A preliminary study of how the viscosity of dietary fluids and videofluoroscopy fluids can be matched

Dysphagia

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 494: Prevention of Asbestos-Related Disease in Countries Currently Using Asbestos

More than 40 years of evaluation have consistently confirmed the carcinogenicity of asbestos in all of its forms. This notwithstanding, according to recent figures, the annual world production of asbestos is approximatively 2,000,000 tons. Currently, about 90% of world asbestos comes from four countries: Russia, China, Brazil and Kazakhstan; and the wide use of asbestos worldwide represents a global threat. The purpose of this paper is to present a review of the asbestos health impact and to discuss the role of epidemiological investigations in countries where asbestos is still used. In these contexts, new, "local" studies can stimulate awareness of the size of the problem by public opinion and other stakeholders and provide important information on the circumstances of exposure, as well as local asbestos-related health impacts. This paper suggests an agenda for an international cooperation framework dedicated to foster a public health response to asbestos, including: new epidemiological studies for assessing the health impact of asbestos in specific contexts; socio-cultural and economic analyses for contributing to identifying stakeholders and to address both the local and global implications of asbestos diffusion; public awareness on the health and socio-economic impact of asbestos use and banning.

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Toxins, Vol. 8, Pages 144: Two Novel Dermaseptin-Like Antimicrobial Peptides with Anticancer Activities from the Skin Secretion of Pachymedusa dacnicolor

The dermaseptin antimicrobial peptide family contains members of 27–34 amino acids in length that have been predominantly isolated from the skins/skin secretions of phyllomedusine leaf frogs. By use of a degenerate primer in Rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) PCR designed to a common conserved domain within the 5′-untranslated regions of previously-characterized dermaseptin encoding cDNAs, two novel members of this peptide family, named dermaseptin-PD-1 and dermaseptin-PD-2, were identified in the skin secretion of the phyllomedusine frog, Pachymedusa dacnicolor. The primary structures of both peptides were predicted from cloned cDNAs, as well as being confirmed by mass spectral analysis of crude skin secretion fractions resulted from reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Chemically-synthesized replicates of dermaseptin-PD-1 and dermaseptin-PD-2 were investigated for antimicrobial activity using standard model microorganisms (Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria and a yeast) and for cytotoxicity using mammalian red blood cells. The possibility of synergistic effects between the two peptides and their anti-cancer cell proliferation activities were assessed. The peptides exhibited moderate to high inhibition against the growth of the tested microorganisms and cancer cell lines with low haemolytic activity. Synergistic interaction between the two peptides in inhibiting the proliferation of Escherichia coli and human neuronal glioblastoma cell line, U251MG was also manifested.

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Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 688: Particle and Photon Detection: Counting and Energy Measurement

Fundamental limits for photon counting and photon energy measurement are reviewed for CCD and CMOS imagers. The challenges to extend photon counting into the visible/nIR wavelengths and achieve energy measurement in the UV with specific read noise requirements are discussed. Pixel flicker and random telegraph noise sources are highlighted along with various methods used in reducing their contribution on the sensor's read noise floor. Practical requirements for quantum efficiency, charge collection efficiency, and charge transfer efficiency that interfere with photon counting performance are discussed. Lastly we will review current efforts in reducing flicker noise head-on, in hopes to drive read noise substantially below 1 carrier rms.

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Future Internet, Vol. 8, Pages 19: Computational Social Science, the Evolution of Policy Design and Rule Making in Smart Societies

In the last 20 years, the convergence of different factors—the rise of the complexity of science, the "data deluge" and the advances in information technologies—triggered a paradigm shift in the way we understand complex social systems and their evolution. Beyond shedding new light onto social dynamics, the emerging research area of Computational Social Science (CSS) is providing a new rationale for a more scientifically-grounded and effective policy design. The paper discusses the opportunities potentially deriving from the intersection between policy design issues and CSS methods. After a general introduction to the limits of traditional policy-making and a brief review of the most promising CSS methodologies, the work deals with way in which the insights potentially offered by CSS can concretely flow in policy choices. The attention is focused, to this end, on the legal mechanisms regulating the formulation and the evaluation of public policies. Our goal is two-fold: sketch how the project of a "smart society" is connected to the evolution of social sciences and emphasize the need for change in the way in which public policies are conceived of, designed and implemented.

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Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 670: Model-Driven Approach for Body Area Network Application Development

This paper introduces the sensor-networked IoT model as a prototype to support the design of Body Area Network (BAN) applications for healthcare. Using the model, we analyze the synergistic effect of the functional requirements (data collection from the human body and transferring it to the top level) and non-functional requirements (trade-offs between energy-security-environmental factors, treated as Quality-of-Service (QoS)). We use feature models to represent the requirements at the earliest stage for the analysis and describe a model-driven methodology to design the possible BAN applications. Firstly, we specify the requirements as the problem domain (PD) variability model for the BAN applications. Next, we introduce the generative technology (meta-programming as the solution domain (SD)) and the mapping procedure to map the PD feature-based variability model onto the SD feature model. Finally, we create an executable meta-specification that represents the BAN functionality to describe the variability of the problem domain though transformations. The meta-specification (along with the meta-language processor) is a software generator for multiple BAN-oriented applications. We validate the methodology with experiments and a case study to generate a family of programs for the BAN sensor controllers. This enables to obtain the adequate measure of QoS efficiently through the interactive adjustment of the meta-parameter values and re-generation process for the concrete BAN application.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 493: Factors Affecting Parent’s Perception on Air Quality—From the Individual to the Community Level

The perception of air quality significantly affects the acceptance of the public of the government's environmental policies. The aim of this research is to explore the relationship between the perception of the air quality of parents and scientific monitoring data and to analyze the factors that affect parents' perceptions. Scientific data of air quality were obtained from Wuhan's environmental condition reports. One thousand parents were investigated for their knowledge and perception of air quality. Scientific data show that the air quality of Wuhan follows an improving trend in general, while most participants believed that the air quality of Wuhan has deteriorated, which indicates a significant difference between public perception and reality. On the individual level, respondents with an age of 40 or above (40 or above: OR = 3.252; 95% CI: 1.170–9.040), a higher educational level (college and above: OR = 7.598; 95% CI: 2.244–25.732) or children with poor healthy conditions (poor: OR = 6.864; 95% CI: 2.212–21.302) have much more negative perception of air quality. On the community level, industrial facilities, vehicles and city construction have major effects on parents' perception of air quality. Our investigation provides baseline information for environmental policy researchers and makers regarding the public's perception and expectation of air quality and the benefits to the environmental policy completing and enforcing.

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Sustainability, Vol. 8, Pages 471: Wetland Transitions and Protection under Rapid Urban Expansion: A Case Study of Pearl River Estuary, China

Understanding wetland changes under urbanization is important for wetland management. In this study, net transition intensity (NTI) and total transition intensity (TTI) are presented to characterize wetland transitions based on spatial data obtained from Landsat satellite images of Pearl River estuary in South China. NTI is commonly used to represent changes in absolute amounts for each class of wetland, while TTI reflects the internal transition activities and amounts. The third index, the urbanization intensity index (UII), is used to investigate the intensity and velocity of urban land expansion at the same time periods. The results show that one-third of the total wetland area was lost from 1979 to 2009 in the study area and seven types of estuarine wetlands were degraded. The basic pattern of wetland transition is from natural wetlands to constructed wetlands and then to urban lands. Intertidal mud and sand and paddy fields were the major natural and constructed wetlands, respectively, transferred to urban lands. The TTI value was generally greater than the NTI value for these wetlands. TTI >> NTI is an important indicator for wetland transitions under rapid urban expansion in the Pearl River estuary. Based on the integration of the two indices (NTI and TTI), a protection and management plan framework for the Pearl River estuary wetlands is proposed. This plan emphasizes the key and important zones and their different features, and includes actions that can be implemented in and around natural and constructed wetlands.

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Nanomaterials, Vol. 6, Pages 89: Modification of the Interfacial Interaction between Carbon Fiber and Epoxy with Carbon Hybrid Materials

The mechanical properties of the hybrid materials and epoxy and carbon fiber (CF) composites were improved significantly as compared to the CF composites made from unmodified epoxy. The reasons could be attributed to the strong interfacial interaction between the CF and the epoxy composites for the existence of carbon nanomaterials. The microstructure and dispersion of carbon nanomaterials were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and optical microscopy (OM). The results showed that the dispersion of the hybrid materials in the polymer was superior to other carbon nanomaterials. The high viscosity and shear stress characterized by a rheometer and the high interfacial friction and damping behavior characterized by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) indicated that the strong interfacial interaction was greatly improved between fibers and epoxy composites. Remarkably, the tensile tests presented that the CF composites with hybrid materials and epoxy composites have a better reinforcing and toughening effect on CF, which further verified the strong interfacial interaction between epoxy and CF for special structural hybrid materials.

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Metals, Vol. 6, Pages 110: Melt Processing and Characterization of Al-SiC Nanocomposite, Al, and Mg Foam Materials

In the present work, metallic foams of Al, Mg and an Al-SiC nanocomposite (MMNC) have been fabricated using a new manufacturing technique by employing melt infiltration assisted with an electromagnetic force. The aim of this investigation was to study and to develop a reliable manufacturing technique consisting of different types of metallic foams. In this technique, an electromagnetic force was used to assist the infiltration of Al-SiC slurry and of pure liquid metal into a leachable pattern of NaCl, thus providing perfect cellular structures with micro-sized porosities. A high frequency induction coil unit equipped with a vacuum chamber and a hydraulic press was used to manufacture the foam materials. Microstructures of the produced foam materials were explored by using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). The mechanical behavior of the manufactured foams was investigated by applying compression testing. The results indicate a high applicability of the new technique in producing metallic foams of pure metals and of a metal matrix nanocomposite . The produced foam materials displayed isotropic cellular structures with excellent compressive behaviors. Microstructure measurements indicate that the average pore size and strut thickness that can be achieved are in the ranges of 100–500 μm and 50–100 μm, respectively. The produced foam of the Al-SiC nanocomposite material provided the highest strength of 50 MPa prior to the densification stage, which equates to 25 times, and 10 times higher than the strength levels that were obtained by Al, and Mg foams, respectively.

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Energies, Vol. 9, Pages 359: Techno-Economic Analysis of Integrating First and Second-Generation Ethanol Production Using Filamentous Fungi: An Industrial Case Study

The 2nd generation plants producing ethanol from lignocelluloses demand risky and high investment costs. This paper presents the energy- and economical evaluations for integrating lignocellulose in current 1st generation dry mill ethanol processes, using filamentous fungi. Dry mills use grains and have mills, liquefactions, saccharifications, fermentation, and distillation to produce ethanol, while their stillage passes centrifugation, and evaporation to recycle the water and dry the cake and evaporated syrup into animal feed. In this work, a bioreactor was considered to cultivate fungi on the stillage either before or after the centrifugation step together with pretreated lignocellulosic wheat bran. The results showed that the integrated 1st and 2nd generation ethanol process requires a capital investment of 77 million USD, which could yield NPV of 162 million USD after 20 years. Compared to the fungal cultivation on thin stillage modified 1st generation process, the integrated process resulted in 53 million USD higher NPV. The energy analysis showed that the thin stillage modified 1st generation process could reduce the overall energy consumption by 2.5% and increase the ethanol production by 4%. Such modifications in the 1st generation processes and integration concepts could be interesting for the ethanol industries, as integrating lignocelluloses to their existing setup requires less capital investment.

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Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 678: An in-Depth Survey of Visible Light Communication Based Positioning Systems

While visible light communication (VLC) has become the candidate for the wireless technology of the 21st century due to its inherent advantages, VLC based positioning also has a great chance of becoming the standard approach to positioning. Within the last few years, many studies on VLC based positioning have been published, but there are not many survey works in this field. In this paper, an in-depth survey of VLC based positioning systems is provided. More than 100 papers ranging from pioneering papers to the state-of-the-art in the field were collected and classified based on the positioning algorithms, the types of receivers, and the multiplexing techniques. In addition, current issues and research trends in VLC based positioning are discussed.

