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We present photometric and spectroscopic data on three extragalactic luminous red novae (LRNe): AT 2018bwo, AT 2021afy, and AT 2021blu. AT 2018bwo was discovered in NGC 45 (at about 6.8 Mpc) a few weeks after the outburst onset. During the monitoring period, the transient reached a peak luminosity of 1040 erg s−1. AT 2021afy, hosted by UGC 10043 (∼49.2 Mpc), showed a double-peaked light curve, with the two peaks reaching a similar luminosity of 2.1(±0.6)×1041 erg s−1. Finally, for AT 2021blu in UGC 5829 (∼8.6 Mpc), the pre-outburst phase was well-monitored by several photometric surveys, and the object showed a slow luminosity rise before the outburst. The light curve of AT 2021blu was sampled with an unprecedented cadence until the object disappeared behind the Sun, and it was then recovered at late phases. The light curve of LRN AT 2021blu shows a double peak, with a prominent early maximum reaching a luminosity of 6.5 × 1040 erg s−1, which is half of that of AT 2021afy. The spectra of AT 2021afy and AT 2021blu display the expected evolution for LRNe: a blue continuum dominated by prominent Balmer lines in emission during the first peak, and a redder continuum consistent with that of a K-type star with narrow absorption metal lines during the second, broad maximum. The spectra of AT 2018bwo are markedly different, with a very red continuum dominated by broad molecular features in absorption. As these spectra closely resemble those of LRNe after the second peak, AT 2018bwo was probably discovered at the very late evolutionary stages. This would explain its fast evolution and the spectral properties compatible with that of an M-type star. From the analysis of deep frames of the LRN sites years before the outburst, and considerations of the light curves, the quiescent progenitor systems of the three LRNe were likely massive, with primaries ranging from about 13 M⊙ for AT 2018bwo, to 14−1+4 M⊙ for AT 2021blu, and over 40 M⊙ for AT 2021afy.

We present an observational study of the luminous red nova (LRN) AT 2021biy in the nearby galaxy NGC 4631. The field of the object was routinely imaged during the pre-eruptive stage by synoptic surveys, but the transient was detected only at a few epochs from ∼231 days before maximum brightness. The LRN outburst was monitored with unprecedented cadence both photometrically and spectroscopically. AT 2021biy shows a short-duration blue peak, with a bolometric luminosity of ∼1.6 × 1041 erg s−1, followed by the longest plateau among LRNe to date, with a duration of 210 days. A late-time hump in the light curve was also observed, possibly produced by a shell-shell collision. AT 2021biy exhibits the typical spectral evolution of LRNe. Early-time spectra are characterised by a blue continuum and prominent H emission lines. Then, the continuum becomes redder, resembling that of a K-type star with a forest of metal absorption lines during the plateau phase. Finally, late-time spectra show a very red continuum (TBB ≈ 2050 K) with molecular features (e.g., TiO) resembling those of M-type stars. Spectropolarimetric analysis indicates that AT 2021biy has local dust properties similar to those of V838 Mon in the Milky Way Galaxy. Inspection of archival Hubble Space Telescope data taken on 2003 August 3 reveals a ∼20 M⊙ progenitor candidate with log (L/L⊙) = 5.0 dex and Teff = 5900 K at solar metallicity. The above luminosity and colour match those of a luminous yellow supergiant. Most likely, this source is a close binary, with a 17–24 M⊙ primary component.

We propose an anisotropic metamaterial quadrilateral array with metallic wires inserted in the perforated dielectrics over a ground plane, possessing the gradient index property and the epsilon-near-zero characteristic respectively in different polarization directions. As a result, such a metamaterial array possessing the non-interfering anisotropy features would be able to collimate electromagnetic fields as a zone plate reflector when we feed it at the focus in the broadside direction, while being capable of generating four directive beams as an ENZ lens when excited in the center. The proposed design of metallic-wire embedded perforated dielectrics can be effectively applied to building up versatile devices with more advanced functionalities that are fundamentally dependent on the anisotropic properties of hybrid metamaterials.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major disease with a high degree of malignancy, and poor prognosis, which seriously endangers human health. Chronic viral hepatitis (HBV, HCV)-cirrhosis-liver cancer patterns of pathogenesis has been widely accepted. However, the relationship between non-infectious liver disease and HCC is not completely clear; thereby how various non-infectious liver diseases develop through precancerous lesions has attracted widespread attention to HCC. A full understanding of these precancerous lesions is likely to provide new ideas and strategies for the prevention and treatment of non-infectious liver disease-related HCC.肝细胞肝癌（HCC）是恶性程度很高、预后极差、严重危害人类健康的重大疾病。慢性病毒性肝炎（乙型、丙型肝炎）-肝硬化-肝癌的发病模式已为大家广泛接受。然而，非感染性肝病与HCC的关系尚不完全清晰，各种非感染性肝病如何经过癌前病变进展为HCC引起广泛关注。充分认识这些癌前病变可望为非感染性肝病相关HCC的防治提供新的思路和策略。.

