Just keeping up with the reforms now being outlined in the United Kingdom, and in England in particular, is a full-time job. At the time of writing, details were still emerging about a vast array of changes in the way public services operate, with implications not just for education, but for health care, social services, and welfare. At the same time, bitterly contested proposals to revolutionize higher education funding already are well under way. The underlying philosophy is clear enough. The government that formed last May, led by the Conservative Party, wants to remodel government services along market lines. Private providers and voluntary organizations will be encouraged to run services traditionally offered by the state. The ministers have pledged to reduce the power of interim tiers of public sector management--local authorities in education and management trusts in health--while handing more control to "frontline" school principals and family doctors to make decisions, including whether to use private companies. Critics say that this is being done while the central tier of government, based in London, retains or even tightens its grip on the overall system. Shifting Power In education, some of the most contentious policies appear both to devolve power to schools or groups of parents and to open the way for more private providers to come in and run institutions. Two new laws aim to encourage every school to become an "academy," similar to U.S. charter schools, which are independent of the local authority (LA). LAs are run by elected councils and traditionally have overseen state schools. Since the general election last year, every school deemed by inspectors to be "outstanding" has had the power to apply to Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove to become an academy, gaining more control over its curriculum and its admissions and no longer having to abide by national pay-and-conditions contracts for staff. The government will eventually extend this opportunity to all schools. Having private sponsors run academies has been a big part of the policy since academies were authorized. Initially, under the previous Labour government, this was done only in deprived areas, and these schools needed the backing of their local authorities. But the ministers have launched a policy known as "free schools" that gives groups of parents or teachers, faith-based groups, and private organizations the chance to set up a state-funded school, subject to Gove's approval. This policy has links to the U.S. charter school movement and also to a similar movement in Sweden in the 1990s. This policy is highly controversial, but it currently is relatively small-scale. By March, only 40 proposals had been approved, though, as I wrote in this column, there were plans for up to 10 free schools in one small East London borough. Other changes include a review of England's national curriculum, moves to reduce the influence of university teacher education departments, and an investigation into our testing system. And all this is taking place against a background of large budget cuts both for the local authorities and for the central grants that directly support particular education programs. Advocates of the free-schools policy say it will free professionals from stifling centralized bureaucracy and bring private-sector dynamism to state-funded services. …


Patients who were given access to their physicians' notes reported having better recall and understanding of their care plans, feeling more in control of their health care, and adhering better to medication regimens. Doctors reported little effect on their work lives.


Aim
To develop a list of red flag clinical indicators for possible serious pathology masquerading as, or presenting alongside, neck related musculoskeletal disorders in the adult population.
Background
Musculoskeletal physiotherapists provide assessment and treatment for pain and functional impairments relating to musculoskeletal disorders, such as back and neck pain. In order to apply safe and effective treatment to these conditions it is vitally important that any underlying serious complaints have been excluded. Clinical indicators known as 'red flags' have been developed for diagnostic triage in back pain to help identify serious underlying conditions, such as cancer and infection. Red flags for serious pathology in neck pain or neck related pathology has not received the same level of attention as red flags in back pain. A literature review identified inconsistent evidence for clinical tests and clinical indicators for serious pathology in neck related musculoskeletal disorders. This presents a serious clinical challenge for musculoskeletal physiotherapists.
Method
A mixed method study design was developed involving: a) Qualitative descriptive method through Physiotherapy focus group; and, b) Three round Delphi survey method involving consultant neurologists and consultant neurosurgeons. The Delphi method involves combined qualitative and quantitative data phases. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. A combined descriptive and inferential (non-parametric) statistical analysis was used to analyse the quantitative data. Kendall's W (Kendall's coefficient of concordance) was used to evaluate the level of consensus across all participants for the quantitative phase of the Delphi method.
Findings
A list of neck related red flag clinical indicators within five specific categories were developed: 1. progressive pain; 2. cancer, infection, trauma; 3. neurological deficit (spinal cord compromise); 4. headache (associated with neck pain/stiffness); 5. brainstem, cervical arterial and cranial nerve dysfunctions. An increase in Kendall's W was demonstrated between Rounds 2 and 3 in four out of five categories, indicating an increase in consensus levels between participants. This process highlights the complexity of interpreting clinical features within musculoskeletal presentations.


OBJECTIVE
Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is a conjoint parent-child treatment developed by Cohen, Mannarino, and Deblinger that uses cognitive-behavioral principles and exposure techniques to prevent and treat posttraumatic stress, depression, and behavioral problems. This review defined TF-CBT, differentiated it from other models, and assessed the evidence base.

METHODS
Authors reviewed meta-analyses, reviews, and individual studies (1995 to 2013). Databases surveyed were PubMed, PsycINFO, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, Social Services Abstracts, PILOTS, the ERIC, and the CINAHL. They chose from three levels of research evidence (high, moderate, and low) on the basis of benchmarks for number of studies and quality of their methodology. They also described the evidence of effectiveness.

RESULTS
The level of evidence for TF-CBT was rated as high on the basis of ten RCTs, three of which were conducted independently (not by TF-CBT developers). TF-CBT has demonstrated positive outcomes in reducing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, although it is less clear whether TF-CBT is effective in reducing behavior problems or symptoms of depression. Limitations of the studies include concerns about investigator bias and exclusion of vulnerable populations.

CONCLUSIONS
TF-CBT is a viable treatment for reducing trauma-related symptoms among some children who have experienced trauma and their nonoffending caregivers. Based on this evidence, TF-CBT should be available as a covered service in health plans. Ongoing research is needed to further identify best practices for TF-CBT in various settings and with individuals from various racial and ethnic backgrounds and with varied trauma histories, symptoms, and stages of intellectual, social, and emotional development.


Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs), including Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), are caused by immune response to self-thyroid antigens and affect approximately 2–5% of the general population. Genetic susceptibility in combination with external factors, such as smoking, viral/bacterial infection, and chemicals, is believed to initiate the autoimmune response against thyroid antigens. Abundant epidemiological data, including family and twin studies, point to a strong genetic influence on the development of AITDs. Various techniques have been employed to identify genes contributing to the etiology of AITDs, including candidate gene analysis and whole genome screening. These studies have enabled the identification of several loci (genetic regions) that are linked to AITDs, and, in some of these loci, putative AITD susceptibility genes have been identified. Some of these genes/loci are unique to GD and HT and some are common to both diseases, indicating that there is a shared genetic susceptibility to GD and HT. Known AITD-susceptibility genes are classified into three groups: HLA genes, non-HLA immune-regulatory genes (e.g., CTLA-4, PTPN22, and CD40), and thyroid-specific genes (e.g., TSHR and Tg). In this paper, we will summarize the latest findings on AITD susceptibility genes in Japanese.


A three-year-old, 7.3-kg, female Pembroke Welsh Corgi exhibited symptomatic tongue atrophy, crinkling of the tip of the tongue, dysphagia and excessive salivation. Neurological examination suggested multiple cranial neuropathy, but polymyositis was diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging and muscle biopsy. The dog did not respond to prednisolone treatment and died from aspiration pneumonia 22 months after the first presentation. Post-mortem histopathological examination of the tongue revealed marked myofiber loss and fibrosis with multifocal infiltration of mixed mononuclear cells. Similar findings were also observed in the masticatory muscles and quadriceps without abnormality of peripheral nerves or evidence of infection. Symptomatic tongue atrophy occurring in the course of polymyositis has not been reported previously in dogs.


Auditory feedback is necessary to maintain singing in the adult male Bengalese ¢nch (songbirds/oscines). Their song patterns are altered within a month following cochlear removal-induced deafness. Stabilization of song patterns occurs thereafter. To clarify what kind of changes appear in the brain of deafened birds, we examined immunohistochemically the expression of protein kinase C (PKC), considered a molecular marker for synaptic plasticity, in the robust nucleus of the archistriatum (RA), one of the song control nuclei in the forebrain of ¢nches. Two weeks after cochlear removal, immunoreactive ¢bers and terminals in the RA transiently increased, and thereafter tended to decrease gradually. Moreover, the degree of song alteration and stability paralleled these changes in the RA. The immunoreactivity of the RA remained unchanged in intact birds.These results indicate that surgical deafening increases the expression of PKC in the RA. These changes in the RA are related to the alteration of song patterns in the deafened adult Bengalese ¢nch. NeuroReport 13:127^ 132 c 2002 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.


Digital technology has already become a necessity of everyday life for any average person in developed countries. Starting from simple tasks like calculus or grammar, to more complex ones like navigation, simulations and appointments, nowadays we rely more and more on technology like smartphones, smartwatches and smart assistants. As this may seem to improve our life and help us in everyday tasks, it may have a negative impact in other areas like culture, education, focus, sustained brain-use or imagination. Libraries, a pillar of culture and education, lose popularity every day in favour of digital content and feeds. This article pioneers the design and the implementation of a modern cultural space to encourage reading and involvement in cultural activities through gamification in a mixed reality context. It is part of the Lib2Life research project that is being carried out by a strategic partnership between national libraries and universities to explore ways that can revitalize libraries and cultural heritage using digital technology. The paper presents a detailed solution design and the refining iterations on the initial concept of adding mixed reality game quests inside national libraries activity. The quests will get users to involve in captivating adventure games the will require them to use digital technology alongside real libraries or cultural events in order to solve the puzzle. Furthermore, the solution has a user-centered perspective, where the user can both access the content and contribute with his own content, that increases the potential to create virtual communities that benefit and contribute at the same time. This work is supported by a grant of the Romanian Ministery of Research and Innovation, CCCDI - UEFISCDI, project number PN-III-P1-1.2-PCCDI-2017-0689 / ,,Lib2Life- Revitalizarea bibliotecilor si a patrimoniului cultural prin tehnologii avansate" / "Revitalizing Libraries and Cultural Heritage through Advanced Technologies", within PNCDI III.


The historical behavior of Venezuelan journals indexed in Scopus from 2000 to 2020, their visibility and impact were studied. The data were obtained from the Scimago Journals and Country Rank portal and were a number of journals, published papers, impact factor (SJR) and quartile of location. The historical behavior of each variable was analyzed using sequential time series models to establish whether the behavior has been random or whether it follows a defined trend. It was found that both the number of journals and the number of published papers follow definite trends and SJR behaves randomly. The decrease in the number of journals may be influenced by the critical socioeconomic situation of the country; however, the number of papers has increased over time and the SJR has remained in a narrow range, meaning that most journals fall between the Q3 and Q4 quartile.


Edge grouping and object perception are unified procedures in perceptual organization. However the computer vision literature classifies them as independent tasks. In this paper, we argue that edge detection and object proposals should benefit one another. To achieve this, we go beyond bounding boxes and extract closed contours that represent potential objects within. A novel objectness metric is proposed to score and rank the proposal boxes by considering the sizes and edge intensities of the closed contours. To improve the edge detector given the top-down object proposals, we group local closed contours and construct global object hierarchies and segmentations. The edge detector is retrained and enhanced using these hierarchical segmentations as additional feature channels. In the experiments we show that by closing the loop for edge detection and object proposals, we observe improvements for both tasks. Unifying edges and object proposals is valid and useful.


SUMMARY:This review essay discusses the book by Klimenti I. Fedevitch and Klimenti K. Fedevitch, For the Faith, the Tsar, and the Kobzar: The Malorossian Monarchists and Ukrainian National Movement (1905–1917) published in 2017 in Kyiv, in the Ukrainian language.


The need for change in human resources of an organization arises because of change in technology, business environment,  value systems, government relation with industries etc, In the beginning people resist to change refuse to undergo no training and development programs. Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problems. It explains various steps that are generally adopted by a researcher in studying the research problem along with logic behind them.          According to Clifford woody "research comprises defining and refining problems, formulating hypothesis or suggested solutions collecting, organizing and evaluating data, making deductions and reaching conclusions and at last carefully testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit the formulating hypothesis. The researcher adopted simple random sampling technique out of the 150 employees the researcher selected 100 employees. Since calculated value of X2  is less than the tabulated value Null hypothesis is accepted. 42% of the respondents feel good about the communication on both sides were appreciable in training programme.41% of the respondents feel good about the training programme are highly beneficial.


Beckett's Rough for Theatre I, first written in French in the late 1950s, picks up the theme of Yeats's The Cat and the Moon—itself based on earlier material, including Synge's The Well of the Saints. Staging mutually dependent disabled bodies and charting the elaboration of joint poetic vision, both plays also paradoxically focus on the dramaturgical and poetic potential of collaborative failure. While Yeats insisted that his play should be read allegorically as a dramatisation of the journey towards Unity of Being, this paper attempts to take it at face value, alongside Beckett's sequel, reading them both as dramas of (failed) collaboration between disabled, mutually complementary bodies. More specifically, it argues that despite Yeats's best effort to allegorise the grotesque bodies on the stage into abstract principles of Body and Soul, something in his play refuses to be subsumed into allegory and resists the play's drive towards unity. This resistant "something" has to do with the queer (in every sense) version of love which is being played out on the stage, and it is precisely this queer, sadomasochistic, unproductive love, and the jouissance it procures, uncomfortably, for two disabled characters, which becomes the central theme of Beckett's play. Further, the paper suggests that this motif of queer love doubles as a paradigm for an alternative form of literary collaboration, one which is not geared towards the actual production of a finished marketable product such as a book or a play, but rather towards the shared creation and immediate enjoyment of stories invented and performed in a space removed from, yet marginal to, the sphere of modern capitalistic exchange.


Stigma, a critical challenge for social justice, has not received much attention in ICTD literature. Most existing designs that aim to combat stigma draw on an 'information and awareness' approach that is often inadequate to address stigma's deeper roots. To address this gap, we have conducted an interview and design study in five special needs schools1 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, involving twenty-nine parents and nine teachers. Based on our study, we present how the primary caretakers of children with autism face the stigma associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and how misogyny, economic apprehension, and misinformation generate this stigma. Drawing from a range of scholarly work in sociology and psychology, we demonstrate how those factors are rooted in the colonial history and contemporary social hierarchy of Bangladesh. Based on our participatory design sessions, we introduce and analyze potential design directions and connect our findings to the politics of inclusion and social justice in the context of the developing world.


Chinese-African relations became an issue of increasing importance leading up to the 2006 China-Africa Summit in Beijing. Nevertheless, academics and policymakers have largely neglected China's expanding relationship with Africa. Scholars have yet to explore the concrete ways in which Chinese actors operate in different parts of Africa, and developmental policy advisors have yet to take the political dynamics and implications of this involvement into consideration when forming policy. China Returns to Africa addresses key issues in contemporary Chinese-African relations, examining the impact of this relationship in issues of diplomacy, trade, and development. Beginning with the assertion that China is engaged in a "scramble for Africa" and that we are now on the brink of a "new Chinese imperialism," the essays in this volume transcend narrow, media-driven concerns and offer one of the first far-ranging surveys of the consequences of China's investment in Africa.


Cadaveric analysis of human abdominal muscle architecture.
To quantify the architectural properties of rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), and transverse abdominis (TrA), and model mechanical function in light of these new data.
Knowledge of muscle architecture provides the structural basis for predicting muscle function. Abdominal muscles greatly affect spine loading, stability, injury prevention, and rehabilitation; however, their architectural properties are unknown.
Abdominal muscles from 11 elderly human cadavers were removed intact, separated into regions, and microdissected for quantification of physiologic cross-sectional area, fascicle length, and sarcomere length. From these data, sarcomere operating length ranges were calculated.
IO had the largest physiologic cross-sectional area and RA the smallest, and would thus generate the largest and smallest isometric forces, respectively. RA had the longest fascicle length, followed by EO, and would thus be capable of generating force over the widest range of lengths. Measured sarcomere lengths, in the postmortem neutral spine posture, were significantly longer in RA and EO (3.29 ± 0.07 and 3.18 ± 0.11 μm) compared to IO and TrA (2.61 ± 0.06 and 2.58 ± 0.05 μm) (P < 0.0001). Biomechanical modeling predicted that RA, EO and TrA act at optimal force-generating length in the midrange of lumbar spine flexion, where IO can generate approximately 90% of its maximum force.
These data provide clinically relevant insights into the ability of the abdominal wall muscles to generate force and change length throughout the lumbar spine range of motion. This will impact the understanding of potential postures in which the force-generating and spine stabilizing ability of these muscles become compromised, which can guide exercise/rehabilitation development and prescription. Future work should explore the mechanical interactions among these muscles and their relationship to spine health and function.


Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is the main tissue involved in non-shivering heat production. A greater understanding of BAT could possibly lead to new ways of prevention and treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The increasing prevalence of these conditions and the problems they cause society and individuals make the study of the subject important.An ongoing study performed at the Turku University Hospital uses images acquired using PET/MRI with 18F-FDG as the tracer. Scans are performed on sedentary and athlete subjects during normal room temperature and during cold stimulation. Sedentary subjects then undergo scanning during cold stimulation again after a six weeks long exercise training intervention. This degree project used images from this study.The objective of this degree project was to examine methods to automatically and objectively quantify parameters relevant for activation of BAT in combined PET/MRI data. A secondary goal was to create images showing glucose uptake changes in subjects from images taken at different times.Parameters were quantified in adipose tissue directly without registration (image matching), and for neck scans also after registration. Results for the first three subjects who have completed the study are presented. Larger registration errors were encountered near moving organs and in regions with less information.The creation of images showing changes in glucose uptake seem to be working well for the neck scans, and somewhat well for other sub-volumes. These images can be useful for identification of BAT. Examples of these images are shown in the report.


The aim of present work is to study the influence of low energy impacts on residual strength of carbon-epoxy laminates. Experimental tests were performed on [0,90,0,90]2s and [0,90]8 laminates using a drop weight-testing machine. The influence of the laminate stacking sequence is analysed under 1.5 J, 2 J, 2.5 J and 3 J impact energies, corresponding to a 0.91 ms-1, 1.05 ms-1, 1.18 ms-1 and 1.29 ms-1 of impact velocity, respectively. The impacted plates were inspected by CScan to evaluate the size, shape and position of the delaminations through the thickness of the plate. The same plates were inspected by C-Scan before the impact, to evaluate the eventual presence of defects produced during the manufacturing process. The residual flexural strength showed that the [0,90,0,90]2s laminates have better performance than the [0,90]8 ones. The explanation is related with the lower flexural stiffness of the antisymmetric lay-up relatively to the symmetric one.


Grouping is a widespread form of predator defense, with individuals in groups often performing evasive collective movements in response to predators' attacks. Individuals in these groups use behavioral rules to coordinate their movements, with visual cues about neighbors' positions and orientations informing movement decisions. Although the exact visual cues individuals use to coordinate their movements with neighbors have not yet been decoded, some studies have suggested that stripes, lines or other body patterns may act as conspicuous conveyors of movement information that could promote coordinated group movement, or promote dazzle camouflage, thereby confusing predators. We used phylogenetic logistic regressions to test whether the contrasting achromatic stripes present in four different taxa vulnerable to predation, including species within two orders of birds (Anseriformes and Charadriiformes), a suborder of Artiodactyla (the ruminants) and several orders of marine fish (predominantly Perciformes) were associated with group living. Contrasting patterns were significantly more prevalent in social species, and tended to be absent in solitary species or species less vulnerable to predation. We suggest that stripes taking the form of light-colored lines on dark backgrounds, or vice versa, provide a widespread mechanism across taxa that serves either to inform conspecifics of neighbors' directional movement, or to confuse predators, when moving in groups. Detection and processing of patterns and of motion in the visual channel is essentially colourblind. That diverse animal taxa with widely different vision systems (including di-, tri- and tetrachromats) appear to have converged on a similar use of achromatic patterns is therefore expected given signal-detection theory. This hypothesis would explain the convergent evolution of conspicuous achromatic patterns as an antipredator mechanism in numerous vertebrate species.


Urban areas are the main consumers of energy resources with a considerable amount of waste in building and transport sectors. This comes about due to inefficient development patterns as well as consumption habits. Towards steering an energy efficiency transformation in cities, it is thus crucial to develop policies, strategies and measures to improve efficiency in these sectors. Hence, not only physical but also climatic as well as socio-economic characteristics should be taken into account in development of energy efficient urban areas. The respective urban development factors- besides technological applications and organizational readiness- can support better energy performance of cities. Against this background, the present research emphasizes on identifying energy efficiency planning measures together with their integration in local urban development practices. In terms of methodology, the research investigates relevant theoretical knowledge in urban sustainability and energy efficiency and develops a comprehensive set of spatial planning measures to be analysed in the Iranian context. Furthermore, Iranian urban energy facts and figures are surveyed in line with current practical procedures and bottlenecks in the local planning context. The methods used to examine the local context are diverse and include: via desk research, field observations and interviews with local experts. Besides, GAP analysis is utilized aiming at identifying the existing gaps from technical, regulatory as well as organizational perspective. This is followed by a comprehensive set of strategies and recommendations for the integration of the missing spatial energy measures in the local planning practice.anning practice.


There is a relatively small amount of experimental data regarding the in vitro - released secretory products (IVRS) of the parasitic roundworm nematodes of man and swine, Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum respectively. The importance of detailed biological examination of the IVRS from these nematodes is justified by the relative inadequacy, for serodiagnosis or prophylaxis, of alternative sources of nematode-derived material: for instance, cuticular surface molecules, or worm homogenates. Here the IVRS from L2 and L3/4 stages of Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum were examined for the first time both immunochemically and biochemically to evaluate their usefulness for specific detection of ascariasis and for possible use in vaccination of animals or humans against Ascaris infection. The main techniques used involved the extrinsic (125I) or intrinsic (35[S]-methionine) labelling of parasite secretions followed by precipitations with either lectins or immune sera and final analysis of the precipitated nematode products by SDS-PAGE. Alternatively, radio-iodinated IVRS from A. suum were incubated with various proteinases and the products of the reactions also analysed by SDS-PAGE. The first studies of radio-iodinated A. suum IVRS showed that the range and number of worm products were different as the parasites developed from the L2 stage to lung stages (L3/4) and that there was considerable, but incomplete stage-specificity of the repertoire of secretions produced. S. aureus-mediated radio-immunnoprecipitations (SRIP's) of A. suum-immunised rabbit antisera and A. suum IVRS showed that, except for one product from A. suum L3/4 IVRS, all the secretions of A. suum L2 and L3/4 worms are antigenic. The non-antigenic component of L3/4 products was identified as rabbit serum albumin. Antisera from A. suum-immunised mice and rats also precipitated components of larval IVRS in SRIP's but different distinct sets of antigens from those recognized by infected rabbits. One possible reason for these differences could be attributed to the separate genetic composition of each species. Mouse anti-A. suum antisera failed to immunoprecipitate an Mr 14000 component of A. suum larval secretions, which was also found to be the major antigen of adult A. suum body fluid (ABF). As ABF is a commonly used source of material for immunological analysis of Ascaris infection, it could be advisable to look for alternative sources of target antigens that avoid an undue bias towards the Mr 14000 product. Immunological crossreactions have been a major stumbling block for specific detection of nematode parasite infection of humans and animals. One of the ways in which crossreactions could lead to false positive results in serodiagnostic immunoassays is the possible occurence of similar antigens among the products of different species of parasites. The secreted products of A. suum and A. lumbricoides were examined by radio-iodination followed by SDS-PAGE. The results showed that the secretions of larval stages of both species were very similar in SDS-PAGE profile except that IVRS from the larvae of the human roundworm apparently contained a secretion of Mr 17000 that was unique to these. SRIP's with sera from rabbits infected either by A. suum or A. lumbricoides and 125I-labelled IVRS of the larval stages of these parasites followed by examination of the immunoprecipitates by SDS-PAGE, showed that there was complete crossreactivity of a given antiserum of one species and the antigens of the other, including the Mr 17000 antigen of A. lumbricoides. Additionally there was also extensive crossreactivity of antiserum from rabbits infected with the ascaridoidean parasite Toxocara canis and the secreted antigens of both A. suum and A. lumbricoides. These findings advised against the use of IVRS from Ascaris species in possible serodiagnostic assays or in serological tests to differentiate between A. suum and A. lumbricoides as separate species. However it might be possible, by raising monoclonal antibodies (McAb) against Ascaris IVRS to find McAb's that differentiate between the Ascaris species and/or provide specificity in serodiagnostic assays. Radio-iodination of IVRS from Ascaris species involved material collected from the supernatants of worm cultures in vitro, not necessarily representative of the products of living worms, but could have consisted of worm somatic components. One biochemical method that aid in confirming that, for the most part, living worms synthesised the IVRS is the technique of intrinsic (or metabolic) labelling of Ascaris larval products. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).


Seventeen subjects underwent transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) toward cortical mapping. Cortical mapping produced scalp representations of five upper extremity muscles and their spatial orientation tended to support an expected anatomic pattern. Muscle map locations and map areas showed trends across musical skill and hand dominance as well. No subject experienc.ed adverse effects during the study. TMS promises to be an effective tool for noninvasive cortical mapping. [Neural Res 1997; 19: 435-440].


Abstract—Thrombus formation on a disrupted atherosclerotic plaque is a threatening event that leads to vessel occlusion and acute ischemia. In this current perspective, we present evidence for apoptosis as a major determinant of the thrombogenicity of the plaque lipid core and a potential contributor to plaque erosion and associated thrombosis. Moreover, apoptosis may directly affect blood thrombogenicity through the release of apoptotic cells and microparticles into the bloodstream.


Abstract Total locomotor activity was studied in 10 Thoroughbreds housed under a natural 12/12 light/dark cycle. Five horses were housed in individual boxes, and five were housed in individual boxes with a paddock. In order to record locomotor activity, on each horse was placed an Actiwatch-Mini® (Cambridge Neurotechnology Ltd, UK), actigraphy-based data loggers that record a digitally integrated measure of motor activity. Locomotor activity in the different experimental conditions was evaluated by visual inspection. Average amount of activity (bout of activity/hour) during light and dark phase and cosine Peak (time of peak activity) were calculate using Actiwatch Activity Analysis 5.06. Student's t-test was used to determine significant differences. The results from this study underline the influence of stabling conditions on activity rhythms in horses; furthermore, we clearly established that in horses, the activity rhythm reaches its peak in the middle of the day.


This article examines whether Australia should introduce a gender quota on ASX 200 boards. Although existing institutional arrangements favour voluntary initiatives, Australia may be at a critical juncture where two factors — the public, pragmatic nature of the statutory regulation of corporations in Australia and the current salience of gender as a political issue — may favour the introduction of a quota. In particular, Australian policy-makers may be amenable to change by observing initiatives from other jurisdictions. It is argued that we should maintain a healthy scepticism about functionalist arguments such as the business case for women on boards. Rather, we should invoke enduring justifications such as equality, parity and democratic legitimacy to support a quota. The optimal design of an Australian gender board quota will be also be explored.


Acoustic Emission (AE) is a phenomenon of great importance for structural health monitoring (SHM). One of important applications of AE in SHM is the localization of a source of acoustic energy in the structure. For certain types of structures and for large propagation distances where dispersion phenomenon is prominent, it is hard to estimate proper location of the damage. This paper discusses some aspects of AE source localization techniques. It is shown how an acoustic source in large plates can be localized using only six sensors and without apriori knowledge of any material pa- rameter, thus omitting the need of considering dispersion phenomena. The method is based on a predefined three-sensor setup, required to determine the Lamb wave propagation direction by detecting the angle at which the Lamb wave hits the array. As introduced in earlier works, the propagation direction of the Lamb wave is detected using arrival time differences between sensors, measured by correlating only the first dip and peak of the recorded signals. With another propagation direction detected by another sensor cluster the acoustic source can be localized as an intersection point of the two directions for planar structures. In this paper special orientation of the sensor cluster is suggested in order to apply the technique to a narrow plate. This modification enables to evaluate a wider area and avoid possible errors in detected propagation directions from some acoustic source locations. The method is compared with another source localization technique based on combined time-domain dispersion removal approach and localization. The dispersion removal technique reconstructs the source signal compensating distortions resulting from dispersion effects and transforms the time domain response directly into the distance one. Both methods are verified numerically and experimentally through artificial sources. doi: 10.12783/SHM2015/194


Electrophysiological observations made in the hands of a group of 16 rock-drillers were compared with 15 controls. Motor and sensory conduction velocities in the median and ulnar nerves together with the latency, duration, and amplitude of the evoked action potentials were measured. The differences between the groups were statistically significant mainly in latency, duration, and amplitude, especially of the sensory action potentials. Measurement of the conduction velocities, in general, proved to be less sensitive, and the only significant change observed was in the sensory conduction velocity in the median nerve when the first digit in the right hand was stimulated. The most interesting result was evidence of an increased prevalence of possible carpal tunnel syndrome in the exposed (44% compared with 7% in the control group). A similar set of data, but exclusively sensory and not standardised for age and sex, was obtained from 25 university students for comparison with the assigned groups. The results showed that apart from sensory duration the control group had values that were closest to the students while the vibration group had values furthest away.


This paper presents a comparative analysis between Asian and North American automobile parts markers' perspective on business continuity management. To undertake this task, a survey was carried on automobile parts markers in North America and Asia. Asian companies accounted for 60% of the responses while the remaining 40% were from North America. Regression analysis was employed to establish cause and effect, while Smart PLS computed the direct and total effects among variables in the study. SmartPLS 3.0 results suggested that Asian companies' continuity management practices were built to address diverse challenges (multiple standards, different economic and environmental challenges) than the North American ones. For instance, Asian company responses indicated that big company size significantly affected both natural risk ranking and BIA while that is not the case with North American companies. The studies cross analysis established that a well-organised supply chain network had a quicker response system for both regions.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate gender differences in employment status trajectories of young Europeans during their initial labour market experience, and the way in which they are affected by some labour market institutions.

Design/methodology/approach
The empirical analysis is based on EU-SILC longitudinal data (waves 2006–2012), and focusses on young people aged 16–34. Monthly information on self-declared employment statuses for 36 months is used to define "employment status trajectories". Young people are observed in two different phases: the first three years after leaving education (first phase) and a three-year window, starting around four years after the end of education (2nd phase). Multinomial logit models are used to estimate the probability of following different trajectory types as a function of individual characteristics, macroeconomic conditions and institutional indicators.

Findings
Results show that, in the first phase, women and men face on average the same difficulties in entering the labour market. When controlling for the presence of children, non-mothers have higher chances than men to enter rapidly and successfully into the labour market, whereas young mothers have the same chances. In contrast, in the second phase women experience more fragmented pathways than men, even if they do not have children. A less stringent regulation on dismissals of employees with regular contracts could enhance women's employment opportunities in the school-to-work transition, but it would have detrimental effects for both men and women in the subsequent years. On the contrary, a more stringent regulation on the use of temporary contracts would have beneficial effects for women, with no adverse effects for men.

Originality/value
The paper contributes to the literature in several ways. First, it takes a broader perspective on youth labour market integration by considering two phases of individuals' initial working life. Second, it combines an explicit attention to the first "significant" employment experience with a focus on individual trajectories, by adopting a new method to group trajectories. Third, it shows how the effects of labour market institutions vary by gender, highlighting the importance of considering gender-specific consequences when discussing or adopting labour market reforms.


Background: Pre-auricular sinus frequently present with recurrent episodes of  infections/abscesses causing severe discomfort and disturbance of daily activities, necessitating surgical intervention to eradicate the condition. Aim: To audit the surgeries  that were done for pre-auricular sinus infection/abscess in University of Benin Teaching Hospital(UBTH) and the outcome of the surgeries. Methods: This was a retrospective  study of all patients who had surgeries for pre-auricular sinus infection/abscess  at the UBTH, Benin City, Nigeria, between January 2007 and May, 2012. Data collected from the patients included gender, age, type of surgery done and outcome of surgeries. Results: Fourteen patients with pre-auricular sinus infection/abscess were seen during the study  period at the Ear, Nose, Throat, Head and Neck surgery clinic. However only 9 patients, 8 females and 1 male, had surgeries for the condition. Ages ranged from 4 to 32 years, with an average age of 19.9 years. Six patients had excision of the sinus, 2 patients had incision and drainage(I&D), while the last patient had both I&D and excision. Excision of the sinus led to variable outcome in the patients. Conclusion: Complete excision of the sinus tract is the treatment of choice for pre-auricular sinus. The standard method of excision is complicated by recurrence of symptoms and infection of operation site. Keywords: Audit, Surgeries, Pre-auricular sinus, Abscess, Infection


Learning 3D human pose prior is essential to human-centered AI. Here, we present GFPose, a versatile framework to model plausible 3D human poses for various applications. At the core of GFPose is a time-dependent score network, which estimates the gradient on each body joint and progressively denoises the perturbed 3D human pose to match a given task specification. During the denoising process, GFPose implicitly incorporates pose priors in gradients and unifies various discriminative and generative tasks in an elegant framework. Despite the simplicity, GFPose demonstrates great potential in several downstream tasks. Our experiments empirically show that 1) as a multi-hypothesis pose estimator, GFPose outperforms existing SOTAs by 20% on Human3.6M dataset. 2) as a single-hypothesis pose estimator, GFPose achieves comparable results to deterministic SOTAs, even with a vanilla backbone. 3) GFPose is able to produce diverse and realistic samples in pose denoising, completion and generation tasks.11Project page https://sites.google.com/view/gfpose/


Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with the loss of function of the protein frataxin (FXN) that results from low FXN levels due to a GAA triplet repeat expansion or, occasionally, from missense mutations in the FXN gene. Here biochemical and structural properties of FXN variants, including three FRDA missense mutations (N146K, Q148R, and R165C) and three related mutants (N146A, Q148G, and Q153A), were determined in an effort to understand the structural basis for the loss of function. In vitro assays revealed that although the three FRDA missense mutations exhibited similar losses of cysteine desulfurase and Fe-S cluster assembly activities, the causes for these activation defects were distinct. The R165C variant exhibited a k(cat)/K(M) higher than that of native FXN but weak binding to the NFS1, ISD11, and ISCU2 (SDU) complex, whereas the Q148R variant exhibited the lowest k(cat)/K(M) of the six tested FXN variants and only a modest binding deficiency. The order of the FXN binding affinities for the SDU Fe-S assembly complex was as follows: FXN > Q148R > N146A > Q148G > N146K > Q153A > R165C. Four different classes of FXN variants were identified on the basis of their biochemical properties. Together, these structure-function studies reveal determinants for the binding and allosteric activation of the Fe-S assembly complex and provide insight into how FRDA missense mutations are functionally compromised.


In order to improve the accuracy of near infrared multispectral ice detection on aircraft wings, we present an improved unit detection algorithm to reduce the noise influenced by the ice detection system itself. The improved algorithm, first select matrices being 3*3 as a detection unit, then calculate the contrast value of the five pixel points in the cross region of the unit, and finally count the number of pixel points, whose contrast value are larger than the threshold value of ice on the surface. The experimental results show that the unit detection method has high accuracy and efficiency compared with conventional point-by-point method.


In this paper, the models of traditional anti-seismic and base-isolated masonry and concrete frame composite structures were created by the three-dimensional finite element program and their time history responses were analyzed under the actions of different seismic waves. The results show that whether they were under the action of frequently occurred earthquake or rarely occurred earthquake, the story shears of base-isolated structure are far less than those of traditional anti-seismic structure; the lateral displacements of the former are nearly translational, while those of the latter are approximately parabolic; and the fundamental period of the former is much longer than the counterpart. In conclusion, the seismic fortification intensity of base-isolated structure is one or two degree less than that of traditional anti-seismic structure, and adopting the base-isolated structure will protect the life-safety and property of people and achieve good economic benefits as well.


Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal neoplasms. Incidence in the United States has remained fairly stable over the past 25 years, with about 25,000 cases annually. Almost 100% of cases are fatal. Incidence in the developed world parallels that in the United States. Incidence in undeveloped nations is lower but may be underreported. Worldwide incidence is about 185,000 cases per year. There are no striking environmental risk factors, and geographic variation is less than with other gastrointestinal cancers. The most significant risk appears to be cigarette smoking, with a risk ratio of about 2. Alcohol and coffee consumption have been reported as possible risks in some (but not in most) studies. Diet is probably a significant factor, but is difficult to evaluate quantitatively. Other putative associations, including diabetes, probably are unimportant.


Abstract Previous work on gradients of human-altered landscapes has identified golf courses as potentially valuable areas for wildlife conservation. We assessed 6 golf courses in and around Oxford, Ohio that were surrounded by varying degrees of land-use intensity and studied bird communities within these courses to identify factors that promote diverse bird assemblages. We used a Geographic Information System (GIS) and aerial photography to estimate percentages of different land-cover types surrounding each course using buffers at scales of 100–1,000 m. We also measured on-site vegetation characteristics within 50 m of the same points used for bird sampling. We used simple linear regressions between each environmental variable and bird community statistics (abundance, species richness, Shannon diversity, and evenness) to determine which variables had the most influence on bird communities. We found that landscapes surrounding golf courses were the most important determinants of bird diversity and on-site variables were relatively unimportant. Specifically, natural land-cover buffers (forests, riparian areas, and open water) promote bird diversity and residential cover reduces diversity, especially in small buffers immediately surrounding courses. Results were similar when we limited the bird data set to Neotropical migrants or to birds with declining population trends.


Abstract Congenital heart defects (CHD) have a complex etiology in which environmental factors play a key role. High altitude has already been established as a risk factor. Data from the CHD Registry in Riyadh were used to explore the impact of altitude throughout the Kingdom, including the mountain ranges of the south-west; 2,787 Saudi Arabian CHD cases were studied from 104 different cities and villages. Altitude was estimated using a geographical information system. The CHD "burden" was estimated by normalizing the number of CHD cases according to the city population. Cities at both the highest and the lowest altitudes displayed an increased CHD burden, indicating that CHD burden in Saudi Arabia is impacted by at least two different environmental factors — high altitude and coastal proximity. There is also an indication of a separate south-western influence which may reflect a unique cultural or genetic factor.


Professional jockeys are unique among weight-making athletes, as they are often required to make weight daily and, in many cases, all year-round. Common methods employed by jockeys include dehydration, severe calorie restriction, and sporadic eating, all of which have adverse health effects. In contrast, this article outlines a structured diet and exercise plan, employed by a 22-yr-old professional National Hunt jockey in an attempt to reduce weight from 70.3 to 62.6 kg, that does not rely on any of the aforementioned techniques. Before the intervention, the client's typical daily energy intake was 8.2 MJ (42% carbohydrate [CHO], 36% fat, 22% protein) consumed in 2 meals only. During the 9-wk intervention, daily energy intake was approximately equivalent to resting metabolic rate, which the athlete consumed as 6 meals per day (7.6 MJ, 46% CHO, 19% fat, 36% protein). This change in frequency and composition of energy intake combined with structured exercise resulted in a total body-mass loss of 8 kg, corresponding to reductions in body fat from 14.5% to 9%. No form of intentional dehydration occurred throughout this period, and mean urine osmolality was 285 mOsm/kg (SD 115 mOsm/kg). In addition, positive changes in mood scores (BRUMS scale) also occurred. The client was now able to ride light for the first time in his career without dehydrating, thereby challenging the cultural practices inherent in the sport.


Renin-like activity in the heart and aorta of rats being slightly modified by binephrectomy, its variations in DOCA hypertension and infarcted ventricular muscle were studied. The daily i.p. administration of DOCA 12 mg/kg body weight for 35 days in male adult rats resulted in a significant decrease of renin activity in plasma and tissues of the heart, aorta, hypothalamus and hypophysis. In contrast to renin-like activity, cathepsin D measured in the same animals increased in all organs, except for the plasma. Similar changes of renin-like activity were observed in salt-loaded animals with 1.7% sodium chloride solution ad libitum for 35 days. In the infarcted myocardial ventricular muscle of the rats and rabbits, the tissue isorenin showed a tendency to decrease, associated with a significant increase in cathepsin D activity. Like in aorta, isorenin seems to be a different enzymatic entity of cathepsin D in the myocardial tissue. The measurement of isorenin content of the vascular endothelium and cardiac muscle fibers seems to reveal much higher amounts in the coronary vascular endothelium than in the myocardial fibres. The activation of the enzymatic angiotensin forming mechanisms in the coronary vascular bed could be one of the risk factors in myocardial infarction.


Purpose: The process of transferring data from one medical center to another and sharing the results can be time-consuming and inconvenient. So, we introduce the multi-institutional clinical research that uses the Internet for conducting faster, safer and more convenient research. Materials and Methods: Patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were prospectively enrolled from 3 remote participating medical centers by means of the Internet. When a patient with BPH came to the hospital, the BPH profile, medications and adverse events were entered into the Internet Based Multi-institute Prostate Research System (IBMPRS). Six investigators were educated on the use of the IBMPRS and we measured the mean data entering time and the user satisfaction. Results: 763 patients with BPH from three institutions were enrolled and their data was collected through the Internet for 1 year. It took an average of 2 minutes 43 seconds to enter the information of one patient. All the investigators were satisfied about the IBMPRS and the system was very stable and safe. Conclusions: An Internet-based clinical research system has the advantage of being able to instantly share patient information and full-time access to the interim results is available if a large number of institutions participate in the clinical research. Clinical research using the Internet would be an invaluable method that is free to use with easy accessibility, and it could play the role of an excellent secretary on the web. (Korean J Urol 2006;47:387-391) ꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏ


US agricultural economic growth in this century has been characterized by a slow rise in the demand for food and faster growth in farm output as against nonfarm productivity. In such an environment, one expects the size of the farm sector to decline as a share of the rest of the economy. What is not so clear is the effectiveness of the price system in signaling the appropriate resource adjustments or of the resource market in responding to available signals. We examine four terms-of-trade measures conceptually and, since 1929, empirically. We find that even distortions from farm programs have not offset the long-term trend of declining terms of trade. Labor and capital markets respond, albeit imperfectly and slowly.


Richard John Lloyd (1846–1906) was a well-known Liverpool businessman who also pursued the study of phonetics, English language, literature, sociology and philosophy. His wide intellectual background embraced mathematics and physics too. His work in phonetics is characterised by a particular emphasis on the acoustics of vowel sounds, as well as by close attention to the fine detail of articulation (what he called "minute phonetics"). Alongside a small group of scientists in Europe, he was actively involved in research into the formant structure of vowels. His relatively early death meant that his work never achieved the prominence it deserved, and hence his influence has remained negligible. His work, however, bears comparison with that of colleagues in articulatory and experimental phonetics later in the 20th century.


The author gives a brief overview of the experimental and numerical studies on (transport in) geophysical turbulence which have been and are currently being carried out in the Fluid Dynamics Laboratory at TU/e. The main topics include rotating turbulence, (rotating) thermal convection and dispersion of inertial particles in stratified turbulence. The second part of my talk will address several issues related with (rotating) thermal convection. Rayleigh-Benard convection is a classical problem in which a fluid layer enclosed between two parallel horizontal walls is heated from below and cooled at the top. In a rotating frame of reference the dynamics can change considerably through the fundamental involvement of a combination of buoyancy and Coriolis forces. The rotating Rayleigh-Benard (RRB) setting is important for many applications, e.g., in engineering and climate modelling. Direct numerical simulation (DNS) is used to calculate the heat transfer, flow structuring and small-scale turbulent properties at systematically varied rotation rates. The DNS code solves the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in a cylinder in a rotating frame of reference, coupled to the heat equation within the Boussinesq approximation. The results from the DNS will be compared to data from SPIV measurements in a water-filled cylindrical convection cell. Turbulent convection is actively driven by buoyancy effects, i.e., temperature is an active scalar. Hence a considerable influence of buoyancy on the velocity and temperature structure function is expected. Bolgiano and Obukhov (BO) derived scaling laws for this regime that are different from the classical Kolmogorov (K41) result. The BO scaling is valid at length scales larger than the so-called Bolgiano length, while for smaller scales K41 is recovered. Whether a BO scaling regime can be found in Rayleigh-Benard convection is an ongoing debate. We present numerical and experimental evidence for BO scaling. In measurements using SPIV the BO scaling was also found, in agreement with the numerical data.


Purpose Research manipulating the complexity of housing environments for healthy and brain-damaged animals has offered strong, well-replicated evidence for the positive impacts in animal models of enriched environments on neuroplasticity and behavioral outcomes across the lifespan. This article reviews foundational work on environmental enrichment from the animal literature and considers how it relates to a line of research examining rich communicative environments among adults with aphasia, amnesia, and related cognitive-communication disorders. Method Drawing on the authors' own research and the broader literature, this article first presents a critical review of environmental complexity from the animal literature. Building on that animal research, the second section begins by defining rich communicative environments for humans (highlighting the combined effects of complexity, voluntariness, and experiential quality). It then introduces key frameworks for analyzing and designing rich communicative environments: distributed communication and functional systems along with sociocultural theories of learning and development in humans that support them. The final section provides an overview of Hengst's and Duff's basic and translational research, which has been designed to exploit the insights of sociocultural theories and research on environmental complexity. In particular, this research has aimed to enrich communicative interactions in clinical settings, to trace specific communicative resources that characterize such interactions, and to marshal rich communicative environments for therapeutic goals for individuals with aphasia and amnesia. Conclusions This article concludes by arguing that enriching and optimizing environments and experiences offers a very promising approach to rehabilitation efforts designed to enhance the reorganization of cognitive-communicative abilities after brain injury. Such interventions would require clinicians to use the principles outlined here to enrich communicative environments and to target distributed communication in functional systems (not the isolated language of individuals).


Arachidonylethanolamide (anandamide), a candidate endogenous cannabinoid ligand, has recently been isolated from porcine brain and displayed cannabinoid-like binding activity to synaptosomal membrane preparations and mimicked cannabinoid-induced inhibition of the twitch response in isolated murine vas deferens. In this study, anandamide and several congeners were evaluated as cannabinoid agonists by examining their ability to bind to the cloned cannabinoid receptor, inhibit forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation, inhibit N-type calcium channels, and stimulate one or more functional second messenger responses. Synthetic anandamide, and all but one congener, competed for [3H]CP55,940 binding to plasma membranes prepared from L cells expressing the rat cannabinoid receptor. The ability of anandamide to activate receptor-mediated signal transduction was evaluated in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing the human cannabinoid receptor (HCR, termed CHO-HCR cells) and compared to control CHO cells expressing the muscarinic m5 receptor (CHOm5 cells). Anandamide inhibited forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation in CHO-HCR cells, but not in CHOm5 cells, and this response was blocked with pertussis toxin. N-type calcium channels were inhibited by anandamide and several active congeners in N18 neuroblastoma cells. Anandamide stimulated arachidonic acid and intracellular calcium release in both CHOm5 and CHO-HCR cells and had no effect on the release of inositol phosphates or phosphatidylethanol, generated after activation of phospholipase C and D, respectively. Anandamide appears to exhibit the essential criteria required to be classified as a cannabinoid/anandamide receptor agonist and shares similar nonreceptor effects on arachidonic acid and intracellular calcium release as other cannabinoid agonists.


When a node is not abiding by the rules of the protocol of a wireless network for its own benefit, it can cause severe degradation to network performance. Therefore it is important to detect such selfish behaviour. However, this is not an easy task. The main difficulty comes from the random operation of the carrier-sense multiple-access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) protocol, and is exacerbated by the nature of the wireless medium itself. The authors propose in this study a simple and quick algorithm, called sliding window non-parametric cumulative sum (SWN-CUSUM), to detect selfish nodes that deliberately modify its backoff window to gain unfair access to the network resources. SWN-CUSUM uses a sliding window to prevent unlimited build-up of the cumulating sum used in the protocol. The efficiency of this detection algorithm has been validated by extensive simulations using a Qualnet simulator. Comparative analysis of the proposed algorithm with a traditional CUSUM method demonstrates its superior performance with high detection accuracy and low false alarm rate. In addition, the authors compared SWN-CUSUM with other detection techniques, such as sequential probability ratio test and exponentially weighted moving average, the results show that our algorithm has a good performance in detection delay.


The objective of this work was to develop urea-based fertilizers with internal incorporation of urease inhibitors and other additives in the granule. The effects of the incorporation of NBPT, copper (Cu+2), boric acid (H3BO3), elemental sulphur (So), and a clay mineral from the zeolite group in powder urea – with ten different combinations of these additives – were evaluated as to N losses by volatilization and leaching. The losses in laboratory-developed formulations were compared with those of commercial fertilizers coated with the same additives (Super N, FH Nitro Mais, and FH Nitro Gold). The evaluations were made in greenhouse conditions, using a Ultisol accommodated in PVC columns. Nitrate and ammonium leaching was evaluated in the solution percolated through the soil columns. Ammonia volatilization was measured with a semi-open static chamber. The incorporation of urease inhibitors (NBPT, H3BO3, and Cu+2) into the urea granules was efficient to reduce N volatilization. Ammonia volatilization in the laboratory-developed ureas was lower than in commercial fertilizers coated with the same additives, while ammonium sulfate losses by leaching were similar. The addition of zeolite does not reduce N volatilization. Mineral N leaching in the soil profile is not affected by urease inhibitors.


Action decisions can be directly driven by the current state of the external environment (instructed decisions); or they can be driven by internal mental states and goals, independently of the current environment (intentional decisions). Neural, behavioural and subjective data suggests that two separate neural systems may drive instructed and intentional action respectively. The distinction can be generalized beyond action itself to action inhibition, also classifiable as either instructed or intentional. However, the validity of the instructed/intentional distinction remains controversial. This thesis presents three linked sets of experiments that explored the validity and generality of the distinction, extending it in two key directions: action inhibition and subjective experience. The first group of experiments concerned decision making processes related to action and inhibition; the second focused on the period between decision making and action execution and the third on the subjective experience of intentional actions. Decision making processes were addressed by comparing electrophysiological and subjective measures prior to, during and after decisions to act or inhibit action. In the absence of external imperatives, intentional decisions may capitalize on spontaneous neural fluctuations, and show a weaker neural code than their instructed counterparts. To further explore the relative strength of intentional decisions, the period between decision making and action execution was addressed with EEG and behavioural methods. No evidence for unstable intentional decisions was found, during decision maintenance. Intentional action decisions may be strong, and persistent. Finally, two experiments directly compared the subjective experience of intentional and instructed actions. Neuroimaging results revealed possible mechanisms associated with the subjective experience of acting intentionally. Together, results support the broad distinction between instructed and intentional decisions. In particular, the coding of intentional actions may involve partial activations of alternative responses. Importantly, the thesis also demonstrates the feasibility of experimental studies addressing the subjective experience of intentional behaviour.


We present an optimization engine for large scale pattern recognition using Support Vector Machine (SVM). Our treatment is based on conversion of soft-margin SVM constrained optimization problem to an unconstrained form, and solving it using newly developed Sequential Subspace Optimization (SESOP) method. SESOP is a general tool for largescale smooth unconstrained optimization. At each iteration the method minimizes the objective function over a subspace spanned by the current gradient and by directions of few previous steps and gradients. Following an approach of A. Nemirovski, we also include into the search subspace the direction from the starting point to the current point, and a weighted sum of all previous gradients: this provides the worst case optimality of the method. The subspace optimization can be performed extremely fast in the cases when the objective function is a combination of expensive linear mappings with computationally cheap non-linear functions, like in the unconstrained SVM problem. Presented numerical results demonstrate high e‐ciency of the method.


Purpose - – Third sector organizations regularly innovate through collaboration with other organizations in order to secure resources and to increase the potential to more effectively meet each collaborator's mission. Following a review of relevant literature, the purpose of this paper is to explore and document the variety of ways that third sector organizations collaborate with other nonprofit organizations. Design/methodology/approach - – The paper reviews the literature regarding motivations to collaborate, barriers to collaboration, and ways to ensure that collaboration is successful. Drawing on exemplary cases of collaboration that applied for a national (USA) prize, the paper describes the range of collaborations that third sector organizations used to enhance their performance and productivity. Findings - – The analysis culminates in eight models: the fully integrated merger, partially integrated merger, joint program office, joint partnership with affiliated programming, joint partnership for issue advocacy, joint partnership with a new formal organization, joint administrative operations, and confederation. Research limitations/implications - – All cases are drawn from one country in one part of the world, the USA; some models will have less veracity in other countries or contexts, and the nonprofit sectors of other countries will likely generate additional kinds of models not anticipated by the USA cases. Second, the eight models generated by the method are the result of debate, deliberation, and iterative process carried out by two coders. Other coders employing the same analytic process might generate more or fewer models. Practical implications - – Once nonprofit boards, staff, and other advocates understand the potential that can come with collaboration, blurring boundaries and giving up autonomy might not seem so intimidating. The practical value of our work is in reporting the wide array of options available to nonprofits – models that staff and board can use to plot their way forward. Social implications - – The value of our work to research is identification of the assortment of ways that nonprofits collaborate. Future research may consider how any of the issues discussed in the literature – trust, co-opetition, resource dependence, network connectedness – vary or are conditioned by differences across these models of collaboration. Originality/value - – The paper documents collaboration as a viable strategy for the enhancement of performance and productivity among third sector organizations in the USA. For each model described, the paper discusses the circumstances in which they might be used, as well as the challenges and advantages associated with implementation.


ABSTRACT In vegetatively propagated ornamentals, new varieties can be obtained from i.) conventional breeding and selection or ii.) spontaneous or induced variant types of existing varieties. Indeed, variant types enlarge the assortment to be produced without the need to alter production systems. However, they inherit the breeding effort needed to create a completely new and profitable variety. Therefore, the breeder of the initial variety might want to claim at least part of the profits under the form of a royalty on what is considered as essentially derived varieties (EDV). To detect either EDV or fraud, criteria based on plant morphology are insufficient or even not applicable. Here, some case studies are presented to illustrate the possibilities and the limitations of AFLP fingerprinting in disputes on fraud and essential derivation of ornamental plants. No differences were detected between fingerprints of different azalea bud sports, all belonging to the commercially important "Hellmut Vogel˚d group. In roses, it was possible to elucidate the irregular application for breeders' protection for a bud sport of a registered rose cultivar. This was confirmed by fingerprinting the putative parents given in the application file. In Phalaenopsis, a breeder tried to broaden the protection he received on a variant derived from an old free variety, to a similar clone. After fingerprinting, both parties decided to close the case.


In recent years, Chinese telecommunications companies, with the assistance of Chinese financial institutions and diplomatic backing, have successfully secured contracts to build infrastructure and wire Africa for the 21st century. The practical implications for economic development are important. But also important are the theoretical implications: what, for instance, is the relevance of such South-South linkages for how we think about globalization and the state, in particular government-business relations? Our paper begins by considering China's broader foreign economic policy agenda in Africa. What role does this play in the headway that Chinese telecommunications companies have made across African markets? What does this mean for market players from other countries (both African and non-African)? Importantly, what impact does China's growing presence have on the relationship between state-building and market-building in traditionally weak states across the continent? To answer these questions, we take our study to the sector-level to investigate the growing presence of Chinese telecommunications equipment makers and service providers in Africa's telecommunication markets, namely, those in Nigeria and Angola.


Thin films of perovskite-like (La,Ca)MnO/sub /spl delta// with [001] orientation were grown epitaxially on (100) MgO substrates by a simple facing-target sputtering technique. The as-deposited films already possess a significant low field giant magnetoresistance. Further post-annealing experiments on these samples indicate that the high electrical resistivity is not a prerequisite of the giant magnetoresistance effect.


We investigate the canonical BRST–quantisation and refined algebraic quantisation within a family of classically equivalent constrained Hamiltonian systems that are related to each other by rescaling constraints with nonconstant functions on the configuration space. The quantum constraints are implemented by a rigging map that is motivated by a BRST version of group averaging. Two systems are considered. In the first one we avoid topological built–in complications by considering R^4 as phase space, on which a single constraint, linear in momentum is defined and rescaled. Here, the rigging map has a resolution finer than what can be extracted from the formally divergent contributions to the group averaging integral. Three cases emerge, depending on the asymptotics of the scaling function: (i) quantisation is equivalent to that with identity scaling; (ii) quantisation fails, owing to nonexistence of self–adjoint extensions of the constraint operator; (iii) a quantisation ambiguity arises from the self–adjoint extension of the constraint operator, and the resolution of this purely quantum mechanical ambiguity determines the superselection structure of the physical Hilbert space. The second system we consider is a generalisation of the aforementioned model, two constraints linear in momenta are defined on the phase space R^6 and their rescalings are analysed. With a suitable choice of a parametric family of scaling functions, we turn the unscaled abelian gauge algebra either into an algebra of constraints that (1) keeps the abelian property, or, (2) has a nonunimodular behaviour with gauge invariant structure functions, or, (3) contains structure functions depending on the full configuration space. For cases (1) and (2), we show that the BRST version of group averaging defines a proper rigging map in refined algebraic quantisation. In particular, quantisation case (2) becomes the first example known to the author where structure functions in the algebra of constraints are successfully handled in refined algebraic quantisation. Prospects of generalising the analysis to case (3) are discussed.


Assessing the impact of urban catchment runoff on receiving waters must be addressed. Trace metal contamination represents a significant risk to the environment and public health. But total concentration does not reflect trace metal environmental impact because their toxicity depends especially on the nature of present species. Most studies address the fate of trace metals in lake tributaries or in lake sediments. Our aim was to focus on the seasonal variation of trace metal concentrations in the lake water column in order to improve the assessment of urban runoff impact. This study focuses on the seasonal monitoring, for 10 months including dry and raining seasons, of trace metal concentrations and their speciation in the water column of Lake Pampulha. Trace metals were collected at two depths in the middle of Lake Pampulha. For each collected sample, metal fractions were divided into total, dissolved, and inert metal. Six anthropogenic trace metals were considered: cadmium, cobalt, copper, lead, nickel and zinc. The results showed different behaviour of trace metals in the water column. Cadmium concentration is under the quantification limit. Speciation results indicate a variable metal bioavailability. Zinc is the most bioavailable (~60%). Bioavailability of cobalt which is highly dissolved varies with depth. Nickel bioavailability remains rather constant in the surface layer during the study period and those of copper, zinc and lead are more variable.


Synopsis Microstructure imaging provides a quantitative tool for characterizing neural tissue with diffusion MRI and expanding our understanding of how the brain changes in health and disease. However, robust computational tools are needed for population imaging studies, so we developed a computational framework (MicroQIT) using the Quantitative Imaging Toolkit to meet this need by providing regional summaries and spatially normalized microstructure parameter maps. It supports a variety of ways to extract microstructure information from multi-shell diffusion MRI, leverages grid computing environments, and is available for use by the research community for future studies.


It is difficult to discuss the discipline of Black history or the historical significance of Black History Month without paying tribute to Carter Godwin Woodson. This Black thinker and his respective contributions should be viewed as a significant step toward the liberation of Black minds. Secondly, any people seeking to empower themselves must develop a passionate desire to recapture, redefine, and employ history as a tool of analysis. Without this agenda, their survival and continued development would be seriously jeopardized. Carter G. Woodson was one of nine children, born to former slaves, Annie and James Woodson, in 1875. His formative years were spent in New Canton, Virginia. The hardships of poverty were a constant threat to the Woodson family during these early years. Unable to attend school on a regular basis, young Woodson developed the habit of self-instruction. John Henrik Clarke reports, "Woodson mastered all the fundamentals of common school subjects by the time he was seventeen." (2) In 1892, the Woodson family moved to Huntington, West Virginia. During the next three years, young Woodson worked in local coal mines to provide additional income for family expenses. Finally, at the age of twenty, Woodson entered Frederick Douglass High School in Huntington and earned a high school certificate in less than two years. He continued his studies at Berea College in Kentucky and spent several summers attending the University of Chicago. Eventually, Woodson was awarded a B.A. and M.A. degree from the University of Chicago during the years of 1907-1908. Ambitious and desiring to continue his interest in history, Woodson entered Harvard University in 1909. Prior to Harvard, he traveled in Europe and Asia and spent one semester at the Sorbonne in Paris. This exposure proved to be an asset in the elite conscious Harvard environment. In 1912, Woodson became the second Black student to earn a Ph.D. in history from Harvard University. (3) After Harvard, Woodson rose to the top of his profession. From 1919-1920, he served as Dean of the Howard University School of Liberal Arts. Following a conflict with the president over the university's educational policies, Woodson resigned. From 1920-1922, he was employed as a dean at West Virginia Institute (later known as Virginia State College). Earl E. Thorpe concluded, "Apparently for the same reason that he resigned from Howard University, and because he desired to live in Washington ... to continue his research, he resigned from West Virginia Institute and gave up classroom teaching as a major interest." (4) Dr. Woodson had the credentials to establish a secure career in the Black academic world. But, he chose to pursue the study of what was then called Negro History. Many of his Black colleagues simply concluded that Woodson was crazy! This attitude reflected the contempt that many highly educated Blacks had for the common masses of Black people. Success could only be attained by white standards and white recognition. Why waste time with "Negro History?" Many of the Black elite of the 1920s were mental victims of an atmosphere and an educational system which degraded African American people and relegated Africa to an obscure component in the history of world civilization. Woodson felt that, "The so-called modern education ... does others so much more good than it does the Negro, because it has been worked out in conformity to the needs of those who have enslaved and oppressed weaker peoples,... The philosophy and ethics resulting from our educational system have justified slavery, peonage, segregation, and lynching. The oppressor has the right to exploit, to handicap, and to kill the oppressed. Negroes daily educated in the tenets of such a religion of the strong have accepted the status of the weak as divinely ordained ..." In response to some highly educated Blacks who denounced Woodson's attempt to rescue and redefine Black History as a meaningless endeavor Woodson boldly stated, "The difficulty is that the 'educated Negro' is compelled to live and move among his own people when he has been taught to despise them . …


Considerable progress has been achieved in understanding the fascinating structure and physical properties of the ferroelectric liquid crystalline phases formed by bent-core liquid crystals (BLC). In this review, we discuss a manifold of polar structures and phases found in BLCs such as orthogonal and tilted ferro-/antiferroelectric phases, smectic phases, switchable columnar phases, modulated structures and phases stabilised by a periodic lattice of defects such as dark conglomerate and nanofilament phases. We review the theoretical aspects of ferroelectricity in BLCs including existing microscopic theories and computer simulations, polarity and chirality phenomena. The last part of the paper is devoted to the peculiarities of the behavior of BLCs in a restricted geometry (freely suspended films and filament) and the perspective technological applications.


We present measurement results of an ultracompact four-channel silicon-on-insulator planar concave grating demultiplexer fabricated in a complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor line using deep-ultraviolet lithography. The demultiplexer has four output channels separated by 20 nm and a footprint of only 280 mum times 150 mum. The crosstalk is better than 25 dB and the on-chip loss is drastically reduced down to 1.9 dB by replacing each facet by a second-order Bragg reflector.


Background
We report the outcomes of acute type A aortic intramural hematoma (ATAAIMH) with malperfusion treated with endovascular intervention and delayed open aortic repair.

Methods
Between April 1998 and April 2018, 644 patients were treated at our institution with an acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) or ATAAIMH, 82 (13%) had intramural hematomas (IMHs) including 12 (15%) with malperfusion syndrome (MPS) and 70 (85%) without MPS (no MPS). Data was obtained through medical record review, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons data elements, and the National Death Index database.

Results
Both MPS and No MPS groups had similar comorbidities including coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, and peripheral vascular disease; however, those with MPS were sicker on admission with higher rates of acute renal failure (50% vs. 1%, P<0.0001) and acute paralysis (17% vs. 0%, P=0.02). Patients with MPS amenable to endovascular reperfusion (n=10) underwent endovascular fenestration/stenting and delayed aortic repair. Those with cerebral or coronary MPS (n=2) and those without MPS (n=70) underwent emergent open aortic repair. Of the ten patients undergoing fenestration/stenting, seven went on to aortic repair, one survived to discharge without aortic repair, one died from aortic rupture on hospital day 34, and one died from organ failure prior to aortic repair. Following endovascular fenestration/stenting or aortic repair, all patients with MPS had higher in-hospital mortality (17% vs. 0%), P=0.02. Following aortic repair, patients with MPS had more postoperative sepsis and longer postoperative length of stay (all P<0.05). However, both groups had a 0% operative mortality (including in-hospital and 30-day mortality following aortic repair). The 5-year survival of all ATAAIMH patients was 79%. The 2-year survival was significantly better in the No MPS group (94% vs. 62%, P=0.006).

Conclusions
ATAAIMH with MPS can be effectively managed with upfront endovascular fenestration/stenting followed by delayed aortic repair.


The rapid rise in obesity-related diseases has increased interest in oral and dietary agents that disrupt fat metabolism, resulting in the excretion of dietary lipids in the feces. In this study, a rapid and convenient liquid chromatography method to comprehensively analyze fecal lipids in a single injection was developed. An evaporative light-scattering detector (ELSD) for routine analysis or atmosphere pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry [(+)APCI-MS/MS] for structural confirmation and peak purity was used. The method was applied to characterize lipid components of feces from hamsters fed high-fat diets with either 5% microcrystalline cellulose or 5% hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) fibers, to test the effect of HPMC on lipid metabolism. HPMC is a nonfermentable, soluble cellulose fiber. The fecal lipid components identified using this method includes two secondary bile acids, deoxycholic acid, lithocholic acid, and neutral sterols including cholesterol, coprostanol, stigmastanol, and sitosterol. The profile of fecal lipid components was compared between two groups. It was found that the bile acid excretion was increased 2-fold in HPMC-fed hamsters. More interestingly, diacylglycerides and triacylglycerides were detected in feces from hamsters on HPMC-included high-fat diets. We believe that this is the first report of excretion of acylglycerides following neutral soluble fiber feeding.


Objective: To assess the rate of healing of tympanic membrane, hearing status before and after operation and determine the factors influencing surgical outcome. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done in the department of Otolaryngology & Head- Neck Surgery of SSMC & Mitford Hospital, Dhaka, during the period of January, 2008 to December, 2009. A total of 60 patients was underwent myringoplasty operation and taken detailed history, clinical findings and post operative assessment. Analyzed data presented by various tables, graphs and figures. Results: The study included 60 patients of myringoplasty operation. Age of the patient was between 15-45 years. Out of 60 patients male was 60% and female was 40%. Highest number of patients was in the age group of 15-25 years. Conclusion: Hearing improvement after myringoplasty in anatomically successful cases improve quality of life of the patient. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjo.v19i1.14858 Bangladesh J Otorhinolaryngol 2013; 19(1): 18-23


Most nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is resulted from ruptured aneurysm. Few cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) may appear after acute SAH with similar clinical manifestations as aneurysm bleeding, raising difficulties for SAH diagnosis in clinics. Retrospective analysis of 88 patients with CVST in our hospital from March 2008 to March 2015 was carried out. Among them, the radiologic characteristic, therapeutic strategies and prognosis of 11 patients with SAH as initial manifestation were analyzed. In total, 7 patients received pure heparin anticoagulant treatment and 4 patients received intrasinus thrombolytic treatment with urokinase. Non-enhancement CT or MRI proved that SAH localized at the parasagittal or dorsolateral cerebral convexity. Empty delta sign was present in 5 cases by enhanced CT. CVST involved superior sagittal sinus in 9 patients, lateral sinus in 5 patients, sigmoid sinus in 3 patients, straight sinus in 1 patients and cortical veins in 4 patients under magnetic resonance venography (MRV) or digital subtraction angiography(DSA). Complete recanalization of the occluded sinus or cortical veins was evident in 8 patients and partial recanalization was observed in 2 patients. Non- recanalization was still in 1 patient who received craniotomy hematoma craniectomy because of secondary intracranial hemorrhage after intrasinus thrombolytic therapy. All patients except one exhibited satisfactory outcome. CVST should be considered in patients with nonaneurysmal SAH, based on which early diagnosis and treatment can be applied. CT, MRI and MRV imaging are effective for early diagnosis and anticoagulants and endovascular treatment is safe and effective against CVST.


There has been limited empirical research to investigate the way in which farmers respond to market-based instruments intended to encourage their participation in environmental management. This paper is based on a case study of an auction mechanism that is under trial to deliver market incentives to encourage farmers in a saline-affected landscape to contribute to regional biodiversity goals through on-ground works. The case study auction is the Auction for Landscape Recovery which is a pilot currently operating in the north eastern wheatbelt of Western Australia. It is a scheme that aims to create a flexible 'market' setting to encourage the participation of farmers to undertake on-farm projects to achieve the multiple benefits of biodiversity conservation, salinity control and water quality improvements. A substantial component of the pilot research is an investigation of the technical aspects of conserving biodiversity across a saline landscape, and how to select tenders to achieve an optimal allocation of the on-ground funding. This paper aims to complement this by investigating the socioeconomic factors that influence farmers' responses to the market incentives delivered through the auction mechanism. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are presented in the paper to explore the socioeconomic factors that may explain farmers' decisions regarding participation in the auction. The analysis is based on data from some preliminary farmer interviews.


ABSTRACT           Introduction: Dengue is the most important mosquito-borne flavivirus disease. The number of Dengue cases in Indonesia in 2010 range from 150,000 cases with the deaths of around 1,317 people. Huge number of cases have made Indonesia was the first ranked as the state with the highest Dengue cases in the ASEAN region and the world's second ranking after Brazil. The drugs  or antibiotics that can be administered effectively to cure this disease has not been found yet. Many study have been done and some that have been reported include viral RNA synthesis inhibitors, protein inhibitors of NS3 helicase and protease and inhibitors that inhibit Dengue virus maturation. Curcumin have preventive activity against several viruses: vasicular stomatis ( VSV ), HSV 1 and 2, parainfluenza - 3, reovirus - 1, feline corona virus , feline herpes virus . Curcumin also known have ubiquitin proteasome inhibition system was able to decrease the production of Japanese ensefalitis virus. Objectives: This study aims to determine safe concentrations of curcumin against vero cells (cytotoxic test results) and know the Dengue-2 antiviral potency of curcumin. Methods: Including quasi-experimental study. The anti viral potency of curcumin seen from the result of immunocytochemistry Streptavidin Biotin Peroxidase Complex (SBPC).  Data were analyzed by ANOVA. Results: The results showed that secure concentrations from cytotoxic of curcumin against vero cells is 6.25 ppm. The calculation of positive rate from immunocytochemistry in vero cells infected by Dengue - 2 incubation 1 and 3 days were the result is significantly different than the control. Conclusion: The secure concentration of curcumin against vero cells was 6.25 ppm and curcumin was able to lower the positive rate due to Dengue-2 infection. Key Words : Dengue virus, Curcumin, Immunocytochemistry.


Analysis of the many different vocal productions of pairs of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus Montagu) and the related behavior patterns shows that one pair of specific short (0.2 to 0.6 second) whistles was consistently stimulated by physical distress. This call stimulated nearby animals to push the head of the distressed animal to the surface to breathe. After the animal breathed, a vocal exchange preceded other forms of aid.


This article contributes to an emerging dialogue about how we can accelerate progress towards institutionalizing a commitment to campus environmental sustainability throughout the university sector. It seeks to utilize progress made to date, in the field of "greening" universities, looking deeply into these experiences, to learn from them and to start revealing how they may inform us to move into the realm of widespread institutional transformation. It presents a range of insights, lessons learned and preferred approaches emerging from seven years of implementing campus environmental programs in universities both in Australia and the USA. Many of these ideas have been further informed during a Churchill Fellowship, spent investigating campus environment initiatives in over 30 universities in Europe and the USA. To assist in giving further weight to the material presented, it draws upon the work of a various authors of organizational change, leadership and management publications. The subject‐matter is wide‐ranging as it is intended as a starting‐point for the reader to pick and choose ideas that may warrant further investigation in their own university context. Even though many of the ideas presented need further exploration and development, in their current state they may prove of some value to the reader as a catalyst for a different level of institutional analysis.


Australian research shows that stigma is a major barrier to treatment seeking (Rockloff, 2004) and may impede the accurate measurement of problem gambling prevalence. To date, no validated tool is available to assess the stigma associated with gambling. This project investigated both internally experienced and externalised (perceived) stigma associated with gambling, as measured with two new survey instruments were developed for this purpose. We reviewed existing measures of stigma associated with other non-gambling behaviours (e.g., alcohol, drug abuse, smoking, eating disorders) to construct items that were conceptually related to gambling behaviour. The scales were then validated by using a large representative community sample (N = 1366). Internal reliability analysis, factor analysis, and multivariate analysis were used to analyse the results and to explore the measurement of perceived and self-stigma in a community sample, taking into account respondents' gambling experience and relevant socio-demographic information. Results supported a model of perceived stigma along two dimensions (Contempt and Ostracism) and a unidimensional model of experienced stigma. The scales were shown to have strong psychometric properties and to differentiate well between stigmas associated with recreational and problem gambling behaviours. A scale that measures stigma related to gambling behaviour will provide researchers, policymakers, industry bodies, and clinicians with a tool that contributes to a growing understanding of the gambling experiences of individuals and the impacts of gambling on communities.


Mutations in the WWOX gene cause a broad range of ultra-rare neurodevelopmental and brain degenerative disorders, associated with a high likelihood of premature death in animal models as well as in humans. The encoded Wwox protein is a WW domain-containing oxidoreductase that participates in crucial biological processes including tumor suppression, cell growth/differentiation and regulation of steroid metabolism, while its role in neural development is less understood. We analyzed the exomes of a family affected with multiple pre- and postnatal anomalies, including cerebellar vermis hypoplasia, severe neurodevelopmental impairment and refractory epilepsy, and identified a segregating homozygous WWOX mutation leading to a premature stop codon. Abnormal cerebral cortex development due to a defective architecture of granular and molecular cell layers was found in the developing brain of a WWOX-deficient human fetus from this family. A similar disorganization of cortical layers was identified in lde/lde rats (carrying a homozygous truncating mutation which disrupts the active Wwox C-terminal domain) investigated at perinatal stages. Transcriptomic analyses of Wwox-depleted human neural progenitor cells showed an impaired expression of a number of neuronal migration-related genes encoding for tubulins, kinesins and associated proteins. These findings indicate that loss of Wwox may affect different cytoskeleton components and alter prenatal cortical development, highlighting a regulatory role of the WWOX gene in migrating neurons across different species.