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IJERPH, Vol. 13, Pages 484: Effects of Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) on Systemic Oxidative Stress and Cardiac Function in ApoE−/− Mice

Aim: In this study, we aimed to explore the toxic mechanisms of cardiovascular injuries induced by ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in atherosclerotic-susceptible ApoE−/− mice. An acute toxicological animal experiment was designed with PM2.5 exposure once a day, every other day, for three days. Methods: ApoE−/− and C57BL/6 mice were randomly categorized into four groups, respectively (n = 6): one control group, three groups exposed to PM2.5 alone at low-, mid-, and high-dose (3, 10, or 30 mg/kg b.w.). Heart rate (HR) and electrocardiogram (ECG) were monitored before instillation of PM2.5 and 24 h after the last instillation, respectively. Cardiac function was monitored by echocardiography (Echo) after the last instillation. Biomarkers of systemic oxidative injuries (MDA, SOD), heart oxidative stress (MDA, SOD), and NAD(P)H oxidase subunits (p22phox, p47phox) mRNA and protein expression were analyzed in mice. The results showed that PM2.5 exposure could trigger the significant increase of MDA, and induce the decrease of heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of cardiac autonomic nervous system (ANS) function with a dose–response manner. Meanwhile, abnormal ECG types were monitored in mice after exposure to PM2.5. The expression of cytokines related with oxidative injuries, and mRNA and protein expression of NADPH, increased significantly in ApoE−/− mice in the high-dose group when compared with the dose-matched C57BL6 mice, but no significant difference was observed at Echo. In conclusion, PM2.5 exposure could cause oxidative and ANS injuries, and ApoE−/− mice displayed more severe oxidative effects induced by PM2.5.

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Applied Sciences, Vol. 6, Pages 147: Physical and Degradable Properties of Mulching Films Prepared from Natural Fibers and Biodegradable Polymers

The use of plastic film in agriculture has the serious drawback of producing vast quantities of waste. In this work, films were prepared from natural fibers and biodegradable polymers as potential substitutes for the conventional non-biodegradable plastic film used as mulching material in agricultural production. The physical properties (e.g., mechanical properties, heat preservation, water permeability, and photopermeability) and degradation characteristics (evaluated by micro-organic culture testing and soil burial testing) of the films were studied in both laboratory and field tests. The experimental results indicated that these fiber/polymer films exhibited favorable physical properties that were sufficient for use in mulching film applications. Moreover, the degradation degree of the three tested films decreased in the following order: fiber/starch (ST) film > fiber/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) film > fiber/polyacrylate (PA) film. The fiber/starch and fiber/PVA films were made from completely biodegradable materials and demonstrated the potential to substitute non-biodegradable films.

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Information, Vol. 7, Pages 24: Super-Activation as a Unique Feature of Secure Communication in Malicious Environments

The wiretap channel models secure communication between two users in the presence of an eavesdropper who must be kept ignorant of transmitted messages. This communication scenario is studied for arbitrarily varying channels (AVCs), in which the legitimate users know only that the true channel realization comes from a pre-specified uncertainty set and that it varies from channel use to channel use in an arbitrary and unknown manner. This concept not only captures the case of channel uncertainty, but also models scenarios in which malevolent adversaries influence or jam the transmission of the legitimate users. For secure communication over orthogonal arbitrarily varying wiretap channels (AVWCs) it has been shown that the phenomenon of super-activation occurs; that is, there are orthogonal AVWCs, each having zero secrecy capacity, which allow for transmission with positive rate if they are used together. It is shown that for such orthogonal AVWCs super-activation is generic in the sense that whenever super-activation is possible, it is possible for all AVWCs in a certain neighborhood as well. As a consequence, a super-activated AVWC is robust and continuous in the uncertainty set, although a single AVWC might not be. Moreover, it is shown that the question of super-activation and the continuity of the secrecy capacity solely depends on the legitimate link. Accordingly, the single-user AVC is subsequently studied and it is shown that in this case, super-activation for non-secure message transmission is not possible making it a unique feature of secure communication over AVWCs. However, the capacity for message transmission of the single-user AVC is shown to be super-additive including a complete characterization. Such knowledge is important for medium access control and in particular resource allocation as it determines the overall performance of a system.

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Games, Vol. 7, Pages 12: Time-Preference Heterogeneity and Multiplicity of Equilibria in Two-Group Bargaining

We consider a multilateral bargaining game in which the agents can be classified into two groups according to their instantaneous preferences. In one of these groups there is one agent with a different discount factor. We analyze how this time-preference heterogeneity may generate multiplicity of equilibria. When such an agent is sufficiently more patient than the rest, there is an equilibrium in which her group-mates make the same proposal as the members of the other group. Thus, in heterogeneous groups the presence of more patient members may reduce the utility of its members.

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Evaluating the Impact of Antibiotic Exposures as Time-Dependent Variables on the Acquisition of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

Objectives: To determine the time-dependent effect of antibiotics on the initial acquisition of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Forty-bed trauma ICU in Miami, FL. Patients: All consecutive patients admitted to the unit from January 2010 to November 2011. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Patients underwent surveillance cultures at admission to the unit and weekly thereafter. The primary outcome was the acquisition of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii on surveillance cultures. Daily antibiotic exposures during the time of observation were used to construct time-dependent variables, including cumulative exposures (in grams and daily observed doses [defined daily doses]). Among 360 patients, 45 (12.5%) became colonized with carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii. Adjusted Cox models showed that each additional point in the Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation score increased the hazard by 4.8% (hazard ratio, 1.048; 95% CI, 1.010-1.087; p = 0.0124) and time-dependent exposure to carbapenems quadrupled the hazard (hazard ratio, 4.087; 95% CI, 1.873-8.920; p = 0.0004) of acquiring carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii. Additionally, adjusted Cox models determined that every additional carbapenem defined daily dose increased the hazard of acquiring carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii by 5.1% (hazard ratio, 1.051; 95% CI, 1.007-1.093; p = 0.0243). Conclusions: Carbapenem exposure quadrupled the hazards of acquiring A. baumannii even after controlling for severity of illness. Copyright (C) by 2016 by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Quantitative interactome reveals that porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus nonstructural protein 2 forms a complex with viral nucleocapsid protein and cellular vimentin

Publication date: Available online 12 May 2016
Source:Journal of Proteomics
Author(s): Tao Song, Liurong Fang, Dang Wang, Ruoxi Zhang, Songlin Zeng, Kang An, Huanchun Chen, Shaobo Xiao
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is an Arterivirus that has heavily impacted the global swine industry. The PRRSV nonstructural protein 2 (nsp2) plays crucial roles in viral replication and host immune regulation, most likely by interacting with viral or cellular proteins that have not yet been identified. In this study, a quantitative interactome approach based on immunoprecipitation and stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) was performed to identify nsp2-interacting proteins in PRRSV-infected cells with an nsp2-specific monoclonal antibody. Nine viral proteins and 62 cellular proteins were identified as potential nsp2-interacting partners. Our data demonstrate that the PRRSV nsp1α, nsp1β, and nucleocapsid proteins all interact directly with nsp2. Nsp2-interacting cellular proteins were classified into different functional groups and an interactome network of nsp2 was generated. Interestingly, cellular vimentin, a known receptor for PRRSV, forms a complex with nsp2 by using viral nucleocapsid protein as an intermediate. Taken together, the nsp2 interactome under the condition of virus infection clarifies a role of nsp2 in PRRSV replication and immune evasion.Biological significanceViral proteins must interact with other virus-encoded proteins and/or host cellular proteins to function, and interactome analysis is an ideal approach for identifying such interacting proteins. In this study, we used the quantitative interactome methodology to identify the viral and cellular proteins that potentially interact with the nonstructural protein 2 (nsp2) of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) under virus infection conditions, thus providing a rich source of potential viral and cellular interaction partners for PRRSV nsp2. Based on the interactome data, we further demonstrated that PRRSV nsp2 and nucleocapsid protein together with cellular vimentin, form a complex that may be essential for viral attachment and replication, which partly explains the role of nsp2 in PRRSV replication and immune evasion.

Graphical abstract

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Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri surface proteome by 2D-DIGE: Ferric enterobactin receptor and other outer membrane proteins potentially involved in citric host interaction

Publication date: Available online 11 May 2016
Source:Journal of Proteomics
Author(s): Carolina Moretto Carnielli, Juliana Artier, Julio Cezar Franco de Oliveira, Maria Teresa Marques Novo-Mansur
Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (XAC) is the causative agent of citrus canker, a disease of great economic impact around the world. Understanding the role of proteins on XAC cellular surface can provide new insights on pathogen-plant interaction. Surface proteome was performed in XAC grown in vivo (infectious) and in vitro (non-infectious) conditions, by labeling intact cells followed by cellular lysis and direct 2D-DIGE analysis. Seventy-nine differential spots were analyzed by mass spectrometry. Highest relative abundance for in vivo condition was observed for spots containing DnaK protein, 60kDa chaperonin, conserved hypothetical proteins, malate dehydrogenase, phosphomannose isomerase, and ferric enterobactin receptors. Elongation factor Tu, OmpA-related proteins, Oar proteins and some Ton-B dependent receptors were found in spots decreased in vivo. Some proteins identified on XAC's surface in infectious condition and predicted to be cytoplasmic, such as DnaK and 60KDa chaperonin, have also been previously found at cellular surface in other microorganisms. This is the first study on XAC surface proteome and results point to mediation of molecular chaperones in XAC-citrus interaction. The approach utilized here can be applied to other pathogen-host interaction systems and help to achieve new insights in bacterial pathogenicity toward promising targets of biotechnological interest.Biological significanceThis research provides new insights for current knowledge of the Xanthomonas sp. pathogenicity. For the first time the 2D-DIGE approach was applied on intact cells to find surface proteins involved in the pathogen-plant interaction. Results point to the involvement of new surface/outer membrane proteins in the interaction between XAC and its citrus host and can provide potential targets of biotechnological interest for citrus canker control.

Graphical abstract

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Comprehensive Quantification of N-Glycoproteome in Fusarium Graminearum Reveals Intensive Glycosylation Changes against Fungicide

Publication date: Available online 11 May 2016
Source:Journal of Proteomics
Author(s): Liyan Yu, Haibing He, Zhifei Hu, Zhongjun Ma
Glycoproteomics is greatly developed in recent years and big data of N-glycoproteome in mammalian tissues and cells were already established. However, the glycoproteomic studies on plant, fungus and bacteria are far left behind. In this study, we comprehensively mapped and quantified the N-glycosylation of fusarium graminearum by combining stable isotope dimethyl labeling, hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) and high-resolution mass spectrometry. The N-glycosylation changes in fusarium graminearum after fungicide treatment were extensively studied. Altogether we identified 927N-glycopeptides, corresponding to 406 proteins and 774 sites and the glycosylation level was found to be largely down-regulated upon fungicide treatment. With the help of advanced bioinformatics, it was found that the N-glycoproteome changes were highly enriched in cell wall, membrane and extracellular regions. Moreover, the fungal metabolism, protein and glycosylation synthesis, and protease and glycosyl-transferase activity were all closely related with the down-regulated proteins, indicates that fungicide may affect fungal development in these aspects. These results will be useful for future studies on fungal biology. The established system for N-glycoproteome quantification has comparative or better performance compared with previous strategies and will be helpful in N-glycoproteomics of fungus and other species.SignificanceWe developed a robust HILIC-based system for N-glycoproteome quantification in fungus and established the largest quantitative N-glycosylation dataset in fungus, showing the high performance of the new system. The identified N-glycoproteins were proved to be high confident due to the high percentage of proteins in extracellular region and plasma. The quantification results were also accuracy and reproducible in two replicates. By the help of advanced bioinformatic tools, the obtained data was systematically analyzed. It was found that the N-glycosylation level was largely changed in cell wall, membrane and extracellular regions. Moreover, the cell metabolism, protein synthesis, and protease activity were also greatly deceased after fungicide treatment.

Graphical abstract

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Forests, Vol. 7, Pages 103: Regional Instability in the Abundance of Open Stands in the Boreal Forest of Eastern Canada

Fires are a key disturbance of boreal forests. In fact, they are the main source of renewal and evolution for forest stands. The variability of fire through space and time results in a diversified forest mosaic, altering their species composition, structure and productivity. A resilient forest is assumed to be in a state of dynamic equilibrium with the fire regime, so that the composition, age structure and succession stages of forests should be consistent with the fire regime. Dense spruce-moss stands tend, however, to diminish in favour of more open stands similar to spruce-lichen stands when subjected to more frequent and recurring disturbances. This study therefore focused on the effects of spatial and temporal variations in burn rates on the proportion of open stands over a large geographic area (175,000 km2) covered by black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns, Poggenb.). The study area was divided into 10 different zones according to burn rates, as measured using fire-related data collected between 1940 and 2006. To test if the abundance of open stands was unstable over time and not in equilibrium with the current fire regime, forest succession was simulated using a landscape dynamics model that showed that the abundance of open stands should increase progressively over time in zones where the average burn rate is high. The proportion of open stands generated during a specific historical period is correlated with the burn rate observed during the same period. Rising annual burn rates over the past two decades have thereby resulted in an immediate increase in the proportion of open stands. There is therefore a difference between the current proportion of open stands and the one expected if vegetation was in equilibrium with the disturbance regime, reflecting an instability that may significantly impact the way forest resources are managed. It is apparent from this study that forestry planning should consider the risks associated with the temporal variability of fire regimes on the forest ecosystem, as the resulting changes can have a significant impact on biodiversity and allowable cut estimates.

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Cells, Vol. 5, Pages 23: The Ubiquitination of NF-κB Subunits in the Control of Transcription

Nuclear factor (NF)-κB has evolved as a latent, inducible family of transcription factors fundamental in the control of the inflammatory response. The transcription of hundreds of genes involved in inflammation and immune homeostasis require NF-κB, necessitating the need for its strict control. The inducible ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of the cytoplasmic inhibitor of κB (IκB) proteins promotes the nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity of NF-κB. More recently, an additional role for ubiquitination in the regulation of NF-κB activity has been identified. In this case, the ubiquitination and degradation of the NF-κB subunits themselves plays a critical role in the termination of NF-κB activity and the associated transcriptional response. While there is still much to discover, a number of NF-κB ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases have now been identified which coordinate to regulate the NF-κB transcriptional response. This review will focus the regulation of NF-κB subunits by ubiquitination, the key regulatory components and their impact on NF-κB directed transcription.

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Sustainability, Vol. 8, Pages 469: Effect of the ICT Ecosystem Structure on the Sustainable Growth of ICT Firms: A Metafrontier Analysis on China, South Korea, the United States, and Japan

We study how the information and communications technology (ICT) ecosystem affects the sustainable growth of ICT firms. For our study, we analyze the efficiencies of ICT firms in China, South Korea, the United States, and Japan, which are the current leaders in the global ICT industry, each with different ICT ecosystem structures. We use metafrontier analysis (MFA) to compare the efficiencies among countries with different structures, and then use Tobit regression to identify the causes of the efficiency gaps. Our results reveal that the US has the highest efficiency, followed by Japan, South Korea, and China, in that order, and the countries with more balanced ICT ecosystems across sub-industries—manufacturing, software and IT services, content, and telecommunications—have more efficient ICT industries. This suggests that a more balanced industrial development is important to enhancing the overall competitiveness of the ICT industry.

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Bioengineering, Vol. 3, Pages 14: Biodiesel Production by Aspergillus niger Lipase Immobilized on Barium Ferrite Magnetic Nanoparticles

In this study, Aspergillus niger ADM110 fungi was gamma irradiated to produce lipase enzyme and then immobilized onto magnetic barium ferrite nanoparticles (BFN) for biodiesel production. BFN were prepared by the citrate sol-gel auto-combustion method and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (SEM/EDAX) analysis. The activities of free and immobilized lipase were measured at various pH and temperature values. The results indicate that BFN–Lipase (5%) can be reused in biodiesel production without any treatment with 17% loss of activity after five cycles and 66% loss in activity in the sixth cycle. The optimum reaction conditions for biodiesel production from waste cooking oil (WCO) using lipase immobilized onto BFN as a catalyst were 45 °C, 4 h and 400 rpm. Acid values of WCO and fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) were 1.90 and 0.182 (mg KOH/g oil), respectively. The measured flash point, calorific value and cetane number were 188 °C, 43.1 MJ/Kg and 59.5, respectively. The cloud point (−3 °C), pour point (−9 °C), water content (0.091%) and sulfur content (0.050%), were estimated as well.

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Association between SNP12 in estrogen receptor α gene and hypospadias: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphism 12 in estrogen receptor α gene and hypospadias, four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library) were electronically se...

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Effect of risk factors on the prevalence of influenza infections among children of slums of Dhaka city

Influenza viruses may cause severe acute respiratory illness among human population. People of densely populated areas, e.g., slum, are mostly affected by influenza viruses. Although potential vaccines to infl...

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Whole-cell conversion of l-glutamic acid into gamma-aminobutyric acid by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli

A simple and high efficient way for the synthesis of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was developed by using engineered Escherichia coli as whole-cell biocatalyst from l-glutamic acid (l-Glu). Codon optimization o...

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Reconstruction of acetabulum in revision total hip arthroplasty for pelvic discontinuity: report of a difficult case requiring four revision arthroplasty

Massive bone defects of the acetabulum with pelvic discontinuity are one of the major problems in revision total hip arthroplasty. Several techniques have been described for repair of acetabular defect; howeve...

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Impact of central obesity on prognostic outcome of triple negative breast cancer in Chinese women

To evaluate the prognostic effect of central obesity on triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).

