endogenous education. In this environment estimates of the elasticity of substitution between capital and labor that fail to account for human capital levels will be biased upward. We develop a model with overlapping generations, technology-driven neoclassical growth, and ongoing increases in educational attainment. For a class of production functions featuring capital-skill complementarity, a balanced growth path exists and is characterized by an inverse relationship between the rates of capitaland labor-augmenting technological progress and the capital share in national income. | [
3,
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Trend Analysis of Air Quality Index (AQI) and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions in Taiwan and Their Regulatory Countermeasures. A reduction in the energy-related emissions of air pollutants would not only mitigate climate change but would also improve local air quality and public health. This paper aimed to analyze the trends of air quality index (AQI) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Taiwan by using the latest official statistics. In addition, this study also summarized regulatory measures for controlling air pollution from the energy sector with relevance to sustainable development goals (SDGs). With the joint efforts by the public and private sectors, the change in the total GHG emissions did not vary much with the exception of 2009, ranging from 250 to 272 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent from 2005 through 2019. Based on the data on AQI, the percentage of AQI by station-day with AQI > 100 has decreased from 18.1% in 2017 to 10.1% in 2020, indicating a decreasing trend for all criteria air pollutants. On the other hand, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown, in 2019, has positively impacted Taiwan's urban air quality, which was consistent with those observed in other countries. This consistent situation could be attributed to the climate change mitigation policies and promotional actions under the revised Air Pollution Control Act and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act of 2015. In response to the SDGs launched by the Taiwan government in 2018, achieving the relevant targets by 2030 can be prospective. | [
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Violent Men: Trauma, Humiliation and Scenarios of Harm. In this chapter, through numerous in-depth ethnographies, I explore the biographical accounts of several violent men that have committed serious criminal offences. Some of the men in this chapter have served custodial sentences for committing acts of homicide. All the men, however, have been part of organised crime networks, with some being involved in criminal operations beyond the West Midlands. In addition to exploring their criminal activities, I present rich narratives of these men through their life histories, which in turn provides an understanding of harms inflicted on them, and the harms that they have inflicted on others. To provide a persuasive analysis, theoretically I decipher biographical and reflexive accounts of these men through psychoanalysis and Bourdieusian epistemologies. Indeed, it is through narrative accounts that I present what I have coined: scenarios of harm, and how imaginary situations contribute towards the shaping of an individual's street habitus (Wacquant in American Journal of Sociology 107: 1468-1532, 2002; Sandberg and Pedersen in Street Capital: Black Cannabis Dealers in a White Welfare State. Policy Press, Bristol, 2009; Fraser in Journal of Youth Studies 16: 970-985, 2013), and how this then valorizes their capital and position within the field. Ultimately, I draw towards a speculative suggestion that the containment of harmful dispositions becomes integral for a person's behaviour, interaction and trajectory in the underworld. | [
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Thermo-mechanical analysis of the ICRH antenna for the ignitor experiment - Part II: Antenna straps. This paper presents the design of the ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) system of the ignitor machine. In addition, the paper presents relevant calculations and the design solutions adopted for the ICRH antenna straps. The thermal-mechanical analysis of the structure is illustrated. The displacements and stresses due to thermal loading and to dynamic loads induced during plasma vertical disruptions events (VDE) are calculated. The capability of carrying out both the assembly and maintenance of the antennas' components in full remote handling (RH) conditions is one of the specifications to which the design has to comply. A mechanical design that guarantees ease of operation is discussed. The proposed solution minimizes the variety of movements required for the manipulator. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. | [
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Downlink Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access With Limited Feedback. In this paper, we analyze downlink non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) networks with limited feedback. Our goal is to derive appropriate transmission rates for rate adaptation and minimize outage probability of minimum rate for the constant-rate data service, based on distributed channel feedback information from receivers. We propose an efficient quantizer with variable-length encoding that approaches the best performance of the case where perfect channel state information is available everywhere. We prove that in the typical application with two receivers, the losses in the minimum rate and outage probability decay at least exponentially with the minimum feedback rate. We analyze the diversity gain and provide a sufficient condition for the quantizer to achieve the maximum diversity order. For NOMA with K receivers where K > 2, we solve the minimum rate maximization problem within an accuracy of E in time complexity of 0 (K log 1/epsilon), and then, we apply the previously proposed quantizers for K = 2 to the case of K > 2. Numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of our proposed quantizers and the accuracy of the analytical results. | [
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The role of ADC values within the normal-appearing brain in the prognosis of multiple sclerosis activity during interferon-beta therapy in the 3-year follow-up: a preliminary report. Predictors of multiple sclerosis (MS) activity during disease-modifying treatment are being extensively investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the prognosis of NEDA (no evidence of disease activity) status during IFN-beta (interferon-beta) treatment, using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements obtained at initial MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). In 87 MS patients treated with IFN-beta, ADC values were calculated for 13 regions of normal-appearing white and grey matter (NAWM, NAGM) based on MRI performed with a 1.5 T magnet before (MS0, n=45) or after one year of therapy (MS1, n=42). Associations were evaluated between ADC, conventional MRI findings, demographic and clinical factors and NEDA status within the following 3 years using logistic, Cox and multinomial logistic regression models. NEDA rates in the MS0 group were 64.4%, 46.5% and 33.3% after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd year of treatment, respectively and in MS1 patients 71.4% and 48.7% for the periods 1st-2nd and 1st-3rd years of treatment, respectively. ADC values in the NAWM regions contributed to loss of NEDA and its clinical and radiological components, with a 1-3% increase in the risk of NEDA loss (p=0.0001-0.0489) in both groups. ADC measurements may have an additional prognostic value with regard to NEDA status. | [
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202
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A termination criterion for parameter estimation in stochastic models in systems biology. Parameter estimation procedures are a central aspect of modeling approaches in systems biology. They are often computationally expensive, especially when the models take stochasticity into account. Typically parameter estimation involves the iterative optimization of an objective function that describes how well the model fits some measured data with a certain set of parameter values. In order to limit the computational expenses it is therefore important to apply an adequate stopping criterion for the optimization process, so that the optimization continues at least until a reasonable fit is obtained, but not much longer. In the case of stochastic modeling, at least some parameter estimation schemes involve an objective function that is itself a random variable. This means that plain convergence tests are not a priori suitable as stopping criteria.This article suggests a termination criterion suited to optimization problems in parameter estimation arising from stochastic models in systems biology. The termination criterion is developed for optimization algorithms that involve populations of parameter sets, such as particle swarm or evolutionary algorithms. It is based on comparing the variance of the objective function over the whole population of parameter sets with the variance of repeated evaluations of the objective function at the best parameter set. The performance is demonstrated for several different algorithms. To test the termination criterion we choose polynomial test functions as well as systems biology models such as an Immigration-Death model and a bistable genetic toggle switch. The genetic toggle switch is an especially challenging test case as it shows a stochastic switching between two steady states which is qualitatively different from the model behavior in a deterministic model. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. | [
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Defining the roles of the N-terminal region and the helicase activity of RECQ4A in DNA repair and homologous recombination in Arabidopsis. RecQ helicases are critical for the maintenance of genomic stability. The Arabidopsis RecQ helicase RECQ4A is the functional counterpart of human BLM, which is mutated in the genetic disorder Bloom's syndrome. RECQ4A performs critical roles in regulation of homologous recombination (HR) and DNA repair. Loss of RECQ4A leads to elevated HR frequencies and hypersensitivity to genotoxic agents. Through complementation studies, we were now able to demonstrate that the N-terminal region and the helicase activity of RECQ4A are both essential for the cellular response to replicative stress induced by methyl methanesulfonate and cisplatin. In contrast, loss of helicase activity or deletion of the N-terminus only partially complemented the mutant hyper-recombination phenotype. Furthermore, the helicase-deficient protein lacking its N-terminus did not complement the hyper-recombination phenotype at all. Therefore, RECQ4A seems to possess at least two different and independent sub-functions involved in the suppression of HR. By in vitro analysis, we showed that the helicase core was able to regress an artificial replication fork. Swapping of the terminal regions of RECQ4A with the closely related but functionally distinct helicase RECQ4B indicated that in contrast to the C-terminus, the N-terminus of RECQ4A was required for its specific functions in DNA repair and recombination. | [
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The diuretic effect of borocaptate sodium in rats and in patients with brain tumors. Kidney function changes after single-dose administration of borocaptate sodium were studied in rats and in patients with brain tumors. Changes of filtration rate (GFR) measured C-14-inulin clearance and urine flow rate (UFR) after a slow intravenous injection of BSH (25 and 50 mg/kg b.w., respectively) were investigated in rats and pentobarbital anesthesia. The effect of BSH has been compared with that of its disulfide (BSSB) which is spontaneously generated by oxidation of BSH during storage. It was found that BSH decreases GFR in relation to dose and, in the same way, causes a temporary increase of UFR. On the other hand, BSSB (50 mg/kg) induced a large reversible decrease of GFR as well as a decrease of urine excretion. Measurements of GFR (inulin clearance), renal plasma flow (PAH clearance) and urine excretion were taken in a group of patients with brain tumors in which boron disposition after an infusion of BSH (25 mg/kg b.w. over 1 h) had been studied. An increase in urine production was the dominant effect (up to 200% of the initial value), with the alterations of GFR and RPF being of minor significance except in one patient with a GFR reduction up to almost 50% the original value. Kidney function changes after BSH or BSSB administration are supposedly related to the high retention of BSH in kidney. | [
1,
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Labour and Petty Production. One of many fracture zones in the right-less workforce is between wage labour, disguised wage labour (DWL) and petty commodity production (PCP) between the formal and real subsumption of labour to capital. When the polar classes of capitalism leave much lying between them under conditions of generalized commodity production and circulation, where expansion is driven by multiplication of tiny units of production and trade rather than, or as well as, accumulation, what is to be done? In response to Saumyajit Bhattacharya's charge (in this issue) that the discourse used to explore PCP can support the de-legitimation of labour politics, this essay examines the definitions of, evidence for, and interpretation of DWL and PCP in the Indian case. It then addresses the theoretical and practical importance of PCP, its persistence, problems of its legal status and its politics. | [
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Virtue and vulnerability: Discourses on women, gender and climate change. In the limited literature on gender and climate change, two themes predominate - women as vulnerable or virtuous in relation to the environment. Two viewpoints become obvious: women in the South will be affected more by climate change than men in those countries and that men in the North pollute more than women. The debates are structured in specific ways in the North and the South and the discussion in the article focuses largely on examples from Sweden and India. The article traces the lineage of the arguments to the women, environment and development discussions, examining how they recur in new forms in climate debates. Questioning assumptions about women's vulnerability and virtuousness, it highlights how a focus on women's vulnerability or virtuousness can deflect attention from inequalities in decision-making. By reiterating statements about poor women in the South and the pro-environmental women of the North, these assumptions reinforce North-South biases. Generalizations about women's vulnerability and virtuousness can lead to an increase in women's responsibility without corresponding rewards. There is need to contextualise debates on climate change to enable action and to respond effectively to its adverse effects in particular places. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. | [
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Review of the Phreodrilidae (Annelida: Oligochaeta: Tubificida) of Australia. In this review of Australian phreodrilid oligochaetes, several descriptions are amended, some species are reclassified and additional distribution data are provided for most species. One new genus (Nesodrilus) and 11 new species (Phreodrilus diemenensis, Phreodrilus melaleucensis, Phreodrilus mitodes, Antarctodrilus acanthaseta, Antarctodrilus micros, Antarctodrilus horwitzi, Nesodrilus southwellensis, Insulodrilus parviseta, Insulodrilus unisetoides, Insulodrilus bifidus and Astacopsidrilus myothyros) are described from Australia. Insulodrilus lacustris (Benham, 1903) is recorded in Australia for the first time, while Phreodrilus mauienensis Brinkhurst, 1971, and Astacopsidrilus campbellianus (Benham, 1909), comb. nov., are removed from the Australian species list. The latter is the first phreodrilid to be recorded on Macquarie Island. One new species, Insulodrilus novaezelandiae, is described from New Zealand and three new species, Antarcrodilus spinosus, Nesodrilus isochaeta and Astacopsidrilus beckettae, are described from Campbell Island. Aspects of phreodrilid zoogeography and anatomy are discussed. | [
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Mean apparent diffusion coefficient values in defining radiotherapy planning target volumes in glioblastoma. Background: To evaluate mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values on pre-radiotherapy magnetic resonance (MR) at sites that gave rise to glioblastoma (GBM) recurrence compared to similar surrounding background tissue that did not progress to tumor.Conclusions: Mean ADC values may help predict sites of future gross tumor recurrence in GBM, which could be helpful in radiation therapy planning.Methods: Twenty out of 110 consecutive patients with pathology proven GBM treated at our institution from 1/1/2009 to 5/31/2012 had definitive recurrence 6 months following radiotherapy. In this singlecenter retrospective cohort study, pre-and post-radiotherapy MR brain exams were evaluated. Sites of tumor recurrence on post-therapy exams were co-localized to pre-therapy exams and the background tissue type which gave rise to tumor was noted (i.e., T2 hyperintensity, normal appearing white or gray matter). Similar surrounding background tissue not progressing to tumor was also selected. Two radiologists compared mean ADC values on pre-radiotherapy MR for sites which gave rise to future tumor recurrence and sites of similar background tissue.Results: Pre-radiotherapy mean ADC values were significantly lower in regions of future tumor recurrence than in regions of surrounding background tissue not progressing to tumor (P=0.003). There were no significant quantitative differences on T1-weighted pre contrast (P=0.50) or T2-weighted (P=0.10) sequences between sites. There was strong interobserver agreement with an intraclass correlation of 0.867 for ADC values at sites of future tumor recurrence and background tissue. | [
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Seat-belt use and relation to neurologic injury in motor vehicle crashes. The relation between seat-belt use and neurologic injury was examined for the 1,352 patients who had spinal injuries as the result of motor vehicle crashes and were subsequently admitted to the Midwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center at Northwestern University between 1971 and 1993. Intact lesions were observed in 44% of patients (Frankel level E), complete lesions in 28% (Frankel A), sensory intact lesions in 8% (Frankel B), motor intact lesions in 5% (Frankel C), and functional motor lesions in 14% (Frankel D). Whereas only 14% of the sample were wearing seat belts, 60% of the belted and 41% of the unbelted vehicle occupants had intact lesions. The odds of surviving a motor vehicle crash with an intact injury were greater for patients who were wearing a lap or shoulder belt (odds = 1.57) for women (odds = 0.63) and for patients whose injury occurred more recently (odds = 1.05). The relation between position in the vehicle and extent of injury was strongest for rear passengers: intact lesions were sustained by 73% of belted and 35% of unbelted rear passengers, whereas complete lesions were sustained by 9% of the belted and 21% of the unbelted rear passengers. In conclusion, seat belts appear to be an effective means of decreasing the extent of neurologic deficit in those sustaining spinal injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes. The results of this study support injury-prevention efforts that emphasize lap-and shoulder-belt use. | [
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ADVANTAGES OF LASER SCANNING SYSTEMS FOR TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEYS IN ROADS ENGINEERING. The objective of the work is to assess the advantages of the laser scanning system in the topographical surveys. The analysis and assessment of two methods, the classical total station method and mobile laser scanning are presented in the article. The results of the performed investigations have been compared, the technological characteristics and accuracy of the investigations have been presented, as well as the procedure of the topographic image formation, possibilities and efficiency have been assessed. The real-life topographic survey's projects on the analysis of roads and streets (components) have been used where the ground surface, the components of the roads and the surrounding objects have been analysed. The analysis provides information on the availability and potential of the investigated methods and the final attained accuracy due to a certain number of the control points. The obtained results indicate that the main differences of the methods revealed when compiling the topographical images for urban or rural areas are the speed of measurements and data processing, level of detail of the results and various possibilities of the method implementation. | [
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Comparison of a very-fine-resolution GCM with RCM dynamical downscaling in simulating climate in China. Regional climate simulation can generally be improved by using an RCM nested within a coarser-resolution GCM. However, whether or not it can also be improved by the direct use of a state-of-the-art GCM with very fine resolution, close to that of an RCM, and, if so, which is the better approach, are open questions. These questions are important for understanding and using these two kinds of simulation approaches, but have not yet been investigated. Accordingly, the present reported work compared simulation results over China from a very-fine-resolution GCM (VFRGCM) and from RCM dynamical downscaling. The results showed that: (1) The VFRGCM reproduces the climatologies and trends of both air temperature and precipitation, as well as inter-monthly variations of air temperature in terms of spatial pattern and amount, closer to observations than the coarse-resolution version of the GCM. This is not the case, however, for the inter-monthly variations of precipitation. (2) The VFRGCM captures the climatology, trend, and inter-monthly variation of air temperature, as well as the trend in precipitation, more reasonably than the RCM dynamical downscaling method. (3) The RCM dynamical downscaling method performs better than the VFRGCM in terms of the climatology and inter-monthly variation of precipitation. Overall, the results suggest that VFRGCMs possess great potential with regard to their application in climate simulation in the future, and the RCM dynamical downscaling method is still dominant in terms of regional precipitation simulation. | [
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Perceptions of tourism-related non-governmental organization (NGO) managers in Antalya. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceptions of tourism-related non-governmental organization (NGO) managers on overtourism trends in Antalya, Turkey. Design/methodology/approach Focus group study was implemented and three focus group interviews were undertaken with 34 NGO managers in total as a sample. The population of the research consisted of 65 tourism-related NGO managers in Antalya. Findings The results of the research reveal that Antalya was perceived as neither in a tourism development stage nor afflicted by overtourism by NGO managers. NGOs are one of the major stakeholders in the tourism industry, and hence their perceptions of overtourism would probably be the stimulating force for further sustainable development in the destination. Research limitations/implications - The limitation is that the research was realized voluntarily by 34 NGOs in Antalya. It would have been better to have more volunteer respondents. Practical implications - The viewpoints of stakeholders about their perceptions of tourism development in Antalya would be a helpful next step to refer back to practitioners so as to develop further strategic plans from their perspectives. Social implications - As social exchange theory states, communities benefiting from tourism development will support further improvement in tourism. Hence, in their role as spokespersons for the community, the perceptions of NGOs will influence decision-makers to draw implications from the study for wider consideration. Originality/value As a consequence, a model was proposed according to the results of the research. The findings of the research paper highlight the evolution of high-flow tourism in the destination. | [
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Association of energy intake and physical activity with overweight among Indonesian children 6-12 years of age. Background and Objectives: Indonesia is currently facing double burden malnutrition in children. As overweight and obesity are due to a disturbed energy balance, this study aimed to assess the association of total energy intake and physical activity with the prevalence of overweight among Indonesian children. Methods and Study Design: The data used for this analysis were from 1143 children, 6-12 years old, that participated in the South East Asian Nutrition Survey (SEANUTS). Physical activity (PA) was measured using pedometers for 2 consecutive days and was categorized low, moderate and high. Child nutritional status was categorized based on body mass index for age z-scores (BAZ) into normal weight (-2 SD <= BAZ <= 1 SD) or overweight (BAZ >1 SD). Energy intake was calculated from a one day 24 hour recall and compared to the Indonesian recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for energy. Results: Children with low PA had higher risk (ODDs 3.4, 95% CI: 2.0, 6.0) of being overweight compared to children who had high PA. Children with moderate PA and energy take >100% RDA had higher risk (ODDs 4.2, 95% CI 1.9, 9.3) of being overweight than children with high PA and energy intakes <= 100% RDA. Conclusions: Low physical activity independently or moderate physical activity and high energy intake are risk factors for Indonesian children to get overweight. Program intervention such as increasing physical activity at school and home is needed to reduce overweight among children. | [
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A clinical trial of tension and compression orthoses for Dupuytren contractures. Introduction: Despite an unpredictable outcome, surgery remains an important treatment for Dupuytren's disease. Orthotic devices are a controversial noninvasive treatment method to influence the myofibroblasts in the nodules. Purpose of the Study: To detect how much improvement 2 types of orthotic device (tension and compression) as only treatment intervention can provide on a Dupuytren's contracture. Is a compression orthosis better than a tension orthosis?Study Design: Randomized clinical trial on 2 patient groups with Dupuytren's disease.Conclusion: Tension and compression orthotic devices can be used as a nonoperative treatment of Dupuytren's disease in both early proliferative untreated hands and aggressive postsurgery recurrence. Although there is no statistically significant difference, compression orthoses appear to be more effective and are better tolerated. Nevertheless, adjustment of orthotic design and research on long-term results are needed. (Randomized controlled trial, Therapeutic study). (C) 2016 Hanley & Belfus, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Results: Flexion contracture was reduced at least 5 degrees in all patients. After 3 months, TAE was significantly reduced in both groups (both P <.001).The mean change in TAE was 32.36 degrees in the tension group and 46.47 degrees in the compression group. Although reduction of TAE deficit was bigger in the compression group, this difference was not statistically significant (P =.39). VAS scale of esthetics and functionality was significantly increased in both treatment groups. The functional VAS scale after 3 months was 11% higher in the compression group than in the tension group (P =.03). A major complication of a tension orthotic is skin ulcers. Discussion: Too much tension may cause myofibroblast stimulation and disease progression, whereas continuous limited tension can improve flexion contractures. The idea of a compression device is based on the treatment concept of hypertrophic burn scars.Methods: Thirty patients with measurable flexion contractures of the fingers were identified. Both primary and recurrence cases were included. Patients were randomized in 2 groups of 15 patients. One group had a standard tension orthosis (Levame), the other group a newly designed silicon compression orthotic device. Patients were instructed to wear the orthotic devices 20 hours a day during 3 months. Data were collected at first visit and after 3 months of orthotic treatment. Primary outcomes were active extension deficit of each joint and total active extension (TAE) of the digit. Secondary outcome was patient satisfaction. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score of function and esthetics (0-10 points) were recorded at the start and after 3 months. | [
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A quantitative investigation on the dynamic inter-phase corrosion of chromium white cast irons. Chromium white cast irons used for test and carbide samples were prepared by the unidirectional solidifying technology and the extracting method, respectively. The corrosion rate was determined by the weightless method and the inter-phase corrosion mechanism of the cast irons in corrosion medium was studied by the electrochemistry. The results show that the weight loss rate of dynamic inter-phase corrosion is more than 50% weight loss rate of the total erosion-corrosion, and the weight loss rate induced by the erosion-corrosion interaction is about 20% of total weight loss rate. The corrosion potential difference between carbide and matrix is the driving force of the interphase corrosion, and in the corrosion process the carbide is protected but the corrosion of matrix is accelerated. The inter-phase corrosion makes most part of carbide exploded and to be out of matrix. Thus under the erosion effect of slurry medium, carbide will break into pieces, then some part of the matrix will be isolated and peeled off, which accelerate the materials loss and greatly damage the working life of chromium white cast irons. | [
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Wind sensing with drone-mounted wind lidars: proof of concept. The fusion of drone and wind lidar technology introduces the exciting possibility of performing high-quality wind measurements virtually anywhere. We present a proof-of-concept (POC) drone-lidar system and report results from several test campaigns that demonstrate its ability to measure accurate wind speeds. The POC system is based on a dual-telescope continuous-wave (CW) lidar, with drone-borne telescopes and ground-based optoelectronics. Commercially available drone and gimbal units are employed. The demonstration campaigns started with a series of comparisons of the wind speed measurements acquired by the POC system to simultaneous measurements performed by nearby mast-based sensors. On average, an agreement down to about 0.1 m s(-1) between mast- and drone-based measurements of the horizontal wind speed is found. Subsequently, the extent of the flow disturbance caused by the drone down-wash was investigated. These tests vindicated the somewhat conservative choice of lidar measurement ranges made for the initial wind speed comparisons. Overall, the excellent results obtained without any drone motion correction and with fairly primitive drone position control indicate the potential of drone-lidar systems in terms of accuracy and applications. The next steps in the development are outlined and several potential applications are discussed. | [
7,
218
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A three-dimensional steady state thermal fluid model of jumbo ingot casting during electron beam re-melting of Ti-6Al-4V. A 3-D coupled thermal-fluid model describing mass, momentum and energy transport within a Ti-6Al-4V rolling ingot cast in an (Electron Beam Cold Hearth Remelting) EBCHR process has been developed to describe steady state casting conditions. The model incorporates a number of the physical phenomena inherent to the industrial process, including a metal inlet in the center of one of the narrow faces, complex boundary conditions based on industrial practice, buoyancy driven flow within the liquid and flow attenuation using a Darcy momentum source term within the mushy zone. The model ignores turbulence in the liquid pool and Marangoni (surface tension) driven surface flows. The model has been validated against liquid pool depth and profile measurements made on an experimental casting seeded with insoluble dense markers and doped with dense alloy additions. Comparisons have also been made to video images taken of the top surface during casting. The results indicate that the model is able to quantitatively predict the steady state sump depth and profile and is able to qualitatively predict aspects of the top surface temperature distribution. The model has also been used to conduct a process heat balance and sensitivity analyses. The process heat balance conducted on the model domain indicates that at steady state the liquid metal inlet contributes 88% of the total power input, while the electron beam provides net 12% after accounting for radiation losses from the top surface; 62% of the heat is lost through the ingots sides and the balance is lost via bulk transport of sensible heat through the bottom of the domain. The results of the sensitivity analysis on pool depth indicate that casting rate has the largest effect followed by metal inlet superheat. The thermal, flow and pressure fields predicted by the steady state model serves as the initial conditions for a transient hot-top model, which is the subject of a forth-coming paper. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. | [
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Note: Thermal conductivity measurement of individual poly(ether ketone)/carbon nanotube fibers using a steady-state dc thermal bridge method. Customized engineered fibers are currently being used extensively in the aerospace and automobile industries due to the ability to \\'design in\\' specific engineering characteristics. Understanding the thermal conductivity of these new fibers is critical for thermal management and design optimization. In the current investigation, a steady-state dc thermal bridge method (DCTBM) is developed to measure the thermal conductivity of individual poly(ether ketone) (PEK)/carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers. For non-conductive fibers, a thin platinum layer was deposited on the test articles to serve as the heater and temperature sensor. The effect of the platinum layer on the thermal conductivity is presented and discussed. DCTBM is first validated using gold and platinum wires (25 mu m in diameter) over a temperature ranging from room temperature to 400 K with +/- 11% uncertainty, and then applied to PEK/CNT fibers with diverse CNT loadings. At a 28 wt. % CNT loading, the thermal conductivity of fibers at 390 K is over 27 Wm(-1) K-1, which is comparable to some engineering alloys. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3676650] | [
6,
311
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Measurement of von Willebrand factor cleaving protease (ADAMTS-13): results of an international collaborative study involving 11 methods testing the same set of coded plasmas. Background: ADAMTS-13 is a von Willebrand factor (VFW)-cleaving protease. Its congenital or acquired deficiency is associated with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and more rarely with the hemolytic uremic syndrome. We report on a survey evaluating I I methods for ADAMTS-13 measurement performed in different labs. Design: Two plasmas, one normal and one from a patient with familial TTP, were mixed at the co-ordinating center to prepare 6 plasmas with 0%, 100%, 20%, 40%, 80% and 100% ADAMTS-13 levels. Each plasma was aliquoted and assembled into sets of 60 (coded from I to 60), each containing 10 copies of the original 6 plasmas. Plasmas were frozen and shipped in dry ice to 10 labs with a common frozen reference plasma. Laboratories were asked to measure ADAMTS-13 with their methods. Results were sent to the coordinating center for statistical analysis. Results: Of the 10 methods performed under static conditions 9 were quantitative and one was semiquantitative. One method performed under flow conditions evaluated the extent of cleavage of endothelial cell-derived ultralarge VWF string-like structures and expressed results as deficient, normal, or borderline. Linearity (expected-vs-observed levels), assessed as the squared correlation coefficient, ranged from 0.98 to 0.39. Reproducibility, expressed as the coefficient of variation for repeated measurements, ranged from < 10% to 83%. The majority of methods were able to discriminate between different ADAMTS-13 levels. The majority were able to detect the plasma with 0% level and some of them to discriminate between 0% and 10%. Overall the best performance was observed for three methods measuring cleaved VWF by ristocetin cofactor, collagen binding, and iminunoblotting of degraded multimers of VWF substrate, respectively. The poor interlaboratory agreement of results was hardly affected by the us,2 of the common standard. The method performed under flow conditions identified the plasmas with 0%, 10%, 20% and 40% activity as deficient in 7, 5, 1 and 3 of the 10 replicate measurements. The plasmas with 80% and 100% were identified as normal in all of the 10 replicate measurements. Conclusions: The survey shows varied performance, but supports an optimistic view about the reliability of current methods for ADAMTS-13. | [
2,
137
] |
Limiting current in a relativistic diode under the condition of magnetic insulation. The maximum emission current density is calculated for a time-independent, relativistic, cycloidal electron flow in a diode that is under the condition of magnetic insulation. Contrary to conventional thinking, this maximum current is not determined by the space charge limited condition on the cathode, even when the emission velocity of the electrons is assumed to be zero. The self electric and magnetic fields associated with the cycloidal flow are completely accounted for. This maximum current density is confirmed by a two-dimensional, fully electromagnetic and fully relativistic particle-in-cell code. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics. | [
6,
147
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Neofusicoccum parvum associated with pomegranate branch canker in Iran. Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is native to Iran and neighbouring countries and is negatively affected by a wide range of diseases. Canker and dieback diseases caused by Cytospora punicae and members of the family Botryosphaeriaceae are the main trunk diseases on pomegranate. In summer 2017, progressive dieback of branches on some young pomegranate trees was observed in orchards of the Gorgan Region (Golestan province, Northeast Iran). Fungal colonies with similar colony colour were isolated from symptomatic tissues. The identity of the causal agent was determined as Neofusicoccum parvum, based on a polyphasic taxonomic approach including morphological features of conidiomata and phylogenetic inference based on the ITS-rDNA region and translation elongation factor 1 alpha (tef1-alpha) gene. Koch's postulates were fulfilled using an excised shoot method. This study provides the first report on the occurrence of N. parvum as a cause of branch canker on pomegranate in Iran. | [
5,
249
] |
Supportive Relationships and the Trajectory of Depressive Symptoms Among Young, African American Mothers. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine changes in young mothers' depressive symptoms from pregnancy through the first two postpartum years and how supportive relationships with key individuals were related to mothers' depressive symptoms over time. Data were collected from young, low-income African American mothers (N = 248) during pregnancy and at 4, 12, and 24 months postpartum. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) analyses revealed that depressive symptoms were highest during pregnancy and declined through 24 months postpartum. Supportive relationships with the father of the baby and the mother's parent figure were related to lower levels of depressive symptoms. Although the association between father support and the mother's depressive symptoms remained consistent over time, support from the parent figure became increasingly more important during the young mother's transition to parenting. Further analyses also revealed that the association between support and depressive symptoms depended on other aspects of these relationships. Greater support from the baby's father was only related to fewer depressive symptoms for mothers who were partnered with the father of the baby. Greater support from the parent figure was only related to fewer depressive symptoms for mothers who were coresiding with the parent. Finally, having a repeat pregnancy during the early postpartum years was related to higher levels of depressive symptoms during the subsequent pregnancy. These findings suggest that screening and interventions for depression in young mothers should begin during pregnancy and include a focus on her proximal social relationships. | [
2,
216
] |
Methodology for the construction of the Inventory of Landscape Resources in the Quebrada de Humahuaca (Argentina), World Heritage. The future sustainability of the landscape is a pending issue in the Latin American agendas and involves a process of land management that begins with knowledge development and ends with the proposal of regulations for its protection. In this context, the article shows the advances of an investigation that proposes the elaboration of the inventory of landscape resources of the Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy, Argentina, as a key tool. As a result, a methodology-originated in the need for recognition, valuation and protection of the landscape-is exposed, which comprises the gathering and evaluation of information, as well as the registration of landscape resources and their georeferencing. | [
3,
251
] |
Detailed study of HEDTA's chemodynamics upon gamma-radiolysis in a simulated, mixed waste. Gamma-radiolysis of the parent compound N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine-triacetic acid (HEDTA) in a simulant of a Hanford mixed waste, at gamma-doses of 0-7.5 center dot 10(6)+/- 10% R, yielded extensive degradation. Two major degradation products, glyoxylate and N-(nitroso)iminodiacetic acid (NIDA), were identified, along with lower levels of malonate and oxalate. Comparison of HEDTA's radiolysis with that of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) and citrate, from earlier studies, reveals several fundamental similarities, along with marked differences. Comparatively speaking, HEDTA's radiolysis is not particularly diverse, but it is very dispersive. | [
1,
331
] |
The effects of the outlet area and the location of the main power supply unit on the cooling capability through naturally air-cooled electronic equipment casings. This paper describes a practical thermal design approach to natural air-cooled electronic equipment casings. A set of simplified equations for the thermal design of natural air-cooled electronic equipment casings has been proposed. The proposed set of equations satisfied the demand of practical air-cooling systems, since it takes account of factors such as the stack effect, the air flow resistance and the heat transfer due to natural convection. The effects of the outlet area and the location of the main power supply unit on the natural cooling capability of electronic equipment casings were studied using a set of equations. The results have shown that a uniform temperature distribution could be achieved when the main power supply unit was placed at the bottom of the casing. It has also been suggested that the value of the heat removed from the casing surface could be more significant than that from the outlet vent in the thermal design of natural air-cooled electronic equipment casings. | [
9,
96
] |
Simultaneously Detected Bilateral Testicular Cancer of Different Histopathological Origin - a Challenging Situation for the Urologist. Conclusions: Due to improved diagnostic tools as well as the establishment of various adjuvant treatment options, the mortality of testicular cancer generally decreased in the last decades. However, metastatic bilateral testicular cancer of different histology is a challenging situation for the urologist, which warrants further discussion. Adjuvant treatment as well as postoperative follow-up should be chosen carefully.Background: A 36-year-old male with a history of cryptorchidism of the right side, treated with orchidopexy at the age of 4, presented with bilateral testicular swelling.Investigations: Investigations included laboratory workup, ultrasound of both testes, as well as CT-scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Initial treatment was bilateral orchiectomy.Results: Scrotal examination revealed a mass on the left side and a small right testis with a hard mass at the lower pole. One markedly enlarged right inguinal lymph node was palpable. LDH, beta HCG, and AFP were significantly elevated. Scrotal ultrasound revealed a homogeneous hypoechoic right testis without a mass and a heterogeneous mass containing multiple inhomogeneous cystic areas on the left side. A hypoechoic mass was visualized in the right groin. CT evaluation revealed an enlarged retroperitoneal lymph node on the left side.Diagnosis: Histopathological evaluation revealed seminoma of the right testis, nonseminomatous germ cell tumor of the left testis, and metastatic seminoma in the right groin postoperatively. | [
2,
306
] |
Prediction of High-Grade Vesicoureteral Reflux after Pediatric Urinary Tract Infection: External Validation Study of Procalcitonin-Based Decision Rule. Conclusions: The rule built to predict VUR >= 3 had a stable specificity (ie. 46%), but a decreased sensitivity (ie. 64%) because of the time variability of PCT measurement. Some refinement may be warranted.Results: The study included 413 patients (157 boys, VUR >= 3 in 11%) from eight centers in five countries. The rule offered a 46% specificity (95% CI, 41-52), not different from the one in the derivation study. However, the sensitivity significantly decreased to 64% (95% CI, 50-76), leading to a difference of 20% (95% CI, 17-36). In all, 16 (34%) patients among the 47 with VUR >= 3 were misdiagnosed by the rule. This lack of reproducibility might result primarily from a difference between derivation and validation populations regarding inflammatory parameters (CRP, PCT); the validation set samples may have been collected earlier than for the derivation one.Study Design: A secondary analysis of prospective series of children with a first UTI. The rule was applied, and predictive ability was calculated.Background: Predicting vesico-ureteral reflux (VUR) >= 3 at the time of the first urinary tract infection (UTI) would make it possible to restrict cystography to high-risk children. We previously derived the following clinical decision rule for that purpose: cystography should be performed in cases with ureteral dilation and a serum procalcitonin level >= 0.17 ng/mL, or without ureteral dilatation when the serum procalcitonin level >= 0.63 ng/mL. The rule yielded a 86% sensitivity with a 46% specificity. We aimed to test its reproducibility. | [
2,
143
] |
Utility of the phylotoxigenic relationships among trichothecene-producing Fusarium species for predicting their mycotoxin-producing potential. Species of the genus Fusarium are well-known plant pathogens and mycotoxigenic fusaria are associated with health hazards to humans and animals. There is a need to understand the mechanisms of mycotoxin production by Fusarium species and to predict which produce mycotoxins. In this study, the Fusarium phylogenetic tree was first inferred among trichothecene producers and related species. We reconstructed the maximum likelihood (ML) tree based on the combined data from nucleotide sequences of rDNA cluster regions, the -tubulin gene (-tub) and the elongation factor 1 gene (EF-1). Second, based on this tree topology, the ancestral states of the producing potential of type A and B trichothecenes (TriA and TriB), zearalenone (ZEN), moniliformin (MON), beauvericin (BEA) and enniatins (ENN) were reconstructed using the maximum parsimony (MP) method based on the observed production by extant species as reported in the literature. Finally, the species having the potential to produce each of these six mycotoxins was predicted on the basis of the parsimonious analysis. The ML tree indicated that the Fusarium species analysed in this study could be divided into two major clades. Clade I was divided into four distinct subclades: I-a, I-b, I-c and I-d. Furthermore, the parsimony reconstruction suggested that the potential for producing MON and ZEN was gained or lost only once, and that the producing potential for TriA and TriB, BEA and ENN was repeatedly gained and lost during the evolutionary history of the Fusarium species analysed in this study. Interestingly, the results showed the possibility that several species, about which reports were scarce with regard to mycotoxin production, have the potential to produce one or more of the six evaluated in this study. The phylogenetic information therefore helps one to predict the mycotoxin-producing potential by Fusarium species, and these phylotoxigenic relationships may be useful for predicting the pathogenicity of fungi. | [
5,
196
] |
Bend the curve-Shape optimization in laser grayscale direct write lithography using a single figure of merit. Laser-based pattern generators are versatile tools for transferring design layouts into resist structures. The nonlinear response and the proximity effects caused by the interaction of the laser beam with the low-contrast photoresist are particularly critical for the creation of shapes with sloped, stepped and continuous topographies. Cross-sections were taken to compare topological differences of the measurement results with the graytone design. For simple shapes, an iterative adjustment of the global dose distribution is sufficient, while for more complex shapes the local correction of dose values using mathematical models is preferred. For the one-step exposure of the corrected map, it requires the careful assessment of a contrast curve and knowledge of various parameters. The coefficient of determination R2 as a unitless single figure of merit proved useful in the quantitative comparison of the two methods, and demonstrated the capability of current model-based approaches for shape optimization towards the target design within one cycle. | [
6,
153
] |
Low-energy ion scattering and sputtering at grazing ion bombardment of clean and oxygen covered Ag(110) surface. The ion scattering and sputtering processes at low energy grazing N+ and Ne+ ion bombardment of clean and oxygen covered Ag(110) surface have been investigated by computer simulation in the binary collision approximation.The spatial, angular and energy distributions of scattered, sputtered particles and desorbed molecules of oxygen as well as their yields versus the angle of incidence have been calculated. In these distributions the some characteristic peaks were observed and analysed. It was found that an adsorption layer plays a role of the additional surface barrier, i.e. it reflects leaving target atoms back to crystal. The azimuth angular dependencies of Ag sputtering yield and non-dissociative O-2 desorption yield at grazing incidence have been calculated. It was shown that these dependencies correlate the crystal orientation. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. | [
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Efficacy and safety of tobramycin inhalation powder in bronchiectasis patients with P. aeruginosa infection: Design of a dose-finding study (iBEST-1). As of October 2018, 107/180 patients were enrolled at 34 sites (six countries) following which recruitment was closed for administrative reasons unrelated to safety findings. Despite a reduced sample size from initially planned enrolment, the unique design may inform the benefit-risk profile of TIP in BE patients with chronic Pa infection. Moreover, several novel and exploratory endpoints (lung clearance index, inflammatory biomarkers, lung microbiome), will contribute to the advancement of research in this area.We aimed to assess effective and well-tolerated doses and regimens of TIP in BE patients with Pa infection.In this phase II, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised study, three different daily doses of TIP are administered either as continuous or cyclical regimens. The study protocol comprises 7-28 days of screening, 112 days of double-blind treatment and 56 days of follow-up. The plan was to enrol 180 patients (aged >= 18 years) with BE, documented Pa infection and a history of exacerbations. The primary outcome is change in sputum Pa density from baseline. Key secondary outcomes include number of pulmonary exacerbations, use of antipseudomonal antibiotics, serum and sputum tobramycin concentrations, quality of life and safety. Exploratory endpoints include lung clearance index, sputum inflammatory markers and microbiome analysis.In patients with bronchiectasis (BE), infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) results in disease progression, frequent pulmonary exacerbations and lung function decline. However, at present, no inhaled antibiotics have been approved for the treatment of these patients. Tobramycin inhalation powder (TIP), approved for treatment of Pa infection in cystic fibrosis, could be a promising candidate. | [
