Search

Long short-term memory (LSTM) networks have been proved to work favorably in precipitation-runoff modeling due to their outstanding performance in processing long-length temporal dynamics. However, the other hydrological processes and the spatial information are rarely incorporated in current LSTM hydrological models, which hinders the models from making full use of hydrological data. This study proposes a spatiotemporal deep-learning (DL)-based hydrological model, by coupling the 2-Dimension convolutional neural network (CNN) and LSTM and introducing actual evaporation (E) as an additional training target. We use three large mountainous basins on the Tibetan Plateau to test the proposed CNN-LSTM model and compare the results to the LSTM-only model. Further analyses are conducted to explore meteorological and hydrological information hidden in the CNN and LSTM based on the linear regression model. Results indicate that both LSTM and CNN-LSTM hydrological models perform well on runoff (Q) and E simulation, with Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficients (NSE) higher than 0.82 and 0.95, respectively. Involving CNN in the LSTM-only Q model to capture spatial information enhances the overall and peak Q modeling performance. Multi-task simulation with LSTM-only models show better accuracy in the estimation of Q volume and performance. On the other hand, we conclude that CNN models can capture the basin spatially-averaged values from 2-D spatial meteorological data. The internal cells of LSTM models for Q (E) contain the E (Q) process. This study provides an essential tool for accurate flood forecasting and management in large mountainous basins., The 28th IUGG General Assembly (IUGG2023) (Berlin 2023)

For urban flood simulation, Digital Elevation Model (DEM) provides essential topographic information for understanding and predicting the flow process. Although advanced techniques such as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) can acquire surface elevation information at a rather high resolution, there is still a gap between detailed measurement data and accurate topographic representation for refined flood simulation on a heterogeneous surface with complex artificial infrastructures, which requires incorporating appropriate consideration of critical features during discretizing the simulation domain. In addition to surface elements, nodal elevation information of the underground pipeline system is often unavailable for the simulation, which inevitably necessitates time-consuming manual specification and directly constrains the precision of drainage process modeling. In this work, we develop an automated modeling toolset – AUTO-SHEDS (Automated UnsTructured urban flood Simulator using High-rEsolution DEM) to tackle the above challenges. For surface topography representation, AUTO-SHEDS introduces image processing-based algorithms to improve the efficiency of elevation data curation and boundary condition identification around typical riparian areas. For underground elevation specification, AUTO-SHEDS establishes mathematical programming-based solutions to allow the reconstruction of nodal elevation of pipelines constrained by realistic monotonic conditions and partially observed data. Furthermore, AUTO-SHEDS adopts a unified numerical scheme for flow simulation on both continuous and discontinuous topography, which enhances model capacities in simulating the interaction between fluvial flooding and pluvial inundation during extreme events. The performance of developed methods is demonstrated and validated in a highly urbanized area in Beijing, which reveals the promising potential of AUTO-SHEDS in urban flood forecasting., The 28th IUGG General Assembly (IUGG2023) (Berlin 2023)

This study aims to find out and understand deeply the phenomenon of spatial development patterns in the suburbs of Batubulan, Sukawati District, Gianyar Regency. This research is based on circumtances that the area is identified as a suburban area that is affected by the development of the city of Denpasar. This study uses a qualitative method with a naturalistic approach. Observations in this study were carried out to see the phenomenon of spatial development that occurred in the Peri Urban Batububulan area with a radius of 2 km from the Batubulan Highway corridor as the center. Morphological developments were analyzed periodically over 5 periods of time, namely data on built up land in 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, and 2017. This tenth period can describe the pattern of land use in 2017. This study found that the pattern of morphological development that occurred in the outskirts of Batubulan in the form of a ribbon/ribbon with symptoms of urban sprawl. The factors that cause the spatial morphological pattern that occurs are due to the emergence of new growth poles, the spatial implications of the development of the city of Denpasar (multiplier effect) towards the periphery and the development of primary arterial road corridors, Jalan Raya Batu Bulan and Jalan Prof. Ida Bagus Mantra.

Na Liu, Liang Zhong, Guangcheng Ni, Jiao Lin, Liang Xie, Taiwen Li, Hongxia Dan, Qianming Chen State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Hongxia Dan; Qianming ChenState Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 28 85503480Fax +86 28 85501469Email hxdan@foxmail.com; qchen63@qq.comPurpose: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is a devastating disease with high mortality and morbidity. Matrix metalloproteinase 28 (MMP28) has been associated with carcinogenesis of many human cancers. However, little is known about the potential prognostic value and underlying regulatory mechanisms of MMP28 in PAAD.Methods: The relationship between MMP28 expression level and various clinicopathological parameters was analyzed in TCGA-PAAD cohorts. MMP28-correlated genes in the TCGA-PAAD cohort were identified and enrichment analysis according to the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes was conducted using LinkedOmics. Protein–protein interaction and transcription factors-miRNA co-regulatory networks were constructed with the use of NetworkAnalyst. Then, the distribution of immune cells related to MMP28 expression in blood was analyzed using the Human Protein Atlas, and the tumor microenvironment of PAAD was analyzed by the TIMER 2.0 database. To investigate the biological function of MMP28 in PAAD, siRNA was constructed to knock down the MMP28 gene in vitro.Results: High MMP28 expression is associated with poor overall survival and disease-free survival in PAAD patients. The expression of MMP28 in PAAD is most significantly correlated with KRT19, IL1RN, and ANXA2 genes. Network analysis revealed that MIR-181 family, TAFs, and CDC6 are potential regulators of MMP28. Furthermore, naive CD4+ T cell, naive CD8+ T cell, and mucosal-associated invariant T cell enrichment in blood were correlated with MMP28 expression. Furthermore, high MMP28 expression was correlated with a decrease in B cell, naive CD4+ T cell, naive CD8+ T cell, and endothelial cell presence in the tumor microenvironment in PAAD. Finally, genetic knockdown of MMP28 could restrain the proliferation, migration, and invasion of PAAD cells.Conclusion: Our findings indicate that high MMP28 expression in PAAD is associated with cancer progression, invasion, and metastasis. Hence, MMP28 might serve as an independent prognostic biomarker and a prospective therapeutic target for PAAD.Keywords: matrix metalloproteinase 28, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, metastasis, prognosis

This study aims to compare the pattern of residential space and the characteristics of traditional yard pattern in Tenganan Pegringsingan village with Tenganan Dauh Tukad village This research is important to do to make a contribution in the field of regional and urban planning, especially in understanding the comparison of settlement patterns in traditional Balinese traditional villages. The research method used in this thesis is a deskriftif comparative research method. Comparative research method is research that compares two or more symptoms, where in studying it requires primary data or field research as well as secondary data or library materials. The results showed that the Tenganan Pegringsingan Traditional Village and the Tenganan Dauh Tukad Traditional Village have relatively similar settlement space patterns and yard pattern characteristics, there is only a slight difference, one of which is the concept of hulu teben. The concept of hulu teben Traditional Village of Tenganan Pegringsingan is oriented towards the north and the south, where the north is considered a sacred zone while the south is considered a dirty zone. The concept of hulu teben Traditional Village of Tenganan Dauh Tukad is oriented towards the east and the west, where the eastern part is considered a sacred zone while the western part is considered a dirty zone.

The area of the Port of Buleleng is an area that has undergone three periods of government namely the Kingdom of Buleleng, the Dutch East Indies Government and the Sunda Ketjil Government. With this history so that the Port of the Buleleng Port can be utilized as an heirloom that aims to maintain and protect the heritage of existing cultural heritage and provide knowledge to the wider community and also to the government that awareness in maintaining and protecting historic relics of an heirloom is very urgent. This study examines two issues that focus on the condition of the potential inheritance in the Buleleng Port Area and how to protect and preserve cultural heritage in the Port of Buleleng. The results of the study were analyzed using heirlooms modeling by using the four A analysis in tourism planning, namely attractions, accessibility, amenities and institutions.

Su Wan,1 Guantai Ni,1 Jin Ding,1 Yuansheng Huang2 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Orthopedics, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yuansheng HuangDepartment of Orthopedics, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, No. 2 Zheshan West Road, Jinghu District, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 0553-5739999Fax +86 0553-5738279Email hys841123@163.comBackground: Cervical cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies in gynecology with increasing incidence in recent years. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to regulate human cancers including cervical cancer. F-box and leucine-rich repeat protein 19 antisense RNA 1 (FBXL19-AS1) have been unmasked to exert carcinogenic functions in several cancers except cervical cancer.Aim: Present study hammered at investigating the function and mechanism of FBXL19-AS1 in cervical cancer.Methods: RT-qPCR was utilized to test gene expression. EdU staining, colony formation, transwell, flow cytometry and TUNEL assays were applied for measuring the impact of FBXL19-AS1 on cervical cancer cell functions. Moreover, RIP, RNA pull-down and luciferase reporter assays were utilized for detecting the correlations among FBXL19-AS1, miR-193a-5p and PIN1 (peptidylprolyl cis/trans isomerase, NIMA-interacting 1).Results: FBXL19-AS1 exhibited elevated expression in cervical cancer tissues and cells. Silencing FBXL19-AS1 repressed cell proliferation through arresting cell cycle and stimulating apoptosis, and losing FBXL19-AS1 also restrained cell migration and invasion. Also, we discovered FBXL19-AS1 as a miR-193a-5p sponge, while miR-193a-5p was a tumor inhibitor in cervical cancer. Further, PIN1 was proved as the miR-193a-5p target, and FBXL19-AS1 augmented PIN1 expression in cervical cancer via sequestering miR-193a-5p. Of note, PIN1 accelerated the progression of cervical cancer, and its upregulation counteracted the impacts of depleted FBXL19-AS1 on cervical cancer cell functions.Conclusion: FBXL19-AS1 contributes to malignant phenotypes in cervical cancer by sponging miR-193a-5p and regulating PIN1.Keywords: FBXL19-AS1, miR-193a-5p, PIN1, cervical cancer

Jing Wang,1 Guangxiao Ni,2 Yanming Liu,3 Ying Han,4 Lin Jia,5 Yali Wang1,6 1Department of Chinese Medicine Diagnostics, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, People’s Republic of China; 3College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Chinese Medicine, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050051, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Respiratory Diseases, Hebei Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, People’s Republic of China; 6College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050017, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yali WangDepartment of Chinese Medicine Diagnostics, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Luquan Xingyuan Road 3, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail lvyihongni1988@163.comPurpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of tanshinone IIA (TSA) on focal cerebral ischemia in rats and to investigate whether it was associated with Nogo-A/NgR1/RhoA/Rho-associated protein kinase 2 (ROCKII)/myosin light chain (MLC) signaling.Methods: In this study, focal cerebral ischemia animal model was used. Neurological deficit scores and infarction volume were investigated to evaluate the neuroprotection of TSA. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, Nissl staining, and immunofluorescence staining were conducted to detect ischemic changes in brain tissue and changes in neurofilament protein 200 (NF200) and growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) expression, respectively. Western blotting and qRT-PCR analyses were used to detect the expression levels of NF200, GAP-43 and Nogo-A/NgR1/RhoA/ROCKII/MLC pathway-related signaling molecules.Results: TSA treatment can improve the survival rate of rats, reduce the neurological score and infarct volume, and reduce neuron damage. In addition, TSA also increased axon length and enhanced expression of NF200 and GAP-43. Importantly, TSA significantly attenuated the expression of Nogo-A, NgR1, RhoA, ROCKII, and p-MLC, and thus inhibiting the activation of this signaling pathway.Conclusion: TSA promoted axonal regeneration by inhibiting the Nogo-A/NgR1/RhoA/ROCKII/MLC signaling pathway, thereby exerting neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemia rats, which provided support for the clinical application of TSA in stroke treatment.Keywords: tanshinone IIA, cerebral ischemia, axonal regeneration, neuroprotective effect, neurite outgrowth inhibitor-A, Nogo receptor, Rho-associated protein kinase

Author: Signed 'M. Ni. G.' Contents: Satirical report of the death of John Redmond, implying that his loss to England and Empire will be great.

