CONTEXT
Despite wide promulgation, clinical practice guidelines have had limited effect on changing physician behavior. Little is known about the process and factors involved in changing physician practices in response to guidelines.

OBJECTIVE
To review barriers to physician adherence to clinical practice guidelines.

DATA SOURCES
We searched the MEDLINE, Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), and HealthSTAR databases (January 1966 to January 1998); bibliographies; textbooks on health behavior or public health; and references supplied by experts to find English-language article titles that describe barriers to guideline adherence.

STUDY SELECTION
Of 5658 articles initially identified, we selected 76 published studies describing at least 1 barrier to adherence to clinical practice guidelines, practice parameters, clinical policies, or national consensus statements. One investigator screened titles to identify candidate articles, then 2 investigators independently reviewed the texts to exclude articles that did not match the criteria. Differences were resolved by consensus with a third investigator.

DATA EXTRACTION
Two investigators organized barriers to adherence into a framework according to their effect on physician knowledge, attitudes, or behavior. This organization was validated by 3 additional investigators.

DATA SYNTHESIS
The 76 articles included 120 different surveys investigating 293 potential barriers to physician guideline adherence, including awareness (n = 46), familiarity(n = 31), agreement (n = 33), self-efficacy (n = 19), outcome expectancy (n = 8), ability to overcome the inertia of previous practice (n = 14), and absence of external barriers to perform recommendations (n = 34). The majority of surveys (70 [58%] of 120) examined only 1 type of barrier.

CONCLUSIONS
Studies on improving physician guideline adherence may not be generalizable, since barriers in one setting may not be present in another. Our review offers a differential diagnosis for why physicians do not follow practice guidelines, as well as a rational approach toward improving guideline adherence and a framework for future research.


Heavy-tailed distributions naturally occur in many real life problems. Unfortunately, it is typically not possible to compute inference in closed-form in graphical models which involve such heavy-tailed distributions.
In this work, we propose a novel simple linear graphical model for independent latent random variables, called linear characteristic model (LCM), defined in the characteristic function domain. Using stable distributions, a heavy-tailed family of distributions which is a generalization of Cauchy, Levy and Gaussian distributions, we show for the first time, how to compute both exact and approximate inference in such a linear multivariate graphical model. LCMs are not limited to stable distributions, in fact LCMs are always defined for any random variables (discrete, continuous or a mixture of both).
We provide a realistic problem from the field of computer networks to demonstrate the applicability of our construction. Other potential application is iterative decoding of linear channels with non-Gaussian noise.


This paper investigates the impact of doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) based wind power generation on the long-term voltage stability of a power system having dynamic loads such as induction motors. The investigation was carried out using a test system developed in DIgSILENT Power Factory. A detailed aggregated model of a DFIG wind farm is developed as the main source of wind generation. Three different dynamic load models have been used in the study and the results are presented as three different case studies. This research study has shown that the voltage stability is improved for a network comprised of induction motors, when the DFIG wind power generation is added to the system. However, this conclusion is not valid for all types of dynamic loads. Therefore, detailed studies have to be conducted using accurate aggregate dynamic load models to accurately characterise the voltage stability of a network.


Automatic claim detection is a fundamental argument mining task that aims to automatically mine claims regarding a topic of consideration. Previous works on mining argumentative content have assumed that a set of relevant documents is given in advance. Here, we present a first corpus– wide claim detection framework, that can be directly applied to massive corpora. Using simple and intuitive empirical observations, we derive a claim sentence query by which we are able to directly retrieve sentences in which the prior probability to include topic-relevant claims is greatly enhanced. Next, we employ simple heuristics to rank the sentences, leading to an unsupervised corpus–wide claim detection system, with precision that outperforms previously reported results on the task of claim detection given relevant documents and labeled data.


If f is a binary word and d a positive integer, then the generalized Fibonacci cube Qd(f) is the graph obtained from the d-cube Qd by removing all the vertices that contain f as a factor, while the generalized Lucas cube Qd(lucas(f)) is the graph obtained from Qd by removing all the vertices that have a circulation containing f as a factor. The Fibonacci cube Γd and the Lucas cube Λd are the graphs Qd(11) and Qd(lucas(11)), respectively. It is proved that the connectivity and the edge-connectivity of Γd as well as of Λd are equal to ⌊ d+2 / 3⌋. Connected generalized Lucas cubes are characterized and generalized Fibonacci cubes are proved to be 2-connected. It is asked whether the connectivity equals minimum degree also for all generalized Fibonacci/Lucas cubes. It was checked by computer that the answer is positive for all f and all d≤9.


The Common Agricultural Policy is modelled as a club good providing the European Union (EU) farmer with financial benefits. We build an economic model which explains how much farmers in individual EU countries invest in rent-seeking activities in order to test for free-riding behaviour on lobbying costs. For our investigation we group the EU member countries by farm structure, and the type of benefit received. We explain the fees paid by farmers for lobbying by other countries fees, political variables, and country and regional agricultural characteristics. The model shows that some member countries free ride on others. This suggests a form of policy path dependency and leads to a suboptimal investment on lobbying of 7.5%.


Glueability of three fast-growing plantation hardwood species viz. Acacia mangium Willd., Gmelina arborea Roxb., and Paraserianthes falcataria Back. were evaluated using phenol-resorcinol formaldehyde (PRF) and urea formaldehyde (UF) resin adhesives formulated to cure at room temperature. PRF and UF glued joints were assesed by block shear test. A total of six combinations were tested ; Three consisted of single-species and the remaining three were mixture of two species laminations. Specimens were tested dry and wet in accordane to America Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM D 905-49(76). Results showed that majority of the species combinations glued with PRF adhesive exceeded the minimum industrial requirements of 5.5 Mega pascal (MPa) and 4.1 MPa for dry and wet conditions, respectively. A. mangium - A. mangium combination exhibited the highest glue joint shear strength of 9.8 MPa and 6.29 MPa for dry and wet, respectively. However, with UF adhesive, none of the species combinations achieved the glue joint strength requirements for dry test. The strongest shear strength was exhibited by P. falcataria - P. falcataria combination at 5.5 MPa. It was also found that the percentage of wood failure did not indicate the respective shear strength of the glue joints. All P. falcataria combinations (dry) with relatively lower shear strength exhibited more than 70% wood failure for both PRF and UF resin adhesives. Physical factors such as species, density, moisture content, shrinkage and swelling properties of wood as well as the inherent characteristics of the adhesive such as viscosity, pH and solid content influence the bonding strength. Plantation species which are generally small in size could be joined with suitable adhesives to form useful dimensions for various end uses.


Previous studies have consistently demonstrated the beneficial impacts of the acculturation strategy of integration and the detrimental impacts of the acculturation strategy of marginalization on adaptation outcomes. This study attempts to extend the existing literature by examining the potential moderating role of social support in the relationships between acculturation strategies and cross-cultural adaptation. Specifically, it was hypothesized that social support from family, local friends, and non-local friends would enhance the positive effects of the integration strategy and buffer the negative effects of the marginalization strategy on sociocultural and psychological adaptation. Participants were 188 Mainland Chinese sojourning university students in Hong Kong. Consistent with our predictions, social support from local friends was found to significantly moderate the effects of the integration and marginalization strategies on sociocultural and psychological adaptation. Unexpectedly, it was shown that social support from non-local friends significantly weakened the positive effect of the integration strategy on psychological adaptation. In addition, further analyses on the potentially domain-specific effects of acculturation strategies and social support on psychological adaptation showed that social support from local friends and non-local friends and acculturation strategies of integration and marginalization interacted to influence only one specific domain of psychological adaptation (mutual trust and acceptance). Implications of this study and possible explanations for the discordant findings are discussed.


This article intends to present a very detailed analysis of the trade-related aspects of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) negotiations. We use a dynamic partial equilibrium model – focusing on the demand side – at the HS6 level (covering 5,113 HS6 products). Two alternative lists of sensitive products are constructed, one giving priority to the agricultural sectors, the other focusing on tariff revenue preservation. In order to be WTO compatible, EPAs must translate into 90 percent of bilateral trade fully liberalised. We use this criterion to simulate EPAs for each negotiating regional block. ACP exports to the EU are forecast to be 10 percent higher with the EPAs than under the GSP/EBA option. On average ACP countries are forecast to lose 70 percent of tariff revenues on EU imports in the long run. Yet imports from other regions of the world will continue to provide tariff revenues. Thus when tariff revenue losses are computed on total ACP imports, losses are limited to 26 percent on average in the long run and even 19 percent when the product lists are optimised. The final impact on the economy depends on the importance of tariffs in government revenue and on potential compensatory effects. However this long term and less visible effect will mainly depend on the capacity of each ACP country to reorganise its


The movement of rural people to cities and the growth of urban areas are processes that have historically had important impacts on rural environments, including forests. How rural-urban migration specifically affects forest cover in the tropics has recently received much attention. Census data from Brazil and Peru report that approximately 70% of the population of lowland Amazonia now resides in urban areas and that strong rural-to-urban migration flows continue. Urbanization will lead to recovery of substantial areas of the tropical forests of Amazonia if migration drains the rural zones of population and returns abandoned farmland to forest. Several researchers, however, have pointed out that migration data can be misleading. For poor Amazonian households, the rural-urban distinction is largely artificial because circular migration is very common. In this paper we detail yet another aspect of the rural-urban continuum. Using recent data from two widely-separated regions of Amazonia, this paper shows that despite their official urban residence, many Amazonians continue to earn their income by working in rural occupations: logging, farming, and fishing. Some potential effects of this pattern on the future of Amazon forests are discussed.


