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The Efficacy and Safety of Hemospray for the Management of Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. GOALS/BACKGROUND Hemospray is a new hemostatic powder recently approved for endoscopic hemostasis in gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Data are limited in terms of its clinical outcomes, and its role in the treatment algorithm of GI bleeds. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to study the clinical performance of Hemospray in the management of GI bleeding. STUDY We searched multiple databases from inception through March 2019 to identify studies that reported on the clinical outcomes of Hemospray in GI bleeding. The primary outcome was pooled rates of clinical success after the application of Hemospray in GI bleeding. The secondary outcomes were pooled rebleeding rates and adverse events after use of Hemospray. RESULTS A total of 19 studies, 814 patients, of which 212 patients were treated with Hemospray as monotherapy, and 602 patients were treated with Hemospray with conventional hemostatic techniques. Overall pooled clinical success after the application of Hemospray was 92% [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 87%-96%; I=70.4%]. Overall pooled early rebleeding rates after application of Hemospray was 20% (95% CI, 16%-26%; I=54%). Overall pooled delayed rebleeding rates after the application of Hemospray was 23% (95% CI, 16%-31%; I=34.9%). There was no statistical difference in clinical success (RR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.96-1.08; P=0.34) and early rebleeding (RR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.75-1.07; P=0.214) in studies that compared the use of Hemospray as monotherapy versus combination therapy with conventional therapy. CONCLUSIONS Hemospray is highly effective in achieving immediate hemostasis in gastrointestinal bleeding.
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However, due to significantly high rebleeding rates, Hemospray is not suited for definitive long-term therapy.
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Local Contest, National Impact: Understanding the Success of India’s Aam Aadmi Party in 2015 Delhi Assembly Election In this paper, I discuss how a relatively new anti-corruption political party in India—the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)—was able to achieve an unprecedented electoral victory in the 2015 Delhi assembly election, comprehensively defeating the two national parties—the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress Party. Although Delhi is a small Indian state with limited powers, AAP’s victory provides it with a platform to expand in other parts of the country. However, to do so, it will need to deliver effective governance in Delhi, enunciate a clearer ideology and develop credible regional leaders. As things stand now, the AAP could be characterised as a party whose appeal is more likely to be in the urban, media-thick Indian cities and towns than in the rural areas. If this description of the AAP is correct, then its ability to challenge the larger national and regional parties in the near future may be limited.
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Functional SMT solving with Z3 and racket Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) solvers are powerful tools that can quickly solve complex constraints involving Booleans, integers, first-order logic predicates, lists, and other data types. They have a vast number of potential applications, from constraint solving to program analysis and verification. However, they are so complex to use that their power is inaccessible to all but experts in the field. We present an attempt to make using SMT solvers simpler by integrating the Z3 solver into a host language, Racket. The system defines a programmer's interface in Racket that makes it easy to harness the power of Z3 to discover solutions to logical constraints. The interface, although in Racket, retains the structure and brevity of the SMT-LIB format. This system is expected to be useful for a wide variety of applications, from simple constraint solving to writing tools for debugging, verification, and automatic test generation for functional programs.
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Changes in Soil Protease Activity and Numbers of Culturable Bacteria in Upland Fields by the Application of Liquid Livestock Feces Within 1 to 3 weeks after the application of liquid livestock feces, the soil benzyloxycarbonyl-l-phenylalanyl-l-leucinase (z-FLase) and caseinase activities in upland fields (120 t feces ha−1 year−1, 600 t feces ha−1 year−1) increased to the maximum levels (z-FLase 562 pKat and 840 pKat g−1 dry soil, respectively; caseinase 1,018 pKat and 2,141 pKat g−1 dry soil, respectively), and decreased to the original level after 5 weeks. Numbers of culturable bacteria counted on albumin medium (AA), bacteria counted on peptone-polymixin medium (PP), and vegetative cells of Bacillus spp. counted on BTV medium (BTV) also increased to the maximum levels after application of the feces. Although there was a significantly high correlation between bacterial number on AA and both the soil protease activities (z-FLase, r=0.895; caseinase, r=0.935), more significant correlations were observed between bacterial number on AA and inorganic nitrogen contents (NH4 + content, r=0.902; NO3 − content, r=0.981). Similarly, although a significant correlation was observed between the soil caseinase activity and bacterial number on PP (r=0.835) and BTV (r=0.780), and the number of fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. (P1) (r=0.867), more significant correlations were observed between the numbers of these culturable bacteria and the soil NH4 + content (PP, r=0.944; BTV, r=0.959; P1, r=0.933) and soil NO3 − content (PP, r=0.982; BTV, r=0.961; P1, r=0.990). Therefore it was difficult to identify the bacterial group responsible for the soil protease production based on these correlation analyses. Rapid increase in the
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total bacterial number (AA) by the 600 t application was mainly due to the increased number of bacteria on PP medium, which were assumed to have been introduced from liquid livestock feces.
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Flattery will get you nowhere. Getting the bottom line out of employee recognition programs. Most industries, including hospitals, understand that recognizing employees for doing a good job helps increase their productivity and job satisfaction. And that is no doubt why they do it. But is it ethical? Is it all right to give someone a deserving pat on the back if the pat on the back is also self-serving? The motivating spirit of the Catholic healthcare ministry is recognition of the dignity and worth of each human being, whether those persons are patients or healthcare employees. Accordingly, employee recognition at Catholic facilities is based on the employee's dignity as a person, and it must come from the manager's heart. Respect for each person's dignity is a virtue that cannot be faked. Proper recognition means the manager affirms and values the employee's job, performance, and person. To properly exhibit employee recognition, the manager must be mature, honest in the sense of exhibiting some of his or her own feelings and attitudes, and able to listen to others. Recognition may motivate employees to work harder to increase productivity, even though it is not meant to. On the other hand, if its purpose is to increase productivity, recognition could have negative effects.
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Using Physically-Based Models and Genetic Algorithms for Functional Composition of Sound Signals, Synchronized to Animated Motion We represent sound signals as general functional compositions, called "Timbre Trees". Externally these are LISP-like expressions, internally they are implemented as C++ data structures. Nodes of the tree can be arithmetic operations, analytic functions or noise generators. Vectorized operations are provided for compact expression of additive spectral synthesis, and convolution operators for modeling acoustical environment (reverberation) within the same structure. A similar script language is also used to define three-dimensional animated motion. Simulation determines collisions and other sound-causing interactions between objects, and generates timbre trees from which exactly synchronized soundtracks can be prepared. Heuristic physically-based vibration models are used to determine the timbre of simulated instruments. Because it is often difficult to find the right composition of functions and their parameters that make up a desirable sound, we use genetic algorithms to mutate timbre trees and allow the user to guide their evolution. Time-variable parameters allow continuous metamorphosis between geometric objects and their sounds. Using this methodology, we have produced a variety of convincing animated scenes.
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Integrating Off-Board Cameras and Vehicle On-Board Localization for Pedestrian Safety Situational awareness for industrial vehicles is crucial to ensure safety of personnel and equipment. While human drivers and onboard sensors are able to detect obstacles and pedestrians within line-of-sight, in complex environments, initially occluded or obscured dynamic objects can unpredictably enter the path of a vehicle. We propose a system that integrates a vision-based offboard pedestrian tracking subsystem with an onboard localization and navigation subsystem. This combination enables warnings to be communicated and effectively extends the vehicle controller's field of view to include areas that would otherwise be blind spots. A simple flashing light interface in the vehicle cabin provides a clear and intuitive interface to alert drivers of potential collisions. Alternatively, the system can be also applied to vehicles that have autonomous navigation capabilities, in which case, instead of alert lights, the vehicle is halted or redirected. We implemented and tested the proposed solution on an automated industrial vehicle under autonomous operation and on a human-driven vehicle in a full-scale production facility, over a period of four months.
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Not for the Faint of Heart August 4, 2020 501 Brett B. Yarusi, MD Vikrant S. Jagadeesan, MD Daniel R. Schimmel, MD, MS Information about a real patient is presented in stages (boldface type) to expert clinicians (Drs Yarusi, Jagadeesan, and Schimmel), who respond to the information and share their reasoning with the reader (regular type). A discussion by the authors follows. Patient presentation: A 25-year-old G2P1001 woman in her 36th week of pregnancy presented to the emergency department after experiencing a syncopal episode at home. Approximately 3 weeks previously, she began to experience progressive dyspnea at rest that was exacerbated by exertion and associated with chest discomfort. Further review of systems was negative for cough, abdominal pain, vaginal discharge, and neurologic deficit. Her obstetric and medical history was notable for iron deficiency anemia. Medications included oral ferrous sulfate and a prenatal vitamin. There was no personal or family history of cardiac or clotting disorders. Dr Yarusi: The differential diagnosis of dyspnea during pregnancy is broad (Table). The patient’s simultaneous report of syncope raises concern for a lifethreatening cause such as arrhythmia, unmasked structural heart abnormality, myocardial ischemia, pulmonary embolism (PE), or severe preeclampsia/ eclampsia.
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The structure-property relationships of flavonoid compounds as potential detoxicants. The toxicity of organometallic compounds may arise from the level of their adsorption to the lipid phase of biological membranes. It is also assumed that the toxicity of some organometallic compounds may relates to their free-radical properties with respect to lipids, proteins and DNA, under certain conditions. It is very probable that the relatively long life-span in the animal body of such radicals (e.g. radicals of triphenyltin) is the cause of the i nitiation and then propagation of oxidative processes, mainly on cell membrane lipids. Termination of this harmful process is possible, e.g. with the help of exogenous flavonoid substances. Another way is via prevention, i.e. not allowing free radicals to form. This may be acheivable by chelating the compounds that generate free radicals. This study investigated the effect of flavonoid compounds (differing in the number of hydroxyl groups in one of their rings) on the peroxidation of the phosphatidylcholine liposome membrane induced by UV radiation and nphenyltin compounds. The ability of the flavonoids to chelate n-phenyltins was also investigated, as dependent on the pH and medium. The results obtained are discussed in the context of the molecular structure of the antioxidants studied and in connection with their ability to scavenge free radicals (exemplified by the tests performed with respect to DPPH). The antioxidant properties of flavonoids are compared with their ability to form chelates with toxicants.
