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Lung cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Despite recent advances in clinical and experimental oncology, the prognosis of patients with NSCLC still remains poor and the average survival time of patients suffer from lung cancer is low. Therefore, the potential mechanism accounting for the tumorigenesis of NSCLC is still needed to be explored.A lentiviral vector over-expressing miR-26b in A549 lung cancer cells was constructed. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion analysis were measured by cell counting kit (MTT), would healing assay and Transwell assay. Direct target of miR-26b in A549 cells was examined using bioinformatics and Luciferase assay.Herein, we found that over-expression of miR-26b significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of A549 lung cancer cell in vitro and suppressed the growth of established tumors in vivo. By using bioinformatics, we found that COX-2 (Cyclooxygenase-2) is one of the potential targets of miR-26b. Moreover, miR-26b was found to negatively regulate COX-2 protein level by directly targeting its 3'UTR. In addition, depletion of endogenous COX-2 by the specific siRNA could mimic the function of miR-26b overexpression.Taken together, our results demonstrate that miR-26b could suppress lung cancer cells proliferation, migration and invasion by directly negative regulation of COX-2. MiR-26b could serve as a novel potential marker for NSCLC therapy.

Student nonparticipation in electronic surveys represents a challenge to educators as it may impact significantly on the implementation or evaluation of the associated teaching activities. We here study the student evaluation of a pedagogical project consisting of prelecture online polling followed by linked revision lectures. This investigation involves studying the responses from 43 undergraduate students following a course in accounting at a British university. With regard to the students' views on the use of prelecture polling, our study shows that there are no statistically significant differences between those who did not participate in the online polling and those who did. Both groups of students were generally positive about the use of (1) polling results in structuring the revision lecture, (2) online survey in helping them prepare for the examination and (3) online polling as a teaching platform in other courses. Our findings therefore suggest that prelecture electronic surveys can help engage students with follow-up lectures, including those who did not participate in the prelecture survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cracks emanating from a circular hole are of significant engineering importance, especially in aerospace industry. Accurate determination of key fracture mechanics parameters is essential for damage tolerance design and fatigue life predictions. The purpose of this paper is to provide an efficient and accurate closed-form weight function approach to the calculation of crack surface displacements for radial crack(s) emanating from a circular hole in an infinite and finite-width plate. Results were presented for two loading conditions: remote applied stress and uniform stress segment applied to crack surfaces, and extensively compared to recent studies using other methods in the literature. Both single and double radial cracks were considered, and also the effect of finite plate width on crack surface displacements has been investigated. A brief assessment was made on an engineering estimation of displacements based on a correction of stress intensity factor ratio. It has been demonstrated that the Wu-Carlsson closed-form weight functions are very efficient, accurate and easy-to-use for calculating crack surface displacements for arbitrary load conditions. The method will facilitate fatigue crack closure and other fracture mechanics analyses where accurate crack surface displacements are required.

SUMMARY: We examine the effects of clients' involvement in controversial corporate activities on audit pricing. Clients' involvement in controversial activities raises concerns about management integrity and ethics. Moreover, clients involved in such activities are perceived to have higher risk of adverse financial performance. As a result, there is greater potential for financial misstatement, which increases the auditor's perceived business risk. We hypothesize that, given the higher perceived business risk, auditors charge higher fees to clients engaged in controversial activities. Using a unique dataset from Kinder, Lydenberg, and Domini, we identify clients that engage in controversial activities related to consumers, employees, the community, and the environment. Consistent with our hypothesis, we find that clients involved in controversial corporate activities pay higher audit fees compared to clients not involved in such activities.

Background Mesenchymal cells (MSCs) in bone marrow (BM) may produce asparagine and form protective niches for leukemic cells. In vitro, this led to high levels of asparagine and conferred asparaginase resistance to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells. The aim of this study was to investigate whether MSCs or other cells in BM indeed produce such significant amounts of asparagine in vivo as to result in clinical asparaginase resistance. Procedure Twenty-six patients with newly diagnosed ALL were enrolled. All children received induction chemotherapy according to the Dutch Childhood Oncology Group (DCOG) ALL-10 protocol. Asparaginase was administered from days 12–33. Asparaginase, asparagine, aspartic acid, glutamine, and glutamic acid levels were measured in BM and blood at diagnosis, days 15, 33, and 79. Results Median asparaginase trough levels were not significantly different at days 15 and 33. Only at diagnosis, asparagine level was significantly higher in BM than in blood (P = 0.001). Asparagine levels were all below the lower limit of quantification in BM and blood at days 15 and 33. However, aspartic acid level in BM was significantly higher than in blood (P

Objective. Preeclampsia has been linked to subsequent vascular disease with many shared predisposing factors. We investigated the association between severe preeclampsia, and its subtypes, and specific vascular-related polymorphisms. Design. The study was a retrospective nested case-cohort design. Setting. Pregnant Danish women participating in the Danish National Birth Cohort. Population. 263 cases of severe preeclampsia and 1851 random controls were selected from the Danish National Birth Cohort. Methods. We validated all cases of severe preeclampsia and genotyped for 108 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were selected based on previous publications on the association with vascular disease. Logistic models were used for statistical analyses. Main outcome measures. Maternal polymorphisms in genomic models. Results. We found 17 of 108 SNPs associated with severe preeclampsia (p < 0.05). Women homozygous for the rs1799983 in NOS3 were 1.6-fold [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0–2.4] more likely to develop severe preeclampsia. Women homozygous for the rs1010 SNP in VAMP8 were twofold (95%CI 1.1–3.5) more likely to deliver preterm when preeclampsia was present. Women homozygous for the rs10811661 SNP were 2.1-fold (95%CI 1.1–3.9) more likely to develop severe preeclampsia and 3.7-fold (95%CI 1.1–12.4) more likely to deliver a small-for-gestational age child when preeclampsia was present. All associations are available as Supporting Information. Conclusion. We found several vascular-associated SNPs linked to severe preeclampsia; however, most of these associations are probably by pure chance, which warrants replication and further translational research. To date, no specific SNP has yet proven valuable in a clinical setting in predicting preeclampsia.

