The Limnological Effects of River Lesser-Zab on Tigris River, Iraq

The present study included the physico-chemical parameters of Lesser-Zab river and its effects on Tigris river. Monthly water samples were taken from the two rivers during January to October 1999.There were no signifcant difference in water temperatures. Both rivers were fresh to oligohalin, alkaline and very hard. Close values were determined in total suspended solids in both rivers with little increasing during rainfall period and high discharge. Water was well areated and over saturation was recorded in several occasions. Dissolved oxygen values of Tigris river were influenced by Lesser-Zab. Cations were more dominant than anions in both rivers. In Lesser-Zab, the anions were increased during spring season and declined in summer which their values influenced in Tigris river. The concentration of plant nutrients (NO2,NO3,PO4 and SiO2) were fluctuated during the study period in Lesser-Zab and their effects were cleared on Tigris river.N:P ratio values were indicated the deficiency of nitrogen in both rivers

CD24 Expression is an Independent Prognostic Marker in Cholangiocarcinoma

CD24 has been described as an adverse prognostic marker in several malignancies. This study evaluates CD24 expression in cholangiocarcinoma and correlates the findings with clinicopathologic data and patient survival. Between 1996 and 2002, 22 consecutive patients with cholangiocarcinoma were treated at our institution. Demographic data, SEER stage, pathologic data, treatment, expression of CD24, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphorylated MAPK, and survival were analyzed. The majority of the tumors demonstrated CD24 (81.8%) and p-MAPK (87%) expression. A negative association was noted between the expression of CD24 and p-MAPK. Median survival for patients with low expression of CD24 was 36 months and high expression was 8 months. Median survival for patients who received chemotherapy with low CD24 expression was 163 months, and for seven patients with high CD24 expression, it was 17 months (p = 0.04). With the addition of radiation therapy, median survival for patients with low expression of CD24 was 52 months and high expression was 17 months (p = 0.08). On multivariate analysis, the use of chemotherapy (p = 0.0014, hazard ratio 0.069) and the CD24 overexpression (p = 0.02, hazard ratio 7.528) were predictive of survival. CD24 is commonly expressed in cholangiocarcinoma, and overexpression is predictive of poor survival and possibly of lack of response to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. These findings may improve selection of patients for the appropriate treatment modality and the development of CD24-targeted therapy

Inclusion of MUC1 (Ma695) in a panel of immunohistochemical markers is useful for distinguishing between endocervical and endometrial mucinous adenocarcinoma*

BACKGROUND: Distinguishing endocervical adenocarcinoma (ECA) from endometrial mucinous adenocarcinoma (EMMA) is clinically significant in view of the differences in their management and prognosis. In this study, we used a panel of tumor markers to determine their ability to distinguish between primary endocervical adenocarcinoma and primary endometrial mucinous adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies to MUC1 (Ma695), p16, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and vimentin, was performed to examine 32 cases, including 18 EMMAs and 14 ECAs. For MUC1, cases were scored based on the percentage of staining pattern, apical, apical and cytoplasmic (A/C), or negative. For p16, cases were scored based on the percentage of cells stained. For the rest of the antibodies, semiquantitative scoring system was carried out. RESULTS: For MUC1, majority of EMMA (14 of 18 cases, 78%) showed A/C staining, whereas only few ECA (2 of 14, 14%) were positive. The difference of MUC1 expression in the two groups of malignancy was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Staining for p16 was positive in 10 of 14 (71%) ECA and 4 of 18 (22%) EMMA. Estrogen receptor was positive in 3 of 14 (21%) ECA and 17 of 18 (94%) EMMA. Progesterone receptor was positive in 3 of 14 (21%) ECA and 16 of 18 (89%) EMMA. Vimentin was positive in 1 of 14 (7%) ECA, and 9 of 18 (50%) EMA, with median and range of 0 (0–6), and 1.5 (0–9) respectively. CONCLUSION: A panel of immunohistochemical markers including MUC1, p16, ER, PR, and vimentin is recommended, when there is morphological and clinical doubt as to the primary site of endocervical or endometrial origin

Bringing To Life An Ancient Urban Center At Monte Albán, Mexico: Exploiting The Synergy Between The Micro, Meso, And Macro Levels In A Complex System

