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In this study, the author examines the foreign policy of Y.V. Andropov and assesses the impact of his personal position on the Soviet-US and Sino-Soviet relations during his tenure as the leader of the Soviet Union. The author was guided by the principles of historicism, scientific objectivity, and reliance on sources. It is proved that Y.V. Andropov adopted the foreign policy of the USSR from the position of the “hawks” in the Soviet leadership, which were represented by D.F. Ustinov. According to such a position, foreign policy should be absolutely subordinated to the interests of national security, which can only be guaranteed by the superiority of both nuclear and conventional forces over potential adversaries. Military power should be at the forefront of foreign policy decisions. Therefore, no matter on the issue of Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) in Europe, or on the issue of the armed forces on the Sino-Soviet and Sino-Mongolian borders, regardless of the objective changes in the situation, Y.V. Andropov always maintained a tough position. Author proves that the Soviet leader persistently rejected the reasonable proposals of diplomats and was unwilling to make any concessions that contradicted the ideas of military supremacy. This primarily concerned the issue of the INF deployment on the territory of Eastern Europe, which was a key topic of discussion at the Geneva negotiations. As a result, the Soviet Union could not avoid being drawn into the new round of the arms race provoked by the U.S. President Ronald Reagan, one of the results of which was the deployment of the American INF in Western Europe. In the East, he missed the opportunity to improve relations with China, which had begun to reorient itself away from confrontation with the USSR to building a balance in relations with the United States and the Soviet Union and continued a pointless confrontation with it. The foreign policy heritage that Y.V. Andropov left to his successors was an isolated and tense external environment in which there was few freedom of action. In addition, the growth of military expenditures caused by his tough line on foreign affairs aggravated the stagnation and crisis in the social-economic development of the USSR.

The next president will have to deal with many pressing questions, but few are as consequential as this one: Do we want to live in a world in which the number of nuclear weapons is going up or going down? Once the next president is elected, he or she will have to make many choices about US internal nuclear policy: Should we use nuclear weapons first in a crisis? Should there be more than one person involved in the authorization of a nuclear strike? Should we make unilateral changes to our forces? And should we be deploying new low-yield nuclear capabilities? External policy choices on arms control and nonproliferation efforts will also have to be made, many of them all but immediately. The American public should be aware of the candidates' various nuclear weapons plans before they vote. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nuclear Notebook is researched and written by Hans M. Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project with the Federation of American Scientists, and Matt Korda, a research associate with the project. The Nuclear Notebook column has been published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists since 1987. This issue's column examines tactical nuclear weapons in world nuclear arsenals. Since the end of the Cold War, inventories have declined by an order of magnitude from 20,000–30,000 to about 2,500 today. Both the United States, Pakistan, and Russia are modernizing their tactical nuclear arsenals, adding new types to the inventory and increasing the role and salience of tactical nuclear weapons in their military strategies. Moreover, tactical nuclear weapons are being used to undermine existing arms control agreements. These trends threaten to re-create some of the dynamics that during the Cold War triggered an arms race and dangerous escalation strategies that increased the risk of nuclear war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In 2020 the coronavirus pandemic reached almost every country in the world and challenged their educational systems. This situation forced educators to shift to an online mode of teaching overnight. Many academic institutions that were earlier reluctant to change their traditional pedagogical approaches had no other option but to shift entirely to online teaching and learning. Thus, the role of ICTs in education, and email communication, in particular, has increased dramatically during the pandemic. A significant part of the educational process has turned to correspondence of students and teachers by corporate mail, to communication in chats and during online conferences. At the same time, students' lack of knowledge of electronic etiquette was revealed. They do not realise that writing status-congruent emails is a skill that requires high pragmatic competence and awareness of politeness conventions and email etiquette (also known as ‘netiquette’). It turned out that most students had no ideas of electronic communication rules and did not observe even basic rules of electronic communication. So, students of two universities (teacher training and technical) were given a questionnaire on electronic etiquette. Then the authors analysed and compared students’ answers and came up with recommendations on teaching electronic etiquette to students based on the test results. These recommendations can be further used in teaching practices, during English classes mostly.

A case of long-term persistence of parvovirus B19 is described for the first time in a patient with Gilbert's syndrome against the background of immunodeficiency with predominance of infectious symptoms (chronic herpesvirus infection). Previously, the patient (male, 48 years old) was diagnosed with Gilbert's syndrome, chronic rhinosinusopharyngitis, and chronic herpesvirus infection. In July 2017, parvovirus B19 DNA was detected in blood. No clinical manifestations of infectious erythema were noted. The patient was admitted to the medical center of St. Petersburg Pasteur Institute. His blood samples obtained under informed consent were examined at the medical center in Central Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory of St. Petersburg Pasteur Institute in January and June 2018 and in November 2019. ELISA test systems “Anti-Parvovirus B19 ELISA (IgM)” and “Anti-Parvovirus B19 ELISA (IgG)” (Euroimmune, Germany), as well PCR reagent kit “AmpliSens Parvovirus B19-FL” (FSB Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, Russia) were used for specific diagnostics. Interferon status was determined by the induced production of IFN types I, II and circulating (serum) interferons. Moreover, we considered the laboratory data obtained earlier at different medical facilities of St. Petersburg. IgM class antibodies to the parvovirus B19 were not detected in the blood samples obtained in 2018. IgG antibody titer was 96 IU/ml and 264 IU /ml, respectively. Parvovirus B19 DNA was isolated from blood plasma, but the viral load was less than 720 IU of PVB19 DNA/ml (1.5 x 102 and 1.9 x 102 copies of DNA/ml, respectively). Clinical blood analysis, showed only minor (no more than 7%) deviations from the reference values, increased hemoglobin saturation of red blood cells (RBC), a decreased width of RBC distribution curve, and relative lymphocytosis. A deficiency of various interferon types was revealed: IFNγ level was 80 IU/ml in both samples, IFNα, IFNβ amounts varied from 80 to 160 IU/ml, respectively. The period of parvovirus B19 DNA persistence in blood was 11 months in presence of immunodeficiency. The patient was administered drugs of the interferon group. Parvovirus B19 DNA was not detected in clinical samples of November 2019; IFNα, IFNβ and IFNγ values were 160 IU/ml. We have detected recovery of lymphoid cell ratio, increase in their number, and improved indexes of interferon status.

The US long-range standoff (LRSO) weapon program is clearly a major factor in the worldwide trend toward fielding nuclear-armed cruise missiles. Public information shows that it will likely have new abilities beyond its predecessor air-launched cruise missile, and these potential properties, and the fact that the Air Force intends to field it on its new stealth bomber, may raise new concerns among potential adversaries and alter strategic calculations. The US nuclear modernization plan, as of this writing, includes replacing the existing stock of 575 air-launched cruise missiles with around 1000 LRSO weapons. The concerns surrounding the LRSO are feeding the emergence of a serious debate in the United States over its future, and whether a move to end the program could help tilt other countries away from nuclear-armed cruise missiles. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The US nuclear modernization program is slated to bring profound changes to all three legs of the nuclear triad. But with Donald Trump in office, modernization now operates in a different context. The Trump administration, in launching a new nuclear posture review, seems to have abruptly altered the Obama administration’s rationale for modernization. It has also pledged a large build-up in conventional military forces – a build-up that would exacerbate the cost pressures already constraining nuclear modernization. These developments will change the way nuclear modernization is financed and threaten the political coalitions that have supported modernization. Strategic stability will also face significant challenges, especially if Russia and China come to perceive modernization as a US attempt to limit damage during a nuclear exchange or to establish escalation dominance. Likewise, if US allies come to doubt the credibility of US defense commitments, the risk of nuclear proliferation would increase. These dangers can be limited in a number of ways – through declaratory policy, major investments in alliance consultations, and moderate acquisition policies. In the coming years, civil service and uniformed military personnel will play a crucial role as they engage foreign governments on strategic issues and present political appointees with fair assessments of the costs of provocative action. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: This study aims to analyze the level of market power and determinants of Sharia banking in Indonesia, using the Bresnahan-Lau model approach. This study is explanatory research using a quantitative approach. The data used are secondary, including one dependent variable, namely Market Power (MP), with five independent variables, namely Equivalent Rate (ER), 3-month Bank Indonesia Syariah Certificates (SBIS3), Number of Branches (CAB), Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ), Inflation (INF), and one control variable that is the historical aspect (MPt-1) by using time series data on the annual financial statements of Bank Syariah Mega Indonesia (BSMI), Bank Syariah Mandiri (BSM), Bank Muamalat Indonesia (BMI). The results show market power in the Sharia banking industry in Indonesia, with a significance level of ER and GDP interaction testing of 0,000. Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis tingkat market power serta determinan market power perbankan syariah di Indonesia, dengan menggunakan pendekatan Bresnahan-Lau model. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian explanatory research menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif. Sumber data yang digunakan adalah data sekunder, meliputi satu variabel tergantung yaitu Market Power (MP), dengan lima variabel bebas yaitu Equivalent Rate (ER), Surat Berharga Indonesia Syariah 3bulan (SBIS3), Jumlah Cabang (CAB), Produk Domestik Bruto (PDB), Inflasi (INF), serta 1 variabel kontrol yaitu aspek historis (MPt-1). menggunakan data time series laporan keuangan tahunan Bank Syariah Mega Indonesia (BSMI), Bank Syariah Mandiri (BSM), Bank Muamalat Indonesia (BMI). Hasilnya menunjukkan bahwa terdapat market power pada industri syariah banking yang berkedudukan di Indonesia dengan tingkat signifikansi pengujian interaksi ER dan PDB sebesar 0,000.

The relevance of the study of the problem of formation and development of students’ independence is due to the active formation of the digital educational environment in the conditions of unknown consequences and risks of students’ adaptation to the conditions of life in the digital world.The purpose of the study is to identify the risks of students’ adaptation to the conditions of life in the digital world in the context of formation and development of their independence in the digital educational environment, as well as to search for possible solutions to these problems.The study was based on the analysis of changes that have occurred in the communication sphere and educational environment due to the widespread use of electronic means of communication and information technologies. The solution is being searched when students activate the reserves of various models of information perception.The paper discusses the trends and consequences of the students’ constant use of information support of the Internet, which ambiguously influences the development of their creative abilities. The study also revealed changes in the content and the transformation of teachers and students’ ideas about self-educating activities. It states the problem of formation and development of students’ autonomy in a digital learning environment.Aiming at solving the identified problem, the materials presented in the paper allow us to offer not only interactive opportunities and a variability of tasks aimed at the subject-oriented motivation of students, but also the use of material sign-symbolic models that require individual manipulative activity. The authors developed the method of using contour objects and models, the scale and design of which provide for various operations with them using fingers, which helps to concentrate students’ attention on their actions with objects. They also initiate individual creative activity and independence of actions.Fragments of training programs were prepared; experimental courses were conducted in the format of additional education in groups of students using specialized sets for constructing sign and symbolic models in the form of contour shapes.

Purpose of the study: The purpose of the study is to underscore the changing discourse of Washington's approach towards global arms control and disarmament regime. United States in October 2018 announced its willingness to come out of 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force Treaty (INF). This not only invoked a new debate on the future of arms control treaties but also sent waves of insecurity in the global order that had been observing a positive discourse of disarmament between the two Cold War arch rivals. With ups and downs in the subsequent ultimatums at-last the fate of the treaty faced termination from the US in February 2019 just like the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM) that was ended in 2002 by the then US President George W. Bush. The key question confronted in the study is about, why subsequent U.S. administrations are deviating from international commitments that the Washington made to ensure international peace and security? Methodology: The study is descriptive in nature and follows deductive method with that of mixed method approach to highlight the challenges surrounding regime failure of global security system. Main Findings: This study makes the point that the result of US withdrawals from her international arms control commitments would accelerate development and deployment elements of its Global ABM system in South Korea, Japan and number of European countries. That is why Washington's decision to abandon INF treaty can be openly considered as a multistep strategy for denial of global security system. At the same time the final goal of this strategy is clearly visible, which is to weaken the reciprocal abilities of presumed rogue and revisionist enemy-countries. Additionally, the White House is interested in strengthening ties with allies such as India to contain Chinese rise. Applications of the study: In this study an attempt has been made to underscore the US security anxiety which revolves around the pretext of Russian and Chinese evolving missile modernization. Washington believes that to ensure her national security it has to neutralize both the Chinese and Russian factor in an adequate manner. This aspires and requires US missile deployments in Asia Pacific Region with that of additional air and sea delivery means in allies territories. In fact, the INF treaty was putting bar on the US options to mitigate the evolving security theatre. Somehow, Washington's viewpoint to walk away from the INF treaty is the same as of ABM treaty. Novelty/Originality of this study: The study has looked into the new but rapidly increasing securitization of strategic stability with that of confronting the very notion of global security order. The study has generated the information about the impact of United States trend of deviating from arms control treaties and its impact on global security system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Die DINI/nestor AG Forschungsdaten führte im November 2020 einen Workshop zum Thema Data Stewardship im Forschungsdatenmanagement[1] durch. Der Workshop befasste sich mit den unterschiedlichen Rollen, Aufgaben und Einsatzgebieten von sogenannten Data Stewards. Die einzelnen Beiträge gaben Einblicke in die inhaltlichen Aufgabenfelder und Verantwortlichkeiten von Data Stewards und boten Einsichten in die Praxis. Schnell wurde deutlich, dass Stewardship in den Wissenschaftseinrichtungen sehr unterschiedliche Formen annehmen kann[2]. Im Rahmen von DFG-geförderten Sonderforschungsbereichen bieten die Teilprojekte zur Informationsinfrastruktur (häufig INF-Projekte genannt) Unterstützung im Forschungsdatenmanagement. Zu den Aufgaben der INF-Projekte gehören sowohl die Entwicklung und Realisierung von Strategien rund um das Datenmanagement als auch der Aufbau von Infrastruktur. Der vorliegende Beitrag geht der Frage nach, was Stewardship in fächerübergreifenden, kooperativen Forschungskonstellationen bedeuten kann und inwieweit sich die zentralen Aktivitäten der INF-Projekte dem Bereich Data Stewardship zuordnen lassen. [1] Siehe dazu auch die Beschreibung des Workshops Data Stewardship im Forschungsdatenmanagement – Was ist das? Rollen, Aufgabenprofile, Einsatzgebiete: https://www.forschungsdaten.org/index.php/Wiki-Seite_des_11._Workshops_der_DINI/nestor_AG (Letzter Zugriff: 27.02.2021). [2] Hausen, Daniela, Jessica, Rosenberg, Ute, Trautwein-Bruns und Annett, Schwarz. "Data Stewards an der RWTH Aachen University – Aufbau eines Flexiblen Netzwerks." Bausteine Forschungsdatenmanagement, Nr. 2 (November 2020): 20-28, hier 22. https://doi.org/10.17192/bfdm.2020.2.8278.

HCV represents a global health problem. In Egypt, 20% of the population are infected with HCV. During the infectious phase, HCV attenuates the immunity by producing specific HCV immune clearance. Blue green algae (BGA), especially Spirulina species, was studied pertaining to its effect on the human immune response in HCV. The lysate of non-toxic BGA was isolated and identified as Nostoc sp EGY (NE). IL-4, IL-10, IL-12, INF-and TNF- a mRNAs and their expressed protein were assessed using RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. The prepared lysate induced immune stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) at a concentration range of 10-500µg/ml and viral clearance at 1 ng/ml. Moreover, concentrations of this crude lysate ranging from 100µg-10mg/ml stimulated normal human neutrophils to ingest and kill live Candida in an in-vitro test. IL-4, 10 and 12 proteins and their mRNA expression were significantly lower in HCV infected/NE lysate-treated PBMC, yet higher than HCV infected/NE lysate-untreated PBMC. This was in contrast to the levels of INF- and TNF-a which showed significant decrease in HCV infected/NE lysate-treated PBMC relative to HCV infected/NE lysateuntreated PBMC. These findings give further insight regarding the effect of NE lysate on improving the immune response, thus presenting a promising safe and effective immune candidate for HCV treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate IP-10 gene expression in patients with SLE, and its possible relationship with disease activity. This study included 120 patients diagnosed with SLE and 30 healthy controls. The relative gene expression of IP-10 was investigated with the Fold Change method, which was correlated with the level of lupus activity evaluated with the SLEDAI 2-K instrument. Different levels of gene expression were found according to the SLE activity (p =<0.001). IP-10 gene expression levels were higher in patients with severe activity than in those with no activity, low activity, and moderate activity. The increase in gene expression in the severe activity group was significant with a Fold Change of 3. The significant increase in relative gene expression IP-10 may be a marker of severe lupus activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current security environment faces two major challenges. On the one hand, the international arms control and security architecture are deteriorating. Doctrinal innovations, first in Russia and then in the United States, allow for limited use of nuclear weapons, including potentially the low-yield varieties. On the other hand, advanced conventional weapons, cyber warfare, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies increase the risk of conflict, which could escalate to the nuclear level. As risks increase, the political will to pursue cooperative solutions to prevent arms race and war continues to diminish. Some nuclear states are even reluctant to recommit to the Reagan-Gorbachev statement that "A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an alternative security system in the international community. The U.S.-China trade war and the scrapping of Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty have intensified the global hegemonic war. The international community faced a transition order, promoting the emergence of a new multi-polar system. As a result, security concerns in each country were increased, especially a new arms race for nuclear power began and the nuclear deterrence regime is collapsing. In addition, the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring countries is being considered, indicating that a revival of imperialism is drawing near. Before international actors jump on the arms race and accelerate the destruction of international peace, a new security system is needed to rearrange the international order. A new security dilemma is about to emerge. Since the treaty on nuclear weapons has been scrapped, armed war is worth considering. In transition period, a new order should be prepared to replace the INF treaty and realigning a perspective of international politics. This paper suggests the peace-building process through the ASEAN Regional Security Forum (ARF). Forum covers Asia, Europe, and the America, and it is the only multilateral security consultative group in which North Korea participate. By expanding ARF, we can prevent unilateral diplomacy based on each country's interests, moreover ARF can establish the alternative security system that neutralizing hegemonic war. Ultimately, ARF should connect the Nuclear Weapon Free Zone on each continent by establishing Free Zone in Northeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For most of the post-Cold War era, modernization for NATO has meant a reduced role for nuclear weapons and an enhanced role for crisis management policy and politico-diplomatic partnership. This NATO approach advanced cohesion among allies, some of which were politically uncomfortable with if not borderline opposed to nuclear deterrence. Allied comfort is now under siege, however. Russian military doctrine threatens the early use of nuclear weapons, and states such as Iran and North Korea expose fault lines in the nuclear arms control regime that in recent years has sought to further the full abolition of nuclear weapons. NATO finds itself challenged by the twin requirements of ensuring credible deterrence and meeting the concerns of Alliance members who thought reliance on nuclear weapons was a thing of the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper consists in the formulation of a novel categorical set theory, MLCat, which is proved to be equiconsistent to New Foundations (NF), and which can be modulated to correspond to intuitionistic (denoted with an "I" on the left) or classical NF, with atoms (denoted with a "U" on the right) or not: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the On-Site Inspection Agency (OSIA), whose main job is verifying the destruction of weapons. OSIA was founded in 1988 to enforce the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. OSIA will face increasing responsibilities as major new arms control agreements come on line. Verifying the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and the Conventional Forces in Europe pact will mean new teams of experts, new linguists, and new equipment. OSIA is the most visible symbol of what might be called the verification revolution. As of December 1991, the workload of OSIA is about to explode. A new protocol to the 1974 Threshold Test Ban Treaty provides for inspection teams from the U.S. and the Soviet Union to monitor nuclear tests from pre-designated seismic stations in each other's countries. Plans call for a core of 16 START inspection teams. OSIA has also made several START-related visits to nuclear bases. The backbone of START verification is national technical means--spy satellites. START provides for round-the-clock monitoring at missile assembly factories. Meanwhile CFE inspection teams will be based at the field office of OSIA in Frankfurt, Germany. The inventory of conventional equipment of CFE is a less high-tech business than START verification.

Visual communication is ubiquitous, commanding our attention and commandeering our inattention. The presentation of information can take myriad visual forms, such as bar charts, scatter plots, network diagrams, and tables. These information graphics are attempts to map potentially large amounts of complex data to easily navigable visual form for rapid and accurate knowledge transfer. However, there is not yet a satisfactory formal methodology for selecting the most appropriate visualization method for a given set of data. A data taxonomy and novel visual taxonomy will be used to select visual stimuli from a database of acquired and newly generated information graphics. Oculomotor responses (eye tracking data) and task-based responses (mouse clicks or keyboard input) are recorded; performance on the latter is used to establish an expert subgroup. These results will be used to satisfy the three primary objectives of the proposed research, determining: how the choice of data visualization impacts oculomotor behavior and task performance, if this behavior is discriminable between experts and novices, and an empirically-based taxonomy of visualization based on the results of 1 and 2. Intellectual merit of the proposed activity The proposed research will create a novel taxonomy for and database of acquired and generated information graphics as well as an associated web application to search, organize, and compare entries in the database. Part of this research program is intended to establish the most comprehensive, manually annotated (and taxonomically classified) information graphics database in the world, for use by the public via a web interface. These images will be important for procuring stimuli for other kinds of perceptual and cognitive psychology experiments. The eye tracking and task performance results should help lead to a better understanding of how humans look at data, respond to the relationship between data structures and visual composition, and respond differentially to visualizations of different types. With respect to qualifications, the PI has a background in brain imaging research, image processing, and programming applications for generating graphs. Through his collaborator Dr. Ferrera of Columbia University, he has access to facilities and faculty specialized in eye tracking and psychophysics research. Collaborator Dr. Michelle Zhou, a research manager at IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, has years of experience in the areas of data and visual taxonomies, image databases, and automated generation of information graphics [Zhou and Feiner 1998, Zhou et al. 2002b, Zhou et al. 2002a]. Broader impacts of the proposed activity In addition to contributions the image taxonomy, database, and web application are intended to make to research, they will serve as a rich resource for teaching about the history and scope of visualization methods and design within and across disciplines, and for the general public with an interest in information graphics. The research will be conducted on subjects of varied background and race and will be broadly disseminated via websites in addition to publications. Additionally, defining a visual taxonomy will inform design choices made in information visualization. One implication of this research is a determination of how effective different visualization methods are at conveying information; this understanding will be of profound help to anyone interested in conveying information effectively in a graphical form.

Background: Pain management guidelines in the emergency department (ED) may reduce time to analgesia administration (TTA). Intranasal fentanyl (INF) is a safe and effective alternative to intravenous opiates. The effect of an ED pain management guideline providing standing orders for nurse-initiated administration of intranasal fentanyl (INF) is not known. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of a pediatric ED triage-based pain protocol utilizing intranasal fentanyl (INF) on time to analgesia administration (TTA) and patient and parent satisfaction.Methods: This was a prospective study of patients 3-17 years with an isolated orthopedic injury presenting to a pediatric ED before and after instituting a triage-based pain guideline allowing for administration of INF by triage nurses. Our primary outcome was median TTA and secondary outcomes included the proportion of patients who received INF for pain, had unnecessary IV placement, and patient and parent satisfaction.Results: We enrolled 132 patients; 72 pre-guideline, 60 post-guideline. Demographics were similar between groups. Median TTA was not different between groups (34.5 min vs. 33 min, p = .7). Utilization of INF increased from 41% pre-guideline to 60% post-guideline (p = .01) and unnecessary IV placement decreased from 24% to 0% (p = .002). Patients and parents preferred the IN route for analgesia administration.Conclusion: A triage-based pain protocol utilizing INF did not reduce TTA, but did result in increased INF use, decreased unnecessary IV placement, and was preferred by patients and parents to IV medication. INF is a viable analgesia alternative for children with isolated extremity injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, a key arms control agreement between Russia and the United States, is about to collapse. Both countries keep on raising mutual allegations over violations of the treaty. The treaty bans ground-launched missiles with a range between 500 and 5,500 km. While a possible breakdown of the INF treaty could have severe implications for the survival of other crucial arms control agreements, including the New START treaty, it also affects European security. Still, diplomatic and bilateral attempts so resolve the INF dispute have not proved successful thus far. One possible approach could be to enhance transparency measures on both sides, and to allow for mutual inspections. Additionally, the treaty should be adapted to new political and technological developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was aimed to investigate the mechanism and administration timing of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis mice. Thirty-six mice were divided into six groups: control group (saline), model group (intratracheal administration of BLM), day 1, day 3 and day 6 BMSCs treatment groups and hormone group (hydrocortisone after BLM treatment). BMSCs treatment groups received BMSCs at day 1, 3 or 6 following BLM treatment, respectively. Haematoxylin and eosin and Masson staining were conducted to measure lung injury and fibrosis, respectively. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP9), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), γ-interferon (INF- γ) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF- β) were detected in both lung tissue and serum. Histologically, the model group had pronounced lung injury, increased inflammatory cells and collagenous fibres and up-regulated MMP9, TIMP-1, INF- γ and TGF- β compared with control group. The histological appearance of lung inflammation and fibrosis and elevation of these parameters were inhibited in BMSCs treatment groups, among which, day 3 and day 6 treatment groups had less inflammatory cells and collagenous fibres than day 1 treatment group. BMSCs might suppress lung fibrosis and inflammation through down-regulating MMP9, TIMP-1, INF- γ and TGF- β. Delayed BMSCs treatment might exhibit a better therapeutic effect. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Highlights are as follows: BMSCs repair lung injury induced by BLM., BMSCs attenuate pulmonary fibrosis induced by BLM., BMSCs transplantation down-regulates MMP9 and TIMP-1., BMSCs transplantation down-regulates INF- γ and TGF- β., Delayed transplantation timing of BMSCs might exhibit a better effect against BLM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the authors have investigated the mechanism that determines improved Nyquist filters (INFs) to perform better in the presence of timing errors. The authors have explored the role of low‐ and high‐frequency regions in the range [B (1 − α), B], where B is the bandwidth corresponding to T = 1/2B in producing a smaller error probability in the presence of symbol timing error. The authors first have analysed the performance of the POWER pulse and evidenced the role of the slope of the frequency characteristic in the vicinity of B (1 − α), determined the optimal values of the exponent β and derived a formula that links β and the slope value at B (1 − α + α /100) to the normalised time offset. Then, the authors have proposed five new INFs with piece‐wise polynomial frequency characteristic, and investigated the influence of component frequency bands and shapes on the error probability, when the impulse response is sampled with a time offset. The authors consider that the slope of the frequency characteristic in the transition band in the vicinity of B (1 − α) has a direct effect on the error probability. Finally, the authors have presented the performance evaluation and practical engineering challenges brought in by the use of the new pulses in an N ‐subcarrier orthogonal frequency‐division multiplexing (OFDM) systems in order to reduce inter‐carrier interference power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A discussão aqui apresentada traz uma reflexão acerca da linguagem cinematográfica como uma possibilidade de problematização de questões presentes na Educação de um modo geral e na sala de aula em particular. Esse artigo é fruto do projeto de extensão "A Formação Continuada de Educadores (as) Infantis através da Linguagem Cinematográficaâ€?que foi desenvolvido no período de dezembro de 2006 a junho de 2007. O projeto foi desenvolvido através de 10 dez módulos com duração de 4 (quatro) horas cada e por duas palestras de 2 horas cada. Foi realizado por profissionais que atuam no Grupo de Estudos da Infância - GEI/ESEBA. Esse projeto possibilitou espaço e tempo de estudos, reflexões e debates com a sociedade, através da formação continuada de educadores/as infantis do município e do estado. Propusemos um espaço de discussão, vivência e reflexão de um trabalho marcado essencialmente pela valorização da arte cinematográfica. Arte esta tão pouco explorada pela educação, mas que tem um importante papel na construção das diferentes atividades sócio-culturais dos/as professores/as.

Abstract: We consider the solutions to the prescribed scalar curvature equation on a four-dimensional Riemannian manifold M. We prove an upper bound for the supremum of all the solutions on every compact subset K of M, provided that all the solutions on M are bounded from below by a positive number. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article presents results for mode II delamination resistance of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) using a recently developed internal notched flexure (INF) test. The study showed that the decrease of the compliance with the growth of delamination in the INF test was much less than that predicted by analytical or finite element analyses of the same configuration. The difference was mainly due to pronounced shear force interaction generated by bridging fibers and stitching threads between fracture surfaces. A new data-deducing method, named direct method with correction (DMC), was developed for establishing a delamination resistance curve (R-curve), which can take into account the effects of shear force interaction but does not require in situ measurement of crack growth length. The DMC was further examined using results from a series of INF tests with variation in test set-up configurations and types of glass fiber preform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate IP-10 gene expression in patients with SLE, and its possible relationship with disease activity., Patients and Methods: This study included 120 patients diagnosed with SLE and 30 healthy controls. The relative gene expression of IP-10 was investigated with the Fold Change method, which was correlated with the level of lupus activity evaluated with the SLEDAI 2-K instrument., Results: Different levels of gene expression were found according to the SLE activity (P = <.001). IP-10 gene expression levels were higher in patients with severe activity than in those with no activity, low activity, and moderate activity. The increase in gene expression in the severe activity group was significant with a Fold Change of 3 CONCLUSION: The significant increase in relative gene expression IP-10 may be a marker of severe lupus activity., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights reserved.)