Each mushroom species was divided into two parts and one of the parts was baked. Both baked and unbaked materials were extracted with hexane and methanol, successively. The fatty acid contents of baked and unbaked extracts of both species were carried out by GC and GC-MS analytical techniques. In the unbaked extracts palmitic acid (9.7-14.43%), stearic acid (41.41-6.68%), oleic acid (25.94-47.12%) and linoleic acid (22.85-9.78%) were identified

as major fatty acids, respectively. In the baked extracts, however, palmitic acid (7.92-19.12%), stearic acid (49.94-6.23%), oleic acid (18.07-45.13%) and linoleic acid (23.36-9.25%) were identified as major fatty acids, as well. The antioxidative effect of buy PF-00299804 the extracts of baked and unbaked mushroom species was also determined by using four complimentary assays. In addition, the extracts and the major fatty acids were also evaluated for anticholinesterase activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase

(BChE) which are the chief enzymes of Alzheimer’s disease. The baked methanol extract of R. flava showed the highest activity in DPPH scavenging, check details ABTS scavenging and BChE assays, while the unbaked hexane extract of R. flava exhibited the best lipid peroxidation inhibition activity. In conclusion, baking proved to have influence in nutritional values and bioactivity properties of L. delicious and R. flava. The nutrient concentration and bioactivities of L. delicious were decreased when baked; however, baked R. flava proved to have higher nutrient concentrations and higher bioactivities P005091 than unbaked samples.”
“In recent decades, many marine populations have experienced major declines in abundance, but we still know little about where management interventions may help protect the highest levels of marine biodiversity. We used modeled spatial distribution data for nearly 12,500 species to quantify global patterns of species richness

and two measures of endemism. By combining these data with spatial information on cumulative human impacts, we identified priority areas where marine biodiversity is most and least impacted by human activities, both within Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ). Our analyses highlighted places that are both accepted priorities for marine conservation like the Coral Triangle, as well as less well-known locations in the southwest Indian Ocean, western Pacific Ocean, Arctic and Antarctic Oceans, and within semi-enclosed seas like the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas. Within highly impacted priority areas, climate and fishing were the biggest stressors. Although new priorities may arise as we continue to improve marine species range datasets, results from this work are an essential first step in guiding limited resources to regions where investment could best sustain marine biodiversity.

In conclusion, the RMS in rat forebrain slice cultures retains its ability to support migration of endogenous and exogenous neural precursors, making the cultures highly feasible for studies of conditions and factors regulating cell migration. (C) 2009 Elsevier

B.V. All rights reserved.”
“We CA4P investigated the performance of dried blood spots (DBS) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) diagnosis using modified commercial tests. Paired DBS and serum samples were collected from 200 patients: 100 patients with anti-HCV antibodies (anti-HCV), including 62 patients with detectable serum HCV RNA, and 100 patients without anti-HCV. The DBS sample consisted of three drops of approximately 50 mu L of whole blood applied to a paper card, which was then stored at -20 degrees C within 48 hours of collection. Using the Ortho HCV 3.0 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit on DBS, we observed both a specificity and sensitivity of 99% in detecting anti-HCV. HCV RNA was detected on DBS in 60/62 (97%) patients with detectable serum HCV RNA, which was then successfully quantified in 55 samples (89%) using the Cobas TaqMan HCV test. A good correlation was observed between the DBS HCV RNA concentration and the serum level (r(2) = 0.95; P < 0.001). HCV genotyping was successfully performed on DBS samples, with a full concordance between the 14 paired DBS and

serum samples (genotypes 1-4). Conclusion: This study presents DBS as a reliable alternative to serum specimens MDV3100 manufacturer for detecting anti-HCV, quantifying HCV RNA and genotyping HCV. DBS may increase the opportunities for HCV testing and treatment follow-up in hard-to-reach individuals. (HEPATOLOGY 2010;51:752-758.)”
“Background: This in vivo

study assessed and compared the effectiveness of an aqueous indocyanine green (ICG) formulation (R-ICG) and a lipid ICG formulation (L-ICG) in occluding the rabbit choriocapillaris, and determined the singlet oxygen quantum yields and aggregation properties of both formulations in vitro.\n\nMethods: Singlet oxygen production and aggregation were compared. The eye fundus of 30 albino rabbits was irradiated 0-15 min after dye injection using an 810 nm diode laser. Fluorescein angiography and selleck inhibitor light microscopy were used to evaluate the safety and efficacy of R-ICG and L-ICG.\n\nResults: L-ICG decreased the dimerisation constant and the tendency of ICG to form aggregates, and increased the efficiency of ICG in generating singlet oxygen (R-ICG, Phi Delta= 0.120 and L-ICG, Phi Delta= 0.210). Using a 10 mg/kg dose, choriocapillaris occlusion was achieved at a light dose of 35.8 J/cm(2) with L-ICG and 71.6 J/cm(2) with R-ICG with minimal damage to the neurosensory retina.\n\nConclusion: Restrictions to the use of ICG in aqueous solution, low singlet oxygen quantum yields and high aggregation tendency, were overcome with L-ICG.

The present data suggest that the mRNA test may have a diagnostic and a potentially prognostic role in HC2+/HSIL- patients.”
“BACKGROUND: This study investigated the synthesis of magadiite from a natural diatomite material. The influence of key reaction parameters, including reaction time, temperature and molar ratios of Na(2)O/SiO(2) and H(2)O/Na(2)O, on the formation of magadiite were investigated. The as-synthesized magadiite was characterized by X-ray Selleck AG-881 powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry

and differential thermal analysis.\n\nRESULTS: The well crystallized magadiite with a rosette like morphology was prepared from a dispersion with the molar ratio H(2)O/Na(2)O = 28.15 and Na(2)O/SiO(2) = 0.15 by heating at 160 degrees C for 42 h. The basal space of the synthesized magadiite is 15.5 angstrom and the stretching and bending frequencies of the SiO(4) units making up the magadiite layer were recorded. The layered structure was destroyed when the temperature rose above 250 degrees C,

and combining the results of thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis suggested the structural alteration may be due to the condensation of silanol groups.\n\nCONCLUSION: Diatomite has been used to synthesize magadiite with a high purity and well crystallized. The cost of synthesis has been reduced allowing this website its use in conventional industrial applications, thus expanding the commercial utilization of

diatomite. (C) 2009 Society of Chemical Industry”
“Photon scattering properties in one-dimensional waveguide side coupled to a nanocavity embedded in two atoms with dipole-dipole interaction (DDI) are investigated theoretically. The analytical expressions BAY 73-4506 mw of the transmission and reflection amplitudes are deduced by using the real-space Hamiltonian. A method to determine the coupling strength of DDI is proposed. Realization of single photon switching by modulation the DDI is investigated. The influence of dissipations on the performance of the single photon switching are exhibited. An asymmetric Fano-type resonance, which can be controlled by the DDI, appears in the transmission spectrum.”
“In recent years, Burn Center has evolved to become a “wound intensive care unit” treating disease processes other than those due to thermal injury. Recent data have shown that more than 16% of admissions to Burn Centers are for nonburn injuries, particularly severe dermatologic diseases. The role of the Burn Center has been expanded to include treatment of patients with severe cutaneous manifestations of rheumatologic diseases. This approach has not been described before. All collagen vascular disease admissions to the Burn Center from 2005 to 2010 have been reviewed.

Cognitive impulsivity was assessed by a delay-discounting paradigm, and impulsive action, attention and compulsive-like behavior by a five choice serial reaction time task (5CSRTT). ELS decreased pup body weight and increased the care of the biological mother; however, the “substitute” mother did not exhibit overt maltreatment. A mixture of “detrimental” and “beneficial” effects was shown. In the 5CSRTT, attention was impaired in both genders, and in females, ELS increased compulsive-like behavior. Novel object exploration was only increased by ELS in males, but the preference for novel spaces

decreased in both genders. Baseline selleck chemicals llc anxiety (EPM and ASR) and recognition memory were not affected. Unexpectedly, ELS decreased the ACTH response to novelty and swim stress and increased active coping in the EST in both genders. Cognitive impulsivity was decreased only in females, but impulsive action was not affected. The enhancement in maternal care may “buffer” the effects of ELS in a context-dependent manner.”
“We examined whether www.selleckchem.com/products/ink128.html new policies restricting sales in schools of so-called competitive foods and beverages-those that fall outside of what is served through federally reimbursed school meal programs-influenced increasing rates of overweight children in the Los Angeles