The early development of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) from fertilization to hatching was described. Hatching occurred at 108 h post-fertilization (hpf) in 14 A degrees C. Yolk syncytial layer and blastocoel formed at morula stage and low stage, respectively. Neural rod derived from the ectoderm appeared and the first somite formed in the middle of the embryonic body at 90 % epiboly stage, and notochord primordium formed at complete epiboly stage. Kupffer's vesicle appeared at 59 h 35 min hpf and degenerated at 89 hpf. At 72 hpf, the digestive tract formed in the ventral side of the embryonic body, and the posterior digestive tract of embryo was ciliated at 89 hpf. Enzymes play a key role in the catabolism of yolk during embryogenesis of fishes. In this study, the main enzymes alkaline phosphatase (AP), leucine aminopeptidase N (LAP), pepsin, trypsin and Leucine-alanine peptidase (Leu-ala) were all observed in unfertilized eggs and embryo of S. maximus, but amylase was not detected, speculating that amino acids appear to be the main energy substrate during embryonic development of S. maximus, while carbohydrates is less essential. AP reached the lowest value at the gastrula stage and then increased rapidly reaching the highest value at hatching. LAP showed the highest value in unfertilized eggs and kept on decreasing until the blastula stage with the lowest value and then increased at the gastrula stage, followed by a gradual decline thereafter. Trypsin reached the lowest value at the blastula stage and then fluctuated with the maximal value at hatching. Pepsin reached the highest and the lowest values at the unfertilized eggs and the cleavage stage, respectively, but disappeared at hatching. Leu-ala had the maximum activity at the blastula stage and then declined to the minimum at the gastrula stage followed by a gradual increase thereafter.

Forty-six chickens and 48 ducks were sampled from four Vietnamese poultry premises in 2009 infected with H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) clade 2.3.2 and 2.3.4 viruses, which also differed by cleavage site (CS) sequences in their haemagglutinin (HA) genes. All clinical specimens (n=282), namely tracheal and cloacal swabs plus feathers, were tested by five Eurasian reverse-transcriptase AI RealTime polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR) methods. Bayesian modelling showed similar high sensitivity for the validated H5 HA2 RRT-PCR and a new modified M-gene RRT-PCR that utilizes lyophilized reagents. Both were more sensitive than the validated "wet" M-gene RRT-PCR. Another RRT-PCR, which targeted the H5-gene CS region, was effective for clade 2.3.4 detection, but severely compromised for clade 2.3.2 viruses. Reduced sensitivity of the H5 CS and "wet" M-gene RRT-PCRs correlated with mismatches between the target and the primer and/or probe sequences. However, the H5 HA2 RRT-PCR sensitively detected both clade 2.3.2 and 2.3.4 viruses, and agreed with N1 RRT-PCR results. Feather testing from diseased chicken and duck flocks by AI RRT-PCRs resulted in the most sensitive identification of H5N1 HPAI-infected birds. Evolution of new H5N1 HPAI clades remains a concern for currently affected Asian countries, but also for more distant regions where it is important to be prepared for new incursions of H5N1 HPAI viruses. Genetic evidence for adamantane resistance and sensitivity was also observed in isolates from both clades.

The synthesis and characterisation of iron(III) [Fe(L1)]2 (1), oxo-vanadium(V) [VO(L1)] (2) and dioxo-molybdenum(VI) K[MoO2(L1)] (3) complexes supported by a partially unsymmetric N-capped tripodal NO3 ligand (L1) are reported. Complexes 1 and 2 were prepared by reactions of a proligand [H3L1] and their corresponding metal precursor (FeCl3 and VOCl3, respectively) in the presence of triethylamine in THF, while 3 was obtained in a similar manner by treating [MoO2(acac)2] (acac = acetylacetonate) with the same proligand and potassium hydroxide in methanol. The X-ray crystal structure of 1 illustrates a dimeric structure with a bis-(μ-phenoxo) Fe2O2 diamond core, and each iron centre bears a rare NO4 coordination sphere. The preparation of a previously unknown, fully unsymmetric N-capped tripodal NO3 proligand [H3L2] featuring three different phenolic arms is also described. Reaction of [H3L2] with VOCl3 yielded the oxo-vanadium(V) complex [VO(L2)] (4). Complexes 2–4 exist as monomers in solution and were characterised by NMR (1H and 13C), IR (for 3), mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis.

There are no risk models available yet that accurately predict a person's risk for developing venous thrombosis. Our aim was therefore to explore whether inclusion of established thrombosis-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a venous thrombosis risk model improves the risk prediction. We calculated genetic risk scores by counting risk-increasing alleles from 31 venous thrombosis-associated SNPs for subjects of a large case-control study, including 2712 patients and 4634 controls (Multiple Environmental and Genetic Assessment). Genetic risk scores based on all 31 SNPs or on the 5 most strongly associated SNPs performed similarly (areas under receiver-operating characteristic curves [AUCs] of 0.70 and 0.69, respectively). For the 5-SNP risk score, the odds ratios for venous thrombosis ranged from 0.37 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.25-0.53) for persons with 0 risk alleles to 7.48 (95% CI, 4.49-12.46) for persons with more than or equal to 6 risk alleles. The AUC of a risk model based on known nongenetic risk factors was 0.77 (95% CI, 0.76-0.78). Combining the nongenetic and genetic risk models improved the AUC to 0.82 (95% CI, 0.81-0.83), indicating good diagnostic accuracy. To become clinically useful, subgroups of high-risk persons must be identified in whom genetic profiling will also be cost-effective.

Please cite this paper as: Slomka et al. (2012) Evaluation of lateral flow devices for identification of infected poultry by testing swab and feather specimens during H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks in Vietnam. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 6(5), 318–327. Background Evaluation of two commercial lateral flow devices (LFDs) for avian influenza (AI) detection in H5N1 highly pathogenic AI infected poultry in Vietnam. Objectives Determine sensitivity and specificity of the LFDs relative to a validated highly sensitive H5 RRT PCR. Methods Swabs (cloacal and tracheal) and feathers were collected from 46 chickens and 48 ducks (282 clinical specimens) and tested by both LFDs and H5 RRT PCR. A subset of 59 chicken and 34 duck specimens was also tested by virus isolation (VI), the ‘gold standard’. Results Twenty-six chickens and 15 ducks were shown to be infected by at least one RRT PCR positive clinical specimen per bird. Bird-level sensitivity for the Anigen LFD was 84·6% for chickens and 53·3% for ducks, and for the Quickvue LFD 65·4% for chickens and 33·3% for ducks. Comparison of the three clinical specimens revealed that chicken feathers were the most sensitive with 84% and 56% sensitivities for Anigen and Quickvue respectively. All 21 RRT PCR positive swabs from ducks were negative by both LFDs. However, duck feather testing gave sensitivities of 53·3% and 33·3% for Anigen and Quickvue respectively. Specificity was 100% for both LFDs in all investigations. Conclusions Although LFDs were less sensitive than AI RRT PCR and VI, high titre viral shedding in H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) infected and diseased chickens is sufficient for a proportion of birds to be identified as AI infected by LFDs. Feathers were the optimal specimen for LFD testing in such diseased HPAI scenarios, particularly for ducks where swab testing by LFDs failed to identify any infected birds. However, specimens should be forwarded to the laboratory for confirmation by more sensitive diagnostic techniques.

Background: Gene variants associated with disease could reveal novel mechanisms. We searched for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with noncardioembolic stroke (nonCES). Methods: We tested 24,926 SNPs in or near genes for association with nonCES in the Vienna Study (551 cases, 815 controls) and then evaluated the associated SNPs in the UCSF-CC Study (570 cases, 1,604 controls) first in pooled DNA samples and then in individual DNA samples. We then asked whether the risk alleles of the SNPs associated with increased risk in both studies were also associated with increased risk of nonCES in the German Study (728 cases, 1,041 controls). Results: Six of the 46 SNPs that were associated with nonCES in both the Vienna and the UCSF-CC Studies were also associated with nonCES in the German Study: rs362277 in HTT (OR 1.39, 90% CI 1.12–1.71), rs2924914 near CSMD1 (OR 1.22, 90% CI 1.04–1.43), rs1264352 near DDR1 (OR 1.20, 90% CI 1.02–1.41), rs544115 in NEU3 (OR 1.63, 90% CI 1.02–2.62), rs12481805 in UMODL1 (OR 1.31, 90% CI 1.01–1.81), and rs2857595 near NCR3 (OR 1.15, 90% CI 1.00–1.32). Accounting for multiple testing of 46 SNPs, these 6 SNPs had a false discovery rate of 0.69. Conclusions: Some of the 6 SNPs may be associated with nonCES but most may be false positives. These 6 SNPs merit investigation in additional nonCES study populations.

Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is a common hereditary disorder that primarily afflicts patients of Northern European descent. A single mutation of the HFE gene results in unregulated dietary iron uptake with the potential to deleteriously affect multiple organ systems including the eye. If HH is suspected, a screening test measuring transferrin saturation is initially obtained. Confirmation of this disorder is accomplished with genetic testing and liver biopsy. Treatment should commence immediately and undergo venesection (phlebotomy) treatments 2 to 4 times a year for the remainder of the patient's life.The following is a case of a 54-year-old male of Scottish-German descent who was evaluated for a subconjunctival hemorrhage (SCH). A review of the patient's record disclosed that he had 12 previous episodes of SCH over a 10-year period. He was undergoing a comprehensive evaluation for HH due to the recent diagnosis of this condition in his older brother. Hematologic analysis showed that our patient had a serum ferritin level 4 to 5 times higher than normal (1340 μg/L) and a homozygous recessive profile of the HFE gene. Once under maintenance venesection therapy, the frequency of the SCH diminished.HH must be considered a differential diagnosis in cases of recurrent SCH. Coupled with the recognition of characteristic physical signs and symptoms of HH, hematologic analysis and genetic testing may further aid in diagnosis. With early detection and treatment, the optometrist can make a significant impact on the life expectancy of the patient.

Synchronous e-voting systems (commonly known as 'clickers') have become increasingly popular as they can be used to enhance interactivity in lectures. Asynchronous electronic surveys (AESs), unlike these voting system, usually serve as a method of gathering feedback before or after teaching sessions. This paper describes and evaluates a project involving the use of AES with an integrated follow-up lecture in an undergraduate science module. The study shows that the AES enhanced the students' learning experience by (1) prompting them to review previously taught material and (2) providing an engaging context for teaching in the follow-up lecture. As AES can act as an effective link between module components, they can be used as a pedagogical device for improving the coherence of a curriculum. AES is, therefore, a valuable e-learning platform, especially given the growing emphasis on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary modules in recent years. Practitioner Notes What is already known about this topic Electronic voting and surveys can either be conducted during the teaching (synchronous) or be employed before or after the teaching (asynchronous). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates a trailing heat sink, which was designed and applied to friction stir welding (FSW) in order to control the residual stresses and welding distortion. Residual stresses, residual plastic strains and welding distortion of 2024-T3 and 5083-H321 Al sheets welded by FSW with and without the trailing heat sink were compared. The optimal placement of the heat sink was discussed. The results revealed that the reductions in peak tensile stresses were 66% for 2024-T3 and 58% for 5083-H321 by application of the trailing heat sink in FSW. In addition, the welding distortion could be reduced drastically by this method. The 5083-H321 sheet with a size of 1000×100×3·5 mm welded by this method was very flat and had almost no distortion. This method achieved in-process control of stresses and welding distortion, without additional complicated work before or after welding operation.

The slip-line field methods are widely used in solving cutting problem; however, most of which were focused on the pressure-independent materials. In this work, a new slip-line field model for orthogonal cutting of pressure sensitive materials is developed. Analytical characterization for orthogonal cutting process is obtained, which can give the explicit expressions for the shear angle, cutting force, and chip thickness in terms of the tool geometry, the friction coefficients on the tool flat, and the internal friction angle of the materials. To investigate the effect of the material and cutting parameters on cutting process, the finite element simulation is performed as well. The comparisons between the shear angle and cutting force predicted by the theoretical model with those obtained from finite element model simulation are made. The good agreement of the predicted results with the numerical results clearly reveals that the proposed slip-line field model can satisfactorily characterize the orthogonal cutting behavior of the pressure sensitive materials. Further analysis has demonstrated that the pressure sensitivity of materials has a significant influence on cutting process.

SYNOPSIS: We examine whether dividend paying status is associated with the quality of earnings. We find dividend paying status is associated with (1) lower absolute values of discretionary accruals; (2) lower standard deviation and absolute magnitude of the errors associated with the mapping of accruals into cash flows; and (3) more value relevant earnings. We also find evidence that the positive association between dividend paying status and earnings quality is stronger (weaker) when the size of dividend payouts is larger (smaller). Overall, our results suggest dividend paying status is indicative of firms’ earnings quality.

The synthesis of a penta(1-methylpyrazole)ferrocenyl phosphine oxide ligand (1) [Fe(C(5)(C(3)H(2)N(2)CH(3))(5))(C(5)H(4)PO(t-C(4)H(9))(2))] is reported together with its X-ray crystal structure. Its self-assembly behavior with a dirhodium(II) tetraoctanoate linker (2) [Rh(2)(O(2)CC(7)H(15))(4)] was investigated for construction of fullerene-like assemblies of composition [(ligand)(12)(linker)(30)]. Reaction between 1 and 2 in acetonitrile resulted in the formation of a light purple precipitate (3). Evidence for the ligand-to-linker ratio of 1:2.5 expected for a fullerene-like structure [Fe(C(5)(C(3)H(2)N(2)CH(3))(5))(C(5)H(4)PO(t-C(4)H(9))(2))](12)[Rh(2)(O(2)CC(7)H(15))(4)](30) was obtained from (1)H NMR and elemental analysis. IR and Raman studies confirmed the diaxially bound coordination environment of the dirhodium linker by comparing the stretching frequencies of the carboxylate group and the rhodium-rhodium bond with those in model compound (5), [Rh(2)(O(2)CC(7)H(15))(4)](C(3)H(3)N(2)CH(3))(2), the bis-adduct of linker 2 with 1-methylpyrazole. X-ray powder diffraction and molecular modeling studies provide additional support for the formation of a spherical molecule topologically identical to fullerene with a diameter of approximately 38 Å and a molecular formula of [(1)(12)(2)(30)]. Dissolution of 3 in tetrahydrofuran (THF) followed by layering with acetonitrile afforded purple crystals of [(1)(2)(2)](∞) (6) [Fe(C(5)(C(3)H(2)N(2)CH(3))(5))(C(5)H(4)PO(t-C(4)H(9))(2))][Rh(2)(O(2)CC(7)H(15))(4)](2) with a two-dimensional polymeric structure determined by X-ray crystallography. The dirhodium linkers link ferrocenyl units by coordination to the pyrazoles but only four of the five pyrazole moieties of the pentapyrazole ligand are coordinated. The ligand-to-linker ratio of 1:2 in 6 was confirmed by (1)H NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis, while results from IR and Raman are in agreement with the diaxially coordinated environment of the linker observed in the solid state.

We present new results from the numerical simulations of cross-correlated helioseismic data in a two-dimensional quiet non-magnetic solar subphotosphere for studying the effects of spatiotemporal density of solar acoustic sources on signal quality. Although the signal-to-noise level of helioseismic signals can be improved by data averaging, our results show that there exists a threshold above which this change in data quality is largely independent of the density of the acoustic sources. We also demonstrate that if the source density is below this threshold, significant data artifacts may arise depending on the source location relative to the two observation points at which cross-correlation is performed. Our numerical results therefore show that the density of the acoustic sources is a key, previously unidentified parameter that influences the quality and amplitude of cross-correlated helioseismic signals. We conclude that the identification of this source parameter is important for developing helioseismic tomography beyond travel-time-based methods, namely by modeling amplitudes.

SUMMARY The efficacy of using self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) for palliation of symptoms because of tumor recurrence after prior esophagogastrectomy has not been properly assessed despite the well recognized use of SEMS in patients without prior surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of using SEMS in patients who had prior esophagogastrectomy. The study group included 35 patients with carcinoma of esophagus or cardia documented to have loco-regional recurrence after esophagogastrectomy and in whom SEMS were placed for palliation. The median age was 67 (ranged 41–85). The indications for stenting were dysphagia caused by recurrence at the esophageal anastomosis (n= 4) and in the esophageal remnant (n= 5), or extrinsic compression from mediastinal nodal disease (n= 7); gastric outlet obstruction produced by extrinsic tumor compression (n= 13); and tracheo-esophageal fistulae (n= 6). Forty-three stenting procedures were performed, and the technical success rate was 97.6%. The dysphagia score improved from 4.66 to 2.54 (P < 0.001). All patients with tracheo-esophageal fistula had their symptoms successfully palliated. The immediate complication rate was 14% (n= 5); two patients had stent malpositioning, two had inadequate opening of their stents, and one had a failed stenting procedure. On follow-up, 15 (42.8%) patients required a total of 22 re-intervention procedures for various reasons: endoscopic dilatation (five dilatations in three patients), removal of foreign bodies (nine procedures in four patients), and insertion of a second SEMS related to tumor growth (eight stents in eight patients). There was no procedure-related mortality. The median survival was short at 42 days (range 5–290 days), mostly related to advanced disease stage. SEMS in patients with recurrent tumor after esophagogastrectomy is safe and effective.

Disruptions have the possibility of causing severe wall damage to large tokamaks like ITER. The mitigation of disruption damage is essential to the safe operation of a large-scale tokamak. The shattered pellet injection (SPI) technique, which is regarded as the primary injection method for ITER, presents several advantages relative to massive gas injection, including more rapid particle delivery, higher total particle assimilation, and more centrally peaked particle deposition. A dedicated argon SPI system that focuses on disruption mitigation and runaway current dissipation has been designed for the Joint Texas Experimental Tokamak (J-TEXT). A refrigerator is used to form a single argon pellet at around 64 K. The pellet will be shaped with a 5 mm diameter and a 1.5-10 mm length. Helium gas at room temperature will be used as a propellant gas for pellet acceleration. The pellet can be injected with a speed of 150-300 m/s. The time interval between injection cycles is about 8 min. The pellet will be shattered at the edge of the plasma and then injected into the core of plasma. The first experiments of SPI fast shutdown and runaway current dissipation have been performed.

Fast electron bremsstrahlung (FEB) emission during Ohmic discharge experiments on the Joint Texas Experimental Tokamak (J-TEXT) has been measured by a recently developed vertical multi-channel FEB diagnostic based on CdZnTe detectors. There are 5 sight lines to observe the vertical emission of fast electrons at the high-field side with a spatial resolution of 5 cm. The FEB emission in the energy range of 30-300 keV can be measured. The generation of fast electrons accelerated by loop voltage has been confirmed during the early phase of discharge by analyzing the signals of FEB emission. The runaway electron beam instabilities have been observed with the FEB diagnostic on J-TEXT.

Disruptions have the potential to cause severe damage to large tokamaks like ITER. The mitigation of disruption damage is one of the essential issues for the tokamak. Massive gas injection (MGI) is a technique in which large amounts of a noble gas are injected into the plasma in order to safely radiate the plasma energy evenly over the entire plasma-facing wall. However, the radiated energy during the disruption triggered by massive gas injection is found to be toroidally asymmetric. In order to investigate the spatial and temporal structures of the radiation asymmetry, the radiated power diagnostics for the J-TEXT tokamak have been upgraded. The multi-channel arrays of absolute extreme ultraviolet photodiodes have been upgraded at four different toroidal positions to investigate the radiation asymmetries during massive gas injection. It is found that the toroidal asymmetry is associated with plasma properties and MGI induced MHD activities.

A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in KIF6, a member of the KIF9 family of kinesins, is associated with differential coronary event reduction from statin therapy in four randomized controlled trials; this SNP (rs20455) is also associated with the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) in multiple prospective studies. We investigated whether other common SNPs in the KIF6 region were associated with event reduction from statin therapy. Of the 170 SNPs in the KIF6 region investigated in the Cholesterol and Recurrent Events trial (CARE), 28 were associated with differential event reduction from statin therapy (Pinteraction 0.4) in non-carriers. These three SNPs are in high linkage disequilibrium with one another (r2 > 0.84). Functional studies of these variants may help to understand the role of KIF6 in the pathogenesis of CHD and differential response to statin therapy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00439-010-0892-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

This article presents a research on the flowrate formulation and displacement analysis of gerotor pumps. The flowrate formula is based on the deviation function and is applicable to gerotors with any pitch curves and generating curves that are either circular or non-circular. For gerotors with the circular pitch curves and generating curves, the derivation of the formula proposed here is much simpler than the current available one. Two dimensionless parameters, the lobe non-circularity and the pitch non-circularity, are then introduced so that gerotor performance can be analysed systematically. As examples, the specific flowrate and displacement curves with the combinations of sinusoidal and polynomial pitch curves and deviation functions are illustrated. Based on these case studies, it is found that in general the specific displacement increases according to the lobe non-circularity, whereas the pitch non-circularity has only the minimum effects on the performance of pumping displacement. The results of the given case studies also show that the pumps with less lobe numbers are capable to have relatively larger specific displacements.

The synthesis of an iron(III) complex [Fe(L)(1-Meim)] (1-Meim = 1-methylimidazole) coordinated by an asymmetric N-capped tripodal tetradentate ligand (L) equipped with three aromatic arms is described. X-ray crystallographic analysis shows that the complex adopts a distorted bipyramidal geometry with a new type of N2O2S coordination environment around the iron centre.

With 2 figures and 4 tables Abstract Stepwise selection approach was adopted to obtain glyphosate-tolerant upland cotton mutant (R1098) from the embryogenic calli of ‘Coker 312’ (Gossypium hirsutum L.). The calli were transferred to the selection medium and multi-step selection pressure process was carried out until the calli could proliferate in the presence of 20 mm glyphosate. The regenerated plants from the glyphosate-tolerant calli were analysed for glyphosate response, tolerance of progenies and shikimate accumulation on whole-plant basis. ‘R1098’ could tolerate 1.48 kg acid equivalent/ha glyphosate. Progeny tests demonstrated that glyphosate tolerance trait was controlled by one dominant gene. Shikimate accumulation assay showed that significantly different amounts of shikimate were present between the mutant (R1098) and its wild parent (Coker 312) after glyphosate treatment. This indicates that ‘R1098’ has sufficient 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase activity in the presence of glyphosate, thereby maintaining normal carbon flow through the shikimate pathway. Moreover, ‘R1098’ offers a greater potential to improve the weed control system in cotton production.

A large number of runaway electrons (REs) with energies as high as several tens of mega-electron volt (MeV) may be generated during disruptions on a large-scale tokamak. The kinetic energy carried by REs is eventually deposited on the plasma-facing components, causing damage and posing a threat on the operation of the tokamak. The remaining magnetic energy following a thermal quench is significant on a large-scale tokamak. The conversion of magnetic energy to runaway kinetic energy will increase the threat of runaway electrons on the first wall. The magnetic energy dissipated inside the vacuum vessel (VV) equals the decrease of initial magnetic energy inside the VV plus the magnetic energy flowing into the VV during a disruption. Based on the estimated magnetic energy, the evolution of magnetic-kinetic energy conversion are analyzed through three periods in disruptions with a runaway current plateau.

The response of plasma toroidal rotation to the external resonant magnetic perturbations (RMP) has been investigated in Joint Texas Experimental Tokamak (J-TEXT) ohmic heating plasmas. For the J-TEXT’s plasmas without the application of RMP, the core toroidal rotation is in the counter-current direction while the edge rotation is near zero or slightly in the co-current direction. Both static RMP experiments and rotating RMP experiments have been applied to investigate the plasma toroidal rotation. The core toroidal rotation decreases to lower level with static RMP. At the same time, the edge rotation can spin to more than 20 km s−1 in co-current direction. On the other hand, the core plasma rotation can be slowed down or be accelerated with the rotating RMP. When the rotating RMP frequency is higher than mode frequency, the plasma rotation can be accelerated to the rotating RMP frequency. The plasma confinement is improved with high frequency rotating RMP. The plasma rotation is decelerated to the rotating RMP frequency when the rotating RMP frequency is lower than the mode frequency. The plasma confinement also degrades with low frequency rotating RMP.

We demonstrate a simple and cost-effective approach to realize two combined surface features of different scales together, namely submillimeter-sized protrusion array and microwrinkles, atop a polystyrene shape-memory polymer. Two different types of protrusions, namely flat-top protrusion and crown-shaped protrusion, were studied. The array of protrusions was produced by the Indentation-Polishing-Heating (IPH) process. Compactly packed steel balls were used for making array of indents. A thin gold layer was sputter deposited atop the polymer surface right after polishing. After heating for shape recovery, array of protrusions with wrinkles on the top due to the buckling of gold layer was produced.

Summary. Background: Recent studies have found associa-tionsbetweendeepveinthrombosis(DVT)andsinglenucleotidepolymorphisms (SNPs) in a 4q35.2 locus that contains genesencoding factor XI (F11), a cytochrome P450 family member(CYP4V2), and prekallikrein (KLKB1). Objective:Weinvestigated which of the common SNPs in this locus areindependently associated with DVT. Methods: The studypopulations were the Leiden Thrombophilia Study (LETS)(443 DVT cases and 453 controls) and the Multiple Environ-mental and Genetic Assessment of risk factors for venousthrombosis (MEGA study) (2712 DVT cases and 4634controls). We assessed the association between DVT and 103SNPs in a 200 kb region using logistic regression. Results:Wefound that two SNPs (rs2289252 and rs2036914 in F11)wereindependently associated with DVT. After adjusting for age,sex, and the other SNP, the odds ratios (risk vs. non-riskhomozygotes) of these two SNPs were 1.49 for rs2289252(95% CI, 1.25–1.76) and 1.33 for rs2036914 (95% CI, 1.11–1.59). We found that rs2289252 was also associated withFXI levels, as has been previously reported for rs2036914;these two SNPs remained associated with DVT with some-what attenuated risk estimates after adjustment for FXIlevels. Conclusion: Two SNPs, rs2289252 and rs2036914 inF11, appear to independently contribute to the risk of DVT, acontribution that is explained at least in part by an associationwith FXI levels.Keywords: deep vein thrombosis, genetics, risk factors, singlenucleotide polymorphism.IntroductionDeep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a serious disease that isinfluencedbybothgeneticandacquiredriskfactors.Morethan60% of the variation in risk for DVT has been attributed togenetic risk factors on the basis of family and twin studies [1,2].Two well-characterized genetic risk factors for DVT are thefactor V Leiden (FVL) R506Q and the prothrombin G20210Apolymorphisms[3,4],whichincreasetheriskofDVTincarriersby 3- to 5-fold [5]. Other genetic variants have been reported tobe associated with DVT; however, many of them either arerare, as in the case of mutations leading to deficiencies ofproteinC,proteinSorantithrombin[5],orarenotconsistentlyassociated with DVT, as in the case of variants of methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) [6,7] and plasminogenactivator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1)[8].Recent genetic studies of DVT have reported that severalcommon SNPs in the 4q35.2 locus were associated with DVT[6,7,9]. These SNPs were located in three genes. Two of thegenes are involved in the intrinsic blood coagulation cascadethatencodesfactorXI(F11) and prekallikrein (KLKB1). Thethird gene encodes cytochrome P450, family 4, subfamily V,polypeptide 2 (CYP4V2). This cytochrome P450 familymember is thought to be involved in lipid metabolism [10];however, it is not known to be involved in hemostasis orthrombosis. Previous studies [6,7] of the association betweenDVT and SNPs in the 4q35.2 locus had several limitations.These studies either investigated a limited number of SNPs inF11 [7], investigated a limited region of the locus [6], used aninitial study population that included < 450 cases [6,7], or didnot assess the degree to which the observed risk may bemediatedbyFXIlevels[6,7],acoagulationfactorthatisknownto be associated with risk of DVT [3].Thus,itremainsunclearhowmanySNPsinthe4q35.2locusare independently associated with DVT and in which genessuch SNPs are located. Therefore, we investigated which of thecommon SNPs in the 4q35.2 region are independently associ-ated with DVT by intensively genotyping a larger region andemploying a large study population.

Gaining peritoneal access with subsequent safe closure is a prerequisite for natural orifice translumenal surgery (NOTES). We explored the possibility of transanal endoscopic operation (TEO) device to perform transrectal peritoneoscopy in a pig model.Performing transrectal peritoneoscopy with TEO device in pig model.Two pigs were used for transrectal peritoneoscopy. A 40-mm rectoscope was inserted via the anus after the induction of general anesthesia. Proctotomy was then created with diathermy and the endoscope was passed through the pararectal space into the peritoneal cavity. Proctotomy was closed with absorbable suture after completion of peritoneoscopy.Completion of the procedures was achieved in 2 pigs. Both pigs survived for more than 30 days. Necropsy revealed completely healed rectum with no evidence of leakage or abscess formation. Adhesions around the colostomy site were minimal.In conclusion, incorporation of TEO system is safe and useful in animal model for creation and closure of proctotomy for natural orifice translumenal surgery in transrectal access, further experiment should be performed to validate the possibility of application in human. Potential complications need to be addressed and well documented.

It is recognised that the solidification sequence in austenitic stainless steels during strip casting plays an important role in the tendency to hot cracking. In order to investigate the competitive growth between the stable ferrite phase and the metastable austenite phase to optimise the microstructures obtained by strip casting, experiments using symmetrical water-cooled copper mould were designed to simulate strip casting of AISI 304 stainless steels. It was found that primary phase transition from stable ferrite (delta) to metastable austenite (gamma) takes place adjacent to the surface of the strip due to high heat extraction rate. Phase selection theory, based on the criterion of the highest interface temperature, was used to explore the primary phase prediction. The experimental results are compared with the theoretical predictions.

PurposeThis paper aims to offer a succinct description of the Vioxx recall in 2004 and discuss the fundamental reasons why Merck got into this trouble.Design/methodology/approachA review of literature has been conducted to provide key facts about the Vioxx disaster and to shed light on the operations of its maker Merck. The Vioxx recall case is analyzed from a perspective including both company profits and public interest.FindingsMerck aggressively marketed an unsafe drug, under the brand name Vioxx, without properly disclosing its serious side effects to consumers. After the facts were revealed, the company faced costly lawsuits, angry investors and falling profits. This case clearly shows how a disaster can occur when a company becomes greedy and seeks undeserved profits at the expense of ethics and social responsibility.Practical implicationsBuilding a successful and competitive business requires managers to make decisions that balance profit and social responsibility. When business managers run their business solely for profit, problems will almost certainly occur. Such problems can cause severe damage not only to the company's customers but also to the company itself.Originality/valueVioxx is one of the biggest marketing mistakes in recent business history. This paper provides valuable learning insights and should be useful to corporate executives, government regulators and business scholars.

We examine whether analysts’ earnings forecasts are more accurate when they also issue cash flow forecasts. We find that (i) analysts’ earnings forecasts issued together with cash flow forecasts are more accurate than those not accompanied by cash flow forecasts, and (ii) analysts’ earnings forecasts reflect a better understanding of the implications of current earnings for future earnings when they are accompanied by cash flow forecasts. These results are consistent with analysts adopting a more structured and disciplined approach to forecasting earnings when they also issue cash flow forecasts. Finally, we find that more accurate cash flow forecasts decrease the likelihood of analysts being fired, suggesting that cash flow forecast accuracy is relevant to analysts’ career outcomes.

Recent theoretical work argues that information risk is a non-diversifiable risk factor that is priced in the capital market. Using accruals quality to proxy for information risk, Francis et al. (2005) provide empirical support for this argument using a sample of US firms. This paper re-examines the interplay of accruals quality, information risk and cost of capital in Australia, where a number of important institutional and regulatory differences are hypothesized to affect the relation between accruals quality and cost of capital. The results suggest that, while accruals quality impacts on the cost of capital for Australian firms, some salient differences exist. In contrast to findings for US firms, the costs of debt and equity for Australian firms are largely influenced by accruals quality arising from economic fundamentals (i.e., innate accrual quality) but not discretionary reporting choices (i.e., discretionary accrual quality). This finding is consistent with our predictions based on the Australian institutional and regulatory environment. In addition, using both the asset pricing tests in Francis et al. (2005) and Core et al. (2008), we provide evidence consistent with accruals quality being a priced risk factor.

Background We recently reported the association between the Malmo sequence variant in F9 (rs6048) and deep vein thrombosis. Design and Methods We aimed to study whether the association between F9 Malmo and deep vein thrombosis is explained by linkage disequilibrium with nearby single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and whether the association is explained biologically by F9 Malmo affecting factor IX antigen levels or activation of factor IX. We investigated the association of F9 Malmo and 28 nearby single-nucleotide polymorphisms with deep vein thrombosis in men from two case-control studies, LETS (n=380) and MEGA (n=1,469). We assessed the association of F9 Malmo with factor IX antigen level in male control subjects from LETS (n=191) and two subsets of MEGA (n=823 and n=484) and the association with endogenous thrombin potential in LETS control men. We studied the association between F9 Malmo and factor IX activation peptide in 1,199 healthy middle-aged men from the NPHS-II cohort. Results In the combined LETS and MEGA studies, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for the G allele of F9 Malmo, compared with the A allele, was 0.80 (0.69–0.93). One single-nucleotide polymorphism in F9 , rs422187, was strongly linked to F9 Malmo (r2=0.94) and was similarly associated with deep vein thrombosis. No other single-nucleotide polymorphism or haplotype tested was more strongly associated. Factor IX antigen level, factor IX activation peptide levels and endogenous thrombin potential did not differ between F9 Malmo genotypes. Conclusions The F9 Malmo sequence variant was the most strongly associated with deep vein thrombosis among common single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the region. However, the biological mechanism by which F9 Malmo affects risk remains unknown.

While the surface missions to the Moon of the 1970s achieved a great deal, scientifically much was also left unresolved. The recent plethora of lunar missions (flown or proposed) reflects a resurgence in interest in the Moon, not only in its own right, but also as a record of the \ud early solar system including the formation of the Earth. Results from recent orbiter missions have shown evidence of ice or at least hydrogen within shadowed craters at the lunar poles.

What is the role of the Fusiform Face Area (FFA)? Is it specific to face processing, or is it a visual expertise area? The expertise hypothesis is appealing due to a number of studies showing that the FFA is activated by pictures of objects within the subject’s domain of expertise (e.g., cars for car experts, birds for birders, etc.), and that activation of the FFA increases as new expertise is acquired in the lab. However, it is incumbent upon the proponents of the expertise hypothesis to explain how it is that an area that is initially specialized for faces becomes recruited for new classes of stimuli. We dub this the “visual expertise mystery.” One suggested answer to this mystery is that the FFA is used simply because it is a fine discrimination area, but this account has historically lacked a mechanism describing exactly how the FFA would be recruited for novel domains of expertise. In this study, we show that a neurocomputational model trained to perform subordinate-level discrimination within a visually homogeneous class develops transformations that magnify differences between similar objects, in marked contrast to networks trained to simply categorize the objects. This magnification generalizes to novel classes, leading to faster learning of new discriminations. We suggest this is why the FFA is recruited for new expertise. The model predicts that individual FFA neurons will have highly variable responses to stimuli within expertise domains.

Polymorphism in KIF6 Gene and Benefit From Statins After Acute Coronary Syndromes: Results from the PROVE IT-TIMI 22 StudyOlga A. Iakoubova, Marc S. Sabatine, Charles M. Rowland, Carmen H. Tong, Jo...

Objectives We asked whether 35 genetic polymorphisms, previously found to be associated with cardiovascular disease, were associated with myocardial infarction (MI) in the CARE (Cholesterol and Recurrent Events) trial and with coronary heart disease (CHD) in the WOSCOPS (West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study) trial and whether the risk associated with these polymorphisms could be reduced by pravastatin treatment. Background Identification of genetic polymorphisms associated with CHD may improve assessment of CHD risk and understanding of disease pathophysiology. Methods We tested the association between genotype and recurrent MI in the CARE study and between genotype and primary CHD in the WOSCOPS trial using regression models that adjusted for conventional risk factors: Cox proportional hazards models for the CARE study and conditional logistic regression models for a nested case-control study of the WOSCOPS trial. Results We found that Trp719Arg (rs20455) in KIF6 was associated with coronary events. KIF6 encodes kinesin-like protein 6, a member of the molecular motor superfamily. In placebo-treated patients, carriers of the KIF6 719Arg allele (59.4% of the CARE trial cohort) had a hazard ratio of 1.50 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05 to 2.15) in the CARE trial and an odds ratio of 1.55 (95% CI 1.14 to 2.09) in the WOSCOPS trial. Among carriers, the absolute risk reduction by pravastatin was 4.89% (95% CI 1.81% to 7.97%) in the CARE trial and 5.49% (95% CI 3.52% to 7.46%) in the WOSCOPS trial. Conclusions In both the CARE and the WOSCOPS trials, carriers of the KIF6 719Arg allele had an increased risk of coronary events, and pravastatin treatment substantially reduced that risk.