Chengcheng Zhu,1 Huafeng Ding,1 Junwen Yang,1 Yihui Zhou,1 Yonghong Luo,1 Suhua Shi,1 Ying Zhang,1 Yalan Wei,2 Guantai Ni1 1Departments of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Yi Jishan General Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, People’s Republic of China; 2Departments of Gynecology and Obstetrics, General Hospital of Wuhu Second People’s Hospital, Wuhu, Anhui, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Guantai Ni; Yalan WeiDepartments of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Yi Jishan General Hospital of Wannan Medical College, 2 Zheshan West Road, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-138 5532 0259Email 12sunhl14@163.com; 603329457@qq.comIntroduction: Proline hydroxylase 2 (PHD2) is involved in tumorigenesis. This study aimed to examine PHD2 and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) expression in different endometrial tissues and explore the correlations between PHD2 and HIF-1α expression with clinicopathological characteristics of endometrial cancer.Methods: We collected 50 tissue sections of endometrial adenocarcinoma, 30 of atypical endometrial hyperplasia, and 30 of control normal endometrium. The expression of PHD2 was detected by PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemical analysis.Results: PHD2 mRNA and protein levels reduced in endometrial cancer tissues compared to normal endometrium (p

Jianghong Hu,1,* Guohua Ni,2,*Ling Mao,2 Xianglong Xue,1 Jijie Zhang,2 Weixia Wu,2 Shaoru Zhang,3 Hong Zhao,3 Lifang Ding,2 Lihui Wang3 1Department of Gastroenterology, Danyang People’s Hospital of Jiangsu Province and Danyang Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Danyang, Jiangsu 212300, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Oncology, Danyang People’s Hospital of Jiangsu Province and Danyang Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Danyang, Jiangsu 212300, People’s Republic of China; 3Central Laboratory, Danyang People’s Hospital of Jiangsu Province and Danyang Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Danyang, Jiangsu 212300, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hong Zhao; Lihui WangDanyang People’s Hospital of Jiangsu Province, 2 Xinmin West Road, Danyang 212300, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 511 8658 0096Fax +86 511 8655 3198Email zhjszj@163.com; njuwanglihui@163.comBackground: Numerous studies have shown that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is involved in gastric cancer (GC). A relevant microarray containing gastric cancer-related lncRNAs was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database.Methods: qRT-PCR was used to analyze LINC00565 and AKT3 expression in tumor tissues and cell lines. Proliferative, colony formation and apoptotic abilities of GC cells after transfection of sh-LINC00565 were determined by CCK-8, colony formation assay and flow cytometry, respectively. RIP was enrolled to detect the interaction between LINC00565, AKT3 and miR-665. Dual luciferase assay was used to confirm the relation between miR-665 and LINC00565 and AKT3.Results: Expression level of LINC00565 in GC tissue was highly expressed in GC, which was negatively correlated to prognosis of GC patients. The results showed that knockdown of LINC00565 decreased proliferative and colony formation abilities, and induced apoptosis of GC cells. Pearson analysis showed that LINC00565 was positively correlated with AKT3. Besides, AKT3 was significantly up-regulated in GC. In addition, knockdown of LINC00565 down-regulated AKT3. In order to explore the mechanism, we found that miR-665 could bind to LINC00565 by bioinformatics. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and RIP assay both verified the binding relationship between miR-665 and AKT3. Finally, rescue experiments were carried out to explore whether AKT3 could reverse the anti-cancer effect of low-level LINC00565 on GC development.Conclusion: In summary, the expression of LINC00565 is upregulated in GC. LINC00565 can be used as the sponge of miR-665 to up-regulate the expression of AKT3, thus promoting the progression of GC.Keywords: CeRNA, GC, LINC00565, MicroRNA-665, AKT3, proliferation, apoptosis

The Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Denpasar city faced a various obstacles in developing their business such as limited access to capital or collateral despite having a feasible business, limited working capital conditions and lack of government's role in order to encourage the development of MSMEs. This study aims to analyze the effect of regional credit guarantee, working capital and government’s role on income and welfare of Denpasar’s MSMEs and welfare of Denpasar’s MSMEs through income. The research use Partial Least Square (PLS) approach analysis. The study was conducted on Denpasar city by examining 87 samples from 652 populations. Determination of sample with stratified random sampling. The results of the analysis show that regional credit guarantee, working capital and government’s role significantly affect income of Denpasar’s MSMEs. Regional credit guarantee, working capital and income affect welfare of Denpasar’s MSMEs while government’s role has no significant effect on welfare of Denpasar’s MSMEs. Regional credit guarantee, working capital and government’s role have an indirect effect on welfare of Denpasar’s MSMEs through income.

Piper crocatum and Persea americana Mill leaves are commonly used in traditional medicinal remedies, such as antidiabetes, antitumors and Alzheimer treatment. However, the extensive use of plant extracts over worldwide becomes significant concerns including its safety, efficacy, and quality. Therefore, the accurate scientific evaluation has become a precondition for acceptance of herbal health claims. The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant activities of Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav and Persea americana Mill leaf extracts. Isolation of antioxidant fractions were conducted using organic solvent extraction techniques. Antioxidant assays were conducted by using in vitro and in vivo methods involving DPPH and MDA methods. In this study, in vitro assays of Persea americana Mill and Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav leaf extracts showed the best activity in water fraction. Moreover, in vivo assays of both plant leaf extracts showed the best dose at 8 mg. Persea americana Mill and Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav leaf extracts have been successfully determined in antioxidant actions in vitro and in vivo. Persea americana Mill in water and ethanol solvents exhibit strong antioxidant properties. Meanwile, Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav exhibit moderate activity in water and weak antioxidant activity in ethanol. Both plant leaves showed that 8 mg dose was better than the dose of 4 mg and 16 mg in vivo.

Xin-chang Zhang, Hao Chen, Wen-tao Xu, Yang-yang Song, Ya-hui Gu, Guang-xia Ni The Second Clinical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China Purpose: Fibromyalgia (FM) can cause chronic widespread pain and seriously affect the quality of patient lives. Acupuncture therapy is widely used for pain management. However, the effect of acupuncture on FM is still uncertain. The aim of this review was to determine the effect and safety of acupuncture therapy on the pain intensity and quality of life in patients with FM.Materials and methods: We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for FM published before May 2018. A meta-analysis was performed according to the Cochrane systematic review method by using RevMan 5.3 software, and GRADE was used to evaluate the quality of the evidence.Results: We identified 12 RCTs that compared acupuncture therapy to sham acupuncture or conventional medication. Meta-analysis showed that acupuncture was significantly better than sham acupuncture for relieving pain (MD =-1.04, 95% CI [-1.70, –0.38], P=0.002, I2=78%) and improving the quality of life (MD =-13.39, 95% CI [-21.69, –5.10], P=0.002, I2=82%), with low- to moderate-quality evidence in the short term. At follow-up in the long term, the effect of acupuncture was also superior to that of sham acupuncture. No serious adverse events were found during acupuncture.Conclusion: Acupuncture therapy is an effective and safe treatment for patients with FM, and this treatment can be recommended for the management of FM. Keywords: acupuncture, fibromyalgia, pain, quality of life, meta-analysis

In the oil industry almost all flow models have viscosity as an intrinsic variable. Many flow behaviours will be affected by the oil viscosity. In this work model oil systems were used to study the influence of paraffin wax and asphaltenes on the viscosity of oils. In these systems the content of paraffin wax varied in the range of 3.2–8%, and asphaltenes in the range of 1.2–5.2%. It was found that the viscosity of light oils changes slightly with increasing the content of asphaltenes or paraffin wax . It was also found that the viscosity of heavy oils increases with asphaltenes content growth and decreases almost twice with the increase of paraffin wax content.

The research of modification, characterization, and application of nano-porous adsorbent base onBali cow bone waste to methylene blue (MB) adsorption has been carried out. The modification was carriedout through extraction of hydroxyapatite (HA) from cow bone, then its activated by 0.4 M NaOH solutionand coating to form active sites of Fe and Fe-Al oxides. The adsorbent was applied to know quantitativelyadsorption capacity coated-HA (CHA) to MB as wastewaters simulation. Compound of CHA wascharacterized amount of active sites by base-acid titration, Bronsted-Lewis acid sites by FTIR spectroscopy,specific surface area by MB method and pore size by surface area analyzer gasorption nitrogen. While,amount of coated-Fe and Al by LIBS. Amount of MB adsorbed was analyzed by UV-Vis spectrophotometer.The results showed that coating of Fe and Fe-Al oxides increased amount of active sites, sites distributionof new Lewis acid site, everage nano pore size with pore volume is microporous (less than 2 nm), and Fe andFe-Al oxides was into HA crystal structure. The amount of active sites was the higest of T1-Fe-Al2O3 andall pores diameter less than 58.182 nm.While, the specific surface area increased T3-Fe2O3>T3-Fe-Al2O3>T2-Fe2O3 respectively. In the adsorption isotherm, coating on HA significantly increased ability of adsorbentand through Freundlich model (R2 > 0.77) with the higest adsorption capacity on T3-Fe2O3 (3.2019 mg/g)then T2-Fe-Al2O3 (2.7921 mg/g). Results of this research indicate that Fe and Fe-Al oxides HA-modifiedincreased adsorption ability.

Graphene is an atomically thin plasmonic medium that supports highly confined plasmon polaritons, or nano-light, with very low loss. Electronic properties of graphene can be drastically altered when it is laid upon another graphene layer, resulting in a moir�� superlattice. The relative twist angle between the two layers is a key tuning parameter of the interlayer coupling in thus obtained twisted bilayer graphene (TBG). We studied propagation of plasmon polaritons in TBG by infrared nano-imaging. We discovered that the atomic reconstruction occurring at small twist angles transforms the TBG into a natural plasmon photonic crystal for propagating nano-light. This discovery points to a pathway towards controlling nano-light by exploiting quantum properties of graphene and other atomically layered van der Waals materials eliminating need for arduous top-down nanofabrication.

To depict the wet (April with a soil water content, SWC, of 37 %) and dry (October with a SWC of 24.8 %) seasonal changes in the water use and physiological response of a Eucalyptus urophylla plantation in subtropical South China characterized by monsoon climate, the whole-year (June 2012 to May 2013) transpiration of E. urophylla was monitored using the TDP method. Daily transpiration (ET) in October averaged 5.7 ± 2.9 kg d−1 and was 58.0 % higher than that in April (3.6 ± 2.3 kg d−1). The difference is consistent with that of the radiation and evaporative demand of the two months, while the nocturnal transpiration (ET-NOC) in the wet season (0.18 ± 0.021 kg d−1) was almost twice that in the dry season (0.11 ± 0.01 kg d−1). Trees displayed a higher stomatal conductance (GS) (53.4–144.5 mmol m−2 s−1) in the wet season and a lower GS (45.7–89.5 mmol m−2 s−1) in the dry season. The leaf-soil water potentials (ΨL) of the two months (April and October) were −0.62 ± 0.66 and −1.22 ± 0.10 MPa, respectively. A boundary line analysis demonstrated that the slight improvement in the GS by SWC in wet season was offset by a significant decrease in D, and the slope of GS sensitivity to D (dGS/dlnD) in response to GSref (references GS at D = 1 kPa) was affected by the variance of radiation instead of SWC. Specific hydraulic conductivity (ks) of trees of different sizes decreased by 45.3–65.6 % from the wet to the dry season. Combining the decreased maximum reference GS at D = 1 kPa (GSref-max) by 22.4 % with the constant max GS (GSmax) when ΨL < −1.2 MPa, we shed some light on the mechanism underlying the high water-use efficiency (WUE) of this Eucalyptus specie. With a slight change in GSref-max and high sensitivity of ks to decreasing ΨL, large trees used water more efficiently than small ones did. In addition, the −m in the dry season (0.53 ± 0.007) was lower than that in the wet season (0.58 ± 0.01) due to the difference in the ratio of GS to the boundary layer conductance (gb) in the two months. The negative relationship between −m (except when light is limited) and Q proved to be a plastic response to environmental changes for E. urophylla but did not change with decreased ks as expected.

Thiocyanate is a toxic compound produced by the mining and metallurgy industries that needs to be remediated prior to its release into the environment. If the industry is situated at high altitudes or near the poles, economic factors require a low temperature treatment process. Microbial fuel cells are a developing technology that have the benefits of both removing such toxic compounds while recovering electrical energy. In this study, simultaneous thiocyanate degradation and electrical current generation was demonstrated and it was suggested that extracellular electron transfer to the anode occurred. Investigation of the microbial community by 16S rRNA metatranscriptome reads supported that the anode attached and planktonic anolyte consortia were dominated by a Thiobacillus-like population. Metatranscriptomic sequencing also suggested thiocyanate degradation primarily occurred via the ‘cyanate’ degradation pathway. The generated sulfide was metabolized via sulfite and ultimately to sulfate mediated by reverse dissimilatory sulfite reductase, APS reductase, and sulfate adenylyltransferase and the released electrons were potentially transferred to the anode via soluble electron shuttles. Finally, the ammonium from thiocyanate degradation was assimilated to glutamate as nitrogen source and carbon dioxide was fixed as carbon source. This study is one of the first to demonstrate a low temperature inorganic sulfur utilizing microbial fuel cell and the first to provide evidence for pathways of thiocyanate degradation coupled to electron transfer.

This article discusses the impact of the Russian revolution of 1917 on Hungary, and the Hungarian people. During World War I, many Hungarians found themselves in Russia as prisoners of war. Many of them supported the Reds in the Russian civil war (among others, their traces can be found in the events of the last weeks of life of the Imperial family), and in the subsequent decades, some of them (for example Imre Nagy, Matyas Rakosi) played a crucial role in the history of Hungary.In the spring of 1917, many Hungarians were worried and impressed by the news about the Russian revolution which shook the Hungarian public. After the October revolution, the Hungarian left-wing Radicals began to support the Leninist-Bolshevik principles and call for civil war. The author analyses the press, memoirs, and archival documents of the time, and concludes that the collapse of the “old Hungary” in 1918 was due to a major role played by former prisoners of war who, as a result of the Brest peace in 1918, came home from Russia, “infected” by the ideas of the revolution. They ruined the army, and the country exhausted by war from the inside. In 1919, the leaders of the Hungarian Soviet Republic tried to adopt the “Moscow models” of governance. Because of the desperate situation in the country, many Hungarian intellectuals welcomed the attempt at first, but the policy of terror carried out by the Hungarian Bolsheviks naturally led to disappointment, and the fact that the government itself destroyed its moral and political foundations., В статье рассматривается влияние русской революции 1917 г. на венгерское общество. Во время Первой мировой войны много венгров оказалось в России в качестве военнопленных. Многие из них поддерживали красных в российской гражданской войне (их следы можно обнаружить, в том числе, в событиях последних недель жизни царской семьи), а в последующие десятилетия некоторые бывшие военнопленные (например, Имре Надь, Матяш Ракоши) играли важнейшую роль в истории Венгрии. Уже весной 1917 г. в Венгрии с удивлением и опасением воспринимали новости о русской революции, которая потрясла венгерскую общественность. После октябрьского переворота левые венгерские радикалы стали поддерживать ленинско-большевистские принципы, призывали к гражданской войне. Автор, анализируя тогдашнюю прессу, воспоминания, архивные документы, пришел к выводу, что в коллапсе «старой Венгрии» в 1918 г. важнейшую роль играли те бывшие военнопленные, которые в результате Брестского мира вернулись домой из России, «зараженные» идеями революции. Они буквально изнутри разорили армию и страну, в то время уже истощенную войной. В 1919 г. руководители Венгерской Советской Республики пытались адаптировать «московские образцы» управления, и многие венгерские интеллигенты сначала приветствовали эту попытку, но политика террора, проводимая венгерскими большевиками, закономерно привела к разочарованиям, и тому, что их власть сама разрушила свой собственный нравственный и политический фундамент.

Komposit kaolin-Cr 2 O 3 telah disintesis dan dikarakterisasi luas permukaan spesifik secara metode adsorpsi biru metilen, kristalinitas dan ukuran kristal secara X-RD dan gugus fungsi menggunakan FT-IR. Luas permukaan spesifik kaolin-Cr 2 O 3 mengalami peningkatan sebesar 1,9822 m 2 /g dibandingkan dengan kaolin. Hasil X-RD diperoleh 2? spesifik dari Cr 2 O 3 pada kaolin-Cr 2 O 3 dengan pergeseran puncak 2? = 35,96 0 dan 41,90 0 . Ukuran kristal kaolin dan kaolin-Cr 2 O 3 dihitung menggunakan persamaan Scherrer dan dihasilkan ukuran kristal berturut-turut 32,63 nm dan 29,33 nm. Spektra inframerah menunjukkan adanya gugus spesifik dari Cr 2 O 3 pada bilangan gelombang 653,87 cm -1 dan 613,36 cm -1 . Kondisi optimum fotodegradasi zat warna remazol brilliant orange oleh 0,5 gram komposit kaolin-Cr 2 O 3 terjadi pada menit ke-50 dengan konsentrasi zat warna 50 ppm dan persentase degradasi zat warna remazol brilliant orange 81,49 ± 0,57% lebih besar dibandingkan degradasi oleh Cr 2 O 3 (11,97 ± 2,58%).