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Design of the Multiplexing Optical Measurement System for a Pre-bunched THz Free Electron Laser A new and compact a pre-bunched terahertz (THz) free electron laser (FEL) at the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China is being constructed and aims to generate the tunable radiation frequency ranges from 0.5 THz to 5 THz at 11 18 Mev electron energy. This system is expected to use for imaging, basic researches as well as industrial applications as a result of the significant merits of simple, compact and cost-effective. Due to the THz laser measurement system plays an important part in the prebunched THz FEL facility. Therefore, a multiplexing THz laser sensing measurement system model is developed for measuring the output laser power and the optical spectrum of THz radiation with the excellent advantages of robustness, high sensitivity and low-cost in this paper. INTRODUCTION The configuration overview of the pre-bunched THz FEL [1-3] of the “THz near-field high-flux material physical property test system” is composed of a 3.5 meters length electron linear accelerator whose key design parameters are displayed in Table 1. As shown in Fig. 1, where the pre-bunched THz FEL mainly consists of a photocathode RF-gun, a focusing solenoid, an undulator and a beam dump. It is known that the THz radiation laser are generated by the coherent emission electron pulse train injects to the undulator. It is seen from Table 1 that the RMS of the beam size is no more than 0.5 mm and the fundamental frequency varies from 0.5 THz
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to 3.0 THz. The number of the microbunches are 16 which indicates that the total charge is 240 pC. It should be pointed out that the bunching factor is larger than 0.38 and less than 0.64. Owning to the measured THz radiation only accounts for 10% of the output THz laser, which thereby the parameters for the 10% proportional pre-bunched THz FEL to be measured are listed in Table 2. Figure 1: The schematic layout of the pre-bunched THz FEL. Table 1: The Parameters of the Pre-Bunched THz FEL Parameters Values Electron energy 11−18 Mev Beam size (RMS) ≤0.5 mm Microbunches 16 Microbunch charge 15 pC Fundamental frequency 0.5−3.0 THz Bunching factor 0.38−0.64 Table 2: The Parameters of the 10% THz Radiation Parameters Values Radiation frequency 0.5−5 THz Radiation wavelength 60−600 μm Laser pulse length 10−60 ps Laser pulse energy 0.1−100 μJ Repetition frequency 10−50 Hz Average power of the laser pulse 0.1−500 μW According to the overall technical requirements and the related parameters of the pre-bunched THz FEL project of the THz near-field high-flux material physical property test system, of which the optical interference measurement system is responsible for commissioning, monitoring and operating the THz radiation laser. Therefore, in which the main characteristic parameters, measurement scenarios and technical indicators corresponding to each subsystem of the THz laser measurement system respectively are given in Table 3. _________________ * Work supported by the the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (WK2310000080, WK2310000057), and the National Science Foundation of China (11705203, 11575181) † Corresponding author (email: tiany86@ustc.edu.cn)
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‡ Corresponding author (email: wufangfa@ustc.edu.cn) 10th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf. IPAC2019, Melbourne, Australia JACoW Publishing ISBN: 978-3-95450-208-0 doi:10.18429/JACoW-IPAC2019-WEPRB054 MC5: Beam Dynamics and EM Fields D10 Beam-Beam Effects Theory, Simulations, Measurements, Code Developments WEPRB054 2931 Co nt en tf ro m th is w or k m ay be us ed un de rt he te rm so ft he CC BY 3. 0 lic en ce (© 20 19 ). A ny di str ib ut io n of th is w or k m us tm ai nt ai n at tri bu tio n to th e au th or (s ), tit le of th e w or k, pu bl ish er ,a nd D O I
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Renewable energy sources in Russia Energy problems take the first place among the most important problems and tasks which should be solved by a society in the XXI century. The existing resource base of energy on which all economic activities of mankind are based is exhaustible, and already in the foreseeable future. In this connection the issues of energy saving, development and implementation of alternative energy systems or renewable energy sources (RES) are becoming one of the most relevant. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the urgent need for inexpensive and reliable energy supply is becoming more and more evident. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the energy sector and the current conditions of the new energy transition model have forced a new perspective on energy security. Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all is key to socio-economic progress. © 2022 Author(s).
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The Part That Has No Part: Enjoyment, Law, and Loss Hinged to a conversation between the author and her friend and colleague (now deceased) in Australia in 1993, this essay examines an ethical and conceptual gap that opens between an analytic that focuses on the disruptive nature of enjoyment in heteronormative orders and the distributional price of exceeding the Law in settler normativities. It pivots on the claim that the general availability of intensified potential, like the general availability of enjoyment, doesn’t negate the specific social (dis)orderings that differentiate and then treat different bodies differently. It asks what purchase might accrue conceptualizing this conversation as an instance of a “queer bond.”
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“It's cookin' now”: A performance analysis of the speech events of a Black teacher in an urban community college ABSTRACT Ethnographic research conducted in the classroom of a Black woman teacher in an urban community college reveals the presence of two distinct but culturally appropriate ways of speaking. Drawing on performance theory, this article analyzes two speech events through which the teacher establishes and maintains congruent face-to-face interaction. It compares the speech events and discusses their effect on student participation and the interpretations and meanings that the participants attach to each. (Performance, ways of speaking, speech events, ethnography of communication)
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Incidence and prevalence of ankylosing spondylitis in Finland. OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence and prevalence of clinically significant ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Finland. METHODS The incidence study covered patients entitled under the nationwide sickness insurance scheme to receive specially reimbursed medication for AS in 5/21 central hospital districts in Finland (population base about one million adults > or = 16 years of age) in 1980, 1985, and 1990. The prevalence study covered a representative sample of the Finnish population > or = 30 years of age, initially comprising 8000 persons, of whom 7217 participated in the field survey carried out in 1978-1980. RESULTS The annual incidence of AS requiring antirheumatic medication was 6.9/100,000 [95% confidence interval (CI), 6.0-7.8] adults. Eleven cases of clinically significant AS were encountered in the prevalence study, corresponding to a prevalence of 0.15% (95% CI, 0.08-0.27%). The ratio between the prevalence rate and the annual incidence rate was 22. CONCLUSION This study provides population based data on the incidence and prevalence of clinically significant AS in Finland. The incidence rates of AS remained similar for the 3 study years.
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Nitrosamine formation in amine scrubbing at desorber temperatures. Amine scrubbing is a thermodynamically efficient and industrially proven method for carbon capture, but amine solvents can nitrosate in the desorber, forming potentially carcinogenic nitrosamines. The kinetics of reactions involving nitrite and monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), methylethanolamine (MMEA), and methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) were determined under desorber conditions. The nitrosations of MEA, DEA, and MMEA are first order in nitrite, carbamate species, and hydronium ion. Nitrosation of MDEA, a tertiary amine, is not catalyzed by the addition of CO2 since it cannot form a stable carbamate. Concentrated and CO2 loaded MEA was blended with low concentrations of N-(2-hydroxyethyl) glycine (HeGly), hydroxyethyl-ethylenediamine (HEEDA), and DEA, secondary amines common in MEA degradation. Nitrosamine yield was proportional to the concentration of secondary amine and was a function of CO2 loading and temperature. Blends of tertiary amines with piperazine (PZ) showed n-nitrosopiperazine (MNPZ) yields close to unity, validating the slow nitrosation rates hypothesized for tertiary amines. These results provide a useful tool for estimating nitrosamine accumulation over a range of amine solvents.
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A stochastic segment model for phoneme-based continuous speech recognition Developing accurate and robust phonetic models for the different speech sounds is a major challenge for high performance continuous speech recognition. In this paper, we introduce a new approach, called the stochastic segment model, for modelling a variable-length phonetic segment X, an L-long sequence of feature vectors. The stochastic segment model consists of 1) time-warping the variable-length segment X into a fixed-length segment Y called a resampled segment, and 2) a joint density function of the parameters of the resampled segment Y, which in this work is assumed Gaussian. In this paper, we describe the stochastic segment model, the recognition algorithm, and the iterative training algorithm for estimating segment models from continuous speech. For speaker-dependent continuous speech recognition, the segment model reduces the word error rate by one third over a hidden Markov phonetic model.
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Design and Realization of Portable ECG Monitor with Dual CPU In order to meet data acquisition mobility and convenient requirements of the portable ECG monitor, the data acquisition system of ECG with dual CPU is designed in this paper. The system, in which C8051F005 is master CPU, meanwhile ATmega168 is slave CPU, consists of analogical circuit for detecting of ECG, amplifier-filter circuit, A/D converter and SD memory card communication interface mainly. Experimental data shows that the system has such advantages such as good repeatability, high accuracy, quick response and excellent anti-interference. It can effectively detect and obtain electrical activity of the heart and cope with continuous large memory with SD memory card in embedded system. Strong background noises are eliminated effectively by multi-level amplifier and filter; Un-anamorphic ECG can be acquired and recorded synchronously in memory cards. Moreover, this paper also proposes a preprocessing algorithm for noise reduction so that it can reject the interference by respiration and surface EMG signal.
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Analysis of volatile organic compounds: an innovative approach to heart failure characterization in older patients Background: Analysis of exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may be applied for diagnostic purposes in some chronic diseases, but there are no data on their role for discriminating people with congestive heart failure (CHF), particularly in older patients where natriuretic peptides have lower accuracy. We evaluated whether VOCs analysis can discriminate patients with or without CHF, stratify CHF severity and predict the response to therapy of decompensated CHF. Methods and Results: We recruited 89 subjects admitted to an acute care ward with acutely decompensated CHF, 117 healthy controls and 103 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) controls. CHF patients performed echocardiography. VOCs were collected using the Pneumopipe® and analyzed with the BIONOTE electronic nose. Partial least square analysis was used to evaluate the discriminative capacity of VOCs. Accuracy in discrimination of CHF versus healthy and COPD controls was 81% and 69%, respectively; accuracy did not decrease in a sensitivity analysis excluding subjects younger than 65 and older than 80 years. In CHF patients VOCs pattern could predict with fair precision ejection fraction and systolic pulmonary arterial pressure, but not changes in weight due to therapy. Conclusions: VOCs pattern is able to discriminate older CHF patients from healthy people and COPD patients and correlates with cardiac function markers.
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Does Demonstra of Reaction Time in Crease The Effectiveness of Counseling in Chronic Alcoholics ? 1 Department of Physiology, Father Muller’s Medical College, Kankanady, 2 Department of Bioscience, Mangalore University, Karnataka. Address for Correspondences Ltha Rajendra Kumar, Present address: Faculty of Medicine, Asian Institute of Medical Science and Technology, Semeling, Kedah, Malaysia. email: drlata34in2001@yahoo.com ABSTRACT Alcohol abuse is a known social problem world wide. Reaction time of an individual measures elapsed time between the presentation of a sensory stimulus and the subsequent behavioral response. Alcohol, a CNS depressant, is known to slow down central nervous system and motor in coordination. Measurement of reaction time and demonstration of any alterations to the subjects could facilitate in counseling in chronic alcoholics. Both visual and auditory reaction time was found to be significantly reduced in chronic alcoholics. The direct impact of viewing this effect helped in counseling and reducing the relapse rate. Increased number of patients reported better motivation and its usefulness in prevention of relapse and motivational enhancement treatment.
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Stretchability of PMMA-supported CVD graphene and of its electrical contacts The remarkable mechanical robustness and excellent electrical/thermal properties make graphene a promising candidate for future flexible, stretchable and bio-integrated electronics. In practice, many soft electronics such as the graphene electronic tattoos (GETs) demand the chemical vapor deposited (CVD) graphene to be supported by a deformable substrate. Moreover, various conductive overlayers need to directly laminate on graphene to make electrical contacts. To investigate the mechanical reliability of CVD graphene in these situations, we fabricated CVD monolayer graphene supported by ultrathin poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) substrate and also placed gold/polyethylene terephthalate (Au/PET) and graphene/PMMA (Gr/PMMA) overlayers on graphene. The stretchability of the Gr/PMMA and the overlayer-Gr/PMMA interface was characterized by electrical resistance change during uniaxial tensile tests. Combined with in situ microstructure and Raman investigation, we identified four deformation/fracture stages of Gr/PMMA—pre-cracking elastic deformation, limited micro-cracking in graphene, extensive cracking in graphene, and macro-cracking in PMMA. While micro-cracks emerged in graphene at very small strain (~0.9%), the electrical conductivity of the Gr/PMMA specimen remained up to tensile strains of ~14.5%. In contrast, 100 nm-thick Au film supported by the same PMMA substrate fully ruptured after tensile strains of ~1%. When laminating Au/PET and Gr/PMMA over Gr/PMMA, we found that the Au/PET- Gr/PMMA interface is very vulnerable but the Gr/PMMA- Gr/PMMA interface behaves very similar to intact Gr/PMMA electromechanically. The cyclic behaviour of Gr/PMMA, the effects of PMMA thickness and adhesion are also briefly discussed. The present experimental study provides fundamental insight into the failure of ultrathin polymer-supported graphene and
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its electrical contacts, which is critical for designing future graphene-based soft electronics.
