The purpose of this study was to explore the impact student attendance and family structure had on academic achievement as measured by the Georgia mandated criterion referenced competency test (CRCT) in middle grades mathematics. There were many factors that could have come into play regarding the level of academic achievement each child experiences. With federal, state and local entities placing increased pressure on schools and educators to be more accountable, specifically in the form of student test scores, it seemed imperative to understand the external variables that may negatively impact student learning potential. Utilizing the student's family structure data reported via contact information at the beginning of the academic year and their attendance history for the 2012-2013 academic year, this study focused on determining if attendance and family structure statistically impacted mathematics achievement scores on the 2013 annual CRCT in a North Georgia middle school. The overarching goal of this study was to explore variables associated with family structure in an effort to determine factors outside the educational systems control that affect student performance. Results from this study showed that both student attendance and family structure individually impacted overall achievement in middle grades mathematics.


Compliance of business processes is becoming increasingly important in the domain of business process design. Despite that, human process designers must be able to concentrate on the business goals which a business process needs to fulfil. Compliance aspects of the business process should not be in the main focus of the human process designer during the development phase. Therefore, tools must support human process designers in developing compliant business processes. In this paper we introduce the concept of compliance scopes. Compliance scopes are areas in a business process where certain compliance conditions must hold. These conditions are attached to the compliance scopes. Compliance scopes can be applied to existing business process models as well as to process templates. In this way compliance rules are applied to certain areas of a business process. During design time, compliance scopes can be used in graphical workbenches to evaluate modifications to business processes.


PURPOSE
Using percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL), it is easy to reach stones in various parts of the kidney via a single access tract. In the current study, we set out to demonstrate that the intravenous catheter is a safe way to gain renal access, and that PNL is safe in children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent PNL as a treatment for renal stone disease at our center between September 2013 and December 2014. There were no specific exclusion criteria. We used 14 gauge intravenous catheter for renal access in all cases.

RESULTS
Eleven of the 32 patients (34.4%) were female and 21 (65.6%) were male. The mean ± SD patient age was 4.7 ± 3.71 years (9 months-16 years). Six patients (18.7%) were infants less than 1 year of age. Fifteen of the stones (46.8%) were located in the right kidney, and 17 of the stones (53.1%) were located in the left kidney. The average stone size was 13.9 ± 4.8 mm (range, 12-28). The average duration of operation was 69.7 ± 10.4 minutes (range, 50-110), and the average duration of fluoroscopy was 2.21 ± 1.06 minutes (range, 1-6). There were complications in 5 of the cases (15.6%).

CONCLUSION
The access and dilatation stages are quite important. We propose that the intravenous catheter is a safe and inexpensive tool for renal access in PNL in pediatric age group patients.


Author(s): Barkan, Christopher Steve | Advisor(s): Balakrishnan, Gopal; Epstein, Barbara | Abstract: A dearth of critical research on Michel Foucault's reconstruction in Les mots et les choses (1966) of the history of economic thought from the sixteenth through nineteenth centuries has overlooked his most sustained engagement with economics. This dissertation seeks to fill that gap. Also, Foucault and Karl Marx drew from the same archive of economics texts, thus their intellectual histories present a fertile and crucial test of their respective accounts—sometimes congruent, yet other times sharply different—of Europe's transition to Modernity. The dissertation's methodology and organization turn on two axes: archival historical research and immanent critique. Its historical method engages the same archive of major and minor economists that Foucault and Marx both read: early and late scholastic writers, Copernicus, Gresham, Bodin, Malestroit, Thomas Smith, Davanzati, mercantilist pamphleteers, Colbert, Petty, Cantillon, Boisguillebert, Hutcheson, Hume, Quesnay, Adam Smith, and Ricardo. Scholarly literature on the history of economic thought proved a useful aid, as well.The dissertation is also conceived and executed as an immanent critique of Les mots et les choses. It adduces a rational reconstruction of Foucault's theoretical argument and historical narrative in order to identify its rational content, while also demonstrating where and why its analysis is inadequate. To this end, Foucault's interest in linguistics is relevant insofar as his narrative attenuates the category of labor to that of language.Overall, Foucault's archaeological method fails to comprehend the inter-related epistemic and socio-material nature of the category problem of political economy. Foucault's commitment to radical discontinuities actually eviscerates, rather than captures, historical and conceptual nuances of continuity and discontinuity that Marx's historiography makes possible. A question is raised whether Foucault and Marx perceived the extent to which economists made use of abstraction as an epistemic action to explain momentous changes in social relations and the mode of production as Europe evolved from commercial society to early manufacturing to capitalism. The findings lay the groundwork for further research into Marx and Foucault's intellectual communication as well as Foucault's frequent recollection of his economic history from Les mots et les choses during his 1970s lectures at College de France.


The preparation of additional and useful building blocks for the construction of supramolecular entities with quadruply bonded Mo(2)(4+) units has been explored, and five new mixed-ligand complexes with three types of ligands and various basicities are reported. The ligands used were the DAniF (N,N'-di-p-anisylformamidinate) anion, the acetate anion, and neutral acetonitrile molecules. The formamidinate ligands are the least labile, and the acetonitrile molecules are the most labile. This difference as well as a relatively strong trans directing influence by the formamidinate anions in ligand substitution reactions allows designed synthesis of various mixed-ligand building blocks, including rare pairs of cis and trans isomers. The new compounds are cis-Mo(2)(DAniF)(2)(O(2)CCH(3))(2) (1), trans-Mo(2)(DAniF)(2)(O(2)CCH(3))(2) (2), trans-[Mo(2)(DAniF)(2)(O(2)CCH(3))(CH(3)CN(eq)())(2)]BF(4) (3), trans-[Mo(2)(DAniF)(2)(CH(3)CN(eq)())(4)](BF(4))(2) (4), and [Mo(2)(O(2)CH(3))(CH(3)CN(eq)())(6)(CH(3)CN(ax)())](BF(4))(3) (5), where eq and ax designate equatorial and axial ligands, respectively. A comparison with some previously synthesized complexes is given along with a discussion of the overall reactivity of all compounds.


The article examines the case of springtime bird hunting in Åland from a moral point of view. In Åland springtime hunting has been a cultural practice for centuries but is now under investigation due to the EU Directive on the protection of birds. The main question of the article is whether restrictions on bird hunting have a sound basis. We approach this question by analysing three principles: The animal rights principle states that if hunting is not necessary for survival, it cannot be morally justified. Therefore hunting merely to engage in a cultural custom is morally suspect. In the light of the species conservation principle the hunting is questionable due to the fact that it seems to have a diminishing effect on the species populations. The formal principle of justice makes up a more difficult question since the special position of the minorities in regard to the use of natural resources is generally recognised so that they have the right to maintain their cultural practices. We claim, however, that even though cultural practices have substantial value and can be the object of special rights, they should be coherent with other principles. The springtime bird hunt in Åland does not accord with the relevant moral principles and for this reason we conclude that the basis for its continuation is weak.


Chemical form (i.e., species) can influence metal toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics and should be considered to improve human health risk assessment. Factors that influence metal speciation (and examples) include: (1) carrier-mediated processes for specific metal species (arsenic, chromium, lead and manganese), (2) valence state (arsenic, chromium, manganese and mercury), (3) particle size (lead and manganese), (4) the nature of metal binding ligands (aluminum, arsenic, chromium, lead, and manganese), (5) whether the metal is an organic versus inorganic species (arsenic, lead, and mercury), and (6) biotransformation of metal species (aluminum, arsenic, chromium, lead, manganese and mercury). The influence of speciation on metal toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics in mammals, and therefore the adverse effects of metals, is reviewed to illustrate how the physicochemical characteristics of metals and their handling in the body (toxicokinetics) can influence toxicity (toxicodynamics). Generalizing from mercury, arsenic, lead, aluminum, chromium, and manganese, it is clear that metal speciation influences mammalian toxicity. Methods used in aquatic toxicology to predict the interaction among metal speciation, uptake, and toxicity are evaluated. A classification system is presented to show that the chemical nature of the metal can predict metal ion toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics. Essential metals, such as iron, are considered. These metals produce low oral toxicity under most exposure conditions but become toxic when biological processes that utilize or transport them are overwhelmed, or bypassed. Risk assessments for essential and nonessential metals should consider toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic factors in setting exposure standards. Because speciation can influence a metal's fate and toxicity, different exposure standards should be established for different metal species. Many examples are provided which consider metal essentiality and toxicity and that illustrate how consideration of metal speciation can improve the risk assessment process. More examples are available at a website established as a repository for summaries of the literature on how the speciation of metals affects their toxicokinetics. This article is based on a workshop entitled "Metal Speciation in Toxicology: Determination and Importance for Risk Assessment" presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology, March, 2003, Salt Lake City, UT.


Abstract The objectives were to determine the effects of restricted-feeding strategies on blood concentrations of hormones, metabolites, and minerals in Holstein × Zebu finishing steers. Twenty steers (body weight = 319 ± 16.2 kg; age = 19 ± 1 months) were randomly allotted in 4 groups of 5 steers, which were restricted to 85% ad libitum feed intake for either 0 (R0; n = 5), 28 (R28; n = 5), 42 (R42; n = 5) or 84 (R84; n = 5) days of an 84-d finishing period. Steers were individually housed and considered the experimental unit. Blood samples were collected on d 0, 21, 42, 63, and 84, and were assayed for insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), albumin, creatinine, urea, total protein, glucose, triglycerides, calcium, and phosphorus. Steers had increasing IGF-1 concentrations until d 42 when restricted-fed. Steers fed R84 had the greatest IGF-1 concentrations on d 84. Urea concentrations were greatest in steers fed R0 and least in steers fed R28; steers fed R42 and R84 were intermediate and not different from one another. Concentrations of IGF-1, urea, albumin, and calcium, but not T3, T4, glucose, triglycerides, creatinine, total protein, and phosphorus were affected by restricted-feeding strategies in Holstein × Zebu finishing steers.