Accurate reconstruction of the inner ear is a prerequisite for the modelling and understanding of the inner ear mechanics. In this study, we present a semi-automated methodology for accurate reconstruction of the major inner ear structures (scalae, basilar membrane, stapes and semicircular canals). For this purpose, high resolution microCT images of a human specimen were used. The segmentation methodology is based on an iterative level set algorithm which provides the borders of the structures of interest. An enhanced coupled level set method which allows the simultaneous multiple image labeling without any overlapping regions has been developed for this purpose. The marching cube algorithm was applied in order to extract the surface from the segmented volume. The reconstructed geometries are then post-processed to improve the basilar membrane geometry to realistically represent physiologic dimensions. The final reconstructed model is compared to the available data from the literature. The results show that our generated inner ear structures are in good agreement with the published ones, while our approach is the most realistic in terms of the basilar membrane thickness and width reconstruction. © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd.

© 2016, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. The stress state is an important parameter in metal forming processes, which significantly influences the strain state and microstructure of products, affecting their surface qualities. In order to make the metal products have a good surface quality, the surface stress state must be optimised. In this study, two classical methods, the upper bound method and the crystal plasticity finite element method, were investigated. The differences between the two methods were discussed in regard to the model, the velocity field, and the strain field. Then the related surface roughness is deduced.

Hybridization capture is considered very cost- and time-effective method for enriching a massive amount of target loci distributed separately in a whole genome. However, divergent loci are difficult to enrich for the sequence mismatch between probes and target DNA. After analysis the distributional pattern of divergent loci in mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes), we notice that the relatively variable regions are intercept by the relatively conservative regions. We propose to extend the length of library to overcome the problem. By using a home-made probe set to bait amphibian mitogeneomes DNA, we demonstrate that using 2 kb DNA libraries generate high sequence coverage in the highly variable regions than using 400 bp DNA libraries. These suggest that longer fragments in the library generally contain both relatively variable regions and relatively conservative regions. The divergent part DNA along with conservative part DNA is captured during hybridization. We present a protocol that allows users to overcome the gap problem for highly divergent gene capture.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengekstraksi hidroksiapatit dari limbah kerajinan tulang dan mengkarakterisasinya. Metode yang digunakan adalah metode kombinasi alkali hidrotermal dengan dekomposisi termal, yang dilakukan dengan cara menginteraksikan serbuk tulang dengan NaOH 5% dan dikalsinasi pada suhu 400, 750, 950 dan 1100 o C (TB 1 , TB 2 , TB 3 dan TB 4 ). Nilai yield hidroksiapatit rata-rata yang dihasilkan adalah 68,82%. Karakterisasi kebasaan permukaan tertinggi dimiliki TB 1 adalah 2,8345 ± 1,5166 x 10 -2 mmol/gram. Karakterisasi FTIR menghasilkan gugus fungsi yang sesuai dengan senyawa hidroksiapatit. Luas permukaan tertinggi dimiliki TB 1 adalah 34,4811 m 2 /gram. Perbandingan Ca/P rata-rata yang didapatkan adalah 1,6838. Karakterisasi XRD menunjukkan penambahan suhu mengakibatkan puncak difraksi yang dihasilkan semakin tajam yang menunjukkan struktur kristal yang dihasilkan semakin tajam.

Understanding of the pathophysiology of hearing process and its connection with pathologic conditions which are linked with hearing loss requires an accurate description of the inner ear geometry. In this study, a semi-automated methodology for three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the main inner ear structures: i) scalae, ii) basilar membrane, iii) vestibule, iv) stapes and v) round window is proposed. The methodology is based on the acquisition of microCT images and the employment of appropriate image processing techniques for accurate and semi-automated reconstruction. The Level Set algorithm employed with marching cubes algorithm is the main component of the methodology. The proposed methodology outcome is a 3D representation of the inner ear structures in a geometry format which can be used for further processing for inner ear modeling.

This paper reports the examination of Tukad Yeh Poh river in terms of several parameters namely temperature, total suspended solids (TSS), electric conductivity, pH, dissolve oxygen demand (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), phosphate, Pb, Cu, fecal coliform and total coliform. Water sampling was done at three sampling stations, namely the upstream, midstream and downstream. The results of the water sample measurements were compared to the environmental quality standards and standard criteria of environmental damage by Bali Governor Regulation No. 8 in 2007. The results showed the presence of some parameters whose values exceeded the threshold of class II water quality standard. Those parameters were TSS, BOD, COD, phosphate, Pb, and Cu. The STORET assessment results of Tukad Yeh Poh upstream has a total score of -27 that was categorized as being polluted, while in the middle and downstream, -37 and -49 respectively, which were categorized as heavily polluted.

Pada penelitian ini, dilakukan pengukuran kadar metilen biru, logam berat Cd, dan Cr total dalam air limbah artificial dengan menggunakan suspensi aktif pada biosistem vertikal menggunakan rumput gajah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menentukan suspensi aktif terbaik yang ditumbuhkan dari sumber nutrien yang berbeda (nutrien NPK, pupuk NPK, dan molase), ditentukan efektivitas dan kapasitas biosistem, serta menentukan pengaruh jumlah waktu retensi hidrolik biosistem. Metode yang digunakan yaitu dengan mengalirkan limbah artificial secara kontinyu dalam bak biosistem yang diinokulasi suspensi aktif sebanyak 3 kali waktu retensi hidrolik. Metode analisis yang digunakan yaitu metode uji-t deskriptif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan suspensi aktif terbaik diperoleh dari sampel tanah dengan sumber nutrien NPK dan pupuk NPK (pasaran) dengan pertumbuhan biomassa mencapai 1200 mg/L pada waktu 18 jam. Efektivitas biosistem vertikal tumbuhan rumput gajah dengan pupuk NPK dalam menurunkan kadar zat warna metilen biru, Cd, dan Cr berturut-turut sebesar 99,7587%, 99,8011%, dan 63,4927%. Kapasitas maksimum dalam menurunkan metilen biru, Cd, dan Cr total berturut-turut sebesar 2,7512 x103 mg/m3, 3,2220 x103 mg/m3, dan 2,2842 x103 mg/m3. Pengaruh jumlah waktu retensi hidrolik biosistem vertikal tumbuhan rumput gajah berdasarkan uji-t yaitu sudah mampu menurunkan kadar limbah metilen biru hingga ? 5 ppm dalam 1 kali waktu retensi hidrolik dan menurunkan kadar Cd ? 0,05 ppm dalam 3 kali waktu retensi hidrolik. Akan tetapi system ini tidak mampu menurunkan kadar Cr total ? 1 ppm. Kata kunci: biosistem, efektivitas, kapasitas, inokulasi, dan suspensi aktif

We study the isentropic compressible Navier-Stokes equations with radially symmetric data and non-negative initial density in an annular domain. We prove the global existence of strong solutions for any $\gamma\geq 1$. Moreover, we obtain the uniform in time $L^{\infty}$-boundedness of the density and $H^{1}$-boundedness of the velocity, improving therefore the corresponding result in [2], where the condition $\gamma\geq 2$ is required to guarantee the existence.

© 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. During uniaxial planar compression of annealed aluminium alloys, a novel approach to determine the surface asperity flattening (roughness R a ) is employed by analyzing the evolution of the surface's micro-texture. With an increase in compression strain, the surface asperity tends to be flattened, and strain hardening increases. Lubrication can constrain the surface asperity flattening process and hinder the progress of grain surface flattening. The development of surface texture shows an obvious dependency: Under the influence of friction, the normal deformation texture component (brass orientation { 0 1 1} (1 1 2)) can be generated easily, while lubrication can hinder this texture component generation. Simulated results show a good agreement with experimental results which predicated brass orientation. However, due to the limitation of the FCC Taylor model, the other orientation components cannot be predicted.

© 2015 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved. Moiré patterns are periodic superlattice structures that appear when two crystals with a minor lattice mismatch are superimposed. A prominent recent example is that of monolayer graphene placed on a crystal of hexagonal boron nitride. As a result of the moiré pattern superlattice created by this stacking, the electronic band structure of graphene is radically altered, acquiring satellite sub-Dirac cones at the superlattice zone boundaries. To probe the dynamical response of the moiré graphene, we use infrared (IR) nano-imaging to explore propagation of surface plasmons, collective oscillations of electrons coupled to IR light. We show that interband transitions associated with the superlattice mini-bands in concert with free electrons in the Dirac bands produce two additive contributions to composite IR plasmons in graphene moiré superstructures. This novel form of collective modes is likely to be generic to other forms of moiré-forming superlattices, including van der Waals heterostructures.

Penelitian ini tentang adsorpsi zat warna congo red oleh hidroksiapatit hasil dekomposisi termal 400oC (TA1) dan hidroksiapatit hasil dekomposisi termal 400oC termodifikasi Fe (TA2). Penelitian ini meliputi ekstraksi hidroksiapatit dari tulang secara dekomposisi termal, penentuan jumlah situs aktif hidroksiapatit secara titrasi asam basa, luas permukaan secara metode sorpsi biru metilen, perbandingan unsur Ca/P dianalisis menggunakan laser induced breakdown spectroscopy(LIBS), kristalinitas secara difraksi sinar-X (XRD), penentuan waktu setimbang adsorpsi congo red, isoterm adsorpsi dan kapasitas adsorpsi congo red tanpa dan dengan penambahan H2O2 menggunakan spektrofotometer UV-Vis. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa jumlah situs aktif hidroksiapatit tertinggi ditunjukkan oleh TA1 yaitu 19,3493x1023 situs/gram dan luas permukaan tertinggi ditunjukkan oleh TA1 yaitu 26,5375 m2/g. Perbandingan unsur Ca/P yang dihasilkan oleh TA1 yaitu 1,6425 sesuai literatur (1,67). TA2 menghasilkan puncak XRD yang lebih mendekati puncak hidroksiapatit murni dengan intensitas 100 yang memiliki sudut 2 31,99o. Secara umum adsorpsi congo red tanpa dan dengan penambahan H2O2 terjadi peningkatan kapasitas teradsorpsi seiring dengan bertambahnya konsentrasi congo red dan lebih tinggi dibandingkan serbuk tulang kontrol (T0).

When analysing the coupled mechanics of the cochlea, due to the interaction between fluid coupling and basilar membrane motion, it is convenient to divide the cochlea longitudinally into a discrete number of sections. This report considers the fluid coupling in such a discrete model. The fluid coupling is analysed using a wavenumber formulation and is separated into long wavelength and short wavelength components. The short wavelength components are then seen as one of a number of sources of additional longitudinal coupling that could be incorporated into a modified model of basilar membrane dynamics. The effects of non-uniformity and asymmetry in the fluid chamber areas can then be taken into account to predict both the pressure difference between the chambers and the mean pressure. The results from the analytic formulation, in which the fluid is assumed to be incompressible, are also compared with those of an acoustic finite element model for the fluid coupling. Although the agreement is good at low frequencies, a resonance is observed at about 11 kHz due to the compressibility of the fluid, although this does not appear to affect the coupled cochlear response.

Basing on new regularization-renormalization method, the $����^4$ model used in standard model is studied both perturbatively and nonperturbatively (by Gaussian effective potential). The invariant property of two mass scales is stressed and the existence of a (Landau) pole is emphasized. Then after coupling with the SU(2)$\times$U(1) gauge fields, the Higgs mass in standard model (SM) can be calculated as $m_H\approx$138GeV. The critical temperature ($T_c$) for restoration of symmetry of Higgs field, the critical energy scale ($��_c$, the maximum energy scale under which the lower excitation sector of the GEP is valid) and the maximum energy scale ($��_{max}$, at which the symmetry of the Higgs field is restored) in the standard model are $T_c\approx$476 GeV, $��_c\approx 0.547\times 10^{15}$GeV and $��_{\max}\approx 0.873 \times 10^{15}$ GeVv respectively., 12 pages, LaTex, no figure

Basing on the fundamental symmetry that the space-time inversion is equivalent to particle-antiparticle transformation, a relativistic modification on the stationary Schrodinger equation for many-particle system is made. The eigenvalue in the center of mass system is no longer equal to the negative of binding energy simply. The possible applications in various fields (e.g. the model of quarkonium) are discussed.