Unified School District and the rest of California. After these policies, which set stricter nutrition standards for certain food and beverages sold to students, took effect, the rate of increase in overweight selleckchem children significantly diminished among fifth graders in Los Angeles and among fifth-grade boys and seventh graders in the rest of California. The extent to which the new nutritional policies contributed to the change is unclear. This is one of the first studies examining the postulated population-level influence of recently implemented policies aimed at sales of competitive foods and beverages in schools.”
“Demographic connectivity requires both the dispersal of individuals between sub-populations, and their subsequent contribution to population dynamics.

For planktonic, non-feeding marine larvae, the capacity to delay settlement enables greater dispersal distances, but the energetic cost of delayed settlement has been shown to adversely impact post-settlement fitness in several taxa. Here, we assess whether delayed settlement influences mortality rates or growth rates for the first 6 weeks following settlement of the scleractinian coral, Acropora tenuis. Coral larvae that were settled at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after spawning, and then deployed in the field, showed negligible effects of delayed settlement on post-settlement survival and time to initial budding for colony formation. Between-cohort differences in budding rate appeared to be explained by temporal variation in the post-settlement acquisition of zooxanthellae.

The relative weights and the scores from the NRS were used to compute the PACADI score (range 0 to 10). The patients also completed Edmonton Symptom Assessment

System (ESAS) and EQ-5D.\n\nDimensions reported by more than 20 % of the patients were included in the PACADI score (relative weights in parenthesis): pain/discomfort (0.16), fatigue (0.16), anxiety (0.15), bowel/digestive selleck screening library problems (0.14), loss of appetite (0.13), dry mouth (0.11), itchiness (0.08), and nausea (0.07). The PACADI score in the 80 PC patients had a mean (SD) value of 3.26 (2.06) (95 % CI 2.80, 3.71), was moderately to strongly correlated to ESAS sense of well-being (r = 0.69) and EQ-5D (r = -0.52), and discriminated significantly between patients with and without PC.\n\nThe PACADI score is a new eight-item, patient-derived, disease-specific measure. Preliminary validation regarding construct validity and discrimination encourages further validation in independent patient samples.”
“Background: We have recently shown that intranasal administration of mouse [D-Leu-4]-OB3 reconstituted in Intravail (R) to male Swiss Webster mice resulted in significantly higher bioavailability than commonly used injections methods of delivery. The absorption pro. le associated with intranasal

delivery of mouse [D-Leu-4]-OB3 showed an early peak representing absorption across the nasal mucosa, and a later peak suggesting selleck chemicals llc a gastrointestinal site of uptake.\n\nAim and Methods: In the present study, we examined the effects of orally administered (by gavage) mouse [d-Leu-4]-OB3 on energy balance, glycaemic control and serum osteocalcin levels

in male C57BL/6J wild-type and ob/ob mice allowed food and water ad libitum or calorie restricted by 40% of normal intake.\n\nResults: In wild-type mice fed ad libitum, oral delivery of mouse [d-Leu-4]-OB3 reduced body weight gain, food intake and serum glucose, by 4.4, 6.8 and 28.2% respectively. Serum osteocalcin levels and water intake were essentially PI3K inhibitor the same in control and treated wild-type mice. In ob/ob mice fed ad libitum, mouse [d-Leu-4]-OB3 reduced body weight gain, food intake, water intake and serum glucose by 11.6, 16.5, 22.4 and 24.4% respectively. Serum osteocalcin in ob/ob mice treated with mouse [d-Leu-4]-OB3 was elevated by 62% over controls. Calorie restriction alone caused significant weight loss in both wild-type (9.0%) and ob/ob (4.8%) mice, and mouse [d-Leu-4]-OB3 did not further enhance this weight loss. As expected, serum glucose levels in wild-type and ob/ob mice were significantly reduced by calorie restriction alone. Mouse [d-Leu-4]-OB3 further reduced serum glucose in wild-type mice and normalized levels in ob/ob mice. Calorie restriction alone reduced serum osteocalcin levels by 44.2% in wild-type mice and by 19.1% in ob/ob mice. Mouse [d-Leu-4]-OB3 prevented this decrease in groups of mice.

Mol Cancer Ther; 9(6); 1709-18. (C)2010 AACR.”
“The interleukin-12B (IL12B) gene encodes the p40 chain of IL-12, a pro-inflammatory cytokine that antagonizes Th2 phenotype and, hence, may have a critical role in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma. In this report, we describe the identification of a

novel IL12B promoter polymorphism (T-to-A exchange) at position -536. The IL12B -536AA genotype was significantly associated with asthma in the Chinese populations (P = 0.011, odds ratio = 2.227). The selleck compound risk-associated A allele was linked to reduced expression of IL12B mRNA levels and IL12B production in asthmatic patients. Luciferase reporter assay provided evidence that risk-associated A allele reduced the promoter activity of IL12B gene compared with those of the promoter containing the protective T allele. We further observed that decreasing binding effects between the risk alleles A of IL12B and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBP alpha) through A allele sequence mediated streptavidin-conjugated agarose pulldown and biotin-labelled A allele mediated electrophoretic mobility shift assay. We also observed additive effects of the risk alleles of IL12B and decreased mRNA levels of C/EBPa in asthmatic HCS assay patients. Therefore, we postulated

that the presence of -536A allele in IL12B promoter could predispose to the development of allergic asthma.”
“P>Background:\n\nEmergency medicine (EM) in North America has been undergoing significant transformation since the new century. Recent health care reform has put it center stage. Access demand for acute care is increasing at the same time the number of qualified emergency physicians entering service has reached a plateau. Physician assistants (PAs), one alternative, are employed in emergency departments (EDs), but little is known about the impact of their role.\n\nObjectives:\n\nThis was a literature review to identify the current role of PAs in patient treatment and the management of

emergency services.\n\nMethods:\n\nAll publications and designs from 1970 through 2009 were identified using multiple science citation indices. Each author reviewed the literature, and categories were developed based on consensus.\n\nResults:\n\nThirty-five articles Selleckchem LDN-193189 and reports were sorted into categories of interest: prevalence of PAs in EDs, efficiency and quality of care, patient satisfaction, rural emergency care, and legal issues. Each category is summarized and discussed. Evidence comparing the clinical effectiveness of PAs to mainstream management of emergency care was only fair in methodologic quality.\n\nConclusions:\n\nThe use of PAs in EDs is increasing, and this expansion is due to necessity in staffing and economy of scale. Unique uses of PAs include wound management, acute care transfer management to the wards, and rural health emergency staffing.

is a negative regulator of IGF-1R/IRS-1/Akt pathway in breast cancer cells. This triggered us to investigate the potential role of PTPL1 in adipogenesis To evaluate the implication of PTP-BL, the mouse orthologue of PTPL1, in adipose tissue biology. we analyzed PTP-BL mRNA expression in adipose tissue in vivo

and during proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. this website To elucidate the role of PTP-BL and of its catalytic activity during adipogenesis we use siRNA techniques in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes, and mouse embryonic fib rob lasts that lack wildtype PTP-BL and instead express a variant without the PTP domain (Delta P/Delta P MEFs) Here we show that PTP-BL is strongly expressed in white adipose tissue and that PTP-BL transcript and protein levels increase during proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes. Strikingly, knockdown of PTP-BL expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes caused a dramatic decrease in adipogenic gene expression Momelotinib chemical structure levels (PPAR gamma, aP2) and lipid accumulation but did not interfere

with the insulin/Akt pathway. Delta P/Delta P MEFs differentiate into the adipogenic lineage as efficiently as wildtype MEFs. However, when expression of either PTP-BL or PTP-BL Delta P was inhibited a dramatic reduction in the number of MEF-derived adipocytes was observed These findings demonstrate a key role for PTP-BL in 3T3-L1 and MEF-derived adipocyte differentiation that is independent of its enzymatic activity. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved”
“Background:

Anaphylaxis incidence is increasing. Objective: We sought to characterize anaphylaxis in children in an urban pediatric emergency department (PED).\n\nMethods: We performed a review of PED records for anaphylactic reactions over 5 years.\n\nResults: We identified 213 anaphylactic reactions in 192 children (97 male patients): 6 were infants, 20 had multiple reactions, and the median PFTα cost age was 8 years (age range, 4 months to 18 years). Sixty-two reactions were coded as anaphylaxis; 151 additional reactions met the second symposium anaphylaxis criteria. There was no increase in incidence over 5 years. The triggers included the following: foods, 71%; unknown, 15%; drugs, 9%; and “other,” 5%. Food was more likely to be a trigger in multiple PED visits (P = .03). Epinephrine was administered in 169 (79%) reactions; in 58 (27%) reactions epinephrine was administered before arrival in the PED. Patients with Medicaid were less likely to receive epinephrine before arrival in the PED (P < .001). Twenty-eight (14.6%) patients were hospitalized, 9 in the intensive care unit. For 13 (6%) of the reactions, 2 doses of epinephrine were administered; 69% of the patients treated with 2 doses of epinephrine were hospitalized compared with 12% of the patients treated with a single dose (P < .001).

Endogenous AML1/ETO derived from the Kasumi-1 cell line nuclear extract Cyclopamine price binds physically to the AML1 core enhancer-binding sequence, TGTGGT, derived from the survivin promotor. Knockdown of survivin

expression by shRNA in ectopically expressed AML1/ETO myeloid leukemia cell lines restores expression of C/EBP alpha, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor, and MPO genes, which leads to their growth arrest and granulocytic differentiation.\n\nConclusions. Our results demonstrate that survivin gene acts as a critical mediator of AML1/ETO-induced late oncogeneic events. (c) 2008 ISEH – Society for Hematology and Stem Cells. Published by Elsevier Inc.”
“In order to simulate the hydrogen bonding and proton transfer (PT) in protein-DNA/RNA interactions, a series of simplified models were employed and investigated in the gas phase. These models included various neutral, anionic and cationic glycine-uracil dimers, and their methylated derivatives generated by the mono- or dimethylation of glycine and/or uracil moieties of the dimer. The results reveal that the only process that PFTα can occur in the neutral complexes

is a double-PT process leading to proton exchange between the two moieties (i.e., point mutation). The first methyl substitute can reduce the activation energy of the PT process and thus promote the isomerization of the two moieties; further methylation can reduce the isomerization in only some of the cases. In the anionic complexes, only the one-way PT (i.e., amino acid buy Z-IETD-FMK -> nucleic acid base) process is energetically favorable, and this PT process is an interesting barrier-free one (BFPT), with the attached electron locating itself at the base moiety. Methylation will disfavor BFPT, but it cannot alter the nature of BFPT. In the cationic complexes, three different PT processes can occur. These processes

can transform mutually by adjusting either or both of the methylated sites and methyl number, indicating that the methylation can regulate the dynamics of these PT processes.”
“Brain aggregates (BrnAggs) derived from fetal mouse brains contain mature neurons and glial cells. We determined that BrnAggs are consistently infected with Rocky Mountain Laboratory scrapie strain prions and produce increasing levels of the pathogenic form of the prion protein (PrPSc). Their abundant dendrites undergo degeneration shortly after prion infection. Treatment of prion-infected BrnAggs with drugs, such as a F-secretase inhibitors and quinacrine (Qa), which stop PrPSc formation and dendritic degeneration, mirrors the results from rodent studies. Because PrPSc is trafficked into lysosomes by endocytosis and autophagosomes by phagocytosis in neurons of prion strain-infected BrnAggs, we studied the effects of drugs that modulate subcellular trafficking.

We will evaluate how various chemotherapeutic drugs and radiation therapies may allow aggressive PCa cells to gain advantageous mutations leading to increased survival and rendering the cancer cells to become resistant to treatment. The novel concept relating several key survival and invasion HDAC inhibitors list signaling pathways to stem cell niches and treatment resistance will

be reviewed. Lastly, we will provide an update of several recently developed novel drug candidates that target metastatic cancer microenvironments or niches, and discuss the advantages and significance provided by such therapeutic approaches in pursuit of overcoming drug resistance and treating advanced PCa.”
“Relevant local injury epidemiology In Hong Kong, there were, on average, about 19 596 traffic crashes involving 157 deaths and 21 106 injured persons each

year between 2006 and 2011. Scientific analyses were conducted by geographers and engineers primarily using the police crash database. Medical professionals have been analysing road traffic injury data from hospital discharge summaries. Moreover, community leaders have been trying to promote Cell Cycle inhibitor local safe communities.\n\nBest practices This paper describes the effort of a multidisciplinary team to address road safety problems and to sustain road safety benefits through a public health approach. The multidisciplinary team comprised a geographer, an engineer, medical professionals and community leaders. The project covered four tasks, namely data integration, identification of hazardous road locations, crash analysis

and engineering study, and knowledge exchange through various activities involving a WHO-designated local safe community.\n\nImplementation The crash and hospital databases for a district AP24534 in Hong Kong with 500 000 population were integrated. Based on the integrated database, the public health and people-based approach was adopted to identify hazardous road locations-hot zones-using geographical information systems. Specific hot zones having strong patterns of common factors were considered as treatable locations with a combination of low-cost remedial measures. The benefits of the project are sustained through various activities engaging the general public and major stakeholders.\n\nResearch agenda More research should be conducted on how institutional support, scientific research and community involvement can be fruitfully combined to achieve the ultimate goal of sustained road safety benefits for people at the community level.”
“Soltani, N., Shropshire, C. and Sikkema, P. H. 2012. Co-application of glyphosate plus an insecticide or fungicide in glyphosate-resistant soybean. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 297-302. Six field trials were conducted from 2008 to 2010 in Ontario to evaluate soybean injury and weed control efficacy with glyphosate tankmixed with various insecticides or fungicides.

However, most of the large clinical intervention trials of antioxidants and meta-analysis of the data from these large studies do not show beneficial evidence with GW4869 regard to cardiovascular outcomes. In order to understand the role of antioxidants, it is essential to elucidate the action and capacity of antioxidants. In this article, the assessment of antioxidant capacity is reviewed and the methods for assessment of natural antioxidant capacity are discussed.”
“Background: Few children accumulate the recommended >= 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Active travel to and from school

(ATS) is a potential source of increased activity for children, accounting for 22% of total trips and time spent traveling by school-aged children.\n\nPurpose: This study identifies the association of parents’ perceptions of the neighborhood, geospatial variables, and demographic characteristics with ATS among students in four low-income, densely populated Caspase-dependent apoptosis urban communities with predominantly minority populations.\n\nMethods: Data were collected in 2009-2010

from households with school-attending children in four low-income New Jersey cities. Multivariate logistic regression analyses (n=765) identified predictors of ATS. Analyses were conducted in 2012.\n\nResults: In all, 54% of students actively commuted to school. Students whose parents perceived the neighborhood as very unpleasant for activity were less likely (OR=0.39) to actively commute, as were students living farther from school, with a 6% reduction in ATS for every 0.10 mile increase in distance to school. Perceptions of crime, traffic, and sidewalk conditions were not predictors of ATS.\n\nConclusions:

Parents’ perceptions of the pleasantness of the neighborhood, independent of the effects of distance from school, may outweigh concerns about crime, traffic, or conditions of sidewalks in predicting active commuting to school in the low-income urban communities studied. Efforts such as cleaning up graffiti, taking care of abandoned buildings, and providing shade trees to improve neighborhood environments are likely to increase ATS, as are efforts that encourage locating schools closer to the populations they serve. (C) 2013 American Journal of Preventive click here Medicine”
“Scirtidae described by J. Ch. Fabricius are listed. Poorly known South American and Indian species are redescribed, illustrated and figured. Cyphon depressus Fabricius is transferred to Ora Clark, and Cistela livida Fabricius is transferred to Pseudomicrocara Armstrong. Ora complanata (Gucrin-Mcneville) is probably a junior synonym of Ora depressa (Fabricius). Data on Scirtidae collections studied by Fabricius are summarized.”
“Clove bud essential oil (CEO) and its major individual phenolic constituent eugenol were formulated as nanoparticles in water-based microemulsion systems.