bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synergetics of artificial cognitive systems nonequilibrium stability
Authors: Gribkov Andrei Armovich , Zelenskii Aleksandr Aleksandrovich
Published: June 2024

The article explores a set of issues determining the synergetics of artificial cognitive systems: conditions for the realization of non-equilibrium stability of systems, synthesis options of artificial cognitive system, as well as mechanisms of self-organization of consciousness formed on its basis. Artificial cognitive systems are proposed to include not only artificial intelligence systems imitating human thinking, but any multilevel systems that perform the functions of recognizing and remembering information, decision-making, storage, explanation, understanding and production of new knowledge. The defining property of a cognitive system is the ability to make decisions. It is shown that the content of the cognitive system is consciousness, interpreted within the framework of the information concept as an information environment in which the extended model of reality is realized. Consciousness can be qualified as an open dynamic system. The state of such systems is determined by the processes occurring in them (thought processes – in the case of consciousness). For such systems, called "living", there is a realization of mechanisms of stable disequilibrium. The implementation of an artificial cognitive system is technically carried out on the basis of an artificial neural network, and organizationally – according to the actor or reactor model. Self-organization processes determining the synergetics of consciousness are a special case of the extreme principle, which is a consequence of the law of excessive reaction of supersystems, regulating the existence of dissipative systems at the expense of supersystem resources. The initiation of self-organization of consciousness is carried out by the process of thinking, which, due to the non-equilibrium stability of consciousness, does not stop. Thus thinking can be interpreted as a process of varying system parameters in search of suitable ones for extended modeling of reality.
A Computational Exploration: Docking Analysis of Compounds from Foeniculum vulgare as Potential Aromatase Inhibitors for Endometriosis Candidate Therapy
Authors:   Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia, Anita Suryandari Dwi , Sari Puji ,   Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia, Sunaryo Hadi ,   Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Science, Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof. DR.  Hamka, Indonesia, Anbar Istiadi Khaerunissa ,   Biology Study Programme, Faculty of Science, Institut Teknologi Sumatera, Indonesia
Published: June 2024

Aromatase inhibitors (AI) have controlling symptoms and size of endometriotic implants, making them a promising second-line therapy for endometriosis treatment.pretreatment with letrozole, an AI, combined with leuprolide acetate and resveratrol has been found to improve in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes in women mild endometriosis.in this study we screening and analysis of ten phenolic compounds from Foeniculum vulgare using molecular docking with Mcole server.from this results showed that three phenolic trans resveratrol (TR), caempherol coumaril (CC) have low gibbs energy compare with resveratrol (R). The binding modalities of compound TR and compound R were hydrogen-bonding between the hydroxyl and oxygen atom and Thr310 and hydrophobic interactions with Phe187, Ala272, Asp275, Ala189.and compound R exhibited cation-π interactions between Val336 as binding activity from aromatase.aromatase inhibitors and resveratrolfrom fennel lies in the potential of resveratrol to modulate hormonal pathways, including aromatase inhibition.
Molecular basis of neurodegeneration in a mouse model of Polr3-related disease
Authors: Moir Robyn D. , Merheb Emilio , Chitu Violeta , Stanley E. Richard , Willis Ian M.
Published: June 2024

Pathogenic variants in subunits of RNA polymerase (Pol) III cause a spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases including 4H leukodystrophy. Disease onset occurs from infancy to early adulthood and is associated with a variable range and severity of neurological and non-neurological features. The molecular basis of disease pathogenesis is unknown. We developed a postnatal whole-body mouse model expressing pathogenic
Polr3a
mutations to examine the molecular mechanisms by which reduced Pol III transcription results primarily in central nervous system phenotypes.
Polr3a
mutant mice exhibit behavioral deficits, cerebral pathology and exocrine pancreatic atrophy. Transcriptome and immunohistochemistry analyses of cerebra during disease progression show a reduction in most Pol III transcripts, induction of innate immune and integrated stress responses and cell type-specific gene expression changes reflecting neuron and oligodendrocyte loss and microglial activation. Earlier in the disease when integrated stress and innate immune responses are minimally induced, mature tRNA sequencing revealed a global reduction in tRNA levels and an altered tRNA profile but no changes in other Pol III transcripts. Thus, changes in the size and/or composition of the tRNA pool have a causal role in disease initiation. Our findings reveal different tissue- and brain region-specific sensitivities to a defect in Pol III transcription.
Exploring the repository of de novo designed bifunctional antimicrobial peptides through deep learning
Authors: Dong Ruihan , Liu Rongrong , Liu Ziyu , Liu Yangang , Zhao Gaomei , Li Honglei , Hou Shiyuan , Ma Xiaohan , Kang Huarui , Liu Jing , Guo Fei , Zhao Ping , Wang Junping , Wang Cheng , Wu Xingan , Ye Sheng , Zhu Cheng
Published: June 2024