Genital warts, which are one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), result from persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), especially subtypes 6 or 11. Topical application of 5% imiquimod cream is currently recommended as a first-line treatment choice for genital warts, but the clearance and patient compliance rates remain less than sufficient. In the current study, we developed a temperature-sensitive gel that contains the host-defense peptides caerin 1.1 and 1.9, which were originally isolated from Australian tree frogs of the genus Litoria. Growth of HPV16 E6/E7-transformed TC-1 cells was inhibited in vitro and in vivo following injection of the tumor with the caerin gel in a TC-1 tumor mouse model. Furthermore, when the caerin gel was topically applied, the inhibitory effect remained, and T, NK cells were attracted to the tumor site. In addition, the gel maintained a similar level of bioactivity after incubation at room temperature for 30 days. Our results suggest that this caerin gel, following further optimization, may provide an alternative method for the management of genital warts.

Van-der Waals (vdW) atomically layered crystals can act as optical waveguides over a broad range of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from Terahertz to visible. Unlike common Si-based waveguides, vdW semiconductors host strong excitonic resonances that may be controlled using non-thermal stimuli including electrostatic gating and photoexcitation. Here, we utilize waveguide modes to examine photo-induced changes of excitons in the prototypical vdW semiconductor, WSe2, prompted by femtosecond light pulses. Using time-resolved scanning near-field optical microscopy we visualize the electric field profiles of waveguide modes in real space and time and extract the temporal evolution of the optical constants following femtosecond photoexcitation. By monitoring the phase velocity of the waveguide modes, we detect incoherent A-exciton bleaching along with a coherent optical Stark shift in WSe2. The authors use time-resolved scanning near-field optical microscopy to probe the ultrafast excitonic processes and their impact on waveguide operation in transition metal dichalcogenide crystals. They observe significant modulation of the complex index by monitoring waveguide modes on the fs time scale, and identify both coherent and incoherent manipulations of WSe2 excitonic resonances.

Background Both genetic and nongenetic factors can predispose individuals to cardiovascular risk. Finding ways to alter these predispositions is important for cardiovascular disease prevention. Methods and Results We used a novel whole‐genome approach to estimate the genetic and nongenetic effects on—and hence their predispositions to—cardiovascular risk and determined whether they vary with respect to lifestyle factors such as physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and dietary intake. We performed analyses on the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) Study (N=6896–7180) and validated findings using the UKBB (UK Biobank, N=14 076–34 538). Lifestyle modulation was evident for many cardiovascular traits such as body mass index and resting heart rate. For example, alcohol consumption modulated both genetic and nongenetic effects on body mass index, whereas smoking modulated nongenetic effects on heart rate, pulse pressure, and white blood cell count. We also stratified individuals according to estimated genetic and nongenetic effects that are modulated by lifestyle factors and showed distinct phenotype–lifestyle relationships across the stratified groups. Finally, we showed that neglecting lifestyle modulations of cardiovascular traits would on average reduce single nucleotide polymorphism heritability estimates of these traits by a small yet significant amount, primarily owing to the overestimation of residual variance. Conclusions Lifestyle changes are relevant to cardiovascular disease prevention. Individual differences in the genetic and nongenetic effects that are modulated by lifestyle factors, as shown by the stratified group analyses, implies a need for personalized lifestyle interventions. In addition, single nucleotide polymorphism–based heritability of cardiovascular traits without accounting for lifestyle modulations could be underestimated.

The development and maturation of semi-invariant natural killer T cells (iNKT cells) rely on the recognition of self antigens presented by CD1d restriction molecules in thymus. The nature of the stimulatory thymic self lipids remains elusive. We isolated lipids from thymocytes and found that ether-bonded mono-alkyl glycerophosphates and the precursors and degradation products of plasmalogens stimulated iNKT cells. Synthetic analogs showed high potency in activating thymic and peripheral iNKT cells. Mice deficient in the peroxisomal enzyme glyceronephosphate O-acyltransferase (GNPAT), essential for the synthesis of ether lipids, had significant alteration of the thymic maturation of iNKT cells and fewer iNKT cells in both thymus and peripheral organs, which confirmed the role of ether-bonded lipids as iNKT cell antigens. Thus, peroxisome-derived lipids are nonredundant self antigens required for the generation of a full iNKT cell repertoire.

The advances in research on ad hoc networks, the availability of cheap radio interfaces (e.g. WiFi) and the increasing amount of electronic devices installed in vehicles have set the path for vehicular ad hoc networks. In the past few years, vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) research has addressed all layers, trying to optimize from the physical layer to the application layer to support the design of new possible application scenarios. It is often difficult to find a comprehensive approach to VANETs, due to their complexity. It is also often difficult to realize how far, technically, is the implementation of VANET-based application scenarios. We here propose to take one step in such direction, partially reviewing the research in this space and finding out how well can applications such as peer-to-peer file sharing and gaming can be supported. Our final scope is to provide an understanding of how far ahead in time, from the technological point of view, is the implementation of the cited scenarios on a distributed vehicular ad hoc network.

We report and discuss on the basic stages of development of a web application designed to support an ubiquitous and altruistic health application based on the Web~2.0 paradigm. Our starting idea is that several technological tools are mature enough to enable such class of applications. In particular, we present the main features of our system, the most prominent, even if preliminary, result is a new approach to filtering and discovery, to associate the most appropriate doctor to a patient in the case of an emergency.

We present a distributed fast protocol for broadcast in ad hoc vehicular networks, and the results of a set of experiment that we carried to test it. Our proposal, called FROV, gains optimal performance in very reasonable real scenarios. These scenario are challenging and were not extensively studied in literature. In particular, we consider individual and variable transmission ranges of the vehicles and asymmetrical communications between them. Our proposal do not require any global knowledge, and exploits the locality of the data and the computations. FROV is scalable with respect to both the length of the road and the number of participating vehicles. In addition, FROV tolerates faults and changes of membership of the participants set. The results we gained from our experiments confirmed the properties of FROV and suggested the right parameters to fine tuning the protocol