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Copyright of Médiévales is the property of Presses Universitaires de Vincennes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Law & Society/Revue Canadienne Droit et Societe (University of Toronto Press) is the property of University of Toronto Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the presented article the authors follow selected problems of brake fluids evaluation. The introductory section briefly specifies their application. Next section refers to the degradation effects of practical operation and to the methods and instruments for the evaluation of the selected quality properties of brake fluids.

The article presents a study which analyzes the relationships between brothers and sisters in Romania from 1700 to 1830. Focus is given to the role brothers and sisters played regarding solidarities and conflicts among families. It notes the daughter's role as a pawn in strategic alliances and how preserving the family's patrimony was more important than the dowry when a brother arranged the marriage of his sister after their father's death. The author also mentions how these practices were regulated with several laws as presented in the Romanian code "Pravilniceasca Condică" dating from 1780.

Introduction: Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) is the key element of DOTS (directly observed treatment, short course), part of the internationally recommended control strategy for tuberculosis (TB). The evaluation of DOT has not been widely evaluated in rural areas in developed settings. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate a modified DOT program (MDOT) by a general practitioner (GP) in a rural area of southwest Greece, where there is substantial underreporting of TB cases. Methods: Thirteen new TB cases with 30 close contacts were compared with 41 past-treated TB subjects (controls) with 111 close contacts in this observational, case-control study. Home visits by a GP were conducted and comparison of various data (laboratory findings, treatment outcomes, questionnaire-based parameters, on-site recorded conditions) was performed in both newly detected pulmonary TB cases and previously treated TB cases managed without DOT intervention. Results: MDOT by GP implementation revealed that 11 cases (84.6%) were successfully treated, one (7.7%) case died, and one (7.7%) was lost to follow up. None of the close contacts of new TB cases was infected with active TB, while 6.3% of previouslytreated TB subjects were infected with active TB and had to receive a complete anti-TB regimen. Chemoprophylaxis was administered to 13.3% of close contacts of new cases; whereas 12.6% of close contacts of previously-treated patients received chemoprophylaxis. Conclusion: This pilot study revealed that a GP is able to implement a program based on DOT resulting in high treatment adherence and prevention of TB compared with the conventional self-administration of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Medicina (Buenos Aires) is the property of Medicina (Buenos Aires) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Novel star-like hydrophobic ( M) and hydrophilic ( W) hybrid light-emitting dots were synthesized by grafting conjugated arms at eight vertexes of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) cage. The water-soluble cationic polymer W contains POSS as a core and two layers shell-an inner layer shell consists of the conjugated organic chain and a long chain of hydrophilic polymer as outer layer shell for solubilization in water. The 3D structure renders non-aggregation properties of W in solution as the wavelength for the absorption and luminescence spectra remains unchanged over different concentrations. The effects of ionic strength and pH on the properties of cationic polymer W were studied using UV, dynamic- and static-light scattering (DLS and SLS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although tuberculosis (TB) care is provided free of charge in Morocco, a high number of patients voluntarily interrupt their treatment before the end. Treatment Default is a major obstacle in the fight against the disease. The purpose of this study was to describe the impact of knowledge and attitudes toward TB on treatment adherence. Methods: Case-control study of 290 TB patients (85 defaulters and 205 controls). A defaulter was defined as a TB patient who interrupted treatment for two months or longer. Socio-demographic measurements, knowledge and attitude were collected by face to face anonymous questionnaire. Khi-square test was conducted to examine differences in TB attitudes and knowledge according to treatment adherence. Results: The mean age of participants was 31.7 ± 12.0 years. Monthly income was under 2000 MAD (180 ?) for 82 % of them. Over sixty four percent were illiterate or had a basic educational level. Microbial cause was known by 17.2% respondents; 20.5% among adherent patients versus 9.4% (p=0.02). The fact that the disease is curable was more known by adherent patients: 99.0% versus 88.2% (p<0.01). Eighty tree per cent of patients had been informed about treatment duration and consequences of not completing treatment: 89.0% among adherent patients versus 69.7% (p<0.001). The main reason evoked for defaulting was the sensation of being cured (72.9% of defaulters).Conclusion: This study shows a poor knowledge on TB especially among non adherent patients. This finding justifies the need to incorporate patient?s education into current TB case management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We show that the emergence of different surface patterns (ripples, dots) can be well understood by a suitable mapping onto the simplest nonequilibrium lattice gases and cellular automata. Using this efficient approach difficult, unanswered questions of surface growth and its scaling can be studied. The mapping onto binary variables facilitates effective simulations and enables one to consider very large system sizes. We have confirmed that the fundamental Kardar–Parisi–Zhang (KPZ) universality class is stable against a competing roughening diffusion, while a strong smoothing diffusion leads to logarithmic growth, a mean-field type behavior in two dimensions. The model can also describe anisotropic surface diffusion processes effectively. By analyzing the time-dependent structure factor we give numerical estimates for the wavelength coarsening behavior. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Topographic non-invasive near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has become a well-established tool for functional brain imaging. Applying up to 100 optodes over the head of a subject, allows achieving a spatial resolution in the centimeter range. This resolution is poor compared to other functional imaging tools. However, recently it was shown that diffuse optical tomography (DOT) as an extension of NIRS based on high-density (HD) probe arrays and supplemented by an advanced image reconstruction procedure allows describing activation patterns with a spatial resolution in the millimeter range. Building on these findings, we hypothesize that HD-DOT may render very focal activations accessible which would be missed by the traditionally used sparse arrays. We examined activation patterns in the primary somatosensory cortex, since its somatotopic organization is very fine-grained. We performed a vibrotactile stimulation study of the first and fifth finger in eight human subjects, using a 900-channel continuous-wave DOT imaging system for achieving a higher resolution than conventional topographic NIRS. To compare the results to a well-established high-resolution imaging technique, the same paradigm was investigated in the same subjects by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In this work, we tested the advantage of ultrahigh-density probe arrays and show that highly focal activations would be missed by classical next-nearest neighbor NIRS approach, but also by DOT, when using a sparse probe array. Distinct activation patterns for both fingers correlated well with the expected neuroanatomy in five of eight subjects. Additionally we show that activation for different fingers is projected to different tissue depths in the DOT image. Comparison to the fMRI data yielded similar activation foci in seven out of ten finger representations in these five subjects when comparing the lateral localization of DOT and fMRI results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Tuberculosis rates in the world remain high, especially in low- and middle-income countries. International tuberculosis (TB) policy generally recommends the use of directly observed therapy (DOT) to ensure treatment adherence.Objective: This article examines a change in TB treatment support that occurred in 2005 in South Africa, from DOT to the enhanced TB adherence programme (ETA). Design: Seven key individuals representing academics, policy makers and service providers involved in the development of the ETA programme or knowledgeable about the issue were purposively sampled and interviewed, and participant observation was conducted at ETA programme steering group meetings. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data, drawing on the Kingdon model of agenda setting. This model suggests that three independent streams - problem, policy and politics - come together at a certain point, often facilitated by policy entrepreneurs, to provide an opportunity for an issue to enter the policy agenda. Results: The results suggest the empowerment-oriented programme emerged through the presence of policy entrepreneurs with access to resources. Policy entrepreneurs were influenced by a number of simultaneously occurring challenges including problems within the existing programme; a perceived mismatch between patient needs and the existing TB treatment model; and the TB-HIV co-epidemic. Policy entrepreneurs saw the ART approach as a possible solution to these challenges. Conclusions: The Kingdon model contributed to describing the process of policy change. Research evidence seemed to influence this change diffusely, through the interaction of policy entrepreneurs and academics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder arising in the aftermath of a traumatic event. The most prevalent hypothesis is that of an increased amygdala activity to threat cues. The amygdala has also shown an implication in orienting attention toward threat. The aim of the study was to explore the correlations between amygdala activity, symptom severity and attentional bias in PTSD. Patients and healthy controls were assayed on an fMRI emotional face matching task and an attentional detection of target (DOT) task. The amygdala showed enhanced activity in PTSD (vs. controls). It positively correlated with anxiety scores and PTSD symptomatology. It also positively correlated with the disengagement index. Mostly, these results provide preliminary support for an implication of the amygdala in attention orientation to threat in PTSD. These results are further discussed in light of recent theories concerned with cortico-limbic functioning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

From December 2005 through August 2008, we provided community-based accompaniment with supervised antiretroviral therapy (CASA) to impoverished individuals starting highly active antiretroviral therapy. Adherence support was provided for 18 months by a community-based team comprised of several nurses and two types of community health workers: field supervisors and directly observed therapy (DOT) volunteers. To complement our quantitative data collection in 2008 using purposive sampling, we conducted two gender-mixed focus group discussions with 13 CASA patient participants and 13 DOT volunteers from Lima, Peru to identify the mediating mechanisms by which CASA improved well-being, and to understand the benefits of the intervention, as perceived by these individuals. Using standard qualitative methods for the review and analysis of transcripts and interview notes, we identified central themes and developed a coding scheme for categorising participants' statements. Two individuals blinded to each other's coding, coded interview transcripts for theme and content from which a third reviewer compared their coding to arbitrate discrepancies. Additional domains were added if necessary and all domains were integrated into a theoretical scheme. Among the forms of support delivered by the CASA team, DOT volunteers reported emotional support, instrumental support, directly observed therapy, building trust, education, advocacy, exercise of moral authority and preparation for transition off CASA support. CASA participants described outcomes of improved adherence, ability to resume social roles, increased self-efficacy, hopefulness, changes in non-HIV-related behaviour, reduced internalised and externalised stigma, as well as ability to disclose. Both sets of focus group participants highlighted remaining challenges after completion of CASA support: stigma in the community, difficulties achieving economic recovery and persistent barriers to health services. Based on our prior quantitative and qualitative outcomes reported here, we argue that DOT of highly active antiretroviral therapy could be designed to optimise psychosocial recovery during the period of DOT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients delay in seeking care increases the transmission of pulmonary tuberculosis and hence the burden of the disease. This study investigates the pattern and determinants of patients delay in seeking treatment among pulmonary tuberculosis cases attending a Government Chest Clinic in Ibadan, Nigeria. A descriptive cross sectional study was employed. A face to face interview of 102 newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients at the clinic was conducted using a structured questionnaire. The mean age of respondents was 45.4 ±13.5 years and 61(59.8%) were females. The overall median delay in seeking treatment among study subjects was 60 days (range 3 to 180 days), with 61.8% patients delaying for more than 30 days. Binary logistic regression model showed that female sex (OR=5.3), place of residence (OR=3.9), outside Ibadan vs. within Ibadan), age group >45 vs. ≤45 years (OR=2.4) and reported stigma (OR=7.6) were significantly associated with longer patients delay. The results showed that delay among patients in seeking care is common and some groups of patients may be experiencing problems in seeking care in our environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast tuberculosis (TB) is a very rare form of TB. Case series on breast TB are scarce. Patients and Methods: The patients with breast TB treated between 2004 and 2008 at our hospital were retrospectively investigated. Results: All patients were female (mean age 31.5 ± 8.4 years). All but 1 patient were new cases. Patients presented with swelling of the breast (48.1%), mass and fluctuation (each, 40.7%), and breast pain (18.5%). The mean treatment duration was significantly shorter in 14 patients who received directly observed therapy (DOT) compared with those (n = 12) who did not (6.7 ± 1.7 months vs. 8.5 ± 1.6 months, respectively; p = 0.01). Seven patients underwent segmental mastektomy as complementary surgery. The highest rate of breast TB was seen in 2007 (37.1% compared with 14.8% between 2004 and 2006). Conclusions: Breast TB should be considered in patients with breast neoplasia, swelling, and discharge, and can be successfully treated by DOT with shorter treatment duration. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Computer aided detection (CAD) data analysis procedures are introduced and applied to derive composite diffuse optical tomography (DOT) signatures of malignancy in human breast tissue. In contrast to previous optical mammography analysis schemes, the new statistical approach utilizes optical property distributions across multiple subjects and across the many voxels of each subject. The methodology is tested in a population of 35 biopsy-confirmed malignant lesions. Methods: DOT CAD employs multiparameter, multivoxel, multisubject measurements to derive a simple function that transforms DOT images of tissue chromophores and scattering into a probability of malignancy tomogram. The formalism incorporates both intrasubject spatial heterogeneity and intersubject distributions of physiological properties derived from a population of cancer-containing breasts (the training set). A weighted combination of physiological parameters from the training set define a malignancy parameter (M), with the weighting factors optimized by logistic regression to separate training-set cancer voxels from training-set healthy voxels. The utility of M is examined, employing 3D DOT images from an additional subjects (the test set). Results: Initial results confirm that the automated technique can produce tomograms that distinguish healthy from malignant tissue. When compared to a gold standard tissue segmentation, this protocol produced an average true positive rate (sensitivity) of 89% and a true negative rate (specificity) of 94% using an empirically chosen probability threshold. Conclusions: This study suggests that the automated multisubject, multivoxel, multiparameter statistical analysis of diffuse optical data is potentially quite useful, producing tomograms that distinguish healthy from malignant tissue. This type of data analysis may also prove useful for suppression of image artifacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To establish which of the many possible linkages between tuberculosis (TB), direct observation of treatment (DOTS), and the social reality of migrant workers in Kathmandu are the most relevant to the health outcomes and economic and social well-being of these populations, and which are amenable to possible interventions and high-yield policy changes. Methods Fourteen semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted through an interpreter with male migrant TB patients aged 18–50 years recruited from three DOTS clinics in the Kathmandu valley in May 2005. The interviews were coded using constant comparison and analysed using a grounded theory method. Results The economic burden of TB treatment is far greater than the financial reserve of migrants. Consequently remittances sent to families are reduced and migrants remain in debt long after treatment completion, tied to the treatment location paying off high interest loans. Forced to attend clinics far away from their home, and isolated by the stigma associated with TB, migrants are vulnerable without social support networks. Migrants find that daily clinic visits are incompatible with working schedules and important cultural festivals, which forces them into defaulting. Conclusion The needs of migrant workers with TB living in Kathmandu are not being adequately met. Current service provision needs to be reviewed to build in greater flexibility and support for migrant men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An open-label, 60-day trial was conducted in 75 newly diagnosed tuberculosis (TB) patients to assess the adjunctive effect of the oral immunomodulator Dzherelo with standard anti-TB chemotherapy (ATT) consisting of izoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide and streptomycin (HRZS) administered as directly observed therapy (DOT). Group 1 ( n = 28) with cavitary TB and group 2 ( n = 17) with infiltrating pulmonary TB received 50 drops of Dzherelo twice daily in addition to HRZS. Group 3 ( n = 30), which served as a control, received ATT only. Liver damage indicators, bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) decreased to normal levels in groups 1 and 2, but increased significantly in group 3. Kidney failure markers, urea and creatinine, normalized in Dzherelo recipients, but were unchanged or worsened in the ATT-only group. The changes in serum lactate dehydrogenase, catalase, malondialdehyde and diene conjugates suggested that Dzherelo downregulates TB-associated inflammation. The anti-inflammatory property of Dzherelo was further supported by a favourable haematology profile, reduced erythrocyte sedimentation rate and faster defervescence. Radiological recovery was significant in both Dzherelo groups, but not in the control group (p = 0.0085, p = 0.025 and p = 0.23, respectively). These findings correlated positively with sputum smear conversion and clinical findings ( r = 0.94; p < 0.05). Mycobacterial clearance at day 30 was observed in 77%, 72% and 40% of patients in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. After 2 months sputum conversion rates in groups 1, 2 and 3 were 93%, 89% and 70%, respectively. Sixty-day treatment outcomes in groups 1, 2 and 3 as assessed by improvement in clinical features and respiratory function attained respective p-values of 0.008, 0.25 and 0.72, and 0.013, 0.48 and 0.0015. Dzherelo is thus useful as an immunotherapeutic adjunct in the management of TB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: GTPases known as translation factor play a vital role as ribosomal subunit assembly chaperone. The bacterial Obg proteins (Spo0B-associated GTP-binding protein) belong to the subfamily of P-loop GTPase proteins and now it is considered as one of the new target for antibacterial drug. The majority of bacterial Obgs have been commonly found to be associated with ribosome, implying that these proteins may play a fundamental role in ribosome assembly or maturation. In addition, one of the experimental evidences suggested that Bacillus subtilis Obg (BsObg) protein binds to the L13 ribosomal protein (BsL13) which is known to be one of the early assembly proteins of the 50S ribosomal subunit in Escherichia coli. In order to investigate binding mode between the BsObg and the BsL13, protein-protein docking simulation was carried out after generating 3D structure of the BsL13 structure using homology modeling method. Materials and Methods: Homology model structure of BsL13 was generated using the EcL13 crystal structure as a template. Protein-protein docking of BsObg protein with ribosomal protein BsL13 was performed by DOT, a macro-molecular docking software, in order to predict a reasonable binding mode. The solvated energy minimization calculation of the docked conformation was carried out to refine the structure. Results and Discussion: The possible binding conformation of BsL13 along with activated Obg fold in BsObg was predicted by computational docking study. The final structure is obtained from the solvated energy minimization. From the analysis, three important H-bond interactions between the Obg fold and the L13 were detected: Obg:Tyr27-L13:Glu32, Obg:Asn76-L13:Glu139, and Obg:Ala136-L13:Glu142. The interaction between the BsObg and BsL13 structures were also analyzed by electrostatic potential calculations to examine the interface surfaces. From the results, the key residues for hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction between the two proteins were predicted. Conclusion and Prospects: In this study, we have focused on the binding mode of the BsObg protein with the ribosomal BsL13 protein. The interaction between the activated Obg and target protein was investigated with protein-protein docking calculations. The binding pattern can be further used as a base for structure-based drug design to find a novel antibacterial drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Environmental Management (EM), is actively pursuing activities to reduce the radiological risk and clean up the environmental legacy of the nation's nuclear weapons programmes. The EM has made significant progress in recent years in the clean-up and closure of sites and is also focusing on longer term activities necessary for the completion of the clean-up programme. The packaging and transportation of contaminated demolition debris and low level waste materials in a safe and cost effective manner are essential in completing this mission. Toward this end, the US Department of Transportation's Final Rule on Hazardous Materials Regulation issued on 26 January 2004, included a new provision authorising the use of freight containers (e.g. 20 and 40 ft ISO containers) as industrial packages type 2 or 3. This paper will discuss the technical and regulatory considerations in using these newly authorised and large packages for the packaging and transportation of low level waste materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report describes the optimization of culture conditions for teicoplanin production by Actinoplanes teichomyceticus KCCM-10601, an identified high-teicoplanin-producing strain (US 2006/0134757 A1). Among the conditions tested, temperature, pH, and the dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) were key factors affecting teicoplanin production. When the temperature, pH, and DOT were controlled at 34 °C, 7.0 and 20–30%, respectively, a dry-cell weight of 42.8 g l−1 and a teicoplanin production of 2.9 g l−1 were obtained after 120 h of batch culture, corresponding to a specific teicoplanin content of 67.8 mg g-DCW−1. Teicoplanin production was scaled-up from a laboratory scale (7-l fermenter) to a pilot scale (300 l) and a plant scale (5,000 l) using the impeller tip velocity ( V tip) as a scale-up parameter. Teicoplanin production at the laboratory scale was similar to those at the pilot and plant scales. This is the highest report of pilot- and plant-scale production of teicoplanin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We investigate the energy spectrum and the corresponding wave functions of an electron confined by a pseudoharmonic potential both including harmonic dot and antidot potentials in the presence of a strong magnetic field together with an Aharonov–Bohm flux field. Exact solutions for the energy levels and wave functions are found for this exactly soluble system. These are all tested under various conditions and also are compared with other works found in the literature. Further, we discuss the related energy spectrum in terms of special values of the proposed pseudoharmonic potential, AB field and magnetic field as a function of magnetic quantum number and magnetic field. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives To provide a systematic assessment of the timing of default from tuberculosis (TB) treatment which could help to quantify the potential contribution of new shorter duration TB drugs to global TB control. Methods We performed a systematic review following QUOROM guidelines. MEDLINE was searched from 1998 to the present using the terms TB and default or drop-out or compliance or adherence and therapy. A total of 840 articles were returned. A further detailed manual review selected 15 randomized trials and observational studies that reported timing of drop-out and focused on developing countries. Results The selected studies comprised randomized controlled trials, retrospective record reviews, and qualitative assessments and spanned 10 countries. Both directly observed treatment (DOT) and non-DOT programs were represented. Thus results were highly heterogeneous and not statistically aggregated. Data suggest, but do not conclude, that the majority of defaulters across the studies completed the 2-month intensive phase of treatment. Conclusions There is insufficient high-quality comparable information on the timing of default from TB treatment to permit any firm conclusions on trends in default. However, a substantial proportion of defaulters appear to leave treatment in the later stages of the current 6-month regimen, suggesting that new TB chemotherapeutic agents which can reduce the length of treatment have the potential to improve global TB treatment success rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study evaluated the effects of boron impregnation and heat treatment on the chemical and mechanical properties of wood. Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) sapwood specimens treated with either boric acid (BA) or di-sodium octoborate tetrahydrate (DOT) solutions were exposed to heat treatments at either 180 or 220°C for 2 or 4h. Chemical composition and strength properties were then measured in heat-treated specimens in comparison with untreated, unheated specimens. The wood carbohydrates were significantly degraded in the heat-treated specimens, suggesting depolymerization and alterations through the cleavage of acetic acid from the acetyl side chains. Increases in the amount of Klason lignin were found in heat-treated specimens, probably because of the ongoing removal of hemicelluloses during thermal degradation. A direct relationship was found between strength and hemicellulose losses of the specimens. As the hemicellulose content in the specimens decreased, losses in the modulus of rupture (MOR) increased. There were mixing effects of BA, DOT and thermal treatments on the chemical composition and strength properties, and it is therefore difficult to distinguish how these factors contribute to the properties evaluated. However, the effect of heat treatment on the mechanical properties was much clearer at the highest temperature (220°C) than at 180°C. The reductions in the modulus of elasticity (MOE) in the untreated wood were slightly higher than those in the BA- and DOT-treated specimens; however, this trend disappeared at treatments of 220°C for 2 and 4h, in which MOE losses reached 100% for all specimens. More detailed studies are needed to determine the effects of boron compounds on wood properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The demand for monoclonal antibody for therapeutic and diagnostic applications is rising constantly which puts up a need to bring down the cost of its production. In this context it becomes a prerequisite to improve the efficiency of the existing processes used for monoclonal antibody production. This review describes various upstream processes used for monoclonal antibody production and evaluates critical parameters and efforts which are being made to enhance the efficiency of the process. The upstream technology has tremendously been upgraded from host cells used for manufacturing to bioreactors type and capacity. The host cells used range from microbial, mammalian to plant cells with mammalian cells dominating the scenario. Disposable bioreactors are being promoted for small scale production due to easy adaptation to process validation and flexibility, though they are limited by the scale of production. In this respect Wave bioreactors for suspension culture have been introduced recently. A novel bioreactor for immobilized cells is described which permits an economical and easy alternative to hollow fiber bioreactor at lab scale production. Modification of the cellular machinery to alter their metabolic characteristics has further added to robustness of cells and perks up cell specific productivity. The process parameters including feeding strategies and environmental parameters are being improved and efforts to validate them to get reproducible results are becoming a trend. Online monitoring of the process and product characterization is increasingly gaining importance. In total the advancement of upstream processes have led to the increase in volumetric productivity by 100-fold over last decade and make the monoclonal antibody production more economical and realistic option for therapeutic applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article reports on the proposed reflection diffuse optical tomography using depth-adaptive regularized reconstruction. It aims at imaging the hemoglobin oxygen saturation and perfusion variation of human cerebral cortex with brain activation. The simulation of two objects representing skin circulation change and brain activation demonstrates the improvement of uniformity of the 3D reconstructed image under the proposed scheme.

