Drug-induced paralytic or adynamic ileus can result from additive anticholinergic effects of various medications. Two cases of drug-induced paralytic ileus are reported (one in which the outcome was death) possibly due to a combination of mesoridazine and benztropine mesylate.


Abstract : This thesis examines the scientific foundation behind the National Research Council's "ceiling principle" method of calculating Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) statistical evidence. Use of DNA evidence is becoming widespread in criminal cases. DNA evidence has generally been admitted by state and federal courts under the test for "novel scientific evidence." However, the defense bar, citing several scientists, has attempted to thwart the acceptance of DNA statistical evidence under the Frye test. To resolve the issue, the National Research Council developed a compromise, known as the "ceiling principle." This method replaces the actual numbers used in calculating the DNA statistics with more conservative numbers based upon an assumption that the ethnic make-up of the defendant affects the statistics. This thesis finds that the scientific research overwhelmingly refutes the assumption underlying the "ceiling principle, making its use unnecessary and unwise. It concludes that the "ceiling principle" does not pass muster under the Federal Rules of Evidence, which the Supreme Court recently ruled control admission of all scientific evidence in federal courts; accordingly, evidence derived via the "ceiling principle" is inadmissible in federal courts and courts-martial.


Under certain conditions, the signal‐to‐noise gain of a hydrophone array can be expressed in terms of signal‐ and noise‐correlation functions. When ideal propagation is assumed, the signal correlation is well‐defined and the problem is reduced to establishing the noise‐correlation function. Noise‐correlation functions for two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional isotropic‐noise fields are well‐known: namely, the functions J0(X) and sinX/X. In this paper, an equation for the noise‐correlation function is derived that is valid for any orientation of receiver elements and any distribution of background noise. Assuming a background‐noise field whose power in a given direction is proportional to the radius vector of an oblate spheroid, an assumption in qualitative agreement with recent theoretical and experimental results, the noise‐correlation functions for horizontal elements and for vertical elements are explored in detail. Quantitative results are given for noise fields of different anisotropy. [This work was...


Molecular biological technology is now providing large quantities of recombinant human insulin-like growth factor (rh1GF)-I for experimental use. This article examines the potential therapeutic uses of rhlGF-I. IGF-I and IGF-I1 are structurally related to proinsulin and stimulate metabolic activities in a way similar to that of insulin, as well as having anabolic actions in promoting cell proliferation and differentiation (Baxter, 1986; Herrington, 1991; Sara & Hall, 1990). The possible therapeutic uses of rhIGF-I administered systemically would therefore appear to fall into two main categories covering its potential metabolic and anabolic actions. The IGFs have been found to be handled in the circulation in a complex manner by a group of specific binding proteins (IGFBPs) and the effects of exogenous rhIGF-I will therefore depend on the relationship between it and these binding proteins.


Abstract This paper investigates the lexicalizations of prototypical basic emotion concepts in Polish. A catalogue of all words denoting basic emotions (anger, disgust, fear, sadness, surprise, joy) in Polish has been created to qualitatively and quantitatively explore the lexicalizations and to draw an ethnopsychological profile of Poles. The catalogue contains basic emotion terms and their synonyms in noun, verb, and adjective forms, as well as data pertaining to grammatical gender and word frequency. A quantitative and qualitative exploratory analysis of the catalogued data was conducted to determine which of the six basic emotion concepts are lexicalized most richly and completely, and which types of emotion terms are used most frequently. The results indicate that in Polish emotions are preferentially expressed as nouns, even though they are more frequently lexicalized as adjectives. There are also more words for negative emotions than for positive ones (negative differentiation effect), though the positive emotion words are used more frequently than all the negative words combined (Pollyanna effect). Polish also shows a marked preference for overtly verbalizing the neutral emotion of surprise – the smallest category by number of words denoting the emotion. Implications of the results for psychotherapy and bilingualism studies are discussed.


In this paper, a simulation-based methodology is developed to analyze the effects of two transporta tion control strategies on congestion and automo bile emissions. In particular, two types of road pricing implementations are studied: a Cordon Scheme and a Per-Mile Area Link Charging Scheme. The resulting model is then applied to the metropolitan Atlanta interstate highway sys tem. Finally, the results of the model are ana lyzed, and the extent to which these schemes are effective in reducing rush-hour congestion and automobile emissions is estimated.


The accounting of hunter harvests through the use of harvest tickets and other harvest reporting mechanisms is a basic tool of wildlife management. In interior and northern Alaska, harvest tickets and harvest reports have proven effective in recording the harvests of urban-based, non-Native hunters, but have had less success among predominantly Native hunters. Through key-respondent interviews with moose hunters in the interior Alaska communities of Fort Yukon, McGrath, and Nulato, this research examined some of the reasons behind non-compliance with moose harvest reporting requirements by hunters in these rural areas. In the three study communities, the percentage of hunters obtaining required licenses and harvest tickets varied according to the availability of these items locally, the presence of resident biologists or regulating agency staff to encourage compliance, and the perceived likelihood of an encounter between hunters and enforcement personnel. Harvest tickets were widely viewed as an m-season enforcement tool rather than a post-season reporting mechanism for harvest data. While the total harvest of moose by a particular community may have been well within sustainable limits, individual bag limits imposed by the present harvest ticket system, may be exceeded by some hunters, making them unlikely to participate in accurate harvest reporting. Respondents noted that the bag limit of one moose per hunter failed to accommodate the needs of many rural hunters due to customary patterns of group hunting and shared proceeds, the practice of one hunter providing food for multiple households, and individual households whose needs commonly exceeded one moose. These were the primary reasons given for the relative failure of the harvest ticket system in two of the study communities. These findings suggest that where accurate harvest data are needed for the sound management of resources harvested by rural subsistence hunters, alternatives to the present harvest ticket system should be considered and implemented. Transferable harvest tickets, post-season interviews with hunters, local residents or governing bodies who serve as village harvest recorders, and two Canadian harvest reporting programs are examined as potential alternatives.


The cannabinoid receptor agonist, Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9‐THC), is a psychoactive constituent of marijuana, and a popular recreational drug that has been shown to produce disruptions in learning and memory. Conversely, estrogen has been found to produce a positive effect on learning and memory in female rats. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of hormone status on memory, and how these effects alter the acute disruptive effects of Δ9‐THC (0.32–3.2 mg/kg) on memory in female rats. To do this, intact and ovariectomized (OVX) female rats were trained on a repeated acquisition and delayed‐performance procedure. During the acquisition phase of this procedure, rats acquired a 4‐response sequence (CRLC, LRCL, RLCR, etc.) that changed daily. Responding was maintained under a second‐order fixed‐ratio 3 schedule of food presentation. Sequence acquisition was followed by a delay phase and a delayed‐performance phase in which rats emitted the previously acquired sequence. Delay phase under baseline conditions was 1 hour. In order to examine the effect of delay, delays ranging from 1 minute to 24 hours were used. Δ9‐THC or vehicle was administered 30 minutes prior to the delayed‐performance phase in order to specifically target retention, which was assessed by percent savings. Response rate and the percentage of errors were also recorded. When the delay was varied under non‐drug conditions, delay‐dependent decreases in percent savings were observed in intact and OVX rats. However, the disruption of retention was greater in OVX than intact rats. Acute administration of Δ9‐THC produced dose‐dependent decreases in response rate and percent savings, and increases in percent errors in both intact and OVX rats under baseline conditions. After administration of 0.56 mg/kg Δ9‐THC, intact rats showed less sequence retention than OVX rats. Increasing the delay to 3 hours produced a leftward shift in the percent‐savings curve for both intact and OVX rats. These results suggest that hormone status directly impacts retention under an acquisition and delayed‐performance procedure, and acute administration of Δ9‐THC produces both delay‐dependent and dose‐dependent effects on memory in intact and OVX female rats.


A recent first-principles calculation [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 136101 (2006)] carried out by Gonz\'alez et al. reported the origin of the observed reversible $(4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1)\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}(8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ phase transition in quasi-one-dimensional indium chains on the Si(111) surface. Gonz\'alez et al. claimed that this phase transition would be driven by the dynamical fluctuations between four degenerate insulating $4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2$ structures which are the building blocks of the $8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2$ structure. This may provide an explanation for the controversial issue that the low(high)-temperature phase is insulating (metallic). However, our first-principles calculations show that such an insulating $4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2$ structure obtained by Gonz\'alez et al. is not stabilized but converged to a metastable structure whose structural and electronic properties are similar to those of the metallic $4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2$ structure obtained by previous first-principles calculations.


Abstract The medieval Mediterranean was an environment in which mendicant friars were able to thrive, attending to the spiritual needs of the populace and benefitting from the support of the urban classes, especially merchants, with whom they established close relationships. The examples of the convents of Barcelona, Ciutat de Mallorca and Florence presented in this volume clearly elucidate the association between the friars, the merchants and the urban aristocracy. Although the friars did not restrict their activities to the Mediterranean world and quickly expanded into other European kingdoms and remote lands, it was in the dense urban setting of this region where they first conducted their preaching and established their roles as active social agents.


Zifrosilone (1-(3-trimethylsilylphenyl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethanone) (3) is a cholinesterase inhibitor that has been studied for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Process research has been carried out on a route to convert phenyltrimethylsilane to 3 by Friedel–Crafts acylation using trifluoroacetic anhydride. Kinetics and products analyses suggest that the optimal conditions for this reaction are noncatalytic amounts of aluminum chloride, dichloromethane solvent and as low a temperature as can be practically used in a scaled-up process. Significant separation challenges to isolate 3 from the isomer byproduct 1-(4-trimethylsilylphenyl)-2,2,2-trifluoroethanone) (4) remain. These challenges were investigated using vapor–liquid equilibrium studies.


Online Material: Six supplemental movies

The magnitude 9.0 Tohoku-Oki, Japan, earthquake on 11 March 2011 is the largest earthquake to date in Japan's modern history and is ranked as the fourth largest earthquake in the world since 1900. This earthquake occurred within the northeast Japan subduction zone (Figure 1), where the Pacific plate is subducting beneath the Okhotsk plate at rate of ∼8–9 cm/yr (DeMets et al. 2010). This type of extremely large earthquake within a subduction zone is generally termed a "megathrust" earthquake. Strong shaking from this magnitude 9 earthquake engulfed the entire Japanese Islands, reaching a maximum acceleration ∼3 times that of gravity (3 g). Two days prior to the main event, a foreshock sequence occurred, including one earthquake of magnitude 7.2. Following the main event, numerous aftershocks occurred around the main slip region; the largest of these was magnitude 7.9. The entire foreshocks-mainshock-aftershocks sequence was well recorded by thousands of sensitive seismometers and geodetic instruments across Japan, resulting in the best-recorded megathrust earthquake in history. This devastating earthquake resulted in significant damage and high death tolls caused primarily by the associated large tsunami. This tsunami reached heights of more than 30 m, and inundation propagated inland more than 5 km from the Pacific coast, which also caused a nuclear crisis that is still affecting people's lives in certain regions of Japan.

As seismologists, it is important that we effectively convey information about catastrophic earthquakes, like this recent Japan event, to others who may not necessarily be well versed in the language and methods of earthquake seismology. Until recently, it was typical to only use "snapshot" static images to represent earthquake data. From these static images alone it was often difficult to explain even the basic characteristics of seismic waves generated by earthquakes, such as primary ( P ), secondary …


The world does not stand still. We are daily confronted with the achievements of modern science: we are able to communicate with a person from another continent via the Internet, we easily bypass any distance thanks to different modes of transport. And yet there are things that cannot be automated, improved, accelerated yet. A person still needs to sleep, have some physical activity during the day and, of course, eat. The whole day of a person can easily obey the rhythm: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and, of course, snacks, afternoon tea, brunch, late dinner. And it's getting harder and harder to give up food, as store shelves are bursting with goods that are ready to lie there for years until we buy them. This is because most of the foods we consume contain various dietary supplements in their composition. The main purpose of which is to make them tastier, stored longer, etc. Undoubtedly, the nutrition of all population groups can be affected by food additives, but in this article we will consider young people: 2nd and 3rd year students. Of course, studying, writing course projects, a large number of practical and other classes deprive you of the opportunity, or rather the strength and desire, to eat right. Therefore, this age group is of particular interest. To what extent are students aware of the presence of food additives in their food? How many of the survey respondents monitor their diet? And in general: are dietary supplements as harmful as they say in the media? In this article, we will analyze the survey data of students, as well as understand what dietary supplements are and how they affect the body.


In March 1984 we established a test plantation of selected Eucalyptus and poplar seedlings species and clones on a range site in the Sierra Nevada foothills. The main objectives were to evaluate survival and growth of the various species and clones and to determine arotation age for intensively managed hardwood trees grown under low elevation foothill conditions. Seedlings and clones of six species of Eucalyptus and one hybrid poplar were grown with short rotation intensive culture techniques for 7 yr. Rotation age, defined as the culmination of mean annual increment, varied from 3 to 6 yr. The best producing clone produced 8 cords of fuelwood per acre per year. The potential for damage from freezing and snow at these elevations is also discussed. West. J. Appl. For. 12(4):104-107. Eucalyptus was promoted in the arly 1900s a the "miracle tree" that would solve wood fiber supply problems in California. Early plantings were intended to be a primary source of lumber, railroad ties, and mining timbers. However, early applications howed that young growth of the species tested was largely unsuited for these applications. The energy crisis of the mid-1970s renewed interest in Eucalyptus as a fuelwood species, mostly by people hoping to reduce their home heating bills with wood heat. For this purpose Eucalyptus excels. Its heating value rivals or surpasses that of native species, and it grows considerably faster, potentially reducing demand on the native hardwood resource. It serves as a fuel stock for biomass energy generation. In addition, Eucalyptus is gaining acceptance as raw material for paper pulp. A common problem in the early Eucalyptus plantations was a lack of information about which species to plant, spacing, cultural methods, and expected yields. Some early unsubstantiated claims reported incredible potential yields. In March 1984 we established a test plantation of selected Eucalyptus and poplar species and clones in the Yuba County foothills. The main objectives were to evaluate survival and growth of the various species and clones and to determine a rotation age for intensively managed hardwood trees grown under low elevation foothill conditions.


Abstract. We propose a social identity model of media usage and effects. This model explains how the media might cultivate power arrangements (i.e., promote social stasis) on the one hand, and contribute to social change on the other. We argue that current media theories are ill-equipped to meet both of these explanatory challenges. The model integrates (1) social identity processes with (2) Herman and Chomsky's (1988) propaganda model, and (3) Abrams, Eveland, and Giles's (2003) work on media images and group vitality. Social stasis is produced when the social environment is stable, and when people with status quo-consistent beliefs (i.e., social mobility and social creativity) engage with the media to confirm their beliefs. Social change occurs when people with socially competitive beliefs engage in actions (e.g., riots, peace marches) that re-inform others as to the instability and illegitimacy (among other things) of the current status and power relations in the world. If these actions are sufficientl...


In this study, we compare the performance of six fully automatic methods of withinsubjects pedobarographic image registration: principal axes, modal matching, min(XOR), min(MSE), contours-based and frequency-based. These algorithms were tested on 30 control image pairs considered in previous studies. The accuracy was assessed by visual inspection and using the image similarity measures: exclusive-or (XOR) and mean squared error (MSE). Visually, we did not find differences in the registration accuracy among the min(XOR), min(MSE), contours-based and frequencybased algorithms. On the other hand, using the similarity measures, we found out that the best XOR value was achieved by the contours-based algorithm, closely followed by the min(XOR). Additionally, the best MSE value was achieved by the min(MSE) algorithm, nearly followed by the frequency-based algorithm. Finally, the algorithms based on principal axes and modal matching revealed low robustness.


When mouse femoral bone was subcutaneously implanted after the cutting of both ends into the abdominal wall of syngeneic mouse, bone marrow tissue regenerated in the medullary cavity of the bone. We removed the implanted bones at 1-week intervals and evaluated the regenerative process. The medullary cavity underwent necrosis after 1 week. Regeneration of the stromal components appeared in the epiphyses after 2 weeks and progressed with resorption of the necrotic tissue. After 3-4 weeks, myxomatous stroma rich in matrix components formed resulting in enlodgement and proliferation of hematopoietic cells. Marrow graftment was nearly completed after 6 weeks. Immunohistochemical examination showed a large amount of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (PG) and large PG in the myxomatous stroma that formed after 3-4 weeks. Biochemical analysis of the glycosaminoglycan chain primarily revealed low-sulfated chondroitin sulfate. Formation of myxomatous stroma rich in chondroitin sulfate PG and large PG seemes to play an important role in the regeneration of hematopoietic tissue.


In software-defined networks, proactive and reactive response procedures to line or node outages or failures are used, often not reflecting the escalating demands of deployed applications. With the expanding deployment of software-defined network in the Internet of Things, medical equipment, and military infrastructure, the requirements for stable data transmission are increasing. This also includes fast network recovery, thus minimizing the time-of-service unavailability. When designing the software-defined network topology, considering the scale, it is necessary to choose suitable mechanisms that guarantee stable availability and restoration of the connection after its interruption. Many of the mechanisms have their basis in IP networks, where they are already successfully deployed. This paper presents advanced fast network recovery techniques that show good statistical characteristics in their adaptation in an software-defined network environment. Some of them are designed to complement existing network recovery techniques in an OpenFlow environment.


The paper presents the design, development and implementation of a Three Phase diode clamped active front-end converter in rectification mode for the power factor control and power quality improvement. Specifically this paper concentrates on the dc link capacitor balancing and maintenance of near to unity power factor of the supply. The paper also proposes an existing and popular mathematical modeling for the converter. The modulation technique used ensures minimum switching losses. Proposed scheme also has wide input range and good input side power factor.


This article deals with the educational background of Carles Salvador, first with his studies at the Escola Normal, followed by lectures and experiences which would guide his professional development, to the degraded situation as a high school teacher of the Spanish State.


Abstract : It is the purpose of this paper to describe experiments in which the colony-forming ability of these cells was measured at intervals following irradiation. The initial adiationinduced loss of proliferative capacity in uhese cells is repaired with time, and this repair is considered to be of two types. Early repair occurs in the first 24 hours after irradiation, and is qrobably the result of recovery processes occuring within sublethally damaged cells, similar to those described by Elkind for mammalian cells in culture. Late repair occurs after 24 hours and is probably the result of cellular proliferation. Measurement of both types of repair processes involved exposing mice to two doses of radiation, separated by an interval of time. By comparing the results obtained in these experiments with the kinetics of repair of colony-forming cells, it is possible to determine whether or not colonyforming cells form an important part of the cellular systems necessary for survival. (Author)


The purpose of this study is to explore L1 use in L2 writing from the perspective of Vygotskian Sociocultural Theory (SCT). We examine whether generating ideas in L1, compared to generating ideas in L2, results in inferior L2 writing. The participants were 42 Korean EFL students. As part of the course requirements, the students were required to hand in 400-word essays on a given topic. Once the writing was completed, they were asked to write down about what language(s) they used to prepare for the assignment and why they used this language or these languages. The data analysis used here stems from two ways in which the data were coded, use of language(s) during idea generation and a global-level essay analysis. This study has shown that more than half of students use their L1 while writing in L2 to some extent. Regarding the effect of L1 use on L2 text quality, L1 use does not appear to be negatively related to L2 text quality. This does not confirm the results of earlier research, which suggested that L1 use has a detrimental effect on L2 text quality. We argue that the L1 is an already internalized and very effective meditational means that learners will resort to, principally for discovering and shaping meaning and as support in moments of cognitive difficulty.


On the basis of two arteriovenous fistulas, one arteriocaliceal fistula, and the literature concerning these complications, clinical symptoms, diagnostic measures, and therapeutic strategies are discussed. Decreased renal function, severe hypertension, and a bruit over the transplant site —particularly after core biopsy — are said to be indicative of an arteriovenous fistula, while persisting hematuria is seen as evidence of an arteriocaliceal fistula. In both cases, angiographic evaluation is indicated. Therapeutic possibilities include selective angiographic embolization and surgical repair. Large intraparenchymal fistulas may require wedge resection.


Objective: To investigate the radiosensitive effect of all-trans retinoic acid(ATRA) on lung cancer cell line A549 cultured in vitro and its possible mechanism.Methods: The A549 cells in the logarithmic growth phase were divided into four groups: control group,ATRA group,radiation group,combination group(ATRA combined with radiation).MTT assay was used to detect the growth inhibition rate and to further filter out the best experimental concentration of ATRA.The radiosensitive effect was detected by clone formation test.The cell cycle and apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry.The expression of VEGF mRNA was detected by RT-PCR.The VEGF values in the cell supernatant were detected by ELISA.Results: The optimal dose of ATRA was 10 μmol/L.ATRA can enhance the radiosensitivity of A549 cells.The proportion of G0/G1 phase in ATRA group was significantly increased compared with that in control group(P0.05);statistic differences in apoptosis rate were observed between ATRA group and control group(P0.05).The expressions of VEGF mRNA were significantly reduced in combination group compared with those in radiation group(P0.05).The VEGF levels in the supernatant of combination group were significantly decreased compared with those in radiation group(P0.05).Conclusion: All-trans retinoic acid can increase the radiosensitivity of A549 cells.The mechanism may be related with the direct inhibition of ATRA on A549 cells,redistribution of the inducing cell cycle,inducement of the apoptosis and down-regulation of the expression of VEGF in tumor cells.


The thermal behaviour of wavelength demultiplexers, integrated on InGaAlAs epitaxially grown by MBE on InP, is reported. The overall performance is due to the superposition of two mechanisms: a pure thermooptic effect, which allows a tuning of the order of 1 A/°C, and an elastooptic effect, caused by induced stress, which can lead to much higher temperature sensitivity, up to 1 nm/°C or more.


TONSILLECTOMY is the most frequent operative procedure performed by the otolaryngologist. Hemorrhage is still the most frequent postoperative complication. Hemorrhage may occur immediately after surgery (primary hemorrhage) or it may occur five or ten days after surgery (secondary hemorrhage) when the superficial eschar that covers the tonsillar fossa is extruded. By the end of two weeks, by consensus, the critical period for hemorrhage has passed, and the otolaryngologist again feels secure. The following case illustrates that hemorrhage from tonsillectomy may occur at a much later date and any hemoptysis during the first month following surgery should be considered as coming from the operative site unless proven otherwise. Report of a Case The patient, an 8-year-old white boy, underwent tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy on June 21, 1966. Bilateral myringotomys were also performed and a thick mucoid material was aspirated from both ears. The patient's preoperative hemoglobin was 14.9 gm/100 cc and the


This paper focuses on industrial thermosetting plastic waste reduction by recycling as the material for natural coarse aggregate replacement in concrete. This substitution of aggregate is an integration approach to preserve the natural resources and environment as well as develop the alternative recycled aggregate material to meet 3R principle and sustainable development. Bakelite waste is prohibited from disposing of sanitary landfill and direct burning because of hazardous disposal and emission reasons .There are many studies of plastic aggregate to substitute natural coarse aggregate especially PET and PE aggregate. However, there is no study of Waste Bakelite Aggregate (WBA) mixed in concrete in Thailand. This study aim is investigating the mechanical properties of Waste Bakelite Aggregate Concrete (WBAC) compare to conventional concrete (CC).The methodology is based on an experimental program by testing of concrete specimens. The data obtained from sample test according to BS standard. These test results present compressive strength of all samples both CC and WBAC. The relationship charts between mechanical properties and the waste Bakelite aggregate replacement percentage will be illustrated including the compressive strength predictable equation model. Furthermore, the chemical extraction test of waste Bakelite aggregate concrete and the durability of WBAC are notified for the utilization. WBAC is an alternative material that can be applied to the non-structural concrete product to replace the natural aggregate and helpful in waste plastic pollution mitigation.


Testosterone esters are administered in oil vehicle via the intramuscular route. Rarely, dry cough together with faintness, diaphoresis, anxiety and syncope caused by pulmonary oil microembolism(POME) may occur. POME events are generally self-limited and last a few minutes. Very rarely they need oxygen therapy. Pathophysiology is still unclear. Here we report a case of POME occurring shortly after injection of testosterone undecanoate. The patient, a transmen on cross-gender hormonal treatment, was worried for the possible withdrawal of testosterone therapy. We reassured him and explained that he could continue his treatment provided that testosterone injections should be kept properly administered


Using Raman scattering we have measured the longitudinal optic phonon energies of Ga1−xInxAs layers with 0.48≤x≤0.55 grown on InP substrates. In order to interpret these data successfully it was necessary to consider the effect of the strain induced by the lattice mismatch. Existing theory has been extended to consider the case of alloy pseudomorphic layers and is approximated to a linear form. This theory is also applied to Ga1−xInxAs on GaAs and compared with previously published data with 0≤x≤0.2. Close agreement between theory and experimental data is found indicating that the Raman technique, combined with this theory, can be used to measure the alloy composition of pseudomorphic strained layers of diamond or zinc blende structure accurately without the need for detailed experimental calibration. It is suggested that this method could be particularly useful for determining the composition of alloy layers in thin layer pseudomorphic Ga1−xInxAs/InP heterostructures.


The study aims to sedimentological and geomorphological studies of the recent sediments in seven wadis draining throughout Qena and Luxor Governorates, Upper Egypt to recognize their textural and mineralogical composition, assess the flash flood risk zones, to define highly risk basins. Furthermore, suggestion some precaution measures to benefit from the vast quantities of floodwater in the development of the neighboring villages and towns. Grain size analysis data revealed that most of the analyzed sediments in the investigated wadis are poorly sorted and composed of gravely sand and sandy gravel. The sediments were transported by rolling mode and fall within the traction population (surface creep population) regime. The heavy mineral assemblage has revealed that the sediments of the studied wadis were derived from both acidic and basic igneous rocks, and metamorphic rocks, as well as from the pre-existing sedimentary rocks. The structural lineament and the drainage lineament maps of the studied wadis deduced that most of the drainage lines are structurally controlled. The study has revealed that the area was located within the Egyptian hyper-arid zone. According to the morphometric parameters, the study area is occasionally subjected to heavy showers, commonly followed by floods of substantial magnitudes. Such torrential floods are sporadic, unpredictable and usually of short-lived, high velocity and sharp peak discharges that may cause devastating impacts on roads, farmlands and settlements. According to the estimated degrees of hazards, the studied basins and sub-basins were classified into five areas. Extremely highly hazardous, highly hazardous, moderately hazardous, slightly hazardous and weakly hazardous. The main roads, cultivated lands, urban areas and development projects in the study area are virtually under threat of flash floods that occur in the courses of the main wadis, especially in the absence of hazard awareness and precautions. To reduce the staggering damages and problems caused by torrential floods the present authors recommend some solutions and applicable measures. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Date of Submission: 18-11-2019 Date of Acceptance: 04-12-2019 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Abstract One of the situations that require greater sensitivity from Nurses is the reception of cancer patients, since it is the moment when they feel most unprotected and insecure. The reception is a care that facilitates adaptation to the hospital environment. When the patient enters the hospital, it is important to reduce the feelings generated by uncertainty about the future, by pain, by previous negative experiences or by the simple arrival to an unknown place.


Initial literacy ability is one of the abilities that become the obligation to begin to teach to early childhood. This program is very important as a trigger in predicting children's abilities in the future. Even recently, there are many children who do not have an interest in early literacy, besides teachers and parents at home must pay more attention to children's literacy skills. This study aims to increase the ability of early literacy in children with special needs in kindergarten. More specifically, this study describes (1) the conditions and characteristics of children with special needs, (2) initial literacy competencies, and (3) giving treatment to improve school readiness. The subjects of this study were 8 children with special needs from inclusion kindergarten schools in Yogyakarta. This research was conducted with descriptive qualitative research methods using interview guidelines. The results showed that the intervention had a positive effect on children's literacy skills. The treatment also has an indirect effect on the class teacher. Keywords— inclusive education; children with special needs, kindergartens.


Capacitive RF MEMS switches present several drawbacks such as high actuation voltages, slow switching times and time-varying performances, due to the deterioration of both their mechanical and electrical properties. Such characteristics justify the interest of the scientific community on the development of accurate measurement techniques to monitor the dynamic behavior of capacitive MEMS switches during continuous actuations. In this paper, a novel measurement system devoted to the time-domain characterization of capacitive MEMS switches is proposed. Moreover, an electrical model for such devices is introduced and its lumped elements are characterized by means of measurement results. The proposed test-bench allows to measure the modulus and the phase of both the incident and the reflected signals of a one-port transmission line based, where the port is represented by the capacitive MEMS device. The paper introduces a software tool based on LabVIEWtrade to compute the capacitance and the resistance values of the model as functions of time. In particular the tool transforms the measured signals in the frequency domain to compute the reflection coefficient by means of components depending on the fundamental frequency of the RF signal, thus neglecting spurious frequency components, out-band noise and harmonics due to interferences


We previously demonstrated that expression of androgen receptor (AR) by transfection of the androgen‐independent prostate cancer cell line PC3 decreases invasion and adhesion of these cells (PC3‐AR) through modulation of α6β4 integrin expression. The treatment with androgens further reduced invasion of the cells without modifying α6β4 expression, suggesting an interference with the invasion process by androgens. Here, we investigated EGF‐mediated signal transduction processes that lead to invasion in PC3‐AR cells. We show that EGF‐induced EGFR autotransphosphorylation is reduced in PC3‐AR cells compared to PC3 cells transfected only with the vector (PC3‐Neo). EGF‐stimulated PI3K activity, a key signaling pathway for invasion of these cells, and EGF‐PI3K interaction are also decreased in PC3‐AR cells and further reduced by treatment with androgen. Finally, we show that EGFR internalization process was reduced in PC3‐AR and LNCaP cells compared to PC3‐Neo. Investigations on the location of AR in PC3‐AR transfected cells were also conducted. Immunoconfocal microscopy and coimminoprecipitation studies demonstrated the presence of an interaction between EGFR and AR at membrane level in PC3‐AR and LNCaP cells. In conclusion, our results suggest that the expression of AR by transfection in PC3 cells confers a less‐malignant phenotype by interfering with EGFR signaling leading to invasion through a mechanism involving an interaction between AR and EGFR. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


In this work we are proposing a new synthesis route in order to obtain BaTiO3 and Ba0.77Ca0.23TiO3 based  on Proteic Sol-Gel method, which use coconut water as the main solvent and polymerization agent.  Differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric (TG), X-Ray diffraction and Impedance  spectroscopy techniques were used to the characterization of the synthesis process. From the thermal  decomposition study of the precursor solution, a calcination temperature above 950 °C was adopted. The  ceramics sintered at 1300 °C/2h present a good relative density and single crystalline phase. Finally, the  dielectric constant of the ceramic bodies was monitored as the principal quality factor.


The high job satisfaction of employees, a significant influence on the company 's strong competitiveness. On the other hand, the development of communication technologies led to the appearance of cyber-loafing behaviors in employees. In this study, the relationship between job satisfaction and cyber-loafing in healthcare employee is examined. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between cyber-loafing and job satisfaction in health care employee. In this study, quantitative research methods were used. The easy sampling method is preferred A face-to-face questionnaire was applied to 300 personnel. In order to determine differences in the analysis of the study, t-test and one-way variance analysis were applied in independent groups and pearson correlation test was applied in order to search for relationships. It was determined that the participants ' cyber-loafing levels were moderate and the job satisfaction levels were above the middle. As a result of the research, a very weak positive relationship was found between cyber-loafing and job satisfaction. Increasing use of technology and internet is also expected to increase the cyber-loafing activities. If control is not achieved, it seems inevitable that it will lead to loss of productivity.


Objective To evaluate CT imaging in the diagnosis of diffuse axonal injury (DAI) in correlation with the clinical manifestations. Methods CT images and clinical data of 41 DAI cases were review ed retrospectively, including 30 males and 11 fem ales, 15 to 67 years old (average age was 30.5 years). According to the clinical features, all cases were classified into three groups: mild, moderate and severe injury. Results In 10 cases of mild injury, the m ajor C T findings were cerebral edema, slight cerebral hem orrhage in unilateral hem isphere or sub -arachnoid hem orrhage. Another 15 cases were classified as m oderate injury: diffuse cerebral edema and hem orrhage in central brain gray matter were found on CT im ages. 16 cases with severe injury: severe diffuse cerebral edem a accom panied with hem orrhage along the white-gray matter junction as well as epidural hem atom a and /or subdural hem atom a was dem onstrated on CT images. Conclusion CT scan is valuable in diagnosis of DAI and the anticipation of prognosis.


With the development and application of computer theory, electronic information technology, economics and other disciplines, more and more models are being used to discuss electricity consumption factors. Thesis based on actual data of China, this paper discusses the influence of economic growth, electricity price, urbanization level, industrial structure, science and technology investment level and opening degree on electric power consumption level of our country, and analyses the influence of grey correlation analysis method. To drive electricity consumption, the first is to optimize and upgrade the industrial structure, and the second is to further improve the level of urbanization. The research results of this paper have certain reference value for relevant managers and government departments to formulate policies.


Objective To explore and improve the operation on patients with hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage in the position of capsid nucleus.Methods Part of cerebral tissues were removed at the position nearest to the hematoma in the middle temporal gyrus to form a 1.5cm-2.5cm-diameter tunnel.Hematoma got removed under direct vision.Results Of the 43 cases,32 cases got good curative effects,9 cases got moderate disablement,1 case got severe disablement and 1 case died.The curative effects were better than those in the contrast group of rountine craniotomy(P0.05).Conclusion The tunnel plastic operation can effectively improve patients surviva rate and reduce disablements and deaths.


We consider abrupt mean-change models for data with dependent, stationary, errors. No specific distributional assumptions, other than the existence and summability of cumulants, are made. A consistency property of the least squares estimator of the change-point is derived. This leads to the construction of consistent, asymptotically normal and efficient estimators of the error spectral density function and covariances. The application of these results in testing for the existence of a change is discussed. A test for uncorrelatedness of the errors is also given. An application is made to the detection of changes in the period of a variable star. The relationship between cusum charts used in statistics and O-C diagrams used in astronomy is pointed out. 1. Introduction. In the last decade the statistical literature has seen a steady increase in the number of published results dealing with so-called change-point problems. In their simplest form these are problems concerning the detection of sudden, often discontinuous, changes in the mean of a series of observations Xi,..., Xn. To be more specific, a model of the form


Industrialization and urbanization during the nineteenth century brought workers physically together, where they could organize and petition through strikes and revolts for better wages, shorter working hours, limits to child labor, safer working conditions, education for their children, and most importantly, the franchise. Although inequality continued to increase, conditions for workers and their families began improving. Workers gained formal political power within government. Yet although workers acquired the vote and with it the potential for dramatically rewriting the rules of the game (because they held the overwhelming majority of votes), elites' ideology was effective in convincing them to restrain their political muscle. Nevertheless, elites' monopoly control over the political sphere had been broken. As a result, they could no longer as readily use violence to put down worker demands. Their retention of disproportionate shares of income, wealth, and privilege would depend more fully upon the persuasiveness of their ideology.


Because initial roentgenograms of nondisplaced fractures of the scaphoid often fail to demonstrate the fracture line, the clinician must either delay treatment until the fracture becomes roentgenographically apparent or make therapeutic decisions based on the characteristic history and physical findings. Tenderness over the anatomic snuff box, coupled with a history of falling on the outstretched hand or of a blow to the acutely dorsiflexed wrist, constitutes sufficient evidence on which to initiate treatment. The diagnosis becomes less evident and treatment is more likely to be de-


The American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Ambulatory Care Practice Research Network (PRN) considers the role of clinical pharmacists to be fundamental to the success of the Patient‐Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model. Within the PCMH, pharmacists can improve the health of populations by participating in activities that optimize medication management. Multiple published articles support clinical pharmacist involvement in the PCMH with regard to promotion of team‐based care, enhanced access, care coordination, and improved quality and safety of care. A survey of clinical pharmacist members of ACCP who operate in such a model depict a variety of activities, with some members pioneering new and innovative ways to practice clinical pharmacy. Although this is a significant opportunity for pharmacists in the primary care setting, a unified vision of pharmacy services is needed. It is our hope that with continued efforts focused on obtaining national provider status, clinical pharmacy can use the PCMH model to solidify the future of primary care pharmacy. The following is an opinion statement of the ACCP Ambulatory Care PRN regarding the vital role of clinical pharmacists in the PCMH.


Recent nucleosynthesis calculations of Type II supernovae using advanced neutrino transport determine that the early neutrino winds are proton-rich. However, a fraction of the ejecta emitted at the same time is composed of neutron-rich pockets. In this paper we calculate the nucleosynthesis contribution from the neutron-rich pockets in the hot convective bubbles of a core-collapse supernova and show that they do not contribute significantly to the total nucleosynthesis.


We present a thorough validation of a computational approach to predict infrasonic signatures of centimeter-sized meteoroids. We assume that the energy deposition along the meteor trail is dominated by atmospheric drag and simulate the steady, inviscid flow of air in thermochemical equilibrium to compute the meteoroid's near-body pressure signature. This signature is then propagated through a stratified and windy atmosphere to the ground using a methodology adapted from aircraft sonic-boom analysis. An assessment of the numerical accuracy of the nearfield and the farfield solver is presented. The results show that when the source of the signature is the cylindrical Mach-cone, the simulations closely match the observations. The prediction of the shock rise-time, the zero-peak amplitude of the waveform, and the duration of the positive pressure phase are consistently within 10% of the measurements. Uncertainty in the shape of the meteoroid results in a poorer prediction of the trailing part of the waveform. Overall, our results independently verify energy deposition estimates deduced from optical observations.


Plant communities respond sensitively to urban sprawl and are therefore considered as indicators for human-induced changes in habitats and landscapes. Ecological effects of urbanization on local plant diversity have been studied in various regions. However, these processes are poorly understood in rapidly growing cities in Western Siberia. In the city of Pavlodar in Kazakhstan, Western Siberia, recent anthropogenic degradation of the original ecosystems occurred as a result of enforced land-use changes (Virgin Land Campaign by the former Soviet Union) and expanding urbanization (from a few thousands to 355,000 inhabitants in 2015). The impacts of these changes on plant diversity may differ between the city core, the suburban zone and rural surroundings. One effect is the spread of alien plant species, which in turn profoundly influence native vegetation. This thesis consists of three studies conducted to investigate the consequences of urbanization for local plant communities in the region of Pavlodar. I considered species richness of native and alien plants, species composition and plant species characteristics (mainly frequencies of different plant life forms) in relation to different urban impacts.
The aim of the first study was to examine changes in plant species composition and abundance along an urban-rural gradient. Plant diversity and abundance as well as the percentage of alien species were recorded in plots on four 20-km long transect lines running from the city centre to the rural surroundings. Various habitat and landscape characteristics were assessed along the transect lines to describe the urban-rural gradient. The results showed that plant diversity increased with increasing distance to the city centre, which contrasts diversity patterns reported from European cities. The percentage of alien species decreased from 45% in the city centre to 23% in the rural surroundings. Local plant species richness, community structure and plant traits were partly influenced by habitat and landscape characteristics, which in turn were altered by recent land-use change.
Vehicles are an important vector for the dispersal of alien plants. Roads with high traffic densities in urban regions may facilitate the invasion of alien plants. The aim of the second project was to examine the effects of road type and distance to the city centre on native and alien plant species in both the aboveground vegetation and soil seed bank of road verges in the surroundings of Pavlodar. I investigated roadside vegetation at 12 sites along roads with two different traffic densities (national and local roads) and at two distances to the city centre (city edge and rural surrounding). At the same sites, the soil seed bank was also examined using the seedling-emergency method. I demonstrated that the type of road and distance to the city centre influence the proportion of alien species in the aboveground vegetation. In the soil seed bank, seed species richness was affected by the distance to the city, while measures of alien seed diversity were affected by both the type of road and distance to the city. The increase of alien plant species along national roads and at the edge of the city could be explained by the propagule transportation through vehicles as well as by specific conditions in the roadside verges. Analysis of plant species composition indicates a delayed response of the soil seed bank to the establishment of alien species. Furthermore, the frequencies of different plant life forms differed between the two road types and were influenced by the distance to the city.
Within the expanding area of the city, new forests were planted for wind protection and to damp extreme climatic conditions between 1960 and 1970. Nowadays, urban forests no longer properly managed, and the increasing needs of people for recreation have to be fulfilled by visiting floodplain forests in the suburban zone. The third study aimed to assess the frequency of forest visitors, their characteristics and activities, and to quantify the effects of recreation disturbance (trampling, damage to ground vegetation and damage to trees and shrubs) and other human-mediated disturbance (waste deposits, soil disturbance, removal of leaf litter layer and ground fire) on the vegetation and plant characteristics of urban and suburban forests in Pavlodar. In urban forests, total plant species richness was reduced by recreation disturbance. In suburban forests, recreation disturbance and other human-mediated disturbance enhanced the colonization success of alien plants. Plant life forms were affected to a different extent by recreation disturbance and other human-mediated disturbances in urban and suburban forests.
To my knowledge, the results of this thesis provide the first evidence on effects of urbanization processes on the biodiversity in Western Siberia. Adequate management actions are required to prevent further degradation of original ecosystems in this Western Siberian city. These findings may contribute that aspects of human well-being and nature are better considered in future planning processes in this region.


ABSTRACT A novel type of denitrifying bacterium (strain HxN1) with the capacity to oxidize n-alkanes anaerobically with nitrate as the electron acceptor to CO2 formed (1-methylpentyl)succinate (MPS) during growth on n-hexane as the only organic substrate under strict exclusion of air. Identification of MPS by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was based on comparison with a synthetic standard. MPS was not formed during anaerobic growth on n-hexanoate. Anaerobic growth with [1-13C]n-hexane ord14-n-hexane led to a 1-methylpentyl side chain in MPS with one 13C atom or 13 deuterium atoms, respectively. This indicates that the 1-methylpentyl side chain originates directly from n-hexane. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed the presence of an organic radical in n-hexane-grown cells but not inn-hexanoate-grown cells. Results point at a mechanistic similarity between the anaerobic initial reaction ofn-hexane and that of toluene, even thoughn-hexane is much less reactive; the described initial reaction of toluene in anaerobic bacteria is an addition to fumarate via a radical mechanism yielding benzylsuccinate. We conclude thatn-hexane is activated at its second carbon atom by a radical reaction and presumably added to fumarate as a cosubstrate, yielding MPS as the first stable product. When 2,3-d2-fumarate was added to cultures growing on unlabeled n-hexane, 3-d1-MPS rather than 2,3-d2-MPS was detected, indicating loss of one deuterium atom by an as yet unknown mechanism.


We investigate the current noise autocorrelations and cross correlations through two interacting quantum dots coupled to four external leads. The results indicate sign reversal of the cross correlation in different tunneling regions, respect to competing or supporting processes. By adjusting the dot-lead coupling in one dot, shot noise in another system can be modulated from sub- to super-Poissonian in the Coulomb blockade regime. Furthermore, spin injection can induce super-Poissonian shot noises in both dots due to the corporation of spin blockade and Coulomb blockade.


After the establishment of Guizhou province in Ming Dynasty,it had given impetus to the policies of imperial examination system, promoted the development of national education,ameliorated the population quality, as the authorities enhcnced the chicftainship education, initiated various schools, developed academic culture of classical learnuing. Therefore the nationality cultural level had been improved,and that had supplied a better human resources to the large scale development in Guizhou ethnic areas.


Manned space operations require that the many automated subsystems of a space platform be controllable by a limited number of personnel. To minimize the interaction required of these operators, artificial intelligence techniques may be applied to embed a human performance model within the automated, or semi-automated, systems, thereby allowing the derivation of operator intent. A similar application has previously been proposed in the domain of fighter piloting, where the demand for pilot intent derivation is primarily a function of limited time and high workload rather than limited operators. The derivation and propogation of pilot intent is presented as it might be applied to the Darpa/AFWAL "Pilots Associate" or AAMRL "Super Cockpit" programs.


The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of vermiculite-based feed additives used in fattening pigs on the concentrations of nitrogen compounds in manure and atmosphere and upon measures of pig production efficiency. The trial was conducted in a fattening unit representative of Italian commercial units. The pigs were routinely fed twice a day with a feed ration identical for all the pigs except for the addition of the vermiculite additive (group A). During the fattening period, the evolution of atmospheric ammonia concentration, total nitrogen, ammonia and nitrates of slurry and pigs live weight gain were evaluated. The inclusion at very low dosage of vermiculite-based feed additives in fattening pigs increased the nitrification activity in the treated slurry. No reduction of the ammonia emission was obtained. The average growth rate of the treated group was higher, whilst the feed conversion rate was similar in both groups.


The application process for flexible training is often perceived as being complex. This article looks at flexible trainees' views on the application process. Although there is general satisfaction, suggested improvements are discussed.


The influence of alloying elements (0.43Cr, 0.75Cr and 0.39Cr + 0.25Cu) and microstructure on the corrosion behaviour in both hot rolled as well as in quenched and tempered conditions was studied through polarization testin the Tafel region, time-potential measurement and weight gain measurement. All these tests revealed the superiority of 0.39 Cr + 0.25 Cu alloyed steel over others in hot rolled condition (ferrite + pearlite microstructure) and of the 0.43Cr steel in the quenched and tempered condition (tempered martensite microstructure). In general, tempered martensite microstructure resulted in more negative corrosion potential. However, the potential was found to decrease continuously towards the more negative side following a logarithmic behaviour for all the alloys and microstructure showing continued corrosion process in 3.5% NaCI solution. X-ray analysis of oxide formed on the surface of the steel after corrosion revealed it to be a mixture of Fe 3 O 4 , β-FeOOH and γ-FeOOH. However, scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis revealed the presence of Cr in the inner oxide layer, making it more compact / dense as compared to the outer oxide layer where no Cr was observed. A depth profile study carried out by Auger electron spectroscopy also revealed the presence of Cr in the oxide.


This research paper is inspired from an interesting result relating to fixed point theory of complete metric space. The fixed point theorem by Suzuki characterizes the metric completeness of the underlying space. Suzuki in his further work along with Kikkawa also proved a Kannan version of the same theorem. In this research paper we have proved another Kannan version of the Suzuki theorem.


Accoding to multi-criterion decision-making problems with incomplete certain information of the weights on criterions and normal distribution evaluations of alternatives on criterions,a new method based on interval operation is proposed.Firstly,the normal distribution evaluations of alternatives on criterions are transformed into interval numbers.Secondly,a linear programming model with interval parameters is constructed based on maximal deviations and incomplete certain information of the weights on criterions.Then,the optimal form of the front model is worked out in order to get the optimal weight vector.Thirdly,a weighted normalized interval decision-making matrix is given.And then,the ranking with possibility degree of alternatives appears with the help of the interval distances between alternatives and ideal interval point.Finally,an example is given to prove the feasibility and availability of the method.


The public sphere and its evolution - Jurgen Habermas. The digital age - digital public sphere. Analytical example - Britain's 2010 general election.


Dr Nagendra Nath De is an important figure in the history of Indian Psychiatry though little is known about him. Even before reading this article I am sure many of us only knew a single phrase 'first editor' of Indian Journal of Psychiatry' about him. I have tried to highlight many untold contributions of Dr De.


............................................................................................................................. iii DECLARATION ....................................................................................................................... v DEDICATION .......................................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................... vii TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................... viii LIST OF APPENDICES ........................................................................................................ xiv LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................. xv LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................. xvi ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................................. xvii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1 1.Introduction to the chapter ...................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Background.................................................................................................................. 1 1.2. Problem Statement....................................................................................................... 5 1.3. Research Questions ..................................................................................................... 7 1.4. Study Aim .................................................................................................................... 7 1.5. Study Objectives .......................................................................................................... 7 1.6. Definition of terms ...................................................................................................... 7 1.7. Outline of chapters in the study ................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................... 10 2.Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 10 2.1. Prevalence, burden, risk factors and education of stroke ......................................... 10 2.2. The International Classification of Functioning and Disability (ICF) ...................... 11 2.2.1. Impairments post stroke ..................................................................................... 12 2.2.2. Activity limitations post stroke .......................................................................... 13


Abstract Many soils in the southeastern United States have high levels of available P. Long‐term field studies were conducted to determine the amount of phosphorus (P) that could be supplied before corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] responded to P fertilization and changes that occurred in soil test P. The soils were a Norfolk loamy sand (fine‐loamy, siliceous, thermic Typic Kandiudult), Lynchburg loamy fine sand (fine‐loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Aeric Paleaquult), and a Davidson clay loam (clayey, kaolintic, thermic Rhodic Kandiudult). Phosphorus as concentrated superphosphate was broadcast annually at rates of 0, 10, 20, and 40 kg P ha‐1. Response to P was obtained the 13th year of the study on the Davidson and the 14th year on the Norfolk. No response was obtained on the Lynchburg which had the highest level of available P. The Davidson soil supplied 130 kg P ha‐1 and the Norfolk 204 kg P ha‐1 before a response was obtained. The Lynchburg supplied 178 kg P ha‐1 during the...


The budget management is playing an important role in the hospital management.But there are many problems in the budget management in public hospitals,such as attaching little importance to the budget management,the imperfect system of the budget management and insufficient budget's range.The new Hospital Financial System has been published recently.Establishing overall budget management and perfecting the system of budget management are proposed.In order to promote the budget management,the hospital may take measures to control budgetary slack,establish the organization of budget management and train financial staff.


Summary This paper questions the narrative widely used in historical research that from the time after the Fourth Lateran Council (1215), the canonical punishment of sodomy was tightened and sodomy was ultimately persecuted as heresy. Particular attention is paid to the ecclesiastical prosecution of heresy in the pontificate of Gregory IX in comparison to the treatment of the offence at the Lateran Councils of 1179 and 1215 as well as in the confession summa of Raymund of Peñafort. Due to the opposing presentations of the issue by Raymund and Gregory, this essay also contributes to the question of the relationship between the Pope and the compiler of the Liber Extra.


Abstract The temporal dark‐ and bright‐image sticking phenomena were examined relative to the He contents under 11% Xe content in the 50‐in HD and FHD AC‐PDPs with a ternary gas mixture (Xe‐He‐Ne). To compare the temporal dark‐ and bright‐image sticking phenomena under various He contents, the differences in the disappearing time, display luminance, perceived luminance, infrared emission, color coordinate, color temperature, and discharge current before and after discharge were measured under 0, 35, 50, and 70% He contents. It was found that temporal dark‐ and bright‐image sticking were reduced in proportion to the increase in He %. Thus, a high He content contributes to the reduction of temporal dark‐ and bright‐image sticking.


The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for ophthalmic devices for examining the eye fundus by means of an optical system and electronic sensors for image acquisition. The focusing device according to the invention for ophthalmic devices according to the "non Mydriatic" principle consists of at least one focusing (1) in the infrared spectral range on a surface in the eye projected projection unit (3) and a focusing unit (4), each along the optical axis (5) are displaceable. The shift by electronically controllable adjusting elements takes place simultaneously or separately, in accordance with the relevant provisions of an existing control unit. With the inventive solution, the necessary synchronism between the projection unit and a focusing unit can be easily ensured. It can be not only the profiles of the adjustment paths over the entire focusing range optimally adapt, but also to compensate in a simple way, the tolerances of the optics assemblies from unit to unit individually.


In recent era, smart phones and Personal digital assistants (PDAs), has become increasingly influential in the field of teaching-learning methodologies. Mobile-based learning, as a combination of Mobile Computing and E-Learning, offers a variety of learning resources that can be utilized anywhere, anytime, low cost and has the potential of effective learning and performance based assessment through an excellent search based system. In this paper, we propose an android based learning app for a regional language called Kokborok, which is a native language of Tripura. With the help of this app named Rwngmari, one can easily learn the language, upgrade vocabulary, make small conversations and analyse performance based on conducted quiz. The main objective of this paper is about the Android Application that provides basic learning about the language, common basic words, basic communication sentences and ability to search words.


Objective To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of nedaplatin and 5-fluorouracil induction chemotherapy plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT) in the treatment of locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Methods Total seventy patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma were randomized into the trial group(n=35)and the control group(n=35).The trial group treated with 2 cycles of induction chemotherapy with nedaplatin(80 mg/m2 iv,d1) and 5-fluorouracil(500 mg/m2 iv,d1-d5) followed by 3 cycles of nedaplatin(80 mg/m2 iv,d1,d22 and d43) and radiotherapy.The control group treated with 3 cycles of cisplatin(100 mg/m2 d1,d22 and d43) and radiotherapy followed by 2 cycles adjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin(80mg/m2 iv,d1) and 5-fluorouracil(500mg/m2 iv,d1-d5).For two groups,the same radiation technique was given with conventional radiotherapy;nasopharyngeal lesions were given a total amount of 68-74Gy,2Gy/f,5 fractions weekly.Results Thirty-four patients in the trial group and thirty-five patients in control group were evaluable for treatment response.The overall response rates(CR+PR)were 100.0%(CR in 88.2%) and 100.0%(CR in 88.6%),respectively in the trial group and in the control group.There was no significant difference(P0.05) between two groups.The 2-year survival rate were 94.1% and 91.4% in two groups(P0.05).There was a high rate of neutropenia(70.6%) during induction chemotherapy in the trial group.No significant differences in neutropenia were observed between the trial group during induction chemotherapy and the control group durning adjuvant chemotherapy(P0.05).The rates of nausea and vomiting in the control group durning adjuvant chemotherapy were higher significantly than those in the trial group during induction chemotherapy(P0.01).More thrombocytopenia occurred in the trial group than in the control group(52.9% vs.14.3%,P0.01)durning CCRT,whereas more patients in the control group suffered from nausea and vomiting than in the trial group(P0.01).Mucositis and skin desquamation occurred in 100.0% of patients in two groups durning CCRT.There were no treatment-related deaths during this study.Conclusion Nedaplatin and 5-fluorouracil induction chemotharapy plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy is effective and tolerable in the treatment of locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Long-term therapeutic effects of this treatment need further observation.


Five range aspects were selected and three doses of N (0, 50, 100 kg ha -1 ), two doses of P fertilizers (0, 50 kg ha -1 ), as in combination, were used in this study to determine t he effects of fertilization on dry matter yield and forage quality. The study carried out on the Palandoken Mountain rangeland, in Erzurum, in 2004 and 2005 years. Dry matter yield increased by the effects of fertilization and the h ighest value was in N 2P1 treatment plots whereas the lowest was in control plots. The crude protein (CP) contents from fertilizer applications (N, P and N + P) were highe r than that of the plots without fertilization. While the north as pect had the highest CP content, the south revealed lowest in terms of average of the study years. The highest acid det ergent fiber (ADF) content was found to be in south and the lowest in west. ADF content decreased with fertilization a nd there were significant differences between ferti lization and aspects. North aspect had higher and west aspect lo wer neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents than those found in other aspects. But the NDF content had no significa nt difference from north, south and east aspects. N and N+P fertilizations had a significant difference from co ntrol and N0P1 treatment plots in the respect of NDF content. Fertilization increased total digestible nutrient o f forages. The highest TDN was in west aspect, the lo west was in south aspect. According to the results of the study 100 k g ha -1 fertilizer can be recommended to increase dry matt er and


Given mathematics model and boundary conditions of the structure optimization for ultra-supercritical bypass valve (UBV) in operation. FEM results showed that 10 design variables and 178 sampling points are chosen for iteration, and the relationship between maximum equivalent stress and structure parameters are obtained by sensitivity analysis. By using Monte-Carlo method, the quantity of optimized sampling point can be reduced by 17% and calculation time is reduced clearly. The higher sensitivity parameters affecting target function are found by contrasting response degree, and improving the parameters directly is the way that enhances intensity of the UBV. Base on the sensitivity analysis, the linearized equivalent stress of weak place in the UBV can be reduced by 44% with the safety performance enhanced.


Abstract
The history of childhood cancer treatment is one of the major success stories of the second part of the 20th century, where cure rate improved from no survival in 1950 to more than 70% in the present day. This cure rate is due to the development of dedicated paediatric oncology units, prospective clinical trials, and improved supportive care. The challenges for the 21st century include finding therapies that will cure the other 30% of children and reduce the complications of treatment. At the same time only about 20% of the world's children has access to this specialized care and a major focus area is how to ensure improved access to these treatment modalities for the other 80% of the world's children.


In large scale socialization examination and network education,the development of teaching appraisement campaign enlarges increasingly for the demand of CAA.The article start from the question which exists from the current computer application skill evaluation embarks,through the skill question solution model analysis,proposed computer application skill evaluation some strategies based on knowledge space theory.


Vehicular Adhoc NETworks (VANETs) have the high potential in commercial value and application prospect. For VANET have some specific security requirements so the routing protocols and security schemes in ad hoc networks not adapt to VANETs. As the vehicle move very quickly, hence it's necessary to a new security scheme for VANETs. In this paper we discuss the necessary requirements for security and safety in VANETs. We give detail taxonomy of security in VANET. Also describe the privacy and authenticity issue of vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure and defined the problems of protecting privacy in VANET.


This article identifies and describes key aspects of two movements that sought to empower local democracy in Catalonia from 2008 to 2010 and they are useful to understand the political process leading to the informal referendum on independence held on 9 November 2014. First, it analyses the institutional actions of the Catalan government to promote local democracy in 2008. Second, it focuses on the organizational processes of the local referenda on Catalan independence held in 2010, conducted exclusively by self-organized and ideologically oriented citizens in each locality. In 2008, there were 874 instruments created by local governments to promote the participatory process, while from 2009 to 2010 more than 500 localities held local referenda on independence. Both movements are extensive enough to be interpreted as an important turning point in recent Catalan history. This article


The invention discloses a processing method of pork thin slices and aims at providing pork thin slices which are suitable for making soup and smooth and tender in taste. The technical scheme adopted by the invention is as follows: pork is subjected to slicing, beating, immersing, packaging and freezing process steps for processing. The processing method of the pork thin slices, disclosed by the invention, is operated according to the following steps of: (1) selecting fresh pork, cutting into pork thin slices, and keeping the thickness of the pork thin slices at 2-5mm; (2) beating the pork thin slices; (3) preparing a sweet potato starch mixed solution; (4) placing the pork thin slices after beating in the sweet potato starch mixed solution for soaking; (5) draining the pork thin slices after soaking; (6) sealing and packaging the drained pork thin slices in a food bag; and (7) freezing the pork thin slices which are frozen and sealed, and controlling the freezing temperature at minus 10 DEG C-minus 20 DEG C. The technical scheme adopted by the invention is simple and convenient to operate; and the use of the pork thin slices for processing the soup with the pork thin slices is convenient, and the taste of the pork thin slices is smooth and tender after the pork thin slices are cooked.


Recent progress in the field of single‐ and two‐photon nanofabrication, both 2‐ and 3‐dimensional, in photopolymerizable resins and in films of photoisomerizable azopolymers are reviewed. The basic processes as well as technological advances and applications of nanofabrication by light are discussed. Recent advances and achievements in polymer photomechanics and light‐activated molecular movement in azopolymers are also reviewed.


The arbitrary matching to sample procedure is widely used to teach conditional relations between stimuli: In the presence of a sample stimulus, the student learns to select a particular comparison stimulus from an array of two or more stimuli. Such procedures are used not only in basic laboratory studies (e.g., Sidman & Tailby, 1982) but also in special education, e.g. in "fixed trial" training procedures used with children with autism (Maurice, Green, & Luce, 1996). Research has shown that many children with developmental disabilities have considerable difficulties in learning elementary discrimination performances and may need special procedures to do so (e.g., Schilmoeller, Schilmoeller, Etzel, & LeBlanc, 1979; Dube, Iennaco, & McIlvane, 1993; McIlvane, Kledaras, Iennaco, & Stoddard, 1990; Saunders & Spradlin, 1989; Zygmont, Lazar, Dube, & McIlvane, 1992). One such procedure is "learning by exclusion" (Dixon, 1977; McIlvane & Stoddard, 1981).

The exclusion procedure uses a defined comparison stimulus as a prompt to teach a relation between an undefined sample and an undefined comparison. The undefined comparison stimulus is displayed together with the one already defined, and the undefined sample is presented. The term defined is used to designate stimuli that have already been related to a sample or comparison in the participant's matching-to-sample history (i.e., defined within the operative reinforcement contingencies). The term undefined is used to designate stimuli that do not yet have such a history. Human participants virtually always respond to the undefined comparison in the presence of the undefined sample, and that experience often results in very rapid learning. For example, if the sample is a dictated name, a small number of trials (even one) may be sufficient to teach the participant to produce the dictated word as a name for the comparison stimulus (de Rose, de Souza, & Hanna, 1996; Ferrari, de Rose, & McIlvane, 1993; McIlvane, Bass, O'Brien, Gerovac, & Stoddard, 1984).

The conditions under which exclusion produces learning of new conditional and naming relations are incompletely understood and few studies have endeavored to assess the relative advantages of the procedure. Ferrari et al. (1993) compared learning by exclusion with trial-and-error learning in otherwise typically developing children that had histories of persistent school failure; they showed that exclusion produced faster and more reliable learning of new conditional discriminations and new naming relations. The superiority of the exclusion procedure in that study was all the more impressive because the investigators had sought to teach four new conditional relations simultaneously in each conditional discrimination problem; this procedural feature permitted a direct assessment of the relative contribution of exclusion per se as distinct from other variables that are inherent in trial-and-error procedures (e.g., the need to introduce more than one new relation at a time; see Ferrari et al. 1993 for further details).

As yet, there has not been a successful comparison of exclusion and trial-and-error procedures in children with intellectual disabilities. Cameron, Stoddard and McIlvane (1993) implemented a design similar to that of Ferrari et al. (1993) using children with autism and severe intellectual disabilities. Although all of the children showed perfect exclusion, learning outcomes were poor with both procedures, likely due to introducing too many new conditional relations simultaneously (cf. Wilkinson & Albert, 2001). The present study implemented a design similar to that of Ferrari et al. (1993) with two children with Down Syndrome. These children were higher functioning than those of Cameron et al. (1993), and it was hoped that floor effects could be avoided. The design also allowed certain other procedural comparisons that had not been accomplished in the earlier studies.


Almost fifty years ago, on June 12 and 13, 1953, the German Society for American Studies (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Amerikastudien, DGfA) was launched. With the founding act of Marburg, a new chapter was opened in the varied history of German research on the United States. For the first time, Germans specializing in American Studies joined together in an organized representation of interests, creating an interdisciplinary association exclusively dedicated to the study of American civilization, with elected officers, its own conferences and annual meetings, as well as its own scientific periodical, the Jahrbuch für Amerikastudien (Yearbook of American Studies). In this endeavor, German scholars of America were not alone. They could count on the energetic support of American organizations, especially the American High Commission to Germany (HICOG), which assigned the cultivation and institutionalization of American Studies at German universities a very high political priority within its policies of higher education. In this respect, the founding of the DGfA shows a strong American influence. It was an integral part of the American reorientation efforts geared toward West Germany after World War II. In this sense, like political science, the study of America was meant to be a "democratizing science." Simultaneously, the DGfA was a product of the Cold War since the study of America was seen as a supporting measure in the competition of the West with the Soviet Union and its allies. In light of the transatlantic connection of the DGfA's establishment, it is easy to overlook that there was a study of America in Germany prior to the founding of the DGfA. Unlike German political science, which only existed in rudimentary form before 1945, American Studies in Germany were rooted in prewar developments, both in terms of personnel and content. Whereas postwar political science recruited its members from the émigré scholars who had been forced to flee Nazi Germany and developed relatively free of National Socialist connotations, the history of West German American Studies presents a more complex picture. Like most disciplines in the humanities and social sciences in Germany, the study of American and English literature, whose representatives dominated the DGfA since 1953, showed a high degree of personal and intellectual continuity with the time before 1945.


Previous Positions: Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Valdosta State University, 2006-2011 Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Valdosta State University, 2002-2006 Promoted to Associate in Summer 2006. Tenured in Summer 2007. Promoted to Full Professor 2011. Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Allegheny College 2001-2002 Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Kent State University 2000-2001


Objective To investigate the effect of medial distal tibial plate in the treatment of distal tibial fracture.Methods 60 cases of distal tibial fractures were undergone distal medial tibial plate fixation,and regular early rehabilitation was trained.Results 58cases were followed up for 6~36 months.Fractures got union in 3~17 months.According to the criteria of Tormetta,there are 38 excellent,15 good,3 fair and 2 poor.The excellent and good rate was 91.4%.Conclusions The medial distal tibial plate combined by earty rehabilitation is effective in the treatment of distal tibial fractures with ideal restoration of limb function.


I. Relationship Between Red Cell Metabolism and Function.- Session 1 - A. Chanutin, Chairman.- Binding of Organic Phosphates to Hemoglobin A and Hemoglobin F.- Effect of Glutathione and Some Other Substances on the Oxygen Dissociation Curve of Hemoglobin and Experimental Therapy of Hemmorrhagic Shock with Solutions Enriched with Glutathione.- Variation in 2, 3-Diphosphoglycerate and ATP Levels in Human Erythrocytes and Effects on Oxygen Transport.- Binding of 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate (DPG) to Oxyhemoglobin Levels and Effect of DPG on Oxygen Affinity of Normal and Abnormal Blood.- Session 2 - C.-H. deVerdier, Chairman.- Dependence of Oxyhemoglobin Dissociation and Intraerythrocytic 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate on Acid-Base Status of Blood I. In vitro Studies of Reduced and Oxygenated Blood.- II. Clinical and Experimental Studies.- Erythrocyte Glycolytic Intermediates and Cofactors Correlated with the Haemoglobin Concentration in Human Neonates and Adults.- Studies of Red Cell Glycolysis and Interactions with Carbon Monoxide, Smoking, and Altitude.- II. Metabolic Control Mechanisms in the Red Cell.- Session 3 - A. Chanutin, Chairman.- General Features of Metabolic Control as Applied to the Erythrocyte.- The Enzymes 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate Metabolism in the Human Red Cell.- Metabolism of 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate in Red Blood Cells Under Various Experimental Conditions.- III. Interaction of the Cardiac, Pulmonary, and Erythrocyte Systems in Respiratory Homeostasis.- Session 4 - R. Grover, Chairman.- The Respiratory Function of the Blood.- Systemic Oxygen Transport.- Adaptation to Hypoxia.- Adaptation of the Red Blood Cell to Muscular Exercise.- A Comparison of Mechanisms of Oxygen Transport Among Several Mammalian Species.- IV. Erythrocyte Function after Blood Storage.- Session 5 - G. Bartlett, Chairman.- Patterns of Phosphate Compounds in Red Blood Cells of Man and Animals.- Biological Alterations Occurring During Red Cell Preservation.- The Prediction of Poststorage Red Cell Viability from ATP Levels.- Application of a Mechanized Method for the Determination of Different Glycolytic Intermediates in the Routine Quality Control of Red Cells.- Red Cell 2,3-DPG, ATP, and Creatine Levels in Preserved Cells and in Patients with Red Cell Mass Deficits or with Cardiopulmonary Insufficiency.- The Hemoglobin Function of Blood Stored at 4 C.- Appendix - Discussion of Papers in Order of Presentation.


This paper aims to assess the real economic convergence among eight Balkan countries except Slovenia, with three of them being European Union(EU) members, and among the thirteen newest member countries of the EU. The convergence is analysed in view of income convergence, in terms of beta (β) and sigma (σ) convergence to estimate the tendency of disparities on income per capita among the countries under review in the study. The methodology used employs the classical model of economic growth, referring to Solow and further researches elaborated in late 1980s and early 1990s by Barro and Sala-i-Martin. The main findings are summarized as follows: 1) the Balkan countries have converged among themselves and toward EU. The new EU member states have also experienced convergence of their income among them and with the EU; 2) the speed of convergence has been higher in those countries that have started with the lowest levels of GDP per capita. The speed of convergence has diminished in the late 2000s demonstrating the impact of the global financial and economic crisis; 3) the estimated time gap of Albania to converge with the poorest members of EU and EU itself is considerable, thus more efforts and reforms have to be dedicated to Albania to promote economic development and accelerate the speed of convergence.


The global health burden due to glaucoma is large and growing. In response to this important trend, for the next several years, the journal is committed to making discoveries and innovations in the clinical management of glaucoma a high priority. As part of this effort, the journal is dedicating this and future feature issues to the topic of glaucoma for the next several years. This feature issue will focus on research related to intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucoma, a very broad and active field of investigation. The link between elevated IOP and glaucoma is so well established that it has been characterized as a causative disease factor. Moreover, lowering IOP remains the primary target for glaucoma therapy. Optometry and Vision Science believes that it is timely to bring ongoing research efforts to publication in a feature theme issue that informs and advances thinking on this topic for researchers and clinicians alike. I am especially pleased to recognize the contributions of our guest editors who contributed to this feature issue. Dr. Mick was appointed as an Associate Editor for Optometry and Vision Science in January 2017.He is a graduate of UCBerkeley School of Optometry and practices at The San Francisco Veterans


in numerical numbers as Web 2.0 in a modifiable and compressible format. The emergence of digital technology, powered by the internet up a Abstract The ubiquitous digital media technologies in this information age has entrenched a digital culture in our world today. Indeed, digital media have become increasingly more affordable and accessible to users all over the world that the global culture has become more homogeneous than McLuhan ever envisioned in his global village postulation. The obvious implication of this development is a palpable threat to intercultural communication and the indigenous communication patterns of the developing countries of the world, like Nigeria, whose cultures are obviously at the receiving end of the emerging trends in globalization. This paper interrogates the threat of digital culture on indigenous communication with a critical appraisal of emerging trends in the global platforms. Anchored on Technological Determinism and Cultural Imperialism theories, the paper adopted Critical Qualitative Research method to analyze the major benefits and challenges that digital culture throws at indigenous communication in Nigeria. The paper found that much as the digital media have changed global communication pattern with a lot of opportunities for nations of the world to interact more freely; digital culture is striking a heavy blow on the indigenous cultures of indigenous communities in developing countries who are not only caught up in the challenge of digital divide, slow adaptation of technology and other factors that are still keeping their indigenous communication channels at the periphery. The paper recommends that since indigenous communication channels cannot develop at the same rate with the Western media, indigenous communities in the developing nations should preserve and promote their indigenous communication so as to maintain their cultural identity in the face of the globalizing trend of the digital culture.


The National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) and the nonprofit International SeaKeepers Society have adapted the SeaKeepers Ocean Sensor Module (OSM) to NDBC platforms and data collection systems. The reason for this effort was to develop a low maintenance system for oceanographic data collection and transmission from remote platforms. The OSM has been integrated into a 3-meter buoy and underwent nine months of dockside testing for performance and durability of the electronics and antifoulant system and to verify the quality of the data. It was deployed in the Gulf of Mexico near buoy station 42007 for verification of that station's meteorological data. Test results have shown that the OSM and antifoulant system performed well in remote, harsh conditions. The results are presented in this paper.


An overview of the worldwide known additives made in the Specialty Products Business Group, Bayer AG, currently used to improve the polymer properties in many fileds of the application, is presented. Special attention is given to the modern trends of the research and development in the context increasingly sticht environmental protection laws.


The access control list controls the access between internal and external networks through a pre-established sequence of commands, and is widely used in the environment of internal and external network isolation. Two different types of network topologies was designed by using the Packet Tracer and GNS 3 software. Through device configuration and further application of access control lists, the purpose of isolation between internal and external networks was achieved. By analyzing the function mechanism of the access control list in the isolated intranet and extranet networks, the further deepen of the understanding and mastery of the access control list technology was achieved, and at the same time, it has certain reference significance for the isolation of large-scale campus networks.


Usability is the most important feature of a computer program from the users point of view. Even if various techniques for evaluating usability have been proposed, formal methods are still lacking. A good indication of program usability is given by the agreement between the mental model of the system, as conceived by the user, and the model of the user, as understood by the designer and implemented in the system. We extend here the visual sentence theory we have developed in the last few years by introducing the concept of relation system. This provides a means for describing both the user's and the program's models. Based on this formalism, we can also define some measurable properties for usability, and develop experimental protocols for their measurement.


Background Clinical remission is today the treatment goal for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), which requires fast and assertive therapeutic decisions for a tight control of disease activity. Few objective parameters are available to guide clinical decisions, namely in switcher patients. We designed a preliminary algorithm introducing immunogenicity assessment in the current approach to RA patients receiving biotechnologic therapies. Objectives To evaluate the concordance between the new algorithm and current clinical practice, comparing the effectiveness of "immunogenicity-based" versus "empirical-based" switches in a cohort of patients with established RA receiving biologics. Methods EULAR therapeutic response was evaluated in 105 RA patients (naive or switchers) over one year, through GEE analysis. Serum drug trough levels were assessed by ELISA and anti-drug antibodies (ADA) by Bridging ELISA. Results During follow-up, 48.6% of patients (Group A) had concordant therapeutic decisions. One year after the therapeutic decision, patients from Group A had a higher probability of achieving response (OR=7.91, p<0.001, 95%CI=3.27-19.13) and low disease activity (OR=9.77, p<0.001, 95%CI=4.69-20.37). Image/graph Conclusions Immunogenicity assessment might help to optimize therapeutic decisions, leading to a better control of disease activity with significant better clinical outcomes in RA patients receiving biotechnologic therapies. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


In wireless networks, cooperative relaying could improve throughput by exploiting diversity. In order to reduce the amount of feedback for the channel gain, a semi-distributed scheme based on the relay feasible condition is proposed. Each relay node can measure its backward and forward channel gains. If both the channel gains are larger than a pre-defined threshold, this relay node is feasible. The final decision on the best relay selection is still given by the base station. Besides, the switch-and-examine relay selection scheme, which selects the first feasible relay node, is also investigated. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the advantage of two proposed schemes.