2,
74
] |
Brains Are Made of Memristors. This exposition shows that the potassium ion-channels and the sodium ion-channels that are distributed over the entire length of the axons of our neurons are in fact locally-active memristors. In particular, they exhibit all of the fingerprints of memristors, including the characteristic pinched hysteresis Lissajous figures in the voltage-current plane, whose loop areas shrink as the frequency of the periodic excitation signal increases. Moreover, the pinched hysteresis loops for the potassium ion-channel memristor, and the sodium ion-channel memristor, from the Hodgkin-Huxley axon circuit model are unique for each periodic excitation signal. An in-depth circuit-theoretic analysis and characterizations of these two classic biological memristors are presented via their small-signal memristive equivalent circuits, their frequency response, and their Nyquist plots. Just as the Hodgkin-Huxley circuit model has stood the test of time, its constituent potassium ion-channel and sodium ion-channel memristors are destined to be classic examples of locally-active memristors in future textbooks on circuit theory and bio-physics. | [
6,
268
] |
Using computer-guided implantology in flapless implant surgery of a maxilla: a clinical report. The current notion in implantology is to utilize techniques that can provide function, aesthetics and comfort with a minimally invasive surgical approach. The flapless implant surgery has been suggested to fulfil these requirements. Traditionally, the flapless implant surgery was performed by using a tissue punch technique, which may be potentially harmful because of the inherent blindness of the technique. Today, computer software programs and 3D radiographic techniques, such as CT technology, have been developed to provide the practitioner with precise implant placement planning. Although this sophisticated approach has many advantages, transferring this information to the surgical phase has only recently been developed. The purpose of this paper was to introduce a more predictable flapless approach for treatment of a patient's maxilla through principles of computer-assisted implantology. | [
2,
77
] |
Comparative effectiveness of bevacizumab plus cisplatin-based chemotherapy versus pemetrexed plus cisplatin treatment in East Asian non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer patients applying real-life outcomes. To indirectly compare real-life clinical effectiveness of bevacizumab + cisplatin-based therapy from the Safety of Avastin in Lung (SAiL) phase IV clinical trial with published evidence from the phase III clinical trial for pemetrexed + cisplatin among East Asian patients with non-squamous metastatic or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Aim:Methods:Conclusion:Results:The results suggest that East Asian non-squamous NSCLC patients treated with bevacizumab-based therapy have a trend toward improved PFS outcomes compared to those treated with pemetrexed + cisplatin, even after adjusting for differences between the two trial groups.Median PFS was longer for patients treated with bevacizumab-based therapy (7.4 months; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.7-8.2) versus pemetrexed + cisplatin (6.4 months; 95% CI N/A) among non-squamous East Asian NSCLC patients.Survival outcomes were compared between subgroups of East Asian patients receiving treatments of either bevacizumab + cisplatin-based chemotherapy or pemetrexed + cisplatin using a matching-adjusted indirect comparison approach. Patient-level data were used to derive a new group with similar characteristics compared to those reported in a phase III clinical trial evaluating pemetrexed + cisplatin therapy. Exclusions to the SAiL data included those with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) of 2, those with mixed cell histology, non-East Asians and those who did not receive cisplatin-based chemotherapy. In total 1000 samples of the pre-matched analysis set of the SAiL data were selected that resulted in equal distributions of the ECOG PS and gender matching variables selected and evaluated for a progression-free survival (PFS) outcome. | [
2,
157
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The management of tubo-ovarian abscesses associated with appendicitis. A relatively uncommon medical complication, the tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA) can result from ascending pelvic infection in the female genital tract. The paper aims at exploring the characteristics of patients with TOA and at comparing the outcomes of the surgical management with postoperative recovery. A retrospective analysis of 25 cases diagnosed with bilateral, right or left TOA at \\'St. Apostol Andrei\\' Emergency Clinical County Hospital Constanta, Romania between January 2019 and December 2020 was performed. The patients' clinical characteristics, age, environment of origin, socio-economic background, educational level, the means of contraception used, surgical procedures, and postoperative recovery were analyzed. Out of the 25 cases, 40% presented bilateral TOA, 32% right TOA and 28% left TOA and left adnexectomy. In 3 patients (37.5%) with right TOA, appendicectomy was also performed. In 72% of the cases, a median pubic-umbilical incision was performed. The remaining 7 patients (28%) with left TOA underwent Pfannenstiel incision. All cases had a favorable postoperative evolution, the patients being discharged 5-9 days after surgery, benefiting from antibiotic therapy 10 days after their discharge. The co-existence of appendicitis and adnexal pathology should raise awareness for adopting a surgical strategy in order to prevent postoperative complications. | [
2,
278
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Developmental changes of glycosphingolipids and expression of glycogenes in mouse brains. Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) and their sialic acid-containing derivatives, gangliosides, are important cellular components and are abundant in the nervous system. They are known to undergo dramatic changes during brain development. However, knowledge on the mechanisms underlying their qualitative and qualitative changes is still fragmentary. In this investigation, we have provided a detailed study on the developmental changes of the expression patterns of GSLs, GM3, GM1, GD3, GD1a, GD2, GD1b, GT1b, GQ1b, A2B5 antigens (c-series gangliosides such as GT3 and GQ1c), Chol-1 alpha (GT1a alpha and GQ1b alpha), glucosylceramide, galactosylceramide (O1 antigen), sulfatide (O4 antigen), stage-specific embryonic antigen-1 (Lewis x) glycolipids, and human natural killer-1 glycolipid (sulfoglucuronosyl paragloboside) in developing mouse brains [embryonic day 12 (E12) to adult]. In E12-E14 brains, GD3 was a predominant ganglioside. After E16, the concentrations of GD3 and GM3 markedly decreased, and the concentrations of a-series gangliosides, such as GD1a, increased. GT3, glucosylceramide, and stage-specific embryonic antigen-1 were expressed in embryonic brains. Human natural killer-1 glycolipid was expressed transiently in embryonic brains. On the other hand, Chol-1 alpha, galactosylceramide, and sulfatide were exclusively found after birth. To provide a better understanding of the metabolic basis for these changes, we analyzed glycogene expression patterns in the developing brains and found that GSL expression is regulated primarily by glycosyltransferases, and not by glycosidases. In parallel studies using primary neural precursor cells in culture as a tool for studying developmental events, dramatic changes in ganglioside and glycosyltransferase gene expression were also detected in neurons induced to differentiate from neural precursor cells, including the expression of GD3, followed by up-regulation of complex a- and b-series gangliosides. These changes in cell culture systems resemble that occurring in brain. We conclude that the dramatic changes in GSL pattern and content can serve as useful markers in neural development and that these changes are regulated primarily at the level of glycosyltransferase gene expression. | [
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188
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Models for predicting subjective quality of life in individuals with traumatic brain injury. The objective of this study was to compare the utility of ICIDH-based models and needs-based models for predicting subjective quality of life in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Using an existing data base of individuals with TBI living in the community, seven predictive models were tested using multiple regression analyses. In comparing adjusted R-2 associated With each of seven models, ic was concluded that needs-based models using subjective indicators clearly predict more variance in measures of life satisfaction, or subjective well-bring, than do either type of model relying on objective measures. It is suggested that, in documenting 'outcomes' of rehabilitation, the degree to which the focal individual's important needs are met defines more directly his/her Well-being than do measures of impairment, disability or handicap. | [
2,
317
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Sprouting Droplets Driven by Physical Effects Alone. Combining a partially miscible three-liquid system with interfacially trapped silica colloids, we show that small droplets can exhibit dramatic growth phenomena driven by physical effects alone. The mass dense droplets sprout tubes which grow vertically upward in a gravitational field and respond to the presence of other droplets in their path. Two of the liquids in our system are water and toluene. By varying the third liquid, we are able to relate the growth behavior to the details of the underlying three-fluid phase diagram and the changes to the interfacial tension. Additionally, we introduce a pendant drop in the path of our growing drop. We use this to confirm that growth is driven by the partitioning of solvents, that exchange of solvents between droplets is chemically selective, and that the exchange behavior can itself generate further growth phenomena. | [
1,
212
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Effect of profile modification on the performance of spur gears in isothermal mixed-EHL regime using load-sharing concept. Spur gears are one of the most important tools for power transmission in the industry and thus can be considered a key mechanical element. As a result of power transmission, gears might fail or experience wear and fatigue. So the improvement in the design and modification of tooth profile of gears can significantly reduce friction loss and wear of the gear teeth and therefore it increases the useful life, improves the quality, and reduces the cost. The purpose of this study is to show the influence of addendum modification on the tribological performance of spur gears which are operating in the mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication. In this paper, a model based on the load-sharing concept is employed to study the effect of changing addendum modification on the performance of spur gears, the amount of wear rate, and the lubricant film thickness. To this end, a model based on the load-sharing concept is employed which takes the geometry and lubricant properties as input and predicts the friction coefficient, load carried by fluid film and asperities, efficiency, and wear rate as output. | [
9,
110
] |
PHYSIOLOGY AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF HEART-RATE AND BLOOD-PRESSURE VARIABILITY IN HUMANS - IS POWER SPECTRAL-ANALYSIS LARGELY AN INDEX OF BAROREFLEX GAIN. 1. It is often assumed that the power in the low- (around 0.10 Hz) and high-frequency (around 0.25 Hz) bands obtained by power spectral analysis of cardiovascular variables reflects vagal and sympathetic tone respectively. An alternative model attributes the low-frequency band to a resonance in the control system that is produced by the inefficiently slow time constant of the reflex response to beat-to-beat changes in blood pressure effected by the sympathetic (with or without the parasympathetic) arm(s) of the baroreflex (De Beer model).4. It may be that power spectral analysis is more a sensitive indicator of baroreflex control, particularly of vagal control, than direct evidence of autonomic balance, Of course, there is often a correlation between the gain of the reflex and the autonomic balance of vagus and sympathetic. These considerations may help our understanding of some conditions, such as exercise or heart failure, when the power spectral analysis method fails to identify increased sympathetic discharge; this failure may partly be explained by the decrease in baroreflex sensitivity which occurs in these two conditions.3. The data broadly confirm the De Beer model. The low-frequency (0.1 Hz) peak in either R-R or blood pressure variability) was spontaneously generated only if the baroreflex control of the autonomic outflow was relatively intact. With a large stimulus to the carotid baroreceptor it was possible to influence the low-frequency R-R but not low-frequency blood pressure variability. This implies that it is too simplistic to use power spectral analysis as a simple measure of autonomic balance; its underlying modulation is more complex than generally believed.2. We have applied the De Beer model of circulatory variability to patients with varying baroreflex sensitivity and one normal subject, and have shown that the main differences in spectral power (for both low and high frequency) between and within subjects are caused by changes in the arterial baroreflex gain, particularly for vagal control of heart rate (R-R interval) and left ventricular stroke output. We have computed the power spectrum at rest and during neck suction (to stimulate carotid baroreceptors). We stimulated the baroreceptors at two frequencies (0.1 and 0.2 Hz), which were both distinct from the controlled respiration rate (0.25 Hz), in both normal subjects and heart failure patients with either sensitive or poor baroreflex control. | [
2,
36
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Effect of concomitant analytes on As signal during pre-evaporation of the solvent prior to introduction into inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Axial profiling was done, with detection by inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry, to investigate how a pre-evaporaition extension interface (i.e. heated glass tube between the nebulizer and the torch) affects the signal from As and other analytes. A reproducible axial profile was observed for As+ in a 20-mu g/L multielemental solution in 1% HNO3, with a signal enhancement ratio (heated/unheated) of 1,55, (obtained by taking the ratio of the signal observed at the optimal axial position in each case). In contrast, the axial profile of a 20-mu g/L monoelemental As solution also in 1% HNO3 showed a signal intensity ratio (heated/unheated) of 0.65 (very similar to that for Se). No such difference in signal was observed for all the other analytes investigated, which are ionic in solution, in contrast to As and Se, which would be mostly in neutral form in 1% HNO3. In fact, for ionic analytes, the optimal signal upon heating was similar or higher than that without heating with an inverse dependency on analyte mass. Increasing the number of concomitant analytes and/or their concentration enhanced the As+ signal upon heating the interface. Switching to a 0.01 M NaOH matrix, which would not evaporate and would dominate the ionic strength even if As is then entirely in anionic form, similarly resulted in enhancement of the As signal upon heating the extension. All these observations could be rationalized by changes in the number of Coulomb fission events occurring during pre-evaporation, which depend on the size and charge of droplets, as well as the identity and concentration of the matrix. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. | [
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Accumulated and distributed response-reinforcer arrangements during the treatment of escape-maintained problem behavior. Contingent positive reinforcement has proven more effective in treating escape-maintained problem behavior than contingent negative reinforcement, particularly when problem behavior continues to produce escape. However, this research has overwhelmingly used distributed-reinforcement arrangements, where tasks and reinforcer access are interspersed throughout the work period. An alternative to interspersal involves allowing the individual to accumulate and then receive a larger quantity of reinforcement once work requirements are completed; this is known as an accumulated-reinforcement arrangement. The current study examined the efficacy of, and preference for positive (food) and negative (break) reinforcement contingencies delivered in accumulated and distributed arrangements in the treatment of escape-maintained problem behavior. In Experiment 1, accumulated break was preferred for 4 of 5 participants and accumulated food was preferred for 3 of 5. In Experiment 2, accumulated break was similarly effective to distributed break for 3 of 5 participants and accumulated and distributed food were equally effective for 4 participants. | [
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Vertical- cavity surface-emitting laser sources for gigahertz-bandwidth, multiwavelength frequency-domain photon migration. Frequency-domain photon migration (FDPM) uses modulated laser light to measure the bulk optical properties of turbid media and is increasingly applied for noninvasive functional medical imaging in the near-infrared. Although semiconductor edge-emitting laser diodes have been traditionally used as miniature light sources for this application, we show that vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) exhibit output power and modulation performance characteristics suitable for FDPM measurements of tissue optical properties at modulation frequencies exceeding 1 GHz. We also show that an array of multiple VCSEL devices can be coherently modulated at frequencies suitable for FDPM and can improve optical power. In addition, their small size and simple packaging make them an attractive choice as components in wearable sensors and clinical FDPM-based optical spectroscopy systems. We demonstrate the benefits of VCSEL technology by fabricating and testing a unique, compact VCSEL-based optical probe with an integrated avalanche photodiode. We demonstrate sensitivity of the VCSEL-based probe to subcutaneous tissue hemodynamics that was induced during an arterial cuff occlusion of the upper arm in a human subject. (C) The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. | [
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Crystallization and preliminary diffraction studies of prostaglandin E-2-specific monoclonal antibody Fab fragment in the ligand complex. Prostaglandin E-2 is a major lipid mediator that regulates diverse biological processes. To elucidate how prostaglandin E-2 is recognized specifically by its antibody, the Fab fragment of a monoclonal anti-prostaglandin E-2 antibody was prepared and its complex with prostaglandin E-2 was crystallized. The stable Fab-prostaglandin E-2 complex was prepared by gel-filtration chromatography. Crystals were obtained by the microbatch method at 277 K using polyethylene glycol 4000 as a precipitant. A diffraction data set was collected to 2.2 angstrom resolution. The crystals belonged to space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 70.3, b = 81.8, c = 82.2 angstrom. The asymmetric unit was suggested to contain one molecule of the Fab-prostaglandin E-2 complex, with a corresponding crystal volume per protein weight of 2.75 angstrom(3) Da(-1). | [
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Validity of 7-Joint Versus Simplified 12-Joint Ultrasonography Scoring Systems in Assessment of Rheumatoid Arthritis Activity. Introduction Musculoskeletal ultrasonography (US) is an objective tool for the evaluation of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. There is no consensus on the exact number of joints that should be examined. Examination of reduced joint count is more practical than the comprehensive one. Objectives This is a cross-sectional study investigated the validity of a 7-joint US score (US7) in assessment of joint inflammation in RA patients compared with a simplified 12-joint US score (US12) and correlated both to composite disease activity indices. Methods The activity status of 50 RA patients was assessed clinically and ultrasonographically. The disease activity was calculated using 3 composite indices. Ultrasonography was performed by 1 blinded rheumatologist, using power Doppler (PD) and gray-scale (GS) US examination. The US7 and simplified US12 were performed as originally described. However, the GS synovitis and PD synovitis of US12 were computed in 2 separate scores instead of 1. Two sum US7 scores were added, sum (GS) US7 and sum (PD) US7 after summating synovitis and tenosynovitis scores. Ultrasonography interobserver/intraobserver reliability was evaluated on 40 stored images. Results Correlation coefficient between the different ultrasonographic scores showed no difference. The GS scores showed no correlation with disease activity parameters; however, the PD scores did. The sum (PD) US7 was the only score that showed significant correlation with the 3 different composite disease indices. Conclusions All studied US scores proved valid in assessment of disease activity status in RA. This is in favor of using the less-time-consuming US7 scores. The strongest correlation found with sum (PD) US7 confirmed the importance of incorporating the tendon in the disease activity assessment. | [
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Electron kinetics in glows-from Langmuir to the present. The development of electron kinetics in glows discharges is reviewed. The historical background is presented, and some topics of recent interest are discussed. It is shown that electron kinetics is one of the essential areas of modern low-temperature plasma physics, and many phenomena that are characteristic of glow discharges, such as the structure of the electrode regions and striations, are essentially kinetic in nature. | [
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Serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEA-S) in a community dwelling elderly population. Previous studies have reported that both serum insulinlike growth factor I (IGF-I) and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEA-S) decline with ageing, particularly in chronically institutionalized elderly men, with an association with disease morbidity. We measured serum IGF-I and DHEA-S in two groups of ambulatory community dwelling ethnic Chinese of ages 60-99 years: a 'healthy' group of men and women (n=64) without any known illness and an 'unhealthy' group (n=53), still living in the community but with various chronic illnesses. Healthy young ethnic Chinese acted as controls. Serum IGF-II, IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) were also measured. Mean serum IGF-I, DHEA-S, IGF-II and IGFBP-3 were all lower in the elderly compared to the younger controls (P<0.001, ANOVA). The unhealthy elderly had a significantly two-fold lower mean (SEM) serum IGF-I of 67.7 (4.5) mu g/l compared to the healthy elderly, 114.3 (6.5)mu g/l (P<0.001, ANOVA). In contrast, serum DHEA-S, PSA, IGF-II and IGFBP-3 did not differ significantly between the two elderly groups. in conclusion, in ethnic Chinese, the serum IGF-I is significantly lower even in ambulatory non-institutionalized elderly individuals with chronic illness. Since DHEA-S was not different in the two elderly groups, this suggests that decreased DHEA-S in the elderly may be associated primarily with increasing age, but the decline in IGF-I may be associated with increasing age and increasing morbidity. | [
2,
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Building the Evidence for Nursing Practice: Learning From a Structured Review of SIOP Abstracts, 2003-2012. Background. The focus of work submitted to an international conference can reflect the changing landscape of a specialty and prove important for identifying trends, uncovering gaps, and providing new directions for nurse-led research and clinical practice. We present an analysis of trends in presentations in the nursing program at the SIOP congress from 2003 to 2012 based on all accepted abstracts. Procedure. A total of 462 abstracts were analyzed. A data extraction form was used to ensure consistency of data retrieved. Paired researchers were assigned 2 years of abstracts for assessment: approximately 80-100 abstracts each. Data were entered into REDCap data management software. Results. Most abstracts came from presenters affiliated with institutions in Europe and North America with a noticeably significant under-representation from developing countries. There was an equal representation of papers focused on empirical research with family members and clinical practice focused on the professional role, although this varied in some years. Analysis of research methodology revealed a predominance of surveys, with a recent increase in qualitative and mixed method studies. Out of all abstracts only 18% were subsequently published. Conclusions. Gaps have been identified, such as the limited involvement of nurses in developing countries, and lack of studies self-reporting from children. Much needs to be done to promote a greater diversity of research frameworks and more dynamic research designs. The small percentage of abstracts from nurses that are eventually published may hinder translation of the findings into clinical practice. (C) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. | [
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DETERMINATION OF AROMA VOLATILE DIFFUSION COEFFICIENTS IN SET-TYPE ACIDIFIED DAIRY MATRICES OF DIFFERENT COMPOSITION AND MICROSTRUCTURE BY MEANS OF THE CONCENTRATION PROFILE TECHNIQUE IN COMBINATION WITH HEADSPACE GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY. The diffusion of aroma volatiles in set-type acidified dairy matrices of different composition and structure was investigated using the concentration profile technique (CPT) in combination with headspace gas chromatography (HSGC). Multiphase confocal laser scanning microscopy and puncture testing were used to characterize the micro- and macrostructure of the matrices. Aroma volatiles under investigation included diacetyl, (Z)-3-hexenol, ethyl butanoate, ethyl-2-methylbutanoate, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate and limonene, and covered a wide range of hydrophobicity. CPT in combination with HSGC was found suitable to determine apparent diffusion coefficients at equilibrium. Increased overall protein content decreased the diffusivity of hydrophobic volatiles. At 4% protein content, diffusivity remained unaffected by process-induced changes in the protein network density. Addition of milk fat substantially decreased the mobility of hydrophobic volatiles. In milk fat-containing matrices, the addition of pectin did not change the diffusion properties of the volatiles, independent of their hydrophobicity.Practical ApplicationsThis study is relevant to the producers of acidified dairy products such as yoghurt, fresh cheese and quarg. The results specify within which boundaries several core parameters of manufacture, such as the addition of pectin, the intensity of milk heating, shearing and adaptations in protein and fat content, may be changed at a minimized risk of altered aroma delivery during consumption. This information amplifies the technological possibilities of the manufacturers and increases their flexibility in terms of product composition and processing. Aroma suppliers could use the outcomes of this study to modify the composition of their aromas based on dairy product specifications and the hydrophobicity of the individual aroma compounds they are using. | [
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JOHN LOCKE'S THOUGHTS ABOUT MIRACLES IN THE COMMENTARIES OF CONTEMPORARY WESTERN RESEARCHERS. The article reveals the characteristic features of the understanding by contemporary Western researchers of the ideas of J. Locke about miracles. Numerous scientific materials are analyzed in detail. The problem field of the understanding of the ideas of Locke about miracles is reconstructed. The years of publication of Locke's works that the researchers used are mentioned. The references of the researchers to the analyzed fragments of these works are checked and listed. In the first part of the article, the works of R.M. Burns, M.R. Ayers, R.J. Berry, M.S. Rabieh, J.J. MacIntosh, N. Wolterstorff, G. Brykman are analyzed. In the second part, the works of J. I. Israel, T.B. Mooney and A. Imbrosciano, V. Nuovo, M. Losonsky, A.L. Herold are analyzed. In conclusion, the following derivations are made. Firstly, it cannot be said that the understanding by contemporary Western researchers of the ideas of Locke about miracles is systematic. More often it is produced in the context of the study of any aspects of Locke's religious-philosophical and related ideas. Secondly, in spite of this, contemporary Western historical-philosophical literature addresses all the basic problems of Locke's reflections about miracles in varying degrees: (1) the epistemology of miracles, (2) the meaning of Christ's miracles, (3) the definition of a miracle, (4) genuine and false miracles. This is due to the fact that when describing and understanding Locke's ideas about miracles, the researchers turn (separately and in various combinations) to the materials of all sources most significant from the point of view of the topic under consideration. However, again, it cannot be said that all of Locke's ideas about miracles have been studied systematically and thoroughly. Thirdly, herewith, the researchers make an accent on the interpretation of some of Locke's ideas illustrating his (indeed, substantial) contribution to the formulation of the ideas related to the justification of faith in miracles that confirm the divine revelation, as well as the divinity of Christ. Nevertheless, which is especially important, the questions of the ambivalence of Locke's ideas about miracles are quite often raised in contemporary Western historical-philosophical literature. | [
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Solvent extraction of praseodymium using different extractants - a synergistic study. The extraction of praseodymium was investigated from chloride media using different extractants such as D2EHPA, PC88A, Cyanex 272, Cyanex 921, Cyanex 923, Cyanex 301, Cyanex 302, LIX 84I, LIX 622N, Alamine 336, Aliquat 336 and their mixtures. The synergistic effect of Cyanex 272, Cyanex 921, Cyanex 923, Cyanex 301 and Cyanex 302 were studied with each other. Among all the combinations, the mixtures of Cyanex 921-Cyanex 301 and Cyanex 923-Cyanex 301 showed the synergistic effect on the extraction of praseodymium. Solvent extraction of Pr was carried out with the mixture of 0.5 M Cyanex 301 and 0.5 M Cyanex 923. The McCabe-Thiele diagram indicated the quantitative extraction of Pr in two counter-current stages at an A:O phase ratio of 1:2. The two-stage counter-current simulation study showed 94% of extraction efficiency. | [
1,
293
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Mutant IDH1 Confers an in Vivo Growth in a Melanoma Cell Line with BRAF Mutation. Melanoma is the most deadly tumor of the skin, and systemic therapies for the advanced stage are still limited. Recent genetic analyses have revealed the molecular diversity of melanoma and potential therapeutic targets. By screening a cohort of 142 primary nonepithelial tumors, we discovered that about 10% of melanoma cases (4/39) harbored an IDH1 or IDH2 mutation. These mutations were found to coexist with BRAF or KIT mutation, and all IDH1 mutations were detected in metastatic lesions. BRAF-mutated melanoma cells, additionally expressing the cancer-related IDH1 mutant, acquired increased colony-forming and in vivo growth activities and showed enhanced activation of the MAPK and STAT3 pathways. Genome-wide gene expression profiling demonstrated that mutant IDH1 affected the expression of a set of genes. Especially, it caused the induction of growth-related transcriptional regulators (Jun, N-myc, Atf3) and the reduction of Rassf1 and two dehydrogenase genes (Dhrs1 and Adh5), which may be involved in the carcinogenesis of IDH1-mutated tumors. Our analyses demonstrate that IDH1 mutation works with other oncogenic mutations and could contribute to the metastasis in melanoma. (Ant J Panthol 2011, 178:1305-1402; DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2010.12.011) | [
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New field-based agricultural biomass burning trace gas, PM2.5, and black carbon emission ratios and factors measured in situ at crop residue fires in Eastern China. Despite policy attempts to limit or prevent agricultural burning, its use to remove crop residues either immediately after harvest (e.g. field burning of wheat stubble) or after subsequent crop processing (e.g. \\'bonfires\\' of rice straw and rapeseed residues) appears to remain widespread across parts of China. Emission factors for these types of small but highly numerous fire are therefore required to fully assess their impact on atmospheric composition and air pollution. Here we describe the design and deployment of a new smoke measurement system for the close-range sampling of key gases and particles within smoke from crop residue fires, using it to assess instantaneous mixing ratios of CO and CO2 and mass concentrations of black carbon (BC) and PM2.5 from wheat stubble, rice straw, and rapeseed residue fires. Using data of our new smoke sampling system, we find a strong linear correlation between the PM2.5 mass and BC, with very high PM2.5 to BC emission ratios found in the smouldering phase (up to 80.7 mg m(-3).(mg m(-3))(-1)) compared to the flaming phase (2.0 mg m(-3).(mg m(-3))(-1)). We conclude that the contribution of BC to PM2.5 mass was as high as 50% in the flaming phase of some burns, whilst during smouldering it sometimes decreased to little over one percent. A linear mixing model is used to quantify the relative contribution of each combustion phase to the overall measured smoke composition, and we find that flaming combustion dominated the total emission of most species assessed. Using time series of trace gas concentrations from different fire cases, we calculated 'fire integrated' trace gas emission factors (EFs) for wheat, rice and rapeseed residue burns as 1739 +/- 19 g kg(-1),1761 +/- 30 g kg(-1) and 1704 +/- 27 g kg(-1) respectively for CO2, and 60 +/- 12 g kg(-1), 47 +/- 19 g kg(-1) and 82 +/- 17 g kg(-1) respectively for CO. Where comparisons were possible, our EFs agreed well with those derived via a simultaneously-deployed open path Fourier transform infrared (OP-FTIR) spectrometer. These EFs, and the linear best fit relationships between both PM2.5 and BC mass and the CO2 and CO measurements, were used to generate particulate EFs, which varied over the 5.8 -20.3 g kg(-1) and 0.25-2.89 g kg(-1) range respectively. We note a particularly high 2.89 g kg(-1) BC emission factor for the rapeseed bonfires, reflective of intense flaming combustion that gave off visible clouds of soot. These field-measured EFs offer a different perspective than is obtained when burning in laboratory combustion chambers, and are suitable for combining with landscape-scale fuel consumption estimates to provide atmospheric modelling inputs of emissions from these types of crop residue fires. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. | [
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Comprehensive Genetic Analyses of Inherited Peripheral Neuropathies in Japan: Making Early Diagnosis Possible. Various genomic variants were linked to inherited peripheral neuropathies (IPNs), including large duplication/deletion and repeat expansion, making genetic diagnosis challenging. This large case series aimed to identify the genetic characteristics of Japanese patients with IPNs. We collected data on 2695 IPN cases throughout Japan, in which PMP22 copy number variation (CNV) was pre-excluded. Genetic analyses were performed using DNA microarrays, next-generation sequencing-based gene panel sequencing, whole-exome sequencing, CNV analysis, and RFC1 repeat expansion analysis. The overall diagnostic rate and the genetic spectrum of patients were summarized. We identified 909 cases with suspected IPNs, pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants. The most common causative genes were MFN2, GJB1, MPZ, and MME. MFN2 was the most common cause for early-onset patients, whereas GJB1 and MPZ were the leading causes of middle-onset and late-onset patients, respectively. Meanwhile, GJB1 and MFN2 were leading causes for demyelinating and axonal subtypes, respectively. Additionally, we identified CNVs in MPZ and GJB1 genes and RFC1 repeat expansions. Comprehensive genetic analyses explicitly demonstrated the genetic basis of our IPN case series. A further understanding of the clinical characteristics of IPN and genetic spectrum would assist in developing efficient genetic testing strategies and facilitate early diagnosis. | [
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Evaluation of different DEMs for gully erosion susceptibility mapping using in-situ field measurement and validation. The spatial variability in any kind of geomorphic studies based on terrain attributes are the most important issues. This terrain attributes and their respective characteristics play a significant role in the formation and expansion of ephemeral gullies. Therefore, nowadays, the accuracy of terrain based geomorphic studies has been mostly dependent on the resolution and quality of the DEM (digital elevation model) data. As the rate of erosional power of water flow is dependent on the terrain characteristics, therefore the extraction of several terrain features from DEM data is necessary in the study of gully erosion. This case study investigates the scaledependence of DEM-derived terrain factors in gully erosion susceptibility (GES). This work on Garhbeta-I C.D. Block has focused on the comparison among the predicted GES maps through five types of DEM i.e. Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), Cartosat-1, ALOS World 3D-30 m (AW3D30) and Advanced Land Observation satellite (ALOS) coupled with the machine learning modelling approach of artificial neural network (ANN), convolution neural network (CNN) and deep learning neural network (DLNN) algorithm. A total of sixteen conditioning factors were chosen for GES assessment based on the topographical, hydro-climatological conditions and multi-collinearity analysis. Here, importance variables are measured by mean decrease accuracy (MDA) method of random forest (RF) algorithm and the result is shown that elevation is the most important factor for gully occurrences. Validation result of receiver operating characteristics-area under curve (ROC-AUC) has been indicates that DLNN model in ALOS DEM (AUC = 0.958) gives the most optimal accuracy in GES assessment. The output maps can assist in identifying gully-prone risk areas, and several suitable with sustainable managements should be taken for conservation accordingly. | [
9,
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Quantum measurement via Born-Oppenheimer adiabatic dynamics. The Born-Oppenheimer adiabatic approximation is used to describe the dynamic realization of wave-function collapse in quantum measurement. In the adiabatic limit, it is shown that the wave function of the total system formed by the measured quantum system plus the measuring apparatus can be factorized as an entangled state with correlation between adiabatic quantum states and quasiclassical motion configurations of the large system. When the apparatus effectively behaves as a classical object, this adiabatic entanglement leads to the wave-function collapse, which creates an ideal quantum measurement process. | [
6,
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A New Comprehensive Colorectal Cancer Risk Prediction Model Incorporating Family History, Personal Characteristics, and Environmental Factors. Impact: Our findings suggest detailed FH may be useful for targeted risk-based screening and clinical management.Methods: A familial risk profile (FRP) was calculated to summarize individuals' risk based on detailed cancer family history (FH), family structure, probabilities of mutation in major colorectal cancer susceptibility genes, and a polygenic component. We developed risk models, including individuals' FRP or binary colorectal cancer FH, and colorectal cancer risk factors collected at enrollment using population-based colorectal cancer cases (N = 4,445) and controls (N = 3,967) recruited by the Colon Cancer Family Registry Cohort (CCFRC). Model validation used CCFRC follow-up data for population-based (N = 12,052) and clinic-based (N = 5,584) relatives with no cancer history at recruitment to assess model calibration [expected/observed rate ratio (E/O)] and discrimination [area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC)].Results: The E/O [95% confidence interval (CI)] for FRP models for population-based relatives were 1.04 (0.74-1.45) for men and 0.86 (0.64-1.20) for women, and for clinic-based relatives were 1.15 (0.87-1.58) for men and 1.04 (0.76-1.45) for women. The age-adjusted AUCs (95% CI) for FRP models for population-based relatives were 0.69 (0.60-0.78) for men and 0.70 (0.62-0.77) for women, and for clinic-based relatives were 0.77 (0.69-0.84) for men and 0.68 (0.60-0.76) for women. The incremental values of AUC for FRP over FH models for population-based relatives were 0.08 (0.01-0.15) for men and 0.10 (0.04-0.16) for women, and for clinic-based relatives were 0.11 (0.05-0.17) for men and 0.11 (0.06-0.17) for women.Conclusions: Both models calibrated well. The FRP-based model provided better risk stratification and risk discrimination than the FH-based model.Purpose: Reducing colorectal cancer incidence and mortality through early detection would improve efficacy if targeted. We developed a colorectal cancer risk prediction model incorporating personal, family, genetic, and environmental risk factors to enhance prevention. | [
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Terrien's Marginal Degeneration: Easily Manageable. Terrien's marginal degeneration is a slowly progressive, non-inflammatory condition, usually bilateral, more commonly affecting males. We are reporting a case of bilateral Terrien's marginal degeneration with spontaneous perforation in right eye. He was managed with primary repair of perforation with polyglactin (coated vicryl) 8/0. It was followed by cataract surgery of dense cataract to improve vision. Patient was 6/12 aided postoperatively. | [
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Effect of halogen substitution on the enthalpies of solvation and hydrogen bonding of organic solutes in chlorobenzene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene derived using multi-parameter correlations. Enthalpies of solution at infinite dilution at 298 K, Delta H-soln(A/solvent) have been measured by isothermal solution calorimetry for 43 and 72 organic solutes dissolved in chlorobenzene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene, respectively. The measured Delta H-soln(A/Solvent) data, along with published Delta H-soln(A/solvent) values taken from the published literature for solutes dissolved in both chlorobenzene solvents, were converted to enthalpies of solvation, Delta H-solv(A/Solvent), using standard thermodynamic equations. Abraham model correlations were developed from the experimental Delta H-solv(A/Solvent) data. The best derived correlations describe the experimental gas-to-chlorobenzene and gas-to-1,2-dichlorobenzene enthalpies of salvation to within standard deviations of 1.5 kJ mol(-1) and 1.9 kJ mol(-1), respectively. Enthalpies of (X-H...pi(X - O, N and C) hydrogen bond formation of proton donor solutes (alcohols, amines, chlorinated hydrocarbons, etc.) with chlorobenzene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene were calculated based on the Abraham salvation equation. Obtained values are in good agreement with the results determined using conventional methods. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. | [
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Treatment of an infant with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1) by gene therapy in Australia. Design and setting: Ex-vivo culture and gene transfer procedures were performed at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW, in March 2002. Follow-up to March 2005 (36 months) is available.Conclusions: This is the first occasion that gene therapy has been used to treat a genetic disease in Australia. Only partial immunological reconstitution was achieved, most likely because of the relatively low dose of gene-corrected CD34+ cells re-infused, although viral infection during the early phase of T-cell reconstitution and the infant's NK+ phenotype may also have exerted an effect.Results: T cells were observed in peripheral blood 75 days after treatment, and levels increased rapidly to 0.46 x 10(9) CD3+ cells/L at 5 months. Within 2 weeks of the appearance of T cells, there was a distinct clinical improvement, with early weight gain and clearance of rotavirus from the gut. However, T-cell levels did not reach the reference range, and immune reconstitution remained incomplete. The infant failed to thrive and developed weakness, hypertonia and hyperreflexia in the legs, possibly the result of immune dysregulation. He went on to receive a bone marrow transplant from a matched unrelated donor 26 months after gene therapy.Procedure: CD34+ haemopoietic progenitor cells were isolated from harvested bone marrow and cultured with cytokines to stimulate cellular replication. Cells were then genetically modified by exposure to a retrovirus vector encoding human gamma c (the common gamma chain of several interleukin receptors; mutations affecting the gamma c gene cause SCID-X1). Gene-modified cells (equivalent to 1.3 x 10(6) CD34+/gamma c+ cells/kg) were returned to the infant via a central line.Patient: A 9-month-old male infant with confirmed SCID-X1 (including complete absence of T cells) with an NK+ phenotype (a less common variant of SCID-X1), and no HLA-identical sibling donor available for conventional bone marrow transplantation.Objective: To report the outcome of gene therapy in an infant with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1), which typically causes a lack of T and natural killer (NK) cells. | [
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Second-degree Stokes coefficients from multi-satellite SLR. The long wavelength part of the Earth's gravity field can be determined, with varying accuracy, from satellite laser ranging (SLR). In this study, we investigate the combination of up to ten geodetic SLR satellites using iterative variance component estimation. SLR observations to different satellites are combined in order to identify the impact of each satellite on the estimated Stokes coefficients. The combination of satellite-specific weekly or monthly arcs allows to reduce parameter correlations of the single-satellite solutions and leads to alternative estimates of the second-degree Stokes coefficients. This alternative time series might be helpful for assessing the uncertainty in the impact of the low-degree Stokes coefficients on geophysical investigations. In order to validate the obtained time series of second-degree Stokes coefficients, a comparison with the SLR RL05 time series of the Center of Space Research (CSR) is done. This investigation shows that all time series are comparable to the CSR time series. The precision of the weekly/monthly and coefficients is analyzed by comparing mass-related equatorial excitation functions with geophysical model results and reduced geodetic excitation functions. In case of , the annual amplitude and phase of the DGFI solution agrees better with three of four geophysical model combinations than other time series. In case of , all time series agree very well to each other. The impact of on the ice mass trend estimates for Antarctica are compared based on CSR GRACE RL05 solutions, in which different monthly time series are used for replacing. We found differences in the long-term Antarctic ice loss of Gt/year between the GRACE solutions induced by the different SLR time series of CSR and DGFI, which is about 13 % of the total ice loss of Antarctica. This result shows that Antarctic ice mass loss quantifications must be carefully interpreted. | [
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Smoothing the solution of a model problem of silent duel with delay obtained by the method of linear programming. A simple technique for smoothing the distributions of time instants of shooting of two opponents in a silent duel is proposed. With a delay caused by the fact that the missile-flight time is finite, these distributions contain passive zones (i.e., time intervals where shooting makes no sense). In solving the problem by a linear programming method, there emerge false passive zones, which should be eliminated with the help of the smoothing algorithm proposed. | [
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Self-assembling of 3D layered flower architecture of BiOI modified MgCr2O4 nanosphere for wider spectrum visible-light photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B and malachite green: Mechanism, pathway, reactive sites and toxicity prediction. In this study, 3D BiOI nanoparticle (BOI NPs) modified MgCr2O4 nanoparticle (MCO NPs) was fabricated by simple sonochemical and coprecipitation method for the enhanced photocatalytic activity. The morphological structure of the MgCr2O4-BiOI nanocomposite (MCO-BOI NCs) was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), electron impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and photo luminescence (PL). The lower in the PL intensity and small arc in EIS for NCs shows the effective charge separation and lower in rate of recombination of charge carriers in NCs than the pure MCO and BOI NPs. The degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB) and malachite green (MG) by MCO-BOI NCs was found to be 99.5% and 98.2% receptivity. In addition, the photo catalytic degradation of RhB and MG was studied under various environmental parameters (different pH, varying the concentration of NCs and dyes) and response surface (RSM) plot was performed. The complete mineralization of RhB and MG by MCO-BOI NCs was determined by TOC. In addition, the photocatalytic degradation pathway was elucidated based on GC-MS results and Fukui function. In addition, the toxicity of intermediate formed during the degradation of RhB and MG was predicted by ECOSAR. The present work highlights the application of MCO-BOI NCs in environmental remediation for toxic pollutant removal. | [
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58
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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARCHITECTURE AND SYMMETRY IN PERSIAN ARCHITECTURE: A CASE STUDY OF SHEIKH LOTFOLLAH MOSQUE IN ISFAHAN. Symmetry is the perfect sample of balance and stability. According to this principle, historic monuments have achieved stability in balanced relations; no matter if we take one component of them or the entire building, it is obvious in their structure and ornaments. Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, as an excellent example from the Safavid era in Iran, also follows this pattern. However, former studies about it have only given descriptions of the building and did not examine its durability based on symmetry. Moreover, this paper seeks to explore the possible relations between symmetry and architecture. If there is any relation, we ask, how can the patterns of symmetry be recognised? Our research method was to gather data via library and field studies. The results show that the mosque's architectural patterns have followed symmetrical templates. These templates can be found in the mosque's plans, structure, facade and ornamentation. Symmetry appears as reflectional, rotational, or translational symmetry (similitude), or simply as the basis of the building's stability. | [
6,
262
] |
On the independence graph of a graph. Vertices of the independence graph of a graph G represent maximum independent sets of G, two vertices being adjacent whenever the corresponding sets are disjoint. Vizing's inequality involving the independence number of the Cartesian product of graphs G and H states that alpha(GrectangleH) less than or equal to min{alpha(G)\\\\V(H)\\\\,alpha(H)\\\\V(G)\\\\}. It has been observed by Hell, Yu and Zhou that the equality is achieved precisely when there is a homomorphism from one factor to the independence graph of the other factor. In this note, we prove that every graph is the independence graph of some graph, and obtain some structural properties of independence graphs that enable us to describe a large class of graphs for which alpha(GrectangleG) = alpha(G)\\\\V(G)\\\\. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. | [
8,
76
] |
BSACI guidelines for the management of drug allergy. These guidelines have been prepared by the Standards of Care Committee (SOCC) of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI) and are intended for allergists and others with a special interest in allergy. As routine or validated tests are not available for the majority of drugs, considerable experience is required for the investigation of allergic drug reactions and to undertake specific drug challenge. A missed or incorrect diagnosis of drug allergy can have serious consequences. Therefore, investigation and management of drug allergy is best carried out in specialist centres with large patient numbers and adequate competence and resources to manage complex cases. The recommendations are evidence-based but where evidence was lacking consensus was reached by the panel of specialists on the committee. The document encompasses epidemiology, risk factors, clinical patterns of drug allergy, diagnosis and treatment procedures. In order to achieve a correct diagnosis we have placed particular emphasis on obtaining an accurate clinical history and on the physical examination, as these are critical to the choice of skin tests and subsequent drug provocation. After the diagnosis of drug allergy has been established, communication of results and patient education are vital components of overall patient management. | [
2,
80
] |
Technical notes on prism-dioptre and Prentice's rule. Purpose To show an alternative interpretation for prism-dioptre and access Prentice's rule accuracy. Methods Algebraic calculation. Results The prism-dioptre can be expressed as a percentage of the distance between the prism and the plane of prismatic dislocation. Prentice's rule is an imprecise mathematical expression prone to expressive errors. Conclusions The prism-dioptre seems to be more informative when interpreted as a percentage. Prentice's rule is more effective as a pedagogical approach for introducing the concept of spherical lenses' prismatic image dislocation rather than a method for calculating its actual value. | [
6,
118
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Studies on low-intensity oxy-fuel burner. This paper presents experimental and computational results of oxy-fuel burner operating on classical flame and flameless mode for heat release rate of 26 kW/m(3). The uniqueness of the burner arises from a slight asymmetric injection of oxygen at near sonic velocities. Measurements of temperature, species, total heat flux, radiative heat flux and NOx emission were carried out inside the furnace and the flow field was computationally analyzed. The flame studies were carried Out for coaxial flow of oxygen and fuel jets with similar inlet velocities. This configuration results in slow mixing between fuel and oxygen and the flame is developed at distance away from the burner and the flame is bright/white in colour. In the flameless mode a slight asymmetric injection of the high velocity oxygen jet leads to a large asymmetric recirculation pattern with the recirculation ratio of 25 and the resulting flame is weak bluish in colour with little soot and acetylene formation. The classical flame in comparison is characterised by soot and acetylene formation, higher NOx and noise generation. The distribution of temperature and heat flux in the furnace is more uniform with flameless mode than with flame mode. (C) 2009 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. | [
9,
62
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Novel monocyclic sester- and triterpenoids from the marine diatom, Rhizosolenia setigera. The structures of two polyunsaturated monocyclic triterpenes have been elucidated using NMR spectroscopy following their isolation from the common marine diatom, Rhizosolenia setigera. The structure of a related monocyclic sesterterpene is proposed on the basis of mass spectral comparisons with the two monocyclic triterpenes. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. | [
7,
330
] |
Mohs micrographic surgery: 27 year experience in the Northeast of Mexico. Conclusion: Mohs surgery has emerged in one of the dermatology reference centres in the Northof the country as one of the surgical techniques for the treatment of aggressive carcinomas with high risk of recurrence. (C) 2016 Academia Mexicana de Cirugia A. C. Published by Masson Doyma M ' exico S. A.Introduction: Skin cancer treatment includes surgical and non-surgical techniques. Among surgical techniques, Mohs micrographic surgery permits a complete evaluation of surgical margins with maximal tissue sparing.Material and methods: Retrospective review of dermatology database of skin cancer casestreated with Mohs surgery at University Hospital Dr. Jose Eleuterio Gonzalez from 1988 to 2015.Results: A total of 546 cases were included, of these 289 ( 52.93%) corresponded to women and257 ( 47.07%) to men. Mean age at presentation was 64.3. Most tumors ( 63.2%) correspondedto infiltrative basal cell carcinoma and the majority were located on the nose and cheek; 9.7% of cases corresponded to recurrent tumors. A mean of 1 Mohs stages was used in 56%, with amean of 2 sections in 23.6%. Cutaneous flaps were used in 47.7%, representing the predominantreconstruction technique. | [
2,
79
] |
Platelet activating factor (PAF) in memory formation: Role as a retrograde messenger in long-term potentiation. Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a neurophysiological process that has been implicated in memory formation. The elevation of intracellular Ca2+ levels in postsynaptic neurons, an essential step in the induction of LTP in the hippocampus, can lead to activation of the enzyme acetyl-CoA:lyso-PAF acetyltransferase that is required for PAF synthesis in neurons. Thus, during the induction of LTP, stimulation of Ca2+ influx by glutamate receptors would lead to a postsynaptic increase in PAF biosynthesis. A main target for PAF action in neurons is the stimulation of neurotransmitter release via Ca2+-dependent vesicular exocytosis, a process that occurs presynaptically. In this article we describe the evidence obtained to-date for the pre- and postsynaptic events outlined above, and demonstrate for the first time that during the induction of LTP by high-frequency stimulation (HFS) a 9-fold increase in PAF release to the extracellular environment occurs within 60 min following HFS. This finding provides the evidence that PAF can diffuse from postsynaptic sites of synthesis to presynaptic sites of action, and thus function as a retrograde messenger in the induction of LTP. Based on these data, we present a scheme in which postsynaptic glutamate receptors cooperate with presynaptic PAF receptors in a reverberating cycle that can amplify the transmission in a Hebbian synapse. | [
2,
193
] |
PHASE-SEPARATION IN THE POLY(GAMMA-BENZYL-ALPHA, L-GLUTAMATE) BENZYL ALCOHOL SYSTEM AND ITS ROLE IN GELATION. Gelation in systems containing poly(gamma-benzyl-alpha,L-glutamate) (PBLG) is well known, but two different mechanisms have been proposed to explain it. One attributes the gelation to crystallization, the other to phase separation via spinodal decomposition. In this paper we report a study of PBLG/benzyl alcohol (BA) gels. We have examined the possible types of phase separation that may occur when samples are held above the gel melting point. Three different types of phase separation may occur, corresponding to phase separation within the cap, the chimney and the broad biphasic parts of the Flory phase diagram. When these various phases cool, crystals (revealed by a melting endotherm in the differential scanning calorimetry) are formed in each of them, and the crystal melting point can be identified with the melting point of the unseparated gel. We are led to a picture of gelation in which phase separation occurs followed by crystallization, this picture bringing together the two existing models. | [
1,
240
] |
HETEROGENEITY OF RED-BLOOD-CELL PERFUSION IN CAPILLARY NETWORKS SUPPLIED BY A SINGLE ARTERIOLE IN RESTING SKELETAL-MUSCLE. Flow heterogeneity within capillary beds may have two sources: (1) unequal distribution of red blood cell (RBC) supply among arterioles and (2) unique properties of RBC flow in branching networks of capillaries. Our aim was to investigate the capillary network as a source of both spatial and temporal heterogeneity of RBC flow. Five networks, each supplied by a single arteriole, were studied in frog sartorius muscle (one network per frog) by intravital video microscopy. Simultaneous data on RBC velocity (millimeters per second), lineal density (RBCs per millimeter), and supply rate (RBCs per second) were measured continuously (10 samples per second) from video recordings in 5 to 10 capillary segments per network for 10 minutes by use of automated computer analysis. To quantify heterogeneity, mean values from successive 10-second intervals were tabulated for each flow parameter in each capillary segment (ie, portion of capillary between successive bifurcations), and percent coefficient of variation (SD/mean 100%) was calculated for (1) spatial heterogeneity among vessels (CVs) every 10 seconds and for the entire 10-minute sample and (2) temporal heterogeneity within vessels for every capillary segment and for the mean flow parameter. Analysis of these data indicates that (1) capillary networks are a significant source of both spatial and temporal flow heterogeneity, and (2) continuous redistributions of flow occur within networks, resulting in substantial temporal changes in CVs, although a persistent spatial heterogeneity of perfusion still exists on a 10-minute basis. In most networks, CVs decreased as supply rate within the network increased, thus indicating that rheology plays a significant role in determining the perfusion heterogeneity. | [
2,
123
] |
Wavelets collocation methods for the numerical solution of elliptic BV problems. Based on collocation with Haar and Legendre wavelets, two efficient and new numerical methods are being proposed for the numerical solution of elliptic partial differential equations having oscillatory and non-oscillatory behavior. The present methods are developed in two stages. In the initial stage, they are developed for Haar wavelets. In order to obtain higher accuracy, Haar wavelets are replaced by Legendre wavelets at the second stage. A comparative analysis of the performance of Haar wavelets collocation method and Legendre wavelets collocation method-is carried out. In addition to this, comparative studies of performance of Legendre wavelets collocation method and quadratic spline collocation method, and meshless methods and Sinc-Galerkin method are also done. The analysis indicates that there is a higher accuracy obtained by Legendre wavelets decomposition, which is in the form of a multi-resolution analysis of the function. The solution is first found on the coarse grid points, and then it is refined by obtaining higher accuracy with help of increasing the level of wavelets. The accurate implementation of the classical numerical methods on Neumann's boundary conditions has been found to involve some difficulty. It has been shown here that the present methods can be easily implemented on Neumann's boundary conditions and the results obtained are accurate; the present methods, thus, have a clear advantage over the classical numerical methods. A distinctfeature of the proposed methods is their simple applicability for a variety of boundary conditions. Numerical order of convergence of the proposed methods is calculated. The results of numerical tests show better accuracy of the proposed method based on Legendre wavelets for a variety of benchmark problems. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. | [
4,
213
] |
Identification of CCL20 and LCN2 as Efficient Serological Tools for Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Objectives. To discover a more powerful diagnostic tool for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods. 16 extracellularly located candidates were selected by analyzing the expression array datasets in GEO. 10 of them were validated in clinical samples by ELISA. Differences of each variable were compared by one-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test. CCL20 and LCN2 were determined in all samples (HCC, 167; liver cirrhosis, 106; and healthy control, 106) and finally chosen for the construction of the combination model by binary logistic regression. The models were first built using a comprehensive control, including both liver cirrhosis (LC) and healthy donors. Then, the models were rebuilt by using the LC group alone as a control. ROC analysis was performed to compare the diagnostic efficiency of each indicator. Results. Levels of CCL20 and LCN2 in HCC sera were significantly higher than those in all controls. Using the comprehensive control, ROC curves showed that the optimum diagnostic cutoff of the CCL20 and LCN2 combination was 0.443 (area under curve (AUC) of 0.927 (95% CI 0.896-0.951), sensitivity of 0.808, specificity of 0.892, and accuracy of 0.859). For detection of HCC from LC control, the optimum diagnostic cutoff was 0.590 (AUC of 0.919 (95% CI 0.880-0.948), sensitivity of 0.814, specificity of 0.868, and accuracy of 0.834). Furthermore, the model maintained diagnostic accuracy for patients with HCC in the early stage, with the sensitivity and specificity of 0.75 and 0.77 from LC control, yet the AFP only reached 0.5 and 0.67, respectively. Conclusion. A combination model composed of CCL20 and LCN2 may serve as a more efficient tool for distinguishing HCC from nonmalignant liver diseases. | [
2,
154
] |
Effect of alkyl functionalization on charging of colloidal silica in apolar media. The present work examines the effect of alkyl-silane treatment on the charging of colloids in apolar solvent using two otherwise identical 250 nm diameter, spherical silica particles, one with untreated surface and the other treated with hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (C16), dispersed in an apolar isoparaffin solvent (Isopar-L) containing one of three oil-soluble surfactants: Aerosol-OT, OLOA 11,000, and zirconyl 2-ethyl hexanoate. The electrophoretic mobility of each dispersion was determined using phase angle light scattering (PALS). It was found that at sufficiently high surfactant concentration, i.e., where micelles begin to form in the bulk, the particle surfaces could be electrically charged. All three surfactants studied imparted a negative surface charge to the untreated silica particles. In all cases, the C16-treated particles were also found to be negatively charged but had a much higher magnitude of mobility than the untreated silica. Although the increase in magnitude of mobility as a result of the alkyl functionalization was surprising, it could be attributed to the increase in the number of surface hydroxyl groups arising from the hydrolysis of unbound methoxy groups of the silane molecules. The added hydroxyl groups provided additional potential acid-base interaction sites, resulting in higher particle mobility. It was also found that further increases in surfactant concentration lowered the particle mobility, attributed to the increasing concentration of electrically charged micelles, which may partially neutralize the surface charge or compress the electrical double layer. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. | [
1,
177
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TOPOLOGY AND DISTINCT FEATURES OF FLASHING FLOW IN AN INJECTOR NOZZLE. The effect of thermodynamic non-equilibrium conditions (liquid superheat) on the two-phase flow field developing inside an axisymmetric, single-orifice nozzle is numerically investigated by means of different variations of a two-phase mixture model. A number of \\'hybrid\\' mass-transfer models that take into account both the effect of inertial forces (cavitation) and liquid superheat have been proposed and evaluated against widely used, pure-cavitation models, in order to pinpoint the flow conditions necessary for flash boiling to occur and to elucidate the distinct features of the phase and velocity fields that characterize flashing flows. The effect of the number of nucleation sites, required as an input by the models, on the developing two-phase flow has also been looked into. The numerical results have shown that incorporation of an additional term corresponding to liquid superheat into the mass-transfer rate leads to increased evaporation rate, compared to pure-cavitation models with liquid vaporization taking place within the entire nozzle cross section. The cavitation nucleation sites have been confirmed to act as the necessary flow perturbations required for flash boiling to occur. In addition, the developing velocity field has been found to be in close correlation to the mass-transfer rate imposed. It has been established that increased liquid evaporation leads to choked flow conditions prevailing in a larger part of the nozzle and accompanied by a more significant expansion of the two-phase mixture downstream of the injector exit that results to increased jet cone angle. Finally, the results demonstrated that liquid cooling due to the increased mass-transfer rate is not significant within the nozzle and thus consider that a constant liquid temperature produces adequately accurate results with a decreased computational cost. | [
9,
62
] |
PEFG (cisplatin, epirubicin, 5-fluorouracil, gemcitabine) for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer: The ghost regimen. The consensus report of the International Society of Gastrointestinal Oncology on the therapeutic management of advanced pancreatic cancer is commented. In the context of the available literature, a critical and methodological analysis supporting the role of cisplatin, epirubicin, 5-fluorouracil, gemcitabine (PEFG) regimen in the treatment of unresectable and metastatic pancreatic cancer is provided. In particular, the clinical relevance of the outcome observed in the phase III trial comparing PEFG regimen to standard gemcitabine is highlighted. Results of other recent trials comparing gemcitabine-erlotinib, gemcitabine-capecitabine and gemcitabine-oxaliplatin combinations to single agent gemcitabine are briefly commented from a clinical perspective. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. | [
2,
229
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Predictors of Nurses' Intent to Continue Working At Their Current Hospital. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of nurses' intent to stay at their current jobs.Positive organizational climate, personal choice of working at their hospital, and age were positive predictors; working in an intensive care unit was a negative predictor of nurses' intent to stay.The results showed nurses' intent to stay was significantly related to age, marital status, working years, clinical ladder, working unit, choice of working in the current hospital, and organizational climate.Nurse managers could improve nurses' intent to stay by enhancing human resource management, hiring nurses committed to working at their current hospitals, and boosting organizational commitment. Healthcare leaders should construct supportive organizational climates to increase nurses' intent to stay. | [
2,
214
] |
Effects of copper chlorophylline and magnesium chlorophylline on the humeral immune response, ultrastructural changes of midgut and DNA damage to Culex pipiens larvae. There are few studies on the effects of copper chlorophylline (Cu-chl) and magnesium chlorophylline (Mg-chl) on the cellular level, physiological parameters and DNA damage to Culex pipiens larvae. These parameters may be conducive to larval death as a result of photosensitisation reaction after feeding on these photosensitisers and being exposed to light. This study focuses on the impact of Cu-chl and Mg-chl on ultrastructural damage and cellular alteration, immune parameters and DNA damage. The results showed a significant change in the phenoloxidase activity as a function of photosensitiser concentrations. The ultrastructure of midgut tissues revealed obvious damages in different cellular levels. There was no significant effect on DNA. So, it can be concluded that Cu-chl and Mg-chl caused C. pipiens larvae death via the physical damage of larval tissues, and the direct effect on biochemical and physiological parameters of larval viability. Healthy DNA molecules, after the larval treatment, reflected no chance for the undesired mutation of the sublethal concentration of Cu-chl and Mg-chl. | [
2,
186
] |
Overview of Neural Tube Defects: Gene-Environment Interactions, Preventative Approaches and Future Perspectives. Neural tube defects (NTDs) are the second most common congenital malformations of humans, characterized by impaired development of the central nervous system. Even though the etiology of most birth defects remains undetermined, genetic and environmental risk factors in the background of NTDs have been identified and extensively reported. On top of genetic and nutritional risks which include mutations in both coding and non-coding regions and maternal folate status, respectively, recent years have seen a rise in the identification of a variety of teratogens that could be implicated in NTD development. These include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, arsenic, pesticides, maternal hyperthermia and antibiotics as well as pain and seizure medication. With an increase in understanding of teratogens leading to NTD formation, preventative and treatment approaches have witnessed great advances throughout the years. While the most common preventative approach includes folic acid food fortification as well as suggested inositol supplementation, treatment and management approaches differ greatly depending on the developmental stage and the site of the lesion and include prenatal surgery, stem cell transplantation and postnatal surgery. Because NTDs still represent a large health and financial burden for the patient and society as a whole, it is crucial to investigate potential risk factors and develop novel approaches in order to fully prevent this category of disorders. | [
2,
329
] |
Factor Structure and Further Validation of the 20-Item Short Form of the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire. A 44-item version of the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire (OBQ-44) put forward by the Obsessive Compulsive Cognitions Working Group remains the most widely used version of the OBQ, despite research casting doubt on its factorial validity and the existence of a short form (i.e., OBQ-20). In a large sample of undergraduate students (n = 1,210), a bifactor model of the OBQ-20, consisting of a general factor and four specific factors (threat, responsibility, importance/control of thoughts, perfectionism/certainty), was supported as the best-fitting model. None of the examined OBQ-44 models provided adequate fit. The bifactor model of the OBQ-20 was retained in two independent samples (n = 1,342 community adults, n = 319 undergraduate students). The incremental validity of the specific factors of the OBQ-20 beyond the general factor was evidenced across multiple criterion indices, including obsessive-compulsive symptom measures and reactions to a thought-induction task. Results further support use of the OBQ-20. | [
2,
258
] |
The written use of the Romance language in the kingdoms of Alphonse X the Wise and in the kingdom of Portugal from the 12th century to the end of the 13th century. State of the art. This article presents the state of the art of research in the field of the written use of the Romance language from the 12th to the 13th centuries within the political space most closely linked to the Galician and Portuguese languages, i.e., the kingdoms of Alphonse X the Wise and the kingdom of Portugal. However, shorter references to the Navarrese and and the Catalan-Aragonese spaces are not omitted. Special attention is devoted to the chronology and the circumstances in wich the innovation of writing in the Romance language, and non in Latin, appeared in these lands. | [
0,
169
] |
Local topological moves determine global diffusion properties of hyperbolic higher-order networks. From social interactions to the human brain, higher-order networks are key to describe the underlying network geometry and topology of many complex systems. While it is well known that network structure strongly affects its function, the role that network topology and geometry has on the emerging dynamical properties of higherorder networks is yet to be clarified. In this perspective, the spectral dimension plays a key role since it determines the effective dimension for diffusion processes on a network. Despite its relevance, a theoretical understanding of which mechanisms lead to a finite spectral dimension, and how this can be controlled, still represents a challenge and is the object of intense research. Here, we introduce two nonequilibrium models of hyperbolic higher-order networks and we characterize their network topology and geometry by investigating the intertwined appearance of small-world behavior, delta-hyperbolicity, and community structure. We show that different topological moves, determining the nonequilibrium growth of the higher-order hyperbolic network models, induce tuneable values of the spectral dimension, showing a rich phenomenology which is not displayed in random graph ensembles. In particular, we observe that, if the topological moves used to construct the higher-order network increase the area/volume ratio, then the spectral dimension continuously decreases, while the opposite effect is observed if the topological moves decrease the area/volume ratio. Our work reveals a new link between the geometry of a network and its diffusion properties, contributing to a better understanding of the complex interplay between network structure and dynamics. | [
8,
144
] |
Defining Early Modern Pornography: The Case of Venus and Adonis. Much of the discussion concerning the history of sexual representation positions pornography as an end product of a modern teleology that links pornography with moral corruption and culminates in the anti-pornography and free speech debates of the late twentieth century. In light of recent changes to the Oxford English Dictionary's definition of the term pornography, this paper argues that pornography's relevance in early modern studies be re-evaluated. Pornography, as a term that conveys at once the sexual and transgressive aspects of a representation, allows us to interrogate the broader relationship between sexuality and morality in the period, and to weigh individual inclinations toward sexual pleasure against societal pressures to conform to the moral codes that regulated sexual conduct. This paper traces the history of the term pornography and then explores how the elements of the current 2006 definition can be recontextualized to reflect early modern views on erotics, aesthetics, and sexuality. It formulates a definition of pornography as a reading process, rather than a genre, and applies this definition to Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis to demonstrate that a pornographic reading of the poem provides insight about the place of sexual pleasure within the sixteenth-century moral order. By replacing the modern distinction between \\'erotic\\' and \\'aesthetic\\' feelings with a sixteenth-century-appropriate distinction between antisocial lust and prosocial love, this essay argues that Venus and Adonis provides a fantasy of sex without consequences that readers can enjoy while remaining true to their religious, social, and familial responsibilities. | [
0,
169
] |
A Highly Conserved Motif within the Amelotin Protein Controls the Surface Growth of Brushite. Amelotin (AMTN) protein exerts a direct role on enamel biomineralization likely due to its binding affinity with calcium phosphates (Ca-Ps). However, the kinetics and molecular mechanisms of the AMTN-Ca-P interaction remain largely unknown. Here we used in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) to directly image the surface growth of brushite (dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, DCPD, CaHPO4 center dot 2H(2)O) in the presence of recombinant human AMTN. Measured step movement velocities of the DCPD (010) face show that AMTN protein promotes crystal face growth only within a limited concentration range, whereas inhibition occurs outside of this range. A peptide derived from a highly conserved and potentially phosphorylated motif (SSEEL) within the AMTN protein inhibits crystal growth similar to that of the AMTN protein at low concentration. By the use of single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS), we directly measure the binding of the full-length AMTN and SSEEL to the DCPD (010) face. Similar rupture forces reveal that this active SSEEL subdomain may contribute to a specific interaction with the DCPD (010) face, despite significant differences in binding energies of the full-length AMTN and SSEEL peptides to the DCPD surfaces. The findings reveal the kinetic and energetic basis for modulation of the Ca-P crystal face growth by AMTN and provide first evidence for a functional subdomain that is critical in controlling enamel biomineralization. | [
2,
77
] |
Probing Conformational Changes during the Gating Cycle of a Potassium Channel in Lipid Bilayers. Ion conduction across the cellular membrane requires the simultaneous opening of activation and inactivation gates of the K+ channel pore. The bacterial KcsA channel has served as a powerful system for dissecting the structural changes that are related to four major functional states associated with K+ gating. Yet, the direct observation of the full gating cycle of KcsA has remained structurally elusive, and crystal structures mimicking these gating events require mutations in or stabilization of functionally relevant channel segments. Here, we found that changes in lipid composition strongly increased the KcsA open probability. This enabled us to probe all four major gating states in native-like membranes by combining electrophysiological and solid-state NMR experiments. In contrast to previous crystallographic views, we found that the selectivity filter and turret region, coupled to the surrounding bilayer, were actively involved in channel gating. The increase in overall steady-state open probability was accompanied by a reduction in activation-gate opening, underscoring the important role of the surrounding lipid bilayer in the delicate conformational coupling of the inactivation and activation gates. | [
2,
191
] |
Order-disorder transition in the complex lithium spinel Li2CoTi3O8. Li2CoTi3O8 has an ordered Li2BB'O-3(8) spinel structure, space group P4(3)32, at room temperature with 3:1 ordering of Ti and Li on the octahedral sites, and Li, Co disordered over the tetrahedral site. Rietveld refinement of variable temperature neutron powder diffraction data has shown an order-disorder phase transition in Li2CoTi3O8 which commences at similar to 500 degrees C with Li and Co mixing on the tetrahedral and 4-fold octahedral sites and is complete at a first order structural discontinuity at similar to 915 degrees C. The fraction of Ti on the 12-fold octahedral site exhibits a small decrease with increasing temperature, which may suggest that the disordering involves all three cations. Above 930 degrees C, the structure, space group Fd (3) over barm, has Li, Co and Ti sharing a single-octahedral site and Li, Co sharing a tetrahedral site, although Co still exhibits a preference for tetrahedral coordination. A labelling scheme for ordered and partially ordered 3:1 spinels is devised which focuses on the occupancy of the Li,B cations. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. | [
1,
97
] |
Constructing inferiority through comic characterisation Self-deprecating humour and cringe comedy in High Fidelity and Bridget Jones's Diary. This chapter draws on cognitive stylistics and psychology to explore those characterisation techniques in humorous novels which can shape readers' responses to comic protagonists. I focus on those instances in Nick Hornby's High Fidelity (1995) and Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary (1996) in which the main characters make a comparison between their own physical appearance and that of someone else's, presenting themselves as either superior or inferior to others. While comic protagonists can be created as generally equal to the reader and more attractive than other characters so as to inspire our identification and empathy, they can also occasionally be placed in a position of inferiority where the comparison between them and others is not as favourable. It is the construction of this inferiority which, I suggest, informs the self-deprecating humour and embarrassment-induced cringe comedy in Hornby's and Fielding's novels. | [
3,
107
] |
Shader algebra. In conjunction with an optimizing compiler, these operators can manipulate shader programs in many useful ways, including specialization, without modifying the original source code. We demonstrate these operators in Sh, a metaprogramming shading language embedded in C++.An algebra consists of a set of objects and a set of operators that act on those objects. We treat shader programs as first-class objects and define two operators: connection and combination. Connection is functional composition: the outputs of one shader are fed into the inputs of another. Combination concatenates the input channels, output channels, and computations of two shaders. Similar operators can be used to manipulate streams and apply computational kernels expressed as shaders to streams. Connecting a shader program to a stream applies that program to all elements of the stream; combining streams concatenates the record definitions of those streams. | [
8,
87
] |
Aeolotopic interactions of globular proteins. Protein crystallization, aggregation, liquid-liquid phase separation, and self-assembly are important in protein structure determination in the industrial processing of proteins and in the inhibition of protein condensation diseases. To fully describe such phase transformations in globular protein solutions, it is necessary to account for the strong spatial variation of the interactions on the protein surface. One difficulty is that each globular protein has its own unique surface, which is crucial for its biological function. However, the similarities amongst the macroscopic properties of different protein solutions suggest that there may exist a generic model that is capable of describing the nonuniform interactions between globular proteins. In this paper we present such a model, which includes the short-range interactions that vary from place to place on the surface of the protein. We show that this aeolotopic model [from the Greek aiolos (\\'variable\\') and topos (\\'place\\')] describes the phase diagram of globular proteins and provides insight into protein aggregation and crystallization. | [
1,
142
] |
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