A survey of available statistics shows that there are very few cities in the United States givi~g complete physical examinations to school children; or even sufficiently complete to be of any assistance to the teachers in directing the activities of the child beyond the examination for sight and hearing defects. Physical examinations are conducted for the purpose of .detecting variations from the normal that interfere with the mental" and physical health, growth, and development of the child. We recognize that 'Ye are dealing with organisms subjected to the abnormal conditions of school life, that these organisms are constantly changing, and apparently insignificant variations may lead us in a short time to such gross defects that their correction is difficult or impossible; and that the normal educative process is possible only when the physical and mental conditions of the child do not vary too widely from established standards recognized as the nOJ;111al. Evidence at hand shows that large numbers of defects are present in every school. The detection of these variatlons.can be accomplished only by careful examination. A careful comparison .of results obtained by the boards of health and the city boards of education shows that the greatest benefits are obtained where the preliminary examinations are made in the grammar school by the teachers. There are a number of factors with their closely allied interests which demand consideration before presenting specific. recommendations on methods. They are the board of health, the board of education, the parents, the family physician, the teacher, the pupil, and the school physician and their relations t6 one another. All of these and their likes and beliefs are to be reckoned with and reconciled. The expense necessary in establishing a thorough system of examinations has been a serious objection. A careful study, however, shows that it is even more expensive to neglect this work. In view of the facts revealed by a study of present conditions, it is felt that a simple, efficient, and uniform standard of methods is desirable. It is recommended that each child be ~iven a physical examination each year, and that the examination be sufficientlv thorough to deteet defects that interfere or are likely to interfere with the health, growth, and development of the child. A careful record of the preliminary and the supplementary examinations should be kept. • •• c· •• PUBLIC SCHOOL J;lXPENDITURES. The total cost of the public schools of the United States in 1880 was less than $80,000.000: in 1890 it was but $140,00(1.000: in 1900 but $21;;,ooo.ooo , iJ~"191O it was more than $400,000,000. The rare of increase Irorn 18~1) to 1890 was about seventy-five per cent.: Irsm lSHO to HIOO it was atrifle more than fifty per cent.; from 1900 to ]!IIO it was nearly ninety per cent, BY SUPERINTENDENT F. E. SPAULDING,


This paper presents a novel strain measurement technique for determining Poisson's ratio of micron-thick polycrystalline TiN films. We developed a new compact tensile tester operating with X-ray diffraction (XRD) equipment in order to evaluate Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio and fracture strength of TiN films. TiN films having the thickness between 1.5 /spl mu/m and 2.0 /spl mu/m were deposited onto 9 /spl mu/m or 24 /spl mu/m-thick single crystal silicon (SCS) specimen by rf reactive magnetron sputtering. Young's moduli of TiN films deposited at Ar pressure of 0.7 Pa and 0.9 Pa were found to be 290 GPa and 240 GPa, respectively. Poisson's ratios of the films were, for the first time, determined to be 0.36 and 0.27 by out-of-plane normal strain measurements using XRD during tensile tests. The change in the mechanical properties of TiN films with Ar pressure should be attributed to the change in the film density. This technique proposed can be useful for accurately measuring Poisson's ratio of micron-thick single- and poly-crystalline MEMS films.


Myc is a transcription factor that can activate transcription of several hundreds genes by direct binding to their promoters at specific DNA sequences (E-box). However, recent studies have also shown that it can exert its biological role by repressing transcription. Such studies collectively support a model in which c-Myc-mediated repression occurs through interactions with transcription factors bound to promoter DNA regions but not through direct recognition of typical E-box sequences. Here, we investigated whether N-Myc can also repress gene transcription, and how this is mechanistically achieved. We used human neuroblastoma cells as a model system in that N-MYC amplification/over-expression represents a key prognostic marker of this tumour. By means of transcription profile analyses we could identify at least 5 genes (TRKA, p75NTR, ABCC3, TG2, p21) that are specifically repressed by N-Myc. Through a dual-step-ChIP assay and genetic dissection of gene promoters, we found that N-Myc is physically associated with gene promoters in vivo, in proximity of the transcription start site. N-Myc association with promoters requires interaction with other proteins, such as Sp1 and Miz1 transcription factors. Furthermore, we found that N-Myc may repress gene expression by interfering directly with Sp1 and/or with Miz1 activity (i.e. TRKA, p75NTR, ABCC3, p21) or by recruiting Histone Deacetylase 1 (Hdac1) (i.e. TG2). In vitro analyses show that distinct N-Myc domains can interact with Sp1, Miz1 and Hdac1, supporting the idea that Myc may participate in distinct repression complexes by interacting specifically with diverse proteins. Finally, results show that N-Myc, through repressed genes, affects important cellular functions, such as apoptosis, growth, differentiation and motility. Overall, our results support a model in which N-Myc, like c-Myc, can repress gene transcription by direct interaction with Sp1 and/or Miz1, and provide further lines of evidence on the importance of transcriptional repression by Myc factors in tumour biology.


In experiments on 24 rabbits it was found out that in the period from 2 to 6 weeks after the tooth had been extracted regenerative tissue in alveola went through the series of successive stages of maturation, beginning from indifferent areolar tissue and finishing with porous fibroreticular bone. Similar process of reparative osteogenesis took place around the implant after immediate dental implantation and young bone tissue had been formed during 2 months. In the area of artificial osseous defect under the membrane of allogenic lyophilic dura mater the adequate osteointegration of implants was observed, while without this membrane transgression of regeneration of the jaw-bone took place.


Dissimilarity in the fecal microflora of infants fed with breast milk and the ones receiving in the neonatal period the mixture "Malyutka" and experimental samples of the dry acidopilic mixture "Malyutka" because of their mothers' state of hypolactation. Features specific for intestinal biocenosis in the breast-nursed infants is the prevalence of bifidobacteria, low abundance of microorganisms accomplishing proteolysis and also a high percentage of colicinogenic cultures of colibacillus. In further preparations of adapted milk mixtures it appears expedient to go on with investigations oriented toward incorporation in their composition of factors contributing to bringing the intestinal microflora composition closer to that in natural feeding.


Few studies have described the effects of physical disturbance and post-recovery of deep-sea benthic communities. Here, we explore the status of deep-sea sponge ground communities four years after being impacted by an experimental bottom trawl. The diversity and abundance of epibenthic megafauna of two distinct benthic communities in disturbed versus control areas were surveyed using a remotely operated vehicle on the Schulz Bank, Arctic Ocean. Four years after disturbance, megafaunal densities of the shallow (∼600 m depth) and deep (∼1,400 m depth) sites were significantly lower on the disturbed patches compared to the control areas. Multivariate analyses revealed a distinct separation between disturbed and control communities for both sites, with trawling causing 29–58% of the variation. Many epibenthic morphotypes were significantly impacted by the trawl, including ascidians, Geodia parva, Hexactinellida spp., Craniella infrequens, Lissodendoryx complicata, Haliclonia sp. Stylocordyla borealis, Gersemia rubiformis and Actiniaria sp. However, we found some smaller morphospecies to be equally abundant with control transects, including Polymastia thielei, Geodia hentscheli, and Stelletta rhaphidiophora, reflecting lower trawl impact for these morphotypes. Overall, our results suggest that these are fragile ecosystems that require much more time than four years to recover from physical disturbance typical of trawling activities.


SOX11, belonging to the family of genes SOXC, is a transcript factor involved in the embryonic neurogenesis and tissue remodeling, also participating in the control of cell proliferation. Its role in lymphomagenesis still remains unknown. Recent studies have shown aberrant SOX11 nuclear protein expression as well as mRNA levels in patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Although the majority of these lymphomas have an aggressive clinical course, there is a subgroup of patients with an indolent clinical evolution, suggesting a greater heterogeneity of this disease. Currently, there are contradictions regarding the association of SOX11 gene expression and outcome in MCL, while some authors have related the lack of SOX11 expression with good prognosis, others find it associated with an adverse clinical course. This difference in the gene expression could be associated to epigenetic mechanisms such as modifications at the histone level and DNA methylation that would allow the aberrant expression of this gene in some lymphoid neoplasias, including LCM. More knowledge of gene SOX11 in LCM will lead to a greater understanding of those mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis and progression of this lymphoma, also the involvement of SOX11 in these processes.


Twenty-six patients had cryptococcal meningitis and 16 patients had tuberculous meningitis. Underlying conditions were mostly immunosuppressive diseases in patients with cryptococcosis and chronic debilitating diseases in patients with tuberculosis. There were few distinguishing charact eristics between the two infections with regard to symptoms and signs. The presence of a miliary pattern on chest roentgenogram and inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone were nonspecific but helpful signs supporting a diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis; the presence of cryptococcal antigen was both a specific and sensitive indicator of cryptococcal meningitis. Acid-fast smears of CSF and the tuberculin skin test were of little help diagnostically, being positive in only 18% and 31%, respectively, of patients with tuberculous meningitis. Substantial delays in diagnosis and treatment were associated with increased mortality.


The purpose of this article is to show that experiments in both community development and in community economic development that are based on co-operative education provide fertile ground for research in environmental education. In Canada's maritime provinces, co-operative experiments were considered to be places for achieving independence and learning for economicdemocracy. When they are established, these experiments in economic development, here and elsewhere, stress three principles, namely: social justice, the link between the local and the global and intergenerational fairness (Hoff, 1998). These experiments, in creating responsible communities, served as a guide for a multidisciplinary team of researchers inenvironmental education in a rural coastal community. At a time when this approach tends to be reduced to experiments in environmental management, strictly in line with the principles of the dominant economy, the authors attempt to show the importance of basing environmental education projects on actions designed to change and develop individuals and social groups.


Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor (ED), widely used as a comonomer or an additive in the plastics industry. It can be found in food and beverage plastic packaging, epoxy resins, thermal paper and other common products. To date, there have only been several experimental studies to have examined how BPA exposure affects human and mammalian follicular granulosa cells (GCs) in vitro and in vivo; the collected evidence data shows that BPA negatively affects the GCs by altering steroidogenesis and gene expression, inducing autophagy, apoptosis and cellular oxidative stress through reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Exposure to BPA can also lead to abnormally constrained or elevated cellular proliferation and can even reduce cell viability. Therefore, research on EDs such as BPA is important as it provides some important insights into the causes and development of infertility, ovarian cancer and other conditions, related to impaired ovarian and GC function. Folic acid, a biologic form of vitamin B9, is a methyl donor that can neutralize toxic effects of the BPA exposure and is, as a common food supplement, an interesting option for researching its protective role against ubiquitous harmful EDs such as BPA.


International audience

 It has been shown by Pittel and Romik that the random surface associated with a large rectangular Youngtableau converges to a deterministic limit. We study the fluctuations from this limit along the edges of the rectangle.We show that in the corner, these fluctuations are gaussian whereas, away from the corner and when the rectangle isa square, the fluctuations are given by the Tracy-Widom distribution. Our method is based on a connection with theJacobi ensemble.


This paper investigates the use of redox parameters as a measure of the environmental impact assessment of soil contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The levels of naphthalene and anthracene which were used as model contaminants in the soil were periodically monitored along with ferric sulphate and nitrate at ambient conditions. The Brucine and Gelatin Barium methods were employed in estimating the nitrate and sulphate reductions. Experimental results revealed that the microbial utilization of nitrate was faster than that of sulphate; an indication that nitrate is the basic nutrient which provides nitrogen for the metabolic processes occurring during soil remediation. The percentage absorption for both nitrate and sulphate was comparatively higher for the soil unimpacted with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, approximately 49.3% and 26.12% respectively. The percentage absorption of nitrate and sulphate for soil spiked independently with naphthalene and anthracene was found to be 42.18%; 31.21% and 22.93%; 19.74% respectively. The percentage reduction of naphthalene and anthracene in the nitrate and sulphate enhanced soil was 47.5%; 43.1% and 42.5%; 36.5% respectively. These results further affirm that the higher the molecular weight of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, the slower the rate of its degradation.


Background: Pulmonary hypertension in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (PH-HFpEF) is the most common cause of PH worldwide. It is closely linked to risk factors for metabolic syndrome, including obesity and diabetes - factors known to increase proliferation and migration of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), leading to pulmonary vascular remodeling. Qualitative studies have shown that patients with progressive vascular abnormalities develop more severe symptoms and suffer frequent hospitalization. However, underlying mechanisms involved in the regulation of pulmonary vascular remodeling in metabolic syndrome-associated PH-HFpEF are still unclear.
Aim: We have recently observed decreased levels of the tumor suppressor WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX), which plays a housekeeping role in repressing cellular proliferation, in PASMCs isolated from rats with experimental PH-HFpEF and human subjects with obesity and diabetes. As microRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to regulate WWOX expression in cancers, here we aimed at examining the involvement of miRNAs in WWOX-associated pulmonary vasculature regulation in metabolic syndrome-associated PH-HFpEF.
Methods and Results: Among miRNAs that have been associated with reduced WWOX expression, including miR -134-5p, -153-3p, -29a-3b, -29b-3p and -187-5p, we found that miR-134-5p was significantly increased in PASMCs of obese and diabetic subjects. To determine the role of miR-134-5p in the regulation of WWOX in the pulmonary vasculature, we applied exogenous miR-134-5p to human PASMCs. Treatment with miR-134-5p decreased WWOX expression, increased PCNA expression (a cell proliferation marker) and enhanced cellular proliferation. Additionally, human PASMCs challenged with high concentration of glucose, palmitic acid and insulin, which mimic hyperglycemic, hyperlipidemic and hyperinsulinemic conditions, exhibited increased miR-134-5p, accompanied by elevated cellular proliferation.
Conclusions: These studies suggest that miR-134-5p may have a potential role in metabolic syndrome-associated PH-HFpEF through regulating WWOX in the pulmonary vasculature. These studies identify miR-134-5p as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of metabolic syndrome-associated PH-HFpEF.
This project was funded, in part, with support from the NIH NHLBI Short-Term Training Program in Biomedical Sciences Grant funded, in part by T35HL110854 from the National Institutes of Health. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.


The purpose of this study was to point out the problems in visibility of the devices used in the snow clearance of the road network. Another goal was to give background information and recommendations for The Finnish Transport Agency's instructions of improving visibility of the devices used in the snow clearance of the road network. There are currently major differences between contractors with warning device of side plough, and these differences cause safety problems for drivers of the snow plough equipment as well as other users of the road network. In a first place the goal of this study was to improve traffic safety in winter season. In this study current/present legislation and instructions in Finland, Norway and Sweden were explored. It was noted that some difference between Nordic legislation and instruction for warning equipment existed. These differences were related for color schemes of snow ploughs as well as colors and placing of warning lights. It was also noted that in Finland more instructions for warning equipment have been legislated comparing to other Nordic countries. Analysis of accidents and near miss situations of winter season was made by using Finnish Transport Agency and ELY's safety statistics from 2008 to 2010. Also incidents relating winter maintenance that occurred in the beginning of 2011 were analyzed. Most of the accidents were caused when the road user had rear-ended/crashed with plough truck or side plough. Near miss-situations were mostly related to road users overtaking plough trucks. Electric query form was sent for current contractors and manufacturers of plough equipment. Queries were completed with interviews. The purpose of this query was to establish safety of the snow removal from area contractors and device manufacturers' point of view. Based on the responses of the query it could be concluded that drivers were aware of the problems caused by poor visibility of the snow plough equipment. Respondents hoped to get more warning equipment for ploughs. The need for improving road user's awareness of risks of snow removal came also up during the query. Respondents were also worried about road user's habits of taking risks in the traffic. Equipment and warning devices that are used by area contractors were surveyed during the study. Snow removal was also videotaped in different weather condition by driving behind of the plough trucks. Based on the equipment survey and videotapes a comparison of the warning equipment and improving suggestions were made in an extended control/project group. Suggestive recommendation for improving visibility of a plough truck with side plough was prepared based on this comparison. In this recommendation those warning equipment's that are required in a future are presented in general terms, as well as their location. There is no need for restriction of the use of side plough based on this study. Standardization of the warning equipment's needs to be set as a goal, and this goal can be reached by setting minimum requirements for these devices and by having an ordinary acceptance method, set by the customer. Recommendation of this study is suggestive and its purpose is to be a starting point when defining minimum requirements and instructions. However, these specified instructions should be established in a way that they enable development of warning equipment's also in a future. This report may be found at http://www2.liikennevirasto.fi/julkaisut/pdf3/lts_2011-35_aurauskaluston_nakyvyys_web.pdf


This paper investigates the relationship between structural change, labour market imbalances and labour migration from the eight Central and Eastern European (CEE/EU8) economies during the transition and after their accession to the EU. The new accession states experienced markedly different migration patterns after 2004 enlargement which, given their similar wage differentials with the West, cannot be explained by the neoclassical framework. The paper deals with this puzzle by developing conceptual and empirical links between different transitional paths of CEE countries and varied migration rates. It argues that structural change that characterized their transition created different labour market imbalances across the CEE economies, hence creating different structures of employment and unemployment and varied risks and opportunities for workers of different demographic and skill profiles. These imbalances and labour market mismatches have in turn induced some workers to seek migration as an exit option more than others, and led to differences in migration rates and in the composition of migrants. In terms of theory, this paper contributes to literature which call for integrated approaches to researching migration that take into account social transformation, pointing out the limited ability of the neoclassical framework to understand migration patterns in their complexity.


Solid lithium-conducting nanocomposite polymer electrolytes based on poly(oxyethylene) (POE) were prepared using high aspect ratio cellulosic whiskers and lithium imide salt, LiTFSI. The cellulosic whiskers were extracted from tunicate — a sea animal — and consisted of slender parallelepiped rods that have an average length around 1 μm and a width close to 15 nm. High performance nanocomposite electrolytes were obtained. The filler provided a high reinforcing effect, despite the favorable cellulose/POE interactions that were expected to decrease the possibility of inter-whisker connection and formation of a percolating cellulosic network, while a high level of ionic conductivity was retained with respect to unfilled polymer electrolytes. Cross-linking and plasticizing of the matrix as well as preparation of the composites from an organic medium were also investigated.