This report describes the optimization of culture conditions for vancomycin production by Amycolatopsis orientalis KCCM-10836P, an identified high-vancomycin-producing strain (US11/712,494). Among the conditions tested, pH and the dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) were key factors affecting vancomycin production. When the pH and DOT were controlled at 7.0 and 20–30%, respectively, a dry-cell weight (DCW) of 62.0 g l−1 and a vancomycin production of 11.5 g l−1 were obtained after 120 h of batch culture, corresponding to a specific vancomycin content of 185.4 mg g-DCW−1. Vancomycin production was scaled up from a laboratory scale (7-l fermentor) to a pilot scale (300 l) and a plant scale (5,000 l) using the impeller tip velocity ( V tip) as a scale-up parameter. Vancomycin production at the laboratory scale was similar to those at the pilot and plant scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revue Anthropologie et Sociétés is the property of Anthropologie et Societies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) is a non-linear, ill-posed, boundary value and optimization problem which necessitates regularization. Also, Bayesian methods are suitable owing to measurements data are sparse and correlated. In such problems which are solved with iterative methods, for stabilization and better convergence, the solution space must be small. These constraints subject to extensive and overdetermined system of equations which model retrieving criteria specially total least squares (TLS) must to refine model error. Using TLS is limited to linear systems which is not achievable when applying traditional Bayesian methods. This paper presents an efficient method for model refinement using regularized total least squares (RTLS) for treating on linearized DOT problem, having maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimator and Tikhonov regulator. This is done with combination Bayesian and regularization tools as preconditioner matrices, applying them to equations and then using RTLS to the resulting linear equations. The preconditioning matrixes are guided by patient specific information as well as a priori knowledge gained from the training set. Simulation results illustrate that proposed method improves the image reconstruction performance and localize the abnormally well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

New international standards no longer require directly observed therapy for all tuberculosis (TB) patients, but state that practitioners must be capable of assessing adherence and addressing poor adherence. Mass-produced electronic medication monitors, which record removal of medication from a container, could help overcome the problem of assessing treatment adherence accurately even in poor countries. Both health facilities and community workers could dispense drugs for self-administered treatment in medication monitors and retrieve the adherence record with inexpensive built-in displays. These devices could keep the adherence record from the beginning of therapy for managing patients who move. Pharmacists using medication monitors could provide surveillance of self-administered treatment prescribed by private physicians with less adherent patients referred to the health departments. Less adherent patients could be managed with focused counselling, directly observed therapy when necessary, and extensions in treatment duration. Removal of the directly observed therapy burden would encourage patients to seek free high-quality supervised pubic care and help expand effective TB treatment services. If resources saved by giving less directly observed therapy were focused on poorly adherent patients, medication monitor-based programmes could create less acquired drug resistance than overwhelmed treatment programmes that attempt but fail to give uninterrupted directly observed therapy to all patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A commercial silicon emulsion was applied to decrease boron leaching from either Na-borate or disodium octoborate tetrahydrate (DOT) treated wood. Treated wood specimens at target retention levels of 4, 8 and 12kg/m3 Na-borate were soaked in the silicon emulsion and dried at 105°C for 24h. In the second trials, wood specimens previously treated with DOT solutions at 1% and 1.5% concentrations were surface treated with the silicon emulsion. The specimens were then subjected to a 10-day leaching process followed by decay and termite resistance tests under laboratory conditions. Retention levels of 1kg/m3 were retained in the Na-borate and silicon emulsion-treated wood specimens after the leaching process, but nearly no boron remained in the wood specimens treated with Na-borate only. In the DOT treatments, about 2kg/m3 retention levels were retained in the specimens after the leaching process. The Na-borate+silicon emulsion-treated and-leached specimens showed better performance than the Na-borate only treated specimens in decay resistance tests. The DOT and silicon emulsion-treated specimens remained almost intact even after the leaching process due to higher boron content compared to the Na-borate treatments. Even though termite resistance tests caused higher mass losses in the leached specimens in all treatment groups when compared to the decay resistance tests, silicon treatments also reduced the mass losses in the specimens after the leaching process. More detailed studies are needed to obtain a better understanding of the mechanisms of interaction between silicon emulsion and wood components. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We proposed a new nonplanar disposable SiGe dot (d-Dot) MOSFET based on Si-on-Nothing technology. The new device concepts' relies on self-assembled single-crystalline d-Dot. The d-Dot MOSFET is prone to a particularly high strain/stress, both from the underlaying SiGe 3-D islands and from the stressed capping layers. We show that more than 80% and 50% higher mobilities of holes and electrons, respectively, can be obtained, as indicated by 3-D simulations performed throughout the entire fabrication process. Significant improvements in drive currents, transit frequencies, and the short channel effects are demonstrated using 2-D device simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cahiers d'Études Africaines is the property of Editions EHESS and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: A graph is -excellent if every vertex of the graph is contained in some minimum dominating set of the graph. A vertex is critical in G if the domination number of is smaller than that of G. The graph G is dot-critical if contracting any edge of G produces a graph with smaller domination number. G is critically dominated if the set of critical vertices forms a dominating set for G. In this paper we show that these three properties, along with several others, are equivalent for trees on at least four vertices. We also provide a constructive characterization of these trees. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Implementation of diffuse optical tomography (DOT) for prostate cancer is challenging because the prostate is a deep-seated organ. We investigated whether diffuse optical tomography (DOT) and spectroscopy could be applied to monitor the physiology of prostate cancer using a small probe that could be placed endorectally. We manually segmented the prostate, the intraprostatic tumor, and the rectum using data from endorectal magnetic resonance imaging. These structures were reconstructed and meshed with tetrahedral finite elements in three dimensions. A 2×4 cm probe that has ten sources and 52 detectors were placed to face the anterior wall of the rectum in our simulation. Optical properties of the organs were obtained from the literature in the near infrared regime. Diffusion approximation was used to simulate photon migration with finite element method. Five wavelengths were used to simulate tissue absorption with realistic water, oxy- and deoxyhaemoglobin concentrations in the prostate. We combined a global search based on genetic algorithm with gradient-driven local search methods to fit the simulated data. Our results suggest that the optical properties and the concentrations of the chromophores of the prostate and the prostate cancer can be reliably recovered from the measurements using an endorectal probe. Prostate DOT is worth further investigation for clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In-plane single domain and vortex magnetization configurations of the magnetic dot in the hybrid superconductor–ferromagnet system are considered. Single domain configuration energy shift due to the presence of superconductor is calculated. The change of the phase curve of the ferromagnetic dot magnetization due to the repulsion of the magnetic field by the superconductor is obtained. Up to the two-fold decrease of the ferromagnetic dot critical radius due to the presence of the superconductor is predicted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Double-O-tube (DOT) shield tunneling technology characteristics and research are described. Taking the construction of the DOT shield tunnel in the Shanghai Rail Transit Project as a case study, the sophisticated techniques and knowledge applied to soft soil DOT shield tunneling are summarized, creating a firm foundation for the broad application of DOT shield tunneling technology in the future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Multiple studies indicate that mRNA processing defects cause mRNAs to accumulate in discrete nuclear foci or dots, in mammalian cells as well as yeast. To investigate this phenomenon, we have studied a series of GAL reporter constructs integrated into the yeast genome adjacent to an array of TetR-GFP-bound TetO sites. mRNA within dots is predominantly post-transcriptional, and dots are adjacent to but distinct from their transcription site. These reporter genes also localize to the nuclear periphery upon gene induction, like their endogenous GAL counterparts. Surprisingly, this peripheral localization persists long after transcriptional shutoff, and there is a comparable persistence of the RNA in the dots. Moreover, dot disappearance and gene delocalization from the nuclear periphery occur with similar kinetics after transcriptional shutoff. Both kinetics depend in turn on reporter gene 3′-end formation signals. Our experiments indicate that gene association with the nuclear periphery does not require ongoing transcription and suggest that the mRNPs within dots may make a major contribution to the gene–nuclear periphery tether. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Commercial vehicles are defined as those weighing more than 26,000 pounds. Imagine a driver that is not medically capable, navigating this lethal weapon down our nation''s roads. Would you want to come across a driver with poorly managed diabetes, inadequate peripheral vision, or an undiagnosed neurologic disorder if you are driving the neighborhood carpool? With the changes in the aging population, poor access to health care, and little governmental oversight, this is just what could happen if a driver is medically cleared to drive and legally should not be. Nurse practitioners (NPs) who specialize in the skills of comprehensive history taking and physical assessment are ideally suited to evaluate the health status of these drivers. Because most of these examinations fall easily into the domain of the NP and often appear on their clinical schedules, expertise is needed to make accountable clearance decisions. Armed with the necessary regulatory guidelines to help direct their decision making, NPs can safely and legally evaluate these drivers and help safeguard not only the patient but also the public. By simply referencing a two-sided tool, decisions can be made quickly and accurately and abide within the scope of the regulations. This ensures protection of the driver, the public, and the NP as well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: For our previously proposed method of forming an artificially sized and positioned Ge dot array by the use of inverse-pyramid shape pits as an anchor for Ge dot positioning, we cleared the Ge dot positioning behavior, which depends on the anchor pit pitch and the Ge growth temperature. The results suggest that, with the pits, Ge dot positioning behavior still relates to the dot self-organizing mechanism itself in addition to the Ge migration behavior. On the basis of the results, their artificial positioning can be controlled by setting the pit pitch within the range between the self-organized Ge dot space and the Ge migration length. Using this method, an artificially aligned multiply-stacked Ge dot array was also demonstrated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Linker histones are essential for chromatin filament formation, and they play key roles in the regulation of gene expression. Despite the determination of structures of the nucleosome and linker histones, the location of the linker histone on the nucleosome is still a matter of debate. Here we show by computational docking that the globular domain of linker histone variant H5 (GH5) has three distinct DNA-binding sites, through which GH5 contacts the DNA at the nucleosome dyad and the linker DNA strands entering and exiting the nucleosome. Our results explain the extensive mutagenesis and crosslinking data showing that side chains spread throughout the GH5 surface interact with nucleosomal DNA. The nucleosome DNA contacts positively charged side chains that are conserved within the linker histone family, indicating that our model extends to linker histone-nucleosome interactions in general. Furthermore, our model provides a structural mechanism for formation of a dinucleosome complex specific to the linker histone H5, explaining its efficiency in chromatin compaction and transcription regulation. Thus, this work provides a basis for understanding how structural differences within the linker histone family result in functional differences, which in turn are important for gene regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Recent progress in the development of 1.3 μm InAs/InGaAs dots-in-a-well (DWELL) laser structures has led to efficient CW room temperature laser operation with low current thresholds. However, present devices suffer from non-ideal temperature characteristics due to gain saturation, a consequence of the finite dot density, and to carrier escape due to the small energy separation between the quantum dot (QD) ground and first-excited states. In order to improve device performance, we have examined methods to increase the QD quality and density. In these studies, we have examined the effect of using thin InAlAs capping layers and high temperature buffer layers. Both effects are observed to strongly modify the structure of the QDs producing significant improvements in the InAs QDs optical properties at room temperature. Initial attempts at multilayer QD structures showed substantial degradation in optical and electrical properties compared to single layer structures. Analysis by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) has identified the presence of defects arising from the complex interaction of QDs, which propagate through the QD layers into the upper regions of the structure as being the primary cause of the poor electronic device characteristics. The use of high growth temperature spacing layers (HGTSLs) have recently allowed us the fabrication of a defect free five layer-stacked structure with record low threshold current density. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a continuation of an open public discussion about the failure analysis of a relatively simple mechanical device: the three-piece steel aerosol container. In the June 2003 issue of Practical Failure Analysis, M. Fox and R. Hastings published a paper on the failure of aerosol containers. In August 2004, R.C. Daehn and J.J. Blum published a paper in the Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention that was critical of the Fox-Hastings article. The present manuscript addresses some of the criticisms of the June 2003 paper, using the methods of the August 2004 paper. Also discussed is the fact that not many things are manufactured perfectly 100% of the time and the observation that quality-assurance tests do not always represent failure mechanisms in the real world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The influence of dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) on the production of extracellular (1→3)- and (1→6)-β-glucanases by the fungus Acremonium sp. IMI 383068 was investigated in batch culture. The controlled DOT levels at which cultures were grown affected the measured (1→3)-β-glucanase specific activities, but these effects were less marked on the measured (1→6)-β-glucanase specific activities. There appeared to be no direct link between the branching frequency of the fungus as reflected by its hyphal growth unit, and changing DOT levels. Whether pustulan or scleroglucan were used as the sole carbon source also affected production of these enzymes and their response to varying DOT. The measured (1→3)-β-glucanase specific activities were generally higher with scleroglucan, mainly because of the production of an extra active (1→3)-β-glucanase whereas pustulan grown cells produced a corresponding inactive protein with an identical electrophoretic mobility by SDS-PAGE and N-terminal amino acid sequence. With pustulan grown cells, DOT levels had comparatively little influence on the optimal measured specific activities of the (1→3)-β-glucanases, while with scleroglucan, they increased as DOT increased. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We investigated the Ge migration and Ge dot positioning behavior on a patterned Si(001) over a wide Ge growth temperature range. Ge migration length was directly measured using Si(001) with a sink structure for Ge, and Ge migrated over 2.8 μm at surface temperatures of more than 700 °C. At higher temperatures, Ge migrated and Ge dots formed at more stable positions such as in convex and concave structures which function as an anchor for thermal excitation. On the basis of the results, we proposed a new method of Ge dot formation using the Ge long migration and Ge dot-anchoring effects. With this method, we demonstrated the Ge dot array formation using small pyramids or pits as an anchor. The sizes and positions of the dots are artificially determined by the amount of Ge growth and anchor position. A pit is most effective as a position-controlling anchor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Anthropologica is the property of CASCA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper explains how three-piece aerosol cans made from tin-plated steel are designed and manufactured, how they behave structurally, and provides information on doing failure analyses of aerosol cans. Particular emphasis is placed on the metallurgical aspects of the side-seam welding process used to create the body cylinders, the process of attaching the ends, and explains how three-piece aerosol cans made from tin-plated steel behave structurally. The paper also addresses a number of representations and conclusions presented in a paper by M. Fox and R. Hastings entitled “Pressurized 3-Piece Steel Container Explosions and Failure Mechanisms” published in the June 2003 issue of Practical Failure Analysis. Aerosol cans may fail, although not necessarily explode, by internal or external corrosion, by mechanical abuse (puncture, for example), or by being overheated. Understanding the design, manufacture, and structural behavior of these pressure vessels will aid in the formulation of conclusions as to the root causes of aerosol can failures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]