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Screening of Bioactivities and Toxicity of Cnidoscolus quercifolius Pohl

The caatinga, an exclusively Brazilian biome, is one of the most endangered vegetation systems in the planet. To be exploited rationally, its potential needs to be scientifically demonstrated. Among these is the faveleira, used in northeastern Brazil. It stands out for its extraordinary drought resistance and medicinal properties. The objective of this study was to assess the therapeutic potential of compounds extracted from Cnidoscolus quercifolius Pohl in preventing disease and its rational use as a herbal therapeutic tool. The methodology began with the collection and herborization of the plant material, to obtain the chemical compounds, preliminary phytochemical analysis, and extraction of the constituents of the active extracts. To determine the biological activities the authors conducted investigation of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, inhibition capacity of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme, and initial assessment of toxicity of the extracts. The results demonstrated great potential as an antimicrobial agent, an important antioxidant capacity, and acetylcholinesterase inhibition response with no significant difference compared with the reference drug. The authors expect to develop a new herbal product, resulting in lower production costs and that, consequently, could be commercialized in more accessible form to the population, highlighting the risk reduction of contraindication of this category of medications.

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GC-MS Analysis: In Vivo Hepatoprotective and Antioxidant Activities of the Essential Oil of Achillea biebersteinii Afan. Growing in Saudi Arabia

Liver disease is a worldwide problem. It represents one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in humans. Achillea biebersteinii is used as herbal remedy for various ailments including liver diseases. But the scientific basis for its medicinal use remains unknown. Thus, this research was undertaken to evaluate the efficiency of A. biebersteinii essential oil (ABEO) (0.2 mL/kg) in the amelioration of CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rodent model. Moreover, the chemical content of the oil was investigated using GC and GC-MS. The following biochemical parameters were evaluated: serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT), gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (γ-GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total bilirubin. Furthermore, lipid profile, malondialdehyde (MDA), nonprotein sulfhydryl (NP-SH), and total protein (TP) contents in liver tissue were estimated. 44 components (92.0%) of the total oil have been identified by GC-MS analysis where α-terpinene and -cymene were the most abundant. The high serum enzymatic (GOT, GPT, GGT, and ALP) and bilirubin concentrations as well as the level of MDA, NP-SH, and TP contents in liver tissues were significantly reinstated towards normalization by the ABEO. Histopathological study further confirmed these findings. In addition, ABEO showed mild antioxidant activity in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and β-carotene-linoleic acid assays.

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Genotyping-by-sequencing in an orphan plant species Physocarpus opulifolius helps identify the evolutionary origins of the genus Prunus

The Rosaceae family encompasses numerous genera exhibiting morphological diversification in fruit types and plant habit as well as a wide variety of chromosome numbers. Comparative genomics between various Ros...

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Subclinical inflammation in relation to insulin resistance in prediabetic subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a metabolic disease commonly associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and inflammation-all features of insulin resistant syndrome. However, very limited data are av...

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Using qualitative research methods in biomedical innovation: the case of cultured red blood cells for transfusion

Qualitative research has a key role to play in biomedical innovation projects. This article focuses on the appropriate use of robust social science methodologies (primarily focus group studies) for identifying...

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A Comparison between Three-Dimensional Visualization Guided Hepatectomy and Ultrasonography Guided Radiofrequency Ablation in the Treatment of Small Hepatocellular Carcinoma within the Milan Criteria

Background. Treatment selection for small hepatocellular carcinoma (sHCC) is controversial. We aimed to compare the outcomes of medical imaging three-dimensional visualization system (MI-3DVS) guided surgical resection (SR) and ultrasonography guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for sHCC. Methods. In total, 194 patients who underwent SR or RFA in our hospital between January 2006 and May 2010 were retrospectively enrolled. Overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and postoperative complications were compared. Cox regression was used to estimate the benefits of MI-3DVS-guided SR on OS and RFS. Results. Ninety-two patients underwent SR and 102 underwent RFA. The SR group experienced more complications (41.3% versus 19.6%) and longer hospital stay ( versus ) (both ). The 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year OS was 96.7%, 95.7%, 93.5%, 83.5%, and 61.1% in the SR group and 95.0%, 88.1%, 72.7%, 56.9%, and 39.5% in the RFA group. Corresponding RFS was 95.7%, 94.6%, 84.7%, 59.8%, and 40.2% in SR group and 91.2%, 80.3%, 60.5%, 32.3%, and 22.3% in RFA group. The 5-year OS and RFS were higher in SR group (both ). Interestingly, there was no significance in OS and RFS among subgroups aged >60 years. Independent predictors of OS and RFS, respectively, were intervention (HR, 2.769 and 1.933), tumor number (HR, 5.128 and 3.903), and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) (HR, 1.871 and 1.474) (all ). Conclusions. MI-3DVS based hepatectomy should be considered primary treatment while RFA can be treated as alternative therapy for older patients. Intervention, tumor number, and AFP are independent predictors for both survival and recurrence.

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Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 681: Self-Mixing Demodulation for Coherent Phase-Sensitive OTDR System

Phase-sensitive optical time domain reflectometry (Ф-OTDR) attracts much attention due to its capability of telling the type and position of an intrusion simultaneously. In recent decades, coherent Ф-OTDR has been demonstrated to realize long-distance detection. For coherent Ф-OTDR, there are three typical demodulation schemes in the reported studies. However, they still cannot realize real-time monitoring to satisfy practical demands. A simple and effective demodulation method based on self-mixing has been put forward to demodulate the beat signal in coherent Ф-OTDR. It not only saves a local electrical oscillator and frequency locked loop, but also demodulates the beat signal without residual frequency. Several vibrations with different frequency were separately applied at the same location of a 42.5 km fiber. The spatial resolution of 10 m and frequency response range from 8 Hz to 980 Hz have been achieved. The precise location with signal-to-noise ratio of 21.4 dB and broadband measurement demonstrate the self-mixing scheme can demodulate the coherent Ф-OTDR signal effectively.

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Sustainability, Vol. 8, Pages 472: Potential for Eco-Industrial Park Development in Moncton, New Brunswick (Canada): A Comparative Analysis

Eco-industrial development projects are increasingly popular because of their ability to transform the traditional model of industrial parks into more sustainable forms of economic development. Still, few industrial parks worldwide have achieved the high degree of eco-transformation that characterizes eco-industrial parks (EIPs). Assessing the potential for eco-industrial development at the park or regional scale is an important step towards this goal. This study aimed to assess the potential for ecological development of a growing industrial park (Caledonia Industrial Estates (CIE), province of New Brunswick, Canada) following the principles of industrial ecology. A baseline survey of CIE businesses was conducted. The results were compared to results from similar assessments in three other industrial parks across Canada, located in Nova Scotia, Ontario and Saskatchewan. The main categories used for comparison were business variety and size, public transportation, green spaces, energy and material use, and environmental management organization. While showing that CIE has EIP potential, the results revealed similarities and differences between the industrial parks studied, some of which were related to barriers limiting the efficient use and sharing of resources. One way that was identified that could help CIE incorporate eco-industrial activities into their operations would be the appointment of an environmental management organization or a shared environmental manager. Strategies to foster EIP development, in general, are also identified. These findings, based on actual business experiences, can help determine which actions and activities are suitable for CIE and other business communities that consider eco-industrial development as their next phase. They are particularly relevant to industrial parks in a development or redevelopment phase.

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Sensors, Vol. 16, Pages 684: Communication Range Dynamics and Performance Analysis for a Self-Adaptive Transmission Power Controller

The deployment of the nodes in a Wireless Sensor and Actuator Network (WSAN) is typically restricted by the sensing and acting coverage. This implies that the locations of the nodes may be, and usually are, not optimal from the point of view of the radio communication. Additionally, when the transmission power is tuned for those locations, there are other unpredictable factors that can cause connectivity failures, like interferences, signal fading due to passing objects and, of course, radio irregularities. A control-based self-adaptive system is a typical solution to improve the energy consumption while keeping good connectivity. In this paper, we explore how the communication range for each node evolves along the iterations of an energy saving self-adaptive transmission power controller when using different parameter sets in an outdoor scenario, providing a WSAN that automatically adapts to surrounding changes keeping good connectivity. The results obtained in this paper show how the parameters with the best performance keep a k-connected network, where k is in the range of the desired node degree plus or minus a specified tolerance value.

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Sustainability, Vol. 8, Pages 470: Developing an Indicator System for Measuring the Social Sustainability of Offshore Wind Power Farms

Taiwan's government has promoted investment in an offshore wind power farm, and local fishermen have protested. A social impact assessment (SIA) has examined the impact of the proposed offshore wind power farm on all stakeholders. The main objective of the present study was to develop an indicator system for measuring the social sustainability of offshore wind power farms; this study also reports on the particular case of Taiwan's offshore wind power project. This study began by defining 35 social sustainability indicators and selecting 23 representative indicators by using rough set theory. Subsequently, 14 key indicators were constructed using the social construction of technology (SCOT) method. Finally, we developed a social impact index for evaluating the social sustainability of offshore wind power farms by using the analytic network process and Dempster-Shafer theory. Our social impact index yields a total score of 0.149 for Taiwan's pilot offshore wind power project; this result indicates that the pilot project is socially sustainable. A substantial contradiction exists between the fishermen's protest and the results of the social impact assessment. The findings can assist the government in building a coordination platform for the investors and the fishermen. Government regulation is necessary to set boundaries for fishing areas that protect both the fishermen's and investors' rights.

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Marine Drugs, Vol. 14, Pages 94: Bacterial Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: Their Biosynthetic Genes, Functions, and Practical Use

The nutritional and pharmaceutical values of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) such as arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids have been well recognized. These LC-PUFAs are physiologically important compounds in bacteria and eukaryotes. Although little is known about the biosynthetic mechanisms and functions of LC-PUFAs in bacteria compared to those in higher organisms, a combination of genetic, bioinformatic, and molecular biological approaches to LC-PUFA-producing bacteria and some eukaryotes have revealed the notably diverse organization of the pfa genes encoding a polyunsaturated fatty acid synthase complex (PUFA synthase), the LC-PUFA biosynthetic processes, and tertiary structures of the domains of this enzyme. In bacteria, LC-PUFAs appear to take part in specific functions facilitating individual membrane proteins rather than in the adjustment of the physical fluidity of the whole cell membrane. Very long chain polyunsaturated hydrocarbons (LC-HCs) such as hentriacontanonaene are considered to be closely related to LC-PUFAs in their biosynthesis and function. The possible role of LC-HCs in strictly anaerobic bacteria under aerobic and anaerobic environments and the evolutionary relationships of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria carrying pfa-like genes are also discussed.

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Patterns of Growth and Decline in Lung Function in Persistent Childhood Asthma

In persons without lung disease, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) reaches its maximal level in late adolescence or early adulthood and remains stable for several years, a period known as the plateau of lung function, before gradually declining thereafter (Figure 1). Under the construct…

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Clinical Significance of Symptoms in Smokers with Preserved Pulmonary Function

Among the criteria that are needed to make a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are deficits in the rate at which one can forcefully exhale. Most experts consider a low ratio (1) to the forced vital capacity (FVC) after bronchodilator use to be a key diagnostic criterion.…

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One-Year Outcomes in Caregivers of Critically Ill Patients

Unpaid caregivers (typically family or close friends) are essential to the sustainability of North American health care systems, because their unpaid labor annually accounts for $27 billion in Canada and $642 billion in the United States. More than half the patients who have received prolonged…

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Life, Vol. 6, Pages 19: Hans Georg Trüper (1936–2016) and His Contributions to Halophile Research

Prof. Hans Georg Trüper, one of the most important scientists in the field of halophile research, passed away on 9 March 2016 at the age of 79. I here present a brief obituary with special emphasis on Prof. Trüper's contributions to our understanding of the halophilic prokaryotes and their adaptations to life in hypersaline environments. He has pioneered the study of the halophilic anoxygenic phototrophic sulfur bacteria of the Ectothiorhodospira—Halorhodospira group. Some of the species he and his group isolated from hypersaline and haloalkaline environments have become model organisms for the study of the mechanisms of haloadaptation: the functions of three major organic compounds – glycine betaine, ectoine, and trehalose – known to serve as "compatible solutes" in halophilic members of the Bacteria domain, were discovered during studies of these anoxygenic phototrophs. Prof. Trüper's studies of hypersaline alkaline environments in Egypt also led to the isolation of the first known extremely halophilic archaeon (Natronomonas pharaonis). The guest editors dedicate this special volume of Life to the memory of Prof. Hans Georg Trüper.