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An overview of the geographic data of unemployment in South Africa Global unemployment has risen in the past few years. Spatial data are required to address the problem effectively. South African unemployment literature focused mostly at a national level of spatial analysis. Some literature refer to spatial aspects that affect unemployment trends, but does not assign a location, e.g. a suburb or municipality. Little research has compared spatial patterns of unemployment over time. This article provides a synopsis of the available South African geographic data to address the challenge of unemployment. Data sets from official national surveys and censuses are compared by spatial extent and associated attributes. The representation of change over time is explored and aggregation to a common boundary such as municipalities is suggested to overcome modifiable areal unit problems. Census data are spatially more detailed than labour force survey data, and census data from pre-1991 might not reflect the post-apartheid labour trends effectively. It is recommended that data from census 1991, 1996 and 2001, as well as Community Survey 2007 be used to understand detailed spatial trends of South African unemployment. Knowing the location of the unemployed directs the spending of development funding and job-creation interventions.
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Geminin promotes an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in an embryonic stem cell model of gastrulation. Geminin is a nuclear protein that performs the related functions of modulating cell cycle progression by binding Cdt1, and controlling differentiation by binding transcription factors. Since embryonic stem cells (ESC) and the epiblast share a similar gene expression profile and an attenuated cell cycle, ESC form an accessible and tractable model system to study lineage choice at gastrulation. We derived several ESC lines in which Geminin can be inducibly expressed, and employed short hairpin RNAs targeting Geminin. As in the embryo, a lack of Geminin protein resulted in DNA damage and cell death. In monolayer culture, in defined medium, Geminin supported neural differentiation; however, in three-dimensional culture, overexpression of Geminin promoted mesendodermal differentiation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. In vitro, ESC overexpressing Geminin rapidly recolonized a wound, downregulated E-cadherin expression, and activated Wnt signaling. We suggest that Geminin may promote differentiation via binding Groucho/TLE proteins and upregulating canonical Wnt signaling.
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UK children go online: balancing the opportunities against the risks As UK households gain access to the internet, many questions arise for social scientists and policy makers. This working paper overviews a project designed to understand the balance of opportunities and risks afforded to children and young people by the diffusion and appropriation of the internet in everyday life. The project, UK Children Go Online, sought to steer a course between utopian and dystopian views by conducting a substantial multi-method empirical project focusing on four key dimensions of use -(1) access, inequalities and the digital divide; (2) undesirable forms of content and contact; (3) education, informal learning and literacy; and (4) communication, identity and participation. Gradations in frequency of internet use, significantly explained by demographic, use and expertise, predicted take-up of online opportunities, this suggesting a new divide between those for whom the internet is an increasingly rich, engaging and stimulating resource and those for whom it remains a narrow, unengaging, if occasionally useful, resource. Notably, despite the widespread notion that young people are the internet experts, the research identified a range of ways in which children struggle with the internet. Last, the research showed that it is those who take up more online opportunities, not fewer, who encounter more of the risks associated with internet use. This raises particular challenges for parents and schools in supporting children as the task of determining what is trustworthy, reliable or safe online.
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Teachers' Critical Reflection in an Equity-Focused Professional Learning Community: A Case Study In a culturally diverse world, teachers adopt complex roles to educate a changing student body toward higher standards. They can respond to students’ needs and design responsive curriculum by engaging in ongoing learning and improvement. When teachers have time and space for collaboration and reflection, they can learn and improve. Professional learning communities (PLCs) are forums for educators to think deeply about praxis. In this study, the problem of practice is that teachers have had few opportunities to reflect critically within PLCs. The purpose of my study was to describe and explain how critical reflection occurred in an equity-focused PLC within a suburban high school. With situated and transformative learning as a theoretical framework, I conducted a qualitative, collective case study design to explore how three high school teachers’ reflections, efficacy beliefs, and practice changed over time. Data sources were surveys, written reflections, and interviews and data analysis included within case analysis and cross-case analysis. Based on my analysis, I identified three themes: (a) teachers feel frustration when PLCs lack structure and reflection, (b) teachers want more productive PLCs, and (c) teachers prefer Critical Friends Groups (CFG) community. To optimize teacher learning, I recommended adjusting policies to fund the more productive and reflective version of PLCs—Critical Friends Groups.
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Hydrolysis mechanisms of BNPP mediated by facial copper(II) complexes bearing single alkyl guanidine pendants: cooperation between the metal centers and the guanidine pendants. The hydrolysis mechanisms of DNA dinucleotide analogue BNPP(-) (bis(p-nitrophenyl) phosphate) catalyzed by mononuclear/dinuclear facial copper(ii) complexes bearing single alkyl guanidine pendants were investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Active catalyst forms have been investigated and four different reaction modes are proposed accordingly. The [Cu2(L(1))2(μ-OH)](3+) (L(1) is 1-(2-guanidinoethyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) complex features a strong μ-hydroxo mediated antiferromagnetic coupling between the bimetallic centers and the corresponding more stable open-shell singlet state. Three different reaction modes involving two catalysts and a substrate were proposed for L(1) entries and the mode 1 in which an inter-complex nucleophilic attack by a metal bound hydroxide was found to be more favorable. In the L(3)-involved reactions (L(3) is 1-(4-guanidinobutyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane), the reaction mode in which an in-plane intracomplex scissoring-like nucleophilic attack by a Cu(ii)-bound hydroxide was found to be more competitive. The protonated guanidine pendants in each proposed mechanism were found to play crucial roles in stabilizing the reaction structures via hydrogen bonds and in facilitating the departure of the leaving group via electrostatic attraction. The calculated results are consistent with the experimental observations that the Cu(ii)-L(3) complexes are hydrolytically more favorable than their L(1)-involved counterparts.
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Fluorescent Test Paper via the In Situ Growth of COFs for Rapid and Convenient Detection of Pd(II) Ions. With the extensive use of palladium derivatives in the industry, their environmental pollution has become more and more serious. Herein, allyl functionalized hydrazone 2D COFs (XB-COFs) were found for selective fluorescent detection of Pd2+ (detection concentration of 0.29 μM) in water. The stable structure of the hydrazone bond and the complexation ability of allyl to Pd2+ cause XB-COF to have a good fluorescence sensing effect in both acid and alkaline solutions, and its adsorption capacity for Pd2+ is up to 120 mg g-1. During the interaction between XB-COF and Pd2+, a part of Pd2+ can be reduced to Pd nanoparticles with a diameter of about 10 nm. A fluorescent test paper was prepared by the in situ growth of XB-COF onto a filter paper, which can realize visualization detection of Pd2+ in 10 s with the naked eye or under a 365 nm UV lamp. This is the first time a fluorescent test paper based on in the situ growth of COFs has been applied for the detection of heavy metal ions, which provides a new platform for the application of COF materials in the medical health field, food safety, and environmental protection.
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Neuropeptide Levels in the Nasal Secretion and Nasal Mucosa of Patients with Chronic Sinusitis and Nasal Polyposis Neuropeptides are present within the nasal cavity and are thought to mediate inflammation in this region. The exact role these peptides might play in causing the inflammation present in chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis is not known. Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide (CGRP) was measured in the nasal secretion and nasal mucosa of 10 patients having chronic rhinosinusitis and 10 patients with nasal polyposis, using radioimmunoassay. These values were compared to ten controls without sinonasal disease. Additionally, each subject's history and baseline laboratory data were analyzed to establish the presence or absence of allergic disease. The results of these assays are discussed, as well as the potential pathophysiologic role that neuropeptides play in these disease states.
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Dynamic characteristics of digitally controlled buck-boost DC-DC converter The purpose of this paper is to present the dynamic characteristics of the digitally controlled buck-boost dc-dc converter. Furthermore, the relationship between the parameters of control circuit and the dynamic characteristics is discussed. We examine the design criterion to improve the dynamic characteristics. As a result, it is revealed that the wide range of input voltage is realized by setting not only the appropriate filter but also the suitable gain in the digitally controlled buck-boost dc-dc converter.
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Direct visualization of a static incommensurate antiferromagnetic order in Fe-doped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ. In cuprate superconductors, due to strong electronic correlations, there are multiple intertwined orders which either coexist or compete with superconductivity. Among them, the antiferromagnetic (AF) order is the most prominent one. In the region where superconductivity sets in, the long-range AF order is destroyed. Yet the residual short-range AF spin fluctuations are present up to a much higher doping, and their role in the emergence of the superconducting phase is still highly debated. Here, by using a spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscope, we directly visualize an emergent incommensurate AF order in the nearby region of Fe impurities embedded in the optimally doped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ (Bi2212). Remarkably, the Fe impurities suppress the superconducting coherence peaks with the gapped feature intact, but pin down the ubiquitous short-range incommensurate AF order. Our work shows an intimate relation between antiferromagnetism and superconductivity.
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Frequency Offset Correction for OFDM Systems In this paper, we propose a robust method to estimate carrier frequency offset (CFO) for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. A training symbol with two identical halves is employed to measure the fractional part of the CFO. While the integral part is estimated by using a novel noise subspace based metric. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve an estimation range equal to the whole bandwidth of the OFDM signal. Copyright © 2013 IFSA.
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P72 Translation into spanish, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of an advance care planning self-efficacy scale: preliminary results Background Advance Care Planning (ACP) explores patients’ values and preferences to plan their care. Barriers for healthcare professionals to start it include fear to talk about end of life or lack of communication skills. Self-efficacy (SE) is a key factor that impacts learning about ACP. Measuring SE would show the impact of training to acquire ACP competencies. The ACP SE scale (ACP_SEs) of 17 items was validated in 2017; there aren’t similar validated tools in Spanish. Methods The ACP_SEs was forward-backward translated. 10 ACP local experts tested it for clarity and comprehensibility. Validation: we designed a survey with 4 dimensions: sociodemographic variables; knowledge and self-perception on ACP; type of patients attended; 4 scales to predictive validity: ACP_SEs (Baughman, 2017); Trait Meta-Mood_s 24 (Salovey and Mayer, 1995); Personal Competence_s (Wallston, 1992); Coping with Death_s (Bugen, 1980). Participants: 5,500 professionals from 4 scientific societies: Palliative and Primary Care (3 societies); Geriatrics/Gerontologic (1society). Reliability will be determined by intraclass correlation coefficients, the measurement will be compared by T’Student and internal consistency by Cronbach’s α. Test-retest reliability will be quantified with a 4-week interval. Results After the translation/adaptation process, the ACP_SEs has 19 items. New variables include to involve patients in ACP and to register ACP adequately. In a pilot with 47 professionals, consistency was α=0.909. The results will confirm the scale’s validity and show how professionals rate the ACP process. Conclusion A validated ACP_SEs in Spanish will allow measuring the impact of
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training programs designed to implement ACP in the Spanish-speaking context.
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Markov decision processes for infinite horizon problems solved with the cosine simplex method This article presents a new method of linear programming (LP) for solving Markov decision processes (MDPs) based on the simplex method (SM). SM has shown to be the most efficient method in many practical problems; unfortunately, classical SM has an exponential complexity. Therefore, new SMs have emerged for obtaining optimal solutions in the most efficient way. The cosine simplex method (CSM) is one of them. CSM is based on the Karush Kuhn Tucker conditions, and is able to efficiently solve general LP problems. This work presents a new method named the Markov Cosine Simplex Method (MCSM) for solving MDP problems, which is an extension of CSM. In this article, the efficiency of MCSM is compared to the traditional revised simplex method (RSM); experimental results show that MCSM is far more efficient than RSM.
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A ug 1 99 9 Duality symmetry , strong coupling expansion and universal critical amplitudes in two-dimensional Φ 4 field models We show that the exact beta-function β(g) in the continuous 2D gΦ4 model possesses the Kramers-Wannier duality symmetry. The duality symmetry transformation g̃ = d(g) such that β(d(g)) = d′(g)β(g) is constructed and the approximate values of g∗ computed from the duality equation d(g∗) = g∗ are shown to agree with the available numerical results. The calculation of the beta-function β(g) for the 2D scalar gΦ4 field theory based on the strong coupling expansion is developed and the expansion of β(g) in powers of g−1 is obtained up to order g−8. The numerical values calculated for the renormalized coupling constant g∗ + are in reasonable good agreement with the best modern estimates recently obtained from the high-temperature series expansion and with those known from the perturbative four-loop renormalization-group calculations. The application of Cardy’s theorem for calculating the renormalized isothermal coupling constant gc of the 2D Ising model and the related universal critical amplitudes is also discussed. PACS numbers:05.50.+q, 03.70.+k, 64.60.-i, 75.10.Hk Typeset using REVTEX
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Commensurate-incommensurate transition of Kr-Xe mixtures on graphite. We report high-resolution x-ray scattering measurements of the commensurate-incommensurate transition of Kr on graphite which has been preplated with 0.1 monolayer of Xe. The Xe raises transition pressure, and produces a 31% range of pressures over which composite lineshapes are observed. These results are discussed in terms of a solubility gap between commensurate and incommensurate phases.
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Application-specific programmable control for high-performance asynchronous circuits The advantages of the programmable control paradigm are widely known in the design of synchronous sequential circuits: easy correction of late design errors, easy upgrade of product families to meet time-to-market constraints, and modifications of the control algorithm, even at run time. However, despite the growing interest in asynchronous (self-timed) circuits, programmable asynchronous controllers based on the idea of microprogramming have not been actively pursued. In this paper, we propose an asynchronous microprogrammed control organization (called a microengine) that targets application-specific implementations and emphasizes simplicity, modularity, and high performance. The architecture takes advantage of the natural ability of self-timed circuits to chain actions efficiently without the clock-based scheduling constraints that would be involved in comparable synchronous designs. The result is a general approach to the design of application-specific microengines featuring a programmable data-path topology that offers very compact microcode and high performance-in fact, performance close to that offered by automated hardwired controllers. In performance comparisons of a CD-player error decoder design, the proposed microengine architecture was 26 times faster than the general purpose hardware of a 280 MIPS microprocessor, over three times as fast as the special purpose hardware of a low-power macromodule based implementation, and even slightly faster than a finite state machine-based implementation.
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Fetal growth promotion in allergic children Several in vitro studies have suggested the presence of Th2‐skewed immunity during pregnancy in infants with atopic diseases. Our study indicated that allergic infants showed a higher birth weight and shorter gestational period at birth than those of non‐allergic peers. Moreover, allergic mothers gave birth to neonates whose birth weights and gestational ages were higher and shorter than those of the non‐allergic mothers, respectively. Thus, our data clearly demonstrated the promotion of intrauterine growth, either in the allergic children, or allergic mothers. Such an intrauterine environment favorable for the fetal growth may also accelerate the development of allergic diseases in their offspring that are most probably caused by the Th2‐oriented immunity.
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Equilibrium Potential and Exchange Current Density of Metal Hydride Electrode The equilibrium potential and exchange current density were measured as a function of the hydrogen content in a TiMn1.5Hx (x<0.31) electrode. The reaction order of hydrogen in the electrode is estimated as 0.67 and the activity coefficient of hydrogen is found to be unity. The influence of the absorbed hydrogen on the equilibrium potential is discussed. It is shown that TiMn1.5Hx has low power drop during discharge and is a promising electrode material for use in hydrogen cells and other devices.
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Creating common and uncommon worlds: Using discourse ethics to decide public and private in classrooms Central to teaching is a grand dichotomy: public and private. Children need the protection of privacy to form their own identities: they try out new roles and need to be sheltered from some consequences of these attempts so that they feel confident to keep trying. Forming an identity, however, is also a public concern: the very roles that children try out have been defined by communities. Teachers are given special responsibility to determine public and private for children, but little guidance in making these judgements. Following Habermas, I contend that deciding public and private is especially difficult for teachers, because the bureaucratization of society in general and schooling in particular has eroded distinctions between private and public. I suggest that Habermas's discourse ethics with its typology of pragmatic, ethical and moral discourses each aimed at different goals--and requiring different conditions of communication--can help teachers create common and uncommon worlds for their students.
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BUDI: Building Urban Designs Interactively A Spatial-Based Visualization and Collaboration Platform for Urban Planning BUDI (Building Urban Designs Interactively) is an integrated 3D visualization and remote collaboration platform for complex urban design tasks. Users with different backgrounds can remotely engage in the entire design cycle, improving the quality of the end result. In BUDI, the display and interactive environment were designed to seamlessly expand beyond a traditional two-dimensional surface into a fully immersive three-dimensional space. Clients on various devices connect with servers for different functionalities tailored for various user groups. A demonstration with a local urban planning use-case shows the costs and benefits of BUDI as a geographic information visualization and spatial-based collaborative platform. We consider the trade-offs encountered when trying to make the collaboration seamless. Specifically, we detail the multi-dimensional data visualization and interaction the platform provides, and outline how users can interact with and analyze various aspects of urban design.
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Influence of "gate-biasing effect" on BSIT's saturated property For BSIT, it is well-known that the ideal relation between the drain current and the drain voltage with respect to the source is pentode-like, the saturated property. But the result from practical measurements shows I/sub D/ increases slightly with rising V/sub D/, just like the phenomenon observed in a BJT, which is affected by "base width modulation". The authors deduce that the main cause is "gate-biasing effect". In this article, the effect is discussed in detail.
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Those Old Wineskins Abstract Greenberg and Mitchell considered Heinz Kohut a “mixed model” theorist who retained allegiance to drive theory while developing a theory that contradicted it in the direction of fundamental relationality. They justly gave Kohut credit for his contributions, and rightly challenged his inconsistencies and limitations. This reader believes Greenberg and Mitchell's own perspective also limited their capacity, at the time, to value the vulnerability and dependency that later relationalists, including Self psychologists, have understood as central to the human condition.
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Cutting Edge: The Transmembrane E3 Ligase GRAIL Ubiquitinates the Costimulatory Molecule CD40 Ligand during the Induction of T Cell Anergy1 Activation of naive T lymphocytes is regulated through a series of discrete checkpoints that maintain unresponsiveness to self. During this multistep process, costimulatory interactions act as inducible signals that allow APCs to selectively mobilize T cells against foreign Ags. In this study, we provide evidence that the anergy-associated E3 ubiquitin ligase GRAIL (gene related to anergy in lymphocytes) regulates expression of the costimulatory molecule CD40L on CD4 T cells. Using its luminal protease-associated domain, GRAIL binds to the luminal/extracellular portion of CD40L and facilitates transfer of ubiquitin molecules from the intracellular GRAIL RING (really interesting new gene) finger to the small cytosolic portion of CD40L. Down-regulation of CD40L occurred following ectopic expression of GRAIL in naive T cells from CD40−/− mice, and expression of GRAIL in bone marrow chimeric mice was associated with diminished lymphoid follicle formation. These data provide a model for intrinsic T cell regulation of costimulatory molecules and a molecular framework for the initiation of clonal T cell anergy.
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Young-type interference in (e, 2e) ionization of H(2). We have investigated the electron impact single ionization of the hydrogen molecule, with fully determined kinematics. The experimental and theoretical results are compared with He ionization under the same conditions. The results indicate that the ejected electron angular distribution for H(2) is modified due to Young-type interference between ionization amplitudes for scattering from the two centers in the hydrogen molecule. The observable result is a suppression of the backward scattering (recoil) peak compared with the binary peak.
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P32 Reduction in the rate of acute exacerbations of COPD and asthma during the COVID-19 pandemic Introduction and ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on a number of patient populations, not least those with airways disease Despite initial conflicting data, subsequent research has shown COPD patients to be at increased risk from the virus Other coronaviruses are also well recognised as viral precipitants of exacerbations in airways disease Therefore, it was reasonable to anticipate that COVID-19 would take a particular toll on this population We investigated the rate of acute exacerbations in a cohort of our airways disease patients to determine the impact the virus had MethodsTelephone consultations and review of electronic records of 149 patients from the COPD/asthma clinic at a South London district general hospital during the period March 23rd – June 23rd 2020 were reviewed This corresponded to the date the United Kingdom was placed into lockdown due to the pandemic This was used to establish whether, i) they had presented to ED with exacerbation symptoms, ii) required inpatient admission, iii) self-reported episodes of exacerbations (and corroborated this with dispensation of rescue packs from GP records) This data was then compared to the same period in 2019 using this methodology ResultsIn total, in the equivalent time period in 2019 there were 72 reported exacerbations of COPD, with 25 requiring inpatient admission In the corresponding time period in 2020 there were 55 reported exacerbations, with 20 requiring inpatient admission This represents a 23 6% and 20% decrease respectively In the asthma group
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there was a decrease in total number of exacerbations from 13 in 2019 to 7 in 2020 (46 2%) and those requiring inpatient admission from 4 in 2019 to 1 in 2020 (75%) ConclusionWe observed a reduction in the number of acute exacerbations in our cohort during the lockdown period of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019 This may reflect effective shielding by these patients, minimising exposure to precipitant pathogens However, it may also be related to other consequences of the lockdown period, such as reduced air pollution These findings are notable and may provide further insights into future management of airways disease
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Effect of low-dose butorphanol on halothane minimum alveolar concentration in ponies. Minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) for halothane was measured before and after administration of intravenous butorphanol (0.022 and 0.044 mg/kg in bodyweight in nine yearling Shetland ponies. Arterial blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, expired CO2 and rectal temperature was also measured. Even though mean MAC values decreased 10 and 9 per cent after the low and high doses respectively, they were not statistically different from those measured prior to butorphanol. Halothane MAC values increased after butorphanol in two ponies, both animals increasing locomotor activity and demonstrating apparent central nervous system stimulation. No significant differences were seen in any variable measured after butorphanol administration.
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Synchronization of Multiple Descriptions Coding for Streaming Media At present, many application layer multicast protocols (ALM) based on multiple description coding (MDC) have been proved to be more scalable and robust than traditional multicast protocols in practical environment. In this paper, we propose an ALM system called SMD for streaming media based on MDC to address the problem of synchronization of available descriptions among maximum hosts. SMD concentrates on the video quality and robustness, hosts can join the different overlay trees in different layers simultaneously, then the Maximum Covering Set (MCS) based on acquired descriptions information is figured out to achieve the best video quality. To mine the potential of hosts and lower link stress, we propose efficient caching strategies to make tradeoff between them with low overhead. Simulations implemented on Internet-like topology indicate that SMD achieves higher video quality, lower control traffic than traditional ALM protocols while comparable latency, link stress and robustness are achieved as well.
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An approach for analyzing bytecode information flow Existing approaches are inadequate to address the information flow in Java bytecode and the type systems verification often used in these approaches is imprecise. This paper presents a method to disclose Java bytecode information flow, in which the information dependence relationship among the variables in the bytecode is determined by data-flow analysis and information flow policy is verified by type-checking method. Since the analysis object is bytecode, this approach can be used for Java mobile code systems. The precision of verification can be improved because of this approach.
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Distribution, ecological role and symbioses of selected shrubby species in the Mediterranean Basin: a review Abstract Among the Mediterranean ecosystems, shrublands are a characteristic type of vegetation, widespread in different habitats. Owing to different factors such as the physiological, morphological, reproductive, phenological and regenerative properties, as well as the inter-intraspecific interactions, each shrubby species represents an important element within the plant community and plays a specific ecological role. In this review, attention was focused on the ecological functions and type of plant-microsymbiont interactions in respect of selected shrubby species within the Mediterranean Basin: Amelanchier ovalis, Astragalus nebrodensis, Crataegus laciniata, Lycium intricatum, Prunus spinosa and Viburnum tinus.
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Sequestration and metabolism of host‐plant flavonoids by the Pale Grass Blue, Pseudozizeeria maha (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) Flavonoids in the eggs, larvae, pupae and adult butterflies of Pseudozizeeria maha were identified and quantified. Isovitexin (apigenin 6‐C‐glucoside) was the dominant flavonoid detected in pupae and imagines, whereas saponarin (isovitexin 7‐O‐glucoside) was the dominant flavonoid in larvae. Saponarin, biotransformed from isovitexin by the larvae, was found to be reconverted into isovitexin at the pupal stages. The total amounts of accumulated flavonoids differed between sexes, particularly in adults where the bodies of females had a much higher flavonoid concentration than that of the males. These flavonoids were also detected in the eggs. These results indicate the possibility that flavonoids are utilized in not only wing coloration but also as a chemical defense compound against natural threats.
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Teaching Program for laymen and experts for neighborhood-based offers to elderly people living alone For multimorbid very old people who are living alone, care networks are needed to ensure continuous and coordinated care across the sectors. The GeriNeTrainer (trainer in a geriatric network) is intended to preserve the day-to-day competences of elderly and to reduce the prevailing regional lack of help. Which content and structural aspects must include an educational concept that is aimed equally at laymen and experts (e g physiotherapists, nurses) and can be implemented sustainably? The competence profile was developed by an interprofessional staff of experts. According to the literature review, they rated the CanMeds role concept as the most relevant and suitable framework with regard to the holistic approach to care. Therefore, the teaching curriculum was developed based on this. Depending on the level of knowledge, interested laymen or experts enter the evident curriculum. The team of lecturers consists of physiotherapists, social workers, physicians, sports scientists, psychologists and speech therapists. As teaching and learning methods were defined: lectures, seminars, exercises, caseworks as well as compulsory homeworking in best practice facilities. The interprofessional imparting of knowledge as well as the exchange of experience between the individual occupational groups as well as the methodical inclusion of the perspective of laymen were evaluated as particularly beneficial and innovative. For sustainability, the certified graduates are supervised. Observation, a case study based on this, an electronic platform (Moodle) and annual conferences and symposia enable regular and practice-oriented communication and quality assurance in the sense of the continuous
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improvement process. The graduates are connecting patient home with the health facilities. Increased professional, social and emotional competence in the quarter have positive effects of elderly people who are living alone. Valuable is the educational concept by conveying knowledge and exchange of experience of individual specialist groups as well as the lay perspective. Laymen and experts are learning together, their different perspectives are very helpful for the elderly.
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Radiative mechanism and surface modification of four visible deep level defect states in ZnO nanorods. Visible luminescence from ZnO nanorods (NRs) is attracting large scientific interest for light emission and sensing applications. We study visible luminescent defects in ZnO NRs as a function of post growth thermal treatments, and find four distinct visible deep level defect states (VDLSs): blue (2.52 eV), green (2.23 eV), orange (2.03 eV), and red (1.92 eV). Photoluminescence (PL) studies reveal a distinct modification in the UV (3.25 eV) emission intensity and a shift in the visible spectra after annealing. Annealing at 600 °C in Ar (Ar600) and O2 (O600) causes a blue and red-shift in the visible emission band, respectively. All samples demonstrate orange emission from the core of the NR, with an additional surface related green, blue, and red emission in the As-Prep, Ar600, and O600 samples, respectively. From PL excitation (PLE) measurements we determine the onset energy for population of the various VDLSs, and relate it to the presence of an Urbach tail below the conduction band due to a presence of ionized Zni or Zni complexes. We measured an onset energy of 3.25 eV for the as prepared sample. The onset energy red-shifts in the annealed samples by about 0.05 to 0.1 eV indicating a change in the defect structure, which we relate to the shift in the visible emission. We then used X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), and elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA) to understand changes in the surface structure, and H content, respectively. The results of the
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XPS and ERDA analysis explain how the chemical states are modified due to annealing. We summarize our results by correlating our VDLSs with specific intrinsic defect states to build a model for PL emission in ZnO NRs. These results are important for understanding how to control defect related visible emission for sensing and electroluminescence applications.
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Phylogenetic distributions and histories of proteins involved in anaerobic pyruvate metabolism in eukaryotes. Protists that live in low oxygen conditions often oxidize pyruvate to acetate via anaerobic ATP-generating pathways. Key enzymes that commonly occur in these pathways are pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFO) and [FeFe]-hydrogenase (H(2)ase) as well as the associated [FeFe]-H(2)ase maturase proteins HydE, HydF, and HydG. Determining the origins of these proteins in eukaryotes is of key importance to understanding the origins of anaerobic energy metabolism in microbial eukaryotes. We conducted a comprehensive search for genes encoding these proteins in available whole genomes and expressed sequence tag data from diverse eukaryotes. Our analyses of the presence/absence of eukaryotic PFO, [FeFe]-H(2)ase, and H(2)ase maturase sequences across eukaryotic diversity reveal orthologs of these proteins encoded in the genomes of a variety of protists previously not known to contain them. Our phylogenetic analyses revealed: 1) extensive lateral gene transfers of both PFO and [FeFe]-H(2)ase in eubacteria, 2) decreased support for the monophyly of eukaryote PFO domains, and 3) that eukaryotic [FeFe]-H(2)ases are not monophyletic. Although there are few eukaryote [FeFe]-H(2)ase maturase orthologs characterized, phylogenies of these proteins do recover eukaryote monophyly, although a consistent eubacterial sister group for eukaryotic homologs could not be determined. An exhaustive search for these five genes in diverse genomes from two representative eubacterial groups, the Clostridiales and the alpha-proteobacteria, shows that although these enzymes are nearly universally present within the former group, they are very rare in the latter. No alpha-proteobacterial genome sequenced to date encodes all five proteins. Molecular phylogenies and the extremely
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restricted distribution of PFO, [FeFe]-H(2)ases, and their associated maturases within the alpha-proteobacteria do not support a mitochondrial origin for these enzymes in eukaryotes. However, the unexpected prevalence of PFO, pyruvate:NADP oxidoreductase, [FeFe]-H(2)ase, and the maturase proteins encoded in genomes of diverse eukaryotes indicates that these enzymes have an important role in the evolution of microbial eukaryote energy metabolism.
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Use of a BRCA1 peptide validates MS110 as a BRCA1‐specific antibody in immunohistochemistry has been similarly shown in the testis. In testicular tumours, Zynger et al. have documented uniform GPC3 positivity in most patterns of YST (microcystic, macrocystic, solid, myxomatous, glandular-alveolar, polyvesicular vitelline, papillary, endodermal sinus, and enteric). As previously reported in testicular choriocarcinoma, we observed intense immunoreactivity in malignant syncytiotrophoblast compared with that seen in cytotrophoblast. The utility of GPC3 in differentiating ovarian neoplasms with hepatoid features (e.g. hepatoid YST, oxyphilic clear cell carcinoma, hepatoid carcinoma and steroid cell tumours) from morphologically similar metastases (e.g. hepatocellular carcinoma) remains to be determined. Further studies on the role of this novel biomarker in ovarian development as well as its value in the diagnosis and potentially targeted treatment of ovarian germ cell tumours would be of interest.
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Acceleration of degradation by highly accelerated stress test and air-included highly accelerated stress test in crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules We examined the effects of hyper-hygrothermal stresses with or without air on the degradation of crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) modules, to shorten the required duration of a conventional hygrothermal-stress test [i.e., the “damp heat (DH) stress test”, which is conducted at 85 °C/85% relative humidity for 1,000 h]. Interestingly, the encapsulant within a PV module becomes discolored under the air-included hygrothermal conditions achieved using DH stress test equipment and an air-included highly accelerated stress test (air-HAST) apparatus, but not under the air-excluded hygrothermal conditions realized using a highly accelerated stress test (HAST) machine. In contrast, the reduction in the output power of the PV module is accelerated irrespective of air inclusion in hyper-hygrothermal test atmosphere. From these findings, we conclude that the required duration of the DH stress test will at least be significantly shortened using air-HAST, but not HAST.
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RULES OF RHOTON AND SACCULAR INTRACRANIAL ANEURYSMS: AN IN VIVO RADIOLOGICAL-ANATOMICAL CONFIRMATORY STUDY IN IRAQI POPULATION Intracranial aneurysms are a weakened arterial wall due to loss of internal elastic lamina resulting in dilations of the intracranial arteries and these aneurysms are susceptible to rupture, resulting in lifethreatening hemorrhage; therefore represents chief cause of hemorrhagic stroke. Rhoton rules are used for the planning the operative approach to these aneurysms. Aim of the study: to evaluate the application of Rhoton rules in our patients with intracranial aneurysms. A retrospective series of 283 aneurysms, from 1 st of January 2016 to 1 st of December 2018 in Neurosurgical Teaching Hospital Baghdad/Iraq, diagnosed by CT angiography with 3D reconstruction were included in this study to evaluate the age, sex, site, size, locations and application of Rhoton rules in these aneurysms. Of the 283 patients studied, we found 127 aneurysms at the anterior communicating artery (location 1), 80 at the posterior communicating artery (location 2), 37 at the bifurcation of the internal carotid artery (location 3), 21 at the middle cerebral artery (location 4), and 18 in the posterior circulation (location 5). The four rules of Rhoton about intracranial aneurysms: rule one (100%), rule two (84.5%), rule three (84.8%) & rule four (84.8%). The rules of Rhoton is a heterogeneous concept which summarizes several hemodynamic principles and is verified in 80% of aneurysms in Iraqi patients, with different frequencies depending on the rule and location. These findings should be verified in other populations, as our patients are of Hispanic origin in
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99.7% of the cases.
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Comparative Study of Normal and Rheumatoid Arthritis Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes Proliferation under Cyclic Mechanical Stretch: Role of Prostaglandin E2 Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) are one of the main contributors of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the hyperplastic synovium of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)/PGE2 pathway is involved in the proliferation of several cell types. We have previously shown that mechanical stretch affects COX-2 and PGE2 production in human RA FLSs; however, its role in cell proliferation remains to be elucidated. In this study, a comparison is drawn between human RA and normal FLSs to understand the role of mechanical stretch and PGE2 on the proliferation of FLSs. The results showed that physiological level (6%, 1 Hz) of cyclic mechanical stretch significantly decreased the proliferation of RA FLSs but not normal FLSs, while the induction of apoptosis was not observed by stretch in either RA or normal FLSs. IL-1β (5 ng/ml)-induced COX-2/PGE2 levels are downregulated by stretch in RA FLSs only. Further investigation showed that high concentration (100 and 500 ng/ml) of PGE2 significantly induced cell proliferation only in RA FLSs, and this induction failed to be suppressed by stretch. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that elevated levels of PGE2 in the synovial cavity are involved in the proliferation of RA FLSs, and cyclic mechanical stretch regulates the RA synovial hyperplasia.
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The effects of extracorporeal whole body hyperthermia on the functional and phenotypic features of canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) In this study the effect of transient 42.3°C whole body hyperthermia (WBH) on the distribution of PBMC phenotypes and in vitro blastogenic responsiveness was determined in dogs. Hyperthermia (n = 6) was induced by heating venous blood during extracorporeal circulation (venous perfusion WBH); perfused non‐heated dogs (n = 4) were used as controls. Both euthermic and hyperthermic perfusion produced transient lymphopenia which normalized in controls after perfusion but persisted in hyperthermic animals throughout the 8‐day post‐perfusion observation interval. The transient lymphopenia in control dogs was non‐selective. In contrast, WBH‐associated lymphopenia was selective, in that CD5+ T lymphocytes were more sensitive to hyperthermia than sIg+ B cells and, within the T cell compartment, suppressor (CD8+) cells were more sensitive to hyperthermic stress than helper (CD4+) lymphocytes. Functional analyses showed that WBH caused persistent suppression of PBMC blastogenesis in response to T cell phytomitogens. Increased plasma cortisol levels were correlated to peak lymphopenia and hyporesponsiveness to phytomitogens. Despite these alterations, high grade WBH was well tolerated and there was no evidence of opportunistic infection.
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Influence of the time of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) addition on the phenolic and protein profile of beer. BACKGROUND In recent years, there has been an increased fruit addition to the brewing process, especially in craft breweries. Fruit addition leads to changes in the organoleptic characteristics and chemical composition of beers. Bilberries are rich in phenolic compounds and possess significant antioxidant capacity. The effects of bilberry addition and brewing process parameters on the changes in the phenolic and protein profile of beer have not been sufficiently studied. The aim of this research was to investigate the changes in the individual phenolic compounds and the protein fractions in beer when bilberries were added at different maturation stages. METHODS An infusion mashing method was applied for the purpose of obtaining wort with an original extract of 14°P after boiling. Pilsner malt, bitter and aromatic hops 60/40 (Perle and Cascade, respectively), dry yeast Saccharomyces pastorianus (carlsbergensis) Saflager W 34/70, and bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) were used. All processes were conducted in a Home Brew 50 all-in-one 50 dm3 brewing system. The fermentation was carried out in a stainless steel cylindroconical fermenter at a temperature of 14°C. The “green beer” was transferred to small stainless-steel fermenters after 60% of the original wort extract had been fermented. The maturation continued for 14 days at 14°C, and the beer lagering for 5 days at 2°C. The bilberries were pasteurised in a water bath for 10 minutes at 70°C. After cooling, they were added to small fermenters at a concentration of 167 g/dm3
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at the beginning and on the seventh day of beer maturation. All variants were carried out in duplicate. After lagering, the beer was bottled using a “beer gun”. The beer samples from the experiments were filtered on the day of bottling and frozen until analysis. HPLC/UV-VIS and electrophoresis were used to determine the phenolics and proteins, respectively. The total monomeric anthocyanins were determined by the pH differential method. The original wort extract and alcohol concentration were evaluated, and the sensory analysis was performed according to EBC standard methods. RESULTS The changes in 10 phenolic acids, 7 flavonoids, and 10 protein fractions in beer with bilberries added at the beginning and on the seventh day of maturation were studied. The addition of bilberries led to an increase in the phenolic acid (3-fold) and flavonoid (6.2-fold) concentrations. The highest enrichment was observed in terms of rutin, chlorogenic, caffeic, and 3,4-dihydrobenzoic acids. Rosmarinic acid and monomeric anthocyanins were only detected in the bilberry beers. Chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acids, rutin, and catechin dominated in the bilberry beers. Neochlorogenic and gallic acids, epicatechin, and catechin dominated in the bilberry-free beers. The addition of bilberries reduced the protein content by 93 to 96%. The number of protein fractions decreased from 10 to 4. The influence of the bilberry addition time on the phenolics and proteins was different, and it affected the individual protein fractions in a different way. More phenolic acids and flavonoids were determined when bilberries were added at the beginning of maturation. The losses of some protein fractions were higher
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at the beginning of maturation and of others on the seventh day of maturation, whereas the addition time did not matter for some of the fractions. CONCLUSIONS This study provides new information related to the changes in the phenolic and protein profile of beer with bilberries depending on the time of bilberry addition during beer maturation. The protein concentration and number of protein fractions decreased dramatically. In spite of the significant protein losses, the bilberry addition improved the phenolic profile of the beer and its organoleptic characteristics. The presence of more phenolic compounds is related to the antioxidant capacity respective to the biological value of beer. Further research in this direction is needed.
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Book Review: Impossible Citizens: Dubai's Indian Diaspora Neha Vora’s Impossible Citizens: Dubai’s Indian Diaspora is a rich ethnography which provides a fresh perspective on the Indian community in the rapidly changing city of Dubai. Tracing the pre-oil histories of and Indian migration networks in the Gulf region, this study problematizes popular and polarized understandings of Dubai as a spectacular icon of contemporary urban development, characterized by either the extreme luxuries enjoyed by the expatriate elite and Emirati population or the human rights abuses perpetrated on low-income immigrant laborers in domestic services and construction. Instead, Vora focuses on the everyday experiences, performances, and multiple modes of belonging and exclusion of middleand working-class Indians in downtown Dubai – those who are outside the domains of formal juridicopolitical citizenship rights but entrenched in its urban socioeconomic fabric. Utilizing a transnational analytic, the book examines Dubai’s entanglements in myriad historical and contemporary Indian Ocean networks to demonstrate the porosity of categories like citizenship, nation, and belonging. In the process, it pushes scholarship on international migration, diaspora, and urbanism in new directions. It aims, first, to center the lives of non-citizens who are considered exceptions to constructions of citizenship but are actually crucial for the legitimacy of the Emirati state and nationhood and, second, to challenge the homogenous, purely Arab and Muslim understandings of Gulf societies and the “Middle East” by highlighting cosmopolitan and hybrid identities within it. After describing the impact of neoliberalism, particularly the spatial re/organization of the city into “old Dubai” and “new Dubai,” Vora focuses on how
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Indians in the old Dubai creek area of downtown experience the city as simultaneously an extension of India and distinct from the Indian nation-state. Rooted in established trade networks dating back more than a century and rife with sights, sounds, and smells of Indian and Pakistani stores, businesses, food, music, and clothes, downtown Dubai, in sharp contrast to other ethnic enclaves in the West, evokes a sense of “Indianness” (p.71) divorced from any nostalgia for home among residents. One of the most interesting aspects of this discussion highlights the differences within the middleand working-class Indian diaspora. This discussion would have benefitted, however, from the well-established literature on the Indian middle class, particularly the difference between the old and the new middle class. Chapter Three explores elite and businessmen’s narratives about belonging linked to a masculinist nostalgia for Dubai’s somewhat illicit, risk-laden, gold industry in which Indians historically played an important role. Vora argues that while Indian businessmen refuse any formal political claims to the state, this refusal and adherence to distinct community boundaries between the Indian and Emirati culture ironically further cemented the idea of an ethnically Arab nation-state. There is a useful description here of the guest worker (Kafala) system that explains how foreign workers must be sponsored by an Emirati citizen to live in Dubai, which is the root cause of exploitation of many migrant workers. However, Vora explains that in reality, many foreign businessmen themselves (including the Indians she interviewed) recruit and manage migrant workers through their own ethnic/national networks. These practices of
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governance and control of immigrant Indian businessmen over other
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Mafia and Institutional Power in Italy In the early 1990s, investigations of the Italian judiciary began to reveal extensive networks of corrupt dealings between political parties, industrial companies and in some instances criminal organizations, aimed at personal aggrandisement and the control of power and resources. Although no party has emerged entirely unscathed, those most heavily implicated are the Christian Democratic party (DC) and the Socialist party (PSI), the principal partners of nearly every government coalition since the Second World War. The anger and disillusionment felt by many Italians at the colossal scale of the corruption perpetrated by their political leaders led to a mass desertion of the traditional centrist parties and their virtual collapse in the 1993 administrative elections. In the southern regions, or mezzogiorno, Mafia organizations have played an important role in influencing the form and exercise of institutional power: through political-business alliances they have gained power, respectability and economic prosperity as well as considerable judicial impunity. The fall from grace of the Mafia’s political interlocutors has not so far brought organized crime to its knees despite the wave of arrests of 1993 and there is concern as to the future political intentions of still-powerful criminal groups who will undoubtedly act to protect their wealth and privileges and to influence political developments in their favour.
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Estimation-based run-time power profile flattening for RF-powered smart card systems Power-constrained systems, such as RF-powered smart cards are gaining increased significance in the embedded system's domain. These systems are highly susceptible to supply voltage drops caused by power peak regions that impact on the system stability. Power profile flattening mechanisms have emerged as an effective power peak countermeasure to enhance system reliability. In this paper we present a hardware power profile flattening approach by employing system-level DVFS adaptions coupled with a hardware power estimation architecture. The exploitation of hardware-accelerated real-time power estimation techniques replaces costly analog on-chip power measurements and enables the dynamic control of the system's power consumption in a purely digital manner. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach by conducting power profiling and voltage drop analysis of a deep-submicron RF-powered smart card system.
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Thermal Decomposition Characteristics and Drying Process of Municipal Sludge Using cement kiln dispose sludge from sewage plants can achieve the sludge stabilization, harmless, reduction and resource comprehensive utilization purposes. This is Not only to solve the problem of sludge treatment which is difficult to solve by sewage treatment plant, but also to make full use of the sewage treatment plant sludge to replace part of cement clinker production materials. And it makes full use of sludge incineration emitted in the process of low calorific value. Municipal sludge contains more moisture. It is necessary to dry the sludge outside the kiln before entering kiln process. As cement kiln co-processing, it should be combined with the characteristics of NSP clinker production, it is necessary to not only consider the total energy consumption of the drying process, but also the re-use of dried sludge heat value, as well as consider the total of water into the kiln by drying sludge affecting the whole clinker production process. In this paper, with the initial solid content 20%, dry heating value 3400 cal/g sludge as a research object, the moisture morphology, thermal characteristics, drying technological parameters and composition of water after drying in sludge were analysed. This issue combines sludge drying with cement kiln disposal, which can not only solve the heat and odor problem during the individual sludge drying process, but also provide a theoretical basis for cement kilns co-disposal of municipal sewage sludge to achieve the purposes of sludge stabilization, harmless, minimization and resource utilization.
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Automorphisms of one-sided subshifts of finite type Abstract We prove that the automorphism group of a one-sided subshift of finite type is generated by elements of finite order. For one-sided full shifts we characterize the finite subgroups of the automorphism group. For one-sided subshifts of finite type we show that there are strong restrictions on the finite subgroups of the automorphism group.
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Early Childhood Education in Pakistan: An International Slogan Waiting for National Attention The World Conference on Education for All (1990) stated that learning begins at birth. The Dakar Framework for Action (2000) included the expansion and improvement of early childhood care and education as the first of six global goals. A number of countries have launched a variety of efforts to meet their global commitment to the development of care and education services for their young children. Pakistan is one of the signatories of the Education for All movement. However, Pakistan has not nationally agreed to implement a systematic scheme of early childhood education. Thus, Pakistan is considered ‘far behind’ in its progress towards meeting the goal of early childhood education. One strategy in some countries has been to use mothers in the education of the young. However, this policy option is problematic in Pakistan, since educating mothers to become literate and more knowledgeable about contemporary childrearing will require far more extensive efforts and resources than in other countries. This article is an effort to uncover the basic issues around early childhood education in Pakistan and to provide practicable, research-based suggestions regarding early childhood education.
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Low-Latency Low-Energy Memory-Cube Networks using Dual-Voltage Datapaths Three-dimensional stack memory that provides both high-bandwidth access and large capacity is a promising technology for next-generation computer systems. While a large number of memory cubes increase the aggregate memory capacity, the communication latency and power consumption would become significant due to its low-radix large-diameter packet network. In this context, we propose a memory-cube network called Diagonal Memory Network (DMN). A diagonal network topology, its floor layout, and its lightweight router are designed for low-latency and low-voltage memory-read communication. Our evaluation results show that a DMN router decreases 31% of the hardware resources than a conventional virtual-channel router. The DMN router reduces 13% and 67% energy consumption to transit a packet along with the original datapath and bypassing datapath, respectively.
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Effect of inhaled procaterol on cough receptor sensitivity to capsaicin in patients with asthma or chronic bronchitis and in normal subjects. BACKGROUND--To evaluate the effect of inhaled beta 2 adrenergic agonists on the sensitivity of airway cough receptors, the effect of inhaled procaterol on cough induced by aerosolised capsaicin, a stimulant of C fibres, was studied in patients with asthma or chronic bronchitis and in normal subjects. METHOD--Eleven patients with asthma and 10 with chronic bronchitis and 14 normal subjects participated. Increasing concentrations of capsaicin solution were inhaled for 15 seconds by tidal breathing through the mouth at one minute intervals until five or more coughs were elicited, before and 30 minutes after inhalation of 20 micrograms procaterol or placebo (freon gas alone) through a metered dose inhaler. Cough threshold was defined as the lowest concentration of capsaicin that elicited five or more coughs. To evaluate the bronchodilator effect of procaterol and the bronchoconstrictor effect of inhaled capsaicin, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was measured before and one minute after a capsaicin provocation test. This test was carried out both before and 30 minutes after treatment with procaterol or placebo. RESULTS--The geometric mean value of cough threshold to capsaicin was significantly increased by procaterol and placebo in both groups of patients but not in the control subjects. The increment in the cough threshold was not significantly different between the treatments with procaterol and placebo in each group. FEV1 was significantly increased by procaterol but not by placebo in all three groups. CONCLUSIONS--Inhaled procaterol has
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no effect on airway cough receptor sensitivity to capsaicin. The attenuation of the cough sensitivity seen after inhalation of procaterol in patients with asthma and bronchitis may result from tachyphylaxis to capsaicin.
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Microvascular endothelial cells increase proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of native human acute myelogenous leukemia blasts Interactions between acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) blasts and neighbouring endothelial cells in the bone marrow seem important both for disease development and susceptibility to chemotherapy. We investigated the effects of soluble mediators released by microvascular endothelial cells on native human AML cells. AML cells derived from 33 patients were cocultured with microvascular endothelial cells, separated by a semipermeable membrane. We investigated the effect of coculture on AML cell proliferation, viability/apoptosis and cytokine release. Coculture increased AML cell proliferation, and this growth enhancement included the clonogenic leukemia cell subset. Increased release of several soluble mediators was also detected (interleukin 3, interleukin 6, granulocyte‐macrophage and granulocyte colony‐stimulating factors) in cocultures. Our cytokine neutralization experiments suggest that an intercellular crosstalk involving several soluble mediators contribute to the increased leukemia cell proliferation. The presence of endothelial cells had an additional antiapoptotic effect on the AML cells. The endothelial cells did not have any growth‐enhancing effect on native human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. Our in vitro results suggest that the release of soluble mediators by microvascular endothelial cells supports leukemic hematopoiesis through paracrine mechanisms by direct enhancement of AML blast proliferation and by inhibition of leukemic cell apoptosis. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
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Microphase Behavior and Enhanced Wet-Cohesion of Synthetic Copolyampholytes Inspired by a Mussel Foot Protein. Numerous attempts have been made to translate mussel adhesion to diverse synthetic platforms. However, the translation remains largely limited to the Dopa (3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) or catechol functionality, which continues to raise concerns about Dopa's inherent susceptibility to oxidation. Mussels have evolved adaptations to stabilize Dopa against oxidation. For example, in mussel foot protein 3 slow (mfp-3s, one of two electrophoretically distinct interfacial adhesive proteins in mussel plaques), the high proportion of hydrophobic amino acid residues in the flanking sequence around Dopa increases Dopa's oxidation potential. In this study, copolyampholytes, which combine the catechol functionality with amphiphilic and ionic features of mfp-3s, were synthesized and formulated as coacervates for adhesive deposition on surfaces. The ratio of hydrophilic/hydrophobic as well as cationic/anionic units was varied in order to enhance coacervate formation and wet adhesion properties. Aqueous solutions of two of the four mfp-3s-inspired copolymers showed coacervate-like spherical microdroplets (ϕ ≈ 1-5 μm at pH ∼4 (salt concentration ∼15 mM). The mfp-3s-mimetic copolymer was stable to oxidation, formed coacervates that spread evenly over mica, and strongly bonded to mica surfaces (pull-off strength: ∼17.0 mJ/m(2)). Increasing pH to 7 after coacervate deposition at pH 4 doubled the bonding strength to ∼32.9 mJ/m(2) without oxidative cross-linking and is about 9 times higher than native mfp-3s cohesion. This study expands the scope of translating mussel adhesion from simple Dopa-functionalization to mimicking the context of the local environment around Dopa.
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Effect of human adrenomedullin on vascular resistance of the canine tibia An ex vivo model of a perfused canine tibia was used to investigate the effect of human adrenomedullin, a novel peptide with known vasodilator properties, on the vascular resistance of bone. Human adrenomedullin has a potent and long‐lasting vasodilator effect in the canine tibia following precontraction of vascular smooth muscle by infusion of prostaglandin F2α. A 0.1 ml bolus injection of 10−5 M human adrenomedullin suppressed the pressor response of the canine tibia preparation to an infusion of norepinephrine by 43–52% for a duration of 100 minutes. An injection of 10−6 adrenomedullin suppressed the pressor response to an infusion of norepinephrine by 22–23% for a duration of 40 minutes. These data suggest that human adrenomedullin may be a potent and long‐acting vascular smooth‐muscle relaxant in bone.
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Carcinoma in situ of the testis in infertile men. A histological, immunocytochemical, and cytophotometric study of DNA content Of 723 infertile men (128 with a history of cryptorchidism) whose testes were biopsied at the outer lateral face of the testis, five presented carcinoma in situ (CIS) in one testis. These testes were removed, serially sectioned, and examined by light microscopy. In order to evaluate whether only one or two biopsies are sufficient to diagnose CIS, before sectioning the testes four biopsies were taken at the anterior face, posterior face, superior pole, and inferior pole of the testis, respectively. Two of the five men had undergone orchiopexy in infancy and the testis contained tubules with Sertoli cells and isolated spermatogonia. CIS was also present in some tubules that were principally located near the rete testis. Of the four simulated biopsies, only that performed at the posterior face of the testis revealed CIS. The other three infertile men showed tubules with complete, although reduced, spermatogenesis, and tubules lined by Sertoli cells only. CIS was found in both types of tubules. These tubules with CIS formed lobules that extended throughout the testicular parenchyma. Most simulated biopsies performed in these three testes showed CIS. The average nuclear DNA content of CIS cells was about 4c in all testes. This content was similar both in tubules with complete spermatogenesis and in tubules with Sertoli cells only.
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Identification of lipid metabolism-related genes as prognostic indicators in papillary thyroid cancer. Lipid metabolism plays important roles not only in the structural basis and energy supply of healthy cells but also in the oncogenesis and progression of cancers. In this study, we investigated the prognostic value of lipid metabolism-related genes in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). The recurrence predictive gene signature was developed and internally and externally validated based on PTC datasets including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GSE33630 datasets. Univariate, LASSO, and multivariate Cox regression analysis were applied to assess prognostic genes and build the prognostic gene signature. The expression profiles of prognostic genes were further determined by immunohistochemistry of tissue microarray using in-house cohorts, which enrolled 97 patients. Kaplan-Meier curve, time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve, nomogram, and decision curve analyses were used to assess the performance of the gene signature. We identified four recurrence-related genes, PDZK1IP1, TMC3, LRP2 and KCNJ13, and established a four-gene signature recurrence risk model. The expression profiles of the four genes in the TCGA and in-house cohort indicated that stage T1/T2 PTC and locally advanced PTC exhibit notable associations not only with clinicopathological parameters but also with recurrence. Calibration analysis plots indicate the excellent predictive performance of the prognostic nomogram constructed based on the gene signature. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis showed that high-risk cases exhibit changes in several important tumorigenesis-related pathways, such as the intestinal immune network and the p53 and Hedgehog signaling pathways. Our results indicate that lipid metabolism-related gene profiling represents a potential marker for prognosis and
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treatment decisions for PTC patients.
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Recombinant sickle hemoglobin containing a lysine substitution at Asp-85(alpha): expression in yeast, functional properties, and participation in gel formation. Clinical modalities based on inhibition of gelation of HbS are hindered by the lack of quantitative information on the extent of participation of different amino acid residues in the aggregation process. One such site is Asp-85(alpha), which is involved in a parallel interdouble strand ionic interaction with Lys-144(beta) according to the crystal structure of HbS, but electron microscopy does not specifically show Asp-85(alpha) as a contact site for fiber formation. Using a yeast recombinant system, we have substituted this site by Lys to abolish ion pairing and to make a quantitative determination of its participation in aggregation. The purified double mutant was shown to have the expected pI, the calculated molecular weight, correct amino acid composition, and peptide map. The recombinant double mutant has an oxygen affinity of 10 mm Hg, which is identical to that for HbA and HbS under the same conditions; it also has high cooperativity with an average n value of 2.7. The change in P50 in response to chloride ions was about 25% less than that for HbA or HbS and is ascribed to the introduction of a new positive charge near one of the major oxygen-linked chloride binding sites of hemoglobin. The gelation concentration of the double mutant was measured by a new procedure (Bookchin et al, 1994); the maximal amount of soluble hemoglobin (Csat) in the presence of dextran indicated a decreased tendency for gelation with a Csat of 53
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mg/mL compared with 34 mg/mL for HbS. This inhibitory effect is smaller than that of the E6V(beta)/L88A(beta) (Csat, 67 mg/mL) and the E6V(beta)/K95I(beta) (Csat, 90 mg/mL) recombinant hemoglobins. Thus, we would classify Asp-85(alpha) as a moderate contributor to the strength of the HbS aggregate. This wide range of gelation values demonstrates that some sites are more important than others in promoting HbS aggregation.
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Conceptions of the Internet in Everyday Life Information Seeking Based on the interviews of 18 people in Finland in 2001-2, conceptions of the Internet as an information source were explored. In general, the conceptions reflect the acceptability, accessibility and usability of Internet sources. Most conceptions appeared to be quite impressionistic, reflecting the basic difficulty of describing the constantly changing nature of the Internet. Two major kinds of Internet conceptions were identified. First, in metaphorical conceptions, the Internet was primarily conceived in terms of space or place, for example, a library or a bazaar. Second, conceptions based on actual use experiences of the Internet significantly drew on quality judgments of the networked services. Since a growing number of information sources of various types are competing for people’s attention, general level conceptions of sources and channels will gain importance as a criterion by which sources will be accepted or rejected. This seems to be a particular characteristic of networked information environments.
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Extractors for Images of Varieties We construct explicit deterministic extractors for polynomial images of varieties, that is, distributions sampled by applying a low-degree polynomial map $f : \mathbb{F}_q^r \to \mathbb{F}_q^n$ to an element sampled uniformly at random from a $k$-dimensional variety $V \subseteq \mathbb{F}_q^r$. This class of sources generalizes both polynomial sources, studied by Dvir, Gabizon and Wigderson (FOCS 2007, Comput. Complex. 2009), and variety sources, studied by Dvir (CCC 2009, Comput. Complex. 2012). Assuming certain natural non-degeneracy conditions on the map $f$ and the variety $V$, which in particular ensure that the source has enough min-entropy, we extract almost all the min-entropy of the distribution. Unlike the Dvir-Gabizon-Wigderson and Dvir results, our construction works over large enough finite fields of arbitrary characteristic. One key part of our construction is an improved deterministic rank extractor for varieties. As a by-product, we obtain explicit Noether normalization lemmas for affine varieties and affine algebras. Additionally, we generalize a construction of affine extractors with exponentially small error due to Bourgain, Dvir and Leeman (Comput. Complex. 2016) by extending it to all finite prime fields of quasipolynomial size.
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Bending effects in a flexible dual gated graphene FET: A Verilog-A model implementation This paper presents the Verilog-A implementation of charge control based model of dual gated graphene field effect transistor (GFET) and initial results towards bending induced changes in their electrical response. The ambipolar region of the device has been described using the saturation and displacement current models. The output characteristics derived from Verilog — A simulation is in good agreement with the reported experimental results. The model has been extended to study the behaviour of a bendable GFET and the simulation indicates negligible change in the electrical properties in the test range of bending.
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Reaction of Ni2Cp2(mu-CO)2 with the alkylgallium(I) and alkylindium(I) compounds E4[C(SiMe3)3]4 (E = Ga, In). Insertion of E-R groups into the Ni-Ni bond versus replacement of CO by the isolobal E-R ligands. The monomeric fragment In-C(SiMe3)3 was inserted into the Ni-Ni bond of Ni2Cp2(mu-CO)2 upon treatment of the carbonyl complex with the tetraindium(I) compound In4[C(SiMe3)3]4, 1, in a molar ratio of 4 to 1. The product (3) contains an indium atom coordinated to one alkyl substituent and two Ni(Cp)CO groups in a planar coordination sphere. Reaction of the starting compounds in a molar ratio of 2 to 1 led to the replacement of both CO ligands by two InR groups. A compound (4) was formed that is isostructural to the carbonyl nickel complex and has a Ni2 couple bridged by two InR ligands and two terminally coordinated cyclopentadienyl groups. The insertion product was not observed with the gallium derivative Ga4[C(SiMe3)3]4 (2); instead, a nickel gallium complex (5) analogous to 4 containing two bridging GaR ligands was isolated as the only product regardless of the ratio of the starting compounds. On the basis of quantum chemical calculations, we conclude that there is no evidence for an In-In or Ga-Ga bond in complexes 4 or 5, respectively. This, however, supports a butterfly geometry, which is isostructural to the starting carbonyl complex Ni2Cp2(mu-CO)2.
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Rapid Cancer Detection by Topically Spraying a γ-Glutamyltranspeptidase–Activated Fluorescent Probe A spirocyclic-caged, small-molecule imaging probe fluoresces upon cleavage by a cancer-specific enzyme and can be used during surgical or endoscopic tumor removal procedures. No Tumor Left Behind Although quick action with spray paint usually conjures images of a schoolboy prank, researchers now show that spray painting of tiny tumors might save lives by illuminating these troublemakers that are often overlooked by the naked eye. Ovarian cancer is a deadly gynecological disease, considering its propensity for invading the peritoneal cavity and depositing tumors throughout. Surgeons can miss these disseminated tumors during surgical removal of cancerous lesions, owing to their small size (~1 mm) and unclear borders. To help surgeons visualize and eliminate these clandestine killers, Urano et al. have developed a small-molecule aminopeptidase probe that fluoresces upon contact with cancer cells. The probe—γ-glutamyl hydroxymethyl rhodamine green (gGlu-HMRG)—is intramolecularly caged, so that it is quenched (nonfluorescent) in its “off” state. When the probe encounters cancer cells, which overexpress the enzyme γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), the gGlu is cleaved, simultaneously turning “on” the fluorescent HMRG. Urano and colleagues first tested the probe in 11 human ovarian cancer cell lines in vitro and observed rapid fluorescence within 10 min after addition of the imaging agent to the cell cultures. They next moved into several mouse models of disseminated human peritoneal ovarian cancer, using a spray formulation of the probe that allowed the researchers to topically apply the probe during surgery or endoscopy. Within 1 min of spraying the tumors, gGlu-HMRG was enzymatically
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cleaved, revealing a bright fluorescent region of the peritoneal cavity in which the cancerous lesions were located. These small nodules were quickly and completely removed from living animals with forceps, demonstrating the power of rapid fluorescence-guided tumor resection. This gGlu-based fluorescent probe as well as several other aminopeptidase–based reagents identified by the authors could help surgeons to track down tiny tumors dispersed throughout body cavities, ensuring that no residual tumor is left behind. Complete obliteration of disseminated tumors should improve cancer outcomes after surgery. The ability of the unaided human eye to detect small cancer foci or accurate borders between cancer and normal tissue during surgery or endoscopy is limited. Fluorescent probes are useful for enhancing visualization of small tumors but are typically limited by either high background signal or the requirement for administration hours to days before use. We synthesized a rapidly activatable, cancer-selective fluorescence imaging probe, γ-glutamyl hydroxymethyl rhodamine green (gGlu-HMRG), with intramolecular spirocyclic caging for complete quenching. Activation occurs by rapid one-step cleavage of glutamate with γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), which is not expressed in normal tissue, but is overexpressed on the cell membrane of various cancer cells, thus leading to complete uncaging and dequenching of the fluorescence probe. In vitro activation of gGlu-HMRG was evident in 11 human ovarian cancer cell lines tested. In vivo in mouse models of disseminated human peritoneal ovarian cancer, activation of gGlu-HMRG occurred within 1 min of topically spraying the tumor, creating high signal contrast between the tumor and the background. The gGlu-HMRG probe is practical for clinical application
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during surgical or endoscopic procedures because of its rapid and strong activation upon contact with GGT on the surface of cancer cells.
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Intentionality and Causality in John Searle Intentionality, as Brentano originally introduced the term in modern philosophy, was meant to provide a distinctive characteristic definitively separating the mental from the physical. Mental states have an intrinsic relationship to an object, to that which they are ‘about.’ Physical entities just are what they are, they cannot, by their very essence, refer to anything, they have no ‘outreach,’ as one might put it. Mental states have, as it were, an incomplete essence, they cannot exist at all unless they are completed by something other than themselves, their object. Brentano's position is opposed to all theories which represent the mental as only extrinsically related to the world, that is, to all theories in which mental states are themselves self-sufficient for their own existence and only secondarily relate to the world by means of something external to their nature, e.g., neurological causation, divine intervention, or preestablished harmony.
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Three Women of Liège. A Critical Edition of and Commentary on the Middle English Lives of Elizabeth of Spalbeek, Christina Mirabilis, and Marie d’Oignies (review) I ask would probably never have arisen in the first place. Despite a few areas in which it might have thought through the nature of its analysis a bit more carefully, this edition of Hm/Hm2, in sum, offers unprecedented amounts of data and the ability to manipulate that data, as well as outstanding editorial, textual, and linguistic analysis. It is a revelatory experience to study Piers Plowman in this way. Doing so brings us much closer to what the poem meant to, and what it was for, fifteenth-century readers than can almost any other mode (direct reading of the manuscripts themselves included). Calabrese, Duggan, and Turville-Petre’s accomplishment is magnificent, the product of as much labor and as high a level of critical acumen as one usually finds in only the very best authorfocused critical editions. One can only hope that critics of Piers Plowman will finally begin exploring what is on offer in the Piers Plowman Electronic Archive. Lawrence Warner University of Sydney
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Effect of simultaneous dual-task training on regional cerebral blood flow in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. BACKGROUND No previous study has examined the effect of dual-task training using changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) as an outcome. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the effects of simultaneous dual-task training of exercise and cognitive tasks on rCBF using SPECT in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). METHODS In this non-randomized control trial, 40 older adults with aMCI participated from May 2016 to April 2018. Outpatients in the intervention group (n = 22) underwent 24 sessions (12 months) of dual-task training twice a month for 60 mins per session. Participants in the control group (n = 18) continued to have regular outpatient visits. The primary outcome was rCBF at baseline and after 12 months, which was compared in each group using the two-sample t-test. The secondary outcomes were the rate of reversion and conversion from aMCI after 12 months. RESULTS Of the 22 participants in the intervention group, six dropped out; therefore, 16 were included in the analysis. The intervention group showed more significant increases in rCBF in multiple regions, including the bilateral frontal lobes, compared with the control group. However, the rates of reversion or conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were not significantly different. CONCLUSION Dual-task training for older adults with aMCI increased rCBF in the frontal gyrus but did not promote reversion from MCI to normal cognition. Future intervention studies, such as follow-up examinations
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250090810
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