2008 Virginia Beach Tourism Economic Impact Study

The purpose of this study is to estimate the total economic impact and the direct taxes and fees generated by the 2008 in-flow of visitors to the City of Virginia Beach\u27s tourist industry. Total tourism economic impact is defined as the sum of direct, indirect and induced output, employment and earnings that result from visitor spending in Virginia Beach

Foreign Demand For United States Higher Education: A Study of Developing Countries in the Eastern Hemisphere

(First Paragraph) Foreign student enrollments in the United States have increased rapidly over the past 25 years. The total number increased from 36,494 in 1954 to 336,990 in 1982. While foreign students still represent less than 2% of all higher education enrollments in the United States, this proportion is likely to grow over the next decade as enrollments of American citizens decline. One consequence of the growth to date has been that many colleges and universities depend on foreign students for an important part of their tuition revenue or enrollment-determined budget, and this dependence is also likely to grow over the next decade. Another important consequence of larger flows of foreign students is an increase in immigration to the United States of skilled labor as students adjust their visa status to immigrant

SCREENING OF COMPETITIVE INHIBITOR OF HEPARAN SULFATE IN JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS

ABSTRACTObjective: Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) causes central nervous system inflammatory disease Japanese encephalitis (JE), which is mainly causedin children below 15 years of age. On an estimate, there are around 3 billion people at the risk and the disease is continuously spreading globally. TheJEV belongs to Flavivirdiae family and has RNA genome. JEV envelope protein domain III (D-III) binds to the Heparan sulfate present on the cell surfaceand initiates the infection which causes the disease in children.Methods: The drug discovery and development process has become more quantitative and much more computational in recent years. In this study,comparative molecular docking studies of 200 zinc database compounds and Heparan sulfate were done with D-III of JEV using Autodock 4.2 and theresults were analyzed on the basis of binding energy, inhibition constant, and number of hydrogen bonds. The results were also analyzed by studyingthe absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME-T) properties of the compounds using admetSAR server.Results: Best three lead molecules zinc_8964844 zinc_8964845, zinc_12660861 were chosen based on the binding energy, inhibition constant andADME properties among a set of 200 ligands that can act as the competitive inhibitor of the Heparan sulfate, which presents on the surface of the hostcell and mediates the attachment and binding of the virus to the host cell.Conclusion: These compounds can act as the competitive inhibitor of the Heparan sulfate and they can be validated further as a drug for the treatment of JE.Keywords: Japanese encephalitis, Domain-III, Heparan sulfate, Autodock, Autodock, Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion

Effect of flunarizine on memory function by using step down passive avoidance test in albino rats

Background: Aim of the study was to evaluate effect of flunarizine on memory function by using step down passive avoidance test in albino rats.Methods: The study approved by IAEC was conducted using 24 albino rats (n= 6 in each group). Effect of normal saline (0.1 ml/100g), fluoxetine (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (ip)), and flunarizine (2 and 10 mg/kg, ip) on memory retrieval in rats was evaluated by using Step-down passive avoidance test. One day prior to conducting the test, each rat was trained to stay on central shock free zone platform (SFZ) for at least 90s. For the training, animals were applied shock of 15s every time when the rat stepped down placing all the paws on the grid floor. On the consecutive day retention of the memory was tested thirty minutes after administration of all test drugs. Step down latency (SDL) and number of mistakes was observed for a period of 5 min in all rats.Results: The data was analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Student’s t-test and P 0.05). Number of mistakes was reduced in both fluoxetine and flunarizine (10mg/kg, i.p) group and was statistically significant when compared to vehicle treated group.Conclusions: The results of the present study indicate beneficial effects of flunarizine in memory retrieval in albino rats

DyNAVacS: an integrative tool for optimized DNA vaccine design

DNA vaccines have slowly emerged as keystones in preventive immunology due to their versatility in inducing both cell-mediated as well as humoral immune responses. The design of an efficient DNA vaccine, involves choice of a suitable expression vector, ensuring optimal expression by codon optimization, engineering CpG motifs for enhancing immune responses and providing additional sequence signals for efficient translation. DyNAVacS is a web-based tool created for rapid and easy design of DNA vaccines. It follows a step-wise design flow, which guides the user through the various sequential steps in the design of the vaccine. Further, it allows restriction enzyme mapping, design of primers spanning user specified sequences and provides information regarding the vectors currently used for generation of DNA vaccines. The web version uses Apache HTTP server. The interface was written in HTML and utilizes the Common Gateway Interface scripts written in PERL for functionality. DyNAVacS is an integrated tool consisting of user-friendly programs, which require minimal information from the user. The software is available free of cost, as a web based application at URL:

Charge density wave and Weyl Semimetal phase in Y2_2Ir2_2O7_7

The subtle interplay of band topology and symmetry broken phase, induced by electron correlations, has immense contemporary relevance and potentially offers novel physical insights. Here, we demonstrate charge density wave (CDW) in bulk Y$_2$Ir$_2$O$_7$ for T < 10 K, and its transition to the Weyl semimetal (WSM) phase at higher temperatures. The CDW phase is evidenced by a) current induced nonlinear conductivity with negative differential resistance at low temperature, b) low frequency Debye like dielectric relaxation at low temperature with a large dielectric constant, and c) an anomaly in the temperature dependence of the thermal expansion coefficient. The WSM phase at higher temperature is confirmed by the DC and AC transport measurements which show an inductive response at low frequencies. More interestingly, we show that by reducing the crystallite size, the low temperature CDW phase can be eliminated leading to the restoration of the WSM phase.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures; minor correction

Efficacy and safety of tadalafil in ureteric stent related symptoms: a double blind, prospective, randomised study

Background: Is tadalafil effective and safe in ureteric stent related symptoms? The objective of this trial is to study the efficacy and safety of tadalafil and compare it with tamsulosin in relieving ureteric stent related symptoms by using ureteral stent symptom questionnaire.Methods: Total 144 patients with dj stent symptoms were randomized into two groups with 72 patients in each. Group A patients were given tadalafil 5mg and Group B, tamsulosin 0.4mg for 2 weeks. Ureteral stent symptom questionnaire was filled on 7th day and on 21st day after stent insertion. Statistically significant difference between groups was determined by the t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Pearson Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Comparison between quantitative time related variables was done by Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. All the statistical tests were two-sided and were performed at a significance level of α=.05.Results: Tamsulosin was found more effective then tadalafil in decreasing mean urinary index (p=0.004). Tadalafil caused significant decrease in body pain (p=0.006) and improvement in general health index score, work performance and sex score (P value= 0.041, <0.001 and <0.015 respectively) as compared to tamsulosin. Additional problems score improvement and analgesic use were found comparable in 2 groups (p value =0.193, 0.070 respectively). Adverse effect with both the drugs were minimal, mild to moderate and self-limiting.Conclusions: Tadalafil found more effective then Tamsulosin in relieving body pain, sexual symptoms and improving general health and work performance but less effective in improvement of urinary symptoms

Enhanced Corrosion Resistance and Cytocompatibility of Biomimetic Hyaluronic Acid Functionalised Silane Coating on AZ31 Mg Alloy for Orthopaedic Applications

This paper reports the corrosion resistant and cytocompatible properties of the hyaluronic acid-silane coating on AZ31 Mg alloy. In this study, the osteoinductive properties of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HA, 1–4 MDa) and the corrosion protection of silane coatings were incorporated as a composite coating on biodegradable AZ31 Mg alloy for orthopaedic applications. The multi-step fabrication of coatings first involved dip coating of a passivated AZ31 Mg alloy with a methyltriethoxysilane-tetraethoxysilane sol-gel to deposit a dense, cross-linked and corrosion resistant silane coating (AZ31-MT). The second step was to create an amine-functionalised surface by treating coated alloy with 3-aminopropyl-triethoxy silane (AZ31-MT-A) which facilitated the immobilisation of HA via EDC-NHS coupling reactions at two different concentrations i.e 1 mg.ml−1 (AZ31-MT-A-HA1) and 2 mg.ml−1 (AZ31-MT-A-HA2). These coatings were characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and static contact angle measurements which confirmed the successful assembly of the full coatings onto AZ31 Mg alloy. The influence of HA-silane coating on the corrosion of Mg alloy was investigated by electrical impedance spectroscopy and long-term immersion studies measurements in HEPES buffered DMEM. The results showed an enhanced corrosion resistance of HA functionalised silane coated AZ31 substrate over the uncoated equivalent alloy. Furthermore, the cytocompatibility of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts was evaluated on HA-coated AZ31-MT-A substrates by live-dead staining, quantification of total cellular DNA content, scanning electron microscope and alkaline phosphatase activity. The results showed HA concentration-dependent improvement of osteoblast cellular response in terms of enhanced cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation. These findings hold great promise in employing such biomimetic multifunctional coatings to improve the corrosion resistance and cytocompatibility of biodegradable Mg-based alloy for orthopaedic applications. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature