This is a review of issues and problems, including cross-border disputes, arising during customs examination and sampling in the Russian Federation and the European Union. The Customs Union of the Russian Federation, Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Republic of Belarus was formed in accordance with the Agreement of 6 October 2007. This article provides some concrete examples of cross-border disputes in comparison to similar problems that have arisen in the EU, particularly in the Netherlands. Based on this review, we will conclude with some suggestions to improve the handling of cross-border disputes arising from customs examinations and sampling.


This study aimed to develop Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) model to explain adoption of information technologies process. a Descriptive – correlation study was conducted and data were collected through a survey. Statistical population was West Azerbaijan Agricultural Extension agents who 120 of them were selected randomly using the Krejcie and Morgan table. A questionnaire was employed to measure the variables in the model. Its validity was confirmed by a panel of experts. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient ranged between from 0.704 to 0.816 show satisfied reliability. For data processing, partial least squares (PLS) method as a new approach to structural equation modeling was used. The results showed that among three variables for development of technology acceptance model including Job relevance, experience and organization willingness to invest, the first and second show significant effects. Thus, Job relevance and experience as an external variable was added to the basic TAM. Other relations between variables in basic technology acceptance model in current study were also seen significant. Our developed TAM can explain 64% of the actual behavior of employee in information technology utilization. TAM is one of the most influential extensions of Ajzen and Fishbein's theory of reasoned action (TRA) in the literature. The theories behind it assume that when a person forms an intention to act, that s/he will be free to act without limitation. While In the real world there will be many constraints, such as limited freedom to act. For example, people in organized working environments are forced to use most of the relevant applications irrespective of their opinion or attitude. In this research mentioned model was used as a strong model to predict actual use behavior that affected by three variables namely Job relevance, experience and organization willingness to invest.


Photoparoxysmal response (PPR) is a highly heritable electroencephalographic trait characterized by an increased sensitivity to photic stimulation. It may serve as an endophenotype for idiopathic generalized epilepsy. Family linkage studies identified susceptibility loci for PPR on chromosomes 5q35.3, 8q21.13, and 16p13.3. This study aimed to identify key candidate genes within these loci. We used bioinformatics tools for gene prioritization integrating information on biologic function, sequence data, gene expression, and others. The prime candidate gene from this analysis was sequenced in 48 photopositive probands. Presumed functional implications of identified polymorphisms were investigated using bioinformatics methods. The glutamate receptor subunit gene GRIN2A was identified as a prime candidate gene. Sequence analysis revealed various new polymorphisms. None of the identified variants was predicted to be functionally relevant. We objectified the selection of candidate genes for PPR without an a priori hypothesis. Particularly among the various ion channel genes in the linkage regions, GRIN2A was identified as the prime candidate gene. GRIN2A mutations have recently been identified in various epilepsies. Even though our mutation analysis failed to demonstrate direct involvement of GRIN2A in photosensitivity, in silico gene prioritization may provide a useful tool for the identification of candidate genes within large genomic regions.


Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains one of the top 10 causes of cancer-related death in recent years. Approximately 80% of PC patients are diagnosed at the middle or advanced stage and miss the opportunity for surgery. The demand for early diagnostic methods and reliable biomarkers is increasing, although a number of tumor markers such as CA19-9 and CEA have already been utilized in clinics. In this study, we analyzed the alteration of N-glycan of serum glycoproteins by mass spectrometry and lectin blotting. The results showed that bisecting GlcNAc structures of glycoproteins are significantly increased in PC patients' sera. With Phaseolus vulgaris Erythroagglutinin (PHA-E) lectin that specifically recognizes bisecting GlcNAc N-glycans, the serum glycoproteins bearing bisecting GlcNAc in PC patients' sera were pulled down and identified by nano-LC-MS/MS. Among them, ceruloplasmin (Cp) was screened out with a satisfied sensitivity and specificity in identifying PC from acute pancreatitis patients (AUC: 0.757) and normal healthy persons (AUC: 0.972), suggesting a close association between Cp and PC development and diagnosis. To prove that, the Cp expression in tumor tissues of PC patients was examined. The results showed that Cp was significantly upregulated in PC tissues compared to that in adjacent normal tissues. All these results suggested that PHA-E-positive Cp could be a potential PC-specific glycoprotein marker to distinguish PC patients from acute pancreatitis patients and normal persons.


Reactive washing (RW) is a key process for disinfecting, purifying, and bleaching of cork stoppers to seal bottles with alcoholic beverages. Excessively severe treatment conditions deteriorate the surface properties of cork stoppers and must be strictly controlled. In this study, the conventional RW of natural cork stoppers was optimized employing a fractional factorial design. The RW variables (H2O2 and NaOH concentrations, oxidation time, and washing water volume) were correlated with the final ISO brightness of the stoppers. A three-level and four-factor fractional factorial design within the response surface methodology approach allowed a quadratic model to predict the process response, where the H2O2 concentration is the variable with the highest response (ISO brightness), followed by the NaOH concentration. The model obtained was validated, allowing the optimization of the process with savings of 37% in the concentration of H2O2 and 33% in the concentration of NaOH and volume of washing water, without deteriorating the final appearance of the stoppers. In addition, the less severe treatment of stoppers under optimized conditions led to less degradation of their surface, thus favoring the receptivity to functional coatings.


Abstract Schirmacher Oasis and Bharati Promontory in Larsemann Hills of East Antarctica are currently ice-free coastal areas exposed in physiographically different polar periglacial environments. Schirmacher Oasis is bound by the presence of a vast stretch of ice shelf in the north and the polar ice sheet in the south. It exhibits well-developed patterned ground, abundant till deposition, block-fields, episodic development of curvilinear morainic ridges, extensive outwash plains and erratics. In contrast, the occurrence of such depositional features is sparse on Bharati Promontory, where landmass is directly in contact with the ocean. The sedimentary processes vary in their magnitude owing to different physiographic settings in these two geographically separated locations. Scanning electron microscopy of quartz grains shows subsequent reworking under glaciofluvial environment and final deposition of material in glacially scoured basins. The fluvial action is more pronounced in the Schirmacher Oasis than on Bharati Promontory. The transport of sediment by polar ice is mainly through englacial pathways with a minor contribution from the supraglacial component. Discharge of all sizes of sediments ranging from large boulders to glacially abraded rock-flour in varying proportions takes place at the ice–bedrock interface. Granulometric analysis also shows turbulence of transporting media and reworking of sediments before final deposition.


This article examines the assault on the rights, wages and bargaining position of workers in Greece following the bailout agreements between Greece and its creditors – the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the group of Eurozone countries. It focuses in particular on the workfare measures that are designed to activate the industrial reserve army. These measures are enacted in the name of competitiveness, which is defined as reducing unit labour costs, revealing the neo-liberal orientation of the structural adjustment programme to which Greece is being subjected. The article also puts this into the context of the wider conflict over austerity policies in Greece, which came to a head with the election of the left-wing Syriza party in January 2015 and its recent defeat against the country's creditors. We argue that this result can only be properly understood if the institutional design and inherent selectivities of the Eurozone are taken into account.


Abstract Many people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in rural Anhui, China are poor and lack sufficient protein in their diet. This project was to increase soybean protein in the diet of PLWHAs in a resource limited area in rural Anhui. A community intervention was implemented, by providing soybean seeds and a series of training courses on planting soybean, nutrition and preparing for soy food to PLWHA families in two villages in North Anhui. Participants were encouraged to eat soy food everyday after harvest. Among the 47 PLWHA participants in the assessment, 60% were females, 38% were illiterate, the average household income was 5323 Yuan ($760) per year. In 2006, they received soybean seeds of 320.5 kg and the harvest was 3465 kg four months later. In the past three months of the assessment, 94% had eaten soy food at least three times a week and 96% of them ate 100 g each time. After eating soy food, 93% felt better, 86% reported less sickness, 61.3% had higher total blood protein and blood white protein, 58.1% had higher blood hemoglobin, and 54.8% had higher CD4 count. All participants liked the project and all hoped to continue the project. The preliminary data suggested that the pilot "planting and eating soybean" project was effective and sustainable for PLWHAs living in resource limited rural areas in Anhui, China.


OBJECTIVES
To determine the number of people who underwent treatment of urinary stones in Quebec before and after the introduction of extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and to determine how the introduction of ESWL influenced resource utilization.

DESIGN
Before-after study; data were obtained from administrative databases and hospital-based cost estimates.

SETTING
The 68 acute care hospitals in Quebec in which treatment of urinary stones is undertaken.

PATIENTS
Quebec residents admitted to hospital for treatment of urinary stones between the fiscal years 1984 and 1992.

OUTCOME MEASURES
Number of people treated for urinary stones per year, total number of procedures per year (including open surgery, percutaneous procedures, retrograde procedures and ESWL), and annual resources (including number of hospital bed-days and direct costs) for treatment of urinary stones used overall and in hospitals with and without ESWL services.

RESULTS
Over the study period the number of people treated for urinary stones increased by 59%. As well, the combined frequency of ESWL and surgery (the two main treatment methods) increased by 107%. These increases were largely due to rates of treatment that grew by 52% among women and by 34% among men. The total number of hospital bed-days decreased by 28%, which reflected shorter hospital stays for ESWL. However, despite this decrease, the total direct annual costs were 7% higher in 1992 than in 1984 because of the increased numbers of people treated and procedures performed. In the three hospitals that offered ESWL the number of hospital bed-days and the direct costs of treating urinary stones increased by 49% and $2.5 million respectively. In the 65 other hospitals these figures decreased by 41% and about $2.9 million respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
Because of increased intervention rates the total cost of treating urinary stones has risen since the introduction of ESWL. The introduction of ESWL has also been associated with a shift in the use of resources for treating urinary stones to hospitals with a lithotriptor. The reasons for the increased intervention rates are unknown. However, given the possibility of negative health effects and the increased costs, studies to determine whether the increased rates improve health outcomes are warranted.


This research comprises the coal pyrolysis by thermogravimetry (TG/DTG). During the pyrolysis of the coal samples studied, gradual and continuous weight loss over the entire temperature range was observed. The weight loss below 210°C is related to the removal of moisture. The subsequent pyrolysis process as revealed by the corresponding DTG peak that is related to primary devolatilization, during which carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen compounds are released. Arrhenius-type kinetic model was used to determine the kinetic parameters and the results are discussed.


We propose a method to calculate the purity of reduced states of graph states entirely within the stabilizer formalism, using only the stabilizer generators for a given state. We apply this method to find the Concentratable Entanglement of graph states, with examples including a single qubit within any graph state, states proposed for use in quantum repeaters and states that maximise and minimise the overall Concentratable Entanglement.


Polyamine analogs are known to inhibit tumorigenesis at least in part by mimicking some of the regulatory roles of natural polyamines. To begin the identification of those signaling pathways that are involved in differential cellular responses to the synthetic conformationally restricted polyamine analog CGC-11093, we conducted gene expression profiling, proteomic, and genome-wide DNA methylation and histone acetylation analyses of the HCT116 colon adenocarcinoma cell line after treatment with this analog. Gene expression analysis was performed using Affymetrix GeneChip human genome U133 Plus 2.0 arrays. Changes in protein expression were evaluated using 2D polyacrylamide gels followed by LCMS/MS. DNA methylation was measured using 6,800 element CpG island microarrays. Treatment of cells with CGC-11093 at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 10 μM caused inhibition of cell growth and metabolic activity, but only minimally affected cell viability. Gene expression analysis showed concentration-dependent effects of CGC-11093 on the DNA/RNA binding transcription factor, cell cycle, signaling, transport, cytoskeletal/structural, and serine protease genes. Functional gene analysis revealed distinct expression patterns related to inhibition of cell cycle control, TGF beta signaling, proteasome and RNA polymerase pathways, upregulation of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis pathway, and perturbations in the MAPK and Wnt signaling pathways. Microarray results were validated for selected genes with real time RT PCR. Proteomics analysis showed correlative changes in the expression of proteins involved in the regulation of proteasome function (proteasome subunit Y) and tRNA synthesis. CGC-11093 treatment did not produce any detectable changes in DNA methylation or histone acetylation in cells. This study validates specific target pathways for a specific conformationally restricted polyamine analog and suggests the utility of combined gene and DNA methylation microarrays along with proteomic analyses as a useful approach to the evaluation of the mechanisms of action of anticancer drugs.


Abstract Infrared radiation observations made by TIROS II during 27 days between 26 November 1960 and 6 January 1961 are used to obtain mean latitudinal profiles of outgoing long-wave radiation. The mean profiles revealed an insufficient estimate of limb darkening in the data. Consequently, only subsatellite observations are used to obtain mean latitudinal profiles for oceanic and continental areas. The distinct differences which are noted between the land and ocean profiles are discussed. Finally, the means obtained from the TIROS II data are found to agree well with estimates of the terrestrial radiation based on theoretical considerations and indirect quantitative estimates.


The endolithic bioerosion structures described herein were found on the external surface of right valves of Ostrea antarctica Zinsmeister from the lower section of the Eocene La Meseta Forrnation, on Seymour Island, Antarctica. The traces are referred to Feldmannia cavernosa new ichnogenus and new ichnospecies and are the first evidence of boring bryozoans in the Eocene of Antarctica. This is the first trace fossil attributed to boring bryozoans that furniches evidence of strong substrate specificity. This fact, and because the perforations were made when the oysters were alive, suggests probable symbiotic relationships, which ha ve not be en previously recognized in boring bryozoans. The presence of Feldmannia cavernosa together with the remaining traces of the ichnocoenosis suggest that, reinforcing the sedimentological and stratigraphical evidence, the levels bearing Osirea antarctica represent a flooding surface in the lower section of the La Meseta Formation.


Full-time dancers typically spend a large proportion of time participating in dance classes. The present study examined mood state changes following two contrasting modern-dance styles on a sample of full-time dancers. Twenty-three dancers completed the Brunel University Mood Scale (Terry, Lane, Lane, & Keohane, 1999) to assess anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, tension, and vigor before and after two different dance classes. One class taught was the Jose Limon technique style, characterized by light flowing movement, and the other class taught was the Martha Graham technique style, characterized by bound movements. Results showed that participants reported a positive mood profile before and after both dance classes. Repeated Measures Multivariate Analysis of Variance results indicated a significant interaction effect (Pillai's Trace 6, 15 = .32, p < .01), whereby Vigor increased following the Limon class but remained stable after the Graham class. Future research is also needed to investigate mood changes over a sustained period to evaluate more fully mood states responses to the demands of dance classes.


Human activity emits vast amounts of heavy metals into the environment. Toxic elements that permeate through the biosphere are incorporated into the trophic chain where they are harmful to all living organisms. The aims of this research were: identification of risks and dangers to the environment in the Lublin Region associated with contamination of selected organs of the mallards by toxic elements; determination of concentration levels of selected heavy metals (Pb, Cd) in the organs and tissues of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos); an attempt to identify the organs that would allow quick and unambiguous establishment of the mallards' condition, determined by the accumulation of toxic elements; assessment of usefulness of the mallard muscle tissue for human consumption in the context of applicable legal regulations being in force in Poland. The concentration of polluting heavy metals was ascertained using the atomic absorption spectrometry method (AAS). The highest average concentration of cadmium was found in the kidneys of mallards bred in the Przytoczno animal farm. The highest average concentration of lead was found in the livers of mallards bred in the animal farm in Przytoczno in 2001; in 2002 the highest average concentration of lead was identified in the livers of mallards culled in the Czestoborowice area. The highest concentration of lead (Pb) in the organisms of mallards was found in their livers, while the highest concentration of cadmium (Cd) was observed in the kidneys. There is a strict link between the levels of heavy metal concentration in the organisms of examined birds and the area where the research samples were taken. The quality of fodder used in mallard farming should be monitored in order to reduce the risks of heavy metal contamination. Based on the research findings it is impossible to identify the organs that would allow quick and unambiguous establishment of the mallards' condition, determined by the accumulation of toxic elements. The observed levels of concentrations of lead and cadmium are harmless to consumers. High concentration levels of heavy metals in the examined organs of the mallards found in some cases justify further monitoring of the environment.


OBJECTIVE
Although clinically evident type 2 diabetes is a well-established cause of mortality, less is known about subclinical states of glucose intolerance.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Data from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Mortality Study, a prospective study of adults, were analyzed. This analysis focused on a nationally representative sample of 3,174 adults aged 30-75 years who underwent an oral glucose tolerance test at baseline (1976-1980) and who were followed up for death through 1992.

RESULTS
Using 1985 World Health Organization criteria, adults were classified as having previously diagnosed diabetes (n = 248), undiagnosed diabetes (n = 183), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) (n = 480), or normal glucose tolerance (n = 2,263). For these groups, cumulative all-cause mortality through age 70 was 41, 34, 27, and 20%, respectively (P < 0.001). Compared with those with normal glucose tolerance, the multivariate adjusted RR of all-cause mortality was greatest for adults with diagnosed diabetes (RR 2.11, 95% CI 1.56-2.84), followed by those with undiagnosed diabetes (1.77, 1.13-2.75) and those with IGT (1.42, 1.08-1.87; P < 0.001). A similar pattern of risk was observed for cardiovascular disease mortality.

CONCLUSIONS
In the U.S., there was a gradient of mortality associated with abnormal glucose tolerance ranging from a 40% greater risk in adults with IGT to a 110% greater risk in adults with clinically evident diabetes. These associations were independent of established cardiovascular disease risk factors.


Cloud computing has established itself as an alternative IT infrastructure and service model. However, as with all logically centralized resource and service provisioning infrastructures, cloud does not handle well local issues involving a large number of networked elements (IoTs) and it is not responsive enough for many applications that require immediate attention of a local controller. Fog computing preserves many benefits of cloud computing and it is also in a good position to address these local and performance issues because its resources and specific services are virtualized and located at the edge of the customer premise. However, data security is a critical challenge in fog computing especially when fog nodes and their data move frequently in its environment. This paper addresses the data protection and the performance issues by 1) proposing a Region-Based Trust-Aware (RBTA) model for trust translation among fog nodes of regions, 2) introducing a Fog-based Privacy-aware Role Based Access Control (FPRBAC) for access control at fog nodes, and 3) developing a mobility management service to handle changes of users and fog devices' locations. The implementation results demonstrate the feasibility and the efficiency of our proposed framework.


At the end of presentation, participants will be able to: Understand the Engineering Technology issues in Malaysia, Value the benefits of Engineering Technology to the country, Appreciate initiatives in Engineering Technology, Experience the challenges faced during the whole process, Visualize the Future Direction


Did population policy under Stalin differ, in any fundamental respect, from those of inter-war France or other Western countries? In a radical rethinking of the Soviet experience, Stephen Kotkin said no. Magnetic Mountain moved the field of Soviet history past an increasingly sterile cold war standoff between the so-called new social history and the totalitarian school. With the social history generation, Kotkin insisted on seeing the Soviet project from the perspective of ordinary people, subject to the same kind of forces that applied throughout Europe. He had no truck with ideas like oriental despotism or Russian exceptionalism, but, with the totalitarian school, he took ideology seriously, presenting everyday life and high politics within a single analytical frame. To do so, he drew eclectically on a range of theoretical perspectives, above all on the work of the late Michel Foucault. Foucault often implied that Auschwitz and the Gulag were the logical outcome of the Enlightenment project, but his primary goal was to illuminate the corrosive, coercive nature of liberal reform efforts in Western Europe, to puncture their claims to universality. The vast bulk of his corpus avoided the twentieth century. Kotkin, by contrast, used Foucault's perspective directly on the Soviet system itself.


The Facebook advertising platform has been subject to a number of controversies in the past years regarding privacy violations, lack of transparency, as well as its capacity to be used by dishonest actors for discrimination or propaganda. In this study, we aim to provide a better understanding of the Facebook advertising ecosystem, focusing on how it is being used by advertisers. We first analyze the set of advertisers and then investigate how those advertisers are targeting users and customizing ads via the platform. Our analysis is based on the data we collected from over 600 real-world users via a browser extension that collects the ads our users receive when they browse their Facebook timeline, as well as the explanations for why users received these ads. Our results reveal that users are targeted by a wide range of advertisers (e.g., from popular to niche advertisers); that a non-negligible fraction of advertisers are part of potentially sensitive categories such as news and politics, health or religion; that a significant number of advertisers employ targeting strategies that could be either invasive or opaque; and that many advertisers use a variety of targeting parameters and ad texts. Overall, our work emphasizes the need for better mechanisms to audit ads and advertisers in social media and provides an overview of the platform usage that can help move towards such mechanisms.


Model-based software testing is done by generating test-cases from a model that represents the workings of a System Under Test (SUT). Then the tool runs those tests and compares the results with the actual SUT. One of the issues here is the synchronization of the communications between the tool and the SUT. In the testing tool TorX this is the task of the Adaptor. For this paper we've developed an Adaptor for a simple Lego Mindstorms robot. The goal behind this is to obtain a generic Adaptor from this specific Adaptor.


Background Despite routine review of medication lists during patient encounters, patients' medication lists are often incomplete and not reflective of actual medication use. Contributing to this situation is the challenge of reconciling medication information from existing health records, along with external locations (eg, pharmacies, other provider/hospital records, and care facilities) and patient-reported use. Advances in the interoperability and digital collection of information provides a foundation for integration of these once disparate information sources. Objective We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of and satisfaction with an electronic health record (EHR)-integrated web-based medication reconciliation application, MedTrue (MT). Methods We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial of MT in 6 primary care clinics within an integrated health care delivery system. Our primary outcome was medication list accuracy, as determined by a pharmacist-collected best-possible medication history (BPMH). Patient and staff perspectives were evaluated through surveys and semistructured interviews. Results Overall, 224 patients were recruited and underwent a BPMH with the pharmacist (n=118 [52.7%] usual care [UC], n=106 [47.3%] MT). For our primary outcome of medication list accuracy, 8 (7.5%) patients in the MT arm and 9 (7.6%) in the UC arm had 0 discrepancies (odds ratio=1.01, 95% CI 0.38-2.72, P=.98). The most common discrepancy identified was patients reporting no longer taking a medication (UC mean 2.48 vs MT mean 2.58, P=.21). Patients found MT easy to use and on average would highly recommend MT (average net promoter score=8/10). Staff found MT beneficial but difficult to implement. Conclusions The use of a web-based application integrated into the EHR which combines EHR, patient-reported data, and pharmacy-dispensed data did not improve medication list accuracy among a population of primary care patients compared to UC but was well received by patients. Future studies should address the limitations of the current application and assess whether improved implementation strategies would impact the effectiveness of the application.


Measuring and monitoring through wearable technology parameters related to human movement, posture, and gesture are gaining momentum because of their wide range of potential applications in daily-life conditions. In previous studies, carbon elastomers (CEs) have been used as strain sensors. Recent developments of CE sensors mathematical modeling demonstrated that the CEs can be used as electrogoniometers. It was proved that for small local curvatures of CE layers, the resistance of a strip constituting a layer depends only on the total curvature of the same layer and not on the particular shape that the sensor keeps in adherence with a surface. Further, it was proved, theoretically and experimentally, that a double-layer configuration provides better accuracy with respect to a single-layer configuration. These results have been obtained under the hypothesis that the device was bent, but not extended. In this paper, we substituted the inextensible insulating layer in the sensors with an elastic one, allowing the system to extend its length. This improvement required further study to make it fit for biomechanical applications following epithelial deformations produced by joint movements and minimizes skin motion artifacts.


Malnutrition is a major public health problem in the developing countries. It contributes to child morbidity and mortality, poor intellectual and physical development of children, and lowered resistance to diseases. The overall objective of the study was to determine prevalence and predictors of nutritional status of children age 6 to 36 months visiting health facilities in the study area. A cross-sectional descriptive study to determine nutritional status of children visiting health facilities in Jimma Zone was conducted from March (15 th – 30 th ) 2010. The study was conducted in six randomly selected teaching health facilities (Jimma, Agaro, Asendabo, Yebu, Serbo health centers) and Limu district hospital within 5-50 km radius from Jimma University. All children aged 6-36 months and their mothers/care givers visited the above mentioned health facilities during the study period were included in the study. Out of 322 sampled mothers/care givers with children age between 6 to 36 months, 313 responded to the questionnaire making the response rate 97.2%. The mean age of mothers was 26 years with standard deviation + 5.27 while the mean age of children found to be 17 months with standard deviation + 8.75. Concerning nutritional status of children the analysis showed that 14.4% were underweight 33.9% were stunted and 19.2% were wasted. With regard to factors determining nutritional status of children breast feeding, increasing age of child, increasing age of mothers, large family size and sex of child found to be important predictors of the nutritional status of children (p <0.05). Despite the fact that the method of sampling used in this study has its own limitation, the prevalence of wasting in this study is slightly higher according to the classification established by the WHO to indicate the level of child malnutrition. Therefore, use of proper feeding method and supplementation of breast milk at appropriate age according to child feeding recommendation and family centered care should be encouraged for young children.


Mountains are gaining increasing popularity from urban population for recreational purpose due to people desire to escape from fast pace of modern life and throat-cut competitions. People are seeking a place where they can relax without anxiety. Consequently, mountain areas automatically become one of the particular places for recreation and outdoor activities.


This study explores interbank market discipline and its effectiveness in Kenya and Malawi by examining the factors that drive the quantityand price-based measures of market discipline, and the effectiveness of disciplinary mechanisms in influencing commercial banks' capital adequacy ratios. The findings show the differentiating effects that bank risk factors have on interbank volumes and rates in the two countries, and while both quantityand price-based discipline mechanisms are effective in Kenya, only the price-based discipline is effective in Malawi. The study recommends a review of the rules of engagement in the interbank market targeted at reducing the influence of some banks in the Malawi interbank market. For both countries, policy makers could tighten rules for banks' liquidity management so that deviations are more heavily penalized and banks would be highly incentivized to increase their capital adequacy ratios, in support of prudential regulation and the objectives of monetary policy.


In this lecture a partial and tentative examination has been made of chemical factors possibly important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The discussion has centered about four observations concerning the incidence and extent of the disease. The first is that man appears to be unique among mammals in his predisposition; the second, that the condition is seldom if ever seen in the human infant at birth; the third, that healthy women are not likely to develop its complications before the time of the menopause; the fourth, that in man certain maladies and particularly diabetes, familial xanthomatosis, and nephrosis favor early and extensive atheromatous deposits. An attempt has been made to relate present knowledge of lipid composition of the blood to known variations in the degree of predisposition to the disease. This has included scrutiny of observations on concentration of cholesterol and the Sf 10-20 bodies of Gofman, on cholesterol-phospholipid ratios and on the distribution of cholesterol between the lipoproteins of plasma. It has been shown that in mammals which never develop spontaneous atherosclerosis the values of all the criteria of concentration and distribution of lipids differ from those of man. Among human beings only the infant at birth has plasma which in its lipid composition closely resembles that of immune mammals. In young women the deviation is less than in other human adults. In groups of patients that display the greatest tendency to the development of atherosclerosis, the plasma lipid patterns differ most widely from those of other mammals. Among survivors of myocardial infarction many but not all display striking abnormalities in every one of the criteria of lipid concentration and distribution. Comparison of the different methods indicates that in survivors of infarction the distribution of cholesterol between the lipoproteins is more constantly disturbed than the other chemical factors. No test however deviates with sufficient constancy to permit its use in the clinical diagnosis either of the presence of atherosclerosis or of a tendency to its development. It has been shown that the lipid patterns in man are not immutable but can be manipulated to a considerable degree. Specifically, it has been demonstrated that the administration of estrogen can convert the highly pathologic patterns of survivors of myocardial infarction to normal adult human values, and that the use of methyl testosterone exaggerates the chemical pathology of myocardial infarction and may even produce deviant patterns in those who have been previously normal. Although the observations which have been reviewed offer strong evidence that predisposition to atherosclerosis is related to deviations in the lipid composition of the blood, they do not establish the chemical hypothesis of pathogenesis. Although at present they lead to no practical applications in therapy, they are regarded as worthy of further investigation with a justifiable hope that greater knowledge may offer new clues to prevention and control.


Digitalization and automation of business processes offer great benefits in terms of productivity and cost reduction. Organizations struggle to tap into these benefits for inter-organizational processes, partly due to a lack of trust. Bitcoin has proven how blockchain can use distribution and cryptography to provide a system that does not rely on trust. LTO builds upon this foundation with a decentralized workflow engine employed for ad-hoc collaboration. Information is shared between parties using per-process private event chains and hashed on a public blockchain. This hybrid approach allows organizations to meet any data protection regulations and prevents scalability issues that are typically associated with blockchain projects.


Motivation: Bone mineral density (BMD), the principal determinant of bone strength and a risk factor for osteoporosis, is the net result of two processes: (i) the acquisition of peak BMD during young adulthood, and (ii) the subsequent rate of bone loss with age. While the genetics of peak BMD has been extensively studied, the specific genetic polymorphisms influencing peak BMD and the genetic contribution to bone loss are largely unknown. We investigated the extent to which genes influence 5-year change in BMD and searched for specific chromosomal regions influencing peak BMD and change in BMD in 1047 Mexican Americans from 34 large, multigenerational families. Methods: BMD measurements of the hip, spine, and forearm were collected at baseline and follow-up (3-8 years later, mean = 5.6 years) by dual-energy x-ray absoptiometry, from which annual BMD change was calculated. Pedigree-based maximum likelihood methods modeling the variance decomposition of longitudinal and cross-sectional measurements of BMD were used to estimate heritability (h²) and perform genome-wide linkage analysis (using a 7.6 cM genetic map) for BMD change and peak BMD. The effects of several environmental covariates, notably sex, age, weight, change in weight, and menopause, were simultaneously modeled.Results: We determined that change in BMD varied over time and could be categorized into two heritable (h² = 31% to 44%) phases: early adult bone loss in participants 45 years of age. A quantitative trait locus (QTL) influencing early bone loss was observed on chromosome 1q (LOD = 3.6) in the cohort 45 years. By comparing cross-sectional genetic analyses at baseline and follow-up, we identified QTLs on chromosomes 6q and 13q with consistent effects on peak BMD of the hip and showed that QTLs influencing peak BMD did not overlap with QTLs influencing bone loss.Public health significance: This work demonstrated the importance of genes in the etiology of osteoporosis, a growing public health problem. Understanding the genetic determinants of bone strength could lead to new biological targets for the treatment of osteoporosis, and/or the identification of persons at risk who would benefit from preventative interventions.


BACKGROUND
Advances in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have resulted in sustained improvements in the general health and longevity of people living with the virus. Primary care continues to be predominantly delivered by high caseload general practitioners and specialists, but GPs with limited HIV experience are increasingly likely to have contact with HIV positive patients through shared care arrangements.

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this article is to review the management of stable patients with HIV and to provide an approach to important elements of their ongoing care.

DISCUSSION
The long term care of people living with HIV is increasingly focused on chronic disease management and health promotion. Specific issues include mental health; drug and alcohol use; sexual and reproductive health; cardiovascular, renal, liver and bone disease; malignancies; and prevention, including immunisation. Treatment side effects such as lipodystrophy and peripheral neuropathy are less common with newer agents, but other toxicities are increasingly recognised. The majority of people living with HIV can be managed in the general practice setting, with specialist support where appropriate.


Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. There has been a constant search for therapeutic modalities in an attempt to reduce this burden, but till date, none of them have proved to have a significant clinical impact. The interest in whole-body hypothermia as a treatment modality for severe TBI arose from enthusiastic experiences with the patients having anoxic brain damage after cardiac arrest. However, despite numerous randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews, its role in improving the outcomes after TBI are still far from being certain to warrant its clinical usage. The concept that hypothermia may be beneficial in improving the outcomes after TBI evolved with the discovery that the final neuronal injury pattern after an ischemic event could be lessened by cooling the brain. Several subsequent animal studies and clinical trials have now been conducted, which have led the Brain Trauma Foundation to issue a Level III recommendation for the use of primary therapeutic hypothermia in the management of TBI. Induced hypothermia should logically be useful in improving the mortality and neurologic outcome after severe TBI. However, the beneficial, effect of hypothermia only exists in high-quality trials, and presently, there is no Level I or Level II evidence. The relative scarcity of high-quality data in this setting entails well-designed large multicentric RCT's to prove any association if it exists.


In this report, the collective patterns of swarms dynamics are theoretically studied using a self-propelled particle model, and the dynamics of the individual particles in the swarms is precisely studied using Lyapunov analysis. Furthermore, the collective behaviors of the swarms are classified into several patterns characterized by the following statistical quantities: Lyapunov spectrum, Lyapunov dimension, and stability and instability indices. Consequently, we propose individual instability exponents (IIEs) that describes the sensitivity of the individual particles in the swarm, and show that the IIEs is a significant order parameter that demonstrates changes in the pattern and expresses the activity of the swarm dynamics. Furthermore, we show that the mean and variance obtained after calculating the speed distribution of individual particles reveal marked variations corresponding to the change in the pattern in a manner similar to those of the IIEs.


This study has been done in the laboratory of Department of Horticulture, Trakya University, Tekirdag, with the aim of determining the most suitable germination conditions for the radish sprouts which are consumed as vegetables by many people. The chestnut kind of white radish (Raphanus sativus) seeds were germinated in a pot experiment conducted according to a factorial design in randomized blocks with 3 factors (pot, pad and light) and 3 repetitions. Four types of pots (circular or rectangular plastic pots, flat or short glass jars), four types of pads (drying paper, paper towel, cloth or perlite) and two different light conditions (complete light and semi-complete light) were used. The duration of the trial was three days. Germination and sprouting were completed best on perlite placed in short glass jar or rectangular plastic pot which were kept in semicomplete light. Vitamin C and nitrate contents in extracts of seeds were highest during 2 nd and 3 rd day after germination and thereafter decreased.


This article aims at exploring the profile of school counsellor's competency in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, and factors that affected it. The study used quantitative approach, involving four independent variables, age, work experience, educational background, and professional certification experience of the school counsellor, and one dependent variable, the score of the competency test. The population of the study was 1949 school counsellors who took competency test administered by the Ministry of Education and Culture in 2015. There were 322 samples taken using proportional random sampling technique, representing school counsellors from SMP (junior high school), SMA (senior high school), and SMK (vocational schools). The result of the study showed that the average score of the competency test was still below the minimum standard set by the Government. The study also presented that there was a negative influence between age and the score, and positive influence between educational background and teacher certification program, and the results of competency test. Yet, it was found there was no significant influence between working experience and the results of competency test.


Use this guide to access the digitized files of the Nick Virgilio Haiku Archive, housed at the Paul Robeson Library, Rutgers University - Camden


To arrest the ongoing ecological disaster in the country, the government of Zimbabwe implemented the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE). Through the CAMPFIRE programme, each ward could benefit from two land uses – agriculture and wildlife. The ward must make a choice on land uses, in other words how much land to allocate to wildlife and how much to agriculture. When a hunting area belongs to one ward, the outcome is desirable; whereas if it belongs to two wards, it becomes complicated. We modelled the two scenarios: Scenario 1 – hunting area belonging to one ward; and Scenario 2 – hunting area shared by two wards. We used Pontryagin's maximum principle to solve the models analytically and to carry out comparative statics. We also applied the results to the study areas using secondary data. The results from the analysis suggest that there is a need to make it mandatory for communities who bear the cost of wildlife management to share in the revenue from wildlife.


The various techniques available for the management of auricular haematoma are reviewed and discussed. A modification of existing methods of treatment employing vacuum drainage is described. This method used in six cases resulted in a satisfactory cosmetic appearance.


In this paper, we propose a frame selection procedure for textindependent speaker identification. Instead of averaging the frame likelihoods along the whole test utterance, some of these are rejected (pruning) and the final score is computed with a limited number of frames. This pruning stage requires a prior frame level likelihocd normalization in order to make comparison between frames meaningful. This normalization procedure alone leads to a significative performance enhancement. As far as pruning is concerned, the optrmal number of frames pruned is learned on a tuning data set for normal and telephone: speech. Validation of the pruning procedure on 567 speakers leads to a 27% identification rate improvement on TIMIT, and to 17% on NTIMIT.


Objectives To develop hypotheses about whether there are patient-related factors that influence physicians' decision-making that can explain why some patients with severe subjective health complaints (SHCs) are more likely to be granted sick leave than others. Design Exploratory cross-sectional. Setting Assessments of patient-related factors after watching nine authentic video recordings of patients with severe SHC from a Norwegian general practice. Our previous study showed that three of these nine patients were less likely than the remaining six patients to be granted sick leave by physicians from five European countries. Participants In total, 10 assessors from Norway, the Netherlands and France. Outcomes The direction in which the assessments may contribute towards the decision to grant a sickness certificate (increasing or decreasing the likelihood of granting sick leave). Results Physicians consider a wide variety of patient-related factors when assessing sickness certification. The overall assessment of these factors may provide an indication of whether a patient is more likely or less likely to be granted sick leave. Additionally, some single questions (notable functional limitations in the consultation, visible suffering, a clear purpose for sick leave and psychiatric comorbidity) may indicate differences between the two patient groups. Conclusions Next to the overall assessment, no notable effect of the complaints on functioning and suffering, a lack of a clear purpose for sick leave and the absence of psychiatric comorbidity may be factors that could help guide the decision to grant sick leave. These hypotheses should be tested and validated in representative samples of professionals involved in sickness certification. This may help to understand the tacit knowledge we believe physicians have when assessing work capacity of patients with severe SHC.


Damien and John Keown claim that there is important common ground between Buddhism and Christianity on the issue of euthanasia and that both traditions oppose it for similar reasons in order to espouse a "sanctity of life" position. I argue that the appearance of consensus is partly created by their failure to specify clearly enough certain key notions in the argument: particularly Buddhism, euthanasia and the sanctity of life. Once this is done, the Keowns' central claims can be seen to be either false or only restrictedly true.


Fusarium solani (Mart) f.sp. phaseoli (Burk) Synd. and Hans., is a plant pathogenic fungus that causes root rot in garden bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). To evaluate methods used in classifying strains of this pathogen, 52 Fusarium solani f.sp. phaseoli isolates from infected bean plants grown on different farms in Taita hills of Coast province, Kenya, were cultured and characterized using morphology, pathogenicity and microsatellite DNA. All the isolates showed high variability in aerial mycelial growth, mycelia texture, pigmentation (mycelia colour) when cultured on potato dextrose agar medium, and conidial measurements on Spezieller Nahrstoffarmer agar medium. Colonies were grouped into luxuriant, moderately luxuriant and scanty on aerial mycelial growth; fluffy and fibrous based on mycelial texture; purple, pink and white based on mycelia colour; aid long, medium and short macroconidial length. All the isolates were pathogenic on GLP-2 (Rosecoco), a susceptible bean variety commonly grown in Kenya. DNA analysis showed that the isolates carried a high genetic diversity (gene diversity = 0.686; mean number of alleles = 9). Neighbour-Joining phylogenetic clusters reconstructed using microsatellite variation showed three major clusters. However, the microsatellite groupings were independent of the altitude, colony characteristics and virulence of the isolates.


The relationship between hydrological alteration and climate variability in the upper Yangtze River is not fully understood. In this paper, the periodicity features and the intercorrelation of annual and seasonal eco-flow metrics at the Yichang gauge station are analyzed for the period 1882 to 2013. Analysis is carried out to explore the formation of the eco-flow metrics and the possible linkages between eco-flow metrics and selected climate indices, using the cross-wavelet and wavelet coherence methods on data from 1948 to 2013. The results show that the variation of eco-flow metrics correlates well with some selected climate indices, but changes in different eco-flow metrics are complex. Most annual and seasonal eco-flow metrics correlate well with the Northern Hemisphere (N.H) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and have a significant common power in the two to four years band. In addition, most annual eco-flow metrics have an obvious phase relationship with the selected climate indices. However, the seasonal eco-flow metrics have no significant phase relationship with the selected climate indices. These findings provide a better understanding of how hydrological alterations of the streamflow and better water resource management can ensure ecosystem sustainability for the Yangtze River.


In this study we make an analysis of the major aspects concerning the tax policy in the EU countries. For revealing a global image on tax policy within the EU we have to consider in our analysis the overall tax burden, the structure of tax revenues (direct taxation, indirect taxation, social contributions) and the main types of taxes: corporate tax, personal tax, consumption tax. This article is based on a dynamic analysis of taxation using as a main tools descriptive and empirical analysis. The empirical study tries to determinate the correlation between tax burden and the implicit tax rate on capital and business income, consumption and labor through the panel methodology. This analysis is based the data delivered by the EUROSTAT. The main results obtained from the empirical study is that there are major differences concerning the correlation between total taxes as percentage of GDP and the implicit tax rate of profit, consumption and labor.


This paper proposes a unified framework for portfolio optimization, derivative pricing, modeling and risk measurement in financial markets with security price processes that exhibit intensity based jumps. It is based on the natural assumption that investors prefer more for less, in the sense that for two given portfolios with the same variance of its increments, the one with the higher expected increment is preferred. If one additionally assumes that the market together with its monetary authority acts to maximize the long term growth of the market portfolio, then this portfolio exhibits a very particular dynamics. In a market without jumps the resulting dynamics equals that of the growth optimal portfolio (GOP). Conditions are formulated under which the well-known capital asset pricing model is generalized for markets with intensity based jumps. Furthermore, the Markowitz efficient frontier and the Sharpe ratio are recovered in this continuous time setting. In this paper the numeraire for derivative pricing is chosen to be the GOP. Primary security account prices, when expressed in units of the GOP, turn out to be supermartingales. In the proposed framework an equivalent risk neutral martingale measure need not exist. Fair derivative prices are obtained as conditional expectations of future payoff structures under the real world probability measure. The concept of fair pricing is shown to generalize the classical risk neutral and the actuarial net present value pricing methodologies. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification: primary 90A12; secondary 60G30, 62P20. JEL Classification: G10, G13


Ranking systems, such as those in product review sites, and various recommender systems usually employ user ratings to rank favorite items based on their quality and/or popularity. Since higher ranked items are more likely to be selected by customers and thus yield more revenues for their providers, the latter with unpopular and low quality items have strong incentives to try to strategically manipulate their ranking. However, rank manipulation attempts are also costly, especially in the presence of trust management mechanisms. This paper analyzes the cost-effectiveness of adversary attack strategies for manipulating these rankings from various perspectives and identifies the optimal adversary strategies. Particularly, we analyze the probability of a successful attack by an adversary in relation with (1) its computational and financial power to generate a certain number of fake identities and insert dishonest ratings to the systems, and (2) the capability of the trust mechanism employed to detect and eliminate malicious ratings. By means of extensive simulation experiments, we also estimate the impacts of the trust management mechanisms to the attack costs in a variety of settings and compare the probabilities of success under different attack strategies of the adversary to confirm our theoretical results. Additionally, we provide a preliminary analysis and experimental evaluation of the effectiveness of adversary attacks in case of multiple rival adversaries. Our research provides a new insight to the objective-oriented design of trust-based ranking systems and their attack resilience from an economic perspective.


ABSTRACT The following paper aims to explore the political discourse of the party heir to the FARC-EP, now known as Comunes, in relation to the phenomenon of dissident groups that see themselves as continuing the legacy of the defunct guerrilla, and which have proliferated after the signing of the Peace Agreement in late 2016. Based on nine in-depth interviews with political figures who have occupied or occupy relevant positions in the current political party, we explore the issues that enable us to understand how this phenomenon has taken place. The aim is to give a voice both to the official party line and to the critical sector, which have formed a kind of political divide since January 2021. Both sides have a shared understanding of the structural and institutional aspects that have led to the emergence of these armed groups, although they differ on other aspects, in particular, regarding their position towards the armed group led by alias 'Gentil Duarte' and, above all, the group known as 'Segunda Marquetalia'. Since August 2019, the latter group of dissidents has been led by alias 'Iván Márquez', previously the head of the FARC-EP's negotiating delegation during the peace process.


An all-optical microwave bandpass filter implemented in a radio-over-fiber (RoF) link is proposed and demonstrated. The filter consists of an optical phase modulator, a length of high birefringence (Hi-Bi) fiber, a 25-km singlemode fiber and a narrow linewidth laser source. Different time delays are achieved when the two orthogonal polarization modes are traveling along the Hi-Bi fiber. The baseband resonance is eliminated by use of the optical phase modulator in combination with the 25-km single-mode fiber serving as a dispersive device. The proposed filter is immune to optical interference because of the orthogonality of the two polarization modes. A two-tap all-optical microwave bandpass filter with a null-to-null bandwidth of 8.7 GHz and a notch rejection level greater than 30 dB implemented in the 25-km RoF link is demonstrated.


In this work we study the presence and the composition of 24 species of bony fish, representing 18 families and 7 orders of teleosts. The species studied belonging to orders Clupeiformes and Lophiiformes display typical protamines, whereas the species belonging to orders Notacanthi-formes, Gadiformes, and Ophiidiformes contain histones instead of protamines in their sperm nuclei. In these species, one or more specific proteins are added to the pattern of canonical histones and, in the cases that have been analysed compositionally (Merluccius capensis, Cataetyx laticeps), the specific proteins seem to be related to histones. Among the order Scorpaeniformes, the species Helicolenus dactylopterus (family Scorpaenidae) presents protamines, whereas Trigla lucerna (family Triglidae) contains histones. Similarly, among the order Perciformes, the species from six families (Percichthyidae, Labridae, Trachinidae, Uranoscopidae, Gempylidae, and Scombridae) have protamines in sperm nuclei and species from two families (Sparidae and Trichiuridae) retain histones and increase the proportion of H1 histone approximately twofold. Two species of Mullus (family Mullidae, order Perciformes) display special proteins with an electrophoretic behaviour corresponding to histone H4 but an amino acid composition more basic.

The results indicate that bony fishes have adopted three main alternatives to condense their nuclear sperm chromatin: namely, protamines, histones, and histone-like proteins. Moreover, these alternatives do not correspond strictly with phylogeny, favouring the hypothesis that the change "protamine histone" (or alternatively "histone protamine") has occurred independently several times during the evolution of bony fishes. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.


Crop insurance adoption remains low among small and medium farms – despite financial public support in the form of premium subsidies. A better understanding of smaller farmers' insurance decisions and contract attribute preferences is thus needed to encourage insurance solutions. Moreover, previous research has primarily examined risk preferences and insurance adoption among Western European farmers, while little is known about insurance markets and risk preferences in Central and Eastern European countries. We contribute to the literature by i) contrasting the current status of insurance adoption by Lithuanian farmers by farm size, ii) assessing farmers' risk preferences and attitudes towards crop insurance, and iii) investigating small and medium farmers' preferences for the characteristics of a new (hypothetical) subsidised multiple peril crop insurance (MPCI) product. Therefore, we conduct a socio-economic survey in Lithuania that features a risk preference elicitation task and a discrete choice experiment (DCE). Findings show that, on average, sampled farmers are risk-neutral to slightly risk-seeking and that insurance adoption is lowest among smaller farms (<50 hectares). Moreover, insurance adoption was associated with higher risk exposure, higher trust in insurance services, and higher willingness to take farming-specific risks on all farms. For small and medium farms, the DCE results suggest preference heterogeneity for contract attributes and higher adoption rates when contract design reduces the risks and efforts associated with subsidised insurance.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: CT performed with Veo model-based iterative reconstruction has shown the potential for radiation-dose reduction. This study sought to determine whether Veo could reduce noise and improve the image quality of low-dose sinus CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients consented to participate and underwent low- and standard-dose sinus CT on the same day. Standard-dose CT was created with filtered back-projection (120 kV[peak], 210 mA, 0.4-second rotation, and 0.531 pitch). For low-dose CT, mA was decreased to 20 (the remaining parameters were unchanged), and images were generated with filtered back-projection and Veo. Standard- and low-dose datasets were reconstructed by using bone and soft-tissue algorithms, while the low-dose Veo reconstruction only had a standard kernel. Two blinded neuroradiologists independently evaluated the image quality of multiple osseous and soft-tissue craniofacial structures. Image noise was measured by using multiple regions of interest. RESULTS: Eight women and 12 men (mean age, 63.3 years) participated. Volume CT dose indices were 2.9 mGy (low dose) and 31.6 mGy (standard dose), and mean dose-length products were 37.4 mGy-cm (low dose) and 406.1 mGy-cm (standard dose). Of all the imaging series, low-dose Veo demonstrated the least noise (P < .001). Compared with filtered back-projection low-dose CT using soft-tissue and bone algorithms, Veo had the best soft-tissue image quality but the poorest bone image quality (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Veo significantly reduces noise in low-dose sinus CT. Although this reduction improves soft-tissue evaluation, thin bone becomes less distinct.


Previous evidence has shown that the long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 858 (LINC00858) is an oncogene in non-small cell lung cancers. However, the role LINC00858 plays in gastric cancer (GC) is not clear. To illustrate the role LINC00858 plays in GC, the LINC00858 expression in GC and normal tissues was firstly detected. Then, the viability, proliferation and migration of GC BGC823 and MGC803 cells were assessed following LINC00858 knockdown by si-LINC00858 transfection. The results showed that LINC00858 had a high level of expressions in GC tissues as demonstrated by both online data and qRT-PCR assay. Also, the knockdown of LINC00858 reduced the proliferation and migration of BGC823 and MGC803 cells in vitro. Taken together, our data indicate that LINC00858 plays an oncogenic role in GC cells and might act as a potential therapeutic target for GC.


The results of an experimental study of the flow field resulting from the interaction between an impinging jet and a rotating disk are presented. The resulting flow configuration has applications in turbomachinery, for example, to intensify the local heat transfer at turbine disks. The experiments cover separate measurements of the disk-wall flow, the jet flow and interaction between the two. The flow patterns are investigated over a range of jet Reynolds numbers Rejet = 0.66-104 - 6.80-104 (based on jet diameter) and disk Reynolds numbers Redisk 3.4·105 − 6.2· 105 (based on impingement radius), achieved by varying the jet nozzle diameter, jet flow rate, rotational disk speed and the impingement radius. The measurements included the depth of jet penetration into the wall boundary layer, the travel distance of the jet against the direction of disk rotation, and the turbulent and mean velocity distribution. Another objective of this study concerns the type of flow at the impingement region (jet dominated flow or rotation dominated flow) and the conditions for the transition from one to the other. In the first part of the study, the flow structure of the jet and disk flows as well as the three-dimensional flow fields resulting from the interaction are presented.


We present an optical system that combines IR (1064 nm) holographic optical tweezers with a sub-nanosecond-pulsed UV (355 nm) laser microdissector for the optical manipulation of single neurons and entire networks both on transparent and non-transparent substrates in vitro. The phase-modulated laser beam can illuminate the sample concurrently or independently from above or below assuring compatibility with different types of microelectrode array and patch-clamp electrophysiology. By combining electrophysiological and optical tools, neural activity in response to localized stimuli or injury can be studied and quantified at sub-cellular, cellular, and network level.


The distinctive mixing and continuous remixing of public and private roles is a defining feature of health care in the United States. "The Public-Private Health Care State" explores the interweaving of public and private enterprise in health care in the United States as a basis for thinking about health care in terms of its history and its continuing evolution today. Historian and policy analyst, Rosemary Stevens has selected and edited seventeen essays from both her published and unpublished work to illustrate continuing themes, such as: the flexible meanings of the terms "public" and "private," and how useful their ambiguity has been and is; the role of ideology as ratifying rather than preordaining change; and the common behavior of public leaders and corporate entities in the face of fiscal opportunity. The topics - covering the period of 1870 through the twenty-first century - represent Stevens' research interests in hospital history and policy, the medical profession, government policy, and paying for health care. The volume also considers her involvement with policy questions, which include health services research, health maintenance organizations, and physician workforce policy. Section I demonstrates the long history of state government involvement with private not-for-profit hospitals from the 1870s through the 1930s. Section II examines the federal role in health care from the 1920s through the 1970s, including the establishment of veterans' hospitals and the implementation of Medicaid. Section III shows how shifting governmental roles require constantly changing organizing rhetoric, whether for inventing a federal role for health services research and HMOs, "regionalization" in the 1970s, or defining civil rights and "equity" as mobilizing vehicles in the 1980s. Section IV examines growing concerns from the 1970s through the present about the traditional "public" role of the largely "private" medical profession. Section V returns to the ambiguous public-private status of not-for profit hospitals, buffeted in the 1980s and 1990s by assumptions about the efficiency of the market.


ABSTRACT English Character Recognition techniques have been studied extensively in the last few years and its progress and success rate is quite high. But for regional languages these are still emerging and their success rate is moderate. There are millions of people who speak Hindi and use Devnagari script for writing. As digital documentation in Devnagari script is gaining popularity. Research in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is very essential especially with an eye on its applications in banks, post offices, defense organizations, library automation, etc. Devnagari Optical Character Recognition needs more attention as it is national language and there is less development in this field due to complexity in the script. This paper describes the current techniques being used for DOCR. The overview of the system is explained with the available techniques and their current status. Keywords Devnagari Character Recognition, Off-line Handwriting Recognition, Segmentation, Feature Extraction, OCR.


Two questions have dominated discussions about the economic crisis in Ireland. One is, 'Where will you get the money to close the 18 billion deficit?'. This crops up any time a left wing critic appears on television or radio. Once asked the 'show me the money' question, they are 'put on the spot' about the figures. Any hesitancy in tone or claims about fleecing the rich is met with howls of derision. Even modest proposals to write down debt payments are branded as 'unrealistic'. Reducing living standards of the majority is deemed inevitable but nothing can be done to upset 'investors'. The rhetorical trick consists of getting the Left to provide a detailed alternative within the two minute time slot, while ruling out any encroachment on the power of capital. It only works when resistance is so low that it is difficult to see how the wealthy could be forced to pay up. Which brings us to the second question: 'Why have the Irish not resisted?' This question arises because of the contrast between the Irish experience and that of Greece and, to a lesser extent, Spain. The political elite revels in the contrast because their economic strategy is based on ultra conformity to the IMF-EU-ECB troika. At one stage, Finance Minister, Michael Noonan, joked that he would print T-Shirts with the slogan 'We are not Greek', while Eamonn Gilmore has said. , 'Remember that the route that Greece has followed is the kind of route that some of the 'No' campaigners are recommending for this country. That is not a direction that we want to follow'.


The mosques in the citadel of Yerevan are lost today and almost unknown. Here, the most significant of them is reconstructed from visual and literary sources, documented by unpublished photographs, and related to the early Qajar period under the last Iranian governor Husayn Khān, prior to the Russian conquest of Yerevan in 1827. The second mosque in the citadel is attributed to the Ottoman period; the third one remains uncertain. While the type of the Qajar mosque is compared to earlier buildings in Yerevan, notably the 18th-century Gok Jāmi', stylistic elements are analysed with reference to early 19th-century architecture in Iran and a building at Qazvīn. The interpretation seeks to understand the different references of the Qajar mosque as the construction of a visual statement of local and Iranian identity in a period of change.


The purpose of this study was to determine dental and skeletal effects of compressed nickel-titanium coil springs used for distal movement of the maxillary molars. Initial and follow-up cephalometric radiographs were taken of 8 patients (2 males and 6 females) in the late mixed or permanent dentition stage with Class II malocclusion. Nickel-titanium coil springs exerting a near constant force of approximately 250 g were compressed against the maxillary molar tubes by Gurin locks. The mean treatment time was 6.95 +/- 0.2 months. Dental and skeletal changes were determined as follows: The mean maxillary first molar distalization was 5.44 mm (right) and 3.75 mm (left), with a mesial tipping of 11.56 degrees (right) and 11.34 degrees (left). Anchorage loss occurred as defined by mesial movement of the first premolars and proclination of the central incisors. Vertical dental and skeletal dimensions were not affected.


Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States, caused by polymerization of a mutated form of hemoglobin (HbS). HbS can form long polymers inside red blood cells (RBCs) that affect RBC shape and adhesion, resulting in RBC destruction, acute and chronic pain, inflammation and cumulative organ damage. SCD-101 is a botanical drug with in vitro and in vivo anti-sickling activity. The mechanism by which SCD-101 inhibits sickling is unknown; however, it does not bind directly to Hb or change the affinity of Hb for oxygen. We recently completed a dose-escalation clinical study of SCD-101 in adults with sickle cell disease in steady state, and other clinical studies are on-going.

Methods: The initial prospective, open-label, Phase 1B dose-escalation study enrolled homozygous (SS) sickle cell patients and S/beta0 thalassemia patients ages 18-55 with baseline Hb levels 6.0-9.0 g/dL and hemoglobin F ≤10%. Admission within 30 days, transfusion within 90 days, and hydroxyurea within 6 months were exclusions. SCD-101 was dosed orally for 28-days with a 14-day follow-up visit. Doses administered during the dose escalation study were 550 mg, 1100 mg, 2200 mg and 4400 mg BID. The primary endpoint was safety, and the secondary endpoints were mean change in Hb, Hct, percent reticulocytes, LDH, indirect bilirubin, CRP, PROMIS fatigue questionnaire score, and percent circulating partially oxygenated sickle cells (POSCs) in venous whole blood fixed in 2% glutaraldehyde without exposure to air. A repeat cohort study is ongoing with dose adjusted to 2750 mg TID, a 6-minute walk test added as a functional endpoint and measurement of inflammatory cytokines by ELISA to explore the effect of SCD-101 on inflammation.

Results: As of August 4, 2016, 26 patients with sickle cell disease have been enrolled, 20 patients have completed the 28-day dose-escalation study and 3 were discontinued before receiving their first dose of SCD-101. Three patients are enrolled in the 28-day repeat cohort study. There have been no dose reductions or interruptions due to drug-related effects. SCD-101 was generally well-tolerated with mild-moderate bloating and flatulence at the highest dose on a BID schedule in the dose-escalation study, which were not observed with a TID schedule in the repeat cohort study. There were no significant changes in safety laboratory tests and no significant changes in hemoglobin, hematocrit, LDH, unconjugated bilirubin, or reticulocytes. No significant changes were observed in renal, hepatic or other safety chemistries or electrocardiograms. SCD-101 participants treated at higher doses reported a decrease in chronic pain and fatigue after 7-14 days, which returned post-treatment when measured on the 14-day follow-up visit. Participants at the two highest doses reported an increase in exercise capacity and an improvement in sleep. Two participants with ankle ulcers, enrolled at the two highest doses, showed improved healing. Analysis of peripheral blood smears revealed an improvement in the shape of circulating RBCs. There was no change in inflammatory cytokines in the first 7 days in the repeat cohort study, though the Day 28 data may show a different result.

Conclusions: SCD-101 is a promising new drug for the treatment of sickle cell disease, based on the results from the studies reported here. SCD-101 was well tolerated over an 8-fold dose range, and dose-dependent anti-sickling effects on RBC were observed, though without significant changes in hemolysis. Clinical benefits included reduced chronic pain and fatigue, improved sleep and improved ulcer healing. While the identity of the active substance(s) in SCD-101 and the mechanism(s) of action are unknown, SCD-101 has a direct anti-sickling effect on RBCs, compatible with an intracellular or membrane effect on RBCs. We hypothesize that the observed effects could be explained by increased vascular flow or increased oxygen delivery or a reduction in inflammation. A placebo-controlled crossover study will be completed in 2016 including a 6-minute walk test as a primary clinical endpoint, and a multi-site Phase 2 study is planned for 2017. As a botanical drug, SCD-101 may be a useful treatment for sickle cell disease worldwide.

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Disclosures Swift: Global Blood Therapeutics: Equity Ownership; Mast Therapeutics: Equity Ownership; SCD Development: Employment, Equity Ownership.

 [1]: pending:yes


The general theory of storage suggests that the level of inventories is a key factor in determining the structure of the oil futures curve, or the basis, over time. The basis is the difference between the price of oil in the futures market and the price of oil in the spot market. As an indicator of future price movements, the basis follows a different dynamic when inventories are in scarce supply or in surplus. This means that there are several different market states that reflect different underlying crude oil market conditions.


In this paper, we propose a Kansei retrieval method based on the design pattern of traditional Japanese crafting object to provide a user with the desired presentation space in digital traditional Japanese crafting system. The visual quantitative feature values are extracted by using Visual Pattern Image Coding (VPIC). These values include the total number, the frequency, the dispersion rate and the deviation rate for different edges. The quantitative feature values for traditional Japanese crafting objects are registered in the multimedia database and the relation between Kansei words and the visual feature of traditional Japanese crafting objects are analyzed by using the questionnaire. Then, the visual features are compared with the quantitative feature values. Through the above process, we can find the relation between the design pattern components and edge types using VPIC. By finding this relation, the Kansei retrieval method can be realized.


According to Taylor et al. (2001), dialogue can be defined "as a tool for effective and mutually rewarding interpersonal communication" (p. 267) and refers to "any negotiated exchange of ideas and opinions" (Kent & Taylor, 1998, p. 325), whereby all parties in a relationship strive to engage in an honest, open and ethically communicative give and take (Bortree & Seltzer, 2009). From a public relations perspective, dialogue is a necessary tool to build an effective relationship with the public (Kent & Taylor, 1998). Dialogical strategies therefore serve to build and maintain dynamic and lasting relationships with publics (Kent & Taylor, 1998).
Field of application/theoretical foundation:
Many studies investigating the dialogical strategies of organizations on the Internet refer in terms of their theoretical foundation to the preliminary work of Kent and Taylor (1998) and Taylor et al. (2001) (e. g. Bortree & Seltzer, 2009; Yang & Taylor, 2010). Kent and Taylor (1998) developed five dimensions, so-called "principles of dialogue" (Taylor et al., 2001, p. 269), which can be utilized by organizations in their strategically designed websites in order to engage in dialogical relationships Among these principles are:

Ease of interface: This point refers to the usability of a site which is a prerequisite for online dialogue. If visitors do not have an easy time navigating a site and finding information, they will not have a positive experience at the website and may not use it again.
Usefulness of information: This principle is relevant because it clarifies the reason for visiting a website. Visitors turn to a site when it provides them with information that is useful, trustworthy, and of lasting value.
Conservation of visitors: The goal of websites should be to keep visitors on their own site and not to encourage them to visit other sites, e. g. through advertisements.
Generation of return visits: A relationship can only be established by users who are encouraged to return and visit the website on a regular basis.
Dialogic loop: Websites have to offer two-way communication (interactivity) in order to be fully dialogic.

Other studies adapted the theoretical framework and modified it for application to different research objects such as social media platforms (Bortree & Seltzer, 2009; Yang & Taylor, 2010). For instance, the study by Bortree & Seltzer (2009) extended it by adding organization engagement as a new strategy, since organizations can also encourage dialogue via posts on their own sites (e. g. walls and discussion boards). Besides the dialogic strategies, their outcomes are often identified and coded as well.
Example studies:
Bortree & Seltzer (2009); Cho et al. (2014); Reber & Kim (2006); Taylor et al. (2001); Waters et al. (2009); Waters & Jamal (2011); Yang & Taylor (2010)

Information on Bortree & Seltzer, 2009
Authors: Denise Sevick Bortree & Trent Seltzer, 2009
Research objective: "This study sought to determine to what degree advocacy organizations are utilizing dialogic strategies on their social networking profiles as well as the degree to which these strategies are related to actual dialogic outcomes" (p. 317).
Objective of analysis: 50 Facebook profiles of environmental advocacy groups
Timeframe of analysis: –
Information about variables
Variable name/definition: Dialogic strategies
Level of analysis: Facebook page
Values:
- Links to organization homepage
- Number of advertisements on a site
- Use of applications
- Ease of donations
- Join now option
- Offers of regular information through email
- Profile sharing
- Content sharing
- Organization comments in dialogic spaces (i. e. wall and discussion boards)
Scale of measurement: Nominal (Present/absent)
Reliability: Intercoder reliability according to Scott's Pi: .61 to .87
Codebook: –

Variable name/definition: Outcomes of dialogic communication
Level of analysis: Facebook page
Values:
- User posts (number of user posts on wall and discussion board)
- Network activity (number of user posts in one week)
- User responses to others (number of user posts in response to inquiries by the organization or others)
- Organization response to users (number of organization posts in response to user inquiries)
- Network extensiveness (total number of friends or fans)
- Network growth (one week increase in number of friends or fans)
Scale of measurement: Metric
Reliability: Intercoder reliability according to Holsti: 90 % - 100 %
Codebook: –

Information onYang & Taylor, 2010
Authors: Aimei Yang & Maureen Taylor, 2010
Research questions: How do Chinese ENGOs' websites incorporate features that facilitate interaction? How do Chinese ENGOs' websites provide information to key stakeholders (members, volunteers, general public, and the media)? How do Chinese ENGOs' websites incorporate relationship-building features?
Object of analysis: 68 Chinese ENGO's websites
Timeframe of analysis: –
Information about variable
Level of analysis: Website features
Values:
- Ease of interaction (site map, major link to rest of site, search engine box)
- Usefulness of information to members/volunteers (details of how to become affiliated, how to contribute money, links (email, telephone) to organization leaders, chat room/BBS/Blog, links to affiliate websites)
- Usefulness of information to general public (tips of how to practice environmentally friendly activities in everyday life, tips of how to lead a healthy life, games and other entertainment function)
- Usefulness of information to the media (press release room/search engine, FAQ section aimed at media, news published or aired about the organization, editorial stories written by organization staff, organization-in-action photos/stories, downloadable graphics/video/other material, organization fact sheets, organization logos for use in publication, clearly stated position on policy issues, organization perspective on current issues/trends, annual reports/financial)
- Relationship-building (opportunity for user-response, opportunity to vote on issues, survey to voice opinion on issues, offers regular information through email, positing calendar of events)
- Mission statement (statement of mission/organization value/goals from amoral authority perspective, statement of mission/organization value/goals from a grassroots perspective)
Scale of measurement: Nominal (1 = absence; 2 = linked through at least three levels of hyperlinks from the front page; 3 = linked through at least two levels of hyperlinks from the front page; 4 = placed on the front page)
Reliability: Intercoder reliability according to Scott's Pi: .77 to 1.00
(M = .84)
Codebook: –

References
Bortree, D. S., & Seltzer, T. (2009). Dialogic strategies and outcomes: An analysis of environmental advocacy groups' Facebook profiles. Public Relations Review, 35(3), 317–319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2009.05.002
Cho, M., Schweickart, T., & Haase, A. (2014). Public engagement with nonprofit organizations on Facebook. Public Relations Review, 40(3), 565–567. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2014.01.008
Kent, M. L., Taylor, M. (1998). Building dialogic relationships through the World Wide Web. Public Relations Review, 24(3), 321-334.
Reber, B. H., & Kim, J. K. (2006). How activist groups use websites in media relations: Evaluating online press rooms. Journal of Public Relations Research, 18(4), 313–333. https://doi.org/10.1207/s1532754xjprr1804_2
Taylor, M., Kent, M. L., & White, W. J. (2001). How activist organizations are using the Internet to build relationships. Public Relations Review, 27(3), 263–284. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0363-8111(01)00086-8
Waters, R. D., Burnett, E., Lamm, A., & Lucas, J. (2009). Engaging stakeholders through social networking: How nonprofit organizations are using Facebook. Public Relations Review, 35(2), 102–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2009.01.006
Waters, R. D., & Jamal, J. Y. (2011). Tweet, tweet, tweet: A content analysis of nonprofit organizations' Twitter updates. Public Relations Review, 37(3), 321–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2011.03.002
Yang, A., & Taylor, M. (2010). Relationship-building by Chinese ENGOs' websites: Education, not activation. Public Relations Review, 36(4), 342–351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2010.07.001


In this article, we investigated the design and implementation aspects of multilevel discrete wavelet transform (DWT) by employing a finite impulse response filter on field programmable gate array platform. We presented two key multiplication-free architectures, namely, the distributed arithmetic algorithm (DAA) and residue number system (RNS). Our goal is to estimate the performance requirements and hardware resources for each approach, allowing for selection of the proper algorithm and implementation of multilevel DAAand RNS-based DWT. The design has been implemented and synthesized in Xilinx Virtex 6 ML605, taking advantage of Virtex 6's embedded block RAMs. The results reveal that the DAA-based approach is appropriate for a small number of filter taps, while the RNS-based approach would be more appropriate for more than 10 filter taps, yet both DAAand RNS-based approaches offer high signal quality with peak signal-to-noise ratio as 73.5 and 56.5 dB, respectively.


Throughout the United States there is an increasing trend toward using value-added methods (VAMs) for high-stakes decisions. When policymakers use VAMs to identify, reward, and dismiss teachers, they may perpetuate the egg-crate model of schooling and undermine efforts to build instructional capacity schoolwide. At any time, in any school, some teachers are more knowledgeable, experienced, and skilled than others. Schools function best when they continuously leverage teachers' expertise so that all students in all classrooms are well served. Drawing from research about the incentives and norms that influence teachers' work within schools, this article illustrates what can happen when these methodologies are used to make job decisions and it identifies the hazards of using VAMs for this purpose. Contextualizing this within the larger discussion about performance evaluation systems, the article suggests how VAMs can be used productively as one source of information to promote improvement schoolwide.


The paper presents auto donation protocols and a procedure for autodonor plasmapheresis used in cardiosurgical patients, complications, and their preventive measures on the basis of an analysis of 308 autodonor plasmapheresis procedures performed at the Russian Surgery Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, in 2007. The preoperative autoblood preservation safety concept envisaging the safety of autodonors during blood donation, the correct storage and issue of autocomponents, and the prevention of adverse reactions to blood exfusion in patients was introduced. The rate of the reactions was 6.4% of the total number of auto donations in cardiosurgical high-risk patients, moderate reaction being most common. The findings indicated that exfusion of 450 ml of blood without previous infusion of plasma substitutes was a cause of collaptoid reactions in 14 cases of the collapse-complicated procedures of autodonor plasmapheresis in cardiosurgical patients (in 70% of the total number of complications). No association was found between of the frequency and severity of complications and the nosological entity, age, and body mass index; however, a further retrospective analysis of 1500 fresh frozen autoblood preservation procedures that have recently made at the Russian Surgery Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, is required to have statistically significant data.


Exact dynamical equations for a generic dust matter source field in a cosmological context are formulated with respect to a non-comoving Newtonian-like timelike reference congruence and investigated for internal consistency. On the basis of a lapse function N (the relativistic acceleration scalar potential) which evolves along the reference congruence according to Ṅ = α ΘN (α = const), we find that consistency of the quasi-Newtonian dynamical equations is not attained at the first derivative level. We then proceed to show that a self-consistent set can be obtained by linearising the dynamical equations about a (non-comoving) FLRW background. In this case, on properly accounting for the first-order momentum density relating to the non-relativistic peculiar motion of the matter, additional source terms arise in the evolution and constraint equations describing small-amplitude energy density fluctuations that do not appear in similar gravitational instability scenarios in the standard literature. PACS number(s): 04.20.-q, 98.80.Hw, 95.30.Sf, 98.65.Dx ∗e-mail: email@example.com †e-mail: email@example.com


The serum level of RBD-binding antibodies correlates with SARS-CoV-2 neutralization and can be used for population-level surveillance. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that first emerged in late 2019 is responsible for a pandemic of severe respiratory illness. People infected with this highly contagious virus can present with clinically inapparent, mild, or severe disease. Currently, the virus infection in individuals and at the population level is being monitored by PCR testing of symptomatic patients for the presence of viral RNA. There is an urgent need for SARS-CoV-2 serologic tests to identify all infected individuals, irrespective of clinical symptoms, to conduct surveillance and implement strategies to contain spread. As the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein is poorly conserved between SARS-CoVs and other pathogenic human coronaviruses, the RBD represents a promising antigen for detecting CoV-specific antibodies in people. Here we use a large panel of human sera (63 SARS-CoV-2 patients and 71 control subjects) and hyperimmune sera from animals exposed to zoonotic CoVs to evaluate RBD's performance as an antigen for reliable detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. By day 9 after the onset of symptoms, the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RBD antigen was highly sensitive (98%) and specific (100%) for antibodies induced by SARS-CoVs. We observed a strong correlation between levels of RBD binding antibodies and SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in patients. Our results, which reveal the early kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses, support using the RBD antigen in serological diagnostic assays and RBD-specific antibody levels as a correlate of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in people.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to identify the effect of nurse-led pre-operative education in minimizing the level of anxiety among patients waiting for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Methods
This experimental study was accomplished at National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. Out of 136, there were 80 patients identified with the presence of anxiety using AKUADS 4 to 6 weeks before CABG. Data were collected by the primary researcher from July 2016 to December 2016. Patients with anxiety were divided into experimental and non-experimental groups. After pre-operative education to the experimental group, patients from both groups were re-assessed for anxiety level one week before CABG.

RESULTS
Data were assessed through non-parametric Wilcoxon sign ranked and Mann Whitney tests. It was found that anxiety reduced significantly in post-assessment among experimental group participants. No significant difference was found for pre-anxiety assessment between experimental and non-experimental groups. It was noted that post assessment anxiety differed significantly between experimental and non-experimental groups.

Conclusion
Pre-operative education was found effective to decrease level of anxiety among patients waiting for CABG. There was no significant difference between pre and post assessment among patients from non-experimental group.


This case series illustrates the clinical presentations and imaging findings of 5 patients with intramedullary spinal neurosarcoidosis occurring at sites of spondylotic spinal canal stenosis, which can be indistinguishable from spondylotic myelopathy with cord enhancement. Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease, with intramedullary spinal cord involvement seen in <1% of cases. This case series illustrates the clinical presentations and imaging findings of 5 patients with intramedullary spinal neurosarcoidosis occurring at sites of spondylotic spinal canal stenosis, which can be indistinguishable from spondylotic myelopathy with cord enhancement. Both entities are most common in middle-aged men and present with weeks to months of motor and sensory symptoms. On imaging, both can have focal spinal cord enhancement and longitudinally extensive signal abnormality centered at or just below the level of spinal canal stenosis. On the basis of our experience, we suggest that in patients with cord enhancement centered at or just below a site of spinal canal stenosis, consideration should be given to chest imaging and lymph node biopsy when applicable, to assess for the possibility of underlying sarcoidosis before surgical decompression.


It is commonly acknowledged that service quality can be measured by using attribute‐based and incident‐based measurements. Both methods are distinct in nature, but can be used complementarily. However, in the literature a simultaneous empirical investigation of the power of critical incidents in relation to attribute scores is lacking. In this paper we merge both methods for assessing service quality in a professional services context. Subsequently, both measurements have been used to investigate the effect of service quality on short‐term customer satisfaction and long‐term trust in the service provider. Results indicate that the combined approach adds value to single‐method measurement for explaining customer satisfaction. Furthermore, negative incidents are more influential on satisfaction than positive experiences. However, the negative effect of a negative incident on satisfaction can be compensated for by paying attention to particular dimensions of service quality. Critical incidents do not seem to have an impact on the apparently stable construct of trust.