ABSTRACT We studied the microbial diversity of benthic cyanobacterial mats inhabiting a heavily polluted site in a coastal stream (Wadi Gaza) and monitored the microbial community response induced by exposure to and degradation of four model petroleum compounds in the laboratory. Phormidium- and Oscillatoria-like cyanobacterial morphotypes were dominant in the field. Bacteria belonging to different groups, mainly the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteriodes group, the γ and β subclasses of the class Proteobacteria, and the green nonsulfur bacteria, were also detected. In slurry experiments, these communities efficiently degraded phenanthrene and dibenzothiophene completely in 7 days both in the light and in the dark. n-Octadecane and pristane were degraded to 25 and 34% of their original levels, respectively, within 7 days, but there was no further degradation until 40 days. Both cyanobacterial and bacterial communities exhibited noticeable changes concomitant with degradation of the compounds. The populations enriched by exposure to petroleum compounds included a cyanobacterium affiliated phylogenetically with Halomicronema. Bacteria enriched both in the light and in the dark, but not bacteria enriched in any of the controls, belonged to the newly described Holophaga-Geothrix-Acidobacterium phylum. In addition, another bacterial population, found to be a member of green nonsulfur bacteria, was detected only in the bacteria treated in the light. All or some of the populations may play a significant role in metabolizing the petroleum compounds. We concluded that the microbial mats from Wadi Gaza are rich in microorganisms with high biodegradative potential.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of volunteers and its impact on related accountability practices towards beneficiaries by a large humanitarian non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Indonesia.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors adopted a qualitative case study design. The empirical evidence comes from rich fieldwork carried out in an Indonesian NGO. The authors collected the evidence mainly via 46 interviews and five focus groups.

Findings
The authors found that the case NGO drew heavily on the social and cultural capitals of volunteers in the process of serving its beneficiaries, which, in turn, facilitated the enhancement of its accountability to the beneficiaries. The authors also found that volunteers play a bridging role to reduce the distance between NGOs and beneficiaries.

Research limitations/implications
For NGO managers, this study provides necessary empirical evidence on the positive role played by the volunteers in the development and operationalisation of accountability to the beneficiaries. In the authors' case, beneficiary accountability is enhanced by the social conduct and practices performed by the NGO's numerous volunteers. Beneficiary accountability is of significant concern to the policy makers too. This study shows that volunteers and NGO can work in a reciprocal relationship where social and cultural capital can be mobilised to each other's advantage. To facilitate beneficiary accountability, NGOs can draw on the socio-cultural capitals held by the volunteers who appear to share the same norms and expectations with the beneficiaries. This process can also lead to the building of social and cultural capital by the volunteers themselves as they achieve great satisfaction and gain valuable experience in this process that could lead to greater satisfaction in their spiritual and material lives.

Originality/value
The authors extend the previous literature on beneficiary accountability by highlighting the under-researched role of volunteers in such accountability practices. In this paper, the authors first discuss the facilitating role of volunteers in enhancing NGOs' accountability towards beneficiaries. Then, this is illustrated empirically. In addition, the authors argue that although Bourdieusian concepts like field and capital have been widely used in the analysis of various organisational practices the concept of habitus received limited attention particularly from the context of developing countries. The authors undertake an examination of the habitus of volunteers in the Indonesian case organisation and explore their linkages with the field and associated capitals.


Hydrogen-induced exfoliation combined with wafer bonding has been used to transfer ;600-nm-thick films of~100! InP to Si substrates. Cross-section transmission electron microscopy ~TEM! shows a transferred crystalline InP layer with no observable defects in the region near the bonded interface and an intimately bonded interface. InP and Si are covalently bonded as inferred by the fact that InP/Si pairs survived both TEM preparation and thermal cycles up to 620 °C necessary for metalorganic chemical vapor deposition growth. The InP transferred layers were used as epitaxial templates for the growth of InP/In 0.53Ga0.47As/InP double heterostructures. Photoluminescence measurements of the In 0.53Ga0.47As layer show that it is optically active and under tensile strain, due to differences in the thermal expansion between InP and Si. These are promising results in terms of a future integration of Si electronics with optical devices based on InP-lattice-matched materials. ©2003 American Institute of Physics. @DOI: 10.1063/1.1637429 #


Logic is sometimes called the foundation of mathematics: the logician studies the kinds of reasoning used in the individual steps of a proof. Alonzo Church was a pioneer in the field of mathematical logic, whose contributions to number theory and the theories of algorithms and computability laid the theoretical foundations of computer science. His first Princeton book, "The Calculi of Lambda-Conversion" (1941), established an invaluable tool that computer scientists still use today. Even beyond the accomplishment of that book, however, his second Princeton book, "Introduction to Mathematical Logic," defined its subject for a generation. Originally published in Princeton's Annals of Mathematics Studies series, this book was revised in 1956 and reprinted a third time, in 1996, in the Princeton Landmarks in Mathematics series. Although new results in mathematical logic have been developed and other textbooks have been published, it remains, sixty years later, a basic source for understanding formal logic. Church was one of the principal founders of the Association for Symbolic Logic; he founded the "Journal of Symbolic Logic" in 1936 and remained an editor until 1979 At his death in 1995, Church was still regarded as the greatest mathematical logician in the world.


Openflow is a step towards a more flexible data plane. In Openflow-based deployments, packet forwarding model relies on a set of pipelined tables. However, supporting multiple hardware tables is challenging while having serious limitations. In this paper, we investigate a novel approach to packet forwarding design that tailors Openflow forwarding paths according to the underlying hardware. Its main goal is to provide an optimal mapping of entries to physical search structures. To that end, conceptual abstractions are used in devising a semantically rich and high-performance packet forwarding.


The Ward-Dutton (WD) partitioning scheme [IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, vol. ED-27, p. 1571, Aug. 1980] is used extensively to develop transient and high-frequency advanced compact models for MOSFET devices. Recently, it has been shown that WD partitioning fails for field-dependent mobility [IEEE Electron Device Lett., vol. 27, p. 674, Aug 2006] or for laterally asymmetrical doping [IEDM Tech. Dig., p.751, Dec. 2004], [IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, vol. 53, p. 270, Feb. 2006]. This paper is aimed at presenting a generalization of the partitioning concept. We show that, although it is not possible to guaranty a partitioning scheme for general operation of the MOSFET, it is possible to show the existence of a partitioning scheme for small-signal operation of the device accounting for both field-dependent mobility and lateral asymmetry. Application of this new concept in capacitance evaluation of lateral asymmetric MOSFET considerably simplifies the existing capacitance-evaluation methodology and accounts for any arbitrary field-dependent mobility. It also gives a mean to physically understand the unusual behavior delta Cdg in lateral asymmetric MOSFET. We also show how failure of the WD partitioning can affect the present compact-modeling Methodologies.


Islam-based management is a management practice which implements Islamic values in management and is currently started to be applied in many companies or businesses. However, due to limited of knowledge of the managers and employees to the values of Islam will lead to the ineffective application of the management practice. This study analyzed the extent to which the relationship and the role of Islamic values influence the aspects of a business.
The purpose of the study is to analyze the extent to which the understanding of the owner, manager, and employees regarding Islamic values applied in management. This study also analyze the practice of the management based on Islam at the company and analyze the motivation of employees.
The method used is a qualitative method with case study approach. The reasons for selecting this method is that research can focus and can be done in depth to determine the management practices of Islam based on Ayam Bakar Wong Solo Branch Simongan. The results showed that the owners and business practitioners have a good understanding associated with Islamic values which are implemented at the workplace. The Islamic values are implemented within human resources management practices such as human resource planning, recruitment, selection, employment contracts, training and development, performance appraisal and compensation.


ANIMO (Analysis of Networks with Interactive MOdeling) is a software for modeling biological networks, such as e.g. signaling, metabolic or gene networks. An ANIMO model is essentially the sum of a network topology and a number of interaction parameters. The topology describes the interactions between biological entities in form of a graph, while the parameters determine the speed of occurrence of such interactions. When a mismatch is observed between the behavior of an ANIMO model and experimental data, we want to update the model so that it explains the new data. In general, the topology of a model can be expanded with new (known or hypothetical) nodes, and enables it to match experimental data. However, the unrestrained addition of new parts to a model causes two problems: models can become too complex too fast, to the point of being intractable, and too many parts marked as "hypothetical" or "not known" make a model unrealistic. Even if changing the topology is normally the easier task, these problems push us to try a better parameter fit as a first step, and resort to modifying the model topology only as a last resource. In this paper we show the support added in ANIMO to ease the task of expanding the knowledge on biological networks, concentrating in particular on the parameter settings.


Hydroxyapatite (HAp) has been attracting widespread interest in medical applications. In a form of coating, it enables to create a durable bond between an implant and surrounding bone tissues. With addition of silver nanoparticles HAp should also provide antibacterial activity. The aim of this research was to evaluate the composition of hydroxyapatite with silver nanoparticles in a non-destructive and non-contact way. For control measurements of HAp molecular composition and solvent evaporation efficiency the Raman spectroscopy has been chosen. In order to evaluate dispersion and concentration of the silver nanoparticles inside the hydroxyapatite matrix, the optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been used. Five samples were developed and examined ‒ a reference sample of pure HAp sol and four samples of HAp colloids with different silver nanoparticle solution volume ratios. The Raman spectra for each solution have been obtained and analyzed. Furthermore, a transversesectional visualization of every sample has been created and examined by means of OCT.


Diabetes mellitus is the most common and fastest growing disease in the world. One of the therapies to treat diabetes is the inhibition of α-amylase activity by inhibitors from microbial and plant source. Actinomycetes are potential sources of enzyme inhibitors, drugs, amino acids, vitamins etc.Our work mainly highlights the isolation of actinomycetes from soil samples of different habitats and screening of α -amylase inhibitors.Actinomycetes were isolated from soil samples of different habitats by different methods; these include a variety of pre-treatment of soil samples in combination with an appropriate supplement medium with selective antibacterial agents. Isolated actinomycetes grown in fermentation condition and metabolites were extracted with Isopropyl alcohol and concentrated to obtain solid material. The extract of each isolate was tested for α -amylase inhibition using starch Iodine plate method and DNS- spectroscopic method.Total 110 actinomycetes strains were isolated from various sources. Among 110 extracts of actinomycetes, eight extracts have shown positive results for α-amylase inhibition in starch Iodine plate assay method. Extracts selected from primary results were used for the confirmation of inhibitory activity using DNS- spectroscopic method. Out of eight extracts, six extracts showed Porcine pancreatic α -amylase inhibitory activity ranging from 40-86%. The actinomycetes strains that produce α -amylase inhibitory activity are A-24, A-29, B-5, B-18, C-15 and D-24.These results show that actinomycetes are a potential source for α -amylase inhibitors, which may lead to valuable novel drugs for diabetic treatment.


Hybrid simulation, the combination of simulation paradigms to address a problem is becoming more popular as the problems we are presented with become more complex. This is evidenced by an increase in the number of hybrid papers published in specific domains and the number of hybrid simulation frameworks being produced across domains. This paper focuses on two hybrid simulation models from a healthcare context. The first uses system dynamics and discrete-event simulation and was developed using two separate software tools (Vensim and Simul8). The second uses agent-based and discrete-event simulation and was developed in a single software environment, Anylogic. The reflections on these models add to the debate about the viability of hybrid modelling and suggest future steps to support the take up of the approach.


The geographic and phylogenetic scale of ecologically relevant microbial diversity is still poorly understood. Using a model mutualism, fungus-growing ants and their defensive bacterial associate Pseudonocardia, we analyzed genetic diversity and biosynthetic potential in 46 strains isolated from ant colonies in a 20km transect near Barro Colorado Island in Panama. Despite an average pairwise core genome similarity of greater than 99%, population genomic analysis revealed several distinct bacterial populations matching ant host geographic distribution. We identified both genetic diversity signatures and divergent genes distinct to each lineage. We also identify natural product biosynthesis clusters specific to isolation locations. These geographic patterns were observable despite the populations living in close proximity to each other and provides evidence of ongoing genetic exchange. Our results add to the growing body of literature suggesting that variation in traits of interest can be found at extremely fine phylogenetic scales.


Background The Healthy Brain Network is an openly shared pediatric psychiatric biobank with a target of 10,000 participants between the ages of 5 and 21, inclusively In adding ecological actimetry to the Healthy Brain Network, we intend to use appropriate, accurate, reliable tools. Currently a wide range of personal activity trackers are commercially available, providing a wide variety of sensor configurations. For many of these devices, accelerometry provides the basis of measuring both physical activity and sleep with comparable derivative measures. Results In order to include an ecological biotracker in the Healthy Brain Network protocol, we first evaluated the specifications of a variety of actimeters available for purchase. We then acquired physical instances of 5 of these devices (ActiGraph wGT3X-BT, Empatica Embrace, Empatica E4, GENEActiv Original, and Wavelet Wristband) and wore each of them in our daily lives, annotating our activities and evaluating the reasonableness of the data from each device and the logistical affordances of each device. Conclusions We decided that the ActiGraph wGT3X-BT is the most appropriate device for inclusion in the Healthy Brain Network. However, none of the devices we evaluated was clearly superior or inferior to the rest; rather, each device seems to have use cases in which that device excels beyond the others.


Indonesia has undergone tremendous changes, especially since 1998, when people began to realise their human rights to start off the democratisation process. This political change is facilitated by demographic changes, especially increased mobility of the population, and rapid economic growth at 6.0 per cent and over since 2007, except during the global recession in 2009. Contemporary population issues in Indonesia are very different from those in 1970s and even 1990s. High fertility and population growth are no longer pressing problems. However, population ageing and migration have become increasingly important emerging issues. Furthermore, the large and ever growing population, along with high economic growth, has led to Indonesia emerging as a global economic powerhouse. This paper attempts to examine some new trends in Indonesia's international migration, both out-migration from and in-migration to Indonesia. More and more Indonesians have moved to other countries to pursue higher education and job opportunities, and to settle down. On the other hand, rapid economic growth and the large consumer market have attracted increasing number of foreigners to work and invest in Indonesia. International population mobility is becoming a more important demographic process, with profound ramifications on economic development in Indonesia and other countries, in ASEAN and beyond.


This storyNthat of the government-in-exile of Lehendakari Jose Antonio Agirre and the multitudes of other Basques who were forced by war and oppression to flee their homelandNhas not been written in English before and is rather unknown to the Basque, Spanish, and French historiography. Drawing on primary sources; archival documentation; and interviews with many Basque political exiles, resistance members, and former prisoners of labor camps Professor Xabier Irujo tells a gripping story of the Basque autonomous government, conceived during the beginnings of a bloody civil war, forced to organize a mass exile and then overtaken by necessity to feed and clothe its exiled population. Following this initial period, the exiled Basques were confronted by World War and forced again into flight, this time mainly to the Americas. Never giving up their opposition to the dictatorship fo Francisco Franco, the government continued its struggle during forty long years of existence, though wars hot and cold as well as countless political developments. While tracing the history of Lehendakari Agirre, this book is more the story of all Basques who were forced into exile, and it serves as a testimony to their unwavering determination to return to their homeland. In addition, the book contains an extensive biographical index of many of the heretofore unknown exile activists: writers, politicians, soldiers, intellectuals, but even more so, Basque patriots.


AIM
To explore how men with penile cancer construct humour in relation to their diagnosis and treatment.

BACKGROUND
Functionalist, relief and incongruity theories attempt to account for humour, but there is a dearth of empirical evidence in nursing care. This is particularly so in relation to a condition like penile cancer where some nurses think that humour in their interactions with patients would be inappropriate.

DESIGN
The study employed a participative, mixed-qualitative-methods design.

METHOD
Focus groups and patient-conducted interviews were both used during a one-day 'pilot workshop' in March 2011. The data were initially analysed using framework analysis. This paper explores the theme of humour in depth.

FINDINGS
Humour helped participants make light of their condition, which meant that they could laugh about the consequences of treatment ('laughing about urination') and build rapport with health professionals ('humour with health professionals'). Nevertheless, the use of humour was less important than the treatment of their cancer ('humour discounted') and there was a fear that they would be subject to ridicule because of their condition ('fear of ridicule').

CONCLUSION
The findings suggest a combination of functionalist, relief and incongruity theories of humour; the emotions these men experience are contained (functionalist) and released (relief) through humorous interaction, and the potential for comedy lies in an incongruity between what is expected socially and the experiences of these men, for example, around expectations that men use urinals in public toilets. Nurses should continue to use humour to build rapport with patients, should they judge this to be appropriate, although they may want to avoid jokes about sexual and urinary functioning until after treatment.


A series of fundamental studies are presented of the components of a prototypical
electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM)-based sensor for metal ions.
Designed for use in the nuclear industry, the sensor consists of a gold (Au)
piezoelectrode modified by a Nafion® polymer layer impregnated with a cationic
hydroxainic acid (HA), a ligand showing oxidation state specific selectivity towards
actinide 4+ ions and a non-radioactive demonstrator ion, Fe3+ In its final configuration,
the polymer layer will also contain a redox mediator, methylene blue (MB), to facilitate
electrochemical conditioning of the analyte. The following results have been obtained
from EQCM and microelectrode voltammetry studies of each of the component parts.

The Gold Piezoelectrode - The dissolution and redeposition processes of Au in
HNO3 solution at pH I & 0 were investigated as a function of sweep rate (v). At pH I
and v +1.00 V (vs. SCE), a
process that, at v ≤ 10 mV s-1, is kinetically hindered with respect to under potential
deposition (UPD) of OH surface sublattices and subsequent 2-D-phase oxide formation.
The inhibition arises from a closed packed layer of nitrate ions at the gold surface,
although the layer is disrupted and the inhibition removed by the gold dissolution and
reprecipitation processes that occur during potential cycling at low v.

The Hydroxamic Acid Ligand - Study of the oxidation of acetohydroxamic acid
(AHA) in nitric acid revealed that three processes occur at Au electrodes at potentials in
the vicinity of AHA oxidation at pH 0 & I: (a) oxidation of the Au surface; (b) oxidation
of the AHA; (c) complexation of the AHA with electrogenerated Au3+ . The last process
inhibits oxide formation and associated electrode passivation, so promoting the
occurrence of the first two. The two current peaks associated with AHA oxidation show
no associated mass change, indicating that AHA oxidation is controlled by semi-infinite
diffusion. The waves correspond to I and 2 electron processes with current onsets of
+0.55 V and +0.80 V (vs. SCE) respectively. Oxidation of AHA appears to be
irreversible and blocked at electrodes with minimal microscopic roughness by close
packing of nitrate ions at the surface.

The Polymer Layer and the Demonstrator Ion, Fe 3+ - Microelectrogravimetric studies
of the Fe2+/3+ couple were conducted at bare Au, Nafion® modified Au and Nafion®
modified Au impregnated with the hydrophobic cationic HA ligand, desferrioximine
(DFA+) electrode. In background nitric acid (pH 1 & 0), the electrochemistry of Nafion ®
layer partitioned Fe 2+/3+ ions exhibits thin layer cell behaviour with the polymer layer
increasing in mass during reduction of Fe(III) due to an influx of highly hydrated H+ ions
necessary to maintain electroneutrality. Studies on Nafion® layers impregnated with
DFA+ and Fe3+ show that while Fe3+ complexes with DFA+, Fe2+ does not and that, upon
reduction of the complexed ferric ion, the resultant Fe(II)-DFA+ complex dissociates
suggesting that electrochemical expulsion of the analyte is possible.

The Redox Mediator - At pH 7.9, the reduction of methylene blue (MB) to
leucomethylene blue (LMB), occurs in two steps: (i) a reversible net 1.5 e transfer to
form a solid charge transfer complex (LMB/LMB+) (ii) an irreversible reduction of
LMB/LMB+ to LMB, the onset of which can be directly observed as an inflection in the
voltamassogram, the first time that this has been reported. The reversibility of the MB to
LMB reduction within the context of charge transfer complex electrogeneration suggests
that MB may be a suitable mediator for actinide cation reduction within the polymer
layer of the proposed sensor. It is known that the pendular amino-groups of LMB are
protonated below pH 1, so rendering the resultant LMBH22+ soluble in aqueous solution.
This means (a) difficulties associated with the irreversibile reoxidation of the solid LMB
generated at pH 7.9 will be obviated at pH I; and (b) being a large cation, we could
expect LMBH22+ to be retained within the Nafion® layer.


The paper aims at assessing the relevance of evolutionary anthropology, i.e., a view of human nature reconstructed mainly on the basis of evolutionary psychology (but also behavioural ecology and sociobiology) for the problems analyzed within moral and legal philosophy. It is argued that evolutionary anthropology can be used fruitfully in the analysis of some of questions of legal philosophy, and much less so in the analysis of the questions of moral philosophy. The underlying assumption of this claim is that the primary object of moral assessment are motives rather than 'external' actions, and the primary object of legal assessment are 'external' actions rather than motives. Given this assumption, it is argued, inter alia, that evolutionary anthropology can be helpful in answering the question (with important implications for legal philosophy) whether homo sapiens is homo legalis, but not the question (with important implications for moral philosophy) of whether homo sapiens is homo moralis. The claim about a very limited relevance of evolutionary anthropology for moral philosophy is strengthened by showing that evolutionary anthropology cannot help in deciding issues belonging to other than moral psychology branches of moral philosophy, namely to normative ethics and metaethics; and the claim about that evolutionary anthropology is more relevant for legal philosophy is strengthened by showing that it can be applied also in the analysis of more practical questions of legal philosophy (e.g., connected with the problem of susceptibility of human behaviors to shaping by means of legal sanctions).


Abstract This article explores the path of the National Bible Society of Scotland (NBSS) to publishing its annotated edition of Proverbs in the Mandarin Union Version in China during the Republican era. After providing an overview of how the NBSS became the first Bible society to publish annotated Chinese Gospels and Acts in the 1890s, this article examines why it took more than three decades thereafter for the NBSS to publish an annotated edition of another biblical book. It argues that one of the main reasons was that the NBSS had difficulty securing reputable scholarly Protestant missionaries' services to prepare the necessary annotations. Moreover, this article suggests that the familiarity of the Chinese people with short and pithy sayings was a condition favourable for the reception of Proverbs in China. This, together with the status of the Mandarin Union Version as the standard biblical text for Chinese Protestants, helps explain why the NBSS eventually published an annotated edition of Proverbs in the Mandarin Union Version. Annotations in that edition of Proverbs are analysed to understand how they could help bridge the gaps between Proverbs and its Chinese readers, so as to shed light on why such an edition of Proverbs was well-received as an evangelistic tool.


In this paper, I present the results of an evaluation of the effectiveness of a new technique for the visualization and exploration of serial periodic data. At this time, the only other visualization to support this task is the "Spiral" by Carlis and Konstan [1], which an issue with space usage that I attempt to address– namely, the data points on the fringes of the spiral are sparse and the data points towards the middle are crowded. My solution to this is to use a grid-like structure, where space is used is uniformly throughout, and no space is wasted. I have conducted a study to compare the effectiveness of several variations of the grid approach of looking at multiple variables simultaneously, and the findings of this study are discussed.


Totally real 3-dimensiunal submanifolds of the nearly Kaehler 6-sphere are the main topic of this thesis. Having introduced preliminaries on the theory of complex and almost complex manifolds, the nearly Kaehler structure of S(^6) and the non existence of almost complex. 4-dimensional submanifolds of the 6-sphere [G3], the results of N. Ejiri [Ejl] on orientability, minimality and characterization by means of constant sectional curvature are given. Results concerning the pinching of the sectional curvature in the compact case are coming next (see: [D.O.V.V.1]. [D.V.V2]). These results are obtained by using the integral formulae of .A. Ros [R]. formulae which play a crucial role in global Riemannian geometry. .After a discussion on a new Riemannian invariant δ. introduced by B.Y.Chen in [Ch2]. For submanifolds of real space forms and the inequality (which is the best possible) satisfied by S, we focus on the case where the inequality becomes an equality. In this case the shape operator of the immersion attains a special form and this helps with the classification. In particular, if M is a 3-dimensional totally real submanifold of S(^6) then the Chen's equality becomes δ(_M) = 2. and if M is assumed to be of constant scalar curvature, we classify M by two explicitely described immersions of S(^3) in S(^6). [C.D.V.Vl]. By assuming that the complementary distribution of a certain distribution of M is integrable. M is characterized in terms of a warped product of a minimal, totally real, non-totally geodesic surface immersion in S(^6). which lies linearly full in a totally geodesic S(^5) [C.D.V.V2]. Furthermore, with respect to totally real 3- dimensional submanifolds satisfying Chen's equality ([D.V]): if M is contained in a totally geodesic S(^5). then M can be classified in terms of complex curves in CP(^2)(4) lifted via the Hopf fibration. These submanifolds satisfy always Chen's equality. In case M lies linearly full in S(^6) and satisfies Chen's equality classification has been in terms of tubes of radius (^π)(_2) in the direction of the second normal space, over an almost complex curve. Finally, local converses of the last two results are proved.


Background: Glaucomatous neuropathy is a type of cell death due to apoptosis. The p53 gene is one of the regulatory genes of apoptosis. Recently, the association between the p53 gene encoding for proline at codon 72 and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) has been studied in some ethnic groups. This study is the first association analysis of POAG and p53 codon 72 polymorphism in Iranian patients. Methods: A cohort of 65 unrelated patients with POAG (age range from 12-62 years, mean ± SD of 40.16 ± 17.51 years) and 65 unrelated control subjects (without glaucoma, age range of 14-63 years, mean ± SD of 35.64 ± 13.61 years) were selected. In Iranian POAG patients and normal healthy controls, the p53 codon 72 polymorphism in exon 4 was amplified using polymerase chain reaction. The amplified DNA fragments were digested with the BstUI restriction enzyme, and the digestion patterns were used to identify the alleles for the polymorphic site. Results: Comparisons revealed significant differences in allele and genotype frequencies of Pro72Arg between POAG patients and control group. A higher risk of POAG was associated with allele Pro (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.2–3.4) and genotype Pro/Pro (OR = 3.9, 95% CI = 0.13-12.7). Conclusion: The p53 Pro72 allele was more frequent in Iranian POAG patients than in the control group (P<0.05). The present findings show that the individuals with the Pro/Pro genotype may be more likely to develop POAG. However, additional studies are necessary to confirm this association.


The H1N1 "Spanish flu" outbreak of 1918-1919 was the most devastating pandemic on record, killing between 50 million and 100 million people. Should the next influenza pandemic prove equally virulent, there could be more than 300 million deaths globally. The conventional view is that little could have been done to prevent the H1N1 virus from spreading or to treat those infected; however, there is evidence to the contrary. Records from an "open-air" hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, suggest that some patients and staff were spared the worst of the outbreak. A combination of fresh air, sunlight, scrupulous standards of hygiene, and reusable face masks appears to have substantially reduced deaths among some patients and infections among medical staff. We argue that temporary hospitals should be a priority in emergency planning. Equally, other measures adopted during the 1918 pandemic merit more attention than they currently receive.


The Antiquities Act of 1906 authorizes the President of the United States "to declare by public proclamation, historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon [federal] lands . . . to be national monuments . . . " The law was passed during the Theodore Roosevelt administration, and Roosevelt quickly set about designating a wide range of lands and resources as national monuments, including notably, the 800,000 acre Grand Canyon National Monument. Roosevelt's expansive interpretation of the law was embraced by later presidents and ultimately by the Supreme Court. In the latter part of the 20th century the use the law waxed and waned, reaching new heights with President Carter's spectacular designation of 56 million acres of land in Alaska as National Monuments, then falling dormant, only to become resurgent again at the end of President Clinton's first term with the designation of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and the designation of 21 new or expanded monuments in Clinton's second term. This article traces the history of the Antiquities Act and its remarkable legacy. It describes the many special places that have received protection under the law, and the many controversies that the law has sparked. It also addresses the myriad legal and policy issues raised by the law and its evolution as a conservation management tool. Finally, the article discusses proposals for reforming the Antiquities Act, ultimately concluding that the law should remain just as it is.


The scenario method is used to investigate whether or not an energy supply system entirely based upon renewable energy sources (solar radiation, wind, biomass, environmental heat and hydro) can supply the energy globally required by the mid-21st century. A geographical information system (GIS) is employed to assess the spatial match between supply and demand, and the robustness of the scenario against changes in assumptions is discussed.


Beta frequency binaural-beat audio signals were utilized to investigate facilitation of human performance on two memory tasks and two memory related tasks. Subjects were 50 college students randomly assigned with a double-blind methodology to the control or experimental groups. The control group listened to instrumental music. The experimental group listened to the same music with binaural-beat audio signals bedded under the music. The four dependent variables used were a 25 item word list recall test, a 25 item word list recall/recognition test, and from the WAIS-R the digit symbol and digit span subtests. The experimental group displayed statistically significant (p>.05) increases in mean scores with the word list recall test, the digit symbol subtest, and the digit span subtest. No statistically significant increases in the experimental mean over the control mean were noted in the word list recognition/recall subtest. The results indicate that beta frequency binaural-beat audio signals are an effective method for facilitating simple free recall memory, ability to attend, and the ability to persevere at routine motor tasks.


Intensive training in a humid and warm environment can cause exertional heat stroke (ExHS) and rhabdomolysis (RBD) in military recruits. To investigate the role of vitamin D and monomeric calcitonin (CT) on the calcium metabolism in ExHS with RBD and acute renal failure (ARF), we studied 21 recruits with ExHS (mean age 21.4 years), 7 of which had ARF. Another 11 age-matched recruits with heat exhaustion (HE) and 11 healthy subjects were selected as controls. Our results showed that in 14 ExHS patients without ARF, mean serum creatinine (Cr) levels were significantly higher (151.16 vs. 106.08 mumol/l, p < 0.01), whereas serum osteocalcin (OC) levels were significantly lower (2.22 vs. 4.65 micrograms/l, p < 0.01) than in healthy controls. In 7 patients with ExHS and ARF, the mean serum Cr (774.38 vs. 105.20 mumol/l, p < 0.01), phosphorus (P) (2.26 vs. 1.26 mmol/l, p < 0.05), creatine phosphokinase (CPK) 274,143.97 vs. 85.78 IU/l, p < 0.05), intact parathyroid hormone (I-PTH) (299.81 vs. 18.66 ng/l, p < 0.05) and CT (13.58 vs. 6.63 ng/l, p < 0.01) levels on admission were significantly higher while the mean ionized calcium (iCa) levels were significantly lower than the healthy controls (0.9 vs. 1.18 mmol/l, p < 0.01). The mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were not significantly different from healthy controls. However, mean serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] levels and the ratio of 1,25(OH)2D to 25(OH)D were significantly lower than healthy controls throughout the whole course of ARF. None of the 7 patients with ExHS and ARF developed hypercalcemia during the diuretic phase. Their mean serum I-PTH levels decreased significantly from 299 to 18 ng/l during the recovery phase (p < 0.05). Our study seems to suggest that the abnormal calcium metabolism in this unique patient group is in part caused by persistently decreased renal production of 1,25(OH)2D, although increased monomeric CT levels were associated with hypocalcemia. However, whether or not a causal relationship exists merits further investigation.


The spicule complement of a demosponge specimen collected from the Atlantic coast of Spain was noted to be similar to that of Pachastrella monilifera, but particularly characterized by the presence of short-shafted mesotriaenes. After detailed examination, it was concluded that the specimen undoubtedly belonged to the species Pachastrella ovisternata Von Lendenfeld, 1894. For a long time, this species has been regarded a synonym of Pachastrella monilifera Schmidt, 1868. Examination of this new specimen showed that Pachastrella ovisternata was a valid species of the genus Pachastrella. Moreover, it denoted the real existence of mesotriaenes in this genus. The parsimony analyses indicated that the species Yodomia perfecta, traditionally assigned to the genus Yodomia by the presence of mesotriaenes, ought to be reclassified in the genus Pachastrella, close to P. ovisternata. These analyses also showed that mesotriaenes are a product of a convergent evolution in shape of tetraxon spicules in Calthropellidae and Pachastrellidae. At the species level it is suggested that short-shafted mesotriaenes have arisen more than once in the family Pachastrellidae. Thus, the presence of mesotriaenes itself cannot be regarded as a diagnostic characteristic at generic level. However, it was noted to be a reliable feature in order to distinguish taxa at specific level.


Bangalore is experiencing unprecedented urbanisation in recent times due to concentrated developmental activities with impetus on IT (Information Technology) and BT (Biotechnology) sectors. The concentrated developmental activities has resulted in the increase in population and consequent pressure on infrastructure, natural resources, ultimately giving rise to a plethora of serious challenges such as urban flooding, climate change, etc. One of the perceived impact at local levels is the increase in sensible heat flux from the land surface to the atmosphere, which is also referred as heat island effect. In this communication, we report the changes in land surface temperature (LST) with respect to land cover changes during 1973 to 2007. A novel technique combining the information from sub-pixel class proportions with information from classified image (using signatures of the respective classes collected from the ground) has been used to achieve more reliable classification. The analysis showed positive correlation with the increase in paved surfaces and LST. 466% increase in paved surfaces (buildings, roads, etc.) has lead to the increase in LST by about 2 oC during the last 2 decades, confirming urban heat island phenomenon. LSTs' were relatively lower (~ 4 to 7 oC) at land uses such as vegetation (parks/forests) and water bodies which act as heat sinks.


A broad and constantly growing class of diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, sickle-cell or cataract, involves protein association phenomena as an essential aspect. The common denominator of all the members of this class of molecular condensation diseases is an attractive energy of interaction between specific biologic molecules which produces condensation into dense, frequently insoluble mesoscopic phases. Understanding interprotein interactions is essential since it is the subtle interplay between interprotein attraction, repulsion and solution entropy that leads to the condensed protein phases. Among these diseases, cataract is the world's leading cause of blindness and effective prevention or non-surgical cure are still lacking. The loss of transparency of the eye lens found in cataract originates from the alteration of the spatial distribution of the lens crystallin proteins. Biological studies of the chaperone properties of crystallins have given valuable information about their aggregation in diluted environment. However, since the crystallins are present at high concentration in the eye lens cells, it is crucial to complement these studies with investigations at physiological concentrations where emergent mixture properties, like phase transitions, are expected. The eye lens cytoplasm contains a solution of mainly three classes of water soluble proteins, called α-, β- and γ-crystallin. In this thesis we develop a coarse-grained model for binary mixtures of α- and γ-crystallin proteins. By analyzing our numerical results in conjunction with experimental neutron scattering data, the interactions between the proteins are modeled. We demonstrate that transparency of the eye lens is greatly enhanced by a weak, short-range attraction between α- and γ-crystallin. Provided it is not too strong, such mutual attraction considerably decreases the critical temperature and the corresponding opacity due to light scattering, and it is consequently essential for eye lens transparency. The phase diagram of the binary α-γ model mixture is then investigated via thermodynamic perturbation theory. The instability boundary of the crystallin mixtures is found to depend on the α-γ attraction in a manner that is both extremely sensitive and non-monotonic, in excellent agreement with the experimental and numerical results. Moreover, the composition of the coexisting phases depends strongly on the strength of the α-γ interaction. In light of the tie lines determination it appears that a decrease of the binding affinity of α and γ-crystallins with ageing involves small energy changes in the attraction between the crystallins and can produce sufficient inhomogeneities to lead to the opacification of the lens. The colloidal approach developed in this thesis could be applied in the future to study other mixtures of crystallin proteins and provide new insights into their interactions and thermodynamic stability when combined with scattering experiments and cloud point measurements.


Epidemiological studies have consistently found cleaners to be at increased risk of new-onset asthma,1 ,2 the risk seems to be particularly high in domestic cleaners using spray bleaches.2 Due to the large numbers employed in cleaning, they constitute a significant proportion of the population attributable risk of occupational asthma. It has, however, been very difficult to identify the precise cause of domestic cleaners' asthma from specific inhalation challenge (SIC) tests. Chlorine-based substances form the basis of many domestic (sodium hypochlorite) and healthcare (sodium dichloroisocyanurate) cleaning agents. Approximately one third of workers exposed to cleaning agents notified to the UK Health and Safety Executive SWORD (surveillance of work-related and occupational respiratory disease) database with occupational asthma are reported to be due to chlorine-releasing agents (personal communication from Raymond Agius, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Manchester). At the Birmingham Occupational Lung Disease Service UK, we have seen 12 healthcare professionals and cleaners with occupational asthma who were exposed to chlorine-releasing agents. In the four investigated with SICs, testing was negative to chlorine-releasing tablets mixed with cold water, and other agents to which they were exposed. Chloramines, particularly nitrogen trichloride, have however been shown to be the cause of asthma in swimming pool attendants and teachers where the chlorine in the water reacts with nitrogen in the urine and sweat of swimmers.3 We hypothesised that similar reactions may be responsible for the asthma in domestic cleaners and healthcare workers and therefore carried out further investigations on the fourth …


The following radiocarbon dates are a partial list of samples measured for a variety of projects and materials since August 1979. Chemical and counting procedures remain the same as indicated in R, v 20, p 274-282.


The decision to develop (make) a product or process internally or to purchase the relevant technology (buy), an issue facing many organizations, is discussed. What has been written about make-vs.-buy decisions usually consists of generic checklists of dubious relevancy to the decision maker's specific situation. Development of a process model based on a class of such decisions is therefore desirable. In-depth cases studies in seven organizations were conducted, guided by a series of key issues pertaining to the process of strategic decision making. Experience gained at eight other sites added to the analysis and development of a model. The study has found that make-vs.-buy decisions are treated in various ways. Of special interest is the recognition, in some organizations, of make-vs.-buy decisions as opportunities to develop or support competitive advantage. In such firms, the entire approach and decision-making style are oriented towards achieving such an advantage. >


Using the new capabilities of Spitzer and extensive multiwavelength data from SINGS, it is now possible to study the infrared properties of star formation in nearby galaxies down to scales equivalent to large H II regions. We are therefore able to determine what fraction of large, infrared-selected star-forming regions in normal galaxies are highly obscured and address how much of the star formation we miss by relying solely on the optical portion of the spectrum. Employing a new empirical method for deriving attenuations of infrared-selected star-forming regions, we investigate the statistics of obscured star formation on 500 pc scales in a sample of 38 nearby galaxies. We find that the median attenuation is 1.4 mag in Hα and that there is no evidence for a substantial subpopulation of uniformly highly obscured star-forming regions. The regions in the highly obscured tail of the attenuation distribution (AHα ≳ 3) make up only ~4% of the sample of nearly 1800 regions, although very embedded infrared sources on the much smaller scales and lower luminosities of compact and ultracompact H II regions are almost certainly present in greater numbers. The highly obscured cases in our sample are generally the bright, central regions of galaxies with high overall attenuation but are not otherwise remarkable. We also find that a majority of the galaxies show decreasing radial trends in Hα attenuation. The small fraction of highly obscured regions seen in this sample of normal, star-forming galaxies suggests that on 500 pc scales the timescale for significant dispersal or breakup of nearby, optically thick dust clouds is short relative to the lifetime of a typical star-forming region.


This paper outlines procedures to analyze the
desertification processes in the semi-arid Serido Region (NE Brazil). Using the
Geosystem theory, the detection of desertification areas was based on
environmental indices, digital image processing in multispectral analysis and
Geographic Information System (GIS).The first step was to treat
the rainfall data and NDVI satellite Modis, aiming at identifying areas which
do not present vegetation cover, even during the rainy seasons.The second
step was to work on a regional scale using Landsat ETM + images (2000-2005) and
data collected in the field, as the evaluations of exposed surfaces, that
together with MDT/SRTM-NASA and thematic maps, allowed to classify the
altitude and slope of the relief, soils type, different morphologies and
geology, and correlate them with the areas susceptible to desertification
process. The integration of the georeferenced data, related to these
indicators, allowed the identification of five different levels of
susceptibility to desertification (very high, high, moderate, low and very
low), and the geographic domain of each class. Based on the analysis of the
dynamics of the vegetation cover, we can establish that the main results refer
that there is a decrease of the biomass at the region, associated with the
dense caatinga vegetation areas, but more important, with the scrub and
degraded areas.


Non-aspirin non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been used in clinical practice for more than a century and are among the most widely used drugs worldwide for the treatment of pain, fever, and inflammation.1,2 For decades, it has been known that many of these drugs can cause fluid retention and elevate blood pressure,3 thus increasing cardiovascular risk particularly in heart failure patients.4 However, the main worry in relation to the use of these agents has been gastrointestinal bleeding.5

Newer selective COX-2 inhibitors (coxibs) were developed as NSAIDs with reduced gastrointestinal toxicity, but retained analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Coxibs were tested in accordance to modern drug development regulations with large numbers of patients included in clinical trials. These trials demonstrated that rofecoxib,6–8 celecoxib,9 valdecoxib,10 and parecoxib10 increased the risk of cardiovascular complications. As a result, coxibs currently have very limited indications for use. Paradoxically, an older and relatively selective COX-2 inhibitor, diclofenac,11 continues to be one of the most widely used drugs worldwide and is in most countries sold over the counter.1 Mixed COX-1/COX-2 inhibitors such as ibuprofen and naproxen are also used widely and, without solid evidence, assumed to be safe. Given the current uncertainty regarding the safety of this class of agents and the rapidly accumulating data on their cardiovascular risks, this review summarizes the current evidence from randomized and observational studies on the cardiovascular safety of non-aspirin NSAIDs and presents a position for their use.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs exhibit their anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting COX, which is the rate-limiting enzyme in prostaglandin synthesis ( Figure 1 ).12 There are at least two major isoforms of the COX enzyme—COX-1 and COX-2.12 Both isoforms catalyse the conversion of the unsaturated fatty acid arachidonic acid into prostaglandin …

[↵][1]*Corresponding author. Tel: +45 8716 8063, Fax: +45 8716 8063, Email: morten.schmidt{at}dadlnet.dk

 [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1


This article addresses both the physical impacts and international legal issues arising from two interlinked stressors on Arctic coastlines: sea level rise and coastal erosion. Key aspects of the legal regime governing the baselines from which coastal States calculate the outer limits of their maritime zones are reviewed and a synopsis of the practice among the Arctic littoral States is provided. The article then turns to a discussion of the practical and international legal responses available to deal with the present and future challenge of rising seas and retreating coasts. The concluding section offers with some reflections on the way forward for a region experiencing some of the most devastating impacts of climate change.


The acceleration of economic globalisation, over the past few decades, has put the role of the state, as an important actor in the management of the global economy, in the spotlight. The question that continues to dominate the globalisation debate is whether or not individual states, operating within a neoliberal paradigm, are in a position to effectively regulate the economic activities of powerful multinational capital, manage domestic economies and protect labour. The main aim of this thesis is to assess how effectively nation states can respond to globalisation and mitigate negative impacts such as the decline of domestic industries and local labour markets while maximising the benefits. Shipping is one of the most globalised industries and one where capital is highly mobile. The challenges facing nation states in their attempt to manage domestic economies and protect local industries are therefore well illustrated in the relationship between the state and multinational shipping capital. The UK, along with other Traditional Maritime Nations, has been dramatically affected by the globalisation of the industry. Following a huge decline in the UK's merchant shipping fleet, the UK government has attempted to respond, by way of a tonnage tax. This is primarily a tax incentive to encourage ship-owners to register and operate their ships in the UK. The tonnage tax regime contains within it a training commitment by which the ship-owners undertake to recruit and train UK cadets. An assessment of the performance of the strategy reveals that, whereas it has boosted significant growth in UK registered tonnage, it has achieved little success with regard to increasing the number of qualified junior officers. It is this paradox that comprises the focus of this study. Using interview data collected from key stakeholders in the UK shipping industry the thesis analyses the form and impact of the tonnage tax. The main conclusion is that, having initially committed to the advocacy of the neoliberal agenda and the concept of free capital markets, states are no longer capable of effectively responding to globalisation and the consequent negative impact on domestic economies. Because of the growing influence of corporate capital and the fear of capital flight, the limitations of state policies is especially evident in the British shipping industry in relation to the decline of local seafaring labour.


KM3NeT is a research infrastructure being installed in the deep Mediterranean Sea. It will house a neutrino telescope comprising hundreds of networked moorings - detection units or strings equipped with optical instrumentation to detect the Cherenkov radiation generated by charged particles from neutrino-induced collisions in its vicinity. In comparison to moorings typically used for oceanography, several key features of the KM3NeT string are different: the instrumentation is contained in transparent and thus unprotected glass spheres; two thin Dyneema ropes are used as strength members; and a thin delicate backbone tube with fibre-optics and copper wires for data and power transmission, respectively, runs along the full length of the mooring. Also, compared to other neutrino telescopes such as ANTARES in the Mediterranean Sea and GVD in Lake Baikal, the KM3NeT strings are more slender to minimise the amount of material used for support of the optical sensors. Moreover, the rate of deploying a large number of strings in a period of a few years is unprecedented. For all these reasons, for the installation of the KM3NeT strings, a custom-made, fast deployment method was designed. Despite the length of several hundreds of metres, the slim design of the string allows it to be compacted into a small, re-usable spherical launching vehicle instead of deploying the mooring weight down from a surface vessel. After being lowered to the seafloor, the string unfurls to its full length with the buoyant launching vehicle rolling along the two ropes.The design of the vehicle, the loading with a string, and its underwater self-unrolling are detailed in this paper.


Germany is known to have one of the lowest fertility rates among Western European countries and also relatively low employment rates of mothers with young children. Although these trends have been observed during the last decades, the German public has only recently begun discussing these issues. In order to reverse these trends, the German government recently passed a reform of the parental leave benefit system in line with the Scandinavian model. The core piece of the reform is the replacement of the existing means-tested parental leave benefit by a wage-dependent benefit for the period of one year. In this paper we simulate fiscal costs and expected labour market outcomes of this reform. Based on a micro-simulation model for Germany we calculate first-round effects, which assume no behavioural changes and second-round effects, where we take labour supply changes into account. Our results show that on average all income groups, couples and single households, benefit from the reform. The calculation of overall costs of the reform shows that the additional costs are moderate. As far as the labour market behaviour of parents is concerned, we find no significant changes of labour market outcomes in the first year after birth. However, in the second year, mothers increase their working hours and labour market participation significantly. Our results suggest that the reform will achieve one of its aims, namely the increase in the labour market participation of mothers with young children.


The interaction of phase-separating systems with chemical reactions is of great interest in various contexts, from biology to material science. In biology, phase separation is thought to be the driving force behind the formation of biomolecular condensates, i.e., organelles without a membrane that are associated with cellular metabolism, stress response, and development. RNA, proteins, and small molecules participating in the formation of condensates are also involved in a variety of biochemical reactions: how do the chemical reaction dynamics influence the process of phase separation? Here we are interested in finding chemical reactions that can arrest the growth of condensates, generating stable spatial patterns of finite size (microphase separation), in contrast with the otherwise spontaneous (unstable) growth of condensates. We consider a classical continuum model for phase separation coupled to a chemical reaction network (CRN), and we seek conditions for the emergence of stable oscillations of the solution in space. Given reaction dynamics with uncertain rate constants, but known structure, we derive easily computable conditions to assess whether microphase separation is impossible, possible for some parameter values, or robustly guaranteed for all parameter values within given bounds. Our results establish a framework to evaluate which classes of CRNs favor the emergence of condensates with finite size, a question that is broadly relevant to understanding and engineering life.


Abstract Volunteerism is a recreational activity that may hold the key to greater social inclusion for individuals with disabilities into our communities. Facilitating inclusive volunteering opportunities for youth with and without disabilities has a potential scope of impact that must not be ignored, including benefits to the youth and our communities. A case study of an inclusive youth volunteer program is described. Outcomes for participants included increased knowledge of volunteerism, increased social interaction, and psychosocial outcomes such as increased belief in self and increased sense of responsibility. The feasibility and sustainability of inclusive volunteer programs, as well as future programming and research needs are also discussed.


We report a design strategy for the preparation of stimuli-responsive materials with multicolour emission that is based on a single type of luminophore molecule comprising gold(I) and a flexible diphosphine ligand. Multistimuli-responsive luminescent dinuclear [Au2(dpephos)2](X)2 (dpephos = bis(2-diphenylphosphino)-phenyl ether; X = NO3, 1; CF3SO3, 2; BF4, 3; PF6, 4; SbF6, 5) complexes were obtained by rapid mechanochemical syntheses. The single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of complexes 1–5 revealed that the [Au2(dpephos)2]2+ cations do not exhibit short intramolecular aurophilic interactions. Supported by the structural flexibility of the dpephos ligand, these intramolecular Au⋯Au contacts are highly sensitive to external stimuli, such as light, temperature, mechanical grinding and exposure to solvent vapours. The ensuing materials, which comprise only gold(I)–diphosphine luminophores, can emit green, yellow and red colours, and the colour of the emitted light can be switched by light, heat or pressure. A change from green to yellow in the emission was observed upon heating to room temperature under the 365 nm excitation, whereas a change from yellow to red was achieved by mechanical grinding. Moreover, the green emission can be switched to red by changing the excitation wavelength to 312 nm. All these reversible luminescence colour changes are readily perceivable by the naked eye, and they are attributed to small structural modifications induced by external stimuli that also modulate the intramolecular Au⋯Au interaction. The red emission from these gold(I) diphosphine-based dimers can be attributed to the presence of intramolecular aurophilic interaction.


Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging / November 2015 / Vol 25 / Issue 4 475 Cite this article as: Ray A. Imaging in diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. Indian J Radiol Imaging 2015;25:474-5. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as the author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms. Access this article online Quick Response Code:


Iran needs around 1.5 million residential homes to be constructed annually to answer its cumulative demand by 2025. Given the current situation of the Iranian construction industry, it seems almost impossible to achieve this objective by using traditional methods of construction alone. Offsite manufacturing (OSM) can potentially increase the housing output in Iran thanks to its advantages over traditional methods of construction. However, OSM imposes a different set of risks which should be studied in the Iranian context. This study aims to investigate the readiness of the Iranian construction industry if offsite methods were to be introduced to the country in large industrial scales. To this end, a questionnaire survey was conducted to identify the risks and required actions in order to achieve successful application of these methods. Several subjects including costs, practicality, design and construction processes, demand, governmental policies, technology, and sustainability issues were investigated as the core research areas. The results revealed that, considering the current situations, it would be highly risky to introduce offsite methods of construction to Iran. Research findings highlight some key areas including design and construction processes, economies of scale, governmental supports, and education, which should be addressed to mitigate the identified risks.


Since at least the 1970s a variety of scholars have redefined the U.S. social welfare state to include not only traditional benefit programs (for example, Food Stamps and Social Security) but also a variety of tax benefits that are "hidden" or "submerged" forms of "welfare for the wealthy." Including these benefits in the overall picture of U.S. social welfare provision reveals a system that is both larger in size than popularly believed and that, in addition to providing some support for the poor, distributes significant benefits regressively to households with substantial wealth. Although a variety of scholars and policy analysts have described these outcomes, scholars have yet to focus on the ways in which structural inequality is written directly into the means of administration of U.S.social welfare programs. This Article is the first to turn to those questions and to systematically demonstrate that those who are economically (and disproportionately racially) disadvantaged are offered a social welfare state that is meager, punitive, and tremendously risky for those who receive its benefits. But for those with economic privilege, the story is quite different. Families and individuals with significant economic privilege benefit disproportionately from a whole host of cash and near-cash benefits that are neither meager nor punitive. In fact, in contrast to benefits for the poor, benefits for the rich function as nearly invisible entitlements. As one moves from benefits for the poor towards benefits for the rich, the administrative structures shift along this progression, becoming less and less punitive and risky and more and more like invisible entitlements. Although as a formal matter the rich, like the poor, have no right to economic support in the constitutional sense, American social welfare policy moves the rich remarkably close to a right to economic support, leaving the poor far behind. This Article reveals these vast structural inequalities and concludes by calling not only, as others have, for an increase in and more progressive distribution of social welfare dollars but also, for the first time, for reforms that would address the structural inequalities at the heart of the U.S. social welfare state and that would render it more successful at supporting the autonomy and resilience of all of its beneficiaries.


This advisory summarizes the current database on pacing modalities and algorithms used to prevent and terminate atrial fibrillation (AF). On the basis of the evidence indicating that ventricular pacing is associated with a higher incidence of AF in patients with sinus node dysfunction, a patient who has a history of AF and needs a pacemaker for bradycardia should receive a physiological pacemaker (dual chamber or atrial) rather than a single-chamber ventricular pacemaker. For patients who need a dual-chamber pacemaker, efforts should be made to program the device to minimize the amount of ventricular pacing when atrioventricular conduction is intact. Many pacemakers and implantable defibrillators have features designed to prevent AF and to terminate AF with rapid atrial pacing. The evidence to support their use is limited, although these algorithms appear to be safe and usually add little additional cost. For patients who have a bradycardia indication for pacing and also have AF, no consistent data from large randomized trials support the use of alternative single-site atrial pacing, multisite right atrial pacing, biatrial pacing, overdrive pacing, or antitachycardia atrial pacing. Even fewer data support the use of atrial pacing in the management of AF in patients without symptomatic bradycardia. At present, permanent pacing to prevent AF is not indicated; however, additional studies are ongoing, which will help to clarify the role of permanent pacing for AF.


Variational inference techniques based on inducing variables provide an elegant framework for scalable posterior estimation in Gaussian process (GP) models. Besides enabling scalability, one of their main advantages over sparse approximations using direct marginal likelihood maximization is that they provide a robust alternative for point estimation of the inducing inputs, i.e. the location of the inducing variables. In this work we challenge the common wisdom that optimizing the inducing inputs in the variational framework yields optimal performance. We show that, by revisiting old model approximations such as the fully-independent training conditionals endowed with powerful sampling-based inference methods, treating both inducing locations and GP hyper-parameters in a Bayesian way can improve performance significantly. Based on stochastic gradient Hamiltonian Monte Carlo, we develop a fully Bayesian approach to scalable GP and deep GP models, and demonstrate its state-of-the-art performance through an extensive experimental campaign across several regression and classification problems.


For this New York exhibition in which I showed 3 pieces the international artist and curator Matthew Higgs brought 19 emerging and established artists together.

Citing contradictory and deconstructive impulses in recent art, Higgs referenced artists whose work plays with or otherwise upsets the modernist art historical canon, citing, for example, Bataille's 'informe', a contemporary sense of unease, and a tension between the organic and inorganic. My own work makes a contribution in all these areas, particularly in its use of vernacular materials, its references to craft and to imperfection, and the way it provides evidence of gesture and the work of the hand. It reframes and rearticulates the concerns of an earlier generation of artists such as Dubuffet in a post-modern context.

My largest piece, 'Zusammenhang', was a web-like installation using organic materials such as wool, stones and paint, assembled by crochet, knitting and knots. Its tensile structure was fragile: twigs were often precariously balanced in leather. The work was predicated on both literal and metaphysical balance, and the possibility of its opposite. 'Gelande' used flesh coloured wool crocheted into an abstract, mountain-like landscape linked with twigs and bits of copper mounted on a blue plaster plinth on an ironing board. 'Frau mit Kopftuch', in plaster, paint, wood and leather depicted an ambiguous creature, neither human nor animal, hatching eggs.

All 3 pieces were bought by well-known US collectors, the largest, 'Zusammenhang', by DIA, a multi-disciplinary contemporary arts foundation based in New York that owns one of the most influential collections in the USA and, arguably, the world.

See the 3-page essay by Matthew Higgs in the 28-page exhibition catalogue with a colour illustration of 'Zusammenhang'. Photographs of the other 2 pieces are in my evidence portfolio.


Abstract. Atmospheric temperatures and winds in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere have been measured simultaneously using the Aura satellite and a meteor radar at Bear Lake Observatory (42° N, 111° W), respectively. The data presented in this study is from the interval March 2008 to July 2011. The mean winds observed in the summer-time over Bear Lake Observatory show the meridional winds to be equatorward at meteor heights during April−August and to reach monthly-mean velocities of −12 m s−1. The mean winds are closely related to temperatures in this region of the atmosphere and in the summer the coldest mesospheric temperatures occur about the same time as the strongest equatorward meridional winds. The zonal winds are eastward through most of the year and in the summer strong eastward zonal wind shears of up to ~4.5 m s−1 km−1 are present. However, westward winds are observed at the upper heights in winter and sometimes during the equinoxes. Considerable inter-annual variability is observed in the mean winds and temperatures. Comparisons of the observed winds with URAP and HWM-07 reveal some large differences. Our radar zonal wind observations are generally more eastward than predicted by the URAP model zonal winds. Considering the radar meridional winds, in comparison to HWM-07 our observations reveal equatorward flow at all meteor heights in the summer whereas HWM-07 suggests that only weakly equatorward, or even poleward flows occur at the lower heights. However, the zonal winds observed by the radar and modelled by HWM-07 are generally similar in structure and strength. Signatures of the 16- and 5-day planetary waves are clearly evident in both the radar-wind data and Aura-temperature data. Short-lived wave events can reach large amplitudes of up to ~15 m s−1 and 8 K and 20 m s−1 and 10 K for the 16- and 5-day waves, respectively. A clear seasonal and short-term variability are observed in the 16- and 5-day planetary wave amplitudes. The 16-day wave reaches largest amplitude in winter and is also present in summer, but with smaller amplitudes. The 5-day wave reaches largest amplitude in winter and in late summer. An inter-annual variability in the amplitude of the planetary waves is evident in the four years of observations. Some 41 episodes of large-amplitude wave occurrence are identified. Temperature and wind amplitudes for these episodes, AT and AW, that passed the Student T-test were found to be related by, AT = 0.34 AW and AT = 0.62 AW for the 16- and 5-day wave, respectively.


Public policy plays an influential role in the work we do as HCI researchers, interaction designers, and practitioners. "Public policy," a broad term, includes both government policy and policy within non-governmental organizations. This forum focuses on topics at the intersection of human-computer interaction and public policy. ---Jonathan Lazar, Editor


One of the factors that contribute to the success of shrimp hatchery operations is the availability of good quality broodstock diets. Polychaetes have been regarded as the best maturation diet for shrimps as they contain essential nutrients requisite for the reproduction of shrimps. Consequently, the demand for polychaetes increased with the intensification of shrimp farming and as a result, the natural stocks are depleting gradually and thus, could no longer provide sustainable supply for shrimp hatcheries. In addition, the issue on biosecurity concerning wild polychaetes prompted the shrimp farmers to obtain polychaetes from reputable sources, thus, the culture of polychaetes under controlled condition has become a sustainable alternative. The SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) therefore initiated the "Refinement of rearing and feeding techniques for sustainable mass production of the polychaete Marphysa sp." to address the gaps in polychaetes culture and ensure the sustainability of polychaetes production to supply the shrimp hatcheries at SEAFDEC/AQD, and where the potential mass production of the polychaetes (Marphysa sp.) in indoor tanks is being undertaken to ensure that these are pathogen-free.


Twelve years ago, the international community took a step toward a global emission reduction regime--the Kyoto protocol. Governments are poised to take another step at climate talks in December in Copenhagen, where some observers cautiously hope delegates will sign Kyoto's successor. As the clock ticks down to the year-end talks, there is palpable pressure to "seal the deal" on a new climate change pact. Many observers believe this could be the last chance nations have to forge a new deal before the first phase of the Kyoto protocol expires in 2012. Should negotiations stall in December, countries may not have enough time to ratify a new agreement that ensures a smooth transition to a post-Kyoto regime. There also appears to be a greater sense of urgency than in the past among many global climate scientists and experts, who say climate change is taking place faster than they anticipated. The Copenhagen talks, they say, could be a last chance for governments to tackle climate change to avoid the more catastrophic effects of global warming. Within the context of the dialogue currently taking place about climate change, it is instructive to understand worldwide public opinion and attitudes about the issue. During 2007 and 2008, Gallup conducted the first comprehensive survey of global opinions about climate change, asking respondents specifically about their awareness of the issue and the extent to which they perceive climate change as a threat to themselves and their families. Gallup surveyed a total of 206,193 residents in 128 countries, representing more than 90 percent of the world's population aged 15 and older. Each country's sample is representative of both urban and rural areas. Country data were weighted by population to provide global and regional estimates. Gallup's major findings are that a majority of the world's adult population is aware of the climate change issue, but a substantial minority is not aware. Further, those who are aware are more likely to say climate change poses a serious threat to themselves and their families. Results did vary by region and among each of the top five green house gas-emitting countries, underscoring the challenges leaders face in reaching a global climate agreement. Climate Change: Awareness and Knowledge The first question--"How much do you know about global warming or climate change?"--gave respondents three choices: "I have never heard of it, I know something about it, or I know a great deal about it." Although people's awareness of climate change and perceptions about its effects vary at the region and country levels, the overall patterns illustrate how climate change is a truly global issue. Gallup's data reveal that a majority of the world's adult population--61 percent--knows at least something about climate change or global warming. A breakdown of this 61 percent shows that half of the world (50 percent) knows "something" about the subject, while slightly more than one in ten people(l 1 percent) knows a "great deal." A sizable minority of (39 percent) has never heard of climate change or has no opinion. Because a self-report measure was used in the research, rather than a test of actual knowledge, this 39 percent may represent a conservative estimate of the world's population that is unaware of the climate change issue. Regionally, people in Europe and the Americas (which includes North, South, and Central America) are the most likely to be aware of climate change. More than eight in ten adults in Europe and the Americas say they know at least something about climate change. In addition, these two regions have the greatest percentage of adults who report knowing a great deal about the issue. Lower awareness is evident in the Middle East/North Africa, Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa regions. Slightly more than half of adults in the Middle East/North Africa and Asia regions report basic awareness of climate change. …


In general, people should be informed about the overall goals and objectives of the ORV programme, details of ORV campaigns and related issues, including the importance of pet and livestock vaccination (see sections 126.96.36.199; 220.127.116.11;22.214.171.124; 184.108.40.206). Physicians should be given precise instructions from regional public health services about what to do in case people come into contact with vaccine baits, taking into consideration reporting obligations and WHO recommendations for PEP. (...)


A coupled ice/ocean model for the region of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea is pre- sented. It was developed to simulate the inter-annual and intra-annual variability of the dynamic and thermodynamic state of this region. The response of hydrographic conditions to transient forcing was calculated and the ability of the model to describe observed variability of sea surface elevation, tem- perature and salinity is investigated. Based on various observational data sets, the skill of the model is assessed. It was found that modelled and observed sea surface elevations were highly correlated. The lower frequency variability in sea surface elevation, i.e. periods >10 d, was described almost per- fectly by the model. The bias of the model for sea surface temperature (SST) was about 1°C for the summer and about 0.5°C for the winter. The inter-annual SST anomalies, including temporal as well as regional variability, are reproduced with greater accuracy. The model was able to realistically describe the development of the halocline in the Baltic Sea. The halocline was preserved over the full cycle of the 15 yr hindcast period. From the results of the present study, it can be concluded that the model is a valuable tool for investigating the regional influence of climate variability and climate change on North Sea and Baltic Sea hydro- and thermodynamics.


TO THE EDITOR: In South Korea, sugammadex has begun to be clinically used as an antagonist of nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockers since 2013 and is approved for use in pediatric patients above 2 years of age. There are many reports on the usefulness of sugammadex in pediatric patients. We read with great interest the paper titled "The use of sugammadex in an infant with prolonged neuromuscular blockade A case report -" [1]. However, we have some concerns that we would like to discuss. First, the authors administered neostigmine twice without anticholinergics. We assume that this was probably due to the atropine administered during the pre-induction period. However, concomitant administration of anticholinesterase and anticholinergics is not solely due to increases in the heart rate [2]. Second, the body temperature of the neuromuscular monitoring site should be well-maintained because hypothermia at the measurement site can interfere with mechanomyographic and acceleromyographic recordings. As an example, one study reported that the twitch tension of the adductor pollicis decreased by 16% per degree when the muscle temperature fell below 35.2°C [3]. Third, when the two post-tetanic counts were measured, sugammadex 25 mg (more than 4.6 mg/kg) was administered. Sugammadex is not approved for children under 2 years of age in South Korea or in other countries, and adverse events of sugammadex such as hypersensitivity tend to be dose-proportional [4]. Although the waiting time for recovery may be longer, careful administration of small doses may be more well-tolerated [5]. Lastly, during the 90-min period of emergence, it is likely that the patient would have struggled even if he was not able to move. There would have been various symptoms and signs that the patient had regained consciousness and experienced pain. Medications for pain relief and sedation had to be administered.


Monitoring the natural environment is increasingly important as habit degradation and climate change reduce the world's biodiversity. We have developed software tools and applications to assist ecologists with the collection and analysis of acoustic data at large spatial and temporal scales. One of our key objectives is automated animal call recognition, and our approach has three novel attributes. First, we work with raw environmental audio, contaminated by noise and artefacts and containing calls that vary greatly in volume depending on the animal's proximity to the microphone. Second, initial experimentation suggested that no single recognizer could deal with the enormous variety of calls. Therefore, we developed a toolbox of generic recognizers to extract invariant features for each call type. Third, many species are cryptic and offer little data with which to train a recognizer. Many popular machine learning methods require large volumes of training and validation data and considerable time and expertise to prepare. Consequently we adopt bootstrap techniques that can be initiated with little data and refined subsequently. In this paper, we describe our recognition tools and present results for real ecological problems.