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Forests, Vol. 7, Pages 104: Joining Criteria for Harmonizing European Forest Available for Wood Supply Estimates. Case Studies from National Forest Inventories

For national and international reporting on forest available for wood supply (FAWS), harmonized data are needed. This information is required as forests provide goods for various sectors like the timber industry or the bioenergy sector. The effect of applying different thresholds to the three restriction classes (environmental, social and economic restriction) within the proposed reference definition for FAWS was evaluated. We applied the reference definition for FAWS to national data sets provided by five European National Forest Inventories using harmonized thresholds. The effects on FAWS area and growing stock were evaluated for each restriction and threshold. All countries within this study could report on protected areas. Social restrictions were not applied in any country, data on other restrictions are available but definitions vary. The application of common thresholds for restrictions proved difficult as effects vary between countries. The economic restriction is the most challenging to assess as many countries do not have corresponding data for direct calculation of, e.g., harvesting costs. Using proxies for harvesting costs was difficult, as common thresholds may not be applied in different countries. For standardized reporting, a FAWS definition should be developed that utilizes existing, harmonized indicators to describe restrictions.

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Sustainability, Vol. 8, Pages 473: Erratum: Wu, C.; Shen, H.; Wang, K.; Shen, A.; Deng, J. and Gan, M. Landsat Imagery-Based Above Ground Biomass Estimation and Change Investigation Related to Human Activities. Sustainability 2016, 8, 159

In the published paper [1], Figures 5 and 6 were inadvertently exchanged in the PDF file.[...]

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Energies, Vol. 9, Pages 362: Dynamic Equivalent Modeling for Small and Medium Hydropower Generator Group Based on Measurements

At present, the common practice in the power system of China is to represent the small and medium hydropower generator group as a negative load. This paper presents a method to build a dynamic equivalent model of the hydropower generator group using a 3rd order generator model and a static characteristic load model. Based on phasor measurements in the tie line which connects to the modeled hydropower generator group, the dynamic multi-swarm particle swarm optimizer (DMS-PSO) algorithm is used to obtain parameters of the equivalent model. The proposed method is verified in the small and medium hydropower generator group of Sichuan power grid with both simulation and actual data. The results show that the dynamic responses and the transient stability are consistent before and after the equivalence. The proposed method can be used for modeling a group of small and medium hydropower generators whose structures and parameters are unknown.

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Crystals, Vol. 6, Pages 54: Bottom-Up Assembly and Applications of Photonic Materials

The assembly of colloidal building-blocks is an efficient, inexpensive and flexible approach for the fabrication of a wide variety of photonic materials with designed shapes and large areas. In this review, the various assembly routes to the fabrication of colloidal crystals and their post-assembly modifications to the production of photonic materials are first described. Then, the emerging applications of the colloidal photonic structures in various fields such as biological and chemical sensing, anti-reflection, photovoltaics, and light extraction are summarized.

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J. Imaging, Vol. 2, Pages 18: Microwave Imaging Radiometers by Aperture Synthesis Performance Simulator (Part 2): Instrument Modeling, Calibration, and Image Reconstruction Algorithms

The Synthetic Aperture Interferometric Radiometer Performance Simulator (SAIRPS) has been a three-year project sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop a completely generic end-to-end performance simulator of arbitrary synthetic aperture interferometric radiometers. In a companion manuscript (Part I), the Radiative Transfer Module used to generate synthetic fully polarimetric brightness temperatures from 1 to 100 GHz, including land and ocean covers, as well as the atmosphere, is described in detail. In this manuscript (Part II), the instrument model, the calibration procedure, and the imaging algorithms are described. The instrument model includes the simulation of the array topology in terms of the number of antenna elements, the time-dependent position and orientation, and the arbitrary receivers' topology which can be modified from a very generic one by connecting and disconnecting subsystems. All the parameters can be, one by one, defined either by mathematical functions or by input data files, including the frequency and temperature dependence. Generic calibration algorithms including an external point source, the flat target transformation, and the two-level correlated noise injection are described. Finally, different image reconstruction algorithms suitable for arbitrary array topologies have also been implemented and tested. Simulation results have been validated and selected results are presented.

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Water, Vol. 8, Pages 195: Regional Quasi-Three-Dimensional Unsaturated-Saturated Water Flow Model Based on a Vertical-Horizontal Splitting Concept

Due to the high nonlinearity of the three-dimensional (3-D) unsaturated-saturated water flow equation, using a fully 3-D numerical model is computationally expensive for large scale applications. A new unsaturated-saturated water flow model is developed in this paper based on the vertical/horizontal splitting (VHS) concept to split the 3-D unsaturated-saturated Richards' equation into a two-dimensional (2-D) horizontal equation and a one-dimensional (1-D) vertical equation. The horizontal plane of average head gradient in the triangular prism element is derived to split the 3-D equation into the 2-D equation. The lateral flow in the horizontal plane of average head gradient represented by the 2-D equation is then calculated by the water balance method. The 1-D vertical equation is discretized by the finite difference method. The two equations are solved simultaneously by coupling them into a unified nonlinear system with a single matrix. Three synthetic cases are used to evaluate the developed model code by comparing the modeling results with those of Hydrus1D, SWMS2D and FEFLOW. We further apply the model to regional-scale modeling to simulate groundwater table fluctuations for assessing the model applicability in complex conditions. The proposed modeling method is found to be accurate with respect to measurements.

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