To determine whether chloroquine (CQ), an often used inhibitor of late autophagy and autophagosome/lyosome fusion, can inhibit proliferation of renal carcinoma cells and investigate its effect on sunitinib (ST)-induced apoptosis.Renal carcinoma cell line 786 O and ACHN had been used as cellular model and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt (MTS) assay was carried out to detect the cell viability in response to CQ or ST treatment. Both transmission electron microscope and immunoblotting had been employed to observe apoptotic and autophagic process. To examine the involvement of autophagy in ST-dependent apoptosis, autophagy had been inhibited either chemically or genetically via utilizing autophagy inhibitor or specific small interference RNA (siRNA) targeted to either Ulk1 (unc-51-like kinase 1) or LC3 (microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 fusion protein), two essential autophagic proteins.Both ST and CQ induced cell viability loss, indicating that either of them could inhibit renal cancer cell proliferation. Clone formation experiments confirmed the aforementioned results. Furthermore, the combined ST with CQ synergistically promoted the loss of cell viability. By transmission electron microscopy and immunoblotting, we found that the ST induced both autophagy and caspase-dependent apoptosis. While 3-MA, an early autophagy inhibitor, reduced the ST-induced cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1), a substrate of caspase 3/7 and often used marker of caspase-dependent apoptosis, CQ promoted the ST-dependent PARP-1 cleavage, indicating that the early and late autophagy functioned differentially on the ST-activated apoptotic process. Moreover, the knock down of either Ulk1 or LC3 decreased the ST-caused apoptosis.Interestingly, we observed that rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) and an inducer of autophagy, also showed to inhibit cell viability and increased the cleavage of PARP-1 in the ST-treated cells, suggesting that autophagy was likely to play a dual role in the regulation of the ST-induced apoptosis.ST activates both apoptotic and autophagic process in renal carcinoma cells. Although autophagy precedes the ST-induced apoptosis, however, early and late autophagy functions differentially on the apoptotic process induced by this compound. Additionally, ST can coordinate with the inducer of autophagy to inhibit the cell proliferation. Further research in this direction will let us illuminate to utilize CQ as a potential drug in the treatment of renal carcinoma.

Chinese herbal medicine Jinlianqingre Effervescent Tablets (JET) are the recommended control measure for uncomplicated hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) by the Ministry of Health of China. However, high-quality evidence to support this recommendation is limited. A total of 288 patients ranging in age from 1 to 13 years were randomly assigned to JET in combination with conventional therapy (mainly including the reduction of temperature by applying physical cooling paste or warm bathing), or conventional therapy with placebo group for 7 days. The objective was to test the hypothesis that JET combination therapy is more effective than conventional therapy for uncomplicated HFMD. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was designed. Our study showed that, compared with conventional therapy, the median time to fever resolution was significantly shorter in the JET combination therapy (8 vs. 80 h; p < 0.0001); the risk of fever resolution increased in the JET combination therapy [hazard ratio, 19.8; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 12.8 to 30.7]; the median healing time of rash or oral ulcer was significantly shorter in the JET combination therapy (14 vs. 74 h; p < 0.0001); and the median symptom score for skin or oral mucosa lesions improved more rapidly in the JET combination therapy during the follow-up period. The median duration of hospital stay was 6 days in the JET combination therapy and 7 days in the conventional therapy (p < 0.0001). No significant adverse events and complications were found in both groups. The addition of JET to conventional therapy reduced fever clearance time, healing time of skin or oral mucosa lesions, and duration of hospital stay in children with uncomplicated HFMD.

The incidence of papillary thyroid carcinoma is growing rapidly. Especially in young patients, the patients have high demand for better cosmetic effect and less psychological trauma. The application of laparoscope technique in papillary thyroid carcinoma surgery should meet the needs of patients. The development of needle assisted technique make it easy to access the neck potential fascial spaces, and provide the basic instrument for laparoscope modified neck dissection. The application of needle assisted techniques mainly include suture suspension and V type needle retractor, MiniLap, 3 mm laparoscopic apparatus. Indications of this procedure is very important, and it is necessary to make full use of the "critical points" , "mark lines" and "fascia layers" to precise positioning in the operation. Furthermore, the levels of dissection must be determined based on the pattern of cervical lymph node metastasis in differentiated thyroid carcinoma, that will make the surgical procedures more safety.

The objective of this paper is to identify pathway-related modules which are defined as in high-grade osteosarcoma based on topological centralities analysis of networks.Co-expression network was constructed by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) based on differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Pathway enrichment analysis was conducted by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database to detect pathway enriched genes. Pathway-related modules of pathway enriched genes were mined from the co-expression network. Then topological centralities (degree, closeness, stress and betweenness centrality) analyses for co-expression network and sub-networks were performed to explore hub genes. Validation of hub genes was carried out utilizing reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays.There were 129 nodes and 1229 edges in co-expression network. We obtained a total of 16 hub genes and 11 pathway-related modules. Module 17 (Bladder cancer module) was the most significant module, which comprising 9 of 16 hub genes and 6 pathway enriched genes, taking intersection elements (CAV1 and CCND1). RT-PCR results showed that both of CAV1 and CCND1 in high-grade osteosarcoma were significantly differentially expressed compared with normal controls.This work may contribute to understanding the molecular pathogenesis and provide potential biomarkers for detections and effective therapies of high-grade osteosarcoma.

The following study analysed apoptosis in proliferative cells and migrating neurons of the developing cerebellum. The external granular layer, Purkinje cell layer and internal granular layer in the developing mouse cerebellar cortex were analysed by active caspase-3 immunohistochemistry, Hoechst 33258 staining and Western blot analysis. Immunocytochemistry results indicated that the peak of apoptosis appeared at postnatal days P8, P5 and P9 in the external granular layer, Purkinje cell layer and internal granular layer, respectively. Subsequently, in each region, the rate of apoptosis decreased with increasing age. In contrast, Western blot results demonstrated the highest expression of activated caspase-3 in the cerebellum at P5, followed by a subsequent decline and disappearance of expression by P14. Activated caspase-8 was expressed maximally at P10, and subsequently disappeared by P30. The results of this study suggest that the key period of neuronal apoptosis in the cerebellar cortex is between P0 and P14, indicating that this developmental period could be susceptible to treatment for congenital neurodegenerative diseases.

Although many studies have been carried out on monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significances (MGUS), smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM), and multiple myeloma (MM), their classification and underlying pathogenesis are far from elucidated. To discover the relationships among MGUS, SMM, and MM at the transcriptome level, differentially expressed genes in MGUS, SMM, and MM were identified by the rank product method, and then co-expression networks were constructed by integrating the data. Finally, a pathway-network was constructed based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis, and the relationships between the pathways were identified. The results indicated that there were 55, 78, and 138 pathways involved in the myeloma tumor developmental stages of MGUS, SMM, and MM, respectively. The biological processes identified therein were found to have a close relationship with the immune system. Processes and pathways related to the abnormal activity of DNA and RNA were also present in SMM and MM. Six common pathways were found in the whole process of myeloma tumor development. Nine pathways were shown to participate in the progression of MGUS to SMM, and prostate cancer was the sole pathway that was involved only in MGUS and MM. Pathway-network analysis might provide a new indicator for the developmental stage diagnosis of myeloma tumors.

The modular exponentiation, y≡x k (mod n) with x,y,k,n integers and n > 1, is the most fundamental operation in RSA and ElGamal public-key cryptographic systems. Thus the efficiency of RSA and ElGamal depends entirely on the efficiency of the modular exponentiation. The same situation arises also in elliptic curve cryptography, in which the elliptic curve group operation, Q≡kP (mod q) with P , Q points on elliptic curve E: y 2=x 3+ax+b over a finite field q , is the most fundamental operation and needs to be performed as fast as possible. In this paper, two variants of fast implementations for modular exponentiation and elliptic curve group operation in Maple are presented.

This randomised, crossover study compared patient-controlled sedation using boluses of propofol and patient-maintained sedation using a target-controlled infusion of propofol. Twenty-three patients aged 18-35 years having surgical removal of bilateral third molar teeth under local anaesthesia during two separate visits were studied. In the majority of patients, both techniques provided moderate sedation, good operating conditions, stable physiological parameters and a high degree of patient satisfaction. Two patients became over-sedated during patient-controlled sedation. The time taken for titration to adequate sedation was longer with patient-maintained sedation than with patient-controlled sedation [mean (SD) = 8.6 (3.7) min vs. 5.7 (3.1) min, p < 0.005]. The mean overall propofol consumption was similar with both techniques. The majority of patients preferred patient-maintained sedation to patient-controlled sedation, p < 0.05.

The herpes simplex virus (HSV) recombinant virus R7020 is an attenuated virus designed as a candidate for immunization against both HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections. It was extensively tested in an experimental animal system and in a healthy human adult population without significant untoward effects. We report on the use of R7020 with ionizing radiation as an oncolytic agent for hepatomas. Two hepatoma cell lines were studied, Hep3B and Huh7. R7020 replicated to higher titers in Hep3B cells than in Huh7 cells. Tissue culture studies correlated with hepatoma xenograft responses to R7020. R7020 was more effective in mediating Hep3B tumor xenograft regression compared with Huh7. Ionizing radiation combined with R7020 also showed differential results in antitumor efficacy between the two cell lines in tumor xenografts. Ionizing radiation enhanced the replication of R7020 in Hep3B xenografts. Moreover, the combination of ionizing radiation and virus caused a greater regression of xenograft volume than either R7020 or radiation alone. Ionizing radiation had no effect on the replication of R7020 virus in Huh7 xenografts. These results indicate that a regimen involving infection with an appropriate herpesvirus such as R7020 in combination with ionizing radiation can be highly effective in eradicating certain tumor xenografts.

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic mechanism of treating SMMC-7721 liver cancer cells with magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH) using Fe2O3 nanoparticles. Hepatocarcinoma SMMC-7721 cells cultured in vitro were treated with ferrofluid containing Fe2O3 nanoparticles and irradiated with an alternating radio frequency magnetic field. The influence of the treatment on the cells was examined by inverted microscopy, MTT and flow cytometry. To study the therapeutic mechanism of the Fe2O3 MFH, Hsp70, Bax, Bcl-2 and p53 were detected by immunocytochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). It was shown that Fe2O3 MFH could cause cellular necrosis, induce cellular apoptosis, and significantly inhibit cellular growth, all of which appeared to be dependent on the concentration of the Fe2O3 nanoparticles. Immunocytochemistry results showed that MFH could induce high expression of Hsp70 and Bax, decrease the expression of mutant p53, and had little effect on Bcl-2. RT-PCR indicated that Hsp70 expression was high in the early stage of MFH (

The following study analysed apoptosis in proliferative cells and migrating neurons of the developing cerebellum. The external granular layer, Purkinje cell layer and internal granular layer in the developing mouse cerebellar cortex were analysed by active caspase-3 immunohistochemistry, Hoechst 33258 staining and Western blot analysis. Immunocytochemistry results indicated that the peak of apoptosis appeared at postnatal days P8, P5 and P9 in the external granular layer, Purkinje cell layer and internal granular layer, respectively. Subsequently, in each region, the rate of apoptosis decreased with increasing age. In contrast, Western blot results demonstrated the highest expression of activated caspase-3 in the cerebellum at P5, followed by a subsequent decline and disappearance of expression by P14. Activated caspase-8 was expressed maximally at P10, and subsequently disappeared by P30. The results of this study suggest that the key period of neuronal apoptosis in the cerebellar cortex is between P0 and P14, indicating that this developmental period could be susceptible to treatment for congenital neurodegenerative diseases.

We studied the efficacy of 25-microg misoprostol pessaries as either single or double dose compared with a 3-mg dinoprostone pessary for cervical priming.A randomised controlled trial in Singapore.One hundred and seventy-one women with term pregnancies and modified Bishop scores (mBS)or =6 from 2003 to 2004.Patients were randomised to single misoprostol dose, double misoprostol dose or the current dinoprostone regimen.Primary outcome was number of women who achieved favourable mBS6 or active labour by day 2. Secondary outcomes were time interval from insertion to delivery, cardiotocographic abnormalities, delivery and neonatal outcome.More women in the misoprostol double-dose group (96.6%) and dinoprostone group (93%) achieved the primary outcome compared with the single-dose group (77.8%) (P = 0.003 and P = 0.03, respectively). There was no difference in secondary outcomes. More multiparous women achieve primary outcome compared with nulliparous women (odds ratio 0.21, 95% confidence interval 0.06-0.77).Double-dose misoprostol 25 microg is as effective as dinoprostone 3 mg inserts for cervical priming; both are more efficacious than a single-dose misoprostol pessary. Parity prognosticates the success of induction.

L-CATA (Logic-based Computer Aided Travel Assistant) is a logic-based expert database system, which asks the user to input his query specification, such as starting place, destination, constraints, rules and goals, etc., and outputs a list of flights meeting the traveller's specification; together with an alternative list which may not quite meet the user's specification but optimizes his goals. L-CATA is written as a deductive database system, and uses heuristic rules to prune its search of the database. Unlike other air-travel related expert systems, L-CATA does not attempt to model the traveller. Instead, L-CATA complements existing Computer Reservation Systems by providing comprehensive individually tailored advice and information to the traveller. There are several approaches to implement such a system. The logic approach is a very promising one, and the aims of L-CATA can be more easily achieved by using it. In this paper, we present a logic approach to the L-CATA expert database system, and provide a theoretical foundation for such a database system.

Declarative debugging is an interactive process where the debugger acquires knowledge from an oracle (usually the user) about the intended interpretation of a program to be debugged and uses it to compare with the machine interpretation of the program in order to find the error in that program. The debugging is declarative in the sense that the user need only know the logic aspect of a program (i.e. its declarative meaning) and does not need to consider the computational behaviour of the program. An error is found by checking the validity of the solved goals with respect to their intended interpretation. In this paper, we introduce the basic ideas and concepts of declarative debugging, and provide a theoretical foundation with emphasis on the study of soundness and completeness for declarative debugging in arbitrary (unrestricted) first order logic programming.

In this review article, a brief history and main results of the studies on the nuclear transplantation (cloning) in fish was introduced. Late Professor T. C. Tung (TONG Di-Zhou), a noted Chinese Experimental Embryologist and his research group at the Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Beijing, China initiated and established successful technology of nuclear transplantation in fish in 1963. During the past 36 years, most of the studies on fish cloning were performed mainly by Chinese groups except only one article was published by authors in former USSR (Gasaryan et al. 1979), and the other one was published by Japanese authors in Japan (Niwa et al. 1999). The primary goals of the studies of Tung's group were: (1) to study the inter-relationship between the nucleus and the cytoplasm in terms of the controlling effects determined by nucleus or cytoplasm or both during the ontogenesis, cell differentiation and phenotypic expression in a developing animal; and (2) to produce fish clones of commercial importance for agricultural purposes. The most successful results that have been obtained by Tung's group in collaboration with the investigators at various fisheries institutions in China were the production of nucleocytoplasmic adult hybrid fish between different varieties, species, genera and subfamilies that produced viable offspring. Furthermore, these nucleocytoplasmic fish hybrid revealed that while most phenotypic characteristics are controlled by the nucleus, a few are controlled by the cytoplasm or by both. In addition, the resulting nucleocytoplasmic fish hybrids also showed some better characteristics of economic importance such as faster growth rate, increasing of protein content and reducing of fat content in muscle, etc. So far, no such kinds of evidences are available either in amphibian or in mammals. Another most important result obtained by other Chinese groups showed that the uncultured or cultured adult somatic cell in fish which can support the nuclear transplanted eggs developing into adults. They were: (1) a 17 month old gold-fish obtained by transplanting an adult erythrocytes into an enucleated egg (WU et al. 1982); (2) a subcultured kidney cell nucleus of Crucian carp (Carassius auratus) can support the transplanted enucleated egg of same species developing into a three years old adult with female sexual characteristics (CHEN et al. 1986) and (3) a cultured liver cell nucleus from grass carp (Ctenopharyngoden idellus) can support a nuclear transplanted unfertilized egg of the same species developing into an adult fish at least of one year old when that paper was published. Some discussions and comments for evaluating the results obtained from previous studies and suggestions for further investigations in this research field are also provided. More detailed information could be found in the book--"Cloning in Fish-nucleocytoplasmic Hybrids" which was written by Shaoyi Yan in English and published by International Union of Biological Sciences and Educational and Cultural Press Ltd. Hong Kong in 1998.

A genetically engineered, nonneurotropic herpes simplex virus (R7020) with a proven safety profile in both animals and humans was found effective in the treatment of large xenotransplanted tumors arising from a radiation- and chemotherapy-resistant human epidermoid carcinoma and a hormone-refractory prostate adenocarcinoma. R7020 replicated to high titer and caused rapid regression of the human tumor xenografts. Tumor destruction was accelerated in animals given both R7020 and fractionated ionizing radiation. Tumors arising from cells surviving one treatment with R7020 were fully susceptible to a second dose of virus. We conclude R7020 is an effective antitumor agent for non-central nervous system tumor xenografts with an excellent safety profile.

The nucleus of a blastula cell from Tilapia (Oreochromis nilotica, family Cichlidae, order Perciformes) was transplanted into an enucleated egg of Loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus, family Cobitidae, order Cypriniformes). From among 3747 nucleo-cytoplasmic hybrid (NCH) eggs two NCH larval fish (0.05%) were obtained; one died on the 6th day and the other died on the 12th day after the operation. Morphological examinations showed that both NCH larval fish had developed normally with an opened mouth except they could not take food after complete utilization of their egg yolk on the 5th day of development. The possible mechanisms for obtaining such inter-order NCH larval fish are discussed. This is the first report indicating that inter-order NCH larval fish can be obtained in spite of their evolutionary divergence.

Teleosts from different families and orders were used as materials for nuclear transplantation experiments. (1) The nuclei of goldfish (Carassius auratus, family Cyprinidae, order Cypriniformes) were transplanted into the enucleated egg cytoplasm of loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus, family Cobitidae, order Cypriniformes) and vice-versa. (2) The nuclei of Tilapia (oreochromis nilotica, order Perciformes) were transplanted into the enucleated egg cytoplasm of goldfish (Carassius auratus, order Cypriniformes). The chromosome number of the nucleus donor fish is different from that of the cytoplasmic recipient fish in each of the two combinations. In the first case, only a few early nucleo-cytoplasmic hybrid (NCH) larval fish were obtained in each combination. In second case, even though a high percentage of NCH blastulas were also obtained, the majority of them died at the same developmental stage, except a few which survived until early gastrula stage. The examination of the metaphase chromosome figures of the NCH blastulas or embryos obtained in all three combinations indicated that they were of nucleus-donor type. The developmental rates of all the NCH eggs were similar to those of cytoplasmic-recipient type. Scanning electronmicroscopy examination showed that the morphology of NCH blastula cells, which were obtained from the combination of Tilapia nucleus and goldfish cytoplasm, manifested obviously abnormal features and the cells were arrested at different stages of cell disintegration. Two-dimension polyacrylamide gel electrophoretograms of the homogenates of Tilapia, goldfish and their NCH blastula cells showed that the protein synthetic pattern of NCH blastula was similar to that of Tilapia nucleus type. The results of experiments which failed to obtain NCH adult fish in all three combinations can be explained as a result of developmental incompatibility between the donor nucleus and the enucleated recipient egg cytoplasm, which were from distantly related fish species. And the chromosome numbers of all the component fish of the three combinations which were examined in the experiment and shown to be quite different from each other in the tested fish, should not be overlooked as one of the essential factors causing the developmental incompatibility in NCH fish in this experiment.

The problem of tracking a reference input in finite time for systems with unknown parameters, which may be of non-minimum phase, is considered. A method to design a deadbeat controller for systems with known parameters and an adaptive algorithm based on this deadbeat controller are presented and simulations of the behaviour of the adaptive algorithm are given.