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are attractive candidates to combat antibiotic resistance for their capability to target bio-membranes and restrict a wide range of pathogens. It is a daunting challenge to discover novel AMPs due to their sparse distributions in a vast peptide universe, especially for peptides that demonstrate potencies for both bacterial membranes and viral envelopes. Here we establish a
de novo
AMP design framework by bridging a deep generative module and a graph-encoding activity regressor. The generative module learns hidden ‘grammars’ of AMP features and produces candidates sequentially pass antimicrobial predictor and antiviral classifiers. We discover three bifunctional AMPs and experimentally validated their abilities to inhibit a spectrum of pathogens
in vitro
and in animal models. Notably, P076 is a highly potent bactericide with the minimal inhibitory concentration of 0.21 μM against multidrug-resistant
A. baumannii
, while P002 broadly inhibits five enveloped viruses. Our study provides feasible means to uncover sequences that simultaneously encode antimicrobial and antiviral activities, thus bolstering the function spectra of AMPs to combat a wide range of drug-resistant infections.
Nitric oxide modulates contrast suppression in a subset of mouse retinal ganglion cells
Authors: Gonschorek Dominic , Goldin Matías A , Oesterle Jonathan , Schwerd-Kleine Tom , Arlinghaus Ryan , Zhao Zhijian , Schubert Timm , Marre Olivier , Euler Thomas
Published: June 2024

Neuromodulators have major influences on the regulation of neural circuit activity across the nervous system. Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to be a prominent neuromodulator in many circuits and has been extensively studied in the retina. Here, it has been associated with the regulation of light adaptation, gain control, and gap junctional coupling, but its effect on the retinal output, specifically on the different types of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), is still poorly understood. In this study, we used two-photon Ca2+ imaging and multi-electrode array (MEA) recordings to measure light-evoked activity of RGCs in the ganglion cell layer in the ex vivo mouse retina. This approach allowed us to investigate the neuromodulatory effects of NO on a cell type-level. Our findings reveal that NO selectively modulates the suppression of temporal responses in a distinct subset of contrast-suppressed RGC types, increasing their activity without altering the spatial properties of their receptive fields. Given that under photopic conditions, NO release is triggered by quick changes in light levels, we propose that these RGC types signal fast contrast changes to higher visual regions. Remarkably, we found that about one-third of the RGC types, recorded using two-photon Ca2+ imaging, exhibited consistent, cell type-specific adaptational response changes throughout an experiment, independent of NO. By employing a sequential-recording paradigm, we could disentangle those additional adaptational response changes from drug-induced modulations. Taken together, our research highlights the selective neuromodulatory effects of NO on RGCs and emphasizes the need of considering non-pharmacological activity changes, like adaptation, in such study designs.
Comprehensive Analysis of Factors Associated With Helicobacter pylori Eradication Therapy
Authors: Song Myung Jin , Jung Byung Wook , Park Chan Hyuk
Published: June 2024

Objectives: Associated factors for the failure of Helicobacter pylori (HP) eradication have been evaluated in many studies; however, the different study population of previous studies prevents us from understanding the comparative risk between factors. We aimed to comprehensively investigate factors associated with successful HP eradication based on a single study population.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of adults diagnosed with HP infection between March 2021 and October 2022 at Hanyang University Guri Hospital. The study categorized eradication treatment methods based on the type of acid blockers (proton pump inhibitor [PPI] or potassium-competitive acid blocker [P-CAB]), antibiotic combination, and treatment duration. Demographics and clarithromycin-resistance mutation status were also considered as potential factors of HP eradication.Results: A total of 554 patients who received first-line HP eradication therapy were included. In the full-analysis set, the eradication rates according to the regimen were as follows: 7-day tegoprazan-based triple, 61.6%; 14-day tegoprazan-based triple, 77.5%; 14-day rabeprazole-based triple, 71.1%; 10-day rabeprazole-based concomitant, 73.1%; 10-day tegoprazan-based concomitant, 80.5%. The 14-day triple and 10-day concomitant therapies showed a superior eradication rate to the 7-day triple therapy regardless of the type of acid blockers (PPI or P-CAB). Additionally, clarithromycin-resistance mutation was the strongest predictor for eradication failure (hazard ratio 9.86 [95% confidence interval, 2.07–46.97]).Conclusions: The 14-day triple and 10-day concomitant therapy was superior to the 7-day triple therapy regardless of PPI or P-CAB use. However, clarithromycin-resistance mutation status was a more powerful predictor for HP eradication than the type of antibiotics and treatment duration.
Studies on the Nutritional, Minerals, Mineral Ratio, Anti-nutritional, Molar Ratio and Antioxidant Compositions of Four Selected Leafy Wild Vegetables in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
Authors: M. Janet Ayeni , S. Dele Oyeyemi , T. Favour Olaleye , B. Gladys Adeleke
Published: June 2024

The study investigated the nutritional, mineral Anti-nutritional factors, molar ratios and antioxidants compositions in the leaves of four selected wild edible vegetables (Piper guinensis, Piper umbelatum, Celosia argentia and Jatropha tajorensis) collected in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. The proximate, minerals and anti-nutrient compositions of the samples were determined using standard procedures. Also antioxidant activity of the samples were detected using standard assays such as 1, 1, diphenyl-2-2 picrylhydrazyl (DDPH) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential (FRAP).The mineral ratio, molar ratio and Mineral Safety Index were calculated from mineral results. The results of the proximate compositions for the four wild vegetables for moisture content,  ash, crude fat, crude fiber, crude protein and carbohydrate ranged from 11.16 - 12.15%, 2.76-4.03%, 4.07 -7.31%, 13.33-16.73%, 7.36 – 10.09%, and 52.09 -58.22% respectively,. The results of the mineral composition revealed high content of K, moderate content of Ca, P, and low contents of Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu and very low concentrations of Pb and Ni. Cd was absent in all the samples investigated. Zn/Cu and Fe/Cu ratios indicated low copper load. Antinutrients factors in the vegetable were low with the exception of phytate which can be reduced to non-toxic level through boiling or cooking. The calculated mole ratio for [Phy][Zn], [Ca]/[Phy], [Phy]/[Fe] and [Ca][Phy]/[Zn] conformed with the standard values. The results of the antioxidant properties showed that the wild vegetables are good natural antioxidant sources. The assessment of the vegetables showed that they are rich sources of crude protein, crude fiber and carbohydrate with high energy calories. The mineral ratios and mineral safety index suggested that the minerals could not pose any mineral load to human body. Hence, the vegetables could be explored as supplement diet for man. The vegetables could provide the needed nutrition health benefit and also help in addressing the problem of food security in Nigeria.
Study on Physical Properties of Groundnut Cultivated in Andhra Pradesh for Design of Remote-Operated Groundnut Planter
Authors: Malathi K. Madhu , Rao A. Srinivasa , Kiran B. Raj , Babu R. Ganesh
Published: June 2024

Physical properties of groundnut seeds play an important role in designing the cell size of seed metering device, the thickness of metering disc, the diameter of metering device and the design of seed hopper for the development of remote-operated groundnut planter. The present study describes the measurement of the physical properties of four groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) varieties namely K-6 (Kadiri-6), Kadiri Lepakshi, Tag-24 (Trombay Akola Groundnut-24) and Dharani using standard measuring procedures. The results obtained for four varieties revealed that the seed length, width and thickness vary from 10.29 ± 1.11 to 17.52 ± 0.76 mm, 6.15 ± 0.39 to 9.51 ± 0.46 mm and 5.48 ± 0.33 to 8.59 ± 0.47 mm, respectively. The geometric mean diameter, arithmetic mean diameter and surface area varied from 7.39 ± 0.15 to 10.58 ± 0.36 mm, 7.87 ± 0.32 to 11.13 ± 0.45 mm, and 171.98 ± 6.89 to 352.21 ± 24.54 mm2, respectively. The Sphericity and Aspect Ratio varied from 55.51 ± 2.99 to 81.36 ± 6.87 % and 42.40 ± 4.16 to 77.82 ± 8.86 %, respectively. The Moisture Content (db.), bulk density, true density, porosity, hundred seeds weight and Angle of Repose for four different groundnut varieties are obtained as 5.25 to 10.45 %, 605.8 to 691.49 kg/m3, 1008.12 to 1123.4 kg/m3, 32.25 to 46.05 %, 30.485 to 45.62 g and 26.32 to 36.58º, respectively. The maximum values of axial dimensions were considered for design of seed metering device cell. The parameters of bulk density, test weight, and angle of repose were useful in the design of the seed hopper.
Der Ausgleichsanspruch des Handelsvertreters nach slowenischem Recht im Lichte der EU-Richtlinie 653/86 — The commercial agent’s indemnity under Slovenian law in the light of EU Directive 653/86
Authors: Kerčmar Sebastjan
Published: June 2024

The article outlines the regime for commercial agent’s indemnity in the Slovenian legal system. Although the indemnity regime in all EU member states is based on the Commercial Agents Directive, the Slovenian regime deviates significantly from the German regime, which was supposedly drawn upon by the Slovenian legislature, as well as from other comparable regimes. It is therefore essential for economic operators entering the Slovenian market to have an understanding of the indemnity regime under Slovenian law. In the article, the author explains the prerequisites for a commercial agent’s entitlement to indemnity under the specific Slovenian regime, discusses the compatibility of the Slovenian regime with the Commercial Agents Directive, explains other important differences compared to other regimes, and finally discusses the possibility of analogous application of Slovenian indemnity provisions to other types of contracts.
Sensorineural Deafness and Labyrinth Damage Due to Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis
Authors: Hirsch Erich
Published: November 2011

• Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) occurred in a hamster handler, produced a "flu"-like illness, and caused unilateral sensorineural deafness and labyrinth damage. Unilateral sensorineural deafness and labyrinth damage caused by LCM virus have not been previously described in the literature.
Preparing for Chemical Terrorism: A Study of the Stability of Expired Pralidoxime (2-PAM)
Authors: Hoffman Robert S. , Mercurio-Zappala Maria , Bouchard Nicole , Ravikumar Padinjarekuttu , Goldfrank Lewis
Published: November 2011

Objectives: Oximes such as pralidoxime (2-PAM) are essential antidotes for life-threatening organophosphate poisoning. Unfortunately, oximes are expensive, have limited use, and have short shelf lives. As such, maintaining large stockpiles in preparation for terrorist activity is not always possible. We have demonstrated that atropine is stable well beyond its labeled shelf life and that recently expired 2-PAM was clinically efficacious in a series of poisoned patients. Because 2-PAM is often dosed empirically, clinical improvement does not guarantee pharmacological stability. We therefore chose to analyze the chemical stability of expired 2-PAM.

Methods: Samples of lyophylized 2-PAM were maintained according to the manufacturer's recommendations for 20 years beyond the published shelf life. We studied 2-PAM contained in a MARK I autoinjector that was stored properly for 3 years beyond its expiration date. An Agilent LC/MSD 1100 with diode-array detector and an Agilent Sorbax SB-C-18, 4.6 × 150-mm, 5-μm column were used with the following solvent systems: water with 0.01% trifluoroacetic acid and methanol with 0.01% trifluoroacetic acid. Fresh reagent grade 2-PAM was used as a standard. Results were repeated for consistency.

Results: Lyophylized 2-PAM was a white powder that was clear and colorless in solution. Liquid chromatography was identical to the standard and resulted in 2 isolated peaks with identical mass spectra, suggesting that they are stereoisomers. The autoinjector discharged a clear, yellowish solution. In addition to the 2 peaks identified for lyophylized 2-PAM, a small third peak was identified with a mass spectra corresponding to the reported N -methyl pyridinium carboxaldehyde degradation product.

Conclusions: When properly stored, lyophylized 2-PAM appears to be chemically stable well beyond its expiration date. Although the relative amount of degradation product found in solubilized (autoinjector) 2-PAM was small, it is unclear whether this may be toxic and therefore is of concern. Further studies performed with lots of drug stored under varied conditions would be required to fully determine the stability of expired 2-PAM.

(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2012;6:20–25)
HIV/AIDS: 30 Years of progress and future challenges
Authors: Killian M. Scott , Levy Jay A.
Published: November 2011

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) was first described 30 years ago in a report from the US Centers for Disease Control. Two years later the causative virus was identified and afterwards named the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This article reviews the progress made in the three decades since the recognition of AIDS and the discovery of HIV, with respect to the virus, the infected cell, and the host, as well as directions for future studies.
Forecasting Private Consumption by Consumer Surveys
Authors: Dreger Christian , Kholodilin Konstantin Arkadievich
Published: November 2011

Survey‐based indicators are widely seen as leading indicators for economic activity. As such, consumer confidence might be informative for the future path of private consumption. Although the indicators receive high attention in the media, their forecasting power often appears to be very limited. This paper takes a fresh look at the data that serve as a basis for the consumer confidence indicator (CCI) reported by the EU Commission for the euro area. Different pooling methods are applied to exploit the survey information. Forecasts are based on mixed data sampling (MIDAS) and bridge equations. While the CCI does not outperform the autoregressive benchmark, the new indicators are able to raise forecasting performance. The best performing indicator should be built upon pre‐selection methods. Data‐driven aggregation methods should be preferred to determine the weights of the individual ingredients. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Towards a Global Systems Steering Vision that is Simple Enough, But Not Too Simple: Symviability
Authors: Boyd Gary , Zeman Vladimir
Published: November 2011

The question addressed is as follows: How can we have pleasant long‐term humane human survival on Earth, given our very potent globally impacting technologies, our huge population and our terrible propensity for solidarity to propagate our own ‘pure’ quasi‐tribal genetic and cultural identities through ruthlessly devastating competition with and suppression of others' genes and cultures? What has been tried and why it is not good enough: We have tried religious visions of peace, love, caritas and asceticism. These have indeed appealed to vast numbers of people but have left them almost defenceless against those whose religious beliefs demand the conversion or extermination of unbelievers. We have also tried bread and circuses—economic growth with fair shares for all—but the ‘trickle down’ of benefits does not happen automatically. The human race's guiding visions have been workable for small populations with primitive technics, but these visions are proving to be much too simple to enable us to collaboratively steer the complex webs of coupled systems that constitute life on Earth today. Yet there is hope thanks to our continually developing knowledge‐based empathy for one another. We propose a vision that is simple enough to evoke a worldwide concertation of efforts yet complex enough to ensure a requisite variety of ventures, strategies, tactics and tools. We propose a transformative educative value vision based on pragmatic philosophy and the systems sciences. We propose that this be implemented with discursive legitimation representing all stakeholders, carried out through a global communi‐control technology. The vision is as follows: Both ecological–cultural symbioses and intercultural symbioses, where each cultural actor appreciates the need to allow and support other cultural actors to live and flourish, providing that they control themselves to do likewise. Such ecolo‐co‐cultural worldwide symbiosis can be named SYMVIABILITY. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Opacity measurement of a gold plasma at Te = 85 eV
Authors: Zhang Jiyan , Xu Yan , Yang Jiamin , Yang Guohong , Li Hang , Yuan Zheng , Zhao Yang , Xiong Gang , Bao Lihua , Huang Chenwu , Wu Zheqing , Yan Jun , Ding Yongkun , Zhang Baohan , Zheng Zhijian
Published: November 2011

The opacity of a gold plasma at the temperature of 85 eV and density of 0.02 g/cm3 was measured over the energy range from 150 eV to 1200 eV. The gold sample was heated by thermal x-ray radiation generated with a foam-baffled gold cavity. The sample transmission was obtained from the backlight, absorption and self-emission spectra measured by a time-gated, spatially resolved grating spectrometer, with the backlight and absorption spectra being measured simultaneously in a single shot and the self-emission in another shot. The temperature and density of the gold absorber were determined by the hydrodynamic simulation with Multi-1D code, which was partially tested by the reemission radiative flux measurements of the heated sample. This work permits the first test of opacity models over the photon energy range that dominates the Rosseland mean opacity at the temperature of interest for the inertial confinement fusion.
The influence of plasma density decreasement by pre-pulse on the laser wakefield acceleration
Authors: Dong Ke-Gong , Wu Yu-Chi , Zhu Bin , He Ying-Ling , Zhou Wei-Min , Cao Lei-Feng , Liu Hong-Jie , Zhao Zong-Qing , Wen Xian-Lun , Jiao Chun-Ye , Hong Wei , Gu Yu-Qiu , Zhang Bao-Han , Wang Xiao-Fang
Published: November 2011

In the laser wakefield acceleration, the generation of electron beam is very sensitive to the plasma density. Not only the laser-wakefield interaction, but also the electron trapping and acceleration would be effected by the plasma density. However, the plasma density could be changed in the experiment by different reasons, which will result in the mismatch of parameters arranged initially. Forward Raman scattering spectrum demonstrated that the interaction density was decreased obviously in the experiment, which was verified by the pre-pulse conditions and two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. It was demonstrated that the plasma density was very important on the self-evolutions and energy coupling of laser pulse and wakefield, and eventually the energy spectrum of electron beam.
Cold tolerance and cold‐induced modulation of gene expression in two Drosophila virilis group species with different distributions
Authors: Vesala L. , Salminen T. S. , Laiho A. , Hoikkala A. , Kankare M.
Published: November 2011

The importance of high and low temperature tolerance in adaptation to changing environmental conditions has evoked new interest in modulations in gene expression and metabolism linked with stress tolerance. We investigated the effects of rapid cold hardening and cold acclimatization on the chill coma recovery times of two Drosophila virilis group species, Drosophila montana and D. virilis, with different distributions and utilized a candidate gene approach to trace changes in their gene expression during and after the cold treatments. The study showed that cold acclimatization clearly decreases chill coma recovery times in both species, whereas rapid cold hardening did not have a significant effect. Microarray analysis revealed several genes showing expression changes during different stages of cold response. Amongst the 219 genes studied, two genes showed rather consistent expression changes: hsr‐omega, which was up‐regulated in both study species during cold acclimatization, and Eip71CD, which was down‐regulated in nearly all of the cold treatments. In addition, 29 genes showed expression changes that were more treatment‐ and/or species specific. Overall, different stages of cold response elicited changes mainly in genes involved in heat shock response, circadian rhythm and metabolism.
A practical model of development for China's National Quality Course Plan
Authors: Long Wang , Håklev Stian
Published: November 2011

The Chinese National Quality Course Plan is a large‐scale project by the Ministry of Education, which has led to the production of more than 12 000 courses from some 700 universities since 2003. This paper describes in detail the purpose of the project and how it is organized at all levels, including how individual courses get selected at university level, provincial level and national level. The paper discusses the similarities and differences between the Chinese project and Open Educational Resources projects around the world, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) OpenCourseWare. The Chinese project is unique, not only because of its highly centralized organization and funding but also because its purpose is not just to produce open resources but to use the production of open resources to drive curriculum reform and quality improvement in Chinese higher education.
On the Role of Risk Versus Economies of Scope in Farm Diversification With an Application to Ethiopian Farms
Authors: Chavas Jean‐Paul , Di Falco Salvatore
Published: November 2011

This article investigates the economics of farm diversification. The analysis assesses economies of diversification using a certainty equivalent measure. It identifies two components: one associated with expected income, and one associated with risk exposure. This integrates two lines of research explored in previous literature: economies of scope and risk management. We examine the roles played by complementarity, scale and concavity effects in economies of diversification. The approach is applied to diversification decisions made on Ethiopian farms, with a focus on production uncertainty. The econometric analysis finds large complementarity benefits, providing incentives to diversify. But this is tempered by (non)‐concavity effects that provide incentives to specialise. The analysis also documents how risk affects diversification, including both variance and skewness effects. It provides new insights on economic tradeoffs between farm diversification and specialisation.
Synbiotic (probiotic and ginger extract) loaded floating beads: a novel therapeutic option in an experimental paradigm of gastric ulcer
Authors: Singh Pramod Kumar , Kaur Indu Pal
Published: November 2011

Objective

This study investigated the use of a bioactive phytochemical, namely ginger extract (GE), for its antioxidant and antiulcer effects, and also for supporting probiotic growth and activity. Use of probiotics is limited in therapy because of their transience and inability to survive the adverse physiological conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. Packaging probiotics in a suitably designed pharmaceutical system with GE may facilitate their establishment in the stomach mucosa.

Methods

A probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus) and GE were simultaneously and individually encapsulated/immobilized in alginate floating beads. The developed system was evaluated for diameter, buoyancy, entrapment, porosity, in-vitro viability/release and pharmacodynamics in a cold restraint stress induced gastric ulcer model in rats.

Key finding

The developed floating beads stayed in the stomach for more than 10 h and both agents were released slowly and over a prolonged period from these beads. Significant and promising results were obtained for the combination (synbiotic) system in terms of ulcer index, mucus secretion, oxidative stress and histopathological parameters, as compared with the individual agents. The developed system could completely revert the damage induced in ulcerated stomachs at physiological (ulcer index and mucus secretion), biochemical (oxidative stress) and histological levels.

Conclusion

This study establishes that suitable packaging of GE and Lactobacillus acidophilus together in floating beads can help exploit their prospects as therapeutic curative agents rather than potential preventive agents.
The Effect of Booster Reflectors on the Photovoltaic Water Pumping System Performance
Authors: Tabaei H. , Ameri M.
Published: November 2011

In this work, the experimental results of a designed and installed photovoltaic water pump system with static concentrator are presented. The tests have been conducted in outdoor condition in Kerman (Latitude 30 deg 17′ and longitude 57 deg 50′), Iran. The performance of photovoltaic water pumping system is evaluated for both stainless steel 304 and aluminum foil reflectors. Through this study, it is found that the performance of the photovoltaic (PV) water pumping system was improved by using these two types of reflectors; but results show that aluminum foil reflector is more efficient than stainless steel 304 reflector. Measurements indicate that output power from the PV panels can be increased in the order of 14% and 8.5% due to the use of aluminum foil and stainless steel 304 reflectors, respectively.
Oxide nanotube analogues: CuO nanobarrels
Authors: Farrell H. H. , Parra Ruben D.
Published: November 2011

Recently, CuO “rings” on the order of 100 nm diameter have been observed experimentally by El-Azab and Liang [A. El-Azab and Y. Liang, Philos. Mag. 83, 3847 (2003)]. In a separate effort, we have used first principles density functional calculations to investigate smaller, single walled CuO structures that appear to be nanotubes or nanobarrels with a square unit mesh rather than the hexagonal mesh of carbon nanotubes. These CuO nanobarrels are novel and unique. They are metallic or semimetallic in nature having unoccupied energy levels just above the Fermi Level. Different nanobarrels have a different spins, depending on their size and geometry. Those with an even number of CuO units may have spin zero, or be ferrimagnetic. Those with an odd number of CuO units are always ferrimagnetic with a residual spin. The authors anticipate that these nanostructures will almost certainly yield intriguing results when studied experimentally.
Accurate calibration method for 3D freehand ultrasound probe using virtual plane
Authors: De Lorenzo Danilo , Vaccarella Alberto , Khreis Ghassan , Moennich Holger , Ferrigno Giancarlo , De Momi Elena
Published: November 2011

Purpose

: In this paper a new, easy‐to‐manufacture and easy‐to‐use ultrasound (US) probe calibration phantom for 3D freehand scanning is presented and evaluated, together with a new method for achieving an accurate and user‐robust calibration using virtual plane.

Methods

: The phantom allows the optically tracked US probe to perform two rotations and two translations while keeping the image of a tensioned wire in the image plane. This approach allows obtaining a sharp image of the wire independently from the probe pose. The virtual plane allows the calibration algorithm to converge minimizing the required number of US probe tracked poses. The US image and position data are synchronized via a CORBA interface, created within the Image Guided Surgery Toolkit (IGSTK) framework. The calibration algorithm and the calibration protocol were evaluated in a set of experiments carried out by different test‐users.

Results

: The calibration method proved to be accurate and precise: 3D point reconstruction accuracy resulted 0.2 mm as mean value, while the precision was 0.4 mm as standard deviation.

Conclusions

: The technique showed to be suitable for medical applications from morphological diagnosis to intraoperative surgical planning adaption.
The geographies of religious conversion
Authors: Woods Orlando
Published: November 2011

The paper reviews the corpus of research that attempts to explain the process of religious conversion, and explores the ways in which geographers can add new perspectives to the discourse. It argues that religious conversion is a phenomenon that goes beyond the reorientation of individual belief, and is instead a process of change that involves the (re)definition of self and other. Five conceptual frames are proposed – (1) conversion of space; (2) spaces of conversion; (3) spaces of negotiation; (4) the (im)mobile convert; and (5) the (dis)embodied convert – which are used to help define the geographies of religious conversion.
Rac signaling in osteoblastic cells is required for normal bone development but is dispensable for hematopoietic development
Authors: Lane Steven W. , De Vita Serena , Alexander Kylie A. , Karaman Ruchan , Milsom Michael D. , Dorrance Adrienne M. , Purdon Amy , Louis Leeann , Bouxsein Mary L. , Williams David A.
Published: November 2011

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) interact with osteoblastic, stromal, and vascular components of the BM hematopoietic microenvironment (HM) that are required for the maintenance of long-term self-renewal in vivo. Osteoblasts have been reported to be a critical cell type making up the HSC niche in vivo. Rac1 GTPase has been implicated in adhesion, spreading, and differentiation of osteoblast cell lines and is critical for HSC engraftment and retention. Recent data suggest a differential role of GTPases in endosteal/osteoblastic versus perivascular niche function. However, whether Rac signaling pathways are also necessary in the cell-extrinsic control of HSC function within the HM has not been examined. In the present study, genetic and inducible models of Rac deletion were used to demonstrate that Rac depletion causes impaired proliferation and induction of apoptosis in the OP9 cell line and in primary BM stromal cells. Deletion of Rac proteins caused reduced trabecular and cortical long bone growth in vivo. Surprisingly, HSC function and maintenance of hematopoiesis in vivo was preserved despite these substantial cell-extrinsic changes. These data have implications for therapeutic strategies to target Rac signaling in HSC mobilization and in the treatment of leukemia and provide clarification to our evolving concepts of HSC-HM interactions.
Histone deacetylase inhibitors impair NK cell viability and effector functions through inhibition of activation and receptor expression
Authors: Rossi Lucas E , Avila Damián E , Spallanzani Raúl G , Ziblat Andrea , Fuertes Mercedes B , Lapyckyj Lara , Croci Diego O , Rabinovich Gabriel A , Domaica Carolina I , Zwirner Norberto W
Published: November 2011

HDACi are being used as a novel, therapeutic approach for leukemias and other hematological malignancies. However, their effect on immune cells remains ill-defined, as HDACi may impair immune surveillance. In this work, we demonstrate that TSA, VPA, and NaB inhibited IFN-γ production by CD56dim and CD56bright NK cells and NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity against K562 target cells. HDACi promoted minor NK cell apoptosis but inhibited nuclear mobilization of NF-κB p50, which was accompanied by a robust down-regulation of NKG2D and NKp46 on resting NK cells and of NKG2D, NKp44, NKp46, and CD25 on cytokine-activated NK cells. Decreased CD25 expression promoted a weakened IFN-γ secretion upon restimulation of NK cells with IL-2, whereas reduced expression of NKG2D and NKp46 was accompanied by an impaired NKG2D- and NKp46-dependent cytotoxicity. Moreover, NK cells from normal mice treated in vivo with TSA displayed a diminished expression of NK1.1, NKG2D, and NKp46 and secreted reduced amounts of IFN-γ upon ex vivo stimulation with cytokines. Thus, our preclinical results indicate that HDACi exert deleterious effects on NK cell function, which may weaken immune surveillance and facilitate relapse of the malignant disease in HDACi-treated patients.
Temperature Dependence of Ion Mobility of Carbon Cluster Cations: Intermediate Region Connecting Low- and High-Field Conditions
Authors: Koyasu Kiichirou , Ohtaki Tomohiro , Misaizu Fuminori
Published: November 2011

Effective temperature (Teff) dependences of reduced mobilities and collision cross section of small carbon cluster cations, Cn+ (n = 6–25), were investigated by using a drift cell with temperatures of 170–300 K coupled with a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer. We have measured ion mobility within E/N = 16–28 Td, values of which are slightly higher than the general experimental value at low-field conditions. Thus, our conditions should correspond to medium field strength between low- and high-field conditions. Under the present conditions, collision cross section was found to be proportional to Teff−0.1 − Teff−0.2. The power in the temperature dependence was slightly closer to zero than results obtained previously (A. A. Shvartsburg, G. C. Schatz, M. F. Jarrold, J. Chem. Phys., 1998, 108, 2416). This difference is probably due to E/N, resulting in the difference of relative kinetic energy between Cn+ and buffer gas atoms, in spite of the same Teff region. The result showed that the hard-sphere model is more applicable in the present conditions.
Supramolecular Structures of Inclusion Complexes of C70 and Cyclic Porphyrin Dimers
Authors: Nobukuni Hirofumi , Kamimura Takuya , Uno Hidemitsu , Shimazaki Yuichi , Naruta Yoshinori , Tani Fumito
Published: November 2011

Cyclic nickel and free-base porphyrin dimers (Ni2-CPDPy and H4-CPDPy) include fullerene C70 both in solution and in the crystals. Based on the 13C NMR spectra in solution, the included C70 molecule inside the cavity of Ni2-CPDPy shows both end-on and side-on orientations, whereas the C70 molecule within H4-CPDPy has only a side-on orientation toward the porphyrin rings. X-ray crystallography revealed both “end-on” and “side-on” orientations of C70 in the crystal structure of the inclusion complex of Ni2-CPDPy and C70. This is the first example of an X-ray crystallographic determination for an end-on orientation of C70 cocrystallized with porphyrins. On the other hand, only a side-on orientation of C70 was observed in the crystal structure of the complex of H4-CPDPy and C70. Further, a zigzag array of C70 molecules through van der Waals contacts with each other is formed along the monoclinic b axis in the latter crystal.
Scheduling the Brazilian Soccer Tournament: Solution Approach and Practice
Authors: Ribeiro Celso C. , Urrutia Sebastián
Published: November 2011

Sports, with their massive investments in players and structures, have become a big business. Professional and amateur leagues face challenging problems, including logistics, revenue maximization, broadcast rights, fairness issues, game attractiveness, and security. The annual Brazilian soccer tournament is a compact, mirrored double round-robin tournament played by 20 teams in each of its two main divisions; it is possibly the world's most attractive soccer tournament because of the quality of the teams and players in the competition. With substantial revenue and community pride on the line, devising optimal schedules is crucial to players, teams, fans, sponsors, cities, and for security issues. Fair and balanced schedules for all teams are a major issue for ensuring attractiveness and confidence in the tournament outcome. The organizers seek schedules that satisfy a number of constraints. As often as possible, the most important games should be played in weekend rounds so that the open TV channels can broadcast many attractive games. We describe the integer programming formulation of the scheduling problem and the three-phase decomposition approach we proposed for solving it. We also report on the practical experience we observed after two years of running the system and the main results achieved during its successful history.
Polarization dependent state to polarization independent state change in THz metamaterials
Authors: Zhu W. M. , Liu A. Q. , Zhang W. , Tao J. F. , Bourouina T. , Teng J. H. , Zhang X. H. , Wu Q. Y. , Tanoto H. , Guo H. C. , Lo G. Q. , Kwong D. L.
Published: November 2011

We experimentally demonstrated a polarization dependent state to polarization independent state change in terahertz (THz) metamaterials. This is accomplished by reconfiguring the lattice structure of metamaterials from 2-fold to 4-fold rotational symmetry by using micromachined actuators. In experiment, it measures resonance frequency shift of 25.8% and 12.1% for TE and TM polarized incidence, respectively. Furthermore, single-band to dual-band switching is also demonstrated. Compared with the previous reported tunable metamaterials, lattice reconfiguration promises not only large tuning range but also changing of polarization dependent states, which can be used in photonic devices such as sensors, optical switches, and filters.
DNA methylation plays a crucial role during early Nasonia development
Authors: Zwier M. V. , Verhulst E. C. , Zwahlen R. D. , Beukeboom L. W. , van de Zande L.
Published: November 2011

Although the role of DNA methylation in insect development is still poorly understood, the number and role of DNA methyltransferases in insects vary strongly between species. DNA methylation appears to be widely present among the social hymenoptera and functional studies in Apis have suggested a crucial role for de novo methylation in a wide variety of developmental processes. The sequencing of three parasitoid Nasonia genomes revealed the presence of three Dnmt1 (Dnmt1a, Dnmt1b and Dnmt1c) genes and one Dnmt2 and Dnmt3 gene, suggesting a role of DNA methylation in Nasonia development. In the present study we show that in Nasonia vitripennis all Dnmt1 messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and Dnmt3 mRNA are maternally provided to the embryo and, of these, Dnmt1a is essential during early embryogenesis. Lowering of maternal Dnmt1a mRNA results in embryonic lethality during the onset of gastrulation. This dependence on maternal Dnmt1a during embryogenesis in an organismal group outside the vertebrates, suggests evolutionary conservation of the function of Dnmt1 during embryogenesis.
Reactions of staff members and lay people to family presence during resuscitation: the effect of visible bleeding, resuscitation outcome and gender
Authors: Itzhaki Michal , Bar‐Tal Yoram , Barnoy Sivia
Published: November 2011

itzhaki m., bar‐tal y. & barnoy s. (2012) Reactions of staff members and lay people to family presence during resuscitation: the effect of visible bleeding, resuscitation outcome and gender. Journal of Advanced Nursing68(9), 1967–1977.

Aim.  This article is a report on a study conducted to examine the views of healthcare professionals and lay people regarding the effect of family presence during resuscitation on both the staff performing the resuscitation and the relatives who witness it.

Background.  Family presence during resuscitation is controversial. Although many professional groups in different countries have recently issued position statements about the practice and have recommended new policy moves, the Israel Ministry of Health has not issued guidelines on the matter.

Methods.  Study design is factorial within–between subjects. Data were collected in Israel in 2008 from a convenience sample of 220 lay people and 201 healthcare staff (52 physicians and 149 nurses) using a questionnaire based on eight different resuscitation scenarios and manipulating blood involvement and resuscitations outcome. Data were analysed using one‐way analysis of variance.

Findings.  Overall, both staff and lay people perceived family presence during resuscitation negatively. Visible bleeding and an unsuccessful outcome significantly influenced both staff’s and lay people’s perceptions. Female physicians and nurses reacted more negatively to family presence than did male physicians and nurses; lay men responded more negatively than lay women.

Conclusions.  Changing the current negative perceptions of family presence at resuscitation requires (a) establishing a new national policy, (b) educating healthcare staff to the benefits of the presence of close relatives and (c) training staff to support relatives who want to be present.
Community pharmacy services in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Hasan Sana , Sulieman Han , Chapman Colin B , Stewart Ka , Kong David C M
Published: November 2011

Objectives

To identify the type and frequency of services provided through community pharmacies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Methods

A survey was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire distributed by hand to 700 community pharmacies. Items included information about the pharmacists and pharmacies, type of products sold, type and extent of enhanced services provided and perceived barriers to providing these services.

Key findings

Most pharmacies provided a wide range of medicinal and non-medicinal products. The frequency with which services were provided was assessed on a scale of 1 (never) to 5 (always). Enhanced professional services were not provided to a large extent in most pharmacies. Fewer than one-third (29%) reported they always supplied printed information to patients (mean = 3.37, 95% confidence interval = 3.23–3.52); fewer than one-third (28%) counselled patients on a regular basis (3.25, 3.09–3.40); nearly two-thirds (62%) reported monitoring patients' adherence to therapy at least sometimes (2.96, 2.81–3.10). Most pharmacies (92%) in the UAE did not routinely keep patient records (2.09, 1.96–2.32). While just over a quarter of respondents claimed that they always reported medication errors (27%) and adverse drug reactions (28%), these activities were not often performed in around 40% of pharmacies.

Conclusions

This is the first study to explore the type and extent of professional services provided through community pharmacies in the UAE and provides baseline data critical to inform the development of strategies to improve the quality of community pharmacy services.