Introduction: Thyroid disease is the second most common endocrine disorder affecting women of reproductive age. The debate continues which TSH levels need to be considered as a reflection of subclinical hypothyroidism in pregnancy. Our aim was to find out if variations in the level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in early pregnancy of women not known to have thyroid disease or anti-thyroid antibodies were linked to different fetomaternal outcomes. Materials and Methods: Retrospective comparative study that compared group 1 (TSH level 0.1-1.99 mIU/L) and group 2 (TSH level 2.0-4 mIU/L). Each group was further subdivided into primigravidae and multipara with a total of 1527 pregnant women included in the study. Results: The body mass index (BMI), was statistically higher in primiparous women in group 2 (P2) than primiparous in group 1 (P1), (mean BMI 28.0 vs. 26.9, respectively, P value 0.014). The odds ratio of miscarriage in the primigravidae in group 2 was 1.24. This was not statistically significant (95% confidence interval; 0.42-3.63). The miscarriage rate was not also statistically different between multipara (odds ratio 1.04, 95% CI 0.6-1.7). For the primigravid groups, the odds of developing gestational diabetes mellitus was significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 (Odds Ratio = 2.6, 95% CI 1.2-5.4). This was not seen in multiparous women. This difference could be explained by the higher BMI in group 2. There was a significant difference in the mean arterial blood pressure in multipara between the 2 groups. Although the values of the mean blood pressure (85 and 84 mmHg) were close, the P-value of the t-test performed was 0.007 possibly due to the difference in variance and sample size of each group. There were no statistical difference in the mean gestational age at delivery, preterm birth, mode of delivery and birth weight of term and preterm deliveries. Conclusions: In singleton pregnancies of women without thyroid dysfunction and with negative anti-thyroid antibodies, variations of the TSH level in early pregnancy up to 4.0 mIU/L were not associated with a significant difference in most of the fetomaternal outcomes. TSH values between 2.0-4.0 mIU/L were found to be associated with gestational diabetes in primigravid women and higher mean arterial blood pressure in multiparous women.


Ethernet was not originally designed for real-time communication. However, the growing need for available bandwidth combined with the fact that it is an open standard has made the automotive industry to consider it as a possible solution for in-vehicle communication. To enable Ethernet to be used in real-time communication, certain guarantees (i.e. end-to-end delay bounds) have to be provided. The purpose of this thesis is to propose a network architecture for in-vehicle communication and to develop a technique for analysis of end-to-end delay. In order to meet this objective, both theoretical and experimental methods were deployed. A theoretical model of the system under consideration was produced, based on network calculus. An experimental setup, which accurately reflected an automotive communication network, was implemented in order to evaluate the theoretical model. Three use cases were investigated for two different maximum transmission units. The results obtained by the experiments provided valuable feedback that redefined the analytical model. Although the end-to-end delay bounds proved to be higher than originally anticipated, the validity of the theoretical model was confirmed for the great majority of the experiments. As a conclusion, it was shown that Ethernet can be used as a backbone in a domain-oriented architecture as long as support for IEEE 802.1Q and 802.1p is provided both in hardware and software. Given the fact that future versions of AUTOSAR will support these standards and that implementation of such a system can be done with commercial of-the-shelf equipment, great potential is being presented for the designers of future vehicular communication networks.


ABSTRACT To explore the potential for nontoxic crop protection technologies based on the inhibition of fungal spore adhesion, we have tested the effect of synthetic zosteric acid (p-(sulfo-oxy) cinnamic acid), a naturally occurring phenolic acid in eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) plants, on spore adhesion and infection in two pathosystems: rice blast caused by Magnaporthe grisea and bean anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum. We have shown that zosteric acid inhibits spore adhesion to model and host leaf surfaces and that any attached spores fail to develop appressoria, and consequently do not infect leaf cells. Low concentrations of zosteric acid that are effective in inhibiting adhesion are not toxic to either fungus or to the host. The inhibition of spore adhesion in the rice blast pathogen is fully reversible. On plants, zosteric acid reduced (rice) or delayed (bean) lesion development. These results suggest that there is potential for novel and environmentally benign crop protection technologies based on manipulating adhesion.


We learn a latent space for easy capture, consistent interpolation, and efficient reproduction of visual material appearance. When users provide a photo of a stationary natural material captured under flashlight illumination, first it is converted into a latent material code. Then, in the second step, conditioned on the material code, our method produces an infinite and diverse spatial field of BRDF model parameters (diffuse albedo, normals, roughness, specular albedo) that subsequently allows rendering in complex scenes and illuminations, matching the appearance of the input photograph. Technically, we jointly embed all flash images into a latent space using a convolutional encoder, and -conditioned on these latent codes- convert random spatial fields into fields of BRDF parameters using a convolutional neural network (CNN). We condition these BRDF parameters to match the visual characteristics (statistics and spectra of visual features) of the input under matching light. A user study compares our approach favorably to previous work, even those with access to BRDF supervision. Project webpage: https://henzler.github.io/publication/neuralmaterial/.


The paper aims to analyze and comment on a booklet written and published at the end of the eighteenth century by Joseph Frank , son of the even more famous Johann Peter Frank. In this work the author takes on the task of educating the public to weigh carefully the medical professional to choose the most suitable and capable to safeguard the health of citizens. The figure of the doctor is considered under different viewing angles: from the exterior to the physical, the moral qualities to those intellectual, behavior toward others than toward physicians - surgeons and barbers to pharmacists. A full-bodied final chapter is devoted to the attitude of the doctor towards patients. Frank's book fits into that genre of eighteenth-century medical literature that had the obvious purpose of educating physicians and patients on the correct performance of reciprocal roles in the interest of the health of the individual and the protection of physical and mental wellbeing of the population.


From the Representation of Emptiness to the Emptiness of Representation
(A dialogue concerning the exhibition Grey Matters by Jo Love and Michael Evans)
"If absence is the most compelling form of presence, then emptiness is pregnant with fullness." (Paul.W.Ashton, Spring Journal Inc, 2007 back cover) This presentation takes the form of a dialogue in response to our exhibition Grey Matters held at Aqffin Gallery (London) in 2009. The exhibition consisted of digital photographs from Jo Love and paintings by Michael Evans. A number of similarities between our works became apparent from the beginning while others continue to grow with the emergence of deeper and more resonant forms of dialogue (still unfolding), which we seek to explore here. Within our work we both exhibit forms of emptiness. It is in defining this emptiness that similarities and differences between our works emerge. We both work with certain types of absences, the absence of colour and the absence of form, and a problematic notion of representation. Michael Evans removes any specific sense of place via abstraction whilst Jo Love becomes interested in images, which are at the very point of invisibility. Surprisingly it is Michael Evans who has worked his way out of a landscape tradition, and although he still feels connected to this in some ways he no longer sees representation as a useable option. However, in the work of Jo Love, the landscape is the starting point for a problematic of representation itself and provides a way of investigating the authenticity of the photographic as an indexical mark of the real


Whereas most hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are quiescent in homeostasis, they actively proliferate in response to bone marrow (BM) injury. Signals from the BM microenvironment are thought to promote entry of HSC into the cell cycle. However, it has been cumbersome to assess cycle status of viable HSC and thus explore unique features associated with division. In this study, we show that expression of endothelial cell-selective adhesion molecule (ESAM) can be a powerful indicator of HSC activation. ESAM levels clearly mirrored the shift of HSC between quiescence and activation, and it was prominent in comparison with other HSC-related Ags. ESAMhi HSC were actively dividing, but had surprisingly high long-term reconstituting capacity. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that most ESAMhi HSC were located near vascular endothelium in the BM after 5-fluorouracil treatment. To determine the importance of ESAM in the process of BM recovery, ESAM knockout mice were treated with 5-fluorouracil and their hematopoietic reconstruction was examined. The ESAM deficiency caused severe and prolonged BM suppression, suggesting that ESAM is functionally indispensable for HSC to re-establish homeostatic hematopoiesis. With respect to intracellular regulators, NF-κB and topoisomerase II levels correlated with the ESAM upregulation. Thus, our data demonstrate that the intensity of ESAM expression is useful to trace activated HSC and to understand molecular events involved in stem cell states.


The Vanderbilt University Visual Resources Center resides in the History of Art department and is your source for finding and properly using high-quality images resources for your papers, presentations, and projects.


Recent postmortem studies have suggested that reduced gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic activity in limbic cortex may be one component to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. This hypothesis has underscored the importance of knowing whether midbrain dopamine afferents interact extensively enough with inhibitory interneurons to suggest a direct functional relationship. Toward this end, a double immunofluorescence approach combined with confocal laser scanning microscopy has been used to localize dopamine and GABA simultaneously in rat medial prefrontal cortex. The results confirm studies from other laboratories showing a rich network of dopamine-immunoreactive fibers forming a gradient across the cortical laminae, with deeper layers having the highest density. When viewed with oil immersion optics, dopamine-immunoreactive fibers were frequently found to be in close apposition with GABA-immunoreactive cell bodies. The percentage of GABA-containing neurons showing such contacts was highest in layer VI (65%) and progressively decreased toward layer I (9%). Varicose regions of the dopamine fibers were typically present at the point of contact with a GABA-immunoreactive cell body. Using an immunoperoxidase technique to localize dopamine fibers and cresyl violet staining to visualize neurons simultaneously, two separate statistical analyses were performed to assess whether the frequency of contacts between dopamine fibers and cell bodies in general may be due to random effects. In layer VI, a high percentage of both pyramidal and nonpyramidal neurons were found to be in contact with dopamine varicosities (71% and 76%, respectively), but these were not significantly different from that observed for GABA-containing cells (65%) in double-immunofluorescence specimens. A Chi-square statistical test was used to compare the observed and predicted number of varicosities forming cell body contacts. This analysis indicated that the percentage of dopamine varicosities (30%) that form appositions with cell bodies is much greater than would be expected if these appositions were due to random effects (15%). Moreover, using an estimate of intensity for a stationary Poisson process, it was again found that random effects can not account for these interactions (P = 0.01). Taken together with earlier electron microscopic studies from other laboratories, the present findings support the idea that GABAergic interneurons have extensive interactions with dopamine varicosities. While these interactions are not unique to GABAergic cell bodies, they suggest that inhibitory interneurons can play a direct role in mediating the effects of midbrain dopamine afferents in rat medial prefrontal cortex.


Sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), has been reported to lead to cardiac toxicity even at therapeutic doses including sudden cardiac death and ventricular arrhythmia. And in a SSRI-independent manner, sertraline has been known to inhibit various voltage-dependent channels, which play an important role in regulation of cardiovascular system. In the present study, we investigated the action of sertraline on Kv1.5, which is one of cardiac ion channels. The eff ect of sertraline on the cloned neuronal rat Kv1.5 channels stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells was investigated using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Sertraline reduced Kv1.5 whole-cell currents in a reversible concentration-dependent manner, with an IC50 value and a Hill coefficient of 0.71 µM and 1.29, respectively. Sertraline accelerated the decay rate of inactivation of Kv1.5 currents without modifying the kinetics of current activation. The inhibition increased steeply between –20 and 0 mV, which corresponded with the voltage range for channel opening. In the voltage range positive to +10 mV, inhibition displayed a weak voltage dependence, consistent with an electrical distance δ of 0.16. Sertraline slowed the deactivation time course, resulting in a tail crossover phenomenon when the tail currents, recorded in the presence and absence of sertraline, were superimposed. Inhibition of Kv1.5 by sertraline was use-dependent. The present results suggest that sertraline acts on Kv1.5 currents as an open-channel blocker.


Continuous casting is a highly efficient process used to produce most of the world steel production tonnage, but can cause cracks in the semi-finished steel product output. These cracks may cause problems further down the production chain, and detecting them early in the process would avoid unnecessary and costly processing of the defective goods. In order for a crack detection system to be accepted in industry, however, false detection of cracks in non-defective goods must be avoided. This is further complicated by the presence of scales; a brittle, often cracked, top layer originating from the casting process. We present an approach for an automated on-line crack detection system, based on 3D profile data of steel slab surfaces, utilizing morphological image processing and statistical classification by logistic regression. The initial segmentation successfully extracts 80% of the crack length present in the data, while discarding most potential pseudo-defects (non-defect surface features similar to defects). The subsequent statistical classification individually has a crack detection accuracy of over 80% (with respect to total segmented crack length), while discarding all remaining manually identified pseudo-defects. Taking more ambiguous regions into account gives a worst-case false classification of 131 mm within the 30 600 mm long sequence of 150 mm wide regions used as validation data. The combined system successfully identifies over 70% of the manually identified (unambiguous) crack length, while missing only a few crack regions containing short crack segments. The results provide proof-of-concept for a fully automated crack detection system based on the presented method.


Bifunctional alkylating agent 1,3-Bis-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) is a significant anticancer drug in the clinical treatment of human malignancies. A serious complication of treatment with BCNU is the increased risk of a secondary leukaemia in long-term survivors because not all alkylating agent interactions with DNA result in cell death. In the present work, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was combined with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) to develop a sensitive and selective method for the measurement of DNA adducts induced by BCNU. Double strand calf thymus DNA was treated with BCNU and digested enzymatically down to the nucleoside level. The hydrolysates were analyzed by HPLC separation followed by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The main alkylated products, N7-(2-hydroxyethyl)deoxyguanosine (N7-HOEtdG), N7-(2-chloroethyl)deoxyguanosine (N7-ClEtdG) and 1-[N3-deoxycytidyl]-2-[N1-deoxyguanosyl]ethane (dG-dC) were qualitatively detected and quantitatively characterized by selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode.


is a wireless network, in which mobile nodes are connected, these nodes are movable in nature, thus topology of the network changes frequently. To communicate in a frequently changed scenario is a difficult task to do, an efficient routing technique is required to provide better solution for such problems. There are various routing techniques presented by the researchers. There are techniques AODV, DSDV, DSR etc. presented, which used to provide routing solution in MANET. But these technique suffers some defects like low PDR, consumes more time to deliver packet etc. OLSR (Optimized Link State Routing) uses predefined links to transmit packets that provide enhanced functionality deal with various routing issues which occurs in MANET. In that optimized links between source and destination are provided to transmit packets. But in that multiple paths to the destination is provided. To provide optimized path to the user a selection of the optimized path is required. That degrades performance of the whole technique. User need to wait for a long duration to select optimized path. A new one-hop clustering based technique is presented. In that a clustering technique is used to provide a single link for the one node to the other node. In that way an easy mechanism to search optimized route is provided by the proposed technique. A performance analysis for the proposed technique is presented in result and analysis Section which shows that proposed technique performs better as compare to the existing technique. Rest of the paper organizes as follows: II Related Work, related work for which used clustering to improve the routing functionality in MANET is presented. III Problem Definition problems with the existing technique are discussed in this section. IV Proposed Technique, a description for the proposed technique is presented in this section. V Result Analysis, comparison analysis for the proposed technique is presented in this section. VI Conclusion.


Every quarter, The FEBS Journal presents some of its 'hidden gems' – original research and review‐type articles that provide a significant advance or discuss recent developments in the molecular or cellular life sciences. These articles are of high value to the scientific community and we like to take the opportunity to promote these contributions from previous issues of the journal, as we feel their scientific content merits a boost in exposure.


The emerging brain-inspired computing paradigm known as hyperdimensional computing (HDC) has been proven to provide a lightweight learning framework for various cognitive tasks compared to the widely used deep learning-based approaches. Spatio-temporal (ST) signal processing, which encompasses biosignals such as electromyography (EMG) and electroencephalography (EEG), is one family of applications that could benefit from an HDC-based learning framework. At the core of HDC lie manipulations and comparisons of large bit patterns, which are inherently ill-suited to conventional computing platforms based on the von-Neumann architecture. In this work, we propose an architecture for ST signal processing within the HDC framework using predominantly in-memory compute arrays. In particular, we introduce a methodology for the in-memory hyperdimensional encoding of ST data to be used together with an in-memory associative search module. We show that the in-memory HDC encoder for ST signals offers at least <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1.80\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> energy efficiency gains, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$3.36\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> area gains, as well as <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$9.74\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> throughput gains compared with a dedicated digital hardware implementation. At the same time it achieves a peak classification accuracy within 0.04% of that of the baseline HDC framework.


Dear Editor,
We read with great interest the article written by Balaji et al., entitled "Hearing Impairment and High Blood Pressure among Bus Drivers in Puducherry" [1]. Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is common among vehicle drivers and research in this area is much relevant. In this interesting study, the authors had utilized Hearing Deterioration Index (HDI) as an indirect method for assessing NIHL. In the literature,
not many NIHL studies have adopted this method (particularly for determining hearing impairment among noise exposed workers) and the authors should be commended for their effort. Nevertheless, we wish to highlight some issue that might be worthy of consideration. Since HDI is an indirect method for assessing NIHL, perhaps the sentence "at risk of developing NIHL"
is preferable to be used. Even though HDI was formulated using large retrospective samples and logical assumptions [2], hearing impairment among noise exposed workers can only be confirmed by a known clinical hearing test, i.e., Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA).
The direct measurement of hearing status is always beneficial as some individuals are more susceptible to acquire NIHL than others when exposed to similar acoustical environments. This individual susceptibility issue has been acknowledged and reported in the
literature. Apart from the environmental factors (e.g. noise level,exposure duration, years of working etc.), individual susceptibility to noise damage is also contributed by biological factors including age, gender, race, eye color, degree of hearing loss, ear laterality and genetic [3,4]. Even though NIHL typically shows a symmetrical pattern in noise-exposed workers, the left ear can be more vulnerable to hearing damage than the right ear in some individuals [3]. By utilizing PTA, left and right ear information can be obtained
separately in a convenient manner. More recently, a well-controlled genetic study has identified a key gene for susceptibility to NIHL [4]. This further supports the notion that some individuals are more genetically susceptible to noise damage than others. Notwithstanding, we agree with the authors that PTA is not easily accessible and an optimum testing environment (e.g., sound proof room or booth) is required for conducting PTA. In this regard, if a similar study to be expanded in future, perhaps a simpler hearing test such as Otoacoustic Emission (OAE) can be considered for screening NIHL. OAE is a rapid objective test that has been used widely for hearing screening. In fact, OAE can be reliably conducted
even in less optimum testing conditions (i.e., background noise levels of up to 70dBA) [5].More studies are warranted to further explore the potential use
of HDI in NIHL testing. For example, studies on determining the correlation between HDI and hearing tests (PTA and/or OAE) should be conducted to justify the usefulness of HDI as an indirect screening method for NIHL. Finally, we fully agree with the authors that awareness and preventive programmes are required for reducing the occurrence of NIHL among the drivers. In fact, the HDI values can also be considered when developing guidelines in the NIHL preventive programmes


Voice of Sisyphus is a multimedia installation consisting of a projection of a black and white image sonified and spatialized through a 4 channel audio system. The audio-visual composition unfolds as several regions within the image are filtered, subdivided, and repositioned over time. Unlike the spectrograph approach used by most graphical synthesis programs, our synthesis technique is derived from raster scanning of pixel data. We innovate upon previous raster scanning image to sound techniques by adding frequency domain filters, polyphony within a single image, sound spatialization, and complete external control via network messaging. We discuss the custom software used to realize the project as well as the process of composing a multimodal artwork.


Abstract Background IBD patients, especially on immunosuppressive therapy, are in high-risk of developing infections, the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, made us approach to the whole situation with special caution. At beginning, we wondered if these patients were at increased risk of developing severe COVID19 infection. Knowledge and experience, in this area have progressed, however, with the beginning of vaccination a new question has arisen about what the humoral response to the vaccine would be in these patients. In Serbia, 3 different types of vaccines from, 4 manufacturer (Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca/ ChAdOxl nCoV-l9 COVISHIELD, SARS-CoV-2 Vero Cell, SPUTNIK V Gam-COVID-Vac) were available and the aim was to evaluate presence of neutralization antibodies after immunization against SARS-CoV-2. Methods 328 patients with IBD, from a single tertiary IBD center, were asked about immunization against SARS-CoV-2 during treatment with biologic therapy (anti-TNF, anti-integrin- Vedolizumab) with two doses of available vaccines. Patients who were immunized were selected and analyzed on SARS-Cov-2 IgG response which was measured using ELISA anti-spike protein-based serology (INEP, Belgrade, Serbia) with cut off level of, 15 as negative, 15–20 intermediate, and >, 20 as positive. Results From, 328 patients, 61.5% (202/328) patients had CD, and, 38.1% (125/328) had UC. Gender distribution was relatively equal, 53.6% men (176/328), with an average age of, 55.7 (SD ±15.1) years. From those patients, 25 were excluded because biologic therapy was stopped. On ADA were, 105 patients, IFX were, 91, VDZ, 106. From, 303 patients, 58.08% (176/303) were vaccinated (with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19, 59 patients, AstraZeneca/ChAdOxl nCoV-l9 COVISHIELD, 9 patients, SARS-CoV-2 Vero Cell, 97 patients and SPUTNIK V Gam-COVID-Vac, 11 patients). In, 16 patients IgG antibodies weren't measured because they were vaccinated after IgG were measured. From, 160 patents, 31.2 % (50/160) didn't have detectable IgG antibodies and that is in, 5 patients vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19, 43 patients with SARS-CoV-2 (Vero Cell) and in, 2 patients with SPUTNIK V Gam-COVID-Vac. When we look in contest of therapy. IgG antibodies were detectable in, 53.9% (34/63) from, 63 vaccinated patients on VDZ and in, 53.06% (52/98) from, 98 vaccinated patients on anti TNF. Conclusion In patients with inflammatory bowel disease on biologic therapy from February to September, 2021 rate of immunization were satisfying with more than, 50% vaccinated patients with detectable IgG antibodies in, 68.6% of patients with highest neuralization IgG antibodies present after immunization with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, however further studies are needed to determine efficacy of each vaccine.


Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological malignancy and the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in women in the Western world. ETS transcription factors are known to act as positive or negative regulators of the expression of genes that are involved in various biological processes, including those that control cellular proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, tissue remodeling, angiogenesis and transformation. ETV5 belongs to the PEA3 subfamily. PEA3 subfamily members are able to activate the transcription of proteases, matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteases, which is central to both tumor invasion and angiogenesis. Here, we examined the role of the ETV5 transcription factor in epithelial ovarian cancer and we found ETV5 was upregulated in ovarian tumor samples compared to ovarian tissue controls. The in vitro inhibition of ETV5 decreased cell proliferation in serum‐deprived conditions, induced EMT and cell migration and decreased cell adhesion to extracellular matrix components. ETV5 inhibition also decreased cell–cell adhesion and induced apoptosis in anchorage‐independent conditions. Accordingly, upregulation of ETV5 induced the expression of cell adhesion molecules and enhanced cell survival in a spheroid model. Our findings suggest that the overexpression of ETV5 detected in ovarian cancer cells may contribute to ovarian tumor progression through the ability of ETV5 to enhance proliferation of ovarian cancer cells. In addition, upregulation of ETV5 would play a role in ovarian cancer cell dissemination and metastasis into the peritoneal cavity by protecting ovarian cancer cells from apoptosis and by increasing the adhesion of ovarian cancer cells to the peritoneal wall through the regulation of cell adhesion molecules.


The present paper is dealing with the propagation of Rayleigh surface waves in a homogeneous transversely isotropic medium .This thermo-dynamical analysis is carried out in the context of three-phase-lags thermoelasticity model. Three phase lag model is very much useful in the problems of nuclear boiling, exothermic catalytic reactions, phonon-electron interactions, phonon scattering etc. The normal mode analysis is employed to obtain the exact expressions of the considered variables. The frequency equations for thermally insulated and isothermal surface in the closed form are derived. Some special cases of frequency equation are also discussed. In order to illustrate the analytical developments, the numerical solution is carried out and the computer simulated results in respect of phase velocity and attenuation coefficient are presented graphically. It is found that the results obtained in the present problem agree with that of the existing results obtained by various researchers. This study may find its applications in the design of surface acoustic waves (SAW) devices, structural health monitoring and damage characterization of materials.


Proposed here are two kinds of vectorized LU decomposition algorithms for an unstructured sparse matrix arising from large scale circuit simulation. Either algorithm implemented on our supercomputer S810 improves efficiency 11 to 82 times for LU decomposition and 2.1 to 8.9 times in total simulation, as compared with a conventional algorithm. Both algorithms detect operational parallelism in the irregularity of a matrix. While one of them limits the scope of parallelism detection to each set of consecutive columns so as to take advantage of the dense matrix method applicable to the lower right corner, the other tries to locate parallelism all over the matrix in every step without switching to a faster linear-index vector.


In recent years, it has become apparent that the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases is more complex than the presence of virulent microorganisms. In fact, it is now widely accepted that susceptibility to periodontitis varies greatly between individuals who harbor the same pathogenic microflora. To date, the bulk of evidence points to the host response to bacterial challenge as a major determinant of susceptibility. In this review, we will assess the data implicating various inherited and acquired risk factors for susceptibility to periodontal diseases.


ABSRACT The research was conducted in tembawang forest, Semoncol hamlet, Sanggau regency. The purpose of the research was to find out diversity of forest vegetation filling Tembawang forest and vegetation which dominate the forest. The research would benefit poeple to know composition of forest stands and to reserve the Tembawang forst According to analysis on vegetation, it was found that there were 21 variesties of forest stands,namely: Trees of Rubber, Rambutan, Pluntan, Durian bian, Durian, Jambu air mawar, Rambai, Langsat, Tengkawang tungkul, Leban, Kokosan, Asam kemantan, Duku, Cocoa, Petai, Plaik, Jengkol, Mangosteen, Melinjo, Nyatoh, and Cempedak. Meanwhile, based on analysis of data there were dominant trees which filled the forest based on INP seed broadcast, namely Rubber 63,9535%, Rambutan 23,2558%, and Pluntan 22,0930%. According to saplings type, it was represented by Rubber 150,5906%, Rambutan 22,9579%, Pluntan 16,6939%, Asam kemantan 10,7964%, Leban 10,5236%, Langsat 10,4498%. In trunk level it can be seen that Rubber was 153,8066%, Jambu air mawar was 24,4901%, and Cocoa was 19,7235%, From the there, it represented that Rubber was 180,6131% and Pluntan 15,9850%. From quantitative analysis it showed that dominant index value (C) there were no species dominating over other species or community structure was stable because C=0. Variety type ( ) was in moderate group ( 1 ≤ ≤ 3), abundant indek (e) was abundant because e = 1.


Background: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is one of the most common manifestations of atherosclerosis affecting more than 200 million people globally but little is known about its epidemiology in Middle East populations, particularly in Arab countries. The present study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of PAD in the general population aged 40 years and more in Gaza-Palestine, and to determine the prevalence of its associated risk factors. Patients and methods: The study design was a cross-sectional with a stratified proportional sampling, involving the five governorates in Gaza Strip. We selected 1490 individuals aged age ≥ 40 years living in the area for more than 3 years. The questionnaire on lifestyle and cardiovascular risk factors was applied and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) was measured by Doppler examination in both legs in all participants. PAD was defined as an ABI ≤ 0.90. We excluded 92 participants (6 %) because of missing ABI or ABI > 1.40. Results: One-half of the 1398 participants had at least two associated cardiovascular risk factors, one-third were on aspirin and 15 % on statins. Overall, we found PAD in 191 (13.7 %) cases. This prevalence increased with age, and 18.7 % of adults older than 65 years had PAD. The prevalence was higher in females than in males (respectively 15.6 % vs 11.6 % p = 0.031). In the multivariate logistic regression model, significant associated factors with PAD in males were CAD (OR: 3.5; 95 % CI: 1.4-8.6), hypertension (OR: 2.8; 95 % CI: 1.3-6.1), and current smoking (OR: 2.7; 95 % CI: 1.1-6.6). In women, hypertension remains the main associated risk factor. Conclusions: Our study highlights the high prevalence of PAD in the Gazan community, mostly related to the high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and other cardiovascular conditions.


Malaria still remains one of the highest childhood killer diseases, especially in the developing countries of Africa, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Mediterranean regions. With an estimated 100 million cases and 300,000 deaths from malaria annually, Nigeria has one of the highest burdens of malaria in the world, with children mostly affected. It accounts for 60% of outpatient visits, 30% hospitalization among children under 5 years of age. Great efforts and huge funding have been committed globally towards the fight for malaria, but malaria continues to be a major challenge in these developing countries, especially countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The World Health Organisation adopted a cost-effective intervention strategy, which comprises a three-pronged approach: vector control, chemoprophylaxis, and case management. Case management involves early diagnosis and treatment. This chapter looks at the challenges militating against the achievement of this important aspect of malaria control in children as well as efforts that have been made or not made to overcome these challenges using Nigeria as a case study.


The thesis of this article is that an attitude akin to pragmatism is internal to the scientific enterprise itself, and as a result many scientists will make the same types of non-essentialistic interpretations of their subject matter that are made by pragmatists. This is demonstrably true with respect to those scientists who study the biological basis of emotion such as Panksepp, LeDoux, and Damasio. Even though these scientists are also influenced by what cognitive psychologists call the essentialist bias, their research programs are coherent with Peter Zachar's rejection of natural kinds in favor of practical kinds. When the confrontation with complexity leads a scientist to offer non-essentialist interpretations, two popular options are to go eliminativist or go nominalist. Pragmatists prefer the nominalistic option, and we provide reasons for suggesting that scientists should as well.


Formation process of textures in AZ80 is investigated on polycrystal specimens with different initial textures by plane strain compression deformation at 673 K and 723 K with strain rates between 5.0×10-4s-1 and 5.0×10-2s-1. Three kinds of specimens were taken out from the extruded bars with (direction of the extrusion) fiber texture by changing the geometrical relationship with the extrusion direction. In the case of the specimen having parallel to the compression direction before deformation, the initial fiber texture gradually transformed into several orientations with increasing strain at 723K with a strain rate of 5.0×10-2s-1. oriented grains, which was not seen in the pole figures before deformation appeared after the deformation up to -1.0 in true strain. The other two kinds of specimens have compression directions perpendicular to direction. The textures after deformation of these two kinds of specimens also consisted of several components. Some of them are common among the three kinds of specimens and the others are retained components of the initial texture.


In this paper, a physics-based model is proposed for a biomimetic robotic fish propelled by an ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC) actuator. Inspired by the biological fin structure, a passive plastic fin is further attached to the IPMC beam. The model incorporates both IPMC actuation dynamics and the hydrodynamics, and predicts the steady-state cruising speed of the robot under a given periodic actuation voltage. The interactions between the plastic fin and the IPMC actuator are also captured in the model. Experimental results have shown that the proposed model is able to predict the motion of robotic fish for different tail dimensions. Since most of the model parameters are expressed in terms of fundamental physical properties and geometric dimensions, the model is expected to be instrumental in optimal design of the robotic fish.


Based on initial steps taken to address a possible Iranian attempt to acquire nuclear capability, the major European powers have an opportunity to show greater unity, without generating tensions with the United States, than they did on the issue of an Iraqi weapons program. The US-led military offensive in Iraq in 2003 created deep rifts among countries in Europe, polarizing Britain from France and Germany, as well as widening the US-European split. The case of Iran may be different. The Iranian reception of the measures taken by the United States and Europe thus far to preclude the possibility of a nuclear Iran suggest that the combination of a more conciliatory front from Britain, France, and Germany, and a more confrontational stance from the United States may be effective in preventing a nuclear Iran without provoking major diplomatic or armed conflict. Furthermore, the "European" approach to Iranian nuclear development may provide Europe with the opportunity to wield influence complementary to that of the more hard-lined US policy, without corroding trans-Atlantic relations. The United States and European countries agree that a nuclear Iran, which would violate the 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), would create more instability in a region that is already troubled. Also, Iran's long-range missiles will make much of the European continent vulnerable to a nuclear strike. However, the United States and the prominent trio of the European Union--Britain, France, and Germany--differ on the means to the end. The former seeks to confront Iran with military pressure and the threat of economic sanctions backed by the UN Security Council, while the latter seeks to secure Iran's cooperation in the inspection of its nuclear sites and suspension of its uranium enrichment program through an offer of economic assistance. Both have demonstrated respective "stick" and "carrot" approaches to Iran, which may work well to propel nuclear negotiations, however tense, forward without provoking confrontation. After the case for war in Iraq instigated confrontation within the United Nations, European countries seem to have joined together in attempting to avoid a repeat of the Iraq showdown between European countries and the United States and Britain. When the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the nuclear watchdog arm of the United Nations, reported that Iran had been engaging in covert enrichment and reprocessing activities for 18 years, the Bush administration decided that negotiations were too conciliatory. As part of the administration's more hard-line policy, it declared Iran part of the "axis of evil." The United States pressured IAEA to declare Iran in "violation" of NPT and sought to bring the matter before the UN Security Council, which can authorize economic sanctions and military action. European countries acknowledged Iran's breaches of nuclear treaties but believed that Iran could be pressured to cooperate. They resisted US diplomatic pressure and sought to obtain Iran's compliance through economic incentives. In negotiations in Tehran in November 2003, three European foreign ministers, Jack Straw of Britain, Dominique de Villepin of France, and Joschka Fischer of Germany, said that if Iran's nuclear production is indeed intended for energy production, as the Iranian government claims, their governments would aid in the development of nuclear power for civilian use and strengthen economic ties with Iran. …


A new calculation for the total cross section of positron—sodium scattering is performed in an energy range down to a few tenths of one electron volt using the coupled-channel optical method. The ionization continuum and the positronium formation channels are included via an equivalent-local complex potential. The role played by the break-up and rearrangement processes in the low energy positron-sodium scattering is also investigated. The total scattering cross section is reported and compared with the available theoretical and experimental data.


Early Readers are stepping stones from picture books to reading books. A blue Early Reader is perfect for sharing and reading together. A red Early Reader is the next step on your reading journey. It's all quiet at the pet shop at the end of the day, but the animals want to have some fun - who wants a story?


In this paper we present a non-linear control scheme for high-speed nanopositioning based on impulsive control. Unlike in the case of a linear feedback controller, the controller states are altered in a discontinuous manner at specific instances in time. Using this technique, it is possible to simultaneously achieve good tracking performance, disturbance rejection and tolerance to measurement noise. Impulsive control is demonstrated experimentally on an atomic force microscope. A significant improvement in tracking performance is demonstrated.


I discuss theories of violations of statistics, including intermediate statistics, parastatistics, parons, and quons. I emphasize quons, which allow small violations of statistics. I analyze the quon algebra and its representations, implications of the algebra including the observables allowed by the superselection rule separating inequivalent representations of the symmetric group, the conservation of statistics rules, and the rule for composite systems of quons. I conclude by raising the question of possible origins of violations of statistics and of the level at which violations should be expected if they exist.


The presence of genotype-by-environment interaction (GEI) complicates selection of superior geno types and an understanding of environmental and genotypic causes of signifi cant GEI is important in all stages of plant breeding. We present a systematic approach for understanding GEI of complex interrelated traits by combining chromosome substitution lines that allowed us to study the effects of genes on a single chromosome with a structural equation model that approximated the complex processes involving genes, environmental conditions, and traits. We applied the approach to recombinant inbred chromosome wheat lines grown in multiple environments. The fi nal model explained 74% of the yield GEI variation and we found that spikes per square meter (SPSM) GEI had the highest direct effect on yield GEI and that the genetic markers were mostly sensitive to temperature and precipitation during the vegetative and reproductive periods. In addition, we identifi ed a number of direct and indirect causal relationships that described how genes interacted with environmental factors to affect GEI of several important agronomic traits which would not have been possible with previously used methods.


Purpose: This study was undertaken to determine if portal-inflow bolus tracking outperforms aortic bolus tracking with respect to the image quality of contrast-enhanced portal venous-phase CT of the liver in patients without chronic liver damage. Materials and Methods: Contrast-enhanced CT of the liver was performed in 132 consecutive patients without chronic liver damage. Patients were prospectively assigned to three protocols: Protocol A—a portal venous-phase scan delay of 6 seconds after superior mesenteric venous (SMV) enhancement increased by 70 HU or 14 seconds after SMV enhancement was visually confirmed, and Protocols B and C—40 and 50 seconds, respectively, after abdominal aortic enhancement increased by 100 HU. Enhancement (ΔHU) of abdominal aorta, portal trunk, and liver parenchyma and diagnostic acceptability were assessed. Results: ΔHU of aorta was higher for protocol A than for protocols B and C (P P < 0.05). ΔHUs of liver were similar in three protocols. No difference was found between diagnostic a  ptabilities of three protocols. Conclusion: Portal-inflow bolus tracking did not outperform aortic tracking in terms of optimization of portal venous-phase CT in patients without chronic liver damage.


Owing to inherited shortcomings such as poor survivability and limited resource in network mobility basic support protocol, multihoming mechanism is introduced to network mobility management to improve robustness, aggregate Bandwidth, provide reliability and achieve ubiquitous access. In this paper a mobility management solution is proposed for multihomed mobile networks based on backup registration. By extending binding unique identifier sub-option with backup flag, mobile router can register its backup care-of address on its home agent to create backup entry which can be used not only to transmit packets after MRpsilas current link can not work well but also to share load as normal registration. Then packets can be delivered through multiple paths, even if MRpsilas link is broken, packets can get to destination through backup care-of address. Handover can be implemented before entire mobile network totally disconnects from current visiting network, so no communication interruption will be caused during handover. By adopting the idea of getting information before connecting, mobile router can choose proper router as its new access point to achieve route optimization.


In this paper, we present radio-frequency electro-magnetic field characterization of an electrooptic (EO) probe. This probe is able to simultaneously measure temperature and one component of the electric field (e-field) in a continuous wave (CW) or in a pulsed regime. For this purpose, linearity, selectivity, and sensitivity measurements are performed in air and in a cuvette filled with a water solution. The media are exposed to 1800-MHz CW electromagnetic wave through a transverse electromagnetic cell. Numerical characterization is also performed using finite-difference time-domain simulations. The EO probe presents a dynamic range exceeding 70 dB. Selectivity up to 25 dB is measured, demonstrating the ability of the EO probe to measure one unique component of the e-field. The EO probe sensitivity is equal to 0.77 and to 0.18 V · m-1Hz-½, in the air and in the water solution, respectively. This millimeter-sized EO probe is particularly suited for the measurement of ultrawide bandwidth and high-voltage e-fields up to a few megavolts per meter.


Teaching competencies of the senior high school Mathematics teachers in Lone Districts in Batangas City Philippines were assessed. It looked into their personal and professional profile along with their teaching competencies which includes dedication to teaching, knowledge of subject matter, classroom organization and management, instructional organization and management, instructional implementation, and monitoring student progress and potential. Comparison of responses among administrators and mathematics teachers were also considered. Results of which were used as basis for direction on continuing education that can be pursued for the successful implementation of K to 12 Curriculum. The study used the descriptive method of research. Questionnaire was used as the main data gathering instrument. The entire population of mathematics teachers and administrator which comprise of 41 teachers and 21administrators in Lone Districts in the Province of Batangas City Division participated in the study. Frequency/percentage, weighted mean, and comparison of means were used to statistically treat the data. Majority of the Mathematics teachers were female and married while most of them were in age bracket of 29-35, have master's unit, teaching for 10 years and above and have attended at least 6-10 related seminars for the last 3 years. Generally, the mathematics teachers are competent as assessed by two groups of respondents. Same was found when mathematics teachers were grouped according to their profile variables where they were found to be more competent in monitoring student progress and potential but less competent in terms of knowledge of subject matter. The researcher recommended possible directions on continuing education that could be pursued by the mathematics teachers thereby enhancing their competencies to ensure successful implementation of K to 12 Curriculum.


Non-volatile memory (NVM), also known as persistent memory, is an emerging
paradigm for memory that preserves its contents even after power loss. NVM is
widely expected to become ubiquitous, and hardware architectures are already
providing support for NVM programming. This has stimulated interest in the
design of novel concepts ensuring correctness of concurrent programming
abstractions in the face of persistency and in the development of associated
verification approaches.
 Software transactional memory (STM) is a key programming abstraction that
supports concurrent access to shared state. In a fashion similar to
linearizability as the correctness condition for concurrent data structures,
there is an established notion of correctness for STMs known as opacity. We
have recently proposed durable opacity as the natural extension of opacity to a
setting with non-volatile memory. Together with this novel correctness
condition, we designed a verification technique based on refinement. In this
paper, we extend this work in two directions. First, we develop a durably
opaque version of NOrec (no ownership records), an existing STM algorithm
proven to be opaque. Second, we modularise our existing verification approach
by separating the proof of durability of memory accesses from the proof of
opacity. For NOrec, this allows us to re-use an existing opacity proof and
complement it with a proof of the durability of accesses to shared state.


While the field of perovskite-based optoelectronics has mostly been dominated by photovoltaics, light-emitting diodes, and transistors, semiconducting properties peculiar to perovskites make them interesting candidates for innovative and disruptive applications in light signal detection. Perovskites combine effective light absorption in the broadband range with good photo-generation yield and high charge carrier mobility, a combination that provides promising potential for exploiting sensitive and fast photodetectors that are targeted for image sensing, optical communication, environmental monitoring or chemical/biological detection. Currently, organic-inorganic hybrid and all-inorganic halide perovskites with controlled morphologies of polycrystalline thin films, nano-particles/wires/sheets, and bulk single crystals have shown key figure-of-merit features in terms of their responsivity, detectivity, noise equivalent power, linear dynamic range, and response speed. The sensing region has been covered from ultraviolet-visible-near infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) to gamma photons based on two- or three-terminal device architectures. Diverse photoactive materials and devices with superior optoelectronic performances have stimulated attention from researchers in multidisciplinary areas. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the recent progress of perovskite-based photodetectors focusing on versatile compositions, structures, and morphologies of constituent materials, and diverse device architectures toward the superior performance metrics. Combining the advantages of both organic semiconductors (facile solution processability) and inorganic semiconductors (high charge carrier mobility), perovskites are expected to replace commercial silicon for future photodetection applications.


Nephropathic cystinosis is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the CTNS gene encoding cystine transporter cystinosin that results in accumulation of amino acid cystine in the lysosomes throughout the body and especially affects kidneys. Early manifestations of the disease include renal Fanconi syndrome, a generalized proximal tubular dysfunction. Current therapy of cystinosis is based on cystine-lowering drug cysteamine that postpones the disease progression but offers no cure for the Fanconi syndrome. We studied the mechanisms of impaired reabsorption in human proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTEC) deficient for cystinosin and investigated the endo-lysosomal compartments of cystinosin-deficient PTEC by means of light and electron microscopy. We demonstrate that cystinosin-deficient cells had abnormal shape and distribution of the endo-lysosomal compartments and impaired endocytosis, with decreased surface expression of multiligand receptors and delayed lysosomal cargo processing. Treatment with cysteamine improved surface expression and lysosomal cargo processing but did not lead to a complete restoration and had no effect on the abnormal morphology of endo-lysosomal compartments. The obtained results improve our understanding of the mechanism of proximal tubular dysfunction in cystinosis and indicate that impaired protein reabsorption can, at least partially, be explained by abnormal trafficking of endosomal vesicles.


The force and effect of foreign civil judgments in U.S. courts is a question of historic significance and growing importance. Presently, the question is governed by state common law. The U.S. is not party to any treaty regarding the extraterritorial force of civil judgment and recent efforts to secure bilateral and multilateral agreements on the issue have failed. The American Law Institute recently adopted a model federal statute regarding the question. The ALI's asserts that its federal statute, if adopted, would entice foreign nations back to bargaining table and increase U.S. leverage in those negotiations. This article examines the ALI's proposed federal statute and argues that it should not be adopted. The statute would preempt state and compel state courts to extend less recognition to foreign judgments than presently available under the common law. This article responds to the common assumption that recognition ought to be a matter of federal law and argues that displacement of state law is warranted and undervalues interests protected by federalism. Preemption of the common law of judgments will fail to accomplish its objectives and unnecessarily reduce state authority over the administration of justice in state courts. Second, the article examines the statute's controversial reciprocity requirement and argues that reciprocity compounds the problems of preemption and ignores the interests of private litigants. Reciprocity could also diminish international respect for the U.S.'s commitment to the rule of law and thereby weaken the U.S.'s moral authority in future diplomatic negotiations regarding the issue of judgments. 1 Associate Professor of Law, Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law; J.D. Pepperdine University School of Law; B.A., Oklahoma Christian University. The author would like to thank Justin Seamon for his research assistance and Adam MacLeod for his helpful comments.


Importance
Nomenclature in the field of neurodegenerative diseases presents a challenging problem. Inconsistent use of terms such as Alzheimer disease and dementia has compromised progress in clinical care, research, and development of therapeutics. Dementia-associated stigma further contributes to inconsistent and imprecise language. The result is a lack of clarity that produces confusion with patients and the general public and presents communication challenges among researchers. Therefore, the Advisory Council on Research, Care, and Services of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease authorized a committee to make recommendations for improvement.

Objective
To establish a systematic neurodegenerative disease framework for information collection and communication to standardize language usage for research, clinical, and public health purposes.

Evidence Review
The Dementia Nomenclature Initiative organized into 3 major stakeholder working groups: clinicians, researchers, and the public (including individuals living with dementia and family caregivers). To inform the work, the initiative completed a narrative literature review of dementia nomenclature evolution over the last century across the PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo, and Scopus databases (January 1, 2000, through July 31, 2020). Initiative working groups used the results as a foundation for understanding current challenges with dementia nomenclature and implications for research, clinical practice, and public understanding. The initiative obtained additional input via focus groups with individuals living with dementia and caregivers, with separate groups for race and ethnicity (American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and White) as an initial assessment of the meaning of dementia-related terms to these groups.

Findings
From working group deliberations, the literature review, and focus group input, the initiative developed a framework clearly separating the clinical syndromic presentation experienced by affected individuals from possible underlying pathophysiologies. In the framework, domains of clinical impairment, such as cognitive, behavioral, motor, and other neurologic features, are graded by level of impairment between none and severe. Next, biomarker information describes underlying disease processes, explains the syndrome, and identifies possible disease labels: Alzheimer disease, frontotemporal degeneration, dementia with Lewy bodies, or vascular cognitive impairment dementia.

Conclusions and Relevance
The Dementia Nomenclature Initiative established a framework to guide communication about cognitive impairment among older adults. Wider testing and refinement of the framework will subsequently improve the information used in communicating about cognitive impairment and the way in which the information is used in clinical, research, and public settings.


The facile and effective synthesis of truly multicolor photoluminescent (PL) polymer carbon dots (PCDs) is still a considerable challenge. Here, a mild and facile synthetic method to prepare multicolor emissive PCDs by self-oxidation and autopolymerization using hydroquinone and ethylenediamine as precursors is reported. The resulting PCDs were separated via silica-gel column chromatography, which gave three types of PCDs emitting bright and stable yellow, green, and blue fluorescence. The three types of PCDs exhibited attractive features such as excellent solubility, excitation wavelength-independent photoluminescence, high stability, monoexponential fluorescence lifetimes, and homogeneous optical properties. The uniform optical properties of the as-prepared PCDs helped us to explore their multicolor emissive PL mechanism. Detailed characterization and investigation of the PCDs revealed that their surface state was primarily responsible for the observed multicolor emissive photoluminescence. A PL mechanism that involved control of the energy gap by the surface state was proposed to explain the effect of the surface functional groups on the PL properties of the PCDs. The emission of the PCDs was strongly associated with the CN functional groups on their surface. The band gap narrowed with increasing content of CN on the PCD surface, resulting in the red shift of the PL emission peak.