In this dissertation, agent-based models of emergent ancient urban centers were constructed through the use of techniques from computational intelligence, agent-based modeling, complex systems, and data-mining of existing archaeological data from the prehistoric urban center, Monte Albán. This real world application was selected because of its importance in understanding the emergence of modern economic and political systems. Specifically, Cultural Algorithms was used to evolve models of early Monte Alban, models that can then be compared with existing models of ancient and modern urban centers. Features of a complex system were used to help interpret the archaeological data. The analysis went from macro to meso-, to micro- and then back again. The end result is an urban morphology that is in some ways much more primitive than any of the other models proposed. However, the simplicity of the framework will allow adaptation and adjustment in the phases to follow. First, at the macro or site level a set of decision rules for site occupation in Monte Albán Ia were generated. Monte Alban Ia is the first level of occupation associated with the site. These rules were used to suggest how the emergence of this early city fits various alternative models of urban growth. Along the way, several hypotheses were tested and conclusions were drawn as the analysis progressed. The hypotheses and the preliminary conclusions are given below. 1. The first hypothesis concerned with the nature of the attractors for the growth of the new city. The question then posed was, Is there sufficient evidence at the macro-level to suggest that these features were important determiners of early site location here? The resultant set of rules produced by the Decision Tree Learning algorithms generated a prediction accuracy of around 80%. Both natural and man-made features were important in forming the rules. The man-made features such as the main plaza, and road network were often the most important variable in rule formation, especially for crafts. As a result it seems clear that early settlement at the site can be described in terms of the features used in the analyses. These are features derived from the hypothesis of Marcus [Marcus, 1983]. 2. The second major hypothesis related to the meso-level in terms of the neighborhood structure observed by the archaeologists during the survey. The question asked here is, Whether there is evidence for these neighborhoods even in the early phases of settlement? In order to test this hypothesis, the similarities and differences of the terraces in each barrio were expressed in terms of a multi-dimensional scaling approach. The results of the scaling were interpreted in terms of the micro-level classification rules produced by the Decision Trees operating at the macro or site level. It was clear from the initial scaling that there were groups or clusters of similarly classified terraces within each barrio and that the nature of these clusters varied from Barrio to Barrio. These clusters not only formed within the abstract dimensions of the analysis but were observable spatially when plotted on the ground. The level of prediction in terms of the Mardia measures was again around 80%. While this appeared to provide solid evidence for intra-barrio similarity, the clusters were generated manually. 3. The next step was to move down to the micro-level and see if there were general configurations of terraces that were held in common between barrios. These clusters of clusters would form the basis for regions of activity within the site, and the building blocks for the generation of a general city model. The hypothesis under consideration was, Is there evidence for common groups or regions of activity at the micro level that are found in more than one barrio? The next step was to translate this information up to the regional or macro scale by looking beyond the barrios to regional clusters of clusters. The K-Means clustering had produced 29 craft cluster, 15 elite clusters, and 37 non-elite residential clusters for the 9 Barrios. They were input to the multi-dimensional scaling program and there 4 craft regions, 3 elite residential regions, and 5 non-elite residential regions. The R-Square goodness of fit for the cluster of clusters explained close to 97%, 96%, and 94% respectively for the three activities. These new clusters were produced via a hierarchical multi-dimensional scaling approach, with the result clusters interpreted manually. The increased complexity of the scaling process suggested that rather than using K-means by itself, the approach would be guided by the Cultural Algorithm utilizing the constraints about terrace and region composition learned from the three levels analysis. That information was placed in the belief space and updated during the run of the Cultural Algorithm. The Cultural Algorithm K-Means produced four craft regions, two elite regions, and three non-elite residential regions. The results again provide support for the hypothesis. 4. Finally, at the macro-level the question posed was, To what extent does the regional model produced by the process for the site relate to current models of urban structure and function? It was suggested that certain craft regions were almost always associated with certain residence regions. For example, R2 and C3 were commonly found together along with R1-C4-S2. S1 remained as a single cluster, as did C1. These regions were combined and the resultant pattern of regions reflected an orientation of regional activities to those features that reflect the movement of ideas (main plaza and ceremonial centers), material goods (the road system), and the transformation of material goods (gates and reservoirs structures). The pattern, although more patchy than continuous at this point reflecting the sparseness of the early settlement, suggests an emergent sector structure. Unlike the modern version where there are no gaps between the sectors, this is more like spokes on a wheel where it is expected that in the future the spokes will expend and produce a more continuous sector structure

Life-threatening Development of Cardiac Tamponade in the Span of 24 Hours

Cardiac tamponade is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. Caused by the development of fluid in the pericardial space, it can result in a severe decrease in cardiac output. When encountering patients with severe hypotension and tachycardia, emergency physicians must always consider the diagnosis of tamponade to facilitate prompt and effective treatment and stabilization. We report our experience with a patient who developed life-threatening cardiac tamponade within a span of less than 24 hours

Detection of coarse size fractions within airborne dusts by means of light scattering ratios.

With a new photometer, which collects light scattered in two different apertures, it is possible to discriminatebetween aerosols consisting of small (respirable) particles and aerosols also containing coarser size classes. This is shown theoretically and in experiments with monodisperse aerosols

The principles of practical agriculture...

Mode of access: Internet

Haeufigkeit und Schwere der Unfaelle bei Tierhaltungsarbeiten auf dem Hof

Available from TIB Hannover: RN 8746(172) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman