Dear Editor,

We read with much interest the recently published article, "Effects of Raloxifene on Bone Metabolism in Hemodialysis Patients With Type 2 Diabetes," by Saito et al (1). First, we would like to congratulate the authors. We wish to share a few scientific facts related to this interesting article.

It was a pleasure to inform from this article that no difference was observed in BMD (bone mineral density) changes between patients with diabetes and nondiabetics after using raloxifene one year long.

We have previously shown that the effects of low dose HRT and raloxifene on BMD at the lumbar spine and hip sites and biochemical markers of bone turnover in a randomized trial (2). In our study, the bone mineral density measurements with dual energy Xray absorptiometry (DEXA) method is accepted by the WHO as the gold standard for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Satoi et al. proposed the SOS value has been shown to be significantly and positively correlated with lumbar BMD in the general population using methods such as DEXA in Patients and Methods section (1, 3). Quantitative calcaneal ultrasound has several potential advantages, including relatively low cost, no need for ionizing radiation, compact size, and ease of use. These advantages would make Quantitative calcaneal ultrasound an ideal screening tool if it can be shown to be an accurate indicator of skeletal density and fracture risk (4). The BMD measurement is accepted by the WHO as the gold standard for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. In another study, we have found a poor to moderate correlation between Quantitative ultrasound parameters (BUA, SOS, SI) and femoral and spinal BMD in pre and postmenopausal women (5). Tuna et al also reported, that the diagnostic value of tibial SOS did not seem to be high for discriminating between normal and low BMD at the femur and lumbar spine in postmenopausal women (6).

I think that their results would be more precise if the authors' preferred DEXA in spite of the measurement of calcaneal quantitative ultrasound parameters (SOS).

We appreciate the authors and editor for publishing an important clinical article that may be beneficial to clinicians.


I regret that Sherman has not understood my paper, of which he is so critical, because I believe the issues that I have raised are significant and deserve serious attention. Let me attempt to rescue matters from partisan polemics. My purpose was not to "attack socialism" or "state the conservative argument" but to give an intellectual history of socialism's definition-or lack of it-within a context of what others have called the "socialist debate." In place of socialism by semantics, which is, as Sherman euphemistically puts it, "a bit ambiguous on the organizational arrangements," I employ a consistent organizational taxonomy. It is precisely the organizational ambiguity that Sherman acknowledges which is responsible for the failure of the "socialist debate" and the obscuration in the West of Marxian socialism, Soviet economic history, and the ideological content of planning in the Soviet Union (see Roberts 1971). The socialism toward which Mises addressed his arguments called for the abolition of markets. The socialism with which Mises was answered works through markets. My paper tries to account for how the participants in the "socialist debate" redefined the organizational content of socialism without consciously realizing it. It makes no difference to my argument, or to a Marxian one, whether the redefined organizational content of socialism is real markets or simulated markets. If it is the latter, it is a more abstract form of "commodity production" and the veil becomes thicker. Marx (1964, p. 118) seems to have referred to what Sherman would consider market socialism as society "conceived as an abstract capitalist." Perhaps Sherman's idea that I have attacked socialism is elucidated by his assertion that I have done the debate on socialism a disservice by focusing on taxonomic issues. By showing that the outcome of the debate was to make socialism organizationally synonymous with capitalism, I have not attacked socialism, but stripped away the illusion of it that has been fostered by a jargon that allows the planning passion to be satisfied in vocabulary. As I wrote in my review (Roberts 1972, p. 198) of Ellman's book (which Sherman alleges I ignore), "the socialist economic revolution


The inhibitory effect of iodide on thyroid release of 125I-iodine was examined using McKenzie's bioassay method. Iodide did not inhibit the action of TSH or LATS when injected simultaneously with or just before injection of TSH or LATS. A significant inhibitory effect on hormone release was observed if the animals were treated with KI for 24 hr before TSH or LATS was administered. The ratio of 127I-PBI to 127I-TI (total iodine) was decreased in the groups receiving KI. The ratio of 125I-PBI to 125I-TI was not changed. From calculations of the specific activity of thyroid PBI (ratio of 125I-PBI/127I-PBI), any dilution effect of newly bound 127I in the thyroid was found to be negligible. Excess iodide directly blocks the release of thyroid hormone caused by TSH or LATS. (Endocrinology 84: 1305, 1969)


:The authors present a retrospective analysis of 14 patients treated for spinal cord hemangioblastoma ( SCH ) between Dec. 1986 and Mar. 2000. This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the difference of the functional outcomes associated with the extent of surgical removal of SCH. Methods :Eleven patients were male and three patients were female. Their mean age was 37.2 years that ranged from 19 to 62 years. Preoperative magnetic resonance ( MR ) imaging of the spine was performed in all cases, and preoperative angiography in eleven cases. They were followed from 15 months to 161 months ( median follow-up period, 47 months ) , and we investigated the change of neurological symptoms and functional outcomes with radi ological features, especially on MR imaging. Results :Six patients were accompanied by von Hippel-Lindau disease, and three of them had multiple CNS tumors. Thirteen patients had intramedullary tumor, and the remaining one had extradural. Syringomyelia around the tumor was observed in ten cases. All patients underwent surgical removal, and gross total removal ( GTR ) was achieved in ten cases. Preoperative embolization was performed in four cases. In four patients who were treated with preopera tive embolization, intraoperative loss of blood was minimal and GTR was possible. One patient developed a transient swallowing difficulty postoperatively without permanent postoperative neurological deficits. In three of four patients in whom GTR was not possible, their functional outcomes were worsened postoperatively. The functional status at dis charge was improved in seven patients, stationary in four patients, and worse in three. At the last follow-up ( 15-161 months ) , one of four patients who had been stationary at discharge showed improvement but, the rest did not show any change. All patients who showed neurological improvement were patients with GTR, and the patients with GTR had significant better outcome than those without GTR ( p=0.015 ) Conclusion :Surgical treatment, and especially, GTR is considered as treatment of choice for spinal cord heman -gioblastoma. Preoperative embolization may prevent intraoperative bleeding and improve surgical outcome.


Recent molecular analyses show considerable variation in family interrelationships of Ericales sensu lato. Here, we will review the proposed phylogenetic relationships of the monogeneric Symplocaceae on the basis of floral morphological evidence. Scanning electron microscopy observations of the floral development of Symplocos paniculata Miq. show that some characteristics that were used to determine the position of the family seem to have been misinterpreted by different authors: placentation and number and position of the ovules in the species studied differ from general descriptions of the genus; the reported presence of bracts and bracteoles in all members of the family needs to be confirmed. From a floral ontogenetic point of view, it seems reasonable to consider Symplocaceae to be a member of Ericales sensu lato, where most of the apparently related taxa are classified.


Abstract : This report describes a class of operating system protection errors known as 'insufficient validation of critical conditions,' or simply 'validation errors,' and outlines a scheme for finding them. This class of errors is recognized as a very broad one, lying outside the scope of the basic protection mechanisms of existing systems; the extent of the problem is illustrated by a set of validation errors taken from current systems. Considerations for validity conditions and their attachment to variables and to various types of control points in procedures are explored, and categories of validation methods noted. The notion of criticality itself is analyzed, and criteria suggested for determining which variables and control points are most critical in the protection sense. Because a search for validation errors can involve substantial information processing, the report references existing or developing tools and techniques applicable to this task. (Author)


Ergonomic improvement in assembly line is the thing which the term generally refers to the scientific method of creating a favorable work and work space which demands to the ability of the workers. Ergonomic configuration is important to guarantee high efficiency, keep away from alignment and damage, and lift fulfillment and confidence among the workforce. More than satisfied and fulfilled workforce, work cells made of ergonomic structure offer noteworthy incentive to producers in terms of lesser output and worker compensation premiums. The system will be reactive or proactive when applying ergonomics. In reactive ergonomics, identifying current problems and take measures to correct them. In proactive ergonomics, seeing areas that can be improved and fix the issues before they become large problems. Each organization ensures the safety and comfortable environment of their workers, in turn they believe in increased quality and in performance ergonomically designed work cells and working equipments are the key area to be concentrated. In this study the problem is analyzed through pareto chart and cause and effect diagram one issue is taken as pallet transfer manual because of this manual pallet transferring workers facing issue like back pain and for this is a solution of ergonomically designed trolley to reduce worker fatigue and the productivity was improved by using major problem solving tools.


This paper discusses the phenomenon of resistance and psychological reactance in medical and health education/promotion settings. The theoretical background of resistance and reactance and the differences between the two is first described. The core meaning structures behind it as well as personality and developmental characteristics associated with it is then described. The research on reactance and Type A behaviour in health and medical situations is then discussed. Finally, strategies for reducing reactance in medical and health promotion settings is presented.


The COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent restrictive measures adopted by the countries have significantly reduced the capacity of higher education institutions to carry out innovative international teaching and learning activities. This paper provides a short reconstruction of how the seven European universities, members of the Arqus Alliance, handled this challenge. During 2020–21, that is, in full pandemic, the Arqus partners redesigned and implemented a trans-European challenge-based learning (CBL) project involving university students from many disciplinary fields, including social sciences and natural sciences, focused on climate change-related risks in European cities and areas. Based on this experience, a contingent conceptualization of CBL is proposed, comprising eight characteristics, whose effectiveness is then tested against data provided by students who participated in the courses. In this context, the results of a Likert questionnaire distributed to students from participating universities will be discussed. The analysis is meant to provide a deeper understanding of CBL not only as a pedagogical tool for a specific output, but also as a broader learning experience generating outcomes for teachers who plan and deliver CBL activities, and for the beneficiaries of such activities. In other words, the article aims to highlight some enabling and inhibiting factors of "strategic CBL"—this latter expression is supposed to capture the process of designing and implementing a CBL activity as a CBL practice in itself.


Purpose

The purpose of this paper is two fold: to test the moderating effect of health consciousness (HC) on the influence of attitude towards internet (AI) internet usage for health information seeking (IHI) behaviour; and examine whether HC moderates the influence of perceived health risk (PHR) on the internet usage for health information which is mediated by perceived usefulness of internet (PUI) and AI usage in an integrated model underpinned by health belief model and the technology acceptance model.

Design/methodology/approach

Data obtained for the current study were collected using convenience sampling and the sample consisted of women who not only have internet access but used the internet in their daily life. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) method was used to test the research hypotheses developed from a sample of 270 respondents.

Findings

Findings revealed that HC moderates the influence of AI use for health information seeking. In addition, the results also showed that the positive indirect effect of PHR on IHI through PUI and AI usage is significant for high level of HC but not for the medium and low levels of HC.

Originality/value

Major contribution of this study is in the testing of the moderating role of HC on the mediating effect of perceived usefulness of the internet and attitude on PHR and IHI.


Mentoring relationships (mentorships) are often considered essential for the effective career development of junior professionals in a range of fields. Although research on mentorships in the military indicates that mentoring correlates with both success and satisfaction, we know little about the mentorships of officers in training. In this study, 568 midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy (USNA) responded to a survey regarding their experience of having been mentored at USNA. Results indicated that 45% of midshipmen are mentored and that women are more likely to have a mentor (63%) than men (42%). Mentored midshipmen were significantly more satisfied with USNA, viewed mentorships as more important, and were more active mentors themselves. Salient mentor characteristics and functions were highly correlated with both personal and professional development. The authors discuss the implications of these findings and offer recommendations for extending this research.


The paper presents DatabencArt and EDUBBA, two strictly integrated digital infrastructures designed and developed to cope with the increasing demand of a smart use of cutting-edge technologies in the Cultural Heritage (CH) realm. DatabencArt has been primarily designed to facilitate the cataloguing of CH objects while EDUBBA is focused on educational purposes. These platforms are the results of a long-term research effort made in the last five years by DATABENC Consortium (Distretto ad Alta Tecnologia per i Beni Culturali) and treasuring the experiences gained with the exploitation of many research projects in the field of of ICT technologies for Cultural Heritage knowledge, preservation, valorization and sustainable fruition.


Abstract: In the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals and the Critique of Practical Reason, Kant claims that rational beings should want to have no inclinations. But in Religion within the Bounds of Bare Reason, he asserts that the inclinations are good in themselves. While many commentators hold that Kant simply wrote hyperbolically in the Groundwork and the second Critique, I argue Kant was sincere, and changed his mind about the worth of the inclinations between the second Critique and the Religion. This is because he changed his mind about the source of immorality: whereas in the Groundwork and Critique of Practical Reason Kant took our inclinations to be tempters, starting in "Miscarriage of All Philosophical Trials in Theodicy" and concluding in the Religion, he posited a self-imposed propensity to evil as the source of immorality. Kant's reason for changing his mind about the source of immorality was partly theological: if our inclinations were to blame for immorality, then God would also be to blame for creating us with them. The only way God could not be to blame is if our immorality were self-imposed. But Kant also concluded that looking for theoretical explanations of our immorality – whether theological or naturalistic – was itself problematic: such explanations ended up exonerating us for our immorality. Because they had this effect, I contend that Kant saw the offering of such exculpating theoretical explanations as itself motivated by immorality. This understanding of Kant makes sense of the approaches he takes in both "Miscarriage" and Religion.


Autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy in the pediatric age group is rare. We are reporting a case of autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy–associated macular hole–related retinal detachment in a child. Treatment of such cases with temporal inverted internal limiting membrane flap was quite successful. Purpose: To report a case of full-thickness macular–hole related retinal detachment in a patient with autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy. Methods: A 3-year-old boy presented for squint assessment. In the examination, there were typical features of autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy in the left eye and a macular hole–related retinal detachment in his right eye. Color fundus photography, autofluorescence, fundus fluorescence angiography, and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography were recorded. Results: Optical coherence tomography of the right eye showed a full-thickness macular hole retinal detachment. The retina showed retinoschisis affecting the inner and outer nuclear layer at the fovea and parafoveal region. Also, hyperreflective dots were seen at the hole and on the inner retinal surface. The left eye showed subretinal fluid with stalactite-like extensions into the subretinal space, and hyperreflective material seen above the retinal pigment epithelium. Fundus autofluorescence showed hyperautofluorescence at the fovea of the right eye and punctate hyperautofluorescent spots in the mid-periphery of the left eye. After pars plana vitrectomy and temporal internal limiting membrane flap, the hole was closed and all the schitic cavities collapsed at the sixth-week follow-up visit. Conclusion: A full-thickness macular hole–related retinal detachment can develop in autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy in the pediatric age group. Pars plana vitrectomy with temporal internal limiting membrane flap may be helpful for successful surgical repair.


In this essay Fan Yusu offers a detailed analysis of her students' names when she worked as a kindergarten teacher for migrant workers' children. As the importance of "correct naming" has always been stressed in Chinese culture and society, Fan's commentary on the signification of younger generations' names reveal her critical reflections on the social stratification and urban-rural divide in contemporary China.


Objective To investigate the clinical value of removing the polyps and nodules in the vocal cord with television fibrolaryngoscope.Methods Medical recordings of 200 cases of removing the polyps or nodules in the vocal cord under local anesthesia with television fibrolaryngoscope were retrospectivetively analyzed.Results The polyps or nodules in the vocal cord of 200 cases were successfully removed.The overall successful rate was 100.0%.There were 129 cases who had fully recovered(64.5%),and 71 cases who had got notable curative effect(35.5%) after treatment.The total effective rate was 100.0%.Conclusion This technique of removing the polyps and nodules in the vocal cord with television fibrolaryngoscope,it can minimize those disadvantages of surgical injury and medical expenses,is a simple operation.If the operator thoroughly practices in good skills,the overall successful rate of this operation will be risen by a big margin and the clinical effect will be a satisfactory.


Objective To assess education situation among children orphaned by AIDS,and to provide evidence for the development of family and community based support.Methods In five China/UNICEF HIV/AIDS Cooperative Project counties,251 children orphaned by AIDS,aged 6-14 were questionnaired,and in-depth interview was also conducted to 10 of them.Results About 23.1% of the children were out of school,of them,31.0% dropped out before their parents' death.Main reason for not schooling included economical hardship,having to work to support family,having to taking care of sick parents,not being able to catch up learning,etc.Among those who were in school,29.5% experienced dropping down of learning achievement after parents' death,because of absence from school during parents being ill and dying,being worried about parents,difficulties on learning equipment,neglecting by adults,too much house work and not able to concentrate while learning.Conclusion The education situation of children orphaned by AIDS changed after parents getting sick or died.These children need economic and social-psychological support while parents become sick and died.


The changes in fuel and poison distributions and the changes in flux shape which accompany the consumption of fuel are studied. The technique employed is a perturbation calculation based on a one-velocity group treatment of the neutrons. The geometry is a spherical core surrounded by an infinite reflector. The programming forms for the IBM-650 which performs the computations using the Wolontis interpretative system are included. Two sample calculations were worked out using the code described and the results are plotted. (M.H.R.)


Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a disease of aging, with a median age at diagnosis of 71. Geriatric assessment, a multi-dimensional assessment of the health of an older adult, has been shown to be feasible, predictive of chemotherapy toxicity, and prognostic in patients with solid tumors. However, the feasibility of geriatric assessment and the frequency of geriatric syndromes in older adults with newly diagnosed MM are not known. Methods: We undertook a pilot prospective cohort study of adults over age 65 with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Eligible patients were within 3 months of diagnosis, understood spoken and written English, and had a life-expectancy of ≥ 6 months. Participants completed the primarily self-administered Cancer and Aging Research Group geriatric assessment tool (Hurria et al, JCO, 2011), including measures of functional status, falls, comorbidities, medications, psychological state, social support, cognition and physical performance. Results: From August 2012 – June 2014, 29 patients enrolled at Washington University School of Medicine. The median age was 70 (range 65-84); 79.3% were white, 13.8% black, 3.4% Asian, and 3.4% reported Hispanic ethnicity. ISS stages were as follows: I (10.3%), II (34.5%), III (34.5%), unknown (20.7%). The geriatric assessment was feasible in the clinic setting, and acceptable to participants: 89.7% of patients felt that there were no items on the questionnaire which were difficult to understand and were satisfied with the length. Only 2 participants (6.9%) reported that there were items that upset them in the geriatric assessment (items on sexual health and dying). Most (58.6%) were able to complete the assessment with no assistance. The median clinician-reported Karnofsky-Performance Status (KPS) was 80% (range 50-90%), as was the patient-reported KPS (median 80%, range 30-100%). Requiring assistance with daily activities was extremely common: 57.1% of patients required some or complete assistance with one or more instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), most commonly with housework (61.7%), transportation (37.9%), meal preparation (34.5%), shopping (27.5%), and taking medications (21.5%). Patients frequently reported limitation in performing vigorous activities (89.6%), in moderate activities (72.4%), in walking several blocks (65.5%), or in walking up one flight of stairs (55.1%). Half of participants (48.3%) reported limitation in walking one block. Nearly one-third (31%) required assistance with self-care (bathing or dressing). Patients commonly reported one or more comorbidities, including arthritis (42.9%), emphysema/chronic bronchitis (10.7%), hypertension (32.1%), heart disease (14.3%), diabetes (14.3%), chronic liver or kidney disease (14.8%), and depression (28.6%). Polypharmacy was extremely common. The median number of medications taken on a scheduled and as needed basis was 10 (range 2-23). Sensory impairments were common: 31% reported their vision was fair or worse; 24% reported their hearing was fair or worse. Three patients (10.3%) screened positive for cognitive impairment on the Blessed Orientation-Memory-Concentration Test, while none reported a clinical diagnosis of dementia. Of the 26 patients who completed the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), the median time to complete was 11.3 seconds (range 7.2-19.8 seconds); 26.9% required >13.5 seconds to complete the TUG, which is associated with an increased risk for falls. One in five (21.4%) participants reported one or more falls in the 6 months prior to assessment. Conclusions: A brief, primarily self-administered geriatric assessment was feasible and satisfactory to the participants. Geriatric syndromes including comorbidities, functional dependence, polypharmacy, sensory impairment and falls were common in this cohort, despite most patients having a KPS which is considered "good" in clinical practice. Future study is needed to examine whether the presence of geriatric syndromes in older adult with myeloma is predictive of chemotherapy toxicity, as it is in solid tumors, and whether interventions based on impairments identified in a geriatric assessment can improve outcomes in older adults with myeloma. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


To develop a simple model to predict the glass cracking andlor breaking, radiant heating tests were carried out on float glass and wired glass. By changing the imposed heat flux and lateral restraint of the glass, 50 experiments were carried out to measure the time to initial crack and fallout. Temperatures were measured at the center of glass pane and edge, while the strain was measured at the edge. From the experimental data, the critical heat flux was determined under which no glass cracking takes place. By using the measured temperature and stress, the ultimate tensile stress of the glass edge was calculated. The obtained values were lower than the literature values for plain glass surface where no effect of micro defects at the cutting edge is taken into account. By analysing the post crack behavior, it was pointed out that the fallout area mainly depends on imposed heat flux and slightly on restraint. Under intense heating (more than 9kw/m2), large piece of glass tends to fall out, however under moderate heating, glass just cracks but did not fall out. Therefore it was pointed out that the application of the thermal stress model for glass breaking is limited to intensely heated scenarios. A simple prediction formula was derived for such scenarios.


With the large-scale access of new energy sources, the operation mode and the uncertainty factors of the power grid increase, meanwhile the short-term power shock has an increasing impact, which exacerbates the complexity of the system frequency response characteristics and the difference in space-time distribution. Based on the analysis of principles and adaptability of emergency control and correction control, this paper comprehensively considers the operation mode and new energy access, and proposes a centralized control decision-making method based on model and trajectory driving from the perspective of global frequency control. The method also considers the continuously adjustable control resources and low voltage ride through of new energy. Finally, the practicality of the proposed method is verified based on the actual power grid simulation.


The imbalances in the current account may be a symptom of macroeconomic and financial pressures, that's why  the analysis of its sustainability  is a major concern for policymakers. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the behavior of the Moroccan current account from 1980 to 2016 in order to identify the appropriate determinants of the current account and to better apprehend the potential risks threatening the moroccan economy. In this regard, we have applied a Vector Error Correction (VEC)  Model to quantify the impact of the exogenous variables on the current account balance and to analyse the long-term trajectory of this current account. The final purpose of this analysis is to validate or to reject the hypothesis of sustainability. Our results show that (i) Morocco's large and structural current account deficits are mainly explained by low inflows of the foreign direct investments (FDI), the volatility of the real effective exchange rate (REER) and the investment dynamics compared to the level of savings, (ii) the estimates of the model adopted confirm the hypothesis of sustainability of Morocco's current account, which can be explained by the implementation of several projects in the sectors of tourism, energy, automotive and aeronautics, as well as the favorable business climate for foreign investment and the consolidation of public finances.


The Philippines is one of the most hazard-prone countries in the world. It is regularly subjected to various hazard events, imposing loss of lives and costly damage to the country's infrastructure. In particular, the Philippines straddles a region of complex tectonics at the intersection of three major tectonic plates (the Philippine Sea, Sunda and Eurasia plates). As such, the country is frequently exposed to large and damaging earthquakes. For instance, one of the most recent destructive earthquakes, the M 7.2 Bohol and Cebu earthquake (2013), damaged more than 73,000 structures, of which more than 14,500 were totally destroyed, including several schools. According to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), about 25,000 preschoolers and 275,855 school children in 1,200 early learning centers and 1,092 schools (931 elementary schools and 161 high schools) were affected by the earthquake. Similarly, several areas characterized by high wind and heavy rain exist along the northeast Philippine Sea coast. In 1991, a flash flood killed around 8,000 people and distracted many structure in Leyte Island. Furthermore, Typhoon Haiyan (2013), known as Super Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, has been one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded, which devastated several portions of the country, killing at least 6,300 people. According to the Philippine's Department of Education (DepEd), Yolanda damaged 3,171 schools. The recent history of reported damage and destruction indicates the substantial vulnerability of the country's infrastructure, particularly schools, to different forms of natural hazards.


The YCo 3-x Ni x B 2 compounds for x<2 are paramagnetic in all the temperature range. The magnetic susceptibilities increase up to a temperature T m and above a characteristic value T* a Curie-Weiss behavior was shown. The T m values decrease from ≅ 150 K (x=0) to ≅ 25 K (x=2). The effective cobalt magnetic moment in YCo 3 B 2 compound is 1.34 μ B . The band structure calculations show that the Fermi level in YCo 3 B 2 is situated near a maximum in the density of states. When increasing Ni content the Fermi level shift gradually to a region with lower DOS. The magnetic behavior of the above system is analyzed in the spin fluctuation model.


The realization of the need to deal with large-scale systems as a whole and the availability of powerful computer resources have fueled the interest for efficient monitoring and modeling of such systems. This is particularly true in the area of Earth System Science, which has motivated this work. These are projects that need a multicomputer environment. Reasons include requirement for very large computing power, financial constraints that prohibit supercomputers, and fault-tolerance issues. Furthermore, a distributed computing environment is more natural since users and data generation are geographically distributed.
In an Earth System Science computing environment, users should be able to browse the data available, process them, insert new data and correct or enhance data already available. A bottleneck is the handling of image or image-like data--there are a large number of images and the size of each of them is also large.
We propose a scheme that stores images and supports image browsing efficiently. In particular, the scheme achieves good image compression while supporting fast image subregion retrieval at various resolutions. It is particularly suited for a distributed server/client environment.
Since new images are inserted, obsolete ones are deleted and others are updated, support for maintaining data coherence without sacrificing performance is needed. For an image server/client environment to be used as part of a distributed system, which may include other servers that provide related information, all these servers must appear as a single logical entity to any user. We propose an algorithm that achieves such an objective by providing a shared memory abstraction, i.e., access to the memories of the servers appear like accesses to a single memory module. To achieve this efficiently, the algorithm dynamically migrates/replicates/deletes data from/to servers in order to best distribute them to satisfy the current pattern of users' accesses.


An abridgment of this article was presented at the annual meeting of the American Speech and Hearing Association, November, 1956, in Chicago. An unabridged version was later published in the Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 1958, 23, 143–152.


Background Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) remains one of the leading nosocomial illnesses to affect mechanically ventilated patients (Scott, 2008). Pathogenic organisms can enter the oral cavity and migrate to the lower airways contributing to VAP development when health care providers do not implement manufacturer recommended cleaning and proper storage of oral suction devices. Methods In a descriptive study, observational data was obtained from the intensive care units of a southeast regional hospital. Specifically, the placement and storage of the oral suction device in the patient room were observed. The sample size was 106 patient room observations in the intensive care settings. University institutional review board and the hospital institutional review committee approval were obtained. Results Of the total oral suction devices, 39 percent were visible and in their original protective packaging, 52 percent were visible, but not in protective packaging, and 9 percent were not visible. Since only one episode of active suctioning (by a respiratory therapist) was observed it is unknown to the investigators whether the devices are routinely cleaned before or after use, or in the case of the unseen devices, if new devices are being requisitioned for each suctioning procedure. Discussion Despite current knowledge of bacterial infections and their lifespan on fomite surfaces, published guidelines that would safeguard the patient's portal of entry are vague and incomplete. The chain of infection could be broken before it ever reaches our patients – if the device used to suction is cleaned before and after each use, and placed in proper storage. Clinicians should be encouraged to champion the standard of hygiene that would best protect the patient and prevent the transmission of disease. IMPORTANCE OF ORAL SUCTION DEVICE HYGIENE 5 The Importance of Oral Suction Device Hygiene in the Prevention of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia


In terms of the Safety, a risk of accident in construction industry is the most dangerous thing in any other industries. So, there have been many studies to improve the safety performance of construction projects. But, the most of them were dealt with controls in the job site and the contractor. For these reasons, the purpose of this study(Construction Safety Management) is two-part. : One is showing the basic items composed of prequalification in Construction Safety Management, and the other is improving the selection method to meet the owner's needs including a Contractor's Safety Management Performance.


The article is devoted to the analysis of the complex of problems associated with the organization of the defence structures of the European Union and the role of France in this process. The focus of the project «European defenсe», the possibility of its implementation within the EuroAtlantic space are investigated. The continuity and evolution of the European defence potential building program are shown. The concepts of «European defenсe», «European army» are analyzed and their real content is revealed. The pairing of France's national efforts with partners in the framework of the Permanent Structured Cooperation on Security and Defence (PESCO) projects is shown; the importance of a pragmatic approach to building a «European defenсe» on the basis of a number of interstate programs of military-industrial cooperation is highlighted. The connection between the new stage of scientific and technological progress and the revitalization of plans to strengthen the defence potential of the EU is revealed. The evolution of the French leadership's approach to building a «European defenсe» is presented, its assessment of the current state of this project, and in connection with this, features of its views on the prospects for developing a dialogue with Russia. Against the background of a slowdown in the development of the EU Common Security and Defence Policy, the role of interstate initiatives outside the EU, aimed at accelerating and increasing the effectiveness of military operations, has been highlighted. The examples of individual actions emphasize the key role of states, in particular France, in the implementation of missions of a pan-European character. As a result of the analysis, a conclusion was made about the sustainable and non-opportunistic nature of the transformations in the field of military construction in the EU. A forecast is given regarding the possible scale and real fulfillment of European defence construction plans. The conclusion about the significance of the «European defenсe» project for the implementation of France's geopolitical plans and the strengthening of its positions in the EU and in the Euro-Atlantic field is substantiated.


Thank you for downloading practical digital photomicrography photography through the microscope for the life sciences. As you may know, people have look hundreds times for their chosen books like this practical digital photomicrography photography through the microscope for the life sciences, but end up in malicious downloads. Rather than enjoying a good book with a cup of tea in the afternoon, instead they juggled with some infectious virus inside their computer.


Abstract Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants potentially influence the effectiveness of existing laboratory diagnostics. In this study we determined whether the British (20I/501Y.V1) and South-African (20H/501Y.V2) SARS-CoV-2 variants-of-concern (VOC) are detected by an in-house S1-based antigen-detection assay. Analysis was performed in spiked pools of qRT-PCR negative nasopharyngeal swab specimens. The assay, composed of a combination of four monoclonal antibodies, allowed sensitive detection of both the wild-type and the analyzed VOCs, despite the accumulation of several mutations in the variants' S1 region. We suggest that the combination of four monoclonal antibodies, targeting distinct epitopes, maintained both the specificity and the universality of the assay.


This report provides a basic explanation of how to calculate the federal estate tax for a taxable estate of any given size, using the schedule of marginal tax rates and the applicable credit amount for the year of death.


SUMMARY. —Mitotic counts and histological features have been studied in 35 psoriatic patients prior to treatment, and during treatment with topically applied fluocinolone acetonide, methotrexate, dithranol and coal tar.


Lushu No.8 was used to study the effects of potassium application period on the plant traits and yield of sweet potatoes.The results showed that applying potassium as basal dressing or top cover fertilizer promoted the basal stem growth and increased branch number,fresh weight,the percentage of big storage root,and storage root yield.Compared with the control,applying all potassium once as basal dressing increased the yield by 11.93%,half potassium as basal dressing and top cover fertilizer respectively,yield increased by 10.53%,and all potassium once as top cover fertilizer,yield increased by 9.07%.The results also showed that applying potassium as top-growth peak fertilizer increased the chlorophyll content during the later period and the percentage of medium sweet potatoes,but decreased the yield gain and dry-slice-yielding rate.Considering the potassium efficiency for the production of storage roots and convenience of fertilization in different treatments,applying potassium once as basal dressing was suitable.


Fourier Transform infra red spectra of conidien microscopic fungi, capable of accumulating on and degrading polymers, have been studied, and an interpretation is provided. It is possible to define and predict their hydrophoby, which is the crucial factor in microorganism adhesion to solid (e.g. polymer) surfaces, and hence in biodegradation.


A process for the preparation of prepolymers by reaction of polysulfides with polyepoxides by reacting polyepoxides with polysulfides having at least 2 mercapto groups, in the presence of quaternary ammonium compounds as catalysts under vacuum at a temperature of 20-100 ° C, whereby one of the reaction components in a stoichiometric excess of 2- to 7-fold or greater is present, is reacted.


Paridris Kieffer and Trichoteleia Kieffer are morphologically similar genera of solitary egg parasitoids with little overlap between their distributions: Paridris is found commonly worldwide with the exceptions of Madagascar, from which a single specimen is known, and New Zealand, from which no records are known; Trichoteleia is endemic to the Malagasy islands. Here we present the first phylogenetic analysis of platygastroid wasps that combines and compares morphological and molecular data. We find the results of the phylogenetic analyses of the two data sources to be largely congruent for the species treated here. Paridris and Trichoteleia are found to be monophyletic, as are two morphologically well-defined species groups within Paridris. Neoparidris Galloway is found to belong within Paridris and is treated as a junior synonym, syn. n. The faunas of Paridris from Africa, Melanesia and the Indo-Malay islands are revised. Fifteen species are described of which 9 are new: Paridris anikulapo Talamas, sp. n. (sub-Saharan Africa); Paridris densiclava (Kieffer), (Seychelles); Paridris bispinosa (Masner), (Gabon); Paridris nigriclava (KiefJHR 34: 1–79 (2013) doi: 10.3897/JHR.33.4714 www.pensoft.net/journals/jhr Copyright Elijah J. Talamas et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0 (CC-BY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. MonogrAPH Elijah J. Talamas et al. / Journal of Hymenoptera Research 34: 1–79 (2013) 2 fer), (Seychelles); Paridris nitidiceps (Kieffer), (Seychelles); Paridris tenuis (Nixon), (sub-Saharan Africa); Paridris trispinosa Talamas & Masner, sp. n., (Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo); Paridris bifurcata (Dodd), comb. n., (Australia, Papua New Guinea); Paridris mnestros Talamas & Masner, sp. n., (Indonesia, Malaysia); Paridris pantex Talamas, sp. n., (Fiji); Paridris phrikos Talamas & Masner, sp. n., (Fiji); Paridris skolops Talamas & Masner, sp. n., (Fiji); Paridris sulcata Talamas, sp. n., (Vanuatu); Paridris taekuli Talamas & Masner, sp. n., (Australia, Bangladesh, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, New Caledonia, Thailand, Vietnam); Paridris xestos Talamas & Masner, sp. n., (Fiji). Paridris flaviclava (Kieffer), syn. n., and P. nigraticeps (Kieffer), syn. n., are treated as junior synonyms of P. nigriclava.


Borrowing from an argument in statistical mechanics we give a machine for constructing pairs of links with the same skein polynomials. Examples are generally not mutants (Kauffman polynomials differ) and can have small crossing numbers, e.g. the coincidence V41 #41 = V89, is explained.


RFID is an enabling technology which brings visibility, traceability and performance efficiency to supply chains. To apply RFID technology in a public domain, information sharing infrastructure is needed to support public services as code resolution, information query, tracing & tracking, and security authentication. A common data model is the basis for information sharing, with which the shared data can be understood and used by multiple parties. By analyzing the considerations in modeling RFID related data, a three-layered, 4W (Who, What, When, Where) featured data model for information sharing is presented in this paper. Implementation and case study verified its feasibility.


Due to its huge growth in container volume from China, the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) has become arguably the most important container-export area in the world. Shanghai, the gateway to the YRD, handles most of the freight cargo. But the nature the YRD river ports has restricted development there, forcing China to build the Yangshan deepwater port to act as the mega-hub for the region. In response to the emergence of the YRD and Yangshan, 2 traditional trans-shipment centers in the region, Busan and Kaohsiung, have implemented strategies in response to the emergence of YRD and Yangshan. This paper analyzes Busan's and Kaohsiung's strategies and aims to predict the development of their ports. Research results show Busan has been more aggressive and ambitious, with little chance that Kaohsiung will become a mega-hub in the region.


Abstract 450 Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a disease of clonal plasma cells that accumulate in the bone marrow (BM), causing monoclonal immunoglobulin (IG) production, BM failure, osteolytic lesions, and kidney disease. Although initially treatable, tumor cells ultimately become resistant to drug-treatment, and the disease is invariably fatal. Therefore, novel treatment targets need to be identified. The tumor microenvironment, and vascular endothelial cells in particular, play a key role in the adhesion and migration of MM cells and thus govern tumor survival and growth, as well as the acquisition of drug-resistance. Hence, the adhesion/migration systems of MM cells are key potential therapeutic targets. The cell membrane protein JAM-A/F11R is an endothelial cell (EC) adhesion molecule of the IG superfamily, and its expression is upregulated by TNF-a through NF-κB signaling. F11R also alters EC migration and paracellular permeability via stabilization of β1 integrin. We have previously shown that F11R gene expression and serum levels are upregulated in patients with MM compared to healthy controls. In this study, we further explored the functions of F11R within MM cells in order to gain insight into the potential role of this molecule in the progression and treatment of MM. Methods: The MM cell line RPMI-8266 (RPMI) was examined for functional studies in vitro. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects. Primary BM tumor cells were enriched to > 95% CD138+ cells by positive selection using anti-CD138 MACS MicroBeads. The CD138– fraction was used for outgrowth of confluent EPCs (> 98% vWF/CD133/KDR+). Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) served as controls. F11R mRNA levels were assessed by Affymetrix GeneChip analysis and by F11R probe-based real-time PCR compared to a standard curve normalized to GAPDH mRNA levels. F11R protein levels were measured by immunofluorescence (IF) and flow cytometry. The role of F11R in MM cell migration and survival was quantified by examining these functions in RPMI cells in which F11R was knocked down by siRNA silencing and comparing them with control untransfected RPMI cells or cells transfected with a non-targeting siRNA or lipofectamine. Tumor migration and survival were determined by the Millipore QCM Chemotaxis assay (using a 5 micron pore size) and an Promega Cell Proliferation Assay, respectively. Each assay was performed in triplicate and replicated at least twice. Statistical analyses were performed using Student9s t-test, two-tailed; P≤.05 was considered significant. Results: Inhibition of F11R gene expression by siRNA resulted in 70% cell death compared to control untransfected (P Conclusion: We show, for the first time, that targeted inhibition of F11R/JAM-A expression bears key anti-myeloma consequences, defined by inhibition of tumor migration and survival. Taken together with elevated gene and protein expression of F11R/JAM-A expression, these results underscore the importance of this receptor as a tumor biomarker and a potential MM treatment target that warrants further validation. Future studies: Under investigation are the in vivo effect of F11R silencing in combination with other anti-myeloma strategies in a murine myeloma model; and also, whether F11R effects on MM cell migration involve stabilization of β1 integrin, as recently described in cardiovascular disease by Azari BM et al. 2010. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Analysis on time and spatial evolvement rules of inbound tourism market was a hotspot.According to relevant data of inbound tourists from 2000—2008 in Chengdu,through analysis on preference scale and competition state,the time and spatial evolvement rules of inbound tourists in Chengdu were revealed.This paper pointed out that Thailand was the most important inbound tourism market of Chengdu,but the preference scale was declining since 2004.Facing the state that the space distribution was well mixed,to ensure the inbound tourism market goes steadily up,related department must focus on markets whose competition state declined.


In this talk, I introduce new methods in Stata 12 for filtering and decomposing time series and I show how to implement them. I provide an underlying framework for understanding and comparing the different methods. I also present a framework for interpreting the parameters.


cholars agree that in the middle part of the seventeenth century Epicureanism enjoyed something of a revival in England, aided in large part by the efforts of Pierre Gassendi but also by the experience of a civil war. * There is considerably more debate over the factions that are responsible for this revival,2 but with few exceptions scholars conclude from the evidence of the revival that Epicureanism was mocked out of court prior to the 1640s and 1 6 5 0 s . ~ Certainly Epicureanism was hardly a dominant concern in the first


Like many collections, these two new surveys of A-Life are variable in theme and quality. Both contain very interesting papers, but also others that are dull. The two collections have rather different aims. Langton's is mostly a collection of overviews of various subdomains of A-Life, reviewing achievements and outstanding open problems, and speculating on future developments. As one might expect, Boden's is more focused on philosophical implications, and is richer in extended critical discussion. By and large, only papers in the Boden collection argue rather than report. In what follows I will extract and discuss what seem to me to be some main themes common to the two collections. On even a cursory survey of A-Life literature, one is struck by the resuscitation of a quaintly old-fashioned project: defining life. Definitions have gone out of fashion lately. In semantics and psychology, it is now realized that our capacity to use concepts and refer to kinds does not depend on a grasp, implicit or explicit, on the necessary and sufficient conditions of membership of that category. Though natural kinds may have essences, they are discovered not through the construction of definitions at the beginning of inquiry, but, if we are lucky, as their culmination. So why suppose that biology needs a definition of life? Having a definition will not help with odd and hard-to-classify cases like viruses and social insect colonies, for the adequacy of the definition is settled by our view of the cases, not vice versa. I do not think players in the A-Life field take definitions of life merely to be props helping us understand what we are talking about. Consider, for example, Bedau's paper (in Boden). He begins with Mayr's characterization of life:


An image acquisition method comprising: collecting an image according to a pre-set interval time; and storing the collected image in a first cache; and acquiring a recording instruction, and moving the image in the first cache to a second cache according to the recording instruction.


BACKGROUND: Intestinal peristalsis is a dynamic physiologic process influenced by dietary, microbial and inflammatory changes at the mucosal site. It is tightly regulated by enteric nervous system through complex interactions with other cell types. IBD related disturbances of normal ENS function results in altered peristaltic activity or gastrointestinal (GI) dysmotility. GI dysmotility often remains a problem even during remission phase when the mucosal inflammation is controlled. It is thought that inflammatory environment promotes expansion and differentiation of stem cell into new neurons. However, the exact cellular mechanisms that drive IBD related enteric neuropathy are poorly understood. METHODS: Homeostasis of intestinal macrophages in vivo, selective depletion of muscularis macrophages in vivo, functional studies of gastrointestinal motility in vivo and ex vivo, enteric neuron phenotype and function in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: A distinct population of macrophages is distributed in the intestinal muscularis externa. Here we identify a novel mechanism by which muscularis macrophages regulate ENS function during the steady state. Specifically, we demonstrate that in the steady state muscularis macrophages regulate peristaltic activity of the colon. They change the pattern of smooth muscle contractions by secreting bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), which alters the activity of enteric neurons expressing BMP receptor. Enteric neurons, in turn, secrete colony stimulatory factor 1 (CSF1), a growth factor required for macrophage development. Finally, commensal stimuli regulate BMP2 expression by macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings define a central role of innate immune cells in regulating gastrointestinal physiology and uncover a mutualistic relationship between the enteric nervous and immune systems. We propose that macrophage-neuronal crosstalk is dynamic and can be influenced by the changes at the mucosal site. Muscularis macrophages are likely the cell type that drives the development of enteric neuropathy during IBD.


Abstract IN the classical bioassay for vitamin K, plasma prothrombin times of chickens fed assay material are compared to those of chickens receiving graded levels of the vitamin. The assay is based on the assumption that the velocity of the clotting process is a function of the level of prothrombin (and factor VII) in the blood, and that the levels of these vitamin K-dependent factors reflect the amount of ingested vitamin K. For this bioassay the growing chicken is the animal of choice, since intestinal synthesis of vitamin K, of importance in some species, plays only a minimal role in the chicken's vitamin K supply. In the one-stage prothrombin time determination (Quick, 1966), the clotting of decalcified plasma is timed after the simultaneous addition of Ca++ and a source of thromboplastic activity ("thromboplastin extract"), the latter supplying the phospholipid-protein complex necessary for the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin. Acetone-extracted chicken brain…


9 The effect of the menstrual cycle on energy intake and the dieting habits of adolescents was examined retro spectively for three years in 64, eighth and ninth grade girls. Dieting episodes were found to be evenly distributed across the five menstrual phases with no greater proportion of dieting occurring during the follicular phase. Media, peers, family members, and social pressures have a larger impact on adolescent dieting behaviors as opposed to the menstrual cycle. Comparisons of energy intake between the preand postovulatory phases revealed no significant differences in any year. Fifty to eighty percent of the girls' cycles may have been anovulatory the first two years of the study. Variations in energy intake are not observed in anovulatory cycles due to low ovarian hormone levels. Changes in food consumption that correspond to menstrual phases may be observed in girls who are six years or more beyond menarche, when cycles are predominantly ovulatory.


In this paper, we consider the over-constrained airport gate assignment problem where the number of flights exceeds the number of gates available, and where the objectives are to minimize the number of ungated flights and the total walking distances or connection. We design a greedy algorithm and use a tabu search meta-heuristic to solve the problem. The greedy algorithm minimizes ungated flights while providing initial feasible solutions while we devise a new neighborhood search technique, the interval exchange move, which allows us flexibility in seeking good solutions, especially in case when flight schedules are dense in time. Experiment conducted give good results.


Below-ground for nutrients and water can be clue to the cause of the reduction of crops yields.Root interaction plays on important role in estimating the effect of below-ground competition.However,little information has been known about these hedgerows-crops interaction in contour hedgerow agroforestry.Pot experiments were conducted to study the effect of root contact on N absorption and transfer in purple soil of two hedges-soybean intercropping systems with two different methods of 15N foliar-feeding and15N soil labeling methods,along with root partition,i.e.,a sheet barrier treatment,a mesh barrier,and no barrier treatment.Results showed that the growth of Amorpha.fruticosa was suppressed without root barrier,leading to lower biomass and N acquisition than those with mesh and sheet barrier;the biomass and N acquisition of Vertiveria zizanioides and soybean without root barrier were the highest in Vertiver intercropping system.The 15N abundance is higher in soybean and A.futisoca with mesh barrier,but15N abundance is higher in Vertiver without root barrier,which suggested that the Vertiver is a stronger competitor in Vertiver/soybean intercropping system.N transfer from soybean to hedge species was obvious using15N direct labeling methods,which suggested that competition between of A.futisoca or Vertiver for nitrogen fertilizer was stronger.Interspecific inhibition did exist in A.futisoca-soybean intercropping,and the growth of A.futisoca and soybean were suppressed;the complementary nitrogen use did exist in Vertiver-soybean intercropping,and both competition and facilitation occurred in Vertiver-soybean intercropping which enhanced the growth of Vertiver and soybean.


We report that the gamma linolenic acid content of pork is higher in finishing pigs fed diets containing hemp seed oil, evening primrose oil or borage oil as the sources of gamma linolenic acid. Thirty-six three crossing swines (), 80 kg in body weight, were randomly separated into four treatment groups with three pens per treatment and three animals per pen. The finishing swines were fed the experimental diets for 35 days until they reached the market weight of 110 kg. The animals were assigned to the four experimental diets: control diet containing 5.00% tallow, T1 containing 5.00% hemp seed oil (hemp seed oil 40:soybean oil 60), T2 containing 5.00% evening primrose oil (primrose oil 40:soybean oil 60) and T3 containing 5.00% borage oil (borage oil 40:soybean oil 60). The plasma triacylglycerol and total cholesterol content of the swine in the gamma fatty acids-fed groups were significantly (p


This paper reports an experimental investigation of the structures of the flow field around finite rectangular cylinders with rounded and flat leading edges in an open water channel. A particle image velocimetry technique was used to conduct detailed measurements in the streamwise-spanwise plane. at four different angles of incidence: θ = 0°, 10°, 20°, and 30°. From these measurements, the isocontours and profiles of the mean velocities and some turbulent quantities were obtained at various streamwise locations and discussed. The proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) analysis was then applied to reveal the dominant structures and to study their contribution to the turbulent kinetic energy for both cylinders.


A guide to basic information resources in the Anthropology of place, ritual, and belief. Not quite a book, or an article, other useful sources for research in this subject area.


The ceramic residues were separated into three different diameters, thin (0.15 mm <Dthin<0.30 mm), medium (0.30 mm < Dmedium< 1.18 mm) and coarse (1.18 mm < Dcoarse< 2.00 mm). Water absorption and absorbance were measured to each type of material and each particle size studied. The results showed that the thin brick waste could adsorb about 76% of methylene blue dye in the sample tested. However, the results also showed that the water absorption of the ceramic material might not be the only factor that influences the adsorption of the dye.


Thyroid diseases are common during pregnancy and an adequate treatment is important to prevent adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Subclinical diseases are very frequent but not easily recognized without specific screening programs. In this article we try to summarize the knowledge on the physiologic change of the thyroid and pathological function during pregnancy; we also try to describe the best way of diagnosis and treatment of thyroid dysfunction.


In order to carry out the higher mathematics teaching,we have a questionnaire on learning basis,teaching method and examination system of higher mathematics in the some relevant majors' students.It explores some important existing problems in teaching method and examination system and then gives some countermeasures by the further analysis of the questionnaire.


ABSTRACT:Scholarship of Samuel Beckett's drama often calls attention to the playwright's engagement with sound and musicality. Building on this scholarship, this article takes a musically informed sound studies approach to Endgame, examining the acoustic effects of the play's musical elements. Such an approach both reveals that musicality lies at the heart of Beckett's famous scepticism of discursive language and challenges existing conceptions of the evolution of Beckett's dramatic style. Drawing connections between Endgame and Play, the work widely considered to have initiated Beckett's late style, the article argues that the type of linguistic denaturing associated with that late style is traceable to Endgame's particular brand of musicality–a musicality "frustrated" by language's ultimate inability to become instrumental music.


BACKGROUND/AIMS
The present study was aimed to investigate lumican expression in and correlation with severity of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA).

METHODOLOGY
We assessed mRNA expression and protein localization (using immunohistochemistry) in PDA samples collected from 260 patients. Additionally, we compared lumican expression with expression of Ki-67, VEGF and mutated p53 proteins, which are markers of cancer progression.

RESULTS
Expression levels of lumican mRNA and protein in cancer tissue were significantly higher than those in tumor-adjacent tissue (t=5.69, p<0.05). The stromal expression of lumican in poorly differentiated cases was significantly higher at stage T4 than stage T2-3 (χ²=21.06, p<0.05); similarly, the stromal expression of lumican was significantly higher in TNM stage III-IV than in stage I-Il (χ²=17.01, p<0.05). Additionally, expression of Ki67 was higher in poorly differentiated cases than in highly-moderately differentiated cases (χ²=13.06, p<0.05). Finally, in highly-moderately differentiated samples, stromal expression of lumican was negatively correlated with expression of Ki-67, VEGF and mutated P53 (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
Lumican expression is higher in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma than in tumor-adjacent tissue, and the correlation of lumican expression with TNM stage in poorly differentiated samples, in contrast with its negative correlation with expression of Ki-67, VEGF and mutated P53 mutation in highly-moderately differentiated samples.


Abstract The main purpose of my paper is that of analyzing English legal discourse and legal texts belonging to different genres within the same subject field, in this case legal English, from the point of view of the variety of metaphors it consists of. Metaphor represents one among many other elements of legal discourse.


Corn (Zea mays) is a cereal grown in much of the world, being of great importance in Brazil, due to its nutritional qualities. In view of its various uses, it has become one of the most important grains of the agricultural sector in Brazil. Endophytic fungi, potentially found in all plants, can protect them from harmful organisms, either by the production of substances that inhibit other microorganisms or even by their entomopathogenic activity. During the last 11 years (2007-2018) 6 endophytic isolates of maize plants were carried out in order to access their diversity, as well as to find fungi that could be used in the biological control of insect pests of maize and other plants . The present work had two main objectives: the first one was to isolate and characterize endophytic fungi from maize plants collected in Prudentópolis, PR, and to test the efficiency of entomopathogenic fungi isolated against the caterpillar Duponchelia fovealis, a strawberry pest. The second objective was to compile the results obtained by the LabMicro-DPAT-UFPR group over 11 years of project (2007-2018), evidencing the fungal diversity found in corn plants of different cities of Paraná. In the last isolation (2018), 20 maize plants were collected in the Municipality of Prudentópolis PR, underwent a superficial disinfection process, cut into 1cm2 fragments and deposited in 120 Petri dishes containing BDA culture medium plus streptomycin (0.4 g / ml). The plates were incubated at 28 ± 2 ° C for 30 days and the fungi were identified based on macro and micromorphology. A total of 624 fungi corresponding to the infection percentage of 100% were isolated and grouped into 80 morphogroups. It has been identified Isaria sp., Beauveria bassiana, Drechslera sp., Alternaria sp., Bipolaris sp., Rhizopus sp., Colletotrichum sp., Fusarium sp., and Acremonium sp. Among these isolates, the genera Beauveria and Isaria are reported as entomopathogenic in the literature, therefore 7 isolates of Isaria and 1 isolate of Beauveria bassiana were selected for the bioassay against D. fovealis. Ten 3rd instar caterpillars were selected and deposited in 10 strawberry leaves. Each leaf was then sprayed with the fungal suspension, at the concentration 1.0 x 108 spores / ml. There were 9 treatments, 7 of them with Isaria sp., 1 with B. bassiana and 1 control. Each leaf corresponded to one replicate, totaling 10 replicates. During 7 days, the mortality of the caterpillars was evaluated and the data were submitted to an analysis of variance, followed by Tukey test, in order to show the differences between the treatments. Statically, all treatments were the same, ie, the isolates tested were not effective in the control of D. fovealis. The data obtained in 6 isolates, during the 11 years of the project (2007-2018), show that the genera isolated in 11 years were: Alternaria, Curvularia, Nigrospora, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Bipolaris, Epicoccum, Colletotrichum, Drechslera, Acremonium, Cladosporium , Blastomyces, Sporotrichum, Fusarium, Mycelia sterilia, Pestalotiopsis, Rhizopus, Beauveria and Isaria, totaling 1623 isolates. The frequencies of infection were very variable, with a mean of 57.41%, the lowest frequency being 10.8% and the highest 100%, indicating that there may be variation in the diversity and frequency of infection according to location and time of collection. These results demonstrate the diversity of the fungi found in maize, as well as their potential in the biological control of pests of important crops.


During the oxidative degradation of nonbiodegradable Malachite green (MG) by means of H2O2 /FeⅢR (iron supported on ion-exchage resin) in a dynamic column,the binding energy of the Fe(2p3/2) region for XPS spectra was found to be different between the top layer and the bottom layer in this column. Based on the data from XPS spectra and DMPO-OH·signal by EPR spectra,it is shown that the formation of ferryl (Ⅳ) is the key step for the oxidation of MG. The ferryl (Ⅳ) species can oxidize MG,and its redox potential is about 0. 739 - 0. 803 V measured by cyclic voltammograms (CV) . The catalytic capability of ferryl (Ⅳ) species was also evaluated,and it is found that it can promote the decomposition of H2O2 more efficiently than ferric iron. The removal rate of MG mainly depends on the adsorption of catalyst. Both ferryl (Ⅳ) and HO·radicals are the reactive species in the system. The oxidation of HO·is only a small part of the overall removal rate. Based on the obtained results,a possible mechanism for a resin-supported Fenton-like oxidation reaction is proposed.


This article assesses critically the recent law and policy initiatives in European Union gender equality. As a fundamental right, the principle of gender equality is to apply in all areas of EU law. Its scope has been extended to the access to and supply of goods and services and, according to the European Court of Justice, to the Third Pillar. Despite efforts to render the principle visible and accessible, a number of provisions remain unclear and contradictory. The contribution of external actors in this field is set to help safeguarding and enhancing the Community gender equality acquis.


The starting point for this collection of essays is the view that dominant interpretations of European policy-making and governance are rooted in a conventional positivist approach that seeks explanations based on commonality across multiple cases in which actors' motivations and practices are reduced to some form of fixed rationality or institutional assimilation. In order to counter this sidelining of subjectivity and agency the editors and contributors to this volume set out to explore how a "decentred theory" approach can be applied to different aspects of EU governance. Rather than relying on objective social abstractions such as efficiency, national identity or economic interdependence, decentred theory instead frames policy and governance as "contingent constructions of actors inspired by competing beliefs (and) rooted in different traditions,.... (explaining) shifting patterns... (through) actors' own interpretations of their actions and practices,... locating them in historical contexts... (and focusing on) narratives that explain actions by relating them to the beliefs and desires that produced them" (pp. 1–2). In other words, it blends constructivist, historicist, interpretivist and discursive elements with an emphasis on interests, agency, context and contingency. In taking this approach it highlights meanings that inform the actions of individuals involved in all kinds of policy practices—what the editors terms "the social construction of governance". The focus is on "subjective and inter-subjective understandings of policy actors" (p. 6); in this formulation "... policies arise as conflicting beliefs, competing traditions and varied dilemmas generate, sustain and transform diverse practices..., (focusing) attention on the diverse ways in which situated agents make and remake policies as contested practices" (p. 2). A central feature is how the historical traditions within which actors operate become modified in response to the issues and dilemmas faced, and thus on the "meanings in action" expressed through elite narratives, social science rationalities, and resistance from other actors in the process. Therefore, research within this framework needs to explore the ways in which people construct their worlds not so much in terms of geographical position, professional identity, network membership or social status, but rather with respect to how they understand these dimensions, the norms that they operate within and their interests in the varying roles they play. Thus, governance is characterized not as "fixed essences" but rather as a set of disparate social practices created and recreated through concrete meaningful activity. Researching it in empirical terms involves exploring narratives, rationalities and resistance. "Narratives" are the different stories people use to make sense of their world, to explain past practices and events, to understand contemporary conditions and to identify possible solutions and means of overcoming obstacles. "Rationalities" relate to the multiple and competing social scientific beliefs and associated technologies that govern conduct, as well as the ways in which knowledge is drawn upon to construct policies, actions and practices. Finally, "resistance" from other policy-makers, on the ground practitioners or through citizen action can lead to adaptation or even rejection of plans and proposals formulated by a particular set of elite decision-makers. DOI: 10.1111/spol.12747


The present article focuses on 13-year-old girls' meaning-making processes during participation in a manual-based psycho-educational course at school. Drawing on childhood studies and ethnographic investigations of subjectivity, the author explores how the course is realized in practice. The analysis, based on video-recordings of 13 classes, shows that the girls and the teachers, through collective transformation, move the focus from individual potential problems to relational issues. The results demonstrate the weakness of using manual-based educational courses, and indicate that cognitive methods for dealing with negative thoughts could be replaced by exercises designed to deal with interaction and strengthening the individual.


Chinese Men's Basketball Team took part in the group contests of Athens' Olympic Games in 2004 and Beijing's in 2008.This paper makes an analysis of the technical and tactical indicators of 10 contests,focusing especially on the 2008 Beijing China vs Spain contest.The result shows that: Chinese Men's Basketball Team acted better at 2008 Beijing Olympic Games than at the 2004 Athens Olympics.Related indicators suggest that the Chinese team's progress is narrowing the gap with its competitors,but there still exists the following problems: slow-paced offense and defense conversion,weak in sudden attack,invariable attacking pattern,weak in fast-attack sense,instable in outside shooting,untimely transposition,weak in offensive and defensive confrontation,and lack of overall offensive and defensive ability and physical fitness.


Counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) and indirect haemagglutination (IHA) were used for the detection of antibodies in 437 sera of rabbits experimentally infected with Ascaris suum, Toxocara canis and Toxascaris leonina. CIEP showed 44.0-52.3% positivity in A. suum, 25.5% in T. canis and 19.7-29.2% in T. leonina infection, whereas the positivity detected by IHA was 59.8-90.2% in A. suum, 44.8% in T. canis and 59.6% in T. leonina infection. A comparison of the two tests reveals that CIEP is a suitable, rapid and simple method for orientation examinations in ascarid infections.


The Lidar was developed for the purpose of measuring stratospheric ozone in 1988 at Meteorological Research Institute (MRI). Using this system, temperature and aerosols can be measured simultaneously. Ozone concentrations are closely related to temperature and aerosols in the stratosphere. The retrieval of ozone concentration is based on the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique using at least two different laser lines.


Modeling shoulder motions is essential in understanding upper-limb dynamic behavior. However, the mobility of the shoulder complex---in terms of degrees of freedom DOFs---is seldom quantified. In this paper we propose applying the theory of mechanisms and, especially, the powerful Grubler--Kutzbach formula to estimate it. This approach requires a rigorous kinematic analysis. So we suggest basing it on a bone schematisation derived from an extension of Dempster's historical notation associated to mechanical interpretation of the physiological joints involved. In so doing, the proposed shoulder complex mobility leads to justifying a nine-DOF serial-chain upper-limb mode, which extends the classical seven-DOF arm--foream--wrist model and completing it by adding a clavicle-like link with a two-DOF mobility.


Purpose:Photon beams are assumed to be divergent within water phantoms (WP) with increasing source to detector distance (SDD). For symmetric fields, the profile tail should be equal on each side. We investigate differences observed in 3‐D WPs with phantom wall proximity and depth. Method and Materials: Profiles of various field sizes were obtained for in‐plane and cross‐plane directions with a 3‐D water tank. Two methods were used, 1) a fixed source to surface distance with detector depth or 2) varied depth and fixed SDD. With a fixed field size, profiles obtained via method 1 were geometrically scaled to 10 cm depth. The resulting field widths were compared. Field widths obtained with method 2 were also compared. Point measurements were made at ±17cm from the center of symmetric fields to assess dose differences from phantom wall proximity. Due to the water tank design, for y‐plane these two points will be either 8 or 22cm from the phantom wall while for the x‐plane they are both 7cm. To study the lack of phantom material in one direction, additional water or solid water was placed adjacent to the 3‐D water tank. Results: Using the two methods, radiation field widths were observed to decrease with depth for fields greater than ∼25×25cm2. For the x‐plane, measured profiles are symmetric. For the y‐plane a relative dose difference of up to 12% was observed outside the penumbra. Adding additional material showed minimum improvement. Conclusion: The radiation field width for large fields was found to be non‐divergent in the WP. Additionally, as the profile approaches the tank wall the relative dose decreases. NCI Contract No.HHSN261200522014C.


This paper proposes the Walsh function based position sensorless drive method of a PM motor by using high-frequency 20[kHz] triangular-wave-carrier PWM inverter ripple-current. The proposed method uses the Walsh harmonic of PWM inverter ripple-current to estimate the motor rotor position. By using the high frequency switching ripple-current, the period of the rotor position estimation has been decreased and improves the step response of PM motor. The Walsh function makes it possible to use a definite-integrator as the Walsh harmonic detector that can separate the small ripple-current signal from the motor drive-current signal. The Walsh harmonic detector circuit consists of less parts than that of the Fourier harmonic detector circuit. The validity of the proposed method was clarified by several experimental results.


Boron is relatively immobile in plants and its deficiency can cause serious yield reduction in rice by retarding panicle formation. Karaiakal region of Puduchuerry union terittory includes different soils with varying fertility status thus supplying boron at optimum level is a must concern to enhance the rice productivity.A pot experiment was conducted to fix critical limits of boron in soils and rice of this Karaikal region. Forty surface soil samples (0-15 cm) were collected from Inceptisol, Entisol and Vertisol soil orders of different locations in Karaikal region. The experiment was conducted with three levels of boron viz., 0, 1 and 2 ppm applied through borax in a factorial completely randomized design with three replications. The available B content of soil was estimated with five extractants. The critical limits of hot water, hot 0.01 M CaCl2, 0.05 M HCl, 1.0 M NH4OAc, 0.01M CaCl2+ 0.05 M Mannitol extractable B were found to be 0.50, 0.58, 0.46, 0.45 and 0.39 ppm in Inceptisol, 0.48, 0.59, 0.44, 0.39 and 0.48 ppm in Entisol and 0.45, 0.54, 0.45, 0.44 and 0.41ppm in Vertisol and a critical limit of 31.0, 39.0 and 34.0 ppm B in rice plant for Inceptisol(0.5ppm), Entisol(0.48 ppm) and Vertisol(0.45 ppm) as determined by Cate and Nelson's graphical procedure. Among the extractants the hot water extractant showed the highest significant and positive correlation with Bray's percent yield(0.48,0.47and 0.48), plant B content(0.041*, 0.019* and 0.271*) and B uptake(0.012*, 0.646* and 0.293*), respectively in Inceptisol, Entisol and Vertisol. From this study, the indicating knowledge of critical limit of boron will help to avoid yield loss of rice in the study region.


Several different voltage‐dependent K+ (KV) channel isoforms are expressed in arterial smooth muscle cells (myocytes). Vasoconstrictors inhibit KV currents, but the isoform selectivity and mechanisms involved are unclear. We show that angiotensin II (Ang II), a vasoconstrictor, stimulates degradation of KV1.5, but not KV2.1, channels through a protein kinase C‐ and lysosome‐dependent mechanism, reducing abundance at the surface of mesenteric artery myocytes. The Ang II‐induced decrease in cell surface KV1.5 channels reduces whole‐cell KV1.5 currents and attenuates KV1.5 function in pressurized arteries. We describe a mechanism by which Ang II stimulates protein kinase C‐dependent KV1.5 channel degradation, reducing the abundance of functional channels at the myocyte surface.


PURPOSE
to test the hypothesis that the anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) serum level reflects the antral follicles' response to the administration of FSH.

METHODS
prospective study, including 116 normo-ovulatory infertile patients submitted to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with GnRH and FSH agonists. The AMH serum level was measured after reaching the pituitary suppression and before the FSH administration (basal day). The number of antral follicles was determined by ultrasonography at the basal day (precocious antral follicles; 2 to 8 mm) and at the day of hCG administration (dhCG; pre-ovulatory follicles; >16 mm). The follicle response to FSH was determined by the percentage of precocious antral follicles which reached pre-ovulatory stage in response to FSH (maturation rate). The correlation of AMH with the patients' age, the total number of precocious antral and pre-ovulatory follicles, collected oocytes, total dose of FHS in the controlled ovarian stimulation and the rate of follicular maturation was studied. For the statistical analysis, it simple regression analysis and the Spearman's test were used, at a 5% significance level.

RESULTS
The serum level of AMH was positively correlated with the number of precocious antral follicles at the basal day (r=0.64; p<0.0001) and pre-ovulatory follicles in dhCG (r=0.23; p=0.01). Exceptionally, the serum level of AMH was negatively correlated with the maturation ratio (r=-0.24; p<0.008).

CONCLUSIONS
AMH attenuates the follicular development caused by FSH administration.


The COVID–19 pandemic affected millions of lives worldwide, disrupting every aspect of economic and social life, presenting unprecedented challenges to the public health sector. Early and accurate detection of the disease is important to contain the pandemic and minimize further loss of lives and livelihood. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), like in many other domains, have also been instrumental in tackling the outbreak of Coronavirus. From detection to treatment, AI/ML has been used by various industries for faster and automated response. RT-PCR being the standard detection technique for COVID-19, takes few hours to provide results. X-ray and CT scan images of the lungs provide a clear representation of the presence of virus, indicating the amount of damage incurred by the lungs. In this paper, an attempt has been made to differentiate COVID-19 CT scan images from that of non COVID-19 using AI/ML. A detailed study has been done on the artificial neural networks used worldwide by various researchers for this classification. Convolution Neural Network (CNN) being the most effective classifier for images, has been used in this study to build a neural network (Covi-net) that can classify COVID-19 and nonCOVID-19 images with 97.6% accuracy.


Cervical cancer is the malignancy most succesfully monitored by screening programs. Although most counties offer screening services, outcomes differ. It is clear that incidence reduction is achieved when quality assurance is implemented. Quality indicators are essential audit tools when implementing screening policies. Uniform indicators are used to monitor general performance and to identify potential problems that may occur and jeopardise efforts. That way quality management is enabled and the assessment of deviation from goals is facilitated. In this paper the authors present the workflow of cervical cancer screening programs in respect to the quality and performance indicators required by the European Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Cervical Cancer Screening. The authors also propose the appropriate data structures and entities that are required for a computerised system to support their calculation. Additionally the authors highlight important interconnections of the computerised system with other systems; these interconnections are vital for the calculation of the proposed quality indicators.


The crop rice is the staple food of most Sierra Leone with no close substitute. However, its cultivation has been on its last legs over the years. The decline in the domestic rice cultivation has had vicious socio-economic implications such as hiking consumer prices, balance of payment dilemmas with debt burden. The objective of this study is thus, to assess the effect of the shift of rural labour towards non-agricultural sectors on rice cultivation. The tools utilized for analyzing the problem under consideration involved a thorough descriptive statistics and generalized linear model using OLS technique. Increased rural population was established positive and significant in affecting rice cultivation. Fertilizer utilization was insignificant in rice cultivation. For reducing the shift of rural labor force towards nonagricultural sectors, the government should make the agricultural sector very lucrative. Keywords—Regression Model, Rice Cultivation, Rural Migration, Sierra Leone.


This study was conducted with CB1, CB3, CB5, CB8 and C12 cotton varieties to determine the role of leaf trichomes and meteorological factors on the abundances of aphid and jassid. The mean population of the pests on the tested varieties differed significantly and showed negative correlation with trichomes. The pests were most abundant on CB12, and each variety revealed significantly higher population of jassid than that of aphid. Both the pests built up their population in the juvenile stage of the plants (73 days after sowing) and continued until harvesting. Aphid population was the highest on CB12 in the first week of November, whereas maximum abundance of jassid was on CB12 in the third week of December. Weather parameters were found insignificant on aphid abundance, but jassid population on the varieties was correlated with maximum and minimum temperatures, relative humidity and rainfall. Multiple regression equation based on weather parameters exerted 8.8 - 43.2% and 54.4 - 77.7% role on population build up of aphid and jassid, respectively. Maximum temperature had the most important effect which contributed 61.2% population fluctuation of jassid on CB12. Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 42(1): 13-25, March 2017


Let us hear what really happened at the Reichenbach Falls near Meiningen, when Dr. Watson (W; performed by L. O. Wahlund, with a sweet Swedish accent), Sherlock Holmes (S; by P. Scheltens, with only a touch of Dutch) and Professor Moriarty (M; heavy Continental tongue) conversed while out walking:


2D conjugated charge‐transfer polymers hold the fundamental importance of both atomically defined molecular structures and unique spatial confinement for distinctive and exotic material properties. However, such 2D crystalline networks exhibit a fundamental processing challenge in polymer science and molecular assembly, which precludes emerging applications for 2D polymers. Here, an operationally simple solvothermal crystallization of conjugated charge‐transfer polymer into a freestanding and ultrathin 2D nanosheet directed by electrostatic recognition, π–π interaction, and charge‐transfer complexation is reported. High flexibility and 3D stacking capability of ultrathin 2D conjugated polymers provide a robust solution‐processing platform to uncover their emerging optoelectronics and multisensing capabilities. Resembling covalent organic framework assembly, these materials potentially open up a new exciting field of 2D conjugated networks with the structure flexibility and materials‐by‐design opportunities for all organic electronics.


What best explains the United Nations' (UN) attempts to mainstream gender in peacekeeping? And, in light of the fact that the top personnel contributing countries to UN peacekeeping missions are characterized by high levels of gender inequality, how feasible are the efforts to include more women in peacekeeping missions? This paper examines both the rationale for and feasibility of increasing the number of women involved in peacekeeping missions. A demand-driven explanation for gender mainstreaming is advanced, followed by an analysis regarding the feasibility of policy implementation. By observing patterns of troop and police contributions to peacekeeping missions this paper concludes that the UN must effectively increase incentives for personnel contributing states to deploy more women in their peacekeeping forces in order to improve gender equality in peacekeeping operations while taking into account the potential domestic barriers to the implementation of gender mainstreaming policies.


The therapy of children and adolescentswith cancer has become increasingly successful; almost 70% of all those diagnosed now live 5 or more years after diagnosis, and most will never suffer a recurrence of the original cancer. As these survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer mature, they become aware of issues related to the original diagnosis and treatment of which they may have been unaware during the time of active therapy. TheEighth International Conference on the Long-Term Complications of Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Cancer, co-sponsored by a conference grant from the National Cancer Institute and Roswell Park Cancer Institute, was held in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada from June 25 to 26, 2004. The conference attendees included 263 physicians, scientists, advanced practice nurses, nurses, and allied health professionals from the North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia/Oceania. The conference included platform and poster presentations of submitted abstracts, as well as 11 invited presentations organized around the theme of the symposium. These presentations encompassed anthracycline and radiation effects on cardiac muscle, the pathophysiology of anthracyclineand radiation-associated cardiomyopathies, epidemiology of coronary artery disease, the role of dexrazoxane for the prevention of cardiomyopathy in anthracycline treated pediatric cancer patients, the role of afterload reduction in the management of anthracycline cardiomyopathy, radiation therapy effects on the coronary arteries and cardiac valves, regulation of body mass, role of exercise and resistance training in weight loss and cardiac rehabilitation, role of estrogen and estrogen replacement therapy in the etiology and prevention of coronary artery disease risk, treatment of hyperlipidemia—role of diet and drugs, and Risk factors for and prevention of smoking. The present issue includes all articles prepared by the invited speakers. The comprehensive and thoughtful articles prepared by the invited speakers provide an excellent review of these areas for all who provide care for long-term survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer.


Kinesio taping (KT) is a method of elastic taping, created in the 1970s by a Japanese chiropractor, Dr. Kenzo Kase. The aim of this study was to present KT techniques and its application in various fields of medicine, sports and rehabilitation. The publications used in this paper were sourced from the PubMed and the Google Scholar databases. The keywords used to search databases included KT, Kinesio taping, medicine, dentistry and sport. Based on this study, it can be concluded that KT is the most recommendable method. Its use is being increasingly popular in many fields of medicine. It can be considered as an alternative for painkillers, especially in patients for whom the use of painkillers is not advisable or ineffective due to their condition. KT is well tolerated by patients and saves time; therefore, its use should be taken into account in various medical environments. In order to use this method, one should complete specialized courses, which, on the one hand, provide theoretical basis for its use, and on the other hand, teach how to choose original tapes in a practical way, as well as apply appropriate techniques in order to observe and compare the effects of one's work – therapy and treatment.


Objective:The observation acupuncture treat Bell's Pasly in 3 different diagnose of effect and course.Methals:Diagnose according to pathogeny different idiopathic facial palsy and Hunt syndrome in Bell's palsy,and idiopathic facial palsy according to location different under or above tympanic nerve.Results:The under tympanic nerve's acupuncture treat has the best curative effect,the course of treatment is the shortest,the fully recovering rate is 90.91%,it is 0 to be inefficient,the course of treatment is on average 6.09 weeks.The above tympanic nerve's takes second place,the fully recovering rate is 69.23%,it is 7.69% to be inefficient,the course of treatment is on average 11.54 weeks.Hunt syndrome has the worst place,the fully recovering rate is 37.50%,it is 25% to be inefficient,the course of treatment is on average 13.13 weeks.The fully recovering rate of cases is 76.12%,it is 5.97% to be inefficient,the course of treatment is on average 9.04 weeks.Conclusion:It is still have divergences in western and chinese medicine in different difference to the acupuncture and moxibustion treatment.If we need to prove periphery the acupuncture treatment of the facial paralysis has a better curative effect,we need to make a more careful clinical design and the multi-central comparison can be comparised.


[Objective]To investigate the levels of cognition of the border areas residents about North Korea nuclear incident,and provide a scientific reference for the adoption of appropriate measures. [Methods]A stratified random sampling method was applied to select villages groups or enterprises for the final sampling unit,random sample of permanent residents in each unit were recruited;using households survey questionnaires and focus combined approach to family as a unit to investigate all members. [Results]The higher the educational background and family income were,the bigger crowd thought that the Korea nuclear test brought about environment contamination and harmful effects on health. [Conclusion]The levels of cognition of the border areas residents about North Korea nuclear incident is low,therefore,the publicity and education should be enhanced.


Statin therapy has been associated with improved outcomes in patients with infections. Our aim was to determine whether preoperative statin therapy is associated with a decrease in the incidence of infections after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.

 Methods:
 We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 6,253 patients undergoing isolated CABG from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2010 (3,869 receiving statins and 2,384 not receiving statins). Primary outcome was the development of any postoperative infection (composite of deep sternal wound infection, leg harvest-site infection, pneumonia and sepsis) after CABG. Secondary outcome was the effect of statins on incidence of each aforementioned infection individually. Logistic regression analyses were performed.

 Results (Table):
 Incidence of any postoperative infection in patients who received statins preoperatively was 6.5% (250 of 3,869) compared to 8.3% (198 of 2,384) in controls. In fully adjusted models, preoperative statin therapy was independently associated with a significant reduction in the development of any postoperative infection. Among individual infections, preoperative statin therapy was associated with a reduced incidence of sternal wound and leg harvest site infections. An association with a reduced incidence of pneumonia and sepsis was not found.

 Conclusions:
 Preoperative statin use is associated with a decreased incidence of sternal wound infections and leg harvest site infections after CABG


Regional, racial, and age differences in good pre-pregnancy cardiovascular health were found among the 14 million study participants. Good cardiovascular health was highest in the Northeast (43.6%), followed by the West (42.2%), the Midwest (38.8%), and the South (38.1%). Less than 31.2% in the poor southern state of Mississippi had good cardiovascular health before pregnancy, compared with 47.2% in the western state of Utah. These patterns are similar to those seen in heart disease and stroke among men and women. Good pre-pregnancy cardiovascular health declined with age: 42.2% among women aged 30-34 but only 37